TRIFLES文档格式.docx

TRIFLES文档格式.docx

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mnot--cold.

SHERIFF

[Unbuttoninghisovercoatandsteppingawayfromthestoveasiftomarkthebeginningofofficialbusiness.]

Now,Mr.Hale,beforewemovethingsabout,

-4-

youexplaintoMr.Hendersonjustwhatyousawwhenyoucamehereyesterdaymorning.

Bytheway,hasanythingbeenmoved?

Arethingsjustasyouleftthemyesterday?

[Lookingabout.]

It'

sjustthesame.WhenitdroppedbelowzerolastnightIthoughtI'

dbettersendFrankoutthismorningtomakeafireforus--nousegettingpneumoniawithabigcaseon,butItoldhimnottotouchanythingexceptthestove--andyouknowFrank.

Somebodyshouldhavebeenlefthereyesterday.

Oh--yesterday.WhenIhadtosendFranktoMorrisCenterforthatmanwhowentcrazy--IwantyoutoknowIhadmyhandsfullyesterday.IknewyoucouldgetbackfromOmahabytodayandaslongasIwentovereverythingheremyself--

Well,Mr.Hale,telljustwhathappenedwhenyoucamehereyesterdaymorning.

HALE

HarryandIhadstartedtotownwithaloadofpotatoes.WecamealongtheroadfrommyplaceandasIgothereIsaid,"

mgoingtoseeifIcan'

t

-5-

getJohnWrighttogoinwithmeonapartytelephone."

IspoketoWrightaboutitoncebeforeandheputmeoff,sayingfolkstalkedtoomuchanyway,andallheaskedwaspeaceandquiet--Iguessyouknowabouthowmuchhetalkedhimself;

butIthoughtmaybeifIwenttothehouseandtalkedaboutitbeforehiswife,thoughIsaidtoHarrythatIdidn'

tknowaswhathiswifewantedmademuchdifferencetoJohn--

Let'

stalkaboutthatlater,Mr.Hale.Idowanttotalkaboutthat,buttellnowjustwhathappenedwhenyougottothehouse.

Ididn'

thearorseeanything;

Iknockedatthedoor,andstillitwasallquietinside.Iknewtheymustbeup,itwaspasteighto'

clock.SoIknockedagain,andIthoughtIheardsomebodysay,"

Comein."

Iwasn'

tsure,I'

mnotsureyet,butIopenedthedoor--thisdoor[indicatingthedoorbywhichthetwowomenarestillstanding]

andthereinthatrocker--[pointingtoit]

satMrs.Wright.

[Theyalllookattherocker.]

What--wasshedoing?

Shewasrockin'

backandforth.Shehadheraproninherhandandwaskindof--pleatingit.

-6-

Andhowdidshe--look?

Well,shelookedqueer.

Howdoyoumean--queer?

Well,asifshedidn'

tknowwhatshewasgoingtodonext.Andkindofdoneup.

Howdidsheseemtofeelaboutyourcoming?

Why,Idon'

tthinksheminded--onewayorother.Shedidn'

tpaymuchattention.Isaid,"

Howdo,Mrs.Wright,it'

scold,ain'

tit?

"

Andshesaid,"

Isit?

--andwentonkindofpleatingatherapron.Well,Iwassurprised;

shedidn'

taskmetocomeuptothestove,ortosetdown,butjustsatthere,notevenlookingatme,soIsaid,"

IwanttoseeJohn."

Andthenshe--laughed.Iguessyouwouldcallitalaugh.IthoughtofHarryandtheteamoutside,soIsaidalittlesharp:

"

Can'

tIseeJohn?

No,"

shesays,kindo'

dulllike."

Ain'

thehome?

saysI."

Yes,"

saysshe,"

he'

shome."

Thenwhycan'

tIseehim?

Iaskedher,outofpatience."

'

Causehe'

sdead,"

saysshe."

Dead?

saysI.Shejustnoddedherhead,notgettingabitexcited,butrockin'

backandforth."

Why--whereishe?

saysI,not

-7-

knowingwhattosay.Shejustpointedupstairs--likethat[himselfpointingtotheroomabove]

.Igotup,withtheideaofgoingupthere.Iwalkedfromtheretohere--thenIsays,"

Why,whatdidhedieof?

Hediedofaroperoundhisneck,"

saysshe,andjustwentonpleatin'

atherapron.Well,IwentoutandcalledHarry.IthoughtImight--needhelp.Wewentupstairsandtherehewaslyin'

--

IthinkI'

dratherhaveyougointothatupstairs,whereyoucanpointitallout.Justgoonnowwiththerestofthestory.

Well,myfirstthoughtwastogetthatropeoff.Itlooked...[Stops,hisfacetwitches]

...butHarry,hewentuptohim,andhesaid,"

No,he'

sdeadallright,andwe'

dbetternottouchanything."

Sowewentbackdownstairs.Shewasstillsittingthatsameway."

Hasanybodybeennotified?

Iasked."

saysshe,unconcerned."

Whodidthis,Mrs.Wright?

saidHarry.Hesaiditbusiness-like--andshestoppedpleatin'

ofherapron."

Idon'

tknow,"

shesays."

Youdon'

tknow?

saysHarry."

Weren'

tyousleepin'

inthebedwithhim?

butIwasontheinside."

Somebodyslippedaroperoundhisneckandstrangledhimandyoudidn'

twakeup?

twakeup,"

shesaidafterhim.Wemust'

alookedasifwedidn'

tseehowthatcouldbe,forafteraminuteshesaid,"

Isleepsound."

HarrywasgoingtoaskhermorequestionsbutIsaidmaybeweoughttolethertellherstoryfirsttothe

-8-

coroner,orthesheriff,soHarrywentfastashecouldtoRivers'

place,wherethere'

satelephone.

AndwhatdidMrs.Wrightdowhensheknewthatyouhadgoneforthecoroner?

Shemovedfromthatchairtothisoneoverhere[Pointingtoasmallchairinthecorner]

andjustsattherewithherhandsheldtogetherandlookingdown.IgotafeelingthatIoughttomakesomeconversation,soIsaidIhadcomeintoseeifJohnwantedtoputinatelephone,andatthatshestartedtolaugh,andthenshestoppedandlookedatme--scared.[TheCOUNTYATTORNEY,whohashadhisnotebookout,makesanote.]

Idunno,maybeitwasn'

tscared.Iwouldn'

tliketosayitwas.SoonHarrygotback,andthenDr.Lloydcame,andyou,Mr.Peters,andsoIguessthat'

sallIknowthatyoudon'

t.

[Lookingaround.]

Iguesswe'

llgoupstairsfirst--andthenouttothebarnandaroundthere.[TotheSHERIFF.]

You'

reconvincedthattherewasnothingimportanthere--nothingthatwouldpointtoanymotive.

Nothingherebutkitchenthings.

[TheCOUNTYATTORNEY,afteragainlookingaroundthekitchen,opensthedoorofacupboardcloset.Hegetsuponachairandlooksonashelf.Pullshishandaway,sticky.]

-9-

Here'

sanicemess.

[Thewomendrawnearer.]

[Totheotherwoman.]

Oh,herfruit;

itdidfreeze.[TotheLAWYER.]

Sheworriedaboutthatwhenitturnedsocold.Shesaidthefire'

dgooutandherjarswouldbreak.

Well,canyoubeatthewomen!

Heldformurderandworryin'

aboutherpreserves.

Iguessbeforewe'

rethroughshemayhavesomethingmoreseriousthanpreservestoworryabout.

Well,womenareusedtoworryingovertrifles.

[Thetwowomenmovealittleclosertogether.]

[Withthegallantryofayoungpolitician.]

Andyet,foralltheirworries,whatwouldwedowithouttheladies?

[Thewomendonotunbend.Hegoestothesink,takesadipperfulofwaterfromthepailandpouringitintoabasin,washeshishands.Startstowipethemontheroller-towel,turnsitforacleanerplace.]

Dirtytowels!

[Kickshisfootagainstthepansunderthesink.]

Notmuchofahousekeeper,wouldyousay,ladies?

-10-

MRS.HALE

[Stiffly.]

There'

sagreatdealofworktobedoneonafarm.

Tobesure.Andyet[Withalittlebowtoher]

IknowtherearesomeDicksoncountyfarmhouseswhichdonothavesuchrollertowels.

[Hegivesitapulltoexposeitsfulllengthagain.]

Thosetowelsgetdirtyawfulquick.Men'

shandsaren'

talwaysascleanastheymightbe.

Ah,loyaltoyoursex,Isee.ButyouandMrs.Wrightwereneighbors.Isupposeyouwerefriends,too.

[Shakingherhead.]

venotseenmuchofheroflateyears.I'

venotbeeninthishouse--it'

smorethanayear.

Andwhywasthat?

Youdidn'

tlikeher?

Ilikedherwellenough.Farmers'

wiveshavetheirhandsfull,Mr.Henderson.Andthen--

Yes--?

-11-

Itneverseemedaverycheerfulplace.

No--it'

snotcheerful.Ishouldn'

tsayshehadthehomemakinginstinct.

Well,Idon'

tknowasWrighthad,either.

Youmeanthattheydidn'

tgetonverywell?