"S. P. Somtow - Vanilla Blood" - читать интересную книгу автора (Somtow S. P)

So, instead, we'll start in the middle… just seconds after Judge Trepte kicked the cameras out of the
courtroom.

We'll even go so far as to begin in the middle of a sentence.
—gone yet? Good, good.

—Sir? Get that thing out of my courtroom. Thank you. All the way out. When I kick out the cameras, sir,
I kick out the cameras; I don't mean to have them lurking about in the anteroom. I mean, out, out, out.

—But, Your Honor, we've paid generously for the broadcast rights to—all right, Your Honor. Yes, sir.
Good-bye, sir. Thank you, sir.

—and now, Counselor, you will reveal to this court exactly why your next witness is arriving in so
remarkable a fashion.

—He always travels this way, Your Honor.

—Objection! The defense is attempting to offer a corpse as a defense witness!

—You must admit, Counselor, that the prosecution does have a point.

—He's not exactly dead, Your Honor. He just travels this way.

—In a coffin.

—Yes, Your Honor.

—Well, I'll be damned. Strike that. I think you will all agree that I made the right call in getting rid of the
press. We can all relax now and get to the bottom of this nonsense, without getting yet another lead
story on the CBS Evening News. Miss Anderson, strike all that—all of it. This is not going to be a trial
for the TV trial junkies. No. This is life and death… some would add even undeath. Don't expect me to
run this courtroom like Judge Itoh. More like Judge Dredd. Strike that, too, Miss Anderson, strike,
strike, strike, strike, strike. Now I'll stop pontificating and turn things over to you overpaid lawyers.

—The prosecution continues to object, Your Honor.

—Sustained.

—Your Honor, we cannot present this case without this witness's testimony.

—Then I will reconsider the objection when the witness deigns to get out of the coffin.

—He can't yet, Your Honor. But I believe he will be able to in about five minutes…

—Five minutes you may have. The court will recess for five minutes… no, let's say ten. Some of us still
smoke.

—Well, Counselor?

—I don't understand it, Your Honor, but the witness doesn't appear to have stirred.