lrh.villainyvictorious-第60部分

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he　enormous　numbers　available　in　the　Army　and　the　Fleet。
Obviously；　from　the　message；　Heller　didn't　want　these　people　after　him。　Madison　was　trying　to　work　out　how　he　could　acplish　just　that。
Oh；　what　headlines　all　this　would　eventually　make！
Not　right　now；　of　course；　but　later　when　he　had　his　campaign　all　worked　out　and　perfect。
If　he　had　had　any　slightest　doubt　before；　that　he　would　make　his　goal；　he　had　none　now。　He　would；　for　sure；　return　to　Earth　in　glory…if；　of　course；　there　was　anything　left　of　it。
Hisst　came　in　an　hour　later。　Madison　walked　with　the　man　into　his　office。　Hisst　was　very　pleased　with　the　press。
〃Things　are　going　well；〃　said　Hisst。
〃Yes；　we'll　have　you　Emperor　in　no　time；〃　said　Madison。
HE　DID　NOT　SAY　ONE　SINGLE　WORD　ABOUT　THE　HELLER　DESPATCH！
Snelz；　when　the　volunteer；　sneaking　past　the　barricade；　had　returned；　sighed　with　relief。
He　saw　Hisst　arrive　and　go　up　to　the　tower。
Neither　the　chief　nor　the　real　Madison　came　out。
He　could　only　assume　that　the　message　had　been　delivered。
For　a　second　time；　a　message　which　would　have　forestalled　an　invasion　of　Earth　had　been　stopped　en　route。
And　not　only　that；　this　one　had　fallen　into　the　hands　of　a　man　to　whom　it　gave　total　power：　J。　Walter　Madison；　who　could　use　it　in　any　villainous　way　he　chose　and　at　a　moment　when　he　considered　it　would　be　the　most　advantageous　in　a　headline。
KNOWLEDGE　WAS　POWER！　And　Madison　now　knew　that　he　was　the　only　one　on　Voltar　with　the　vital；　pivotal　information　that　the　Emperor　was　on　Calabar　and　Heller　was　holding　him　a　captive！
WHAT　A　STORY！
But　not　for　now。　No；　no；　not　for　now。　This　one　had　to　be　built　up　to　with　the　biggest　BANG　this　universe　had　ever　heard！
As　he　returned　to　Joy　City；　the　glee　in　Madison　threatened　to　bubble　out　and　explode！
The　fate　of　two　empires　was　truly　up　for　grabs！　And　J。　Warbler　Madman　was　the　one　who　would　do　the　tossing！

PART　EIGHTY…ONE
Chapter　1

The　first　toss　by　Madison　came　the　moment　Soltan　Gris　took　the　stand　in　the　crowded　courtroom。
Lord　Turn　had　bowed　to　the　pleas　of　his　own　guard　captains；　the　newssheets　and　the　Domestic　Police；　who　all　promised　they　could　not　prevent　riots　unless　the　people　were　kept　informed；　minute　to　minute；　on　the　progress　of　the　proceedings。　They　pointed　out　there　were　no　laws　or　regulations　which　forbade　it：　it　was　simply　a　new　idea。　Lord　Turn；　against　his　better　judgment；　had　agreed　to　a　public　trial。
Madison；　who　was　behind　it；　could　not　have　asked　for　more。
The　biggest　courtroom　of　the　old　castle　was　jammed　from　the　dais　to　the　entrance　doors。　Even　the　buttresses　had　stages　clinging　to　them。　The　gray　stone　looked　down　upon　six　thousand　people　crammed　in　where　only　four　thousand　should　have　been。　The　high　windows　let　in　shafts　of　dusty　sunlight。
The　Homeview　crews　were　in　ecstasy。　They　had　never　been　permitted　in　a　courtroom　before　and　they　kept　racing　about　jamming　cameras　into　people's　faces；　hitting　mouths　with　microphones；　telling　people　to　look　this　way　and　that；　colliding　all　the　while　with　press　photographers　and　stumbling　over　reporters。
Lord　Turn；　in　vain；　was　banging　his　mace　of　office　on　the　dais　gong。　He　was　nearly　in　despair：　this　whole　thing　was　being　seen　all　over　Voltar　and；　on　delay；　throughout　the　entire　Confederacy。　He　was　certain　people　were　bound　to　get　the　impression　that　he　ran　a　very　disorderly　court。　He　wished　to　blazes　those　refreshment　vendors　would　stop　hawking　their　wares　at　the　tops　of　their　voices。
Only　when　his　chief　clerk　brought　him　an　electronic　megaphone　did　hope　revive　in　him　that　he　would　be　heard。　He　pointed　it　at　the　gong　and　struck　a　tremendous　blow　with　his　mace。　The　result　was　ear…shattering。
〃The　court　is　in　session！〃　Lord　Turn　roared。　〃If　the　prisoner　Soltan　Gris　will　take　the　stand；　I　can　read　him　the　charges！〃
Instant　hush。
Soltan　Gris；　manacled；　was　sitting　on　a　bench　surrounded　by　the　three　attorneys　that　the　Widow　Tayl　（Mrs。　Gris）　had　provided　him。　Gris　had　thought　he　would　be　dressed　in　a　General　Services　officer's　gray。
Instead；　he　was　appearing　in　the　black　uniform　of　an　Apparatus　Death　Battalion　colonel。　He　had　protested　but　his　attorneys　had　said　he　had　no　choice。　He　even　had　to　put　on　the　scarlet　gloves。
Soltan　Gris　was　scared：　in　addition　to　everything　else；　he　had　stage　fright。
The　three　attorneys　were　trying　to　look　reassuring。　They　were　old　men；　two　of　them　had　been　Domestic　Police　judges　and　the　third　a　Lord's　executioner。　Gris　did　not　trust　them。　But　it　had　been　explained　to　him　that　this　was　the　closest　anyone　could　get　to　a　criminal　defense　attorney　on　Voltar；　and　although　he　had　to　accept　them；　he　still　did　not　believe　they　were　on　his　side：　the　explanation　had　been　done　by　Madison。
His　evident　refusal　to　walk　toward　the　railed　stand　began　to　elicit　a　storm　of　animal　sounds　from　the　assembled；　and　his　attorneys　gave　him　a　forward　shove　and　two　sergeants　grabbed　him。　With　a　clank　and　clatter　of　manacles；　Gris　was　propelled　to　the　raised　rail　chair：　its　door　was　opened　and　he　was　slammed　into　it；　the　instant　center　of　all　eyes。　Yells　of　hate　bombarded　him　like　missiles；　a　shaft　of　dirty　sunlight　from　a　high；　round　window　blinded　him。　Gris　was　confused。
Lord　Turn；　again　using　the　loudspeaker　held　to　the　gong；　banged　for　silence。　He　hitched　his　scarlet　robe　around　him　and　leaned　from　his　massive　chair　toward　Gris。
〃You　are　Soltan　Gris；〃　said　Lord　Turn；　〃officer　of　the　Coordinated　Information　Apparatus。　Verify　if　correct。〃
Gris　swallowed　hard　and　nodded。
Turn　had　every　hope　of　getting　this　over　fast。　〃You　are　accused；〃　said　Turn；　〃of　false　and　felonious　bigamy　mitted　in　this　prison。　You　may　make　any　statement　you　care　to　before　you　are　sentenced。〃
Gris　drew　a　long；　shuddering　breath。　The　crime　carried　the　death　penalty。　He　couldn't　possibly　see　how　he　could　get　out　of　it。　He　had　not　seen　Teenie　in　the　court　but　he　suspected　she　would　have　papers　showing　earlier　marriages　and　would　have　given　them　to　the　judge。　It　looked　like　he　was　a　goner　for　sure。
When　he　didn't　answer　at　once；　the　animal　sounds　started　up　again。　The　spectators　had　had　all　their　weapons　removed　by　guards　but　that　didn't　include　spent　chank…pops　and　sweetsticks。　A　few　missiles　came　his　way。　He　gathered　the　idea　that　he　was　not　popular。　His　mind　was　confused。
Lord　Turn　hit　the　gong　again　to　bring　order。　It　was　like　a　shock　to　Gris。　Suddenly；　INSPIRATION！　He　would　say　what　Madison　had　told　him　to　say。
Gris　shouted；　〃I　accuse　Jettero　Heller！　He　is　the　cause　of　any　crimes！〃
Whatever　the　vast　audience　had　expected　to　hear；　it　had　not　been　that。　Abruptly；　one　could　have　heard　a　dust　mote　fall。
Lord　Turn　sat　up　straight　and　blinked。　Then　he　said；　〃Just　a　minute。　Jettero　Heller　is　a　Royal　officer。　You　were　HIS　prisoner　in　this　jail。　But　this　is　NOT　the　trial　we're　trying。　You　are　being　charged　with　false　and　felonious　marriage　mitted　within　these　very　walls。〃
Gris　took　heart。　He　hadn't　been　sentenced　yet。　His　attorneys　were　all　nodding　at　him。　He　shouted；　〃I　still　accuse　Heller！〃
A　buzz　of　confusion　went　through　the　room。
Lord　Turn　said；　in　an　incredulous　voice；　〃You　accuse　him　of　causing　you　to　mit　bigamy？〃
Gris　glanced　toward　his　attorneys。　They　were　all　nodding　at　him。　Madison；　on　the　bench　behind　them；　was　grinning。　Gris　said；　〃Absolutely。　He　refused　to　follow　orders。　He　went　absolutely　wild。　Jettero　Heller　put　me　in　a　position　where　all　I　could　do　to　defend　myself　was　to　get　married　again。〃
The　buzz　in　the　room　rose　in　volume：　it　was　being　a　roar　of　confusion。
Lord　Turn　hit　the　gong　again。　〃Clerk；〃　he　said　to　his　scribe　at　a　lower　desk；　〃this　prisoner　is　being　willfully　digressive。　Strike　those　remarks　from　the　record。〃
But　Madison's　grin　widened。　They　might　get　struck　on　the　record　but　they　had　been　carried　by　Homeview　all　over　Voltar　and　would　be　all　over　the　Confederacy。
The　eldest　Gris　attorney；　one　of　the　two　ex…Domestic　Police　judges；　rose　and　demanded　attention。　〃Your
Lordship；〃　he　said　to　Turn；　〃we　accept　the　charge　of　bigamy　in　your　prison　but　will　seek　to　prove　it　was　totally　justified。〃
〃WHAT？〃　cried　Turn。
The　old　attorney　said；　〃To　clarify　the　point；　we　will　have　to　produce　a　great　many　witnesses。　They　will　attest　to　various　crimes　and　situations　that　give　the　background　nature　of　this　charge　and　when　we　e　to　the　end　of　this　trial；　I　am　sure　you　will　agree　that　the　extenuating　circumstances　are　so　great　that　you　will　be　bound　to　find　our　client　innocent。〃
Lord　Turn　roared；　〃Don't　presume　to　tell　me　what　my　findings　will　be！〃　Then　he　saw　the　Homeview　cameras　on　him。　He　must　not　appear　unreasonable　or　prejudiced。　〃However；〃　he　said　with　a　groan；　〃produce　your　witnesses　and　we　will　get　on　with　this。〃
Madison's　spirits　soared　into　Heaven　Number　Seven。　It　was　exactly　what　he　had　planned　and　hoped　for。　He　had　brought　off　a　PR　man's　dream。　He　almost　chortled　aloud　with　delight。　Miles　and　miles　of　headlines　stretched　before　him　like　a　roaring　river　of　the　blackest　ink。
And　all　for　Heller！

Chapter　2

A　trial　which；　by　Voltar　standards；　should　have　taken　ten　minutes　was；　artfully；　due　to　Madison's　careful　coaching；　being　dragged　out　Earth…style　for　days　and　weeks　and；　he　hoped；　months。
And　it　gave　headlines　every　day　and　provided　hours　of　Homeview。
The　two　old　Domestic　Police　judges；　in　their　century　on　the　bench；　had　seen　and　judged　over　every　stall　and　circumlocution　that　prisoners　by　tens　of　thousands　had　ever　dreamed　up…and　those　prisoners　had　lots　of　time　before　trial　to　think。　The　old　Lord's　executioner　had　heard　every　plea　and　dodge　that　terrorized　victims　and　anguished　families　had　ever　strained　their　brains　to　put　forth。　Many　had　worked　and　they　used　them　all　for　Gris。
The　basic　pattern　of　defense；　however；　was　always　more　or　less　the　same。
Witnesses；　called　by　Gris's　attorneys；　would　take　the　stand。　Each　would　detail　and　produce　incontrovertible；　horrifying　evidence　of　a　Gris　crime。　Although　many　of　these　crimes　had　already　appeared　in　newspapers　before　the　trial；　here　they　were　exhibited　and　reenacted　and　dwelt　on　for　hours　and　hours；　each　one；　until　not　the　most　sordid；　vicious　detail　was　left　to　the　imagination。　Wrecks　were　found　and　hauled　in。　Bodies　were　even　exhumed　and　filled　the　courtroom　with　their　stench。
Gris　was　being　more　confident；　even　cockier；　in　the　limelight。