Subject: Chapter XV part 2
Author: Marta I (205.188.197.187)
Date: 09-11-1999 23:46
Court is in session again.
Renato is very angry at Monica. Juan seems more calm, even though
very determined, just as is Renato. Now the witnesses for the
defense. First Segundo.
According to Segundo, Juan was generous and considerate with the
crew of 'Luzbel'. Never lied to or betrayed any of them. Did he
watch Colibri's incident? Yes. He saw Juan hit the employees of the
Lancasters as they tried to board the Luzbel, le also saw Juan shoot
at the rum barrels. Juan hid the kid in the ship but he did not do
it in order to gain his services, just to save him. Colibri never
was allowed to work on the Luzbel, Segundo asked Juan for his help
as a 'grumete' (someone knows more about what a 'grumete' does in
this context??) but Juan said no. Colibri never worked on the ship,
just followed Juan around as his companion.
Juan breaks in.. Yes, ... I lived as a 'grumete' three years. I know
well what it is like to be bossed around, reprimended and punished
by everyone, from captain to the lowest mariner. I did not get
Colibri out of Jamaica so he could be my own slave. That is what he
was at the Lancaster's. Juan asks Segundo when it was the first time
he saw Colibri. He was carrying a load of wood bigger than him. An
employee of the Lancaster's was throwing stones and yelling at him
to continue on.
Renato tries to restate his point. Why does Juan and his crew
consider themselves authorized to take justice in their own hands?
If this is the unfortunate story of Colibri...
'-Words are not necessary, Mr. President! ' - Monica shouts. Again,
Monica stands up and speaks up for Juan. She tells everyone she can
show them the truth faster than words can. In this boy's skin are
the scars of his tragedy. She strips his shirt out and shows
everyone.She dares any man who will sustain the charges against Juan
after seeing the scars on his skin.
She reinstates her promise to repay the debt aand finishes her
statement with...
'He won't defend himself... but I request justice... Human Justice
for the Accussed!!
She abandons the courtroom, but not before looking at Juan's eyes.
Those eyes which seem to have witnessed all the pain and suffering
of the world, and now seem to shine with a warm glow of grattitude,
maybe even admiration..
Then she turns around and spots Aimee. Nothing could have given her
soul as devastating a blow as Aimee's presence did. They have their
typical exchange of insults and resentment. Monica is mad that Aimee
has forgotten her promise to her of forgetting Juan and respecting
her vows. Then Monica shows Aimee the note and asks her about it.
Aimee responds that Monica seems to not have sacrificed as much
since she defends Juan so wholeheartedly.
Monica says she defends him because he is noble and sincere, because
he felt bad for her , and after all she is his wife. Monica says
Aimee did not anticipating Juan capable of having 'human feelings'.
Aimee is relieved that, according to Monica's words, Monica and Juan
do not seem to be 'a couple'. After a short interviention by Renato,
Aimee tells Monica that maybe the note she sent to him was just to
raise his hopes and in response to another he had sent to her, in
which he asked her for help in the name of the love he had not been
able to forget. Aimee says it is not her fault that he still loves
her, only her. She 'HAD' to write him back saying she loved him
because without her love he wanted no freedom and no life. Now Tell
Renato if you really want to!!
Pedro Noel is next at the witness stand. He is there as a witness,
even though his speech sounds more like the defense closing
arguments. He says Monica has brought up the main points already. If
Juan does not want to defend himself it is because he has not done
any wrong. As true as there are hypocrites for evil, there are also
hypocrits for good. Juan is the typical case of the latter. He is
noble and generous man with lots of humanity, a heaart that bursts
with pity and caring for others, too hurt and humiliated to show his
true feelings. He has been illtreated too long to say he still feels
generous and compassionate and that he still loves and believes in
mankind.
Nothing can justify the feelings and actions of a man than knowing
about his pain and suffering while he was a child. Neither Segundo
nor his wife Monica were there. HE KNOWS Juan since Juan was a
child. Juan is Good. Fundamentally good, in spite of his own
screw-ups which PN has been the first to reprimend him for.
Renato is angry at the attitude of Pedro Noel. 'Has he or has he not
committed the felonies in question? / Yes. but.../ Is it harmful to
society for a man to take justice in his own hands? / It is not the
ideal way to keep the order, but... He is not a beast! He is a man!
I have to speak to the reason of men. What will society gain with
punishing Juan del Diablo if, following the law blindly, he is
convicted with an excessive and dispropportioned sentence? / Society
will free itself from him and it will serve as an example to those
who want to immitate his actions. /
I'll say this. Juan is like a blind force... Hurting and alienating
him more, society will make him its enemy, a force of evil.
Understanding him, releasing him from fault, giving him a chance to
repair his mistakes, society gains a generous and benneficial force.
/ You are a man of law, Notario Noel. Your words are outrageous.
It's in the balance. on one side is society and the law, on the
other is Juan del Diablo. Which side are you on?? / I...I... I am on
Juan's side....
Hearing ends. Time for jury deliberations.