Lesson4TheTrialThatRockedtheWorld震撼世界的审判AbuzzranthroughthecrowdasItookmyplaceinthepackedcourtonthatswelteringJulydayin1925.ThecounselformydefencewasthefamouscriminallawyerClarenceDarroLeadingcounselfortheprosecutionwasWilliamJenningsBryan,thesilver-tonguedorator,threeDemocraticnomineeforPresidentoftheUnitedStates,andleaderofthefundamentalistmovementthathadbroughtaboutmytrial.在一九二五年七月的那个酷热日子里，当我在挤得水泄不通的法庭里就位时，人群中响起一阵嘁嘁喳喳的议论声。我的辩护人是著名刑事辩护律师克拉伦斯.达罗。担任主控官的则是能说会道的演说家威廉.詹宁斯.布莱恩，他曾三次被民主党提名为美国总统候选人，而且还是导致我这次受审的基督教原教旨主义运动的领导人。AfewweeksbeforeIhadbeenanunknownschool-teacherinDayton,alittletowninthemountainsofTennessee.NowIwasinvolvedinatrialreportedtheworldover.Seatedincourt,readytotestifyonmybehalf,wereadozendistinguishedprofessorsandscientists,ledbyProfessorKirtleyMatherofHarvardUniversity.Morethan100reporterswereonhand,andevenradioannouncers,whoforthefirsttimeinhistoryweretobroadcastajurytrial."Don'tworry,son,we'llshowthemafewtricks,"Darrowhadwhisperedthrowingareassuringarmroundmyshoulderaswewerewaitingforthecourttoopen.几个星期之前，我还只是田纳西州山区小镇戴顿的一名默默无闻的中学教员，而现在我却成了一次举世瞩目的庭审活动的当事人。在法庭就座为我作证的有以哈佛大学的科特里o马瑟教授为首的十几位有名望的教授和科学家。到场的还有一百多名新闻记者，甚至还有一些广播电台的播音员，他们也要破天荒地播放一次庭审实况。就在我们静候着法庭开审的当儿，达罗关切地搂住我的肩膀低声安慰道："别担心，孩子，我们会给他们点厉害瞧瞧。"ThecasehaderuptedroundmyheadnotlongafterIarrivedinDaytonassciencemasterandfootballcoachatthesecondaryschool.Foranumberofyearsaclashhadbeenbuildingupbetweenthefundamentalistsandthemodernists.ThefundamentalistsadheredtoaliteralinterpretationoftheOldTestament.Themodernists,ontheotherhand,acceptedthetheoryadvancedbyCharlesDarwin--thatallanimallife,includingmonkeysandmen,hadevolvedfromacommonancestor.我刚到戴顿中学任自然科学教员兼足球教练不久，这件案子就突然降临到我的头上。若干年来，原教旨主义者和现代主义者之间就一直在酝酿着一场冲突。原教旨主义者坚持严格按照字面意义去理解《旧约全书》，而现代主义者则接受查尔斯o达尔文的进化论--认为一切动物，包括猿和人，都是由同一个祖先进化而来的。FundamentalismwasstronginTennessee,andthestatelegislaturehadrecentlypassedalawprohibitingtheteachingof"anytheorythatdeniesthestoryofcreationastaughtintheBible."ThenewlawwasaimedsquarelyatDarwin'stheoryofevolution.Anengineer,GeorgeRappelyea,usedtoarguewiththelocalpeopleagainstthelaDuringonesuchargument,Rappelyeasaidthatnobodycouldteachbiologywithoutteachingevolution.SinceIhadbeenteachingbiology,Iwassentfor.在田纳西州，原教旨主义势力很强，州立法机构最近还通过了一项法令，禁止公开讲授"任何否定《圣经》上宣讲的创世说的理论。"这项新法规的矛头直接指向了达尔文的进化论。有位名叫乔治o拉普利亚的工程师因反对这项法规常和当地人进行辩论。有一次辩论中，拉普利亚说，任何人要讲授生物学，就不能不讲进化论。因为我就是讲授生物学的，所以他们便把我叫去作证。"Rappelyeaisright,"Itoldthem."拉普利亚是对的，"我对他们说。"Thenyouhavebeenviolatingthelaw,"oneofthemSaid."那么说，你在触犯法律，"他们中的一位说。"Sohaseveryotherteacher,"Ireplied."EvolutionisexplainedinHunter'sCivicBiology,andthat'sourtextbook."Rappelyeathenmadeasuggestion."Let'stakethisthingtocourt,"hesaid,"andtestthelegalityofit.""...