(BRADY’S hands are outstretched, palms upward, pleading.

DRUMMOND stares at BRADY long and thoughtfully.)

DRUMMOND

(In a low voice)

Realizing that I may prejudice the case of my client, I must say that “Right” has no meaning to me whatsoever! (There is a buzz of reaction in the courtroom) Truth has meaning—as a direction. But one of the peculiar imbecilities of our time is the grid of morality we have placed on human behavior: so that every act of man must be measured against an arbitrary latitude of right and longitude of wrong—in exact minutes, seconds, and degrees! (He turns to HOWARD) Do you have any idea what I’m talking about, Howard?

HOWARD

No, sir.

DRUMMOND

Well, maybe you will. Someday. Thank you, son. That’s all.

JUDGE

The witness is excused. (He raps his gavel, but HOWARD remains in the chair, staring goop-eyed at his newly found idol) We won’t need you any more, Howard: you can go back to your pa now. (HOWARD gets up, and joins the spectators) Next witness.

DAVENPORT

Will Miss Rachel Brown come forward, please?

(RACHEL emerges from among the spectators. She comes forward quickly, as if wanting to get the whole thing over with. She looks at no one. CATES watches her with a hopeless expression: Et tu, Brute. MEEKER swears her in perfunctorily.)

BRADY

Miss Brown. You are a teacher at the Hillsboro Consolidated School?

RACHEL

(Flat)

Yes.

BRADY

So you have had ample opportunity to know the defendant, Mr. Cates, professionally?

RACHEL

Yes.

BRADY

(With exaggerated gentleness)

Is Mr. Cates a member of the spiritual community to which you belong?

DRUMMOND

(Rises)

Objection! I don’t understand this chatter about “spiritual communities.” If the prosecution wants to know if they go to the same church, why doesn’t he ask that?

JUDGE

Uh—objection overruled. (DRUMMOND slouches, disgruntled. CATES stares at RACHEL disbelievingly, while her eyes remain on the floor. The exchange between DRUMMOND and the JUDGE seems to have unnerved her, however) You will answer the question, please.

RACHEL

I did answer it, didn’t I? What was the question?

BRADY

Do you and Mr. Cates attend the same church?

RACHEL

Not any more. Bert dropped out two summers ago.

BRADY

Why?

RACHEL

It was what happened with the little Stebbins boy.

BRADY

Would you tell us about that, please?

RACHEL

The boy was eleven years old, and he went swimming in the river, and got a cramp, and drowned. Bert felt awful about it. He lived right next door, and Tommy Stebbins used to come over to the boarding house and look through Bert’s microscope. Bert said the boy had a quick mind, and he might even be a scientist when he grew up. At the funeral, Pa preached that Tommy didn’t die in a state of grace, because his folks had never had him baptized—

(CATES, who has been smoldering through this recitation, suddenly leaps angrily to his feet.)

CATES

Tell ’em what your father really said! That Tommy’s soul was damned, writhing in hellfire!