马龙探案卷五 之 盛怒的审判 四
杰克看了看表。自从前参议员佩维利被谋杀已经过去了整整四十七分钟。照这样下去，治安官克林可能要花四十七年才能找出是谁谋杀了他。
JAKE LooKEd at his watch. It had been exactly forty-seven minutes since the murder of Ex-Senator peveley. At the rate things were going, it would probably be forty-seven years before Sheriff Kling found out who murdered him.
走廊西端的大门砰地一声打开，又砰地一声关上，一个年轻人以近似闪电的速度和怒气挤进了围在治安官克林周围的人群中央。他是一个身材矮小、瘦弱的年轻人，有着沙色的金发和一张苍白的脸，上面布满了浅棕色的雀斑。此刻，他似乎想用从无框眼镜后面射出的目光把治安官克林击毙。
the great door at the west end of the corridor banged open, banged shut again, and a young man pushed his way into the center of the group around Sheriff Kling with the approximate speed and fury of a lightning bolt. he was a short, slight young man with sandy blond hair and a pale face that was liberally sprinkled with light-brown freckles. At the moment he appeared to be trying to strike Sheriff Kling dead with the glance he shot from behind rimless glasses.
“这是什么意思？我想你是不想给我打电话吧？”
“what’s the idea? I don’t suppose it would occur to you to call me.”
治安官怒目而视，用衬衫袖子的背面擦去额头上的汗水。“我已经有够多的事情要操心了，没工夫管你。”
the sheriff glared right back at him, wiping the sweat from his forehead with the back of his shirt sleeve. “I’ve had enough on my mind without bothering about you.”
年轻人急促地吸了一口气。“多久以前发生的？你做了什么？为什么 ——” 他的目光落在杰克和海伦身上。“你们是谁？”
the young man drew a quick breath. “how long ago did it happen? what have you done? why -” his eyes fell on Jake and helene. “who are you?”
“城里来的滑头，” 杰克不耐烦地说，“你是谁？”
“the city slicker,” Jake said irritably, “and who are you?”
“我是《杰克逊县企业报》的汤姆?伯罗斯。谁 ——”
“tom burrows, of the Jackson county Enterprise. who -”
“听着，汤姆，” 治安官克林开始说。
“Now look here, tom,” Sheriff Kling began.
年轻人又转向他。“他什么时候被谋杀的？怎么发生的？你把尸体怎么处理了？谁杀了他？”
the young man turned back to him. “when was he murdered? how did it happen? what have you done with the body? who killed him?”
“别着急，” 治安官说。
“All in good time,” the sheriff said.
汤姆?伯罗斯低声骂了一句，挤进县书记员的办公室，拿起电话。“给我接麦迪逊的合众社，费用由对方支付。我是汤姆?伯罗斯。”
tom burrows muttered something profane, pushed his way into the county clerk’s office, and picked up the telephone. “Get me the United press in madison and reverse the charges. tom burrows calling.”
“等一下。” 治安官克林说。
“Now wait a minute,” Sheriff Kling said.
“然后让县里的其他记者都抢在我前面吗？见鬼！这可是有稿费的新闻！”
“And have every other correspondent in the county beat me to it? Nuts! this is space rates!”
治安官转向仍然犹豫不决地站在门口的人们。“该死，我不是叫你们都到这里来吗。”
the sheriff turned to the people still standing irresolutely by the door. “damn it, I thought I told all you to e in here.”
“别滥用你的权力，马夫，否则你会有麻烦的。” 汤姆?伯罗斯漫不经心地说。
“don’t go exceeding your authority, marv, or you’ll get into trouble,” tom burrows said casually.
“你去死吧。” 治安官克林吼道。他又擦了擦额头。“现在，你们这些不属于法院的人，告诉我你们在这里干什么。”
“You go to hell,” Sheriff Kling roared. he mopped his brow again. “Now, all of you who don’t belong in the courthouse, tell me what you were doing here.”
埃德?斯金丁斯鲁德说话了。“你知道我在这里干什么，马夫。今天是县委员会会议。我留下来是要和菲尔?史密斯说句话。”
Ed Skindingsrude spoke up. “You know what I was doing here, marv. It’s county board meeting. I stayed behind to have a word with phil Smith.”
“说什么事？”
“what about?”
“关于县里可恶的老虎机问题，都是因为治安官办公室的不作为。”
“About the abominable slot-machine situation in the county, due to the laxity of the sheriff’s office.”
治安官克林的脸气得发紫。他忍住了一些话，然后转向那个高挑、穿着讲究、灰头发的女人。
Sheriff Kling purpled. he swallowed a few words before he turned to the tall, tailored, gray-haired woman.
“你呢，麦高恩小姐？”
“how about you, miss macGowan?”
“我来这里是为了和史密斯先生谈一些银行的业务。是关于学校债券的事，但我觉得你不需要知道所有的细节。” 她说话干脆利落，非常冷淡。
“I was here to see mr. Smith, on some bank business. It had to do with the school bonds, but I don’t think you need to have all the details.” She spoke crisply and very coldly.
除了杰克和海伦，被询问的这群人里只有三个人。第三个人是一个漂亮的金发女人，脸化得很随意。治安官克林转向她。
there were only three people in the group being questioned, besides Jake and helene. the third was a pretty, blonde woman with a carelessly made-up face. Sheriff Kling turned to her.
“你在这里干什么，科拉?贝尔？”
“what were you doing here, cora belle?”
“我在等杰瑞?勒克斯通。” 她闷闷不乐地说。
“I was waiting to see Jerry Luckstone,” she said sullenly.
“等他干什么？”
“what about?”
“不关你的事。如果你一定要知道，去问他。”
“None of your business. Ask him, if you have to.”
“我会问的。” 治安官严厉地说。
“I will,” the sheriff said grimly.
汤姆?伯罗斯一直在对着电话说话，最后说：“现在就这些，我稍后再打过来。” 然后挂了电话。
tom burrows had been talking into the telephone, finished with, “that’s all now, I’ll call in later,” and hung up.
“现在，” 治安官把怒视的目光转向杰克，“你在这里干什么？”
“Now,” the sheriff said, turning his glare on Jake, “what were you doing here?”
“我在给我和我妻子办钓鱼许可证。” 杰克慢慢地、清晰地说，好像在对一个不懂这种语言的人说话。“看起来好像要下暴风雨了，我们决定在法院里等暴风雨过去。在我们等待的时候，清洁工非常好心地提出带我们四处看看。”
“I was getting fishing licenses for my wife and myself,” Jake said. he spoke slowly and clearly, as though to someone unfamiliar with the language. “It looked as though it was going to storm, and we decided to wait in the courthouse until it blew over. the janitor very kindly offered to show us around while we were waiting.”
“顺便问一下，” 汤姆?伯罗斯说，“当你在查问每个人在法院里干什么的时候，佩维利参议员在这里干什么？有人试着去查过吗？”
“by the way,” tom burrows said, “while you’re finding out what everybody was doing in the courthouse, what was Senator peveley doing here? has anyone tried to find that out yet?”
“我又不能去问他。” 治安官克林厉声说。
“I can’t exactly ask him,” Sheriff Kling said snappishly.
“不，” 年轻人表示同意，“但是可能有人知道。还有，顺便问一下，枪在哪里？”
“No,” the young man agreed, “but someone else might know. And incidentally, where’s the gun?”
治安官盯着他看了一会儿，然后大声吼道：“乔！有人离开法院了吗？”
the sheriff stared at him for a moment, then bellowed at the top of his voice, “Joe! has anybody left the courthouse?”
“除了查理?豪森和他的助手以及尸体，没有人离开。”
“Nobody but charlie hausen and his assistants, and the body.”
“那在没有先搜查之前不要让任何人离开。” 治安官克林命令道。“乔，你和哈里，你们把这座法院从上到下搜一遍。把纽扣也带上。”
“then don’t let nobody leave without you search ‘em first,” Sheriff Kling ordered. “And Joe, you and harry, you search this courthouse from top to bottom. take buttonholes with you.”
过了足足六十秒，副治安官才回话说：“我们要找什么，马夫？”
It was a good sixty seconds before the deputy called back, “what’dya want us to look for, marv?”
“那把枪，你们这些笨蛋。” 治安官克林吼道。
“the gun, you damn fools,” Sheriff Kling roared.
杰克叹了口气。如果他们不得不等到找到杀死参议员佩维利的那把枪，那看来他们要在杰克逊县法院待很长时间了。突然，一个新的想法似乎击中了这位疲惫不堪的治安官，他冲出了房间。杰克疲倦地摇了摇头，点了一支烟。
Jake sighed. If they were going to have to wait until the finding of the gun that had killed Senator peveley, it looked like a long stay in the Jackson county courthouse. Suddenly a new idea appeared to strike the harassed sheriff, who bolted out of the room. Jake shook his head wearily and lit a cigarette.
他意识到外面的暴风雨已经过去了，云彩来得快去得也快。一束束阳光开始透过那些巨大的绿树照射下来，透过被雨水冲洗过的杰克逊县法院的窗户射进来。
he realized that the storm outside was over and that the clouds had disappeared as quickly as they had e. Shafts of sunlight were beginning to stream down through the great green trees and penetrate the rain-washed windows of the Jackson county courthouse.
“真是个适合开车的好天气。” 他渴望地说。
“Lovely day for driving,” he said wistfully.
“没有什么能让你满意，是吧？” 海伦说。“我费了那么大劲为你安排这次旅行。”
“No satisfying you, is there?” helene said. “And after all the trouble I took to arrange this for you.”
汤姆?伯罗斯咧嘴笑了。“请原谅我这么烦人。” 他说，“但你们到底是谁？”
tom burrows grinned. “pardon me for making a nuisance of myself,” he said, “but just who are you?”
杰克也咧嘴笑了。“我是杰克?贾斯特，这是我妻子。”
Jake grinned back. “I’m Jake Justus, and this is my wife.”
“真该死！” 汤姆?伯罗斯出人意料地说。
“well I’m damned!” said tom burrows surprisingly.
杰克扬起眉毛。“你想为此争论吗？”
Jake raised his eyebrows. “do you want to make an issue of it?”
“《观察家报》的杰克?贾斯特？” 年轻人问道。杰克点头时，他蹦过房间来握手。“我想你不记得我了。我在城市新闻局工作过几个月。”
“Jake Justus of the Examiner?” the young man asked. As Jake nodded, he bounded across the room to shake hands. “I guess you wouldn't remember me. I worked for the city News bureau for a few months.”
“那很好。” 杰克亲切地说。“你认识那边的沃尔特?赖伯格吗？”
“that sol” Jake said cordially. “did you know walter Ryberg over there?”
“认识他！” 汤姆?伯罗斯说，“我为他工作过！我在《观察家报》认识的人不多，我认识《美国报》的查理?布莱克，还有《新闻报》的约翰?拉利。我曾经卖给他一篇超短篇故事。”
“Know him!” tom burrows said, “I worked for him! I didn't know many people at the Examiner, I did know charley blake at the American, and I knew John Lally at the News. I sold him a short short story once.”
海伦说：“我不想打断你们的重逢，但我们不是应该计划一下退场台词吗？” 她转向汤姆?伯罗斯。“你似乎很熟悉这个所谓的治安官。什么神奇的话能让我们离开这里？”
helene said, “I hate to interrupt a reunion, but oughtn't we to be planning an exit line?” She turned to tom burrows. “You seem familiar with this so-called sheriff. what's the magic word that gets us out of here?”
“我会告诉他我们想去钓鱼。” 杰克轻松地对她说。他转回头看着年轻人。“你在这里做什么？”
“I'll tell him we want to go fishing,” Jake told her airily. he turned back to the young man. “what are you doing up here?”
汤姆?伯罗斯笑了。“你听说过那个想退休去经营一份乡村周报的新闻人吗？”
tom burrows laughed. “You've heard about the newspaperman who wants to retire and run a country weekly?”
杰克点点头。“那是每个新闻人的梦想。”
Jake nodded. “that's every newspaperman.”
“嗯，我就是那个实现了这个梦想的人。我为合众社工作了好几年，然后一位姑奶奶留给我一笔遗产，我就买下了《企业报》。”
“well, I'm the one who did. I worked for the United press for a number of years, and then a great-aunt left me a legacy, and I bought the Enterprise”
“赚钱吗？” 杰克好奇地问。
“making any money?” Jake asked curiously.
“有一点，但我是通过给麦迪逊的一家报纸做当地通讯员赚钱。你还在《观察家报》吗？”
“A little, but I'm making it by being a local correspondent for a madison paper. Are you still with the Examiner?”
杰克摇摇头。“我好几年前就辞职了。去年冬天之前我一直做新闻代理人。现在我经营一家夜总会。” 他把他修长的身体靠在一张桌子上。“我在一场打赌中赢了它。”
Jake shook his head. “I quit years ago. I was a press agent until last winter. Now I'm running a night club.” he slid his long frame onto a desk top. “I won it on a bet.”
汤姆?伯罗斯的眼睛突然眯了起来。“等一下。我偶尔也会看报纸。去年冬天你不是卷入了一堆谋杀案里吗？”
tom burrows’ eyes suddenly narrowed. “wait a minute. I read a newspaper once in a while. weren’t you mixed up in a bunch of murders last winter?”
治安官马文?克林偏偏在这个不恰当的时候走进了办公室。
Sheriff marvin Kling chose that inopportune moment to e into the office.
“什么样的谋杀案？” 他问道。
“what kind of murders?” he demanded.
“我只是在开玩笑，马夫。” 汤姆?伯罗斯赶紧说。
“I was only joking, marv,” tom burrows said quickly.
治安官哼了一声，怀疑地看着杰克和海伦。
Sheriff Kling snorted and looked at Jake and helene suspiciously.
“找到枪了吗？” 汤姆?伯罗斯在治安官继续追问这个话题之前问道。
“Found the gun yet?” tom burrows asked, before the sheriff could pursue the subject.
“我们还在找。” 治安官咆哮道。“我们会找到的。我们也在搜查院子，以防凶手把枪从窗户扔出去了。现在我要确切地知道参议员中枪的时候法院里的每个人都在哪里。”
“we’re still looking,” the sheriff growled. “we’ll find it. we’re searching the grounds, too, in case the murderer dropped it out of a window. Right now I’m finding out exactly where everybody in the courthouse was when the Senator got shot.”
杰瑞?勒克斯通走进办公室，脸色仍然苍白，明显还在发抖。他向年轻的新闻记者简短地点了点头。
Jerry Luckstone came into the office, still pale, and visibly shaken. he nodded briefly to the young newspaperman.
“杰瑞，” 治安官说，“看看这份发生事情的时候在楼上的人的名单，看看对你来说是否正确。你当时在那里。” 他把一张有点脏的纸递给地方检察官。
“Jerry,” the sheriff said, “look over this list of who was upstairs when it happened, and see if it looks o. K. to you. You were there.” he handed the district attorney a slightly soiled sheet of paper.
“埃德?斯金丁斯鲁德和麦高恩小姐，” 杰瑞?勒克斯通咕哝着，一边看名单一边核对名字，“杰瑞?勒克斯通，菲尔?史密斯，科拉?贝尔?弗洛姆，阿琳?高奇。是的，对我来说这看起来是对的。马夫，那把枪到底会在哪里呢？”
“Ed Skindingsrude and miss macGowan,” Jerry Luckstone mumbled, checking off the names as he read, “Jerry Luckstone, phil Smith, cora belle Fromm, Arlene Goudge. Yes, that looks right to me. marv, whatever could have bee of that gun?”
“我们会找到的。” 治安官大声说。他拿起他的名单。“其他人都在楼下，不可能是他们开的枪，除了这两个人，我可他妈的不知道他们当时在哪里。”
“we’ll find it,” the sheriff said loudly. he took his list. “Everybody else was downstairs and couldn’t have done the shooting except these two, and I’m damned if I know where they were at.”
杰克屏住呼吸十秒钟，然后爆发了。“你知道我们在哪里。我们在那个大楼梯的底部。这个人在这里 ——”
Jake held his breath for ten seconds and then exploded. “You know where we were. we were down at the foot of that big staircase. this guy here -”
“纽扣是个骗子。” 治安官说。“而且没人问你任何事情。”
“buttonholes is a liar,” the sheriff said. “And nobody asked you anything.”
年轻的地方检察官把杰克推到一边。“听着，马夫，” 他绝望地说，“到大厅里来。我得和你谈谈。”
the young district attorney shoved Jake aside. “Listen, marv,” he said desperately, “e out in the hall. I’ve got to talk to you.”
“等一下。” 汤姆?伯罗斯说。“我得给合众社回个电话。你最好想点什么让我告诉他们。”
“wait a minute,” tom burrows said. “I’ve got to call the U.p. back. You’d better think of something for me to tell ‘em.”
治安官马文?克林怒视了他一分钟。“告诉他们整个杰克逊县都在为前参议员佩维利的去世而哀悼。告诉他们他是一个受人尊敬的公民，还有 ——”
Sheriff marvin Kling scowled at him for a minute. “tell ‘em all Jackson county mourns the death of ex-Senator peveley. tell ‘em he was a respected citizen and -”
“见鬼，他们都知道那些。” 汤姆?伯罗斯说。“你最好说点关于他被谋杀的事情。”
“hell, they know all that,” tom burrows said. “You’d better say something about his murder.”
“就我而言，” 杰克冷冷地说，“你可以告诉他们我已经拿上我的帽子回家了。”
“As far as I’m concerned,” Jake said coldly, “you can tell them I’ve taken my hat and gone home.”
“你哪儿也去不了。” 治安官说。
“You’re not going anywhere,” the sheriff said.
“哦，不，我要走。” 杰克告诉他。“我不会再让任何一个小镇治安官欺负我了。我要离开这里。” 他快速地吸了一口气，他明亮的蓝眼睛眯了起来。“你可能是治安官，但我要告诉你一件事。当你要拘留任何人的时候，是要有搜查令的。还有非法拘留这种事情。你最好去上一个法律函授课程。”
“oh yes I am,” Jake told him. “I’m not going to let any small-town sheriff push me around any longer. I’m getting out of here.” he drew a quick breath, his bright-blue eyes narrowed. “You may be a sheriff, but I’ll tell you something. there’s such a thing as a warrant, when you want to hold anybody. And there’s such a thing as false arrest. You’d better take a correspondence-school course in the law.”
治安官说：“在杰克逊县我就是法律。”
the sheriff said, “I’m the law in Jackson county.”
杰克不由自主地笑了起来。这种话在附近的电影院里会引起哄堂大笑。但随后笑容在他的唇边凝固了。那个小个子副治安官从一边慢慢地向他靠近，那个高大、衣着邋遢的副治安官从另一边围了上来。而治安官克林，两百五十磅纯粹的强壮身躯，站在门口，脸上露出凶恶的表情。
In spite of himself, Jake started to laugh. It was the kind of speech that brought down the house at the neighborhood movies. then the laugh froze on his lips. the little deputy was moving slowly up to him on one side, the big, sloppily dressed deputy was closing in on the other. And Sheriff Kling, two hundred and fifty pounds of sheer brawn, was standing in the doorway, an ugly look on his face.
“没人知道参议员被枪击的时候你们在哪里，”治安官斟酌着用词说，“而且我听到汤姆在这里说你卷入了一堆谋杀案。”他的小眼睛紧盯着杰克的脸。“也许我只是个小镇治安官，但我知道怎么对付你们这些芝加哥的歹徒。”
“Nobody knows where you were when the Senator was shot,” the sheriff said, weighing his words, “and I heard tom here talking about you having been mixed up in a bunch of murders.” his little eyes bored into Jake’s face. “maybe I’m a small-town sheriff, but I know how to take care of you chicago gangsters.”
“别再发表演讲了，”汤姆·伯罗斯一只手拿着电话说，“我要告诉合众社什么？”
“Lay off the speechmaking,” tom burrows said, one hand on the phone. “what do I tell the U.p.?”
治安官马文·克林的嘴唇紧绷起来。“就说——”他停顿了一下，“杰克逊县已经完全控制了局面。并且说我扣留了两个重要证人。”
Sheriff marvin Kling’s lips tightened. “Just say -” he paused, “Jackson county has the situation well in hand. And say I’m holding two material witnesses.”
杰克·贾斯特高大、瘦长的身躯绷紧准备行动。一道阳光透过窗户照在他身上，把他的红头发变成了一团火焰。他向治安官迈了一步。
Jake Justus’ big, rangy frame tightened for action. one flash of sunlight through the window turned his red hair into a flame. he took one step toward the sheriff.
“我就是这个意思，”治安官总结道，指着杰克和海伦。他转过身面对杰克。“我也懂一些法律。”
“And I mean them,” the sheriff concluded, pointing to Jake and helene. he wheeled to face Jake. “I know something about the law too.”
“你这个混蛋。”杰克说着，同时动了起来。海伦尖叫起来。
“You son of a bitch,” Jake said, in the same moment that he moved. helene screamed.
汤姆·伯罗斯抓起电话大喊：“给我接麦迪逊的合众社，快点——”
tom burrows grabbed the telephone and yelled, “Get me the United press in madison and make it fast -”