posse!
“But I said to the judge, ‘You will hang me.’ So you have to let me go free.”
Damn right.
How dare they insult a Thread Winner?
Ask them the name of Dudley Doright’s horse.
Gentlemen, I assure you if you kill me you will only make me stronger - that I will haunt your very souls until the day I hunt each and everyone of you down and kill you myself.
And if thats not enough for you, I’ll have my second do the hunting for me - and his name is Guerero.
I know a neat little magic trick that I’d show to the assembled crowd. Then, if they want to know how I did it, I’d require a pardon.
If they kill me, they’ll never know how I did it–may it bug 'em forever.
I’d listen for a few names brandied about during the frenzy. At key moments I’d glare at these people, after learning their names.
Then, when the time came, I’d say, “Fine, let’s get this over with. But it’s only going to make things worse… Isn’t that right… LARRY?!”
Then I’ll whip my glare at him as I did before. He’ll flush as he realizes all eyes are looking at him suspiciously.
“And do I have to name anyone else?..”
The mob’s confused, but still lathered in bloodlust.
“What do you think… SCOTT?!”
“Huh… MARY?! Go on, why don’t YOU tell them what the ten of us planned? You know who you are!”
I’d probably still die, but why not spread seeds of doubt and take some of these bastards with me?
Well, hanging might be a sight better than the torture sessions that are likely to follow. And when they don’t find the treasure, more torture.
As for what I’d say: I doubt there’s any really good speech that could earn me a reprieve, especially since the OP suggests that I am actually guilty of whatever has angered the local mob, as opposed to being in a position to give alibis or evidence to the contrary.
So I’d reserve my last words to one of three veins:
1 - A semi-desperate but impassioned sermon on forgiveness, or perhaps simply requesting that the mob pray along with me by reciting the Lord’s Prayer one last time
2 - A triumphant speech along the lines of “and I’d do it all again, see? No regrets!” or “You blind fools will appreciate what I’ve done someday!”
A “sow some seeds” kind of speech would have little chance of working, at least not with people there, but I might consider trying to lay the foundation for some long standing superstitions in the area for years to come.
But all in all, I’d be at least partly glad of the straight-to-the-tree route as opposed to enduring something more lingering and painful. (Far too often, actual lynch mobs engage in a bit of pre-hanging fun.)
BTW I’m glad the subject line did not read “Need answer fast”.
I’d recite Sarah Cynthia Silvia Stout from memory (I think I can get it in under three minutes), and hope they are suitably impressed.
It would sooo have worked… and you know it! Isn’t that right?.. ROBARDIN!
But I think we all know, in reality, they’d grab you, Beat you, haul you, noose you, and hang you as soon as possible. Probably few words, other than more beatings and insults.
I would say whatever I could say in the lingo of the local religion – repentance, forgiveness, redemption, the whole nine yards. The more Old Testmenty they are, the less change I have. But even then, there’s “Vengeance is mine, sayeth the Lord”.
And, as it happens I always have some fast acting poison painted onto a couple of fingernail. Anyone I can scratch will be immediately incapacitated and dead within minutes. I figure I could take out a few before the mob would understand something was going wrong, and then I’d start yelling about God’s vengeance.