Джеймс Кейн - Career in C Major and Other Fiction

Gen’lemen, y’ may p’ceed.

Yes, Yexcellency.

’N I’ll ashk y’ t’ be ’s brief ’s y’ can, c’se busy af’noon w’ me. Gi’ me th’ facksh, that’s all I w’nt know. ’M plain, blunt man, got no time f’ detailsh. Gi’ me facksh, ’n y’ won’t have t’ worry ’bout fair trea’m’nt f’m me.

I think I speak for everybody here, Yexcellency, when I say we’re all anxious to save Yexcellency’s time, and—

’Preciate ’at.

And so I imagine the best way would be for me to sketch in for Yexcellency, briefly of course, the history of this case, I may say this very unusual case.

So unusual, Yexcellency, that the Parole Board threw up its hands and refused to have anything to do with it whatsoever, and that is why Yexcellency’s valuable time—

Nev’ min’ Parole Board. Is ’t mer’tor’s case, tha’s all want know.

I understand that, Yexcellency. I only wanted to say that the prawscution regards this case as abslutely prepawstrous.

A’right. Y’said it.

Now, Yexcellency, this young man Greenfield Farms, this young man you see here—

One mom’nt. When’s ex’cution take plashe?

I’m glad Yexcellency reminded me of that, because praps I ought to have explained it sooner. Fact of the matter, Yexcellency, this is not a capital case.

Gi’ me facksh, gi’ me facksh! I got no time f detailsh. When’s ex’cution take plashe, I said.

Yes, Yexcellency. I was only telling Yexcellency that there won’t be any execution, because—

Wha’s ’at?

Because this young man Farms wasn’t sentenced to death; he was sentenced to the penitentiary—

Oh!

On a ten year term, ten years in prison, for participation in the armed march we had some years ago, when the miners made all that trouble. Or, as it’s never been clear in my mind that Farms had any idea what he was doing at that time—

Never did. I hope my die I just went out there to see what was going on—

Hey! Sh!

Praps I should have said alleged participation.

And another thing praps you should have said was that of his ten years in prison he has already served three and he’ll get two more off for good behavior and that leaves five and five is a little different from ten.

C’me on, c’me on!

I’m only—

Y’ only pett’fogg’n. Shu’ up.

Now, Yexcellency will recall that as a result of that uprising, six defendants, of which Farms was one, were convicted of treason to the State and the rest were allowed to plead guilty of unlawful assemblage—

Don’t was’ m’ time talk’n ’bout ’at upris’n. I know all ’bout it. I’s right there ’a saw fi’ thous’n of ’m march by m’own front ya’d. Get on ’th facksh.

Then if Yexcellency is familiar with that, we’re ready now for this witness, and after he has told his story I can outline briefly to Yexcellency the peculiar bearing it has on this case, and—

Is ’at witness?

Yes, sir.

Sit over here where I c’n see y’ better. ’N don’t shtan’ ’n awe ’f me. Washa name?

Ote Bailey, sir.

Shpeak right out, Bailey. ’M plain, blunt man ’n y’ needn’t shtan’ ’n awe ’f me.

Now, Bailey, if you’ll tell the Governor in your own words what you told the Parole Board—

Well, it was like this. I was coming down the street on the milk-wagon early in the morning, right down Center Street in Coal City, and it was cold and there was a thin skim of ice on the street. And the mare was a-slipping and sliding pretty near every step, because she was old and the cheap dairy company hadn’t shoed her right for cold weather. And—

Wha’s ’at? Milk-wagon?

Just a moment, Yexcellency. Now, Bailey, you forgot to tell the Governor when this was.

This here was twenty-three year ago come next January.

All right, now go ahead and—

Hol’ on, Bailey, hol’ on. [ To COUNSEL] Young man, I got worl’ o’ patience. ’M plain, blunt man, a’ls will’n t’ help people ’n distress, p’ticularly when — p’ticularly — p’ticularly — h’m — p’ticularly. But wha’s twen’ three yea’s ’go got t’ do ’th ’is ex’cution? Tell me that.

Well, Yexcellency, I thought it would save time if we let Bailey tell his story first, and then I can outline the bearing it has on this case. But if Yexcellency prefers, I’ll be glad to—

Young man, ’re you trifl’n ’th me?

Not at all, Yexcellency, I—

I warn y’ ri’ now I won’t shtan’ f’ trifl’n. Facksh, facksh, tha’s what I want!

Yes, Yexcellency.

A’ right, Bailey, g’ on ’th it. I’ll see ’f I c’n get facksh m’self.

So pretty soon, the mare went down. She went right down in the shafts, and I seen I would have to unhook her to get her up.

Y’ right, y’ qui’ right. Y’ can’t get ’m up ’thout y’ unhook ’m. No use try’n. G’ on.

So then I got down offen the wagon and commence unhooking her. And I just got one breeching unwrapped, ’cause they didn’t have snap breechings then, when I heared something.

Whasha hear?

I heared a mewling.

Mewl’n?

That’s right. First off, sound like a cat, but then it didn’t sound like no cat. Sound funny.

What sound like?

Sound like a child.

Y’ sure?

Yes, sir.

Sound’ like child. Thank God, now ’m gett’n some facksh. G’ on. What ’en?

So I left the mare, left her laying right where she was, and commence looking around to see where it was coming from.

Where what was com’n f’m?

This here mewling.