现代大学英语精读第三册 06b

　　Text Twelve Angry Men (Part Two)

by Reginald Rose

Foreman: Is there anything else?

No. 8: Yes. I think we proved that the old man couldn't have heard the boy yell. "I'm going to kill you." But supposing he really did hear this phrase, how many times have all of you used it? Probably thousands. We say it every day. This doesn't mean we're going to kill somebody.

No. 3: What are you trying to give us here? The kid yelled it out at the top of his lungs. Anybody says a thing like that, the way he did, he means it!

No. 8: Do you really think the boy would shout out a thing like this so the whole neighborhood could hear? He's much too bright for that.

No. 10: Bright! He's a common ignorant slob. He don't even speak good English.

No. 11: (Correcting him) He DOESN'T speak good English.

No. 5: Mr. Foreman, I'd like to change my vote to not guilty.

Foreman: The vote is now nine to three in favor of guilty.

No. 11: I would like to say something. It seems to me that this man has some very good points to make. And from what was presented at the trial, the boy looks guilty on the surface. But if we look deeper ... There is a question I would like to ask. Let us assume that the boy really did commit the murder. This happened at 10 after twelve. Now, how was he caught by the police? He came back home at 3 o'clock or so, and he was captured by two detectives in the hallway. Now my question is: If he really had killed his father, why did he come back home three hours later? Wouldn't he be afraid of being caught?

No. 12: To get his knife. It wasn't very nice to have it sticking out of some people's chests.

No. 7: Especially relatives'.

No. 4: I don't see anything funny about it. The boy knew that the knife could be identified as the one he had just bought. He wanted to get it before the police did.

No. 11: If he knew the knife could be identified, why did he leave it there in the first place?

No. 4: We can assume that the boy ran out in a state of panic after having just killed his father. After he calmed down, he found he had left his knife there.

No. 11: Ah, this then would depend on your definition of panic. He would have to be calm enough to see to it that there were no fingerprints 1 left on the knife. Now, where did the panic start and where did it end?

No. 12: Well, if I were the boy and had stabbed my father, I would take a chance and go back for the knife. I think he figured that nobody had seen him running out, and the body wouldn't be discovered till the next day.

No. 8: Maybe the boy did kill his father, did run out in a panic, did calm down three hours after the killing 2 to come back to get the knife, risking being caught. Maybe all those things happened. But maybe they didn't. I think there's enough doubt that we can wonder if he was there at all during the time the killing took place.

No. 6: I'd like to change my vote to not guilty.

Foreman: The vote is eight to four.

No. 3: Come on, we are all going crazy!

No. 7: (To No. 8) Look, what about the old man? Are we supposed to believe that he didn't get up and run to the door and see the kid beat it downstairs 15 seconds after the killing? He's just saying so to be important, right?

No. 5: Did the old man say he RAN to the door?

No. 7: Ran, walked. What's the difference? Anyway he got there!

No. 6: Now wait a minute. He said "ran."

No. 5: I don't remember what he said, but I don't see how he could have run to the door.

No. 8: Mr. Foreman, I'd like to see the diagram of the apartment. I'd like to find out if an old man who drags one foot when he walks could get from his bedroom to the front door in 15 seconds.

No. 3: He said 20 seconds.

No. 8: He said 15.

No. 3: How does he know how long 15 seconds is!

No. 9: He said 15. He was very positive about that.

No. 3: He was an old man. Half the time, he was confused. How could he be positive about anything? (He tries to cover his blunder. But it is too late.)

No. 4: I don't see what you are going to prove here. The man said that he saw the boy running out.

(The guard brings the diagram to the Foreman, who passes it to No. 8.)

No. 8: Well, let's see if the details bear him out. All right, here's the apartment where the killing took place. Here's the el tracks, the bedroom, living room. Here's the hall. Here's the stairs. The old man was in the room right here. He said he crossed to the door, walked down the hall, opened the front door, just in time to see the boy running down the stairs. The hall is 43 feet. He would have to walk 12 feet, open the bedroom door, walk 43 feet down and open the front door all in 15 seconds. Do you think he could have done it?

No. 11: He can only walk very slowly. They had to help him into the witness chair.

(No. 8 begins to arrange the chair.)

No. 10: What are you doing?

No. 8: (To No. 6) Pass that chair, will you? Let's say the chair is the old man's bed. I'm going to pace off 12 feet.

No. 7: That's crazy. You can't recreate a scene like that.

No. 8: (To another juror) Would you stand there to mark the front door? It was chain-locked according to the testimony 3, remember? Has anybody got a watch with a second hand?

No. 2: I have.

No. 8: When you want me to start, stamp your foot. That will be the body falling. You can time me from there. (He begins to walk.)... lock, door, stop! What's the time?

No. 2: Exactly 41 seconds.

No. 8: I think the old man was trying to get to the door. He heard someone running down the stairs and assumed it was the boy.

No. 3: Assumed! Brother, I've seen all kinds of dishonesty in my day, but this little display takes the cake. (He turns to all the rest.) What's the matter with you guys? You all know he's guilty. He's got to burn and you let him slip through our fingers!

No. 8: "Slip through our fingers." Are you the executioner?

No. 3: I'm one of them!

No. 8: Maybe you'd like to pull the switch.

No. 3: For this kid? You bet I would.

No. 8: I feel sorry for you. What it must feel like to want to pull the switch. You are a sadist!

No. 3: (Lunges at No. 8, but is stopped by the others.) Phew, I'll kill him! I'll kill him!

No. 8: (calmly) You don't really mean you'd kill me, do you?

(The commotion 4 finally quiets down.)

No. 6: Maybe we should take another vote.

Foreman: That's OK with me. I'll call out the juror numbers. (He calls out the numbers one by one.) The vote is now six to six.

No. 10: Six to six! Some of you here must be out of your mind. A kid like that ...

No. 9: I don't think the kind of boy he is has anything to do with it. The facts of the case are supposed to determine the case.

No. 10: Don't give me that! I'm sick and tired of facts. You can think any way you like.

No. 9: That's exactly the point this gentleman here is making.

No. 3: I'm ready to declare a hung jury. There's no point in going on anymore.

No. 7: I go for that too. Let the kid take his chances with twelve other guys.

No. 11: You still don't think there's room for reasonable doubt?

No. 7: No, I don't.

No. 11: Maybe you don't understand the term "reasonable doubt?"

No. 7: What do you mean I don't understand? (To the others) How do you like this guy? He comes here running for his life. And now, before he can take a deep breath, he's telling us how to run the show. The arrogance 5 of this guy.

Foreman: All right, let's stop arguing. Now who's got something constructive 6 to say?

No. 8: I'd like to say something if you gentlemen don't mind. An important point with the prosecution 7 was the fact that after the boy claimed he had been at the movies during the hours in which the killing took place, he couldn't remember the names of the movies and the stars. The gentleman here brought it up several times.

No. 4: That's correct. It was the only alibi 8 the boy offered.

No. 8: According to the testimony, the boy was questioned by two detectives in the kitchen of his apartment when the body of his father was lying on the floor of his bedroom. Put yourself in the boy's place. Do you think he could have remembered the details under those circumstances?

No. 4: I do.

No. 8: Under great emotional stress?

No. 4: Under great emotional stress.

No. 8: I'd like to ask you a personal question. Where were you last night?

No. 4: I was home.

No. 8: How about the night before that?

No. 4: I left the office at 8:30, went straight home and went to bed.

No. 8: The night before that?

No. 4: Tuesday night? The night ... of our bridge club. I played bridge.

No. 8: Monday night?

No. 4: Monday night? ... Monday night ... my wife and I went to the movies.

No. 8: What did you see?

No. 4: The ... I'll tell you in a minute ... The Remarkable 9 Mrs. Benwidge.

No. 2: I saw that. It was called The Amazing Mrs. Benwidge.

No. 4: Ah yes, The Amazing Mrs. Benwidge.

No. 8: Who was in The Amazing Mrs. Benwidge?

No. 4: Barbara — Long, I think ... dark, pretty girl ... It was a very inexpensive feature ...

No. 8: And you weren't under great emotional stress, were you?

No. 4: No. (He wipes off the sweat on his face.)

No. 9: I think the point is made.

No. 10: Big point!

Foreman: Who's got something to say?

No. 2: Something's been bothering me a little. This whole business about the stab wound and how it was made. The downward angle of it, you know.

No. 3: Don't tell me we're going to start with that again. They went over and over that in court.

No. 2: I know that. But I don't go along with it. Now the boy was 5 feet 7 inches tall. His father was six two. That's a difference of 7 inches. It's very hard to stab down into the chest of someone who's half a foot taller than you are.

No. 3: (Pointing to the knife.) Give me that. I'm going to give you a demonstration 10. Somebody get up.

(He sees No. 8 standing 11 there. So he goes to him. He holds the knife up and then stabs downward towards No. 8's chest. He stops just before the blade reaches his chest. Many jurors find this gesture disgusting.)

No. 3: Nobody's hurt, right?

No. 8: Right, nobody's hurt.

No. 3: This is the way I stabbed a man who was taller than I was. Now tell me I'm wrong.

No. 5: Give me that knife. Has anybody here seen knife fights? No? I have. Switch blades came with the neighborhood where I lived. Funny I didn't think of it before. Yon never use it like this. (He demonstrates.) It takes too much time to switch your hand. Here's how. Underhand. Anyone who's used a switch knife wouldn't handle it any other way.

No. 8: You sure?

No. 5: Yes, I'm sure.

No. 7: I'm getting sick and tired of this yakking 12, yakking. So I guess I'll have to break the tie. I'm changing my vote to not guilty.

No. 3: You what?

No. 7: You heard me. I've had enough.

No. 3: What do you mean you had enough? That's no answer.

No. 11: He's right. That's no answer. What kind of a man are you? Who tells you that you have the right to play like this with a man's life?

No. 7: Wait a minute. You can't talk like that to me.

No. 11: I CAN talk like that to you! If you want to vote not guilty, then do it because you're convinced the man's not guilty, and not because you've had enough.

No. 7: Now listen.

No. 11: Guilty or not guilty?

No. 7: I told you, not guilty.

No. 11: Why?

No. 7: I ... I ... just don't think he's guilty.

No. 8: I want another vote.

Foreman: OK. Another vote's called for. The quickest way is by a show of hands. Anyone object? OK, all those voting not guilty raise your hands. (He counts. All raise their hands except Numbers 3, 4 and 10.) Now the vote is 9 to 3 in favor of acquittal.

No. 10: I don't understand you people. I mean, all these petty little things you keep bringing up. They don't mean nothing. You know how these people lie. It's born in them. I don't have to tell you. They don't know what the truth is. And let me tell you. They don't need any real big reason to kill someone, either. No sir! That's the way they are. By nature. Violent! (Most jurors find his views so disgusting that they begin to leave the table in protest.) Where are you going? What's going on here? You people are making a big mistake. The kid's a liar 13. I know it. I know all about them. Listen to me...

No. 4: We have. Now sit down and don't open your mouth again.

(No. 10 sits down, completely crushed.)

No. 8: (Facing all the jurors) It's always difficult to keep personal prejudice out of a thing like this. Whenever you run into it, it always obscures the truth. Now nine of us feel that the defendant 14 is innocent. We are just gambling 15 on probabilities. But we have a reasonable doubt. That's something very valuable in our system. No jury can declare a man guilty unless it's sure. We nine can't understand why you three are still so sure. (To No. 4) Maybe you can tell us.

No. 4: I'll try: You made some excellent points. But I still believe the boy's guilty of murder. And I have two reasons. One, the evidence given by the woman across the street who actually saw the murder committed. And two, the fact that she described the stabbing by saying that she saw the boy raise his hand and stab down into his father's chest. She saw him do it, the wrong way.

No. 3: You are absolutely right.

No. 4: Let's talk about this woman for a moment. She said she went to bed at about 11 o'clock that night. She tossed and turned for over an hour, unable to sleep. Finally she turned towards the windows of the passing el train. She said the lights went out after the killing. But she got a good look at the boy in the act of stabbing his father. As far as I'm concerned that is unshakable testimony. (Rubbing his nose)

No. 9: Don't you feel well?

No. 4: I feel perfectly 16 well, thank you. I was saying...

No. 9: The reason I asked about that was because you rubbed your nose like that. I'm sorry for interrupting. But you made a gesture that reminded me of something.

No. 4: I'm trying to settle something. Do you mind?

No. 9: But I think it is important. Thank you. Now then, I'm sure you'll pardon me for this, but I was wondering why you rubbed your nose like this?

No. 4: If it's any of your business, I was rubbing it because it bothered me a little.

No. 9: I'm sorry. Is it because of your eyeglasses?

No. 4: It is. Now, can we get on to something else?

No. 9: Your eyeglasses made two deep impressions beside your nose. I haven't noticed it before. It must be very annoying.

No. 4: Very annoying.

No. 9: I wouldn't know about that. I've never worn glasses. Twenty-twenty vision.

No. 7: Will you come to the point?

No. 9: The woman who testified that she saw the killing had those same marks on the sides of her nose.

No. 5: Yes, right!

No. 9: Please let me finish. She kept rubbing them in court. This woman was about 45 years old. But she was making a tremendous effort to look 35 for her public appearance. Heavy makeup 17. Dyed hair. Brand-new clothes that should be worn by a younger woman.

No. 5: That's right. She did do that a lot. She had those marks. I saw them.

Foreman: Hey listen. He's right. I saw them too.

No. 3: What point are you making here?

No. 9: Could these marks be made by anything other than eyeglasses?

No. 4: No, they couldn't.

No. 3: I didn't see any marks.

No. 4: I did. Strange I didn't think about it before.

No. 3: OK, she had marks on her nose, from glasses, right? She didn't want to wear them out of the house so people would think that she was gorgeous. But when she saw the kid kill his father, she was in the house, alone!

No. 8: (To No. 4) Do you wear eyeglasses to bed?

No. 4: No, I don't. No one wears eyeglasses to bed.

No. 8: So, it's logical to assume that she wasn't wearing them when she was in bed, tossing and turning, trying to fall asleep.

No. 3: How do you know?

No. 8: I don't know. I'm guessing. I'm also guessing that maybe she honestly thought she saw the boy kill his father. I say she only saw a blur 18.

No. 3: How do you know what she saw? (To others) How do you know what kind of glasses she wore? Maybe they were sunglasses. Maybe she was far-sighted. What do you know about it?

No. 8: I only know the woman's eyesight is in question now.

No. 11: She had to be able to identify a person 60 feet away at night without eyeglasses.

No. 2: You can't send someone off to die on evidence like that!

No. 8: (To No. 3) Don't you think the woman might have made a mistake?

No. 3: No, I don't.

No. 8: (To No. 4) Do you still think he's guilty?

No. 4: No, I'm convinced. Not guilty.

No. 8: (To No. 10) Do you?

(No. 10 slowly shakes his head.)

No. 2: Eleven to one.

No. 8: (To No. 3) You are alone.

No. 3: I don't care whether I'm alone or not. It's my right.

No. 8: It's your right.

No. 3: What do you want? I say he's guilty.

No. 8: We want to hear your arguments.

No. 3: I gave you my arguments.

No. 8: We're not convinced. We want to hear them again.

No. 3: Everything. Every single thing that took place in the courtroom says he's guilty. What do you think? I'm an idiot or something? Why don't you talk about the old man? The old man heard everything. What about the switch knife? And what about the business of the el train? And the movies. I'm telling you. Everything has been twisted and turned. This business about her glasses. How do you know she didn't have them on? I say, that's the whole case ... (No one speaks. They just keep staring at him.) Well, say something! You lousy bunch of bleeding hearts. You're not going to intimidate 19 me. I'm entitled to my opinion ... (He breaks down.) No, not guilty ... not guilty.

(The jurors leave the jury-room one by one. No. 8 goes to No. 3 and helps him get into his coat.)