马龙探案卷五 之 盛怒的审判 六
约翰?J?马龙乘坐公共汽车于 9 点 23 分抵达威斯康星州的杰克逊，他是一个疲惫、炎热、衣衫不整且非常恼怒的人。结果发现每天只有一趟火车开往威斯康星州的杰克逊，而且那趟火车早上 6 点 10 分到达，途中需要换乘三次，换乘期间等待的时间从 10 分钟到 1 个小时不等。去威斯康星州的杰克逊并不比去南极夫人小美国难多少。
JohN J. mALoNE arrived by bus in Jackson, wisconsin, at nine twenty-three, a tired, hot, rumpled, and very irritated man. It had developed that only one train a day went to Jackson, wisconsin, and that arrived at six-ten in the morning, and involved three changes, with waits of from ten minutes to an hour on the way. Jackson, wisconsin, was not much harder to get to than Little America.
一路上，他一直幻想着一个宁静、平和的小镇来支撑自己，月光下，有宽阔、幽暗的草坪，弥漫着一种宁静祥和的氛围。他在戈利特药店前下了公共汽车，却发现自己仿佛置身于一个马戏团之中。
All the way he had sustained himself by dreaming of a quiet, peaceful little town, moonlit, with wide, shadowy lawns, and a general air of serenity and calm. he stepped off the bus in front of Gollett’s drugstore to find himself in what appeared to be the middle of a circus.
杰克逊的主要街道有三个街区长，几乎有半个街区宽。此刻，商店门面和路灯闪耀着耀眼的灯光，每一寸可用的空间都挤满了停放的汽车。
Jackson’s main street was three blocks long and almost half a block wide. At the moment it was a blaze of lights that shone from store fronts and street lamps, and every available inch of space was jammed with parked cars.
下午的暴风雨对气温没有产生持久的影响，只是让空气更加潮湿闷热。耀眼的灯光似乎吸引了杰克逊县范围内的每一只飞虫。
the afternoon’s storm had had no permanent effect on the temperature, but only added a sticky dampness to the air. the blazing lights seemed to have attracted every flying insect within the limits of Jackson county.
有一小群人站在人行道上，看着公共汽车进站。马龙在人群中央看到了海伦，她身材高挑苗条，穿着一件白色亚麻连衣裙。当他走近她时，觉得她的脸色比平时苍白了一些。他烦躁而不准确地拍打着一只蚊子，说道：“监狱到底在哪儿？” 蚊子又飞回来了，在马龙的脖子后面悲惨地结束了生命。“就算非得开枪打治安官我也要把杰克弄出来。”
there was a little crowd standing on the sidewalk, watching the bus e in. malone spotted helene in the center of it, a tall, slender figure in a white linen dress. As he drew closer to her, it seemed to him that her face was a shade more pale than normal. he slapped irritably and inaccurately at a mosquito and said, “where the hell is the jail?” the mosquito returned and came to a miserable end on the back of malone’s neck. “I’ll get Jake out if I have to shoot the sheriff.”
“这不是个坏主意。” 海伦说。“你带大炮了吗？要打那个治安官，没什么比大炮更管用了。” 她深吸了一口气，说道：“我以前从没像现在这样高兴看到海军陆战队登陆。再晚一分钟，英雄就要被锯成两半了。杰克现在可能正在和治安法官理论呢。”
“It’s not a bad idea,” helene said. “did you bring along a cannon? It wouldn’t take anything less to shoot that sheriff.” She caught her breath and said, “I never was so glad to see the marines land before. Another minute, and the hero would be sawed in two. Jake is probably having it out with the justice of the peace right now.”
她抓住他的胳膊，以惊人的速度拉着他沿着主街走。马龙紧紧抓住他的手提包，气喘吁吁地跟在她旁边，穿过一片由灯光、面孔和窗户组成的万花筒。
She grabbed his arm and dragged him up main Street at a breakneck speed. malone took a firm grip on his handbag and panted along beside her through a kaleidoscope of lights, faces, and windows.
“慢点。” 他最后吼道。“记住我不是那种运动型的海军陆战队员。”
“Slow down,” he growled at last. “Remember I’m not the athletic-type marine.”
她放慢速度，几乎恢复到正常的步行速度，立刻人行道上的人群就开始围住他们。马龙把一个穿着印花连衣裙的胖女人从他肚子上推开，说道：“这里似乎并不比正午时分的州街和麦迪逊街更拥挤。这些人到底都是从哪儿冒出来的？”
She slowed down to almost an average walking speed, and immediately the sidewalk crowd began to engulf them. malone pushed a plump woman in a print dress off his stomach and said, “It doesn’t seem to be any more crowded than State and madison Streets at high noon. where in blazes do all these people e from?”
“从四面八方来到这里。” 海伦调皮地说。
“out of the everywhere into the here,” helene said coyly.
马龙放下手提包，差点踩到两个小男孩，说道：“下一趟回芝加哥的公共汽车什么时候？”
malone put down his handbag, nearly trampling a couple of small boys as he did so, and said, “when is the next bus back to chicago?”
“早上七点才有公共汽车。” 海伦说。她的手紧紧抓住他的胳膊。“而且，我们需要你。”
“there isn’t a bus until seven in the morning,” helene said. her hand tightened on his arm. “besides, we need you.”
他任由她带着自己沿着街道走了半条街。“别告诉我所有这些人都住在威斯康星州的杰克逊。” 他生气地说。“镇边上的路标写着人口三千。”
he allowed himself to be led half a block up the street. “don’t tell me all these people live in Jackson, wisconsin,” he said crossly. “the signboard at the edge of town said population three thousand.”
“这里发生了一起谋杀案。” 她提醒他。“从今天下午四点开始就有人陆续来到这里。大多数人都带了野餐午餐。他们整个晚上都在街上走来走去，谈论已故的参议员佩维利和他的死亡方式，或者更确切地说，是被谋杀的方式。” 她补充道，“一半的人在盯着查理?豪森殡仪馆的正面，另一半的人在盯着我。”
“there’s been a murder here,” she reminded him. “people have been arriving since four o’clock this afternoon. most of them brought a picnic lunch. they’ve been spending the evening walking up and down the street, talking about the late Senator peveley and his manner of taking off, or rather, being took off.” She added, “half of them have been looking at the front of charlie hausen’s Undertaking parlor and the other half have been looking at me.”
“这里有个有趣的区别。” 马龙说，“但我就是说不清楚区别在哪里。”
“there’s an interesting distinction there,” malone said, “but I can’t just put my finger on what it is.”
他的神经还因为坐公共汽车而震颤着。有那么一两次，他模糊地觉得自己站着没动，而街道在他面前移动。他刚想问海伦另一个问题，就在主街和第二街的拐角处，一个超重的农民家庭撞到了他们。等他们摆脱出来的时候，他已经放弃了那个问题。
his nerves were still tingling from the bus ride. once or twice he had a vague notion that he was standing motionless, and the street was moving past him. he thought of another question to put to helene, just as an overweight farm family crashed into them at the corner of main and Second Streets. by the time they were disentangled he had given it up.
有树，在黑暗中几乎难以分辨，一片宽阔的草坪，亮着灯的窗户，还有一段台阶。马龙满足于自己还能呼吸，因为海伦拽着他进了门。
there were trees, almost indistinguishable from the darkness, a broad lawn, lighted windows, and a flight of steps. malone contented himself with still being able to breathe, as helene hauled him through the door.
他突然停了下来。在他面前有一条长长的走廊，两边是巨大的紧闭着的门。
he stopped suddenly. there was a long corridor ahead of him, lined with immense, closed doors.
“你要带我去哪儿？”
“where are you taking me?”
“治安法官那儿。” 海伦说。“他是菲尔?史密斯。”
“the justice of the peace,” helene said. “he’s phil Smith.”
“很高兴听到这个。” 马龙说，“别那么着急。”
“I’m glad to hear it,” malone said, “and don’t be in such a hurry.”
海伦以能想象到的最悠闲的方式点了一支烟。“菲尔?史密斯说他九点半会在这里，到时候把杰克带来。我知道你九点半之前到不了，所以就定了这个时间。” 她吸了一口烟，又把烟踩灭，说道：“这都是汤姆?伯罗斯安排好的。”
helene lit a cigarette in the most leisurely fashion imaginable. “phil Smith said he’d be here at nine-thirty and have Jake brought up then. I knew you wouldn’t get here before nine-thirty so that was the time set.” She took one puff on the cigarette, stamped it out, and said, “tom burrows fixed it all up.”
马龙叹了口气，说：“他真好。不，别费心告诉我他是谁。你继续的时候我会努力跟上旋律。”
malone sighed, said, “Very nice of him. No, don’t bother telling me who he is. I’ll try to catch up with the melody as you go along.”
她在他走到门前之前猛地拉开了一扇沉重的门，然后领着他走进了县书记员的办公室。一道强光让他眨了眨眼。他听到海伦小声说：“那是菲尔?史密斯。” 然后他设法把疲惫的眼睛聚焦在坐在办公桌后面那个英俊的白发男人身上。
She pulled open a heavy door before he could get to it, and led the way into the county clerk’s office. A sudden blaze of light made him blink. he heard helene murmuring, “that’s phil Smith,” and managed to focus his tired eyes on the handsome, white-haired man sitting behind his desk.
马龙觉得这不是他想象中的法庭。县书记员和治安法官的办公室合二为一，使得房间的布局有点混乱。但他没花太多时间去想这个问题。长途旅行让他还有点晕头转向，在主街上匆匆忙忙地走让他上气不接下气，而且他对已经发生的和将要发生的事情完全摸不着头脑。他只知道杰克在监狱里，而他应该把他弄出来。
It was not his idea of a courtroom, malone thought. bining the offices of county clerk and justice of the peace had led to a little confusion in the layout of the room. but he didn’t take much time to think about it. he was still a bit dazed from the long ride, breathless from the hurried walk up main Street, and pletely in the dark about what had happened and was going to happen. All he knew was that Jake was in jail, and he was supposed to get him out.
海伦指认的那个白发男人菲尔?史密斯站起来迎接他，亲切地伸出手。“你一定是贾斯特先生的律师。很高兴见到你。希望你旅途愉快。”
the white-haired man helene had identified as phil Smith rose to greet him, a cordial hand outstretched. “You must be mr. Justus’ lawyer. I’m delighted to meet you. I hope you had a pleasant trip.”
“这是汤姆?伯罗斯。” 海伦说。“还有马龙先生。”
“And this is tom burrows,” helene said. “And mr. malone.”
马龙和那个蹦蹦跳跳、戴着眼镜的小个子男人握了握手，嘟囔着：“很高兴见到你。” 心里希望自己回到了芝加哥，而杰克和海伦在桑给巴尔，或者可能是堪察加半岛。
malone shook hands with the bouncing, spectacled, little man, murmured, “I’m pleased to meet you,” wished he were back in chicago and that Jake and helene were in Zanzibar, or possibly Kamchatka.
他身后的门突然打开了。马龙转过身，看到了杰克，他的红头发乱糟糟的，他有雀斑的脸因为强压着的怒火而显得苍白。马龙猜站在他两边的人是副治安官，一个是小个子，上嘴唇有一道疤，另一个又高又邋遢，看起来很困的样子。
A door opened suddenly behind him. malone wheeled around and saw Jake, his red hair mussed, his freckled face pale with not-too-well-repressed fury. the men on either side of him, malone guessed, were the deputy sheriffs, one a small man with a scar on his upper lip, the other a large, slovenly, and sleepy-looking individual.
“我看到你到了。” 杰克说。“来得正是时候。”
“I see you got here,” Jake said. “It’s about time.”
菲尔?史密斯看着他。“忍耐是医治一切苦恼的良药。” 他温和地引用道。“普劳图斯说的。” 他补充道。
phil Smith looked at him. “patience is the best remedy for every trouble,” he quoted gently. “plautus,” he added.
杰克怒目而视，张开嘴想说什么，又闭上了，最后深吸一口气，说道：“‘当心忍耐之人的怒火。’德莱顿说的。该死，我甚至都不知道指控是什么。这个混蛋没告诉我。”
Jake glared back, opened his mouth to speak, shut it again, finally drew a long breath, and said ” ‘beware the fury of a patient man.’ dryden. hell, I don’t even know what the charge is. this son of a bitch didn’t tell me.”
“好了，好了，好了。” 马龙安慰道。他不确定德莱顿是谁，但他对治安法官的一切都了如指掌。
“Now, now, now,” malone said, placatingly. he wasn’t sure who dryden was, but he knew all there was to know about justices of the peace.
“这家伙把我打倒了，菲尔。” 胖副警长说。
“the guy knocked me down, phil,” the fat deputy said.
“他踢了我。” 杰克宣称。“并且你想想有一分钟 ——”
“he kicked me,” Jake declared. “And if you think for one minute -”
“保持冷静。” 菲尔?史密斯和蔼地对杰克说。他责备地看着胖副警长，说道：“我没问你任何事。” 然后他低头看了看桌上的一张纸。“我不想费事去取证。一个诚实的人会求助于理解，或者谦逊地相信自己良心的内在证据。尤尼乌斯说的。” 他清了清嗓子。“根据这些指控，贾斯特先生，在试图从法院的西门出去时，被副警长哈里?富特拦住，因此骂了他一句难听的话。”
“Keep your temper,” phil Smith said amiably to Jake. he looked reproachfully at the fat deputy and said, “I didn’t ask you anything.” then he looked down at a paper on his desk. “I don’t want to bother with taking evidence. An honest man appeals to the understanding, or modestly confides in the internal evidence of his conscience. Junius.” he cleared his throat. “According to these charges, mr. Justus, attempting to exit through the west door of the courthouse, was intercepted by deputy Sheriff harry Foote, and thereby called him an objectionable name.”
“我也告诉你那是什么。” 副警长哈里?富特宣布道。“他说 ——”
“And I’ll tell you what it was, too,” deputy harry Foote announced. “he said -”
菲尔?史密斯严肃地看了他一眼，让他闭嘴。“在这一点上，副警长为了履行职责，打了贾斯特先生的身体 ——”
phil Smith silenced him with a grave look. “At this point the deputy, in the defense of his duty, struck mr. Justus about his person -”
“打在肚子上。” 杰克纠正道。
“In the belly,” Jake corrected.
“—— 于是贾斯特先生全力击打副警长的下巴，造成了严重伤害 ——” 他停顿了一下，抬头看着副警长，说道，“你看起来没那么糟，哈里。” 还没等有人回答，他又低头看起了文件。“指控是扰乱治安以及在警察执行公务时进行反抗。”
“-whereupon mr. Justus struck the deputy full on the point of the jaw, causing great damage -” he paused, looked up at the deputy sheriff, and said, “You don’t look so bad, harry.” before anyone could answer he’d looked back at the paper. “the charge is disturbing the peace and resisting an officer in the attempt to do his duty.”
“尽你的职责，其余的交给上天。” 海伦轻声说道。
“do your duty and leave the rest to heaven,” helene murmured.
菲尔?史密斯微笑着看着她。“高乃依说的。” 他赞许地说道。
phil Smith smiled at her. “corneille,” he said approvingly.
马龙打断了这场友好的交流。他大步走到菲尔?史密斯的办公桌前。“我的当事人认罪。” 他说。“罚款是多少？”
malone interrupted the love feast. he strode up to phil Smith’s desk. “my client pleads guilty,” he said. “how much is the fine?”
这位英俊的白发治安法官考虑了一分钟。“两美元以及诉讼费。” 他决定道。“总共是三美元五十美分。”
the handsome, white-haired justice of the peace thought it over for a minute. “two dollars and costs,” he decided. “that es to three dollars and a half.”
“很划算。” 杰克说着，伸手去拿钱包。“我能再花三美元五十美分打他一次吗？”
“A bargain,” Jake said, reaching for his wallet. “can I hit him again for three dollars and a half?”
菲尔?史密斯接过四张一美元的钞票。“不轻易发怒的人胜过勇士。” 他轻声说道。他递回两个二十五美分的硬币作为找零。“犯罪之人的道路是艰难的。《箴言》第十六章和第十三章。下次罚款就是二十五美元以及诉讼费。” 他站起来，公平地对他们所有人微笑着，说道，“希望你们在威斯康星州的杰克逊过得愉快。” 然后走出了门。
phil Smith took the four one-dollar bills. “he that is slow to anger is better than the mighty,” he said softly. he handed back two quarters in change. “And the way of the transgressor is hard. proverbs Sixteen, and proverbs thirteen. the next time, the fine will be twenty-five dollars and costs.” he rose, beamed impartially at all of them, said, “I hope you have a pleasant stay in Jackson, wisconsin,” and went out the door.
马龙擦了擦额头。“我向上帝祈祷针对你的其他指控都不严重。如果我要在这里为你打一场谋杀官司，我就得好好温习一下《巴特利特常用引语集》。” 他停顿了一下，看到杰克和海伦正在交换他们对这个案子的看法，然后转向受伤的副警长。“我确定没有造成什么严重的伤害。” 他和蔼地说。他伸手去拿钱包。“我请你喝几杯。”
malone mopped his brow. “I hope to heaven the rest of the charges against you are nothing serious. If I had to see you through a murder trial up here, I’d have to bone up on bartlett’s quotations.” he paused, saw that Jake and helene were exchanging their own ments on the case, and turned to the injured deputy. “I’m sure there wasn’t any serious damage,” he said amiably. he reached for his wallet. “have a couple of drinks on me.”
片刻之后，杰克和海伦在他身边，他在法院的台阶上停了下来，嗅了嗅户外的空气。“我只知道一句引语。” 他说。“金钱是万恶之源。我甚至不在乎它出自哪里，但是副警长和城市警察没什么两样，你欠我十美元。” 他擦了擦额头。
A moment later, Jake and helene beside him, he paused on the courthouse steps and sniffed the outdoor air. “I only know one quotation,” he said. “money is the root of all evil. I don’t even care where it’s from, but deputy sheriffs are no different from city cops, and you owe me ten dollars.” he mopped his brow.
“那总共是十三美元五十美分。” 杰克说，“但还是很值。现在哪里有个安静的地方，我们可以谈话而不用担心之后在法庭上被引用我们的话？”
“that makes a total of thirteen dollars and a half,” Jake said, “but it was still worth it. Now where’s a quiet place we can talk without being quoted in court later?”
“我们去我的办公室。” 汤姆?伯罗斯说。“《杰克逊县企业报》是镇上唯一一个没有挤满新闻记者的地方。”
“we’re going to my office,” tom burrows said. “the Jackson county Enterprise is the only place in town that isn’t full of newspapermen.”
他在前面带路沿着街道走。《杰克逊县企业报》的办公室是一座有假前脸的小木屋，在第二街和第三街之间的街区中间。它的窗户上还隐约能看到 “赫德伯格饲料种子商店” 的标志没有被完全擦掉的痕迹。前面的房间里有三张巨大的卷盖办公桌，只有一张是打开的，还有一张长长的、杂乱的桌子。棕发的阿琳?高奇耐心地坐在电话旁。
he led the way down the street. the office of the Jackson county Enterprise was a small frame building with a false front, halfway down the block between Second and third. Its windows still faintly showed where a sign hEdbERG’S FEEd ANd SEEd StoRE had been inadequately erased. Inside the front room were three immense roll-top desks, only one of them open, and a long, disordered table. the brown-haired Arlene Goudge sat patiently by the telephone.
“杰克逊历史上从来没有这么多新闻记者来过。” 汤姆?伯罗斯说。“而且他们还在不断地赶来，有开车来的，有坐公共汽车来的，甚至还有坐飞机来的。摄影师、记者，还有一个广播新闻播音员。”
“there hasn’t been so many newspapermen in Jackson in its history,” tom burrows said. “And they’re still arriving, by car, by bus, and even by plane. photographers, reporters, and one radio newscaster.”
马龙摘下领带，解开衣领的扣子。“商会一定很忙。”
malone took off his tie and unbuttoned his collar. “the chamber of merce must have been busy.”
“我们这里发生了一起谋杀案。” 汤姆?伯罗斯说，“还是你没听说？而且佩维利参议员是个名人。” 他从桌子上拿起一份报纸。“这是《论坛报》，和你坐同一辆公共汽车刚到。”
“we’ve had a murder,” tom burrows said, “or hadn’t you heard? And Senator peveley was a famous man.” he picked up a newspaper from the table. “there’s the tribune, just came in on the same bus with you.”
马龙快速浏览了一下报道。看起来，佩维利参议员做了一个中西部参议员能做的一切来让自己成为新闻人物，最后以被谋杀达到了高潮。
malone glanced through the story. Senator peveley had, it appeared, done everything a midwestern Senator could do to make himself newsworthy, climaxing it by being murdered.
“记者们现在在哪里？” 他问。
“where’s the press now?” he asked.
“大多数在酒店的酒吧里。” 汤姆?伯罗斯说。
“most of them,” tom burrows said, “are in the hotel bar.”
这个小律师露出渴望的神情。“我坐了很长时间的车，非常累。” 他开始说道。
the little lawyer looked wistful. “I’ve had a long ride, and I’m very tired,” he began.
“现在不行。” 海伦坚决地说。
“Not now,” helene said firmly.
汤姆?伯罗斯看了看表。“他们十一点要在主街上进行新闻广播。” 他说。“我想去看看。那我们还有一个小时左右的时间谈话。” 他从桌子上拿起一个大纸袋。“跟我来。”
tom burrows looked at his watch. “they’re going to do a news broadcast from main Street at eleven,” he said. “I’d like to watch. that still gives us an hour or so to talk.” he picked up a large paper bag from the table. “Follow me.”
他带路穿过排版室，走下一段楼梯。
he led the way out through the posing room and down a flight of stairs.
杰克逊县的主街与一条河平行，街道西边的所有建筑物都建在河岸上。《杰克逊县企业报》排版室下面是一个面向河流的储藏室。它的两扇门现在大开着，正好在水面上方。
the main Street of Jackson county ran parallel to a river, and all the buildings on the west side of the street were built on its bank. below the posing room of the Jackson county Enterprise was a storage room which faced the river. Its double doors, now wide open, were directly over the water.
马龙承认这是镇上最凉快的地方。他找到一个翻过来的空箱子，坐下来，给自己扇风。这里就像一个小洞穴，黑暗而神秘，边上有一条小溪流过。
malone agreed that it was the coolest place in town. he located an upturned empty box, sat down, and fanned himself. It was like being in a little cave, dark and mysterious, with a stream flowing at its edge.
纸袋里装着奶酪和冰啤酒。汤姆?伯罗斯拿出一把巨大的折叠刀，先用它打开瓶子，然后开始把奶酪切成大块。“现在说说这起谋杀案。” 他开始说道。“谁在乎呢？” 马龙梦幻般地说。“谁在乎一个前参议员被谋杀呢？” 他把啤酒瓶举到嘴边，又拿开，唱了一句《凯瑟琳?莫文尼》。
the paper bag contained cheese and cold beer. tom burrows took out an enormous pocketknife, first used it to open the bottles, and then began cutting the cheese into generous hunks. “Now about this murder,” he began. “who cares?” malone said dreamily. “who cares about the murder of an ex-Senator?” he lifted the beer bottle to his lips, took it away, and sang a bar of Kathleen mavourneen.
“我在乎。” 杰克说，“如果他们要因为这个绞死我的话。”
“I care,” Jake said, “if they’re going to hang me for it.”
“在威斯康星州，他们不会因为谋杀绞死人。” 律师说。“他们会把你终身监禁。我查过了以确保这一点。” 他又长时间地、惬意地喝了一大口瓶子里的酒。“你把我一路叫到这里是因为你打了一个副警长。好吧，那件事都解决了。所以让我们忘掉这一切，开心起来吧。”
“they don’t hang people for murder in wisconsin,” the lawyer said. “they put you in jail for life. I checked up on it to make sure.” he took another long, forting pull at the bottle. “You got me all the way up here because you’d socked a deputy sheriff. All right, that’s all fixed up. So let’s forget the whole thing and be merry.”
“那只是一部分原因。” 杰克说。“最小的一部分原因。你到底是不是我的律师？”
“that’s only part of it,” Jake said. “the smallest part of it. Are you my lawyer, or aren’t you?”
“有时候，” 马龙悲哀地说，“我开始觉得我是你的监护人。” 他点燃一支雪茄，在黑暗中盯着雪茄的烟头。“他们不能把你留在这里。这是违法的。”
“Sometimes,” malone said mournfully, “I begin to think I’m your guardian.” he lighted a cigar and stared at the end of it through the darkness. “they can’t keep you here. It’s against the law.”
“杰克也是这么说的。” 海伦告诉他。“但是治安官有更广泛的看法。”
“that’s what Jake said,” helene told him. “but the sheriff takes a larger view.”
马龙叹了口气。“好吧。从头开始说，不要遗漏任何你能记得的事情。”
malone sighed. “All right. begin at the beginning and don’t leave out anything you can remember.”
他静静地听着，直到杰克说到治安官说 “我就是杰克逊县的法律” 这句话的时候，他大声地哼了一声。
he listened in silence until Jake reached the point where the sheriff had said, “I’m the law in Jackson county” then he snorted loudly.
“你在编故事。”
“You’re making it all up.”
“他没有编故事。” 海伦说。“没人会故意编出一个那样的治安官。”
“he is not making it up,” helene said. “Nobody would deliberately make up a sheriff like that one.”
“我还是不相信。” 他用力地抽着雪茄。“他们没有任何针对你的证据。”
“I still don’t believe it.” he puffed hard at the cigar. “they’ve got nothing against you.”
“我们在这个镇上是陌生人。” 杰克这天第二次这么说。马龙愤慨地哼了一声，杰克又补充道，“你和海伦对小镇一无所知。我在一个小镇上生活到长大成人。任何陌生人都会引起好奇和怀疑，即使他不是在发生一起重大谋杀案的时候出现。”
“we’re strangers in town,” Jake said for the second time that day. As malone sniffed indignantly, he added, “You and helene don’t know anything about small towns. I lived in one until I was grown up. Any stranger is an object of curiosity and suspicion, even when he doesn’t happen along at the time of an important murder.”
“不止如此。” 汤姆?伯罗斯说。“克林治安官今年秋天要竞选连任。他不想惹任何人不高兴而失去选票。同时，他又必须给人一种他在积极处理这起谋杀案的印象。所以他声称这两个人是重要证人，把大家的注意力转移到他们身上。而且我毫不怀疑，” 他最后说，“如果随着时间的推移，他找不到其他凶手，他就会把罪名安在杰克头上，然后了事。”
“there’s more to it than that,” tom burrows said. “Sheriff Kling is up for reelection this fall. he doesn’t want to make anybody mad at him and lose a vote. At the same time, he has to give the impression he’s doing something about this murder. So he claims these two are material witnesses and diverts attention to them. And I haven't any doubt,” he finished, “that if, as time goes along, he doesn’t find any other murderer, he’ll just pin it on Jake, and be done with it.”
沉默了一小会儿。
there was a little silence.
“当然，” 汤姆?伯罗斯说，“在此期间他可能会找到真正的凶手。”
“of course,” tom burrows said, “he may find the real murderer in the meantime.”
这次是杰克哼了一声。“就像俗话说的，我可不想在他找到凶手之前就被绞死！”
this time it was Jake who snorted. “As the saying goes, I wouldn't like to hang until he does!”
“这非常奇怪，” 马龙若有所思地说，“有人能在法院这样的公共场所走到参议员佩维利面前开枪打死他而没有人看到，这太奇怪了。周围没有人吗？没有目击者吗？”
“It’s damned funny,” malone said thoughtfully, “that somebody could walk up to Senator peveley and shoot him without anybody seeing it, in a public place like the courthouse. wasn’t anyone around? weren’t there any witnesses?”
“有整整六个目击者。” 海伦告诉他。“但是没有人看到枪击发生，因为没有人在看。”
“there were an even half-dozen witnesses,” helene told him. “but nobody saw the shooting because nobody was looking.”
“情况是这样的，” 杰克解释道。“法院西侧有一小段楼梯通向法庭和办公室。枪击就发生在楼梯顶端。大家都在四处走动，拿文件、取帽子或者聊天，突然一声枪响，参议员佩维利大叫一声，从楼梯上滚了下去。”
“It was like this,” Jake explained. “there’s this little flight of stairs leading up to the courtroom and the offices on the west side of the courthouse. the shooting took place right at the head of the stairs. Everybody was milling around, picking up papers, or getting hats, or talking, when suddenly there was a shot, Senator peveley let out a yell, and rolled down the stairs.”
“但是，” 律师说，“肯定有人看到了凶手。一个拿着枪的男人或女人不会凭空消失。”
“but,” the lawyer said, “somebody must have seen the murderer. A man or woman with a gun doesn’t vanish into thin air.”
“大家都在看参议员，” 杰克说。“所有人都一窝蜂地冲下那段楼梯，没有人注意其他人。结果就是那六个目击者中没有一个人能发誓在枪响的时候其他人在哪里，或者枪响后他们立刻在哪里。”
“Everybody was looking at the Senator,” Jake said. “Everybody started down that flight of stairs in a rush, nobody paid any attention to anyone else. with the result that none of those six witnesses can swear where any of the others were at the time the shot was fired, or where any of them were immediately after it was fired.”
“但是那把枪，” 马龙恼怒地说。“那把枪到底去哪儿了？”
“but the gun,” malone said irritably. “where the hell did the gun get to?”
“那，” 海伦平静地说，“我希望这就是让马文?克林治安官夜不能寐的原因。”
“that,” helene said smoothly, “is what’s giving Sheriff marvin Kling a sleepless night, I hope.”
“他们搜查了法院吗？”
“did they search the courthouse?”
“他们什么都做了，就差把法院拆了。” 杰克说。“他们还搜查了法院里的每一个人。”
“they did everything but tear it down,” Jake said. “And they searched everyone in the courthouse.”
“好吧，” 马龙说，“如果参议员被枪击的时候只有六个人在楼上，那他们其中之一肯定是凶手。无论如何，如果杰克当时在另一个楼梯上，他就不是嫌疑人。”
“well,” malone said, “if only six people were upstairs at the time the Senator was shot, one of them must be his murderer. In any case, Jake is no suspect, if he was going down the other staircase at the time.”
“克林治安官说他就是杰克逊县的法律。” 杰克平静地说。“而且他不是在开玩笑。你想看到我在杰克逊县的陪审团面前受审吗？而年轻的地方检察官和治安官都在今年秋天竞选连任。”
“Sheriff Kling says he’s the law in Jackson county,” Jake said quietly. “And he’s not trying to be funny. do you want to see me on trial before a Jackson county jury, with the young d. A. and the sheriff ing up for reelection in the fall?”
“你明白了吧？” 海伦说。“从几乎任何角度看，这都是个糟糕的处境。”
“You see?” helene said. “Viewed from practically any angle, it’s a bad spot.”
“我见过更糟的。” 小律师安慰道。“把一切都交给我吧。杰克逊县肯定有人听说过证据。你的这个证人，这个叫钮扣的怎么样？”
“I’ve seen worse ones,” the little lawyer said reassuringly. “Just leave everything to me. Somebody in Jackson county must have heard of evidence. how about this witness of yours, this buttonholes?”
海伦轻声笑了起来。“他是镇上的骗子。而且，他有个威尔士奶奶。”
helene snickered. “he’s the town liar. besides, he’s got a welsh grandmother.”
“好吧，” 马龙严厉地说，“这是他们不能把杰克扯进去的一件事。我们会出示出生证明。”
“well,” malone said grimly, “that’s one thing they can’t get Jake for. we’ll produce a birth certificate.”
“太棒了。” 杰克说。“但如果你开始行动找出凶手，我会感觉更安心。”
“wonderful,” Jake said. “but I’d feel even easier in my mind if you got to work and produced the murderer.”