《Go quietly ... or else》

CHAPTER ONE<br >PLAY THE PART WELL<br > It was four minutes past 2:00 P.M.， October 10， 1973， when<br >the bailiff intoned the ancient litany; the judge was approaching.<br > Background noise from the c .rgwded room abated， except for<br >the voices of the few who never quiet immediately on instruction.<br >Everyone rose as directed， eyes oikthe black-robed， stocky figure<br >quickly mounting the few steps to the bench.<br > I was conscious only of the ritual. It seemed very important<br >to play the part well-to stand erect， to be calm， to retain dignity，<br >to speak clearly and firmly.<br > There was a rustle of clothing as， again on signal， we sat. I<br >felt the presence of my New York trial counsel-Jay Topkis and<br >Martin London-beside me at the table， but I did not look at<br >them. My attention was fixed on Judge Walter E. Hoffman. He<br >was stage center， and he was about to begin the case of United<br >States of America v. Spiro T. Agnew.<br > Judd Best， the Washington lawyer who had been with me<br >from the beginning of the recent months of travail， entered the<br >courtroom and sat down beside me. \"Your letter of resignation<br >has been delivered to the Secretary of State as you directed，\"<br >he said quietly.<br > I nodded absently， keeping my attention on the judge， who<br >through his questions to my senior counsel， Topkis， was now in-<br >forming the observers that what they were about to witness was<br >not an interlocutory proceeding concerning news leaks， but a<br >criminal determination by the federal government against one<br >Spiro T. Agnew--until a few moments before， the Vice-President<br >of the United States. An audible murmur of surprise ran through<br >the room， quickly followed by absolute silence. If anyone had<br >accepted the judge s invitation to leave unless able to remain<br >for the duration of the proceedings， I was not aware of it.<br >13<br ><br >