马龙探案卷四 之 正确的凶案 五
那阵响亮的敲门声至少持续了十五分钟才把马龙吵醒。他迷迷糊糊地觉得走廊里正在进行一场猛烈的炮击，但他对此不感兴趣。他只希望在他门外放炮的人赶紧走开，让他继续睡觉。
the loud knocking annoyed malone for at least fifteen minutes before it woke him. he had a vague, dreamy notion that a violent bombardment was going on in the hall, but he wasn’t interested in it. he only wished that whoever was shooting off seventy-fives outside his door would go away and let him sleep.
最后他终于清醒过来，睁开一只眼睛大喊：“滚开。”
At last he woke enough to open one eye and shout, “Go to hell.”
门外一个声音说：“我是杰克?贾斯特。”
A voice outside the door said, “It’s Jake Justus.”
“很高兴认识你，贾斯特先生。” 马龙喊道，然后又睡着了。十五秒钟后，“杰克?贾斯特” 这个名字透过他大脑中层层的睡意渗透进来，他立刻完全清醒了。他从床上一跃而起，打开门，又一头钻回了被窝。
“I’m pleased to meet you, mr. Justus,” malone called, and went back to sleep again. Fifteen seconds later the name Jake Justus seeped through the layers of sleep in his brain, and he was instantly wide-awake. he bounded out of bed, unlocked the door, and dived back under the covers again.
“好吧，进来把门关上。” 他抱怨地说。他把头从被窝里探出来，露出一只粉红色眼圈的眼睛、几英寸红润的额头和一绺黑发，看着他的访客。
“well, e in and shut the door,” he said plainingly. he poked his head out from the covers until one pink-rimmed eye, a few inches of ruddy forehead, and a tuft of black hair showed, and regarded his visitor.
马龙看到一个高个子、非常瘦的年轻人，只是稍微有点驼背，穿着一套皱巴巴的花呢套装。他有一头乱蓬蓬的鲜红色头发，一张瘦削、多骨的脸，被百慕大的太阳晒得愉快地布满雀斑，通常很和蔼、笑嘻嘻的。现在可不和蔼了。那是一种严峻和憔悴的令人不安的组合。
malone saw a tall, very thin young man, only slightly stoop-shouldered, and dressed in a badly mussed tweed suit. he had an unruly thatch of bright red hair, and a lean, bony face, pleasantly freckled by the bermuda sun, that was usually amiable and grinning. It was not amiable now. It was a disturbing bination of grim and haggard.
杰克?贾斯特环顾了一下房间，把手深深地插进兜里，然后对马龙皱起了眉头。
Jake Justus looked around the room, thrust his hands deep in his pockets, and scowled at malone.
马龙睁开另一只眼睛。“你怎么来这儿的？” 他有点傻乎乎地说。他对着自己的房间眨了一两次眼，然后说：“说到这个，我到底是怎么到这儿来的？”
malone opened the other eye. “how did you get here?” he said a little stupidly. he blinked once or twice at his room, and said, “For that matter, how the hell did I get here?”
“我坐飞机来的。” 杰克?贾斯特说。他又生气地补充道：“我不知道你是怎么到这儿的，但从你的样子来看，我敢打赌你也是飞过来的 —— 直接从窗户飞进来的。”
“I flew,” Jake Justus said. he added crossly, “I don’t know how you got here, but judging by the way you look, I’d be willing to bet you flew, too—right through the window.”
“飞？哦，对。我知道了。我给你汇了路费。” 律师在床上坐起来，露出一大片棕色的、多毛的胸膛。“真好啊，在我身无分文的时候给我发电报要钱。”
“Flew? oh yes. I know. I wired you the fare.” the lawyer sat up in bed, exposing a broad expanse of brown, hairy chest. “A fine thing, wiring me for money when I was dead broke.”
“身无分文。” 杰克重复道。“你在开玩笑吧？”
“broke,” Jake repeated. “Are you kidding me?”
“我没开玩笑。我从马克斯?胡克那里借了三百块，而且我今天得还回去，天知道怎么还。”
“I am not kidding you. I borrowed three hundred bucks from max hook and I’ve got to pay it back today, God knows how.”
红发男人瞪大了眼睛，难以置信地盯着他。“你疯了吗？”
the red-haired man stared at him in wide-eyed incredulity. “have you lost your mind?”
“我一直在说钱的事。” 马龙愤慨地说。“但我的理智还在。”
“I’ve been talking about money,” malone said indignantly. “but the mind checked in here with me.”
“那这些东西怎么会在这儿？” 杰克从梳妆台上拿起两张皱巴巴的百元钞票，把它们抚平，在律师鼻子底下晃了晃。
“then what the hell are these doing here?” Jake picked two badly crumpled hundred-dollar bills off the dresser, smoothed them out, and waved them under the lawyer’s nose.
马龙盯着它们看了足足有六十秒，然后倒回枕头上，把被子拉到下巴处。
malone looked at them for a good sixty seconds, then sank back on the pillow and pulled the covers up to his chin.
“我感觉糟透了。”
“I feel terrible.”
“你看起来糟透了。” 杰克毫不留情地说。他在废纸篓旁边的地上找到一个几乎装满的一品脱杜松子酒瓶子，往杯子里倒了差不多两英寸深的酒，递给备受打击的律师。“振作起来。” 他若有所思地看着瓶子，最后把瓶子举到嘴边，数了十个数才盖上盖子。
“You look terrible,” Jake said unsympathetically. he located a pint bottle of gin, nearly full, on the floor beside the wastebasket, poured a good two inches of it into a glass, and handed it to the stricken lawyer. “pull yourself together.” he looked thoughtfully at the bottle and finally held it to his lips for a good long count of ten before recapping it.
马龙把杯子放在他误以为是床头柜的地方，打了个哆嗦，静静地躺了几分钟。最后他慢慢地起身，把腿从床上放下来。
malone set the glass down where he mistakenly believed the bed table to be, shuddered, and lay still for a few minutes. At last he rose slowly and swung his legs off the bed.
“那你说我为什么会穿着袜子睡觉呢？”
“Now why on earth do you suppose I went to bed with my socks on?”
他穿上一件鲜艳的绿色锦缎浴袍，伸手拿了一根雪茄，第二次才点着。“我想不通这两张百元钞票是从哪儿来的。也许我该四处找找。”
he put on a brilliant green brocaded bathrobe, reached for a cigar, and lighted it on the second try. “I can’t figure where those two c’s came from. maybe I’d better look around.”
“也许你该找找。” 杰克?贾斯特表示同意。他坐在皱巴巴的床边，看着小个子律师在房间里四处搜寻。
“maybe you had,” Jake Justus agreed. he sat down on the edge of the rumpled bed and watched as the little lawyer prowled around the room.
“我昨晚玩了会儿扑克。” 马龙若有所思地说，“我隐约记得还去了赌场的轮盘赌室。还有别的事，但有点记不清了。” 他在床头柜旁停下来，低头看着它。那里有他的手表、两个空火柴盒、一张五十美元钞票和一张十美元钞票。他把这些放在那两张一百美元钞票旁边。
“I played some poker last night,” malone said meditatively, “and I dimly remember going to the roulette room at the casino. there is something else, too, but it seems to be a little confused.” he paused by the bed table, looking down at it. there was his watch, two empty match folders, a fifty-dollar bill and a ten. these he laid beside the two hundred-dollar bills.
“据我所知，可能还有更多。”
“there may be more, for all I know.”
他走进浴室，在洗脸台上找到一把小刀、一个指甲锉和一小团发绿的东西。展开那团东西，原来是两张二十美元钞票。在吸烟桌上的一把雪茄旁边还有三张皱巴巴的钞票。
he went into the bathroom, located a pocketknife, a nail file, and a little greenish wad on the washstand. the wad, when unrolled, proved to be two twenty-dollar bills. there were three more crumpled up beside a handful of cigars on the smoking table.
“我昨晚脱衣服的时候肯定玩得很开心。”
“I must have had a swell time undressing last night.”
杰克决定也加入搜寻。他掀起枕头，发现一小堆皱巴巴的一美元钞票。床边的地上还有两张，马龙的一只鞋里塞着五张。
Jake decided to join in the search. he lifted up the pillow and found a little heap of wrinkled one-dollar bills. there were two more on the floor by the bed and five stuffed into one of malone’s shoes.
与此同时，马龙在梳妆台上的门钥匙下面又找到了一张五十美元钞票。
malone, meantime, had found another fifty tucked under the door key on the dresser.
“似乎就这些了。” 律师最后环顾了一下房间说。“太可惜了。这游戏真好玩。”
“that seems to be the total,” the lawyer said, giving a last glance around the room. “too bad. this game is fun.”
杰克摇了摇头。“我们最好检查一下你的西装。你昨晚可能漏了什么。” 他拿起外套，摸遍了所有口袋。除了一个侧口袋里有一双非常薄且有花边的长筒袜，是一种异国情调的玫瑰棕色外，什么也没有。
Jake shook his head. “we’d better go through your suit. You may have missed something last night.” he picked up the coat and felt in all its pockets. there was nothing except a pair of very sheer and lacy stockings, of an exotic rose-tan shade, in one side pocket.
马龙检查了一下，注意到它们被穿过，然后说：“不错，很贵的袜子。我想知道是谁穿过它们。”
malone examined them, noted that they had been worn, and said, “Nice, expensive ones. I wonder who was in them.”
马甲是空的。杰克把它扔在椅子上，四处找裤子，发现它们在角落里的地板上。当他拿起裤子时，它们重得让人惊讶。有一阵奇怪的叮当声。
the vest was empty. Jake dropped it on a chair, looked around for the pants, and found them on the floor in the corner. when he picked them up, they seemed surprisingly heavy. there was a curious, jingling noise.
“听起来我们挖到宝了。” 杰克说。他抓住裤脚把裤子提起来用力摇晃。
“Sounds like we’d struck ore,” Jake said. he picked the pants up by the cuffs and shook them vigorously.
一阵长时间的、响亮的金属撞击声响起，一堆二十五美分的硬币滚落在地板上，比杰克在任何一个地方、任何一次见过的都要多。马龙坐在床边，盯着看。
there was a prolonged, loud, metallic clatter, and a heap of quarters rolled on the floor, more of them than Jake had ever seen in any one place at any one time. malone sank down on the edge of the bed and stared.
“现在我想起来了。有一个路边小餐馆。在惠灵。那里有一台投币式自动售货机。我中了头奖。” 他皱起眉头。“我到底是怎么去到惠灵的？哦，好吧，这不重要。总数是多少？”
“Now I remember. there was a roadhouse. In wheeling. there was a slot machine there. I hit the jackpot.” he scowled. “how in blazes did I get out to wheeling? oh well, it’s not important. what’s the total?”
杰克快速地数了一下那些钱。“纸币有四百二十八美元。” 他报告说。“我才不会去数那些二十五美分的硬币呢。”
Jake ran hastily through the collection. “Four hundred and twenty-eight bucks in paper,” he reported. “I’m damned if I’ll count all those two-bit pieces.”
“还不错。” 马龙说。“昨天我去玩扑克的时候，心里只想着赢足够的钱还给马克斯?胡克。我不介意向他借钱，但我非常讨厌欠他任何东西。我本打算赢到三百就收手，但显然我有点太投入了。”
“Not bad,” malone said. “when I went to play poker yesterday, all I had in mind was winning enough dough to pay back max hook. I don’t mind borrowing from him, but I hate like hell to owe him anything. I meant to stop when I had three hundred, but apparently I got a little enthusiastic.”
“听着，马龙 ——” 杰克开口道。
“Listen malone—” Jake began.
律师拿起电话，又放下，说 “海伦是 ——” 他突然停住，改口说 “海伦在哪儿？”
the lawyer picked up the telephone, set it down again, said “helene is—” stopped himself, and said instead, “where is helene?”
“我要是知道就怪了。” 杰克说。“我也不在乎。她可能和她老爸在哈瓦那呢。”
“damned if I know,” Jake said. “damned if I care, either. She’s probably down in havana with her old man.”
“蜜月才一周就回娘家了。这应该能创个什么纪录吧。” 马龙尖刻地说。
“Gone back to father,” malone said acidly. “After a week of honeymoon. that ought to establish a record of some kind.”
“她离开了我。” 杰克说。
“She left me,” Jake said.
“为什么？”
“why?”
“这不关你的事。”
“that’s none of your business.”
“这句话越来越单调了。” 马龙神秘地说。他站起来开始穿衣服。“除了我的钱，还有什么让你回芝加哥的？”
“that line is getting monotonous,” malone said cryptically. he rose and began pulling on his clothes. “what brought you back to chicago, besides my money?”
“和莫娜?麦克莱恩的那个赌注。” 杰克说。
“that bet with mona mcclane,” Jake said.
马龙在徒劳地找一件干净衬衫的时候停了下来。这段对话有种奇怪的似曾相识的感觉。“那个赌注怎么了？”
malone paused in the act of looking futilely for a clean shirt. there was something oddly reminiscent about the conversation. “what about that bet?”
“我要赢了它。” 杰克冷酷地说。“我要拿到赌场的地契。我要让她看看。”
“I’m going to win it,” Jake said grimly. “I’m going to get that deed to the casino. I’ll show her.”
“你要给谁看什么？”
“You’ll show who what?”
“我要让海伦看看没有有钱岳父的帮助我也能过得很好。”
“I’ll show helene I can get along all right without any help from a rich father-in-law.”
“原来是这么回事。” 马龙说。
“So that’s the way it is,” malone said.
“该死，马龙，我一定要赢了那个赌注。”
“damn it, malone, I’ve got to win that bet.”
律师严肃地点点头，扣着衬衫扣子。“我一点也不惊讶。你打算怎么做呢？还是那个聪明的大脑还没考虑到这个细节？”
the lawyer nodded gravely, buttoning his shirt. “I wouldn’t be at all surprised. how are you going to do it, or hasn’t the giant brain bothered with that detail?”
“首先，我要查清楚自从那个赌注定下后莫娜?麦克莱恩所做的每一件事。然后我要查清楚在那段时间里芝加哥发生的每一起谋杀案。这两条线索迟早会交汇。”
“First, I’m going to check’ on everything mona mcclane has done since that-bet was made. then I’m going to check back on every murder mitted in chicago in that time. Sooner or later those two lines will meet.”
马龙心想，迟早不只是这两条线索会交汇。这种情况的各种可能性让他有点不安。
that wasn’t all that would meet sooner or later, malone reflected. the possibilities of the situation disturbed him a little.
“我可能需要一些帮助。” 杰克补充道。
“I may need some help,” Jake added.
“我就知道迟早会提到这一点。” 马龙酸溜溜地说。他整好领带。“现在听着，杰克。” 他用非常严肃的语气说。“这些小争吵没什么意义。也许你有点太草率了。等你过一两天再想想，一切就会不一样了。我比你年长，杰克，我想告诉你，女人 ——”
“I knew that would e up sooner or later,” malone said sourly. he finished adjusting his tie. “Now listen, Jake.” he adopted a very serious tone. “these little quarrels don’t mean a thing. maybe you were a trifle hasty. when you’ve thought it over for a day or so, it’ll all seem different. I’m older than you, Jake, and I want to tell you that women—”
杰克哼了一声。“你对女人的了解 ——” 他轻蔑地开口。
Jake snorted. “what you know about women—” he began scornfully.
“我对女人的了解，” 律师告诉他，“能开一连串银行。” 他想起了巴黎夜总会的那个黑发女子，深深地叹了口气。“哦，好吧，你有你的烦恼，我有我的。” 他停顿了一下，然后又说，“你真的认为她在哈瓦那？”
“what I know about women,” the lawyer told him, “would start a chain of banks.” he thought of the chez paree brunette, and sighed deeply. “oh well, you do your own worrying, and I’ll do mine.” he paused, then added, “You really think she’s in havana?”
“我肯定她在那儿。” 杰克说，“我希望她留在那儿。” 他坚定地扬起下巴。“我要追踪莫娜?麦克莱恩，赢下那个赌注，然后我要把赌场的地契包起来送给她。然后一切就都结束了。”
“I’m positive of it,” Jake said, “and I hope she stays there.” he set his chin hard. “I’m going to get on mona mcclane’s trail and win that bet, and then I’m going to wrap up the deed to the casino and send it to her. And then the hell with it all.”
“你把这一切都说得那么轻松。” 这是马龙两天内第二次这么说。他戴上帽子，又摘下来，拿起电话说：“马上给我找个信差来。” 然后他打电话到自己的办公室。
“You make it all sound so wonderfully easy,” malone said for the second time in two days. he put on his hat, took it off again, picked up the telephone, and said, “Get me a messenger boy right away,” and then called his office.
“有什么我应该知道的事情发生吗？”
“Anything going on that I should know?”
玛吉报告说：“从十点开始，冯?弗拉纳根队长每十五分钟就给你打一次电话。昨天来过的那位年轻女士打来电话说她三点会到你的办公室。”
maggie reported, “captain von Flanagan has been calling you every fifteen minutes since ten o’clock. the young lady who was in yesterday called and said she’d be in your office at three o’clock.”
“我三点会到那儿。” 马龙说。他挂了电话。
“I’ll be there at three,” malone said. he hung up.
他的桌上有一个大信封；他把两张一百美元钞票和两张五十美元钞票装进信封封好，并写上寄给马克斯?胡克。在信封角落他所住酒店的名字上方，他写上 “约翰?J?马龙”。
there was a large envelope on his desk; he sealed two hundred-dollar bills and two fifties in it, and addressed it to max hook. Above the name of his hotel in the corner he wrote, “John J. malone.”
信差来了，拿走信封又走了之后，律师戴上帽子穿上大衣。“我们不妨 ——”
when the messenger boy had arrived, taken the envelope, and gone away again, the lawyer put on his hat and overcoat. “we might as well—”
一阵雷鸣般的敲门声打断了他。马龙打开门，看到一个来自冯?弗拉纳根办公室的高大、红脸的侦探。
A thunderous knock on the door interrupted him. malone opened the door and saw a large, red-faced detective from von Flanagan’s office.
“哦，哦，克鲁切茨基。” 律师愉快地开口。
“well, well, Kluchetsky,” the lawyer began pleasantly.
“冯?弗拉纳根要见你。” 克鲁切茨基说。“他说他希望你的震颤性谵妄好点了。他还说不管怎样他希望你能起来走动了，因为如果你不能，他就会派一辆救护车来接你。” 他看着帽子和大衣。“我想也许你最好跟我走一趟。”
“Von Flanagan wants to see you,” Kluchetsky said. “he says he hopes your d. t.’s are better. he says anyway he hopes you’re able to be up and around because if you aren’t he’s gonna send an ambulance for you.” he eyed the hat and overcoat. “I guess maybe you’d just better e along with me.”