書(shū)蟲(chóng)1級(jí)《瑪麗·瓊斯謀殺案》SCENE 2

Jim's story

Jim Wilson goes to the witness box.

CLERK

(Giving Jim the book) Take this book in your right hand and read from it.

JIM

I promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

MS WILLS

(Standing up) Jim, tell me about Mary. Did you know her well?

JIM

Very well. She was my girlfriend. Our families come to Trenton for a holiday at the same time every year.

MS WILLS

I see. Can you tell us about the night of Saturday 12 August, please?

JIM

Well, I went to the disco with Mary at half past eight. We sat at a table and talked to our friends. Then we danced - talked - danced - and then Mary went home.

MS WILLS

What time did she go home?

JIM

At about - midnight, I think. I don't remember.

MS WILLS

Did you see any new people at the disco?

JIM

Yes. Two young men. They danced with Mary.

MS WILLS

Can you see those two young men here now?

JIM

Yes. Those two there. They killed her! (He looks angrily at Simon Clark and Dan Smith.)

DAN

(Standing) We didn't kill her! That's not true!

JUDGE

Please, Mr Smith. Sit down!

Dan sits down slowly.

MS WILLS

I'm sorry about that. Now Jim, tell me, what did you do when Mary went out of the disco?

JIM

Well, I stayed for fifteen minutes, to talk to some friends. Then I went for a walk, and - I saw her. There was blood on her face. I tried to help her, but I couldn't.

MS WILLS

So what did you do then?

JIM

I ran to phone the police. But it was no good. She was dead - and they killed her!

He looks at Dan and Simon. Ms Wills sits down.

They killed her!'

GARTER

(Standing up) Jim, did you love Mary?

JIM

Yes, I think so - she was my girlfriend.

GARTER

Yes, she was your girlfriend. And you loved her - you think. Mary left the disco at midnight, you say. She walked along that dark road by the sea. You didn't go with her. Why?

JIM

Why? I don't know - she wanted to go alone.

GARTER

Why? Was she angry with you?

JIM

I don't know. A little angry, perhaps. It wasn't important.

GARTER

Were you angry with these young men? With Simon and Dan, because they danced with her?

JIM

A little angry, yes.

GARTER

A little angry, you say. Did you see them dance with her?

JIM

I saw Simon dance with her, but not Dan. I went out with some friends. They wanted to see my car.

GARTER

To see your car? Why? Is it very interesting?

JIM

It's a new car - a Volkswagen Polo. I like it very much. My friends wanted to look at it.

GARTER

I see. What happened when you went back in?

JIM

I saw Mary with that boy. (He looks at Simon.)

GARTER

And what did you do then?

JIM

I was angry. I asked him to stop dancing with her.

GARTER

You asked him, you say. Did you hit him, Jim?

JiM

Well, yes. I hit him once. But he hit me first!

SIMON

That's not true! I didn't hit you! You hit me!

JUDGE

Be quiet, Mr Clark! Please!

SIMON

But it's not true, my lord! I didn't hit him!

JUDGE

Perhaps not. But you can speak later. Do you understand?

SIMON

Yes, sir.

GARTER

What did Mary do when you hit Simon, Jim?

JIM

She laughed, I think. Then she sat at a table with me.

GARTER

Why did she laugh, Jim? Did she laugh at Simon, or you?

JIM

She laughed at Simon, because he was afraid of me!

GARTER

Is that true? Or did she laugh at you, Jim? Perhaps she liked Simon, not you!

JIM

Of course she didn't! She was my girl, and she was there with me, not them!

GARTER

But you were angry with Mary, Jim. Why was that? Did she like them more than you, perhaps?

JIM

NO! I wasn't angry with her, I was angry with Simon!

I was angry, so I hit him.

GARTER

Are you sure?

JIM

Yes, of course! I was angry with him because he danced with my girlfriend, and because he killed her. Don't you understand? He killed her! Of course I'm angry - he killed her!

GARTER

How do you know that, Jim?

JIM

Everyone knows that! He followed her in his car along the road. Then he took that spanner from the car, and he hit her on the head - two, three times! Then she ran on to the beach, crying.

He hit her on the head.'

GARTER

What happened then, Jim?

JIM

He hit her again! And then she stopped moving, and there was blood everywhere! Lots of blood! And I tried to help her, but I couldn't, she was dead -

Jim is crying. Carter says nothing for a minute.

GARTER

So, Jim, she ran on to the beach, crying, and he hit her again, you say. How do you know that?

JIM

How? I don't remember. The police said that.

GARTER

No, Jim, they didn't say that. (He waits, but Jim says nothing.) Jim, there was no blood on Simon or Dan, but there was a lot of blood on you. And you were angry with Mary, because she didn't love you. Is that true, Jim?

JIM

No.

GARTER

Simon and Dan weren't on the beach, Jim. They didn't kill her. But you were there. You went out of the disco and followed her. Did you kill her?

JIM

NO! Of course I didn't! What are you saying? They killed her - their car was there, the spanner was in their car! I didn't kill her! She was my girlfriend - I loved her!

GARTER

You loved her, you say. But you didn't walk home with her on that dark night, Jim. Why not?

JIM

But I did! I went after her! And I found her on the beach! She was dead!

GARTER

Did you go in your car? Your new Polo?

JIM

No, I didn't. I walked. I wanted to think.

GARTER

What did you want to think about?

JIM

About me and Mary. I was sorry - I loved her, you know - And I wanted to talk to her, of course. But she was dead! They killed her, she was dead!

GARTER

But there was no blood on them, or in their car, Jim. The blood was on you! Perhaps you loved Mary, but you killed her too - because you were angry with her!

JIM

No! Of course I didn't! I didn't kill her. I loved her!

GARTER

One more question, Jim. Do you have Pirelli tyres on your Volkswagen Polo?

JIM

What? Er - no. No, I don't. I have Goodyear tyres.

GARTER

All right. I have no more questions. (He sits.) Jim goes out, and Ms Wills stands up.

MS WILLS

My lord, I have no more witnesses.

JUDGE

Thank you. Mr Carter, have you any witnesses?

GARTER

Yes, my lord. Mrs lucy Symes, please.

Lucy Symes comes into the witness box.

SYMES

(Taking the book) I promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

GARTER

Mrs Symes, do you have a white Ford Fiesta?

SYMES

Yes, sir.

GARTER

What is the car's number?

SYMES

M346 WXT.

GARTER

And what happened to that car on 12 August?

SYMES

Somebody stole it, sir. I telephoned the police, and they found it next day. There was a lot of sand in it.

I telephoned the police.'

GARTER

I see. Now, Mrs Symes, do you have a spanner in your car, like this spanner on the table?

SYMES

Well, I don't know, sir. You see, I did have a spanner like that in the car last year, but it wasn't very good. So now I have a better one than that.

GARTER

I see. And where is this new spanner now?

SYMES

In the back of my car, sir. It's always there.

GARTER

What about the old spanner? Where is that?

SYMES

Well, I don't know, sir. I didn't want it, you see.

GARTER

Was it in the car on 12 August?

SYMES

I don't know. Perhaps it was, but I'm not sure.

GARTER

Thank you, Mrs Symes. Please wait there.

He sits down, and Ms Wills stands up.

MS WILLS

Mrs Symes, was your old spanner in the car, or not?

SYMES

I'm not sure. I'm sorry, I don't know.

MS WILLS

Well, perhaps you put the spanner in the back of your car, and then you forgot about it.

SYMES

Yes, perhaps I did.

MS WILLS

Yes. (She takes the spanner from the table and gives it to Mrs Symes.) And is this spanner like your old car spanner?

SYMES

I think so, yes. Yes, it is.

MS WILLS

Thank you. (She sits down.)

Mrs Symes leaves. Janet Nolan comes to the witness box, and takes the book from the clerk.

JANET

I promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

GARTER

Miss Nolan, you were in the disco on the night of 12 August. Did you see Mary Jones?

JANET

Yes, I saw her with her boyfriend, Jim. And then later she danced with those two boys.

GARTER

Which two boys?

JANET

Those two. (She looks at Simon and Dan.)

GARTER

I see. Did she dance with them for a long time?

JANET

For about ten minutes, yes. She danced with Dan first and then Simon. Jim wasn't in the disco then. When Jim saw them, he was very angry.

She danced with Dan first and then Simon.'

GARTER

What did he do?

JANET

He hit Simon.

GARTER

And what did Simon do?

JANET

Nothing. He didn't hit Jim. He walked away.

GARTER

I see. And was Jim angry with Mary, too?

JANET

Yes. Mary laughed at Jim, so Jim was very angry.

GARTER

Mary laughed at Jim, you say? Not at Simon?

JANET

Yes, that's right.

GARTER

What happened then?

JANET

Well, Jim and Mary talked, then Mary went home.

GARTER

I see. And what did Jim do?

JANET

He sat there for five minutes. Then he went out.

GARTER

What about Simon and Dan? Where were they?

JANET

They stayed in the disco. One of them asked me to dance, but I said no. So after ten minutes he and his friend went out.

GARTER

Now I want to be sure about this. Jim went out first, you say, and these boys went out ten minutes after him. Is that right?

JANET

Er, ye-es, I think so. It's not easy to remember.

GARTER

Thank you.

He sits down and Ms Wills gets up.

MS WILLS

You're right, Miss Nolan. It isn't easy to remember things after six months, of course.

JANET

No, it isn't. But I can remember nearly everything.

MS WILLS

Did you watch Mary and Jim all the time in the disco?

JANET

No, of course not. But—

MS WILLS

No. So be careful, Miss Nolan. Perhaps you are wrong about this. It's a long time ago. Perhaps these boys went out before Jim? Not after him?

JANET

Perhaps. I don't know. I'm not sure.

MS WILLS

Thank you. That's all.

She sits down. Janet begins to go out of the witness box, then she stops.

JANET

No, I'm right! Jim did go out first - I'm sure!

JUDGE

Thank you, Miss Nolan. Thank you very much.