马龙探案卷五 之 盛怒的审判五
约翰?J?马龙
79 西华盛顿街
芝加哥，伊利诺伊州
杰克在威斯康星州杰克逊卷入谋杀案，你能来吗？
海伦
JohN J mALoNE
79 wESt wAShINGtoN StREEt
chIcAGo ILLINoIS
JAKE INVoLVEd IN mURdER IN JAcKSoN wIScoNSIN cAN YoU E
hELENE
约翰?约瑟夫?马龙，芝加哥最聒噪也最有名的刑事律师，不悦地盯着桌上的电报。这可能是个恶作剧，也可能是真事。不管是哪种情况，他都不想参与。
JohN JoSEph mALoNE, chicago’s noisiest and most noted criminal lawyer, stared sourly at the telegram on his desk. It might be a gag, or it might be serious. whichever it was, he wanted no part of it.
他是个矮胖、红脸的男人，一头浓密的黑色乱发总是需要梳理。他那天早上刚穿上的芬奇利套装，已经看起来像是他在高架桥下睡了六周一样。他那条鲜艳的花格子三美元领带上有个小污点，潮湿的衬衫前襟上有一堆雪茄烟灰。
he was a short, pudgy, red-faced man, with a thick shock of damp black hair perpetually in need of bing. his Finchley suit, freshly donned that morning, already looked as though he had been sleeping under the El for six weeks. there was a small spot on his bright plaid three-dollar cravat, and a cascade of cigar ashes on his damp shirt front.
从他的外表看不出他在职业上的成功，但他的声誉和客户群都令人羡慕 —— 或者说不令人羡慕，这取决于从哪个角度看。他最关心的是确保他的客户都不会进监狱，而每当这无法在不出庭的情况下实现时，他在陪审团面前的表现与其说是技术性的，不如说是戏剧性的。
there was nothing about his appearance to indicate his success in his profession, but both his reputation and his clientele were enviable-or unenviable, depending on how one looked at it. his greatest concern was in seeing that none of his clients landed behind the bars, and whenever this couldn’t be achieved without actually appearing in court, his manner before a jury was not so much technical as pyrotechnical.
他对着电报做了个厌恶的表情。“杰克和海伦上次卷入谋杀案差点毁了我。” 他嘟囔道。
he made a disgusted face at the telegram. “the last time Jake and helene got mixed up in a murder damned near ruined me,” he muttered.
他在桌上一堆上周的报纸下面找到铅笔和纸，开始写一封回电：
he found pencil and paper under a litter of last week’s newspapers on his desk, and began posing a telegram to send in return:
海伦?贾斯特
威斯康星州杰克逊
告诉他们他没做，别再烦我了
我很忙
马龙
hELENE JUStUS
JAcKSoN wIScoNSIN
tELL thEm hE dIdN't do It ANd Stop bothERING mE
I'm A bUSY mAN
mALoNE
他把电报交给办公室的女孩，点燃一支新雪茄，危险地向后靠在椅子上，仔细考虑着事情。
he gave the telegram to his office girl, lit a fresh cigar, and leaned perilously far back in his chair, thinking things over.
在杰克做新闻代理人的时候，有一次，杰克的乐队指挥客户的秘密新娘被指控谋杀了她亲爱的老姑奶奶。马龙解决了那件事。那个案子让杰克和北岸的女继承人海伦走到了一起。然后，杰克做新闻代理人的那个广播明星卷入了不是一起谋杀案，而是三起，马龙不仅把她从法律的困境中解救出来，还让她在这件事中名声无损地度过了难关。
there had been the time, back in Jake’s press-agent days, when the secret bride of Jake’s bandleader client had been accused of murdering her dear old great-aunt. malone had untangled that one. that case had brought Jake and the North Shore heiress helene together. then the radio star Jake was press-agenting had bee involved in not one murder, but three, and malone had not only saved her from the law but brought her through the affair with her reputation unblemished.
杰克和海伦现在结婚了。在他的婚礼那天，杰克轻率地和世界上最富有的女人之一莫娜?麦克莱恩打赌，说她不能犯下一起谋杀案还能逃脱惩罚。那个不经意的小赌注让马龙疲于奔命地去解决一起结果是错误的谋杀案，最后几乎把头发都愁白了才解决了那起被证明是正确的谋杀案。
Jake and helene were married now. on his wedding day Jake had rashly bet mona mcclane, one of the world’s wealthiest women, that she couldn’t mit a murder and get away with it. that casual little bet had caused malone to run himself ragged solving a murder which turned out to be the wrong one, and finally all but turned his hair white solving what proved the right murder.
现在，他告诉自己，他绝对、绝对、绝对不会再卷入杰克和海伦的任何事情中了。
Now, he told himself, he was damned and double and triple damned if he was going to get mixed up in any more of Jake and helene’s affairs.
“威斯康星州的杰克逊。” 他哼了一声。“谁他妈听说过威斯康星州的杰克逊！”
“Jackson, wisconsin,” he snorted. “who the hell ever heard of Jackson, wisconsin!”
事实上，在这四件事情中他都收到了高得离谱的费用，但这丝毫没有缓和他对这些事情的反感。钱已经花掉了。
the fact that he had received scandalously fat fees in all four of the affairs didn’t temper his feeling about them in the least. the money was already spent.
“我不去！” 他咆哮道。
“I won’t go!” he roared.
那个漂亮的黑发办公室女孩出现在门口。
the pretty, dark-haired office girl appeared at the door.
“你叫我吗，马龙先生？”
“did you call me, mr. malone?”
“没有！” 他喊道。
“No!” he shouted.
她退了出去，嘟囔着：“我又不聋！”
She retreated, murmuring, “I’m not deaf!”
过了一段时间，第二封电报来了。
In due course of time the second telegram arrived.
约翰?J?马龙
79 西华盛顿街
芝加哥，伊利诺伊州
这是很严重的事，我们需要你。
海伦
JohN J mALoNE
79 wESt wAShINGtoN St
chIcAGo ILLINoIS
thIS IS SERIoUS wE NEEd YoU
hELENE
有几分钟的时间，他坐在那里盯着电报，额头皱着。
For a few minutes he sat staring at the telegram, his forehead wrinkled.
杰克可能有麻烦了。海伦可能撞到了人。不，那不会是谋杀。虽然他确信她开着她那辆大功率汽车的方式是一种比谋杀还严重的罪行。杰克和海伦自己都不会真的去谋杀任何人。所以这不可能是非常严重的事。
Jake might be in trouble. helene might have run over somebody. No, that wouldn’t be murder. Although he had a conviction that the way she drove her high-powered cars was a crime worse than murder. Neither Jake nor helene would actually murder anybody, themselves. therefore it couldn’t be terribly serious.
他找铅笔，在桌子底下找到它滚到的地方，然后写道：
he looked for the pencil, found it where it had rolled under the desk, and wrote:
海伦?贾斯特，威斯康星州杰克逊
我现在的客户的事情也很严重。他也需要我。而且他付钱给我。爱你，吻你。
马龙
hELENE JUStUS JAcKSoN wIScoNSIN
mY pRESENt cLIENt’S bUSINESS IS ALSo SERIoUS. hE NEEdS mE too. ANd hE pAYS mE. LoVE ANd KISSES.
mALoNE
他现在的客户是他最喜欢的客户之一，一个连锁马厩的老板，不知怎么地触犯了法律。
his present client was one of his favorites, the owner of a chain of horse parlors who had somehow fallen afoul of the law.
“给哈里的妻子打电话，” 他把电报递给办公室女孩时说，“告诉她我明天就把他从监狱里弄出来。”
“And call harry’s wife,” he told the office girl as he handed her the telegram, “tell her I’ll have him out of jail tomorrow.”
她哼了一声。“你昨天也是这么跟她说的。你甚至都没在处理这件事。”
She sniffed. “that’s what you told her yesterday. You aren’t even working on it.”
“我在处理。” 他反对道。他指着桌上的一张纸。
“I am too,” he objected. he pointed to a paper on his desk.
“那是什么？” 她问道。
“what’s that?” she demanded.
“这是一份欠哈里钱的人的名单。我宁愿对他的指控被撤销，这样可以节省时间和麻烦。”
“It’s a list of the people who owe harry money. I’d rather have the case against him dropped, it would save time and trouble.”
接下来的一个小时，他都在仔细研究那份名单。最后，他打了几个电话，通话对象从一个着名的劳工敲诈者到一位市法官都有。最后，他叫办公室的女孩。
he spent the next hour poring over the list. At last he made several telephone calls, to persons ranging from a prominent labor racketeer to a municipal judge. Finally he called to the office girl.
“给哈里的妻子打电话，告诉她一切都干好了，压力已经施加了。哈里午饭前就能回家。别忘了明早给他寄账单。”
“call harry’s wife and tell her everything’s o. K., the pressure’s on. harry’ll be home in time for lunch. don’t forget to send him a bill in the morning.”
他从台灯顶上拿起他那顶昂贵但有点破旧的巴拿马帽，戴上，又说：“我要出去一会儿。如果再有电报来，就用它们当卷烟纸吧。”
he picked his expensive, slightly battered panama hat from the top of his desk lamp, put it on, and added, “I’m going out for a while. If any more telegrams e, use ‘em for cigarette paper.”
他漫步走到乔天使的市政厅酒吧，要了一份黑麦面包夹咸牛肉和两杯啤酒。在等的时候，他从一个路过的报童那里买了一份报纸。
he strolled down the street to Joe the Angel’s city hall bar, and called for a corned-beef on rye and two beers. while he waited, he bought a paper from a passing newsboy.
参议员佩维利被谋杀
在威斯康星州杰克逊县法院大楼内被枪杀
两名芝加哥人被作为重要证人扣押
SENAtoR pEVELEY mURdEREd
Shot to dEAth whILE IN JAcKSoN, wIScoNSIN, coUNtY coURthoUSE
two chicagoans held As material witnesses
马龙盯着标题看，直到吃了一半的咸牛肉三明治，“威斯康星州杰克逊” 这个名字才进入他的意识。然后他推开盘子，打翻了一杯啤酒，开始读这篇报道。
malone looked at the headline until half the corned-beef sandwich was gone before the name “Jackson, wisconsin” registered on his consciousness. then he shoved away his plate, upsetting one of the glasses of beer, and began reading the story.
这是一篇仓促而简略的犯罪报道，只给出了最基本的事实。杰拉尔德?L?佩维利，前威斯康星州参议员，在威斯康星州杰克逊县法院大楼内被枪杀。杰克?贾斯特夫妇这两位芝加哥人，据称在大楼里是为了办理钓鱼许可证，现被作为重要证人扣押。治安官马文?克林承诺会尽快逮捕凶手。
It was a hasty, sketchy account of the crime, giving only the barest facts. Gerald L. peveley, one-time wisconsin Senator, had been shot to death while in the Jackson, wisconsin, county courthouse. two chicagoans, mr. and mrs. Jake Justus, allegedly in the building for the purpose of obtaining fishing licenses, were being held as material witnesses. Sheriff marvin Kling promised an early arrest.
“该死，他们不能这么做！” 马龙大声说。
“damn it, they can’t do that!” malone said loudly.
“对不起，你说什么？” 酒保问。
“I beg your pardon?” the bartender said.
马龙挥手让他走开，然后坐在那里盯着报纸。
malone waved him aside, and sat staring at the paper.
杰克和海伦不可能与佩维利参议员的谋杀案有任何关系。没人能把他们当作重要证人扣押。这是不合法的。马龙又读了一遍报道。
Jake and helene couldn’t have had anything to do with the murder of Senator peveley. Nobody could hold them as material witnesses. It wasn’t legal. malone read the story again.
他想知道治安官马文?克林要多少贿赂。
he wondered how much of a bribe Sheriff marvin Kling was holding out for.
哦，好吧，这是杰克的麻烦，让他自己去操心吧。
oh well, it was Jake’s worry, let him look out for it.
不过，你永远也说不准杰克会怎么样。
Still, you never could tell about Jake.
他决定最好赶紧回办公室，以防有另一封电报，他抓起掉在地上的帽子，冲到了街上。
he decided he’d better hurry right back to the office in case there was another telegram, grabbed his hat from where it had fallen to the floor, and dived out into the street.
“嘿，马龙，等等。” 乔天使在他身后喊道。“你忘了付账！” 但这个小律师已经走到半路了。乔天使耸了耸肩，对调酒师头儿说：“再在马龙先生的账单上记上 35 美分。”
“hey, malone, wait,” Joe the Angel shouted after him. “You forgot to pay the check!” but the little lawyer was halfway down the street. Joe the Angel shrugged his shoulders and called to the head bartender, “put another thirty-five cents down on mr. malone’s ticket.”
等他回到办公室的时候，马龙已经说服自己没有必要焦虑。从目前的情况来看，杰克要摆脱这件事所需要的只是钱，而他有很多钱。他在和莫娜?麦克莱恩那场着名的打赌中赢来的赌场，结果成了芝加哥夜总会中的一座金矿。治安官大概看了一眼海伦的别克敞篷车，就认定这是一个还清监狱抵押贷款的机会。
by the time he reached his office, malone had convinced himself there was no need for anxiety. From the looks of things, all Jake needed to get out of this was money, and he had plenty of that. the casino, which he’d won on that famous bet with mona mcclane, had turned out to be a gold mine among chicago’s night clubs. the sheriff had probably taken a look at helene’s buick convertible and decided this was a chance to pay off the mortgage on the jail.
“还有一封给你的电报，马龙先生。” 他走进门的时候女孩宣布道。
“there’s another telegram for you, mr. malone,” the girl announced as he walked in the door.
他几乎是从她手里夺过了电报。
he fairly tore it from her hand.
约翰?J?马龙
79 西华盛顿街
芝加哥，伊利诺伊州
杰克因用左勾拳打倒副治安官而入狱，我现在该怎么办？
海伦
JohN J mALoNE
79 wESt wAShINGtoN StREEt
chIcAGo ILLINoIS
JAKE IN JAIL FoR KNocKING oUt dEpUtY ShERIFF wIth LEFt JAb whAt do I do Now
hELENE
“我决定等你先看了这封电报再把它撕了当卷烟纸。” 黑发女孩尖刻地说。
“I decided to wait till you’d read it before tearing it up for cigarette papers,” the black-haired girl said acidly.
马龙似乎没有听到她的话。他慢慢地、极其小心地重新点燃了雪茄，然后站在那里若有所思地看着电报。
malone didn’t appear to have heard her. he relighted his cigar slowly, and with exquisite care, and stood looking at the telegram thoughtfully.
“你说过，” 女孩提醒他，“你不会再卷入杰克?贾斯特的任何事情中了。你说生命太短暂。你说你绝对不会 ——”
“You said,” the girl reminded him, “you weren’t going to get mixed up in any more of Jake Justus’ affairs. You said life was too short. You said you’d be damned if you’d -”
这个小律师点了点头。“这就证明了。你是聋子。现在做个好女孩，玛吉，打电话到车站问问去威斯康星州杰克逊的下一趟火车什么时候开。”
the little lawyer nodded. “that proves it. You are deaf. Now be a good girl, maggie, call up the station and find out when’s the next train for Jackson, wisconsin.”