Judgement Day Pale Fire Journal Judgement Day Pale Fire Journal | Page 23

clines in his chair. Another man - the AMERICAN
LAWYER - clean shaven and conservatively dressed
in a white suit, sits upright in his chair. The JUDGE,
dressed in grey, is standing.
JUDGE
Order in the court.
(The room quiets.)
Thank you all for being here. As you know, the case at hand is in regards
to the final wishes of John Shade, local poet and pro-
fessor. His wife, Sybil Shade, is suing for the rights to
his last work, Pale Fire, a poem which is currently the
legal property of one Charles Kinbote. Before this
case can go any further, we must first determine the
relationship between John Shade and this Kinbote
character. The circumstances of Shade’s death are
also under question - however, these two issues,
though both relevant to the case, are, ladies and
gentlemen of the jury, to be considered separately.
Gentlemen, you may now present your opening
statements.
ZEMBLAN LAWYER
Thank you, your honor.
AMERICAN LAWYER
Thank you, your honor. As I am representing Sybil Shade, I will go first.
(He turns to the jury.)
Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, today’s case is not simply a squabble
over publishing rights. Today is about a widow wish-
ing to recognize her dear husband’s final wishes.
Wishe s that his last work - his masterpiece - be pub-
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