Judgement Day Pale Fire Journal Judgement Day Pale Fire Journal | Page 8

to the jury and your honor that Charles Kinbote is truly the exiled King of
Zembla.
Defense Attorney Miles: Your honor, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I ask
you to reconsider your look on this man, Charles Kinbote. Although there
are some hints that paint him as King Xavier, it is mere coincidence or due
to some other random chance. I refute the accusation on the substantial
evidence I have accumulated that proves Kinbote to be simply a fan of
John Shade or a somewhat enthusiastic neighbor whom may be a little
obsessed with his friend. The evidence I found is as such: Kinbote often
examines Shade throughout the day. Kinbote also frequently speaks of his
close ties with John Shade. Finally, Kinbote, puts a lot of thought into the
position and well-being of John Shade. I ask the jury to look upon this
case as one of mistaken identity and reluctant coincidences.
Judge: Attorney Selim, you have the floor. Please present your findings to
the court. Following that, Attorney Miles will have the opportunity to pre-
sent his case to the court. Please proceed Attorney Selim.
Attorney Selim steadily stands up and unbuttons his blazer. He
steps towards the open
area in front of the court and faces the jury to speak.
Selim: Your honor, thank you. Ladies and gentlemen of the jury I present
you with my first piece of evidence. It appears whenever Mr. Kinbote
speaks of Zembla, he adds a sense of possession as I said. There is a
way in which he describes it that hints he once had custody or rule over it.
An example is when he compared running in and out of his house in New
Wye to escaping through the passages at his castle. In the same instance,
he confesses to having escaped Zembla secretly through hidden ways.
[1] Kinbote also becomes enraged when he realizes John Shade did not
extensively describe his land of Zembla in Shade’s poem Pale Fire.
[2] This outright insult proves that Kinbote held Zembla and the memory of
it near and dear to his heart as would a King to his kingdom. It also helps
illustrate my next piece of evidence which that Mr. Kinbote seems to have
extensive knowledge of this country of Zembla and its royal affairs.
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