马龙探案卷三 之 错误的凶案 三十
“我是个诚实的警察，我尽我的职责。” 丹尼尔?冯?弗拉纳根咆哮道。他与马龙对视了一眼，又迅速移开目光，接着说，“也许我这辈子犯过一些错误，但给我找一个没犯过错的人看看。我从来不想当警察。我根本就不该当警察。但我尽力而为，可我不知道为什么人们要故意给我找麻烦。”
“I’m AN hoNESt cop, and I do my duty,” daniel Von Flanagan growled. he caught malone’s eye, looked away quickly, and added, “maybe I’ve made a few mistakes in my life, but show me a guy who hasn’t. I never wanted to be a cop. I never should of been a cop. but I do the best I can, and why people should go out of their way just to make life hard for me, I don’t know.”
他怒视着他的三位访客，仿佛他们个人要为他所有的麻烦负责。
“he glared at his three visitors as though they, personally, were responsible for all his troubles.”
“那个女人从南方来到这里就是为了杀约书亚?冈布里尔。” 他吼道。“她来到这里要杀他，他被杀了，而她正要回家的时候联邦调查局的人抓住了她。我问你们，这看起来像是她干的吗？现在这个桑德斯夫人也以同样的方式被杀害了，用的还是同一把枪，所以现在看起来好像也是别人杀了冈布里尔。只有上帝才知道下一个会是谁被杀。现在市民在公共街道上行走都不安全了。”
“that woman came up here from the South just to kill Joshua Gumbril,” he roared. “She came up here to kill him and he got killed and she was starting back home when the FbI men got her. I ask you, did it look like she done it? Now this Sanders dame goes to work and gets herself killed in the same way with exactly the same gun, so now it looks like it was somebody else killed Gumbril too. the Lord only knows who’ll get killed next. It’s getting so it’s not safe for citizens to walk around on the public streets.”
他停顿了一下，伸手从办公桌抽屉里拿出宣传佐治亚州山核桃种植乐趣的小册子，渴望地看了一会儿，又把纸塞回抽屉，砰地关上了。
he paused, reached in his desk drawer, and pulled out the pamphlets advertising the joys of Georgia pecan-raising, looked at them wistfully for a moment, thrust the papers back in the drawer, and slammed it shut.
“偏偏是在州街和麦迪逊街，所有的地方里。” 他厌恶地咕哝着。他的声音提高到愤怒的吼叫。“是谁把她的衣服脱了，这就是我想知道的。是谁把她的衣服脱了？”
“State and madison Streets, of all places,” he muttered in disgust. his voice rose to an angry bellow. “And who took her clothes off, that’s what I want to know. who took her clothes off?”
“别看着我，” 马龙温和地说，“我没干那事。” 他点燃一支雪茄，若有所思地看了一会儿，然后说，“就我个人而言，我觉得是你们这些人编造了那个故事。”
“don’t look at me,” malone said mildly, “I didn’t do it.” he lighted a cigar, looked at it thoughtfully for a moment, and said, “personally, I think you boys cooked up that story.”
“你这么认为，是吗？” 警察说，他的脸慢慢涨得紫红。“你觉得这是假的，是吗！” 突然，他用力地按响办公桌上的蜂鸣器，大声吼道：“加里蒂！”
“You do, huh,” said the police officer, his face slowly turning purple. “You think it’s a fake, huh!” Suddenly he pounded violently at a buzzer on his desk and bawled, “Garrity!” at the top of his voice.
马龙说：“我相信的事情是有限度的，仅此而已。”
“malone said, “there’s a limit to what I believe, that’s all.”
冯?弗拉纳根怒视着他。他似乎气得说不出话来了。
Von Flanagan glared at him. It seemed entirely possible that he was beyond speech.
门开了，一个高瘦的警察走了进来。他脸上带着困惑的表情。这表情似乎已经在那儿很久了。
the door opened and a tall, thin policeman walked in. there was a puzzled look on his face. It seemed to have been there for a long time.
“加里蒂，” 冯?弗拉纳根稍微平静了一点说，“你把桑德斯夫人的尸体放进警车的时候，她的尸体是什么状况？”
“Garrity,” Von Flanagan said a shade more quietly, “what was the condition of mrs. Sanders’ body when you put it in the police ambulance?”
“她死了。” 警察立刻回答。
“It was dead,” the policeman said promptly.”
“不，不，不，” 冯?弗拉纳根喊道。他迅速吸了一口气，问道：“就尸体的穿着状况来说呢？”
“No, no, no,” Von Flanagan shouted. he drew a quick breath and asked, “what was the condition of the body as regards its clothing?”
“哦，” 加里蒂说。“穿着衣服呢。我的意思是，尸体是穿着衣服的。” 他几乎是哀怨地看着马龙。
“oh,” said Garrity. “It had it on. what I mean to say is, the body was dressed.” he looked at malone almost plaintively.
“除了你和拉利在前排座位上，救护车里还有别人吗？”
“was anyone in the ambulance besides Lally and yourself up in the front seat?”
“没有。除了尸体。”
“No. Except the corpse.”
“在从州街和麦迪逊街到停尸房的途中你们停过车吗？”
“did you make any stops between State and madison Streets and the morgue?”
“没有。我们哪儿也没停。”
“No. we didn’t stop no place.”
冯?弗拉纳根又慢慢地吸了一口气，紧紧地盯着这个不开心的警察，厉声问道：“你们到停尸房的时候发生了什么？”
Von Flanagan drew another, slower breath, looked fixedly at the unhappy policeman, and snapped, “what happened when you got to the morgue?”
加里蒂皱着眉头，困惑地抬起头。“我们停下救护车，我和拉利绕到救护车后面，他打开门往里看，然后大喊，‘天哪，加里蒂，她没穿衣服。’” 他停顿了一下，又补充道，“她确实没穿。身上一件衣服都没有。” 他求助地看着马龙。“我不知道这是怎么发生的。我不相信会发生这样的事。我在警队干了二十年，从没听说过有尸体在去停尸房的路上自己脱衣服。” 他又停顿了一下，皱着眉头说，“我告诉你，这不是我的错。”
“Garrity looked up with a puzzled frown. “we stops the ambulance and me and Lally goes around to the back of the ambulance, and he opens the door and looks in and hollers, ‘my God, Garrity, she ain’t got no clothes on.’ ” he paused and added, “She hadn’t, neither. Not a stitch on her.” he looked appealingly at malone. “I don’t see how it could of happened. I don’t believe it could of happened. I been on the force for twenty years, and I never heard of no corpse undressing itself on the way to the morgue.” he paused again, scowled, and said, “I tell you, it ain’t my fault.”
“好了，加里蒂，” 冯?弗拉纳根疲倦地说。“你之前已经说过了。现在走吧。”
“All right, Garrity,” Von Flanagan said wearily. “You’ve said that before. Now beat it.”
警察加里蒂大步走到门口，打开门，在那里停顿了一下，最后吼道，“这不是我的错！” 然后用力关上门以强调他的话。
“policeman Garrity strode to the door, opened it, paused for a moment there, finally roared, “It ain’t my fault!” and slammed the door by way of emphasis.”
“就是这样，” 冯?弗拉纳根说。“事情就是这样。你来解释一下。”
“there you are,” Von Flanagan said. “that’s the way it was. You explain it.”
“当然，” 马龙轻松地说。“尸体被抢劫了。”
“Sure,” malone said easily. “the body was robbed.”
警察盯着他。“当然。尸体被抢劫了。就这么简单。我想是有人喜欢那些衣服吧。你不想说说尸体是怎么被抢劫的吗？” 他的脸又慢慢涨红了。“这种事真让人抓狂。为什么人们要故意给我找麻烦……” 他停了下来，突然看着他的访客，好像刚刚才注意到他们在那里。“现在你们到底想干什么？”
“the officer stared at him. “Sure. the body was robbed. Just like that. Somebody liked the clothes, I suppose. You wouldn’t like to suggest how the body was robbed, would you?” his face was slowly turning purple again. “this is the sort of thing that makes mad. why people should go out of their way to make life hard for me—” he stopped, suddenly looked at his visitors as though he had just noticed they were there. “And now what the hell do you want?”
“我来这儿是想帮你个忙，” 马龙冷冷地说。“如果你不想被打扰，那就算了。”
“I came up here to do you a favor,” malone said coldly. “If you don’t want to be bothered, forget it.”
冯?弗拉纳根阴沉着脸看着他。“好吧，该死，我很抱歉。什么事？”
“Von Flanagan looked at him gloomily. “All right, damn you, I’m sorry. what is it?”
马龙把右手伸进口袋，放在那里。“这不完全是帮忙，这是个交易。” 他清了清嗓子，用最有说服力的语气说。“冯?弗拉纳根，如果我能找到一把特定的枪并把它交给你，你会检测一下它是不是射杀了冈布里尔和那个女人的那把枪，并告诉我检测结果吗？”
malone slipped his right hand in his pocket, kept it there. “It isn’t exactly a favor, it’s a trade.” he cleared his throat and spoke in his most persuasive tone. “Von Flanagan, if I could locate a certain gun and turn it over to you, would you have it tested to find out if it’s the one that shot both Gumbril and the woman, and let me know the result of the test?”
“当然，” 冯?弗拉纳根迅速地说，“当然，当然，当然。枪在哪里？”
“Sure,” Von Flanagan said quickly, “sure, sure, sure. where’s the gun?”
“等一下。你能同意在二十四小时内不问我从哪里得到这把枪吗？”
“hold on a minute. will you agree not to ask me where I got the gun for a period of twenty-four hours?”
冯?弗拉纳根不悦地盯着他。“我不能这么做。这是允许你隐瞒证据。”
“Von Flanagan stared at him sourly. “I can’t do that. It’s allowing you to withhold evidence.”
马龙耸了耸肩。“好吧。当我没提过。” 他开始扣上他的大衣。
“malone shrugged his shoulders. “o. K. Forget I mentioned it.” he began fastening his overcoat.
“等一下，” 警察说。“别这么着急。” 他皱着眉头说，“二十四小时。我可能会这么做。是的，也许我会这么做。” 他抬头看着马龙。“这把枪在哪里？”
“wait a minute,” the police officer said. “don’t be in such a rush.” he scowled and said, “twenty-four hours. I might do it. Yes, maybe I might do that.” he looked up at malone. “where is this here gun?”
马龙从口袋里掏出枪，放在冯?弗拉纳根的桌子上。“给你。”
“malone drew the gun from his pocket and laid it on Von Flanagan’s desk. “there you are.”
冯?弗拉纳根盯着枪，又看看马龙，然后再盯着枪。接着他小心翼翼地拿起枪。“这可能就是那把枪，” 他几乎不情愿地说。“是的，有可能。要确定并不难。” 他带着突然浮现的得意洋洋的表情看着律师。“你可没说不能追查这把枪的主人。”
“Von Flanagan stared at the gun, at malone, and back at the gun. then he picked it up gingerly. “It could be the one,” he said almost grudgingly. “Yes, it could be. It won’t be hard to find out.” he looked at the lawyer with a sudden expression of gleeful triumph. “You didn’t say anything about not having the ownership traced.”
马龙说：“你尽管去查。查到了告诉我一声，好吗？我自己也不知道这把枪是谁的。”
“malone said, “Go as far as you like. And let me know what you find out, will you? I don’t know myself who owns it.”
冯?弗拉纳根咧嘴笑了。“我会的，在你的二十四小时期限结束之前。” 他又看了看枪，然后看了看表。“更好的是，我跟你打赌两夸脱杜松子酒，如果这把枪是在芝加哥买的，我在午夜之前就能查到它的来源。”
“Von Flanagan grinned. “I will, before your twenty-four hours are up.” he looked at the gun again and then at his watch. “better than that, I’ll bet you two quarts of gin that if it was bought in chicago, I’ll have it traced before midnight.”
“成交，” 马龙冷冷地说。“我跟你赌。不是因为我怀疑你做不到，而是因为我知道如果有两夸脱杜松子酒作为赌注，你会做得更快。”
“done,” malone said coldly. “I’ll take you on that. Not because I doubt you can do it, but because I know you’ll do it quicker if there’s two quarts of gin in it for you.”
杰克刚要说话，又忍住了。马龙到底在干什么？
“Jake started to speak, stopped himself. what in blazes was malone doing?”
冯?弗拉纳根仍然若有所思地看着枪。“马龙，你的委托人是谁？”
“Von Flanagan was still regarding the gun very thoughtfully. “malone, who’s your client?”
“在这个案子里我没有委托人，” 律师立刻回答。
“I have none in connection with this case,” the lawyer said promptly.
警察叹了口气。“我不会说你在撒谎，但上帝啊，我不相信你。听着，” 他突然说，声音里带着一丝怀疑。“你告诉我你不知道这把枪是谁的。”
“the police officer sighed. “I won’t call you a liar, but by God, I don’t believe you. Listen here,” he said suddenly, a suspicious note creeping into his voice. “You told me you didn’t know who this gun belongs to.”
“我不知道，” 马龙说。
“I don’t,” malone said.
“那你，” 冯?弗拉纳根问道，他的声音再次稳步升高接近吼叫，“如果你不知道这把枪是谁的，你是怎么拿到它的？” 他在质问 “你从哪里得到的？” 时达到了吼叫的高潮。
“then how,” Von Flanagan asked, his voice again rising steadily toward a roar, “how did you get hold of it if you don’t know who it belongs to?” he reached the climax of the roar as he demanded, “where did you get it?”
马龙说：“从圣诞老人那里。”
“malone said, “From Santa claus.”
这位疲惫不堪的警察靠在椅子上，发表了一通长篇大论，在其中他把约翰?J?马龙描述成一个最声名狼藉、惯于说谎的人，其出身不仅不合法、不道德，而且在其他方面也极不正规。他以满脸通红和向海伦道歉结束了这番话。
“the harassed police officer leaned back in his chair and delivered a tirade in which he described John J. malone as a prevaricator of the most disreputable nature and habits, with an origin that was not only illegal and immoral but otherwise highly irregular. he ended it with a colorful blush and an apology to helene.”
海伦说：“不用道歉。这不仅有趣，而且可能很准确。”
“helene said, “don’t apologize. It’s not only interesting, but it’s probably accurate.””
冯?弗拉纳根向她投去一个艺术家得到赏识时的感激微笑，然后又转向马龙怒目而视，耐心地说：“如果你不知道这把枪是谁的，你从哪里得到的它？”
“Von Flanagan gave her the grateful smile of an artist whose talents are appreciated, turned to glare again at malone, and said patiently, “If you don’t know who the gun belongs to, where did you get it from?”
马龙恼怒地说：“该死，我不知道。”
“damn it,” malone said in an exasperated tone, “I don’t know.”
警察深吸一口气，更加耐心地开始说：“如果你不知道……”
“the police officer drew a long breath and began, even more patiently, “If you don’t know who—”
马龙厉声说：“我告诉你我不知道我从哪里得到的它，我不知道。它装在一个漂亮的鲜红色盒子里，上面印满了‘圣诞快乐’，这就是我所知道的全部。”
“malone snapped, “I tell you I don’t know where I got it from and I don’t. It came in a pretty bright red box with merry christmas printed all over it, and that’s all I know.”
冯?弗拉纳根张了张嘴，又一声不吭地闭上了。
Von Flanagan opened his mouth and closed it again without uttering a sound.
“我不是在故意瞒着你，你这个笨蛋警察，” 马龙继续说道，“我带枪过来不是为了帮你。而是想知道它是不是那两起谋杀案中用的那把，而且我知道你能查清楚。毕竟，天哪，谋杀案调查局总得有点用处吧。”
“I m not trying to hold out on you, you dumb cop,” malone went on. “I didn’t bring that gun over here to do you a favor. I brought it over here because I wanted to find out if it was used in those two killings and I knew you could find out for me. After all, by God, the homicide bureau ought to be good for something.”
“好吧，” 冯?弗拉纳根疲惫地说，“好吧，好吧。我会查清楚你那把该死的枪的。” 他走到门口，朝走廊里吼了句什么，然后回到办公桌前，喃喃自语道：“要是我拒绝告诉你我查到的任何东西，你可就倒霉了。”
“All right,” Von Flanagan said wearily, “all right, all right. I’ll find out about your damned gun.” he went to the door and yelled something unintelligible down the corridor, came back to his desk, and muttered, “It’d serve you right if I refused to tell you a thing about what I find out.”
马龙说：“我恨不得马上带着我的漂亮手枪回家。”
malone said, “For two cents I’d take my pretty gun and go home.”
“我恨不得，” 冯?弗拉纳根说，“我就让你 ——” 他猛地打断了自己的话，因为这时门开了，那个红着脸的警察走了进来。他的眼睛迅速扫视了一圈房间，注意到了杰克的存在，然后满怀希望地看着冯?弗拉纳根。
“For two cents,” Von Flanagan said, “I’d tell you to stick-” he interrupted himself hastily, just as the door opened and the red-faced policeman came in. his eyes went quickly around the room, noted Jake’s present, and looked hopefully at Von Flanagan.
冯?弗拉纳根猛地转头看向马龙，平静地说：“指控这个人携带隐藏武器，把他关进牢房。他来这里时口袋里揣着一把手枪。”
Von Flanagan jerked his head toward malone and said calmly, “charge this man with carrying concealed weapons and throw him in the can. he came here with a pistol in his pocket.”
海伦倒吸了一口气，杰克在嘴里挤出一个 “你……” 然后迅速闭上了嘴。那个小个子律师坐到冯?弗拉纳根办公桌的一角，从口袋里掏出一支雪茄，慢慢地、故意地剥开，点燃，然后才开口说话。
helene gasped. Jake said, “why you-” and shut his mouth quickly. the little lawyer sat down on a corner of Von Flanagan’s desk, took a cigar from his pocket, unwrapped it slowly and deliberately and lighted it, before he spoke.
“冯?弗拉纳根，” 他随口说道，语气十分友好，“你会不会忘记那次你和乔?弗林，以及来自密尔沃基的那个家伙，带着《星与饰带》剧团的女孩们去惠顿路酒店，而那个密尔沃基的家伙……”
“Von Flanagan,” he said casually, and in the friendliest of tones, “will you ever forget that time you and Joe Flynn and that guy from milwaukee went out to the wheaton roadhouse with the babes from the Star and Garter, and how the guy from milwaukee-”
他还没沉浸完对往事的闲散回忆，就被警察急忙打断了。“走吧，克鲁切茨基，” 他厉声说道。
that was as far as his idle reminiscences went before the police officer hastily interrupted him. “beat it, Kluchetsky,” he snapped.
那个红着脸的警察看起来有点困惑。“你不是想要……”
the red-faced cop looked a little puzzled. “don’t you want—
冯?弗拉纳根使劲摇了摇头。“只是个玩笑。忘了吧。他没带枪。”
Von Flanagan shook his head vehemently. “It was just a joke. Forget it. he didn’t have any gun.”
克鲁切茨基眨了眨眼，挠了挠右耳朵，最后说了声 “好吧”，就走开了。他关上门时，冯?弗拉纳根擦了额头。
Kluchetsky blinked, scratched his right ear, finally said, “o. K.,” and went way. As he shut the door, Von Flanagan mopped his brow.
“你应该知道最好别开这种玩笑，” 他责备地说，“你会给我带来很多麻烦的。那个家伙正和我妻子的妹妹约会呢。” 他又擦了擦额头。“我当时只是出于给乔?弗林帮忙才去的，但你仍然会给我的带来很多麻烦。”
“You oughta know better than to start something like that,” he said reproachfully. “You could get me in a lot of 要对齐英文原文，可能有些地方表述有误。正确表述为 “You ought to know better than to start something like that,” he said reproachfully. “You could get me in a lot of trouble. that guy goes out with my wife's younger sister.” he mopped his brow again. “I just went along that time as a favor to Joe Flynn, but you could get me into a lot of trouble just the same.”
“我已经把整件事都忘了，” 马龙承诺道，语气十分圆滑。他敲掉雪茄上的烟灰，扣上外套的扣子，然后问道：“你觉得多久能拿到那份枪的报告？”
“I’ve forgotten the whole thing,” malone promised smoothly. he knocked the ashes from his cigar and buttoned his overcoat before he asked, “how soon do you think you can get a report on that gun?”
“很急吗？” 冯?弗拉纳根问。
“Is there a rush?” Von Flanagan asked.
“是的，” 马龙肯定地回答。
“there is,” malone assured him.
冯?弗拉纳根看了看手表，说：“我晚上就能拿到。”
Von Flanagan looked at his watch and said, “I’ll have it some time this evening.
马龙点了点头。“给我办公室打电话。我会一直在那里，直到收到你的消息。” 他打开门，停下来说了句，“尽量快点。” 他示意杰克和海伦跟上，他们跟着他走进了大厅。
malone nodded. “phone me at my office. I’ll be there until I hear from you.” he opened the door, paused to say, “make it as quick as you can.” he motioned to Jake and helene who followed him into the hall.
“我一拿到报告就给你打电话，” 冯?弗拉纳根说，“还有……” 他顿了顿，“还有，谢谢你，该死的马龙。”
“I’ll phone the minute I get a report,” Von Flanagan said. “And-” he paused, “and thanks, damn you, malone.”