54
Vice Versa 反之亦然
1970
Motioning toward mismatched chairs in a small conference room, Tom offered seats to Tate, Jodie, Scupper, and Robert Foster. They sat around the rectangular table, stained with coffee-mug circles. The walls were two tones of flaking plaster: lime green around the top, dark green around the bottom. An odor of dankness—as much from the walls as from the marsh—permeated.
汤姆指了指小会议室里那些不配套的椅子，示意泰特、乔迪、老排和罗伯特·福斯特落座。他们围着长方形的桌子坐下，桌上残留着咖啡杯印记。剥落的墙皮呈两种色调：顶部是石灰绿，底部是深绿。来自墙面和湿地的潮乎乎的气味渗透进来。
“You can wait in here,” Tom said, closing the door behind him. “There's a coffee machine down the hall across from the assessor's, but it's not fit for a three-eyed mule. The diner has okay coffee. Let's see, it's a little after eleven. We'll make a plan for lunch later.”
“你们可以在这里等，”汤姆说，关上了身后的门，“大厅那头，陪审席对面有一台咖啡机，但连三眼的骡子都不会去喝。小饭馆的咖啡还不错。我看看，现在是十一点多一点。我们过会儿再安排午饭吧。”
Tate walked to the window, which was crisscrossed with a mesh of white bars, as if other verdict-waiters had tried escape. He asked Tom, “Where'd they take Kya? To her cell? Does she have to wait in there alone?”
泰特走到窗边，窗上的白色栅栏纵横交错，似乎曾有等待定罪的人尝试逃跑。他问汤姆：“他们把基娅带去了哪里？她的囚室吗？她得一个人在那里等着吗？”
“Yes, she's in her cell. I'm going to see her now.”
“是的，她在自己的囚室。我现在去看她。”
“How long do you think the jury will take?” Robert asked.
“你觉得陪审团需要多久？”罗伯特问。
“It's impossible to say. When you think it'll be quick, they take days, and vice versa. Most of them have probably already decided—and not in Kya's favor. If a few jurors have doubts and try to convince the others that guilt has not been proven definitively, we have a chance.”
“很难说。你认为会很快，结果他们花了好几天，或者反过来。大部分人可能已经做出决定了——不利于基娅。如果少数陪审员心存疑问，试图说服其他人，罪行还没有被完全证明，那么我们就还有机会。”
They nodded silently, weighed down by the word definitively, as though guilt had been proven, just not absolutely.
他们安静地点点头，被“完全”这个词压住了，仿佛罪行已被证实，只差板上钉钉。
“Okay,” Tom continued. “I'm going to see Kya and then get to work. I have to prepare the appeals request and even a motion for a mistrial due to prejudice. Please keep in mind, if she's convicted, this is not the end of the road. Not by any means. I'll be in and out, and I'll certainly let you know if there's any news.”
“好了，”汤姆接着说道，“我去看看基娅，然后继续工作。我要准备上诉申请，甚至以遭遇偏见为由提出无效审判动议。请记住，如果她被定罪了，这还不是路的尽头。绝对不是。我会进进出出，当然，如果有新消息，我会即时告诉你们。”
“Thanks,” Tate said, then added, “Please tell Kya we're here, and will sit with her if she wants.” This, though she had refused to see anyone but Tom for the last few days and almost no one for two months.
“谢谢，”泰特说，然后补充道，“请告诉基娅，我们在这里，如果她愿意，我们会和她坐在一起。”虽然最后几天她拒绝见汤姆之外的任何人，而且过去两个月她几乎没见过什么人。
“Sure. I'll tell her.” Tom left.
“没问题。我会告诉她的。”汤姆离开了。
Jumpin' and Mabel had to wait for the verdict outside among the palmettos and saw grass of the square, along with the few other blacks. Just as they spread colorful quilts on the ground and unpacked biscuits and sausage from paper bags, a rain shower sent them grabbing things and running for cover under the overhang of the Sing Oil. Mr. Lane shouted that they had to wait outside—a fact they'd known for a hundred years—and not to get in the way of any customers. Some whites crowded in the diner or the Dog-Gone for coffee, and others clustered in the street beneath bright umbrellas. Kids splashed in sudden puddles and ate Cracker Jacks, expecting a parade.
老跳和玛贝尔不得不在外面等结果，在广场的蒲葵丛和锯齿草丛里，和其他几个黑人一起。正当他们在地上铺开彩色垫子，从纸袋里拿出饼干和香肠时，天空下起了阵雨，他们拿上东西跑到加油站的遮棚下。莱恩先生大声说，他们只能在外面等——这个事实他们已经知道了一百年——不要挡其他客人的道。一些白人挤进小饭馆或者狗日啤酒屋喝咖啡，其他人则聚集在街上，撑着明亮的雨伞。孩子们在水坑里踩水玩，吃着混合了焦糖玉米花和花生的零食，期待着一场*行游**。
TUTORED BY MILLIONS OF MINUTES ALONE, Kya thought she knew lonely. A life of staring at the old kitchen table, into empty bedrooms, across endless stretches of sea and grass. No one to share the joy of a found feather or a finished watercolor. Reciting poetry to gulls.
独自度过了几百万分钟，基娅以为自己了解孤独。她的生活就是看着厨房里的旧餐桌，看着空荡荡的房间，看向无尽绵延的海和草。无人与之分享找到羽毛或完成水彩画后的喜悦。她只能对着海鸥背诵诗歌。
But after Jacob closed her cell with the clank of bars, disappeared down the hall, and locked the heavy door with a final thud, a cold silence settled. Waiting for the verdict of her own murder trial brought a loneliness of a different order. The question of whether she lived or died did not surface on her mind, but sank beneath the greater fear of years alone without her marsh. No gulls, no sea in a starless place.
雅各布关上牢门，铁条撞击发出哐当声，他消失在大厅里，伴着最后一声重响，沉重的大门也关上了。冰冷的安静沉淀下来。等待自己的谋杀审判结果带来了完全不同层次的孤独感。生或死的问题没有浮现在她脑海里，而是沉入一种更大的恐惧之下——没有湿地陪伴的孤独而漫长的日子。没有海鸥，没有大海，在一个看不见星光的地方。
The annoying cellmates down the hall had been released. She almost missed their constant nattering—a human presence no matter how lowly. Now she alone inhabited this long cement tunnel of locks and bars.
那两个讨人嫌的狱友已经被释放。她几乎有点怀念他们的喋喋不休——至少是人类，无论多么低等。现在她独自待在这长长的、满是锁和栅栏的水泥通道里。
She knew the scale of the prejudices against her and that an early verdict would mean there had been little deliberation, which would mean conviction. Lockjaw came to mind—the twisting, tortured life of being doomed.
她知道针对她的偏见有多深，知道如果裁决很快下来，就意味着没怎么经过审议，也意味着定罪。她想到了破伤风——注定被扭曲、受折磨的一生。
Kya thought of moving the crate under the window and searching for raptors over the marsh. Instead she just sat there. In the silence.
基娅想把板条箱移到窗下，在湿地上方搜寻猛禽。然而，她只是坐在原地，沉默着。
TWO HOURS LATER, at one in the afternoon, Tom opened the door into the room where Tate, Jodie, Scupper, and Robert Foster waited. “Well, there's some news.”
两小时后，下午一点，汤姆推开了泰特、乔迪、老排和罗伯特·福斯特所在房间的房门，他们正等待着。“嗯，有一些消息。”
“What?” Tate jerked his head up. “Not a verdict already?”
“什么？”泰特猛地抬起头，“不是已经有裁决了吧？”
“No, no. Not a verdict. But I think it's good news. The jurors have asked to see the court record of the bus drivers' testimonies. This means, at least, they're thinking things through—not simply jumping to a verdict. The bus drivers are key, of course, and both said they were certain Kya was not on their respective buses and weren't certain about the disguises either. Sometimes seeing testimony in black and white makes it more definitive to the jurors. We'll see, but it's a glimmer of hope.”
“不，不，不是裁决。但我想，这是个好消息。陪审员们要求看大巴司机证词的法庭记录。这意味着，至少他们在认真思考，而不是简单地得出一个结论。大巴司机很关键，当然了，而且两人都说确定基娅不在各自的大巴上，不确定所谓伪装那回事。有时候，阅读白纸黑字的证词会让陪审员感觉更确定。看看再说，不过这是一线希望。”
“We'll take a glimmer,” Jodie said.
“我们相信这是一线希望。”乔迪说。
“Look, it's past lunchtime. Why don't y'all go over to the diner? I promise, I'll get you if anything happens.”
“哦，过了午饭时间了。大家都去小饭馆吃饭吧。我保证，发生任何情况我都会告诉你们。”
“I don't think so,” Tate said. “They'll all be talking about how guilty she is over there.”
“我不想去，”泰特说，“他们肯定都在那里讨论她是多么有罪。”
“I understand. I'll send my clerk for some burgers. How's that?”
“我明白。那我让助手送点汉堡过来，怎么样？”
“Fine, thanks,” Scupper said, and pulled some dollars from his wallet.
“好的，谢谢。”老排说，然后从包里拿出几美元。
AT 2:15, Tom returned to tell them the jurors had asked to see the coroner's testimony. “I'm not sure if this is favorable or not.”
下午两点十五分，汤姆回来告诉大家，陪审员要求看法医的证词。“我不太确定这是好消息还是坏消息。”
“Shit!” Tate swore. “How does anybody live through this?”
“狗屁！”泰特咒骂道，“怎么有人能熬过这个？”
“Try to relax; this may take days. I'll keep you posted.”
“放松，这可能要好几天。我会即时更新消息。”
Unsmiling and drawn, Tom opened the door again at four o'clock. “Well, gentlemen, the jurors have a verdict. The judge has ordered everyone back to the courtroom.”
四点，汤姆再次推开门。他没有笑，满脸严肃。“好了，先生们，陪审团做出裁决了。法官命令所有人回到法庭。”
Tate stood. “What does it mean? Happening so fast like this.”
泰特站起来。“这意味着什么？这么快就有了裁决。”
“Come on, Tate.” Jodie touched his arm. “Let's go.”
“来吧，泰特，”乔迪碰碰他的胳膊，“走吧。”
In the hallway, they joined the stream of townspeople jostling shoulder to shoulder from outside. Dank air, smelling of cigarette smoke, rain-wet hair, and damp clothes, flowed with them.
在走廊里，他们加入了摩肩接踵从外面涌进来的镇上居民。潮湿的空气随人群涌入，混杂着各种味道——*草烟**、被雨打湿的头发和泛潮的衣服。
The courtroom filled in less than ten minutes. Many couldn't get a seat and bunched in the hall or on the front steps. At 4:30 the bailiff led Kya toward her seat. For the first time, he supported her by her elbow, and indeed, it appeared she might drop if he did not. Her eyes never moved from the floor. Tate watched every twitch in her face. His breath labored against nausea.
十分钟不到，法庭就坐满了。很多人没有座位，只能聚集在大厅里或者前面的台阶上。四点半，法警带着基娅走到她的位置，第一次扶住了她的手肘。事实上，如果他没有扶住，她好像就要摔倒了。她的眼睛一直没有离开地面。泰特注视着她脸上的每一次抽搐。他感到恶心，呼吸困难。
Miss Jones, the recorder, entered and took her seat. Then, like a funeral choir, solemn and cheerless, the jurors filed into their box. Mrs. Culpepper glanced at Kya. The others kept their eyes ahead. Tom tried to read their faces. There was not one cough or shuffle from the gallery.
书记员琼斯小姐走进法庭，入座。然后，如同葬礼上的唱诗班，陪审团庄严肃穆地鱼贯进入陪审席。卡尔佩珀夫人看了基娅一眼。其他人都看着前面。汤姆试图从他们脸上看出点端倪。旁听席里不闻一声咳嗽或鞋子摩擦地板的声响。
“All rise.”
“全体起立。”
Judge Sims's door opened, and he sat at his bench. “Please be seated. Mr. Foreman, is it correct that the jury has reached a verdict?”
西姆斯法官从门里走出来，在自己的长凳上落座。“请坐。主席先生，陪审团已经达成了裁决，对吗？”
Mr. Tomlinson, a quiet man who owned the Buster Brown Shoe Shop, stood in the first row. “We have, Your Honor.”
汤姆林森先生，一个安静的男人，开了一家巴斯特·布朗鞋店，站在第一排。“是的，法官大人。”
Judge Sims looked at Kya. “Would the defendant please rise for the reading of the verdict.” Tom touched Kya's arm, then guided her up. Tate placed his hand on the railing as close to Kya as he could get. Jumpin' lifted Mabel's hand and held it.
西姆斯法官看向基娅。“请被告人起身听裁决。”汤姆碰了碰基娅的胳膊，扶她起来。泰特把手放在他能够到的离基娅最近的栏杆上。老跳抬起玛贝尔的手，握住。
No one in the room had ever experienced this collective heart pounding, this shared lack of breath. Eyes shifted, hands sweated. The shrimper crew, Hal Miller, knotted his mind, fighting to confirm that it truly was Miss Clark's boat he had seen that night. Suppose he'd been wrong. Most stared, not at the back of Kya's head, but at the floor, the walls. It seemed that the village—not Kya—awaited judgment, and few felt the salacious joy they had expected at this juncture.
屋里没有人经历过这种集体的心脏冲击，以及共同的呼吸困难。眼神闪烁，手心冒汗。捕虾人哈尔·米勒心揪在了一起，努力确认他那晚看到的就是克拉克小姐的船。如果他错了呢。大多数人看着地板或墙壁，没有人看基娅的后脑勺。似乎是镇上的人而非基娅在等着被裁决。几乎没有人感受到原本期待在这个关口会获得的猥琐的喜悦。
The foreman, Mr. Tomlinson, handed a small piece of paper to the bailiff, who passed it to the judge. He unfolded it and read it with a vacant face. The bailiff then took it from Judge Sims and handed it to Miss Jones, the recorder.
主席汤姆林森先生递给法警一张小纸片，法警又递给了法官。法官打开纸片，面无表情地看了一遍。法警接着从西姆斯法官手里接过去，又递给了书记员琼斯小姐。
“Would somebody read it to us,” Tate spat.
“有没有人读给我们听一下！”泰特咆哮道。
Miss Jones stood and faced Kya, unfolded the paper, and read: “We the jury find Miss Catherine Danielle Clark not guilty as charged in the first-degree murder of Mr. Chase Andrews.” Kya buckled and sat. Tom followed.
琼斯小姐站起身，面向基娅，展开纸片，读道：“陪审团认为，凯瑟琳·丹妮尔·克拉克小姐在被指控对蔡斯·安德鲁斯先生实施一级谋杀的案件中无罪。”基娅弯腰坐下来。汤姆也坐下了。
Tate blinked. Jodie sucked in air. Mabel sobbed. The gallery sat motionless. Surely they had misunderstood. “Did she say not guilty?” A stream of whispers quickly rose in pitch and volume to angry questions. Mr. Lane called out, “This ain't right.”
泰特眨着眼睛。乔迪大口呼吸。玛贝尔哭了。旁听席上的人一动不动地坐着。他们显然误解了什么。“她刚才说无罪？”窃窃私语的音调和音量迅速攀升，变成了愤怒的质问。莱恩先生大喊：“这不对。”
The judge hammered his gavel. “Silence! Miss Clark, the jury has found you not guilty as charged. You are free to go, and I apologize on behalf of this State that you served two months in jail. Jury, we thank you for your time and for serving this community. Court dismissed.”
法官敲响了锤子。“安静！克拉克小姐，陪审团认为你在被指控的案件中无罪。你可以走了，我代表本州为你在监狱里被关了两个月道歉。陪审团，感谢你们的时间和奉献。退庭。”
A small covey gathered around Chase's parents. Patti Love wept. Sarah Singletary scowled like everybody else but discovered that she was greatly relieved. Miss Pansy hoped no one saw her jaw relax. A lone tear trailed down Mrs. Culpepper's cheek, and then a shadow smile for the little swamp truant escaping again.
一小群人聚在蔡斯父母身边。帕蒂·洛夫在哭泣。萨拉·辛格尔特里和所有人一样脸色阴沉，但她发现自己松了很大一口气。潘茜小姐希望没有人看到她的下巴放松了。一滴泪从卡尔佩珀夫人的脸颊滑落，她露出了几不可见的笑容，这个生活在湿地里的逃学的孩子又一次成功逃脱了。
A group of men in overalls stood near the back. “Them jurors have some explainin' to do.”
一群穿着工装裤的男人站在后面。“陪审员需要做一些解释。”
“Cain't Eric declare a mistrial? Do the whole thing over?”
“埃里克不能宣布审判无效吗？整个过程再来一次？”
“No. Remember? Cain't be tried for murder twice. She's free. Got away with the whole thing.”
“不能。记得吗，不能因为谋杀接受两次审判。她自由了。逃开了整件事。”
“It's the sheriff who messed it up for Eric. Couldn't keep his story straight, kep' makin' it up as he went. Theory this, theory that.”
“是治安官搞砸了这事。他没法坚持自己的说法，不断编出新东西来。这个推测，那个推测。”
“Been struttin' 'round like he's on Gunsmoke.”
“像是在演《荒野镖客》，整天趾高气扬。”
But this small band of disgruntlement fell apart quickly, some wandering out the door, talking about work to catch up on; how the rain had cooled things down.
但是，这个不满的小团体很快就解散了，有些人走出门，谈论着要赶工的工作，以及那场雨如何让事情降温了。
Jodie and Tate had rushed through the wooden gate to the defense table. Scupper, Jumpin', Mabel, and Robert followed and encircled Kya. They did not touch her, but stood close as she sat there unmoving.
乔迪和泰特冲过木门，来到被告桌前。老排、老跳、玛贝尔和罗伯特跟在后面，他们围住了基娅。他们没有碰她，而是靠近站着。她坐在那里一动不动。
Jodie said, “Kya, you can go home. Do you want me to drive you?”
乔迪说：“基娅，你可以回家了。你想让我送你吗？”
“Yes, please.”
“好的，麻烦了。”
Kya stood and thanked Robert for coming all the way from Boston. He smiled. “You just forget about this nonsense and continue your amazing work.” She touched Jumpin's hand, and Mabel hugged her into her cushy bosom. Then Kya turned to Tate. “Thank you for the things you brought me.” She turned to Tom and lost words. He simply enfolded her in his arms. Then she looked at Scupper. She'd never been introduced to him, but knew from his eyes who he was. She nodded a soft thank-you, and to her surprise, he put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed gently.
基娅站起来，感谢罗伯特从波士顿一路赶来。他笑了，说：“你就忘了这些无意义的事情，继续那令人惊叹的工作吧。”她碰了碰老跳的手，玛贝尔把她拥进自己柔软的胸脯。接着，基娅转向泰特。“谢谢你带给我的东西。”她转向汤姆，不知道该说什么。他只是张开手臂抱住了她。然后，她看向老排。没有人介绍他们认识，但从他的眼中，基娅看出了他是谁。她轻柔地点点头表达谢意，而让她惊讶的是，老排把手放到她肩上，轻轻捏了捏。
Then, following the bailiff, she walked with Jodie toward the back door of the courtroom and, as she passed the windowsill, reached out and touched Sunday Justice's tail. He ignored her, and she admired his perfected pretense of not needing good-bye.
然后，她跟着法警，和乔迪一起走向法庭后门。经过窗沿时，她伸手摸了下周日正义的尾巴。它无视了。她感激它完美伪装的无须道别。
When the door opened she felt the breath of the sea on her face.
开门的瞬间，她感受到大海的气息扑面而来。