刺杀林肯的凶手之谜

片段对白：

Reverdy Johnson: I really want you to do this for me, Freddie.

Frederick Aiken: You're not serious.

Reverdy Johnson: As serious as the charges against our client.

Frederick Aiken: Me? Defend her?

Reverdy Johnson: She doesn't stand a chance with an old Southerner like me defending her. She needs a Yankee captain like you.

Frederick Aiken: I'm sorry, sir. I... I can't do it.

Reverdy Johnson: No, you'll do fine, son. Experience matters for nothing when they're making up the rules as they go along. Besides, this government has never executed a woman.

Frederick Aiken: They've never considered a woman, nor a man for that matter, capable of murdering the president. Sir, I can find you a rebel to defend her, but I ca... I won't do it.

Reverdy Johnson: There is no court in the Union that would fairly judge that woman with a Confederate counsel.

Frederick Aiken: I won't betray my country. I won't betray my friends who died defending it.

Reverdy Johnson: I'm not asking you to betray your allegiances, Freddie. I'm simply askin' you... rather tellin' you... to obey your oath as a... as an attorney and do your job.

************************************

Frederick Aiken: He wants me to represent Mary Surratt.

Sarah: What?

Nicholas Baker: What?

Man: Yeah. He can't be serious.

Jail warden: They're the actors from the theater. Open up.

Frederick Aiken: Thank you, soldier. That'll be all. This conversation is privileged.

Soldier: Sorry, sir. Orders.

Mary Surratt: Where is Senator Johnson?

Frederick Aiken: The senator has instructed me to handle your case. You understand what you've been charged with? Conspiring to murder the president, secretary of State and the vice president... if found guilty, you could hang?

Mary Surratt: No disrespect, Mr...

Frederick Aiken: Aiken.

Mary Surratt: Mr. Aiken. How many years have you?

Frederick Aiken: 27.

Mary Surratt: So you've handled cases like this before?

Frederick Aiken: There's never been a case like this before.

Mary Surratt: But you have defended others. They've left nothing to chance.

Frederick Aiken: Very well. You own a boarding house on 541 H Street? Is that correct?

Mary Surratt: Yes.

Frederick Aiken: How long you been there? Ma'am? All I know about you is what I read in the papers. It's not flattering.

Mary Surratt: I moved to Washington a year ago with my son and daughter after my husband passed.

Frederick Aiken: And the assassins were frequent visitors to your home.

Mary Surratt: Yes.

Frederick Aiken: Well, you... heh. You don't even deny having been acquainted with John Wilkes Booth and the others behind bars?

Mary Surratt: No, sir, I do not. My husband died a drunk, Mr. Aiken, and left me loads of debt. I had to support my family, so I rented rooms to boarders. Those men were customers, nothing more.

Frederick Aiken: And you never considered their allegiances?

Mary Surratt: I didn't ask about their allegiances.

Frederick Aiken: What about yours, ma'am?

Mary Surratt: I am a Southerner. I'm a Catholic and a devoted mother above all else... but I am no assassin.

Frederick Aiken: Your freedom is gonna require greater assurances than that.

Mary Surratt: Then you tell me what I should say to those generals.

Frederick Aiken: Oh, you can't say a thing. You're prohibited from testifying in your own defense. Perhaps your son could speak for you. Any idea where he's hiding?

Mary Surratt: No, I don't.

Frederick Aiken: All right. Is there anyone who will give your version of events?

Mary Surratt: You mean the truth?

Frederick Aiken: Well, obviously the government believes your version is not the truth.

Mary Surratt: Based on what?

Frederick Aiken: They're not releasing their list of witnesses or the evidence they'll use against you.

Mary Surratt: And can they do that?

Frederick Aiken: This kind of proceeding, they can do to you whatever they want.

Mary Surratt: Well, then what difference does it make? Those generals have made up their minds. I can tell by the way they look at me.

Frederick Aiken: The way they look at you?

Mary Surratt: Just the same way you're looking at me.

Frederick Aiken: I have to go. Good day.

Mary Surratt: Mr. Aiken, I haven't a word from my daughter since I've been here. Would you look in on her for me? I'd be most grateful. Thank you.

妙语佳句 活学活用

1. charge: 控告，指控。看一下例句：He was arrested on the charge of robbery.（他因被控犯有抢劫罪而被捕。）

2. stand a chance: 有机会，有希望。stand a good chance是“大有希望”。

3. Yankee: （美国南北战争时期）北军士兵。

4. execute: 将……处死。

5. flattering: 令人喜爱的，讨人欢喜的。例如：a flattering new dress（令人喜爱的新衣服）。

6. frequent visitors: 常客。

7. behind bars: 在监狱服刑，坐牢。

8. devoted: 忠实的；挚爱的。例如：Mrs Jones had a very devoted husband.（琼斯太太有一位忠实的丈夫。）

9. assassin: 暗杀者，刺客。

10. assurance: 表示保证（或鼓励等）的话。看一下例句：The contractor gave assurances that the work would be completed on time.（承包人表示过保证按时完工。）

11. word: 消息，音讯。看一下例句：He sent word to us that he would not be able to come.（他带信来，说他来不了。）

12. look in on somebody: 顺便拜访某人。请看例句：Why don't you look in on me next time you are in town?（你下次进城来顺便看看我好吗？）

亚伯拉罕·林肯是美国第16任总统，1809年2月12日诞生于肯塔基州哈丁县的一个农民家庭。林肯是美国历史上最著名的总统之一，他在职期间爆发了南北战争，也因此招来杀身之祸。1865年4月14日晚在首都华盛顿，林肯邀请格兰特将军及夫人去福特剧院观看歌剧《我们美国的表兄弟》，当戏演到第二幕第二场时，总统包厢响起了枪声，总统应声倒下，再也没有醒来。4月15日清晨7点22分，虽然医生全力抢救，但仍是回天乏术，林肯总统命赴黄泉。

据传说，朝林肯总统开枪的是福特剧院的名演员布斯，他是美国当时的走红明星，是他潜入林肯的包厢朝林肯的后脑开的枪。据说，他杀死林肯后大喊：“这就是独裁者的下场。”接着，他很快从舞台后面逃出了剧场，登上一辆早已等候在那里的马车，逃之夭夭。

布斯刺杀总统的动机究竟是什么?人们对这些问题都希望能有所了解，可直接犯罪嫌疑人已被击毙，只好通过其他途径来了解事实。一番调查之后，事情终于初现端倪。布斯据说在内战爆发初期，他是站在北方这边的，但后来不知为什么却突然支持南方政权。他曾不止一次地对人说有朝一日一定要杀死林肯，这样不但一下子除去了这个新执政者，而且干掉林肯会使自己出名。他刺杀总统的原因真的如此简单吗?当然这只是官方的调查结果，官员是这样向民众解释的。也有一种说法认为布斯是一名非常优秀的莎士比亚戏剧演员，演戏使他走火入魔，把现实生活和舞台生活混为一谈，把世界看做是一个舞台，刺杀林肯只是他的一次“伟大演出”。

不管什么动机，事发后布斯与同谋戴维·赫罗尔德骑马逃跑。后在弗吉尼亚州北部一座农场的牲口棚内被发现。布斯拒绝投降，被当场打死，赫罗尔德于同年7月6日被执行绞刑。为了验明正身，布斯的尸体被运到了蒙托克市。在那里，一位牙医认出了不久前给布斯补牙时填在他牙缝中的金粉；另一位名为约翰·梅的肿瘤医生，发现尸体颈部有一个伤疤，他认为这个伤疤是他不久前为布斯摘除颈部肿瘤后留下的。随后，尸体经过解剖，证明布斯死于枪伤，从布斯尸体上切下部分组织送到国家卫生和医疗博物馆和穆特博物馆保存，然后尸体就被埋在华盛顿的一家废弃的兵工厂内，后来几经转移，最终于1869年布斯的家人把布斯的尸体埋葬在巴尔的摩的绿地公墓。

与一个世纪后约翰·肯尼迪遇刺事件一样，林肯遇害事件也存在“阴谋论”。持这一观点的人认为，布斯刺杀林肯是某些联邦政府官员的阴谋，布斯在这些阴谋家的帮助下成功地逃脱了。联邦士兵当年打死的凶手不是布斯，他逃脱追捕并隐姓埋名生活近40年。1907年一本阐述林肯遇刺“阴谋论”的书写道，被打死的嫌疑人名为詹姆斯·博伊德，是一名南方盟军士兵，外表酷似布斯。据称，布斯先后逃亡至得克萨斯州格兰伯里和俄克拉何马州伊尼德，化名为“约翰·圣海伦”和“戴维·乔治”在当地生活。戴维·乔治1903年自杀，临终前坦言，自己的真名是约翰·威尔克斯·布斯。英国《每日电讯报》援引布斯后人、家族历史学家乔安妮·休姆的话报道：“我母亲讲给我的第一个故事就是，布斯并未在那个牲口棚内被打死。”另一种观点认为，当时负责捉拿布斯的警官埃德温·斯坦顿没有抓到布斯，在无法交差的情况下找了一具面貌、体形与布斯相似的死尸交差了事，真正的布斯化名戴维·乔治在俄克拉荷马州度过了余生。

事情已经过去一百多年了，如何解决布斯的真假之谜呢？就是挖出埋葬在绿地公墓中的尸体，也可能只剩一堆枯朽的白骨了，再要鉴定身份也有许多困难。1994年，一份请求掘墓验尸的提议递交到巴尔的摩巡回法院了，布斯的后人希望利用基因检测技术验证“阴谋论”的真伪。他们想挖掘出布斯兄弟埃德温·布斯的遗骸，验证在牲口棚被打死的那名男子是否与布斯家族有血缘关系。然而法官以可能破坏布斯墓下3名幼儿的墓穴为由，驳回这一提议。也许，刺杀林肯的凶手之谜永远难于解开了。