by Rob Summers
Chapter 21 Grace’s Defense
“I think we’re ready to start again,” Dignity said. “Ambassador, would you like to present the opening argument for the defense now?”
Grace came forward. “Your Honor and friends, the reason for the defendant’s plea of not guilty isn’t, as the prosecution has noted, because she denies doing all that she’s charged with. That’s not the point. The point is that the acts she is accused of are said to be aimed against Grace House and for the City. For this reason, even the prosecution calls her acts crimes only if they were performed because she was, and I quote, ‘a paid informant and saboteur for the City administration,’ and lists them only under that heading. If it can be demonstrated that Miss Obscurity did all with the intention of protecting Grace House, as she was contracted to do, then she is innocent.
“So the defense concedes immediately that Miss Obscurity did indeed tamper with the phones; that she did not mail the query; that she gave the printing company a wrong phone number for the fliers; that she gave you, Your Honor, a lozenge of some sort that took your voice away just before your press conference and TV appearance; and that she prevented Mrs. D’Ego from finding Grace House on Christmas Eve. However, we do not at all concede this matter of so-called germ warfare. Miss Obscurity is not responsible for the flu that afflicted the Orchard family. She also had nothing to do with the death of a family pet, a cat. Actually, I’m surprised that the prosecution didn’t bring that up.”
“Yes, so am I,” said Dignity. “Reason?”
“We left it out of the charges, Your Honor, because we lacked proof. Actually, I myself doubt that she killed Dice.”
“Good enough. Go on, Ambassador. But wait a minute. What about the book she stole? Uh, I mean, the book she is accused of stealing?”
“Oh that,” Grace said smiling. “Well, since the book never actually left the house, perhaps we could let that go by? No?”
“I don’t see how we could,” Dignity said.
“Very well, Your Honor. The defense will address that point during the questioning of the accused, but not at this time.”
“OK. I’ll be interested to hear what she has to say.”
Grace gave Dignity an odd look. “Yes. Well, to move on....” He rested his gaze for a moment on Reason. “Nothing, friends, is more common than to see something from a new angle that erases our previous impressions. The back side of a painting is very different from the front. Two photographs of a person may seem to show us different people, and yet it is the same person. Therefore, we should never be hasty to ascribe wicked motives for behavior that seems to us wicked. Only choose a different point of view, only get to know a person better, and all appears in a new light.
“I’ve already said that Obscurity did what she did to protect this house. Protect it from what? From the effects of literary renown, effects unforeseen by you, Your Honor, and quite harmful. You are perhaps unaware that Swella D’Ego is Mr. Power’s sister-in-law? But you ought to have known or found out that Power has a controlling interest in every publishing house in the City, Christian or otherwise. The authors contracted to those publishers are Power’s authors. Need I say more?
“You will ask me then if no worthwhile Christian books are ever published. Granted, some are. But the price for the authors, those who continue to be successful, is a lifetime of slavery. That is, they become slaves to the reading public and to their editors. Not all do, perhaps, but it’s very hard to keep one’s head clear when courted by Fame, Mammon, and Power. Miss Obscurity knows this very well, is an expert at avoiding such traps, and so was hired to keep you, Reason, and you, Your Honor, out of trouble.
“Obscurity came here and did what she was hired to do. While she was here, she demonstrated the finest of character in the simplest of ways; that is, she played with the Orchard children and was loved by them.”
As Grace continued, a servant approached Bits Bitterly and handed him a note. He whispered to Reason for a moment and then left the room.
In the front hall Pinch waited for him.
“I thought you said you’d never come here,” Bits said. “But whatever. What’s the matter? They’re still letting me stay, so it can’t be that bad.”
Pinch seemed to look right through him. “You didn’t approach Honesty, did you?”
“Sorry, dearest, but out of the question. The slightest hint of a bribe would have had her suspecting me, and she’s depressingly trustworthy.”
“She used to be good for anything,” Pinch said, “back when her name was Doubt.”
“Let’s not live in the past, dear. Do you know, I hate to say it, but you look like death warmed over. They didn’t can you, did they?”
She nodded.
“Sorry to hear it! You haven’t come here to blow the whistle on me, then? What have I ever done to you?”
Pinch ignored this. “I can’t understand why they’re letting you stay on, considering what Obscurity must have told them; but face it, you don’t have a chance here. It won’t be long.”
“It never is,” he said.
“So come with me.”
“Anywhere, lady.”
“Get serious,” she said. “I’m ready to do it, Bits. The river, just like you wrote. Are you coming with me?”
Bits’ smile disappeared. “Side by side, just as we said? Is there a bridge rail giving enough to let us through, do you think? And nearby?”
She was crying. “I’ve got to escape. It’s the only thing left that makes any sense.”
“It always was the only thing that made any sense,” he said. “‘Death hath had a thousand doors to let out life, I shall find one.... From a loath’d life I’ll not an hour outlive.’ Massinger, you know. I learned it by heart when I was fourteen.”
She looked at him.
“Yes, actions speak louder than words. I know.”
They left together in Pinch’s rented car.
“And Obscurity fell in love with this house,” Grace was saying. “She went beyond dry professionalism, she worked with heart and soul, seven days a week, to protect you, Your Honor, and Reason from yourselves. She should be commended.
“As for the loss of a good Christian book intended for the reading public—aren’t plenty of good Christian books in print already? In fact, a perfect Book is available, a perennial bestseller, and yet the world is not won to Heaven by it. That Book goes unread, or unbelieved. What is needed, perhaps, is not more words on paper but more living out of the gospel. Obscurity, all misunderstood and hated, does what she can to help bring the gospel to life.
“Finally, Obscurity is said to be in the pay of the City, an agent of theirs. Not true, she is a double agent of ours.” Grace lifted a finger. “She had the implied permission of the Embassy to scout out the opposition. Intelligence gathering is important to her mission. Thus, though she did not make the useless attempt to try to warn you about him, she learned that Mr. Bits Bitterly is a paid agent of the City. And thus also she knew the rest of the City administration’s strategy. She did not, however, take any money, as will become apparent.
“Your Honor, given the motives of the accused, as vouched for by the Embassy, I have no doubt that you will do justice by completely acquitting the accused on all charges. Thank you.”
Some of the older Orchard children applauded.
Dignity shifted on the bench. “All right, I think we can begin calling witnesses.”
“Your Honor, may I request another recess?” said Grace, looking at his watch. “I have an extremely important appointment across town that won’t take much time. Just fifteen minutes or so.”
“Of course, Ambassador.”