Chapter 12 4-1

4 During the late winter and early spring of 1962, Dirk's brothers left him one by one. Once, in the city hall, "Coward" Tyler Wayne passed by Dirk without saying a word to him, just staring at him coldly. "Hello, Mr. Mayor," said Dirk.The mayor's back was turned to him, and the mayor's companions were also turned away from him, leaving only a few stiff backs of him trying to avoid him.Dirk greeted him with just the right amount of sarcasm. One day, Fitch walks past Dirk, ignoring him.Or almost turn a blind eye.At the Yacht Club, Fitch stopped by Dirk's table without a smile, just a slight nod.Fitch called "Burnaby" in a low, hoarse voice.Dirk looked up and forced a smile.But he knew very well that there was no need to reach out, and Fitch must have refused to shake his hand. "Fitch. Deputy Chief Mr. Fitch. Congratulations."

(Fitch is wearing a suit and tie, having dinner with friends at the yacht club. Is he carrying a gun? Dirk guesses he must.) Another day, Stroughton Howell passed him: an old friend of Dirk's from law school, recently appointed judge of the Niagara County Magistrate's Court, dressed in imposing black robes, It's like acting.In the high-ceilinged and wide hall of the county courthouse, Howell was having a deep conversation with one of his assistants. They were talking and walking towards the elevator. At this time, his eyes were a little moist. At the scene at that time, there was painful regret in his eyes.When Dirk was about to leave through the side door, Howell stopped and said something in a low voice, which sounded like "Dirk!" He seemed to have something to say, but after thinking about it, he decided to forget it. , so keep going. "Hello, Judge Howell," Dirk called to him from behind.

But Judge Howell, entering the elevator, did not look back at Dirk. Congratulations on your new position, Mr. Judge.I'm sure you deserve it, more than any of your esteemed colleagues here. Another very miserable evening for Dirk, at the Rainbow Hotel, where he and his old friend Clyde Coburn came to drink.Just after he's had a busy day.After he has been busy all day.Clyde Coburn said calmly, "Burnaby. Hell, I hope you know what you're doing." Dirk said impatiently, "I don't know, Clyde. Tell me." Clyde shook his head gravely.It seemed Dirk expected too much from him, even from this friendship.

Dirk said: "What I'm doing now, Clyde, is to listen to my own nature for once. Not to follow the ass of money, but to follow my conscience." conscience!Clyde looked at Dirk, feeling a little panicked. "Can you afford a conscience, Dirk. You're one of the Burnabys. But that's not going to change forever." Clyde paused, trying to smile, a smile that meant they were still okay. Brother, but he held back. "You will pay the price in blood if you do this. You won't survive this year." "I don't think about that. I just want justice."

just!This word, like conscience, made Clyde show a look of horror. Clyde had been a handsome man, and now he was fading fast.He still has the air of a rich boy and loves to talk, but it's not obnoxious, because it will attract you to join him in his talk; he also still likes to socialize like a hotel owner.But in the past few years, the Rainbow Hotel has become more and more sluggish, and there are very few guests every season, especially those wealthy customers.Walking on the scenic street, you can feel the change.It's as if the air in the city has changed, the cool breeze that used to blow over the canyon is gone, the smell of chemicals is everywhere now, and at night a floating mist hangs over the street lamps and the moon .On the fringes of this fast-growing city, cheap motels, "motor cabins," are everywhere.Americans in crowded limousines, as well as campers, are bargaining to live here.In addition to couples on honeymoon, there are also families with children.A person who travels by bus.retired people.People don't care if there is good food and drink, or if there is a good cabaret show, or whether there are flowers in expensive hotel suites, or whether someone is playing the piano in the lobby.This is the real American of the 20th century. Seeing these scenes, Clyde Coburn could not help but tremble.

Clyde went on: "These are the good things you've done, Burnaby. Damn it! It's spread. What you've done has done a disservice to our image. It's taken a toll on tourism. It's bad enough Yes, some places are even hopeless, and you're adding fuel to the fire. What if—" Clyde stopped, flushing with embarrassment.He took three years of Latin at school, translated Cicero and Virgil with the help of Dirk Burnaby, and now he stutters like a mean cartoon character , what he said was completely incompatible with his identity and his friendship with Dirk, but fuck it, he couldn't think of more suitable words.It pained him, it disgusted him. "'Canal of Love.' It gets about as much fucking attention as Niagara Falls, if not more. Every time I open the damn paper."

They all stopped talking.Dirk Burnaby has a lot to say, but he can't get it out, (the whole day has left him feeling exhausted: meeting expert witnesses, interviewing three couples from Corvin estate whose children are in the past died of leukemia in two years.), and ultimately said nothing.And he seemed to understand that this might be the last conversation with Clyde Coburn, his friend. At a critical moment, Dirk had the urge to splash his own wine on Clyde's face.But he didn't.This urge must be resisted, such behavior only happens in Hollywood movies.But this is not Hollywood, and this is not making movies.In film, there are close-ups, there are long shots, there are master shots, there are fades, there are quick and benevolent cuts.There is also background music in the movie, reminding you what emotions to show.In the so-called life, there is only the constant flow of time, like the river flowing to Niagara Falls, and other unknown places.No one can escape from this river.

So Dirk didn't pour the wine over Clyde Coburn's face, nor did he finish it.Deke put the wine on the small glass-topped table between him and Clyde. Before Clyde could say that the wine was on his account, Deke dropped a twenty-dollar bill and stood in front of Clyde. In front of Germany, my God! "Yes, the canals of love hurt us. Goodbye, Clyde." He can't deny that he does miss those "poker nights."Damn, there's a wound in his heart, he still misses those bastards. One of Dirk's brothers-in-law, the one who married Sylvia, had small shrewd eyes and oily skin like a seal's skin.His brother-in-law cordially invited Dirk to have a meal with his family at his island home, and for a moment Dirk panicked.I haven't seen you for a long time, I miss you very much, Dirk, and Sylvia too, but the actual situation is not like this, the incomparably smooth brother-in-law is not thinking of inviting Dirk to dinner at all, he grabs Dirk elbow, and asked urgently, "'Love Canal.' Is it the Negro neighborhood nearby? Is it just to the east?"

Dirk politely explained to his brother-in-law that no, the Canal of Love was not the nearby Negro area. "Then where is it?" Seeing the expression on Dirk Burnaby's face, a normal, sincere expression, the one they both were used to seeing when they met, the brother-in-law let go of Dirk's hand and took a step back.He stammered a few more words, and said good-bye to Dirk.Yes, he's going to say hello to Sylvia.Yes, he would tell all his relatives that Dirk had changed, into an angry and dangerous man, as everyone said.A traitor to his own class. The framed photo signed by Dirk Burnaby still hangs in pristine condition here, Mario's Wall of Fame.No one has proposed removing it.Chances are Mario will keep it here forever.

When I win, I win big. Look at mine. One night Dirk drove to the Big Island, where he hadn't been in months.Alienated Claudine.Alienated Big Island Country Club.But he still wanted to know, if he came to the club, would anyone talk to him?Does anyone still want to admit to knowing him?On a whim, he planned to have a meal at the club, even though it was past the usual supper time. "Mr. Burnaby, hello." The head waiter smiled a little gravely, and glanced behind Mr Burnaby to see how many people were with him.not even one? In the elegant restaurant, as usual, 70% to 80% of the guests were seated, and it was just after ten o'clock.None of the couples, or the groups of six or seven, seemed to recognize Dirk Burnaby or smile in his direction.And Dirk didn't recognize them either.The faces were blurred like smudged thumbprints. "I think I should go to the bar. I'd rather be in the bar."

This is a cigar bar for gentlemen.In fact, Dirk is going to have a meal here.Just as an experiment.See if his old friends and acquaintances still talk to him. No one paid attention to him.Even the service is very slow.It can be seen that there is a slight irony in such a service. And service with a slight sarcasm was not what he was expecting from a club he had paid for for decades. Dirk ordered a scotch on the rocks, and he waited a few minutes while the bartender prepared it.He's thinking about maybe skipping dinner.It seems too late for a T-bone steak, or a 12-ounce garden plate steak burger (the cigar bar's specialty).Dirk hadn't been home for two days, and Alia had too much pride to formally kick him out: but Dirk knew he had in fact been kicked out. He wanted to grab Alia by the shoulders, beg her, I can't choose, I can't choose, between my family and my conscience, how can I choose? Of course, Dirk could go home whenever he wanted.If he can bear it.Alya had given up on him.In her mind, Dirk had been given over to another woman. Although the phantom of the other woman was only a figment of Alia's own imagination. (As for Nina Oshek, Dirk tried not to think about her. Don't think about the woman's worries about the baby, about the canal of love. Don't think about the woman's worries about the future. Usually Dirk would protect himself, Preventing the concerns of clients from affecting him, and this time is no exception. This time, for some reason, is no exception. "What if we lose? What will happen to us? We're not going to lose, are we?" Mr. Burnaby , don't you?" The other woman pleads with him, as if she were pleading with Jesus.) (But that's not right. No one ever begged Jesus. Because the Savior said, don't ask. Don't those poor worries.) (Impossible to think of these things. No doubt he has little appetite for blood-red meat at the moment. Another drink!) "Mr. Burnaby?" "What's the matter, Roddy?" "That gentleman over there brought you this glass of wine. He asked me to greet you for him." Dirk, who had stared at the sluggish, dirty water in the "Black Creek," into which the swamp that bisected the filled canal of love, also flowed, looked up. , glancing around, not knowing exactly what happened.After 11 o'clock, it was already late.He couldn't remember whether he had eaten or not.He felt like he had already had several drinks.There was no one in the cigar bar, but the dizzy smell of cigars was still everywhere in the room, and the smoke made Deke cry, because his eyes are always easy now because of frequent visits to the Canal of Love and Corwen Manor. Cry and feel stinging.His head hurts a lot too, not like the fast-paced drumbeat, but the slow kind where the drummer beats slowly with a big, wrapped stick.Dirk squinted his eyes, and looked around the bright cherry wood bar, and found a person standing far away from him, holding a glass and facing towards Dirk.friend?Familiar face?Or a stranger?Dirk's eyesight had been worse of late.The man farther away, in a dark suit and white shirt, had black hair brushed back very neatly from his forehead, and Dirk thought, he must be a member of the Big Island Country Club, and in the Love Canal thing. You must be very supportive of yourself. Dirk fumbled to pick up his glass of Scotch whiskey, held it up as if to toast, and the man, far away from Dirk, also raised his glass to toast with Dirk, his posture was exactly the same as Dirk's. , like the reflection in Dirk's mirror.Both drank the wine dry. Dirk felt a headache when he saw the stranger suddenly smile lewdly.All that remains is a skull and a pair of empty, hazy eyes.There was a radium light on his thin forehead. "Good luck, Mr. Burnaby!" Money was drained like a hemorrhage.like time. How could he become a needle standing upright without his own consciousness, his (empty) head is the eye of the needle, from here, time twists and turns, but never stops bit by bit point lapse.Flow, flow, never-ending flow to the past. The night before a preliminary hearing in the Canal of Love case, Dirk surprised the family by retrieving an abandoned puppy from the Humane Society. It was May 28, 1962, the night before the long-delayed hearing in Niagara County Court, presided over by Magistrate Judge Stroughton Howell.It was also the night before Juliet's first birthday. do i rememberof course I remember. I will remember it all my life. Is it a coincidence, the night Dad brought Sayu home? The father protested, as if his feelings had been hurt. "'Coincidence', absolutely not. As Einstein said, God does not play dice with people". Here, at 22 Luna Park, Dirk Burnaby is the father. Dirk Burnaby was the dad, the adored dad, but only at 22 Luna Park. As in a fairy tale, the puppy already has a name of his own: "Sayu". Its name was pronounced, as Dad insisted, "'Sa-yo', a Hungarian name". The boys, Royall and Chandler, of course wanted a puppy.Royall yelled and embraced, while Chandler, while also eager, was unassuming.Every time Royall saw other kids have their own puppies, he naturally wanted one of his own.From the moment Royall could say "li-dog," he'd begged for one. Alia, a cautious mother, did not respond to Dirk's courtship.She didn't know how to object directly.Absolutely not, you can't have a puppy in your home, not at any time.She didn't know how to make fun of her son's expectant expression.a puppy!If there's a homeless little life waiting to be loved, Mom loses this time. The whole family was overjoyed. Dirk Burnaby, who hadn't been home for two days, came home suddenly, just like Zeus appeared from the clouds. It was only six o'clock in the afternoon, just in time for him to eat.Alia and Bridget were in the kitchen preparing dinner and they were as close as sisters, or almost as sisters, when Dirk suddenly entered the kitchen with the screaming, pissing furry in his arms. little things.Shocked, Alia looked at it and realized something worse: it was still alive. alive!Sayu isn't just alive.It is as lively as a firecracker.It is as active as atomic fusion.Its wavy fur looks like smudged butterscotch, and its wet, gleaming eyes are surrounded by dark circles.The Sayu is an English Beagle-Beagle crossbreed, not a purebred dog.But "probably not too big," the Humane Society veterinarian told Dirk Burnaby. An impulse is gradually controlling Dirk's life.A premonition that told him in a flash what was right.Dirk left the office refreshed and confident of the next day's hearing. He had planned to stop by Mario's for a drink, but as if attracted by a magnet, he wandered into the fifth The Humane Society at Ave. and Ferry avenues.Amidst the barking of a group of little furry creatures, he turned around for a while, and finally chose one of the smaller dogs. Alya was stunned, though she tried to hide it and didn't want to show it.For the sake of the children, Alia has been trying to control her emotions these days.Aaliyah, looking quite calm at the moment, asked, "Dirk, honey, why are you doing this? I mean, why at this time? Is it appropriate to do this now? Oh my God — a puppy. Oh, Dirk." Dirk thought about superstition.He was thinking that if he did a good deed tonight, then tomorrow morning, God will help him and give his client a just verdict. "Why? Alia, you don't have to ask why." Royall and Chandler didn't ask why, they were already mad with joy. Little Juliet was sitting in her high chair, squealing with excitement. Aaliyah's kids were as excited as the baubles on the Christmas tree being lit.Royall sprawled on the floor, hugging Sayo and kissing him hard, while Chandler squatted in front of them, petting the puppy's wagging head.The two children cried and begged: "Mom, don't send Sayu away! Mom, please! Mom, don't." They begged their mother like this.They begged frantically for a long time!When Alia picked Sayu up and handed it to Dirk, Royall cried, kicked, and pounded the floor hard with his small fists, which were not small enough. "Mom, don't. Mom." Alia's heart softened a little. Who could bear such pleadings from the blue-eyed Royal, as if begging someone to spare his life?Chandler was also unexpectedly agitated at the moment. "Mom, Sayu was meant to be ours! If Daddy hadn't brought him back from the Humane Society, he'd probably have been disposed of. Mom, you must know what that means, right? 'Dispose of.' ’ His nearsighted eyes wandered behind the glasses. Royall suddenly woke up and asked vigilantly, "What is it? 'Process'? Where does 'Process' go?" Chandler grimly said, "Just got killed. Then put it in the ground, and buried it. Like all dead things." Royall snarled and protested, "Mom, don't. Mom, don't." Now Juliet was crying too.She was too young to understand what was going on here (at least, Ariah didn't want her to know), nor did she know about the horrors of blackmail.The adulterous husband, father, 48 hours after disappearing, hurried home and dropped a puppy in her lap - a wriggling, screaming, tearful, pissing all over the place , five-week-old, endearing, beagle-beagle cross, scurrying off into the fragrant spring evenings again. "Dirk? You dare to go? Stop! You don't really want to—" However, Dirk did go.He had just parked the car in the driveway without turning off the engine.There was work waiting for him in the office, and he couldn't stay at home.He hastily grabbed some food, planning to eat it later.He is not hungry now. "Good night, everyone! Papa loves you all! Treat Sayu well. Alia, honey, I'll call you tomorrow, at..."—Dek's usually brave voice stutters only at this time, "At the verdict after." The man was in a state of mania right now, the neon lights blazing in his tawny eyes, his voice trembling.Yes, he was trying to bargain with God.As if man could really negotiate with God.Oh, Aaliyah actually knows better.If this man hadn't betrayed her or broken her heart, she might have sympathized with him. Alia yelled behind Dirk: "Stop calling me 'honey'! I'm going to divorce you." The kitchen is a mess by now.This tuna casserole dinner has been ruined.The children were yelling, "Mama, let's keep it! Mama, let's keep it!" The baby was crying with all his might, and Bridget, disheveled and hairy, was humming to her in Gaelic. .Sayo the dog growled and yelped as if singing the most thrilling Anvil Cantata or Wellington's Victory.The little chorus of supplicants tugged at Arya's taut heartstrings.How should she choose, damn it, it's so unfair!Alia wanted to yell at everyone, but instead she pulled up a chair, sat down, and lifted the struggling, five-pound Sayu into her lap.The dog piss splattered and soaked her skirt, so what did a little more matter? Alya sternly reprimanded: "Don't call me mother. I don't want to be this little thing's 'mother.' Being your mother is enough. If you want to keep it—" "Mom! Oh mother let's keep it!" "—You, Chandler, and you, Royall, you're going to take care of him. You're going to feed him, take him out for a walk, and now clean up the shit he's left on the floor. Can you do that? ?” What an exciting question. "Yes, Mom. We can do it!" "We promise, Mom!" Arya should have known better, sighed, and stroked the puppy's prickly head and ears, and its little pink, floppy tongue.Its little ass wriggled in Aaliyah's lap like it was doing a samba dance. "I think he's kind of smart. If you like puppies, Chandler, go shut the doors of the other rooms, Royall, and spread newspapers on the floor. We'll give Sayo a forty-eight-hour test. One minute." Not many." Chandler wiped tears from behind his glasses and said, "Thank you, Mom." Royall hugged her mother in one arm and the puppy in the other, crying, "Mom! I love you." In this way, when Dirk Burnaby's father was about to leave home, Sayo began to live in Burnaby's house. The Rope Walker begins his fated and valiant journey through the abyss.Before long, rising fog obscured his vision.A gust of wind, or a bullet hit him in the back, and he lost his balance.He kept falling, uncharacteristically quiet. His screams might have been heard had it not been for the noise of Niagara Falls. Dirk Burnaby would not have fallen so quietly.His claims will be heard, and there are 60 witnesses backing him up. The judge ruled.The lawsuit was dismissed.Dirk's head throbbed.Suddenly, he involuntarily stood up and walked forward.He faced the judge, and the chair in the plaintiff's seat that he had been sitting on just now was violently kicked over by him.He was furious now, like a mad bull.The court heard him "threat" Judge Stroughton Howell, and heard the words come out of his mouth, "hypocrite"—"bastard"—"hypocrite"— "Taking bribes" - "I will expose you" - "let everyone recognize you".A stunned marshal grabbed Dirk.Dirk Burnaby had chatted and even joked with him more than once before.Dirk was furious now, and he punched the bailiff straight in the face, too hard, and the bailiff's nose, left cheekbone, and left eye socket were bloody from his beating, so bloody that it was Dirk Burnaby's gray stripes Sharkskin suit and starched white cotton shirt. There was "chaos" in the courtroom, the Niagara News must have been eager to report.After a "short, violent struggle" with plaintiff attorney Dirk Burnaby, the governor's deputies finally "subdued" him.He was arrested on charges of bodily harm and taken away by force. The brain is still throbbing.Find relief.In an instant, careers are ruined, lives are ruined.It took about as long as it took to strike a match: a glowing blue fire was lit, igniting a pile of formerly inert ore. If only this moment could be repeated again. Would I do it again, of course I would.meeting!But I'm not going to hit the bailiff, I'm going to hit Howell.Punch that hypocritical bastard in the face. "Crazy man"—"out of control"—that was how some of Howell's court witnesses described Dirk Burnaby.Some also said they saw Dirk drinking at a nearby restaurant during his lunch break.Others said no.According to outside reports, before Dirk Burnaby was subdued, Strawton Howell, wearing a judge's robe and grim expression, had been huddled behind the bench in fear. Then Howell declared Dirk Burnaby in contempt of court. contempt?I am in contempt of this court.Contempt for this utterly depraved legal profession.Contempt for those jurors who took advantage of the defendant.Asshole Howell. This hypocritical villain was once my friend. Dirk struggled, stumbled and cursed as men in the gray and blue uniform of the county sheriff's department led him out of the courtroom.Then Dirk Burnaby heard Nina Oshek calling him from behind.She tried to follow him and hold him, but was stopped by the staff; she cried, "Mr. Burnaby! Dirk! We'll keep trying, won't we? Will we appeal? We won't give up." We won't give up." Some witnesses said Nina Oshek also said, "Mr. Burnaby, I love you! God, Dirk, I love you!" Totally impossible.There is no personal relationship between us.I didn't, and neither did Nina.We each have a happy marriage.I swear. This is the first round of litigation on Canal of Love.After this time, there were some messy lawsuits, which continued until 1978.But in May 1962, the only lawsuit filed against Canal of Love, it was hastily dismissed. Ten months of Dirk's efforts had been wasted and of no value, relying on the decision of only one judge, who clearly favored the rich and powerful defense.The testimony of the plaintiff and expert witnesses, scientific and medical materials, photographs, files, almost a thousand pages.And Dirk Burnaby's well-prepared and impassioned application for the trial. But now, there will be no more interrogations.The problems of the residents of Corwen Manor were all unresolved, their diseases, their health conditions, and the depreciation of their property.Moreover, the plaintiff's attorney was accused of physical assault and would not have the opportunity to appeal again. Of course I'm going to plead guilty.Is there a choice, I'm guilty.Hit the poor bailiff by mistake, it wasn't him I should have hit.Damn bad luck. Local media focused on interviewing witnesses who saw Dirk Burnaby lash out in court and be arrested.Bryton Skinner, the lead defense attorney for Swann Chemicals and the other defendants, was interviewed more frequently.Skinner described himself as Dirk Burnaby's "old friend, old foe".He had never met Burnaby—an excellent lawyer, so obsessed with a case—"morbidly obsessed."According to Skinner, Burnaby sued to obtain damages due to accidental negligence, despite the general public opinion that he had no chance of winning in doing so, and that he was only working for free.As far as the matter itself was concerned, Dirk's conduct had been reckless and reckless; and it could be seen that Burnaby had lost his sense of balance.He had lost the instincts a lawyer needed to survive. Yes, Skinner repeatedly emphasized, before this "event", Burnaby did have an excellent reputation and reputation. It is quite possible that Skinner also agreed that Burnaby was notoriously short-tempered.But in business he never does.For example, he was known to be a good card player, and before the Canal of Love case, "don't play against Dirk" when playing cards. Skinner might also say with some reluctance that Burnaby had recently begun to drink heavily, "significantly."Just recently.Started a few months ago. At least, rumors of Burnaby's alcoholism have only recently begun. There were rumors going around that Nina Oshek was now living at Lucas Hills in a house rented to her by Burnaby, who was "related" to his client, Mrs. Oshek.When Skinner was asked by the media to comment on these rumors, he said stiffly that he had no knowledge of them and that he hated rumors; but if it were true, it would explain a lot of problems. Why would a man give up his career just to make a gesture. Did Skinner think Burnaby's career was over? "Sorry, I don't make comments." Judge Stroughton Howell will never comment publicly on the "incidents" in his courtroom.Nor would he comment on what Dirk Burnaby -- his former good friend -- was doing.For the Canal of Love lawsuit, he wrote a well-worded written judgment, made a detailed discussion, and finally decided to dismiss the plaintiff's complaint, and declared that the evidence for this complaint was insufficient. Howell admitted it was a "difficult" decision.The case was "extraordinarily complex" because of its multifaceted nature and many conflicting pieces of evidence.Howell pointed out, however, that there were only two main problems: First, the legally binding agreement between the Swann Chemical Company and the Niagara County Board of Education in 1953 stipulated that if landfilling the Love Canal waste caused any " Health damage or death", Swan Chemical Company does not need to bear any responsibility; in addition, whether there is "absolute and unquestionable evidence" to prove the multiple reported diseases and deaths between 1955 and 1962 in Corvin Manor The incident is indeed related to the Canal of Love (that is, the residential area of ​​Cowen Manor). Judge Howell found that the 1953 contract in question was "unlawful" -- that is, "has no force of law" in New York state statutes.But he believed that the plaintiff could not provide strong evidence to sue Swan Chemical Company, Niagara Falls, Niagara County Board of Education, Niagara County Board of Health and other departments.Howell concluded, as he put it, that after "careful consideration" the evidence presented by the plaintiff and the defendant as to the "cause" of illness and death was entirely inconsistent; but he concluded that there was no "absolute, The evidence of doubt proves that there is a necessary connection between the illness and death of the Corvin Manor case and the environmental factors reported by the media." The 1957 report of the Niagara County Board of Health was revised in March 1962. Following this ruling, the case was dismissed. With this ruling, Dirk Burnaby's career as a lawyer came to an abrupt and unexpected end. I should have snapped that bastard's throat.He betrayed justice, he betrayed me.I can kill that hypocritical, lying, bribed bastard judge with my bare hands right now. Actually, Dirk shouldn't have been surprised.He already had a premonition.He had seen many omens.Like a man who despairs of hopeless love, Dirk Burnaby may be deluded, he should despair in his fantasies, but he knows what's coming.He knew his opponents were strong, and he knew how all the judges and jurors in the Niagara Falls case would favor his opponents. Decker once wondered why Stroughton Howell, a close friend of the plaintiff's attorney for more than 20 years, had not privately asked to withdraw from the case.But now he knows. Dirk didn't tell Nina Oshek, or anyone else.He did not share his doubts with others.He gradually realized that it was his opponents who had malicious intentions by taking his witnesses and undermining his most important argument about the "cause of the disease". Nineteen witnesses, doctors, medical staff, scientists, had agreed to testify on behalf of the residents of Corwen Estate, but only eleven came.他们之中，还有些人说话的时候带着试探性的口气，不愿完全遵循“绝对的、不容质疑的证据”的标准。他们往往把个人致病的“原因”归于遗传因素，行为因素，例如酗酒，吸烟，暴饮暴食。 而斯金纳和他的团队召集了30多名专家见证人，来反驳德克关于“致病原因”的论证。这些人包括声望极高的当地医生。尼亚加拉总医院首席内科专家，布法罗市米拉德?菲尔莫健康中心一位专门研究儿童癌症的肿瘤学家，道化学公司一位曾获得过诺贝尔化学奖的顾问。如同许多鼓同时敲响，发出一声震耳欲聋的鼓点一样，他们的结论完全一致：在繁多的因素中,无法证明其中某些因素是致病的“原因”。 就像在1962年，没有任何科学证据可以证明吸烟可以“导致”癌症一样。 受雇于斯万。他的钱。受贿。杂种们！ 德克也不愿相信豪威尔可能受了贿赂。作为一名律师，豪威尔挣了不少钱，现在他是县法院的法官，每年的收入少了很多。这是人们公认的事实：坐在法官、政客和警察的位置上，都会受贿，而且他们其中有些人还会荒唐到索要贿赂。20年代，自禁酒令实施以来，在尼亚加拉大瀑布地区，比如布法罗市，一些大型组织的犯罪造成的影响越来越大。这是共识，但德克尽量不去了解太多。 许多年前，德克是个年轻、积极向上、魅力十足的律师，有着“显赫”的姓氏，这就是说人们决不会把它和一个意大利的姓氏搞混淆。布法罗市有一位受雇于帕里蒂诺家族（那个组织也是这么命名的）的律师，曾有意接近过德克。他以一大笔钱诱惑德克与帕里蒂诺集团合作，共同应付一位犯罪斗士、纽约州总检察官提出的诉讼。但是他没有动心，一点也没有。 他既憎恨又害怕那些罪犯。“有组织”的罪犯。而且，他并不需要这些混蛋们的钱。 现在想想，他自己真应该贿赂一些关键的证人。也就是几千美元，他为此案已经花费了许多，多点儿少点儿还有区别吗？不过现在已经太迟了。他被对手打败了。他应该出比斯万更高的价钱，收买斯万的一些关键证人。为了妮娜?奥谢克，为了她死去的女儿，为了她生病的孩子（他已经有几分喜欢他们了），为了她的丈夫萨姆，还有奥谢克家宛如大瀑布东边的天空一样黑暗的未来，在这场赌博中，德克下的赌注太多了，多得他几乎不能承受。但是他担心被抓住。不是道德上的，而是被赤裸裸的、直截了当的事实所抓住。行为不够职业化。为那些迫切想要把他逐出法律界的敌人们提供了根据。 就像他现在这样。Why? 为什么，为什么抛开了你的事业。你的生活。 迫不得已。I do not regret. 由于“藐视法庭”，德克在尼亚加拉县监狱底层的牢房里关了10个小时。这是德克?波纳比第一次蹲监狱，他一直在想那些事。他的血仍在沸腾。脑子仍在悸动。天啊，他累了：要不是他的脉搏跳得太快，他真想睡一觉。就像死了一样。他真想来点儿烈性的苏格兰酒。他右手的关节上破了皮，上面还有瘀伤，已经肿起来了，因为它打了一个人的脸：那人脸上的骨头很硬，但也很脆弱。 迫不得已。I do not regret. 不，狗屁：我永远都会为这件事感到后悔。但是，迫不得已。 迫不得已，迫不得已。Is there another option? 德克不知道这天到底是几号。当天午夜，在一阵狂风暴雨之后，尼亚加拉河上的天空开始放晴，突然间，一轮满月出来了，明亮得有些刺眼。德克发现自己看见月亮的时候笑了。他平时是个不苟言笑的人，在这样的时候，他却出奇不意地笑了，像这样，独自一人。他独自一人驾车行驶于深夜（或者说是在清晨时分），不知道日期，不知道时间，只有一丝愧疚感：他已经落在后面了。 德克?波纳比在公开场合丢脸，还有他的“攻击”行为和被拘留，到今天还不满两个星期。 在尼亚加拉河旁，德克开着他那辆豪华轿车（这会儿溅得到处是泥），沿着坑洼的布法罗市-尼亚加拉大瀑布的高速路，驶向大瀑布的东南方向。go home!他打算回家。他看到城市上空的夜幕被云层染得斑斑驳驳，就像用放射性的夜光漆涂过一样。 德克没有喝醉。自16岁起，他就已经能够控制自己的酒量了，因为他是一个对自己行为负责的人。 他希望孩子们能够理解。相信总有一天，他们会的。也许对自己的所作所为承担责任不一定能拯救自己，但是用别的方法就一定不能。 那晚，德克?波纳比驾车开往月神公园，很自然就让人想到德克?波纳比正要回家。 德克急于想知道那个家是否还欢迎他。我可以和妈妈说话吗？他问罗约尔。小家伙气喘吁吁地跑了，过了大概10秒钟，上气不接下气地跑回来，委屈地哭了起来。dad!妈妈说她不在家。爸爸，你可以跟我说话。于是德克跟儿子聊了起来，直到电话那端有人悄然无声地走过来（德克没有猜想是谁，也没有猜想她那苍白、长满雀斑的脸上是什么表情），从四岁的小家伙手里抓过话筒，挂断了。 德克好多天没回月神公园22号了。他近来一直在布法罗市，和他那些法律同事们商议爱的运河的案子。虽然败诉，但德克相信这只是暂时的。虽然德克已经被剥夺了从事法律工作的资格，但他可以上诉，还可以帮助科文庄园业主委员会筹资。从开庭的那天下午起，德克?波纳比的生活就变得很神秘，他只能跟着自己的直觉走。他成了瓶子里的标本。有一股甲醛的味道。虽然是个标本，但他还没死。 肯定无法再当律师了。他决定递上一份关于人身伤害罪的认罪书。他提出以15，000美元获得保释，他“自由”了，一个星期之内，他的判决就会下来。无论缓刑，或者是入狱。他都接受。 入狱！德克20多年的职业生涯中，他的当事人没有一个进过监狱的。 他必须承认自己犯有人身伤害罪，因为他确实有罪。他也许可以把自己的行为说成是自我保护，只是出于条件反射狠狠捶了一拳，但这样的行为并不能算自我保护。打破了一个无辜人的脸。德克觉得羞耻，而且他知道这羞耻会比他的生命持续的时间更长。然而，和布法罗市的报纸上刊登的一样，在《尼亚加拉政府新闻报》上，德克?波纳比成了一个英雄式的人物，不顾一切地自我毁灭。 爱的运河案件律师波纳比 抗议法官判决 法庭上因人身伤害而被捕 and also, 爱的运河诉讼被驳回， 律师波纳比被控人身伤害 从那天起，阿莉亚就没跟他说过话。德克清楚，她可能再也不会跟他说话了。 德克开着车，以每小时65英里的速度行驶在荒无人烟的公路上，忽然他从后视镜里看到，一辆大卡车离他车后的保险杠不到12英尺。是个巨大的柴油机钻车，里面坐着一个异常高大的司机。德克使劲踩着油门加速，想赶紧脱身。沉重的林肯车在水坑里穿行，溅起刺眼的水花，像一艘赛艇。德克打开雨刷，开始觉得害怕。后面的那辆卡车也加速了。这不可能是个巧合，德克从后视镜里看到，那辆卡车再次逼近，差一点就挨着保险杠了。德克又猛踩了下油门。他现在是以每小时70到75英里的速度行驶。在这种路况下，非常危险。当然，如果有必要，他可以再加速，但是有必要吗？尽管他不能认出这辆卡车，但他忽然想起了斯万化学公司，他感到浑身发冷。他们其中的一辆钻车。 林肯车的速度加到了每小时80英里。德克双手紧握方向盘。在公路的旁边，德克左手边，尼亚加拉河正奔涌翻腾。在上游的激流处，看到河流紧挨着公路，这情景总是让人不寒而栗。临界限。再往前就是山羊岛，它在夜幕下显得荒凉而平淡；就在山羊岛前面，因为夏季旅游业的缘故，灯火把尼亚加拉大瀑布和峡谷装点得像过狂欢节一般色彩斑斓，仿佛在万花筒中一样不停变化着，德克觉得这一切俗不可耐。他本来没有打算沿着公路越过山羊岛的，他想拐到第四大道上，从那条路去月神公园。 “喂，你他妈到底要干什么！” 德克试图在他飞奔的轿车和那辆卡车之间保持一段安全的距离，但是林肯车由于全速前进，已经开始颤抖。德克的双手仍紧握着方向盘，突然冒出一身冷汗。他还没有想好怎样才能摆脱后面紧跟着他的那辆卡车，减速离开这条公路，他就已经行驶在公路的右道上了，这会儿只能沿着公路两边走了，没有其他的路。这条路两边都是深水坑，非常危险。德克好像意识到那个坐在高高的挡风玻璃后面，那个看不清楚的司机是不会让他移到边上去的。 接下来的一英里内，德克的林肯与这辆身份不明的卡车仍然保持着这种僵持状态，就像两辆车锁在了一起似的。 就在这时，德克看见又有一辆车像鲨鱼般无声无息地、迅速地从他的右后方追了上来。警察局的巡逻车？车顶的警灯没亮，警笛也没响。但是，德克还是认出了那是一辆尼亚加拉警察局的巡逻车。它从后面追了上来，以同样的速度和德克的车并排行驶，这时速度已经到了82英里每小时。 德克警觉地瞥了一眼那辆车的司机。他戴着墨镜，帽沿拉得很低，挡住了他的前额。是个警察？这个猜想让德克突然有了一种不祥的预感。他打开右转灯，却无法脱身。他无法把加速加到足够快，甩开他们，也无法减速，他被困住了，右边是巡逻车，后面是柴油机钻车。他们要杀我。他们根本不认识我！这个想法来得很突然，而且来得几乎很平静。尽管这只是一个想法，可是它却如同德克高中时背诵的、并从中得到快乐的几何定理一样逻辑清晰，然而不知为什么，德克却不相信这是真的。德克松开了咬紧的牙关，露出一丝嘲笑。impossible!This is impossible.不会用这种下三滥的手段，不会来得这么突然。not now.I still have a lot of work to do.我还年轻。我爱我妻子。我爱我的家庭。如果你了解我的话！警车挤进了德克的车道。德克按响喇叭，喊叫着，咒骂着。他感到膀胱在收缩。他体内充满了肾上腺激素，就像氖酸一样。林肯车的速度加到了每小时86英里，德克以前从没开这么快过。已经不能再快了，虽然德克更加用力地踩着油门。他想救自己，躲开警车，把车开到路中间，最后开到左车道上，看在主的份上，希望不会有车迎面撞过来。林肯车的轮胎冲进了一个又深又宽的水坑里，溅起的水花像火焰一样涌向他的挡风玻璃。车的前灯照着路面，德克看到防护栏冲着他迎面扑过来。汽车颤动着，开始打滑。德克看到在闪动着异常光芒的天空下，狂风掀起尼亚加拉河里的阵阵波涛，汹涌澎湃。离公路太近的话，会以为是河水在泛滥。 这就是德克?波纳比看到的全部。 可怜的傻瓜。你放弃了你的生命，为了什么？ 第三部分：家庭 “家庭是这世上的一切，看看吧这世上没有上帝。” 我们家搬到了一排快要倒塌的、砖头和灰泥砌成的房子里，就在老兵路附近的波罗的海1703号。这片居住区，东边和布法罗-肖陶扩铁路局的土地接壤。我们就位于第五十大街的下面，离爱的运河有几英里的路程。这房子是1928年建的，阿莉亚说它“丑陋至极”。 月神公园的那栋房子，在1962年夏末，不得不被卖掉。总之，是我们的母亲卖掉的。 妈妈说，我们“几乎一贫如洗”。在成长过程中，这个神秘的说法一直伴随着我们，我们却不理解它到底是什么意思。除了几乎一贫如洗的状态是不变的，或许这是我们的一种特殊的精神状态。失去了父亲的波纳比家的孩子。 “如果有人问起波纳比的事，告诉他们：这都是我出生之前的事。” 总是有他们问起。总是有我们回答。 阿莉亚把他们都关在门外。锁上所有的窗户，拉下窗帘。波罗的海的1703号只欢迎那些来上钢琴课的学生，他们在客厅里上课，这里一直作为音乐室，直到房子后面的走廊重新改造，装上了过冬的设施之后，这里才成为了“新的”音乐室。 这都是我出生之前的事。这话我们不知说了多少遍，好像事实上的确如此。 “今天我们要讨论的是：你已经得到了你应得的，还是你已经得到的就是你应得的？” 她的眼睛像绿色的汽油即将被点燃一样；然而，后来就只记得阿莉亚始终保持着微笑。 就这样笑了好多年。她瘦弱的手臂搂着我们。用她火一般的亲吻驱散孩子噩梦里的恐惧，那些丧父、死亡、混乱的恐惧。 “妈妈在这里，宝贝儿。妈妈一直在这里。” That's it.萨尤和她做伴，它身上的毛又短又硬，眼睛里总是充满了警觉和忧虑。它用鼻子拱阿莉亚，轻轻推着她，用爪子笨拙地抚摸她，很像个陷入怀念的人一样。 我们因噩梦惊醒的时候，如果妈妈不能陪我们睡，萨尤就会陪着我们。它和我们依偎在一起，高兴地抖动着身体。在孩子的臂弯里，它潮湿冰凉的鼻子均匀地呼出热气。 “妈妈在这儿。”她抬起眼睛朝上看。（实际上就是看着屋顶。这是在家讲的一个笑话，就像收音机节目里说的，上帝离奇出现，在漏水屋顶上方几英尺的地方盘旋着。）“或者，我说的是妈妈的灵魂。坚持下去。” 离房子不远的地方，有个杂草丛生、像沼泽地一样的后院，里面到处是生锈的鸡笼，再向前三英尺，就是铁路的路基。运货的列车每天都要从这里经过两三次，发出刺耳的声音飞驰而过，而且经常是在夜里。布法罗至肖陶扩。巴尔的摩至俄亥厄①。纽约总局。舍南都。苏斯克班纳卜。火车头喷出的黑烟，从我们头顶隆隆驶过的货车，都没什么好看的，除了这些肖陶扩，舍南都，苏斯克班纳卜这些名字。 “绝对不能哭。无论是在外面，还是在家里。如果让我看到你们中的一个人哭了，我就会——”阿莉亚明显地顿了一下。汽油般的眼睛闪闪发光。萨尤充满期待地拍打着又短又粗的尾巴，急切地望着女主人。我们此时好像成为了阿莉亚的电视观众：打算记录下来母亲准确的发音，有涵养的仪态同她讲话中带出的可笑方言之间滑稽的区别。“——狠狠地揍他。听到没有？”