bill_the_galactic_hero_v1.1-第27部分

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ree　men　liked；　respected；　and　distrusted　each　other；　so　that　elaborate　safeguards　were　called　for。　When　Deathwish　and　the　lawyer　finally　left　they　had　careful　instructions　about　where　to　find　the　money；　and　Bill　had　statements　signed　in　blood　with　affixed　thumbprint　from　each　of　them　stating　that　they　were　members　of　the　Party　d　edicated　to　overthrowing　the　Emperor。　When　they　returned　with　the　money　Bill　gave　them　back　their　statements　as　soon　as　Captain　O'Brien　had　signed　a　receipt　for　15；300　bucks　as　payment　in　full　for　defending　Bill　before　a　general　court…martial。　It　was　all　done　in　a　businesslike　and　satisfying　manner。
　　〃Would　you　like　to　hear　my　side　of　the　case？〃　Bill　asked。
　〃Of　course　not；　that　has　no　bearing　at　all　on　the　charges。　When　you　enlisted　in　the　troopers　you　signed　away　all　your　rights　as　a　human　being。　They　can　do　whatever　they　like　with　you。　Your　only　advantage　is　that　they　are　also　prisoners　of　their　own　system　and　must　abide　by　the　plex　and　self…contradictory　code　of　laws　they　have　constructed　through　the　centuries。　They　want　to　shoot　you　for　desertion　and　have　rigged　a　foolproof　case。〃
　　　〃Then　I'll　be　shot！〃
　　〃Perhaps；　but　that's　the　chance　we　have　to　take。〃
　　　〃We…？　You　going　to　be　hit　by　half　the　bullets？〃
　　〃Don't　get　snotty　when　you're　talking　to　an　officer；　bowb。　Abide　in　me；　have　faith；　and　hope　they　make　some　mistakes。〃
　　　After　that　it　was　just　a　matter　of　marking　time　until　the　trial。　Bill　knew　it　was　close　when　they　gave　him　a　uniform　with　a　Fuse　Tender　First　Class　insignia　on　the　arm。　Then　the　guard　tramped　up；　the　door　sprang　open；　and　Deathwish　waved　him　out。　They　marched　away　together；　and　Bill　exacted　what　small　pleasure　he　could　from　changing　step　to　louse　up　the　guard。　But　once　through　the　door　of　the　courtroom　he　took　a　military　brace　and　tried　to　look　like　an　old　campaigner　with　his　medals　clanking　on　his　chest。　There　was　an　empty　chair　next　to　a　polished；　uniformed；　and　very　military　Captain　O'Brien。
　　〃That's　the　stuff；〃　O'Brien　said。　〃Keep　up　with　the　G。I。　bit；　outplay　them　at　their　own　game。〃
　　They　climbed　to　their　feet　as　the　officers　of　the　court　filed　in。　Bill　and　O'Brien　were　seated　at　the　end　of　the　long；　black；　plastic　table；　and　at　the　far　end　sat　the　trial　judge　advocate；　a　gray…haired　and　stern…looking　major　who　wore　a　cheap　girdle。　The　ten　officers　of　the　court　sat　down　at　the　long　side　of　the　table；　where　they　could　scowl　out　at　the　audience　and　the　witnesses。　
　　〃Let　us　begin；〃　the　court　president；　a　bald…headed　and　pudgy　fleet　admiral；　said　with　fitting　solemnity。　〃Let　the　trial　open；　let　justice　be　done　with　utmost　dispatch；　and　the　prisoner　found　guilty　and　shot。〃
　　　〃I　object；〃　O'Brien　said；　springing　to　his　feet。　〃These　remarks　are　prejudical　toward　the　accused；　who　is。　innocent　until　proven　guilty…〃
　　　〃Objection　overruled。〃　The　president's　gavel　banged。　〃Counsel　for　the　defense　is　fined　fifty　bucks　for　unwarranted　interruption。　The　accused　is　guilty；　the　evidence　will　prove　it；　and　he　will　be　shot。　Justice　will　be　served。〃
　　　〃So　that's　the　way。　they　are　going　to　play　it；〃　O'Brien　murmured　to　Bill　through　half…closed　lips。　〃I　can　play　them　any　way　as　long　as　I　know　the　ground　rules。〃
　　　The　trial　judge　advocate　had　already　begun　his　opening　statement　in　a　monotonous　voice。　　　〃。　。　。　therefore　we　shall　prove　that　Fuse　Tender　First　Class　Bill　did　　willfully　overstay　his　officially　granted　leave　by　a　period　of　nine　days　and
thereafter　resist　arrest　and　flee　from　the　arresting　officers　and　successfully　elude　pursuit；　where　upon　he　absented　himself　for　the　period　of　over　one　standard　year；　so　is　therefore　guilty　of　desertion　。　。　。〃
　　〃Guilty　as　hell！〃　one　of　the　court　officers　shouted；　a　redfaced　cavalry　major　with　a　black　monocle；　springing　to　his　feet　and　knocking　over　his　chair。　〃I　vote　guilty…shoot　the　buggery〃
　　〃I　agree；　Sam；〃　the　president　drawled；　tapping　lightly　with　his　gavel；　〃but　we　have　to　shoot　him　by　the　book；　take　a　little　while　yet〃
　　〃That's　not　true；〃　Bill　hissed　to　his　lawyer。　〃The　facts　are…〃
　　〃Don't　worry　about　facts；　Bill；　no　one　else　here…　does。　Facts　can't　alter　this　　case。〃
　　〃。　。　。　and　we　will　therefore　ask　the　supreme　penalty；　death；〃　the　trial　judge　advocate　said；　finally　dragging　to　a　close。
　　〃Are　you　going　to　waste　our　time　with　an　opening　statement；　Captain？〃　the　president　asked；　glaring　at　O'Brien。
　　〃Just　a　few　words；　if　the　court　pleases　。　。　。　〃
　　　There　was　a　sudden　stir　among　the　spectators；　and　a　ragged　woman　with　a　shawl　over　her　head；　clutching　a　blanketwrapped　bundle　to　her　bosom；　rushed　forward　to　the　edge　of　the　table。　
　　〃Your　honors…〃　she　gasped；　〃don't　take　away　me　Bill；　the　light　of　me　life。　He's　a　good　man；　and　whatever　he　did　was　only　for　me　and　the　little　one。〃　She　held　out　the　bundle；　and　a　weak　crying　could　be　h_　eard。　〃Every　day　he　wanted　to　leave；　to　return　to　duty；　but　I　was　sick　and　the　wee　one　was　sick　and　I　begged　him　with　tears　in　my　eyes　to　stay　。　。　。〃
　　〃Get　her　out　of　here！〃　The　gavel　banged　loudly。　
　　〃。　。　。　and　he　would　stay；　all　the　time　swearing　it　would　be　just　for　one　more　day；　and　all　the　time　the　darlin'　knowing　that　if　he　left　us　we　would　die　of　starvation。〃　Her　voice　was　muffled　by　the　bulk　of　the　dress…uniformed　MPs　who　carried　her；　struggling；　toward　the　exit。　〃。　。　。　and　a　blessing　on　your　honors　for　freeing　him；　but　if　you　condemn　him；　you　blackhearted　scuts；　may　you　die　and　rot　in　hell　。　。　。〃　The　doors　swung　shut；　and　her　voice　was　cut　off。　　　〃Strike　all　this　from　the　records；〃　the　president　said；　and　glowered　at　the　counsel　for　the　defense。　〃And　if　I　thought　you　had　anything　to　do　with　it　I　would　have　you　shot　right　alongside　your　client。〃
　　　O'Brien　was　looking　his　most　guileless；　fingers　on　chest　and　head　back；　and　just　beginning　an　innocent　statement　when　there　was　another　interruption。　An　old　man　climbed　onto　one　of　the　spectator's　benches　and　waved　his　arms　for　attention。
　　〃Listen　to　me；　one　and　all。　Justice　must　be　served；　and　I　am　its　instrument。　I　had　meant　to　keep　my　silence　and　allow　an　innocent　man　to　be　executed；　but　I　cannot。　Bill　is　my　son；　my　only　son；　and　I　begged　him　to　go　over　the　hill　to　aid
me；　dying　as　I　was　of　cancer；　I　wanted　to　see　him　ne　last　time；　but　he　stayed　to　nurse　me　。　。　。〃　There　was　a　struggle　as　the　MPs　grabbed　the　man　and　found　he　was　chained　to　the　bench。　〃Yes　he　did；　cooked　porridge　for　me　and　made　me　eat；　and　he　did　so　well　that　bit　by　bit　I　rallied　until　you　see　me　today；　a　cured　man；　cured　by　porridge　from　his　son's　loyal　hands。　Now　my　boy　shall　die　because　he　saved　me；　but　it　shall　not　be。　Take　my　poor　old　worthless　life　instead　of　his　。　。　。　〃　An　atomic　wire　cutter　hummed；　and　the　old　man　was　thrown　out　the　back　door。
　　　〃That's　enough！　That's　too　much！〃　the　red…faced　president　of　the　court　shrieked；　and　pounded　so　hard　that　the　gavel　broke　and　he　hurled　the　pieces　across　the　room。　〃Clear　this　court　of　all　spectators　and　witnesses。　It　is　the　judgment　of　this　court　that　the　rest　of　this　trial　will　be　conducted　by　rules　of　precedence　without　witnesses　or　evidence　admitted。〃　He　flashed　a　quick　look　around　at　his　acplices；　who　all　nodded　solemn　agreement。　〃Therefore　the　defendant　is　found　guilty　and　will　be　shot　as　soon　as　he　can　be　dragged　to　the　shooting　gallery。〃
　　　The　officers　of　the　court　were　already　pushing　back　their　chairs　to　go　when　O'Brien's　slow　voice　stopped　them。　
　　〃It　is　of　course　within　the　jurisdiction　of　this　court　to　try　a　case　in　the　manner　so　prescribed；　but　it　is　also　necessary　to　quote　the　pertinent　article　of　precedent　before　judgment　is　passed。〃
　　The　president　sighed　and　sat　down　again。　〃I　wish　you　wouldn't　try　to　be　so　difficult；　Captain；　you　know　the　regulations　just　as　well　as　I　do。　But　if　you　insist。　Pablo；　read　it　to　them。〃
　　The　law　officer　flipped　through　a　thick　volume　on　his　desk；　found　his　place　with　his　finger；　then　read　aloud。
　　〃Articles　of　War；　Military　Regulations；　paragraph；　page；　etc。　etc。　。　。　。　yes；　here　it　is；　paragraph　298…B　。　。　。　‘If　any　enlisted　man　shall　absent　himself　from　his　post　of　duty　for　over　a　period　of　one　standard　year　he　is　to　be　judged　guilty　of　desertion　even　if　absent　in　person　from　the　trial　and　the　penalty　for　desertion　is　painful　death。〃
　　〃That　seems　clear　enough。　Any　more　questions？〃　the　president　asked。
　　　〃No　questions；　I　would　just　like　to　quote　a　precedent〃　O'Brien　had　placed　a　high　stack　of　thick　books　before　him　and　was　reading　from　the　topmost　one。　〃Here　it　is；　Buck　Private　Lovenvig　versus。　the　United　States　Army　Air　Corps；　Texas；　1944。　It　is　stated　here　that　Lovenvig　was　AWOL　for　a　period　of　fourteen　months；　then　was　dicovered　in　a　hiding　place　above　the　ceiling　of　the　mess　hall　from　whence　he　descended　only　in　the　small　hours　of　the　night　to　eat　and　to　drink　of　the　stores　therein　and　to　empty　his　potty。　Since　he　had　not　left　the　base　he　could　not　be　judged　AWOL　or　be　a　deserter　and　could　receive　only　pany　punishment　of　a　most　minor　kind。〃
　　　The　officers　of　the　court　had　seated　themselves　again　and　were　all　watching　the　law　officer；　who　was　flipping　quickly　through　his　own　books。　He　finally　emerged　with　a　smile　and　a　reference　of　his　own。
　　　〃All　of　that　is　correct；　Captain；　except　for　the　fact　that　the　accused　here　did　absent　himself　from　his