They Were Divided - Miklos Banffy [146]
Only Simo found it disconcerting. He felt it would have been better if the case had been heard without Abady, who was a Member of Parliament, putting his oar in and interfering. What the Devil did he want? It was extremely disquieting. Anything could happen. He had always been against involving Abady … and now? It was a bad business, he thought, but he was careful not to show his anxiety but laughed broadly and roared out, ‘Well, let him appear! We’ll push him around a bit!’
‘I expect he just wants to pour some whitewash on that rascally forester of his, Andras Zutor,’ said Balazs Toth.
‘It won’t be easy … that is to say … Kula Lung was induced to bear false witness either by Zutor or by the Count himself. Nothing else is possible. Anyhow no one is going to believe that an ignorant mountain lad could hire a lawyer in Kolozsvar all on his own.’ And Dr Farkas went on to declare that he for one had always been sure that Abady was behind the whole thing: ‘… that is to say … there is no doubt that the Count is the real culprit. I was only in favour of leaving him out of the accusation because he is a Member of Parliament and, if we were out to get him, we’d have to wait ages while we had him unseated; and not only that but, well, that is to say, our friend Gaszton always said he wanted the case heard quickly. But there is nothing to worry about, indeed it is all for the best … that is to say … tomorrow I’ll get him in a high old muddle when I question him. Then either he’ll have to deny everything, which will mean his friends Kula and Zutor will be found guilty, or else it’ll be clear to all to see that he himself was behind it all, and then we’ll indict him too.’ Dr That-is-to-say spoke with smug malice.
Huge puffs of smoke came from beneath Nyiresy’s great moustaches and he said, ‘That’s talking, that is! Send the Noble Lord to gaol, eh? We’ll all drink to that!’ And he laughed loudly as he raised his glass high and touched all the others within reach. The gypsies, though not understanding what it was all about, played a flourish.
General hubbub broke out and when it subsided a little the Head Sheriff turned to Simo and, speaking very slowly, asked, ‘You’re sure that Abady doesn’t have anything concrete, some other paper, perhaps? It’d mean trouble if matters were to take another turn, you know.’
‘Of course not; what could he have?’ said Simo quickly.
Then the lawyer interrupted, saying, ‘It is quite impossible that he should come up with something else, quite impossible … that is to say … supposing – just supposing, mind you, not conceding – that the Count tried to bring in other facts, things that had nothing to do with this case, the judge would refuse to hear them. The law does not permit it. Our evidence is clear, and we have written statements to prove it. These are quite straightforward. They cover the whole case and cannot be gainsaid. I ought to know; after all I drafted them myself. Faced with our evidence there can be no argument. In court tomorrow there will only be one issue and that is the degree of responsibility of the accused. Nothing else!’
‘Why is that?’ asked the station-master, just for something to say.
‘These are the facts. Juon Lung aluj Maftye has made a legally valid declaration that he was misled by his grandson and that our friend Gaszton Simo has always behaved most correctly towards him. Therefore the author of the false accusation is Juon’s grandson Kula. Now, what we wish to prove is that this Kula did not himself think up the idea but was pushed into criminal behaviour by Andras Zutor. Kula Lung, as the first accused, will certainly be found guilty, and most probably Zutor as well … that is to say … for Zutor was cognizant of, and indeed behind, everything that Kula did. What sentence these two get, light or heavy, will depend on whether we can show the Count to have inspired the whole malicious proceeding. If we can, then Zutor’s guilt will be to some extent