To Kill a Mockingbird Page #6

and I tried to run.

Mr Ewell cussed at her

from the window.

He said he's gonna kill her.

What happened after that?

I was runnin' so fast,

l don't know what happened.

Tom, did you rape Mayella Ewell?

I did not, sir.

Did you harm her in any way?

I did not, sir.

Robinson...

you're good at bustin' up chifforobes

and kindlin' with one hand, aren't ya?

Strong enough to choke the breath

out ofa woman...

and sling her to the floor?

- I never done that, sir.

- But you're strong enough to.

I reckon so, sir.

How come you so all-fired anxious

to do that woman's chores?

Looks like she--

she didn't have nobody to help her.

Like I said--

With Mr Ewell and seven children

on the place?

You did all this choppin' and work

out ofsheer goodness, boy?

You're a mighty good fella,

it seems.

Did all that for not one penny?

Yes, sir.

I felt right sorry for her.

She seemed--

You felt sorry for her?

A white woman?

You felt sorry for her.

To begin with...

this case should never

have come to trial.

The State has not produced

one iota...

of medical evidence...

that the crime Tom Robinson

is charged with...

ever took place.

It has relied, instead...

upon the testimony

oftwo witnesses...

whose evidence has not only been

called into serious question...

on cross-examination...

but has been flatly contradicted

by the defendant.

There is circumstantial evidence

to indicate that...

Mayella Ewell was beaten...

savagely...

by someone who led,

almost exclusively, with his left.

Tom Robinson now sits before you,

having taken the oath...

with the only good hand

he possesses...

his right.

I have nothing but pity

in my heart...

for the chiefwitness

for the State.

She is the victim...

ofcruel poverty and ignorance.

But my pity...

does not extend so far...

as to her putting

a man's life at stake...

which she has done in an effort

to get rid of her own guilt.

I say "guilt," gentlemen...

because it was guilt...

that motivated her.

She's committed no crime.

She has merely broken

a rigid and time-honoured...

code of our society.

A code so severe that whoever breaks it

is hounded from our midst...

as unfit to live with.

She must destroy the evidence...

of her offence.

But what was the evidence

of her offence?

Tom Robinson, a human being.

She must put Tom Robinson

away from her.

Tom Robinson was to her

a daily reminder...

ofwhat she did.

Now, what did she do?

She tempted a Negro.

She was white,

and she tempted a Negro.

She did something that,

in our society, is unspeakable.

She kissed a black man.

Not an old uncle...

but a strong, young Negro man.

No code mattered to her

before she broke it...

but it came crashing down

on her afterwards.

The witnesses for the State...

with the exception

ofthe sheriff of Maycomb County...

have presented themselves

to you gentlemen, to this court...

in the cynical confidence...

that their testimony

would not be doubted.

Confident that you gentlemen...

would go along with them

on the assumption--

the evil assumption--

that all Negroes lie...

all Negroes are basically

immoral beings...

all Negro men are not

to be trusted around our women.

An assumption that one associates

with minds oftheir calibre...

and which is, in itself,

gentlemen, a lie.

Which I do not need

to point out to you.

And so...

a quiet, humble,

respectable Negro...

who has had

the unmitigated temerity...

to feel sorry

for a white woman...

has had to put his word

against two white people's.

The defendant is not guilty...

but somebody

in this courtroom is.

Now, gentlemen...

in this country...

our courts are

the great levellers.

In our courts...

all men are created...

equal.

I'm no idealist

to believe firmly...

in the integrity of our courts

and of our jury system.

That's no ideal to me.

That is a living, working reality!

I am confident that

you gentlemen will review...

without passion...

the evidence

that you have heard...

come to a decision...

and restore this man

to his family.

In the name of God...

do your duty.

In the name of God...

believe...

Tom Robinson.

How long has the jury

been out now, Reverend?

Let's see.

Almost two hours now.

I think that's an awful

good sign, don't you?

Court's now in session.

Everybody rise.

Gentlemen of the jury,

have you reached a verdict?

We have, Your Honour.

Will the defendant please rise

and face the jury.

What is your verdict?

We find the defendant

guilty as charged.

Gentlemen,

this jury is dismissed.

Court is adjourned.

I'll go to see Helen

first thing tomorrow morning.

I told her not to be disappointed,

we'd probably lose this one.

Miss Jean Louise.

Miss Jean Louise, stand up.

Your father's passin'.

I'm sorry, Atticus.

Thank you, Maudie.

Atticus, can I see you

for a minute?

Will you excuse me?

Yes, ma'am?

I don't know if it'll help...

but I want to say this to you.

There's some men

in this world...

who are born to do

our unpleasant jobs for us.

Your father's one ofthem.

Oh, well.

What's the matter, Atticus?

Tom Robinson's dead.

They were taking him

to Abbottsville...

for safekeeping.

Tom broke loose and ran.

The deputy...

called out to him to stop...

and Tom didn't stop.

He shot at him to wound him...

and missed his aim.

Killed him.

The deputy says...

Tom just ran like a crazy man.

The last thing I told him

was not to lose heart...

that we'd ask for an appeal.

We had such a good chance.

We had more than a good chance.

I have to go out

and tell his family.

You look after

the children, Maudie.

Atticus, you want me

to go with you?

No, son. I think l'd better

go out there alone.

I'm goin' with you.

All right, son.

Hello, Mr Finch.

I'm Spence, Tom's father.

Hello, Spence.

- Is Helen here?

- Yes, sir.

She's inside lyin' down,

tryin' to get a little sleep.

We been talkin'

about the appeal, Mr Finch.

How long do you think it'll take?

There isn't going

to be any appeal.

Not now. Tom is dead.

Dead?

Boy.

Go inside and tell Atticus Finch

l said to come out here.

Go on, boy.

By October, things

had settled down again.

I still looked for Boo everytime

I went bythe Radley place.

This night my mind

was filled with Halloween.

There was to be a pageant representing

our county's agricultural products.

I was to be a ham.

Jem saidhe would escort me

to the school auditorium.

Thus began our longest

journey together.

- Scout.

- Yeah?

Will you come on?

Everybody's gone.

- I can't go home like this.

- Well, I'm going.

It's almost 1 0:
00,

and Atticus will be waitin' for us.

All right, I'm comin'.

But I feel like a fool

walkin' home like this.

It's not my fault

you lost your dress.

I didn't lose it.

Just can't find it.

- Where are your shoes?

- I can't find them either.

- You can get 'em tomorrow.

- But tomorrow's Sunday.

You can get the janitor

to let you in. Come on.

Here, Scout. Let me hold onto you

before you break your neck.

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