240.The helicopter in the eyes of Mieko gradually turned into a large piece of black could,cloud rolling over with thunders,heavy rains and lightning...an inauspicious presentiment caused a shiver in her body.At the same time,an extreme pain spread from her belly to her heart.In an extremely grieved cry,she fainted.
241.When she came around,Mieko found herself lying in a hospital bed.The hospital had successively performed a Caesarean operation for her.Noticing she had completely come to herself,a nurse told her pleasantly,"I'm going to fetch your son to show you,and you can suckle him if convenient.That would benefit him all his life.It's so lovely a baby."
242.Mieko held up her son,who was fat with fair skin.When she suckled him for the first mouth,tears overflowed her eyes.She stared at the baby who was sucking her breast,painfully praying for him who came to the world at a wrong time.
243.Just at this moment,a lawyer came into the ward,passing a file into Mieko's hand.One week ago,Mieko entrusted this lawyer to ask an orphanage to bring up her to-be-born baby,now the lawyer had gone through all the procedures.She was going to make the utmost efforts for her husband.
244.The next day,several press media reported it as big news,which was titled "Puerperal Wife Asked an Orphanage to Bring up Her Baby and Tried for Accompanying Her Husband Kyuutarou in Prison".Another headline report said,"Presiding judge in the first trial had refuted six defenses for the commutation of Kyuutarou,the prime criminal.1.The defense for cripplehood has been refuted on the ground that the defendant has recovered his crippled limb and once participated in the health examination for army recruitment; 2.The defense for having retreating from criminal organization and quitted criminal activities has been refuted on the ground that it is still within the prosecution period; 3.The defense for misdemeanor has been refuted on the ground that the suspect has organized and led group criminal activities for long; 4.The defense for resistance against illegal invasion has been refuted on the ground that the post-war UN resolution has decided that the garrison is legal; 5.The defense for the need of family care and concern has been refuted on the ground that the puerperal wife had smooth delivery and has recovered well; and 6.The defense for that the suspect was an orphan of war on the Chinese side has been refuted on the ground that no information on his Chinese relatives has been provided.Conclusion: a severe punishment for Kyuutarou has been doomed."
245.That day,Irving came to the hospital to see Mieko and told her that the court would be opened once again three days later.If the 6 defending reasons were all refuted,as the media had predicted,the defendant would have to plead on new grounds.And in the first trial,Kyuutarou might be sentenced a severe punishment more than 15 years.Both Mieko and he had to be mentally prepared.
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246.Unfortunately,the result in the first trial was just as Irving had predicted.The presiding judge decided a life imprisonment for Kyuutarou for the crimes such as organizing and scheduling group criminal activities for long,and more than 3 and less than 5 years imprisonment for other 16 criminals.
247.In the last statement in the court,Irving could hold back his anger no more,he argued loudly,"My God,I pray you give more kindness and fairness to these young people,and have another look at these young faces,for until today these faces are still carved with the shadows and miseries of the Second World War.Save them,my God.Your Honors,why don't you ask why they committed such so-called crimes?Why they did those stupid things?Why?I've conversed with each of them; all their families have undergone a variety of disasters during the Second World War.Among the 17 defendants,10 grew up in orphanages.They all hate and loathed that war from the bottom of their hearts.That is why they did those stupid things.Although they have their good reasons,they are not thus excused.Even today,they are harmed by the pernicious influence of the Second World War in this or that respect,and are still treated in non-democratic,narrow-mined,unreasonable and inhumane ways..." "Bang!" the presiding judge interrupted Irving's speech with his gavel."No speech about irrelevant topics!"
248.But Irving continued in rage,"Your Honors,you crustily refuted all the defense requests of the lawyer group on behalf of the defendants today,sentencing my client a life long imprisonment.Your reasons appear reasonable,but why don't you think it over more rationally and tolerantly?Why cannot you analyze it more objectively?
249."Kyuutarou as a defendant was a Chinese orphan,and that is a proven fact.No information on his relatives?This argument of yours is too weak.As early as half a month ago,the counselor group has written to the Chinese embassy,asking them help to look for Kyuutarou's father,and the embassy has clearly replied that even if they failed to find Kyuutarou's father,they would provide a variety of proofs for his consanguine relations.So,you're quite aware that the submission of proofs is only a matter of times.
250."What is more confusing,Your Honors,is that you deny the fact that Kyuutarou is a cripple on the ground that he had taken part in an army recruitment health examination.My God,let's have a look at that Kyuutarou standing at the dock.Let's look at his left hand which has been disabled since his childhood,and the related documents provided by various aspects during different periods.Your Honors,how could you ignore these facts?How could you stand facts on their heads?How could you lack discerning ability to all things?Why could you not show a little solicitude to a cripple like him?