马龙探案卷三 之 错误的凶案 三十一
他们刚走出大楼，杰克就愤怒地转向那个小个子律师。
thEY wERE bARELY oUt of the building before Jake turned furiously on the little lawyer.
“什么意思？冯?弗拉纳根可能会成功追查到那把枪的所有者。”
“what’s the idea? Von Flanagan may succeed in tracing the ownership of that gun.”
“这并不会让我感到意外，” 马龙说。
“I wouldn’t be surprised,” malone said.
“但如果他追查到了，而那把枪属于莫娜?麦克莱恩……”
“but if he does, and if the gun belongs to mona mcclane-”
“那他就会发现枪属于莫娜?麦克莱恩，” 马龙冷静地说，“这有什么大不了的吗？”
“then he’ll find out that it belongs to mona mcclane,” malone said calmly. “what the hell of it?”
“假设弹道测试的结果显示，这把枪就是杀死约书亚?冈布里尔和弗雷特?桑德斯的枪……”
“Suppose the ballistics tests show it’s the gun that was used in shooting Joshua Gumbril and Fleurette Sanders.”
“就算是这样，” 律师自满地回答。
“Suppose it does,” the lawyer said placently.
“该死的，马龙。如果我要赢下那个赌约……”
“damn you, malone. If I’m going to win that bet-”
马龙恼火地说：“我知道我在做什么。”
malone said crossly, “I know what I’m doing.”
杰克低声嘟囔了几句愤慨的话。
Jake muttered something indignant under his breath.
“而且，” 马龙指出，“就算冯?弗拉纳根能做到这些，我想他会做的，他也不会知道谋杀的动机，跟我们一样不清楚。而且，就像我之前指出的，这是一起出于动机的犯罪，而不是出于方法的犯罪。”
“besides,” malone pointed out, “even if Von Flanagan does all that-and I imagine he will-he won’t know anything about the motive for the murders. No more than we do. And as I’ve pointed out before, this is a crime of motive, not method.”
“说得好听，” 杰克咆哮道，“但他会认为自己有足够的证据采取行动，并且很可能在午夜之前就能拿到。除非在此期间我能揭开那个动机，否则我就要失去一家很不错的夜总会的所有权了。”
“Very pretty,” Jake growled, “but he’ll think he has enough to make a pinch. probably he’ll have it before midnight. Unless I can uncover that motive in the meantime, I’m out of the ownership of a very nice night club.”
海伦发动了大车，沿着街道行驶。“说到赌场，我想去找一个前赌场老板聊聊。你们愿意一起去吗？”
helene started the big car moving down the street. “Speaking of night clubs, I want to call on the ex-owner of one. do you boys care to go along?”
“马克斯?胡克？” 马龙问。
“max hook?” malone asked.
“对。我想问问他，冈布里尔的那个小盒子里到底装了什么。他一定知道，不然不会那么急着想要拿到它。”
“Right. I’d like to ask him just what is in that little box of Gumbril’s. he must know, or he wouldn’t have been so all-fired anxious to get it.”
两个人沉默地走了半条街。“唉，见鬼，” 杰克终于说，“我不可能想到所有事情。这个胡克住哪儿，马龙？”
the two men were eloquently silent for half a block. “well damn it,” Jake said finally, “I can’t think of everything. where does this hook hang himself, malone?”
马龙说了一个湖滨大道的地址。
malone named an address on Lake Shore drive.
“怎么会是那栋楼！” 海伦小声惊呼。
“Not that building!” helene said with a little gasp.
“为什么不行？” 马龙说，“他是那栋楼的主人。”
“why not?” malone snapped. “he owns it.”
五分钟后，海伦把车停在湖滨大道的一栋大楼前，这个地址每周在社交版面上至少出现四次。他们穿过大厅，进了电梯。
Five minutes later helene parked the car before the Lake Shore drive building whose address appeared on the society pages at least four times a week. they walked through the lobby and got in the elevator.
“二十三层，” 马龙说。
“twenty-three,” malone said.
电梯男孩犹豫了一下，优雅地咳了一声。“哪一层，先生？”
the elevator boy hesitated a moment, coughed delicately. “what floor, sir?”
“二十三层，” 马龙严肃地说，“中间不停。”
“twenty-three,” malone said grimly, “and no stops.”
电梯急速上升。海伦注意到男孩的后颈很苍白。二十三层到了，马龙轻轻敲了敲门，喊道：“是约翰?马龙和朋友们。” 门开了，他们走进了一间可能是芝加哥市内装饰最华丽的公寓。
the elevator shot upward. helene noticed the back of the boy’s neck was pale. on the twenty-third floor malone tapped lightly on a door, called out, “It’s John J. malone and friends.” the door opened and they stepped into what was probably the most ornately decorated apartment in the city of chicago.
客厅宽敞无比，铺着玫瑰色的地毯，摆满了精雕细琢、缎面装饰的家具，还有无数盏装饰着粉色灯罩的小灯，以及似乎有成百上千个小丝绸抱枕。窗户上挂着印花窗帘，用巨大的缎带蝴蝶结束起。到处都摆放着彩绘瓷盒、切割水晶烟灰缸、小花瓶和小雕像，以及珐琅钟。靠着一面墙放着一张巨大的卷盖式书桌，是某种漆成棕色的木头制成的，上面布满了刻痕和刮痕。书桌后面坐着马克斯?胡克本人。
the living room was immense, rose-carpeted, filled with delicately carved, satin-upholstered furniture, with innumerable little decorative lamps, pink-shaded, and with what seemed to be hundreds upon hundreds of small silk pillows. At the windows feminine printed draperies were held back by enormous satin ribbon bows. Everywhere there were painted china boxes, cut crystal ash trays, tiny vases and statuettes, and enameled clocks. Against one wall stood a huge roll-top desk, of some brown-painted wood, badly nicked and scarred. behind it sat max hook himself.
他是个大块头，身高至少有六英尺，身上堆满了肥肉，颤动的肉块让他第一眼看上去似乎完全没有骨头。他的头完全秃了，形状像鸡蛋，很难分辨出头和肩膀的界限，整个人就像一团粉红色的肉冻。他宽阔的肩膀和胸膛像一片肥肉般铺展开来，圆滚滚的手臂末端是胖乎乎、红彤彤的手，手指就像小香肠。
he was a mountain of a man, easily six feet tall, and such a mass of fat, quivering flesh, that he seemed, at first glance, to be pletely boneless. his head, entirely bald, was egg-shaped; it was impossible to tell where it ended and his shoulders began; the whole ran together in one jellylike glob of pink flesh. From that point he spread out in a great expanse of fat shoulders and chest. Round arms ended in plump, rosy hands with fingers like little sausages.
他的脸似乎由一个宽宽的咧着的脸和一根长长的黑色雪茄组成。
his face seemed to be posed of a wide grin and a long black cigar.
他们进来时，他仍然坐在椅子上。杰克想，他可能从来就没离开过那把椅子。很难想象，如果没有起重机的帮助，怎么移动这个庞大的身躯。
he remained in his chair as they entered. Jake thought he probably never moved out of it. It was impossible to imagine that huge bulk being moved without the aid of a derrick.
马龙介绍了杰克和海伦。
malone introduced Jake and helene.
马克斯?胡克和蔼地笑了。“当然，没关系。我知道他们。” 他咧嘴笑着，“你们喜欢我的小地方，是吧？”
max hook smiled amiably. “Sure, that’s all right. I know all about them.” his grin widened. “You like my little place, huh?”
“我觉得很美，” 海伦赞叹道，她的眼睛充满了钦佩。
“I think it’s beautiful,” helene breathed. her eyes were wide with admiration.
这个大块头对她笑了笑。“我总是喜欢把东西弄得漂漂亮亮的。每当我看到漂亮的东西，我都想买下来，只买最好的。来根雪茄。” 他朝其中一个瓷盒挥了挥手。
the big man beamed at her. “I always like to have things nice. Always when I see nice things, I like to buy them. Nothing but the best. take a cigarette.” he waved to one of the china boxes.
海伦发现，这根雪茄不仅印有字母组合图案，还是香的。
the cigarette was, helene discovered, not only monogrammed, but perfumed.
寒暄过后，马克斯?胡克变得严肃起来。
those social amenities over, max hook became serious.
“嗯，马龙，这是一个惊喜。我能为你们做些什么呢？”
“well, malone, this is a pleasant surprise. what can I do for you?”
“我只是想知道，为什么拉塞拉那天那么急着要找杰克，仅此而已，” 马龙平静地说。
“I just thought I’d like to find out why La cerra was so 腺样要对齐英文原文，可能有些地方表述有误。正确表述为 “I just thought I'd like to find out why La cerra was so anxious to get hold of Jake the other day, that's all,” malone said smoothly.
“我会让你们问他，” 这个匪徒愉快地说。他提高嗓门，吼道：“小乔治！” 过了一会儿，小乔治?拉塞拉出现了。自从他们上次见到他以来，他似乎发生了些变化。甚至海伦也能看出他已经变了。
“I’ll let you ask him,” the gangster said cheerfully. he raised his voice and bellowed, “Georgie!” A moment later Little Georgie la cerra appeared. Something seemed to have happened to him since the last time they had seen him. Even helene could tell that he was a changed man.
“抱歉，他给你朋友添了些麻烦。对此我很抱歉，” 马克斯?胡克歉意地对马龙说。“他是个冲动的人。当我告诉他该做什么时，他就会觉得必须去完成，不管不顾的。你看就是这样。”
“the cherry, he caused your friend some annoyance. I’m sorry about that,” max hook said apologetically to malone. “the cherry, he’s impulsive. when I tell him he should do something, he feels like he’s got to get it done, regardless. See.”
马龙面无表情地点了点头。
malone nodded impassively.
“所以，当你的朋友那天晚上在冈布里尔的房间里被抓时，自然会想到他可能在那里看见了什么。我说得对吗？”
‘So when your friend here got picked up in Gumbril’s room that night, naturally it was logical to figure he might have stumbled onto something there, wasn’t it? Am I right?”
律师再次点了点头。“你说得对。但如果杰克发现了任何与奥格特里绑架案有关的证据，你可以随时拿走。”
the lawyer nodded again. “You are. but if Jake had found any evidence pertaining to the ogletree snatch, you could have had it and wele.”
胡克盯着他。“如果你知道我对这个感兴趣，那他肯定发现了些什么。”
hook stared at him. “he must have found something, if you know that’s what I was interested in.”
“他没有。他在找别的东西，但也没找到。我碰巧知道是乔治处理过奥格特里的绑架案，事情是通过冈布里尔进行的。仅此而已。”
“he didn’t. he was looking for something else, and he didn’t find that either. I happened to know it was Georgie who handled the ogletree snatch, and that it went through Gumbril. that’s all.”
“你真行，” 匪徒钦佩地摇摇头说，“我真希望你在我的薪水名单上，马龙。” 他皱了皱眉。“我得承认，当你告诉乔治，贾斯特先生什么也没找到时，我并不相信你，直到后来我知道了实情。”
“You are a one,” the gangster said admiringly, shaking his head. “I wish I had you on my pay roll, malone.” he scowled. “I must admit I disbelieved you when you told the cherry mr. Justus didn’t find a thing, until I learned different.”
马龙非常缓慢而故意地脱下大衣，坐在一张薰衣草色的缎面沙发上，肘部搁在膝盖上，身体前倾，目不转睛地盯着主人。
malone took off his overcoat very slowly and deliberately, sat down on a lavender satin sofa with his elbows on his knees, leaned forward, and stared fixedly at his host.
“马克斯，我们来谈谈正事。我想把一切都弄清楚。如果你告诉我所有我想知道的事情，我就把奥格特里的证据找出来交给你。”
“max, let’s talk business. I want to get everything straight. If you’ll tell me all I want to know, I’ll get that ogletree evidence and turn it over to you.”
“成交，” 胡克迅速说道。他略带责备地补充道，“你知道不管怎样我都会对你坦白的，马龙。”
“It’s a deal,” hook said quickly. he added a little reproachfully, “You know I’d be straight with you anyway, malone.”
“当然，” 律师温和地说，“你和冈布里尔之间是怎样合作的？”
“Sure,” the lawyer said blandly. “what kind of an arrangement did you have with Gumbril?”
这个大匪徒放下雪茄，令人难以置信地选了一支带香味的香烟点燃，然后危险地往后靠在椅子上。“嗯，事情是这样的，” 他开始回忆，“早在 1927 年，我有机会从边境走私一批酒来赚笔快钱，但当时我没有足够的现金来周转。我的一个小弟把我介绍给了冈布里尔，他为我提供了资金。从那以后，你几乎可以说我们就是在一起做生意了，直到禁酒令废除……”
the big gangster laid down his cigar, selected and lit, incredibly, one of the perfumed cigarettes, and leaned perilously far back in his chair. “well, it’s like this,” he began reminiscently. “way back in ‘27, I had a chance to make some quick dough on a big load of liquor run down from the border, only I didn’t have the cash to swing it. one of my boys put me next to Gumbril, and he put up for me. After that, you might almost say we was in business together, and when repeal e in-”
他讲述的是一个很长的故事，一个关于犯罪和赌博的小垄断组织的故事，吝啬、干瘪的冈布里尔是商业头目，而大块头匪徒则负责运作管理。这个故事慢慢引出了奥格特里绑架案。
the story he unfolded was a long one, the story of a Little monopoly of crime and gambling, with the miserly, wizened Gumbril as business head, and the big gangster as manager of operations. the tale led slowly up to the ogletree kidnapping.
“小乔治是自己处理绑架案的吗？” 马龙问，“还是为了你，或者为了冈布里尔？”
“did Little Georgie handle the snatch on his own?” malone asked, “or for you, or for Gumbril?”
马克斯?胡克把头歪向一边。“嗯，实际上是为了冈布里尔。你可以说我把乔治借给了冈布里尔。”
max hook put his head on one side. “well now, it was really for Gumbril. You might say I lent the cherry to Gumbril.”
“你得到了多少？” 这个问题就像鞭子一样犀利。
“how much did you get?” the question was like the snap of a whip.
“一分也没……” 马克斯?胡克话锋一转，“这他妈关你什么事？”
“Not a damn-” max hook caught himself. “what the hell business of yours is it?”
马龙吹了声口哨。“你意味着你没分到那五万块？”
malone whistled. “You mean you didn’t get a cut of the fifty grand?”
大块头的脸颊上竟然泛起了一丝红晕。“我告诉过你，我把乔治借给了冈布里尔。这是我个人对他的帮助。我欠他一两个人情，你懂吧。冈布里尔给了乔治一千块，考虑到乔治只是负责接走那个女孩，这对他来说是一笔大钱。”
there was actually a faint blush on the big man’s cheek. “I told you I lent the cherry. It was a personal favor to Gumbril. I owed him a favor or two, y’understand. Gumbril, he give the cherry a grand, which was big pay for him, considering all the cherry done was pick up the girl and deliver her.”
“冈布里尔让他签收据了吗？”
“did Gumbril make him sign a receipt for the dough?”
“你当然知道他签了，” 小乔治突然说道，“他给别人一分钱都会要收据。他说这是他保护自己的方式。你以为我那天闯进那个房间要从那里拿走什么？”
“You know damned well he did,” Little Georgie said suddenly. “he never gave anybody a dime without a receipt. Said it was his way of protecting himself. what the hell do you think I wanted out of that room, anyway?”
马克斯?胡克突然说：“那它现在在哪里？这才是我想知道的。如果你没有拿到，而桑德斯女士也没有，那它在哪里？”
max hook suddenly said, “where is it now? that’s what I want to know. If you didn’t get it, and the Sanders dame didn’t have it, where is it?”
马龙等了足足三十秒，然后才非常随意地问道：“你为什么会认为她可能拿到了？”
malone waited a good thirty seconds before he asked, very casually, “what made you think she might have had it?”
“我知道你想要的东西冈布里尔一定有，” 匪徒说，“否则贾斯特先生就不会去搜查他的房间。所以我想弗洛西?桑德斯一定是找到了那东西，并打算和你做交易。如果她有了那个东西，她可能也有了其他的东西。我知道她打算和你做交易，因为奥格特里夫人提醒我，说她和你约好了……”
“I knew you wanted something Gumbril must have had,” the gangster said, “or mr. Justus here wouldn’t have cased his room. So I figured Flossie Sanders must have found it and was going to make a deal with you. If she had that, she probably had the other stuff too. I knew she must be going to make a deal with you as soon as the ogletree dame tipped me off she had made a date with you-”
“等一下，” 马龙非常平静地说，“你是说艾伦？”
“wait a minute,” malone said very quietly. “You mean Ellen?”
胡克盯着他。“当然不是。是奥格特里夫人。那个老太太。”
hook stared at him. “hell no. mrs. ogletree. the old lady.”
“该死的，” 杰克突然爆发出来，“我已经受够了。这到底是怎么回事？”
“damn it,” Jake burst out suddenly, “I’ve had about all I can stand of this. what’s it all about, anyway?”
小乔治安抚地说：“我给你倒杯酒，贾斯特先生。你的神经太紧张了。”
Little Georgie said soothingly, “Let me fix you a drink, mr. Justus. Your nerves ain’t so hot.”
“听着，” 马克斯?胡克说，“当我得到好东西时，我不喜欢放手，明白吗？但我会告诉你关于奥格特里夫人的事。她是那种喜欢玩轮盘赌的老太太，只是她不太擅长计算。我一开始就知道，我手里有一大堆足以压死一匹小马的借据，而且没办法兑现，因为她丈夫太吝啬了，你用凿子都撬不出他一分钱。所以冈布里尔建议我和她做一笔小交易。我忘掉那些借据，而她则把所有的社交八卦都告诉我，也告诉冈布里尔。你可能会惊讶地发现，我就是这样得到了多少好东西。”
“Look here,” max hook said, “when I’ve got a good thing, I don’t like to let go of it, see. but I’ll tell you about the ogletree dame. She’s one of these old ladies who likes to play the wheels, see, only she can’t figure so good. First thing I know, I’m stuck with a bunch of IoU’s big enough to choke a pony, and no way to collect because her old man’s so tight you couldn’t pry a dime outa him with a cold chisel. So Gumbril suggested I make a little deal with her. I forget about the IoU’s and she passes on all the social gossip to me, and to Gumbril. You’d be surprised to know how many good things I got next to that way.”
“我可能会惊讶，” 马龙冷淡地说，“这个安排是在女孩被绑架之前还是之后达成的？”
“I probably would be,” malone said dryly. “was this arrangement made before the girl was snatched, or after?”
“之前。只是那个老太太并没有指认她自己的孩子，如果你是这个意思的话。她对此一无所知。见鬼，她甚至来找我商量这事，我不得不让冈布里尔亲自向她保证孩子会没事。”
“before. only the old dame didn’t put the finger on her own kid, if that’s what you mean. She didn’t know from nothing about it. hell, she even came to me about it and I had to get Gumbril to give her his personal assurance the kid would be o. K.”
“谁指认了那个女孩？” 马龙问。
“who did put the finger on the girl?” malone asked.
“弗洛西?桑德斯。你知道，她是冈布里尔的妹妹。” 这个大匪徒用上一根烟的余烬点燃了另一根香烟。“在冈布里尔被干掉后，她有很多理由想要得到他的文件。他保留了所有关于第一任桑德斯夫人是怎么得到她的东西的资料。所以我有预感她可能已经得到了这些文件，我让奥格特里夫人留意她。今天，奥格特里夫人发现弗洛西要去找你，她立刻给我打了电话，通知了我。”
“Flossie Sanders. She was Gumbril’s sister, you know.” the big gangster lit another cigarette from the glowing end of the last one. “She had plenty of reasons for wanting to get Gumbril’s papers after he was bumped off. he kept all the stuff about the way the first mrs. Sanders got hers. So I had a hunch she might have got hold of them, and I asked the ogletree dame to keep an eye on her. today she found out Flossie was going to see you, and she gave me a ring right away and tipped me off.”
“所以你让手下的人在菲尔德百货公司门口拦住她，当他想不出其他办法阻止她来找我时，他就开枪打死了她，” 马龙轻松地说。
“So you had one of the boys pick her up at the entrance to Field’s, and when he couldn’t figure any other way to keep her from ing to me, he shot her,” malone said lightly.
“上帝作证，马龙，” 小乔治?拉塞拉意外地插话道，“你完全误解我了。我们正沿着州街往下走，试图在人群中一直盯着她，追上她，和她安静地谈谈。”
“honest to God, malone,” Little Georgie la cerra put in unexpectedly, “you got me all wrong. we was going down State Street trying to keep her in sight in all that mob, trying to catch up with her and have a little quiet word with her.”
“我知道你们安静的谈话是什么意思，” 马龙说，“但继续说。”
“I know your little quiet words,” malone said, “but go on.”
“快到麦迪逊街的时候，我们突然在人群中失去了她的踪影，明白吗？我们正试图挤过去，这时前面突然乱了起来。我挤进人群，我看到那个女人被枪杀了。但我没开枪。”
“Almost to madison Street, we all of a sudden lose her in the crowd, see. we’re trying to shove through when hell breaks loose up ahead. I push up in the crowd and I see the dame has been shot. but I didn’t shoot her.”
“尽管听起来很奇怪，” 马龙说，“但我相信你。但我真想知道，在去太平间的路上，她的衣服到底是怎么被脱掉的。”
“Strange as it seems,” malone said, “I believe you. but I’d give a lot to know how the hell her clothes got taken off on the way to the morgue.”
“你想知道，嗯？” 马克斯?胡克突然说道。他放声大笑，笑声仿佛要把他那淡粉色的墙壁震裂，他打开书桌的抽屉，拿出一堆各式各样的女装，朝马龙扔了过去。“喏，在那儿呢。”
“You would, eh,” max hook said suddenly. he burst into a laugh that threatened to split the pale pink walls of his apartment, opened a drawer of his desk, pulled out a heap of assorted feminine garments, and tossed them at malone. “well, there they are.”
马龙看着这一堆衣服，拿起一件小巧的蕾丝衣物，又好像被烫到一样扔掉了，他说：“这些怎么会在这里？”
malone looked at the collection, picked up a tiny, lacy affair, dropped it as though it had bitten him, and said, “how did these get there?”
“说吧，乔治，” 马克斯?胡克和蔼地说，“告诉这位先生。”
“Go on, Georgie,” max hook said amiably, “tell the gentleman.”
小乔治?拉塞拉深吸了一口气。“是这样的，马龙先生。老板让我做一件事，他就是要我做成这件事。他让我搜查这个叫桑德斯的女人，找冈布里尔的文件，我知道他就是要我搜查她。突然之间，她在州街和麦迪逊街的拐角处中枪了，周围挤满了五万人。我该怎么办呢？”
Little Georgie la cerra drew a long breath. “well, it’s like this. mr. malone, when the boss tells me he wants a thing done, he means he wants it done. he tells me he wants this Sanders dame searched for Gumbril’s papers, so I know he wants her searched. So all of a sudden there she is shot, right smack on the corner of State and madison Streets, and fifty thousand people milling around. what am I going to do?”
“我能猜三次吗？” 马龙愉快地说，“还是你直接告诉我？”
“do I get three guesses?” malone said pleasantly, “or do you tell me?”
“我这就告诉你，” 这个枪手说，“我们把车停在几个街区外的一个停车场里，明白吗。在运尸车开来之前，我和路易悄悄走过去，开车回到拐角处。那时他们已经把这个女人抬上了车，两个警察坐在前排座位上，所以我们开车跟在后面，尾随运尸车，想着接下来该怎么办。我知道胡克想要那些文件，明白吗？”
“I’m telling you,” said the gunman. “we got the car parked in a lot a few blocks off, see. before the dead wagon pulls up, me and Louie ducks up and gets the car and drives back to the corner. by that time they got the dame inside, with two cops sitting up in the front seat, so we drive along and tails the dead wagon, trying to think what to do next. I know the hook wants them papers, see?”
“是，是，是，” 马龙说，“但看在上帝的份上……”
“Yes, yes, yes,” malone said. “but for the love of God-”
“她已经死了，后面没人陪她，” 小乔治说，“而且那些门很容易打开。所以当运尸车被堵在路上时，我从车里跳出来，打开门，跳了进去。就是这么简单。”
“She being dead already, there ain’t nobody in back with her,” Little Georgie said. “And those doors are easy to open. So when the dead wagon gets stalled in traffic, I hops out of the car, opens the doors, and hops in. It was as easy as that.”
“听你这么一说，” 马龙说，“我觉得我以前努力谋生的方式真是浪费时间。”
“the way you tell it,” malone said, “I think I’ve been wasting my time trying to make a living the hard way.”
“让他说完，” 杰克沙哑地说。
“Let him finish,” Jake said hoarsely.
“然后我搜查了她。包里没有，口袋里也没有。我脱掉她的衣服，衣服里面也没有缝任何东西，我脱掉她的长袜，袜子里也没有。那时我就知道她根本没有带任何文件，我该怎么办呢？”
“then I searched her. Nothing in the bag. Nothing in the pockets. I take her dress off. Nothing sewed inside it. I take the stockings off. Nothing in the stockings. by that time I know she ain’t got no papers of no kind. what am I going to do?”
没有人提出任何建议。当枪手再次开口时，他的声音很低，带着一种奇怪的尴尬。“马龙先生，我得向胡克证明我确实搜查了那个女人，我怎么证明呢？突然之间，我灵光一闪，我只要把这个女人的衣服带回去就行了，这样就能证明我搜查过她。所以我把所有的衣服卷成一团，夹在胳膊下面，打开门，等着运尸车再次被堵在路上，然后跳出来，路易用车接我，我们就走了，事情就是这样。”
No one had any suggestions. when the gunman spoke again, his voice was low, curiously embarrassed. “mr. malone, I got to prove to the hook I really searched the dame. how’m I gonna prove it? All of a sudden it e to me in a kind of flash. I’d just take the dame’s clothes back with me. that oughta prove I searched her. So I rolls all the clothing up in a bundle, sticks it under my arm, opens the door, waits till the dead wagon slows down in traffic again, hops out, Louie picks me up in the car, away we go, and there you are.”
“我真希望我当时也在场，” 海伦说。
“I wish I had been,” helene said.
马克斯?胡克脸上的笑容是对他手下的人充满极大自豪的笑容。马龙总结了整个情况。他说：“你是说，在去太平间的路上，你上了一辆警察的救护车，搜查并脱掉了尸体的衣服，然后安然无恙地离开了？”
the smile on max hook’s face was one of great pride in his boys. Jake looked reverent. It was ma-lone who summed up the situation. he said, “You mean you got in a police ambulance on the way to the morgue, searched and undressed the body, and got clean away?”
“当然，” 小乔治?拉塞拉说，“胡克让我搜查她，我就搜查了她。” 他似乎费力地说着。“我不喜欢这样做。我以前从没给女人，哪怕是死女人，脱过衣服。”
“Sure,” said little Georgie la cerra. “the hook told me to search her, and I searched her.” he seemed to speak with effort. “I didn’t like to do it. I never undressed no lady before-no dead lady.”
他的脸，从头发到衣领，红得鲜艳夺目。
his face, from hair to collar, was a brilliant, gorgeous crimson.
“嗯，对于一个业余者来说，这活儿干得不错，” 马龙最后说。他给海伦和正在检查死者衣物的杰克打了个手势，杰克脸上带着好奇的皱眉。在门口，这位律师停顿了一下，好像刚刚想起了什么。
“well, it was a nice job for an amateur,” malone said at last. he signaled to helene, and to Jake, who was examining the dead woman’s clothing, a curious frown on his face. At the door, the lawyer paused as though he had just remembered something.
“胡克，你对莫娜?麦克莱恩了解多少？”
“hook, what do you know about mona mcclane?”
这个黑帮老大的脸上露出了一种真诚的钦佩之情。“那个女人！你知道她做了什么吗？她在我的游戏中打败了我。如果再多几个像她这样的人，这个城市里的每一家赌场都会亏损。” 他叹了口气，摇了摇头。“她四次把银行的钱都赢光了。然后她提出要用她的赢来的钱和赌场对赌，结果鬼才信，她又赢了！”
A look of sincere admiration came over the gangster’s face. “that dame! You know what she done? She took me at my own game. many more people like her, and every gambling house in the city would run at a loss.” he sighed and shook his head. “Four times she cleaned out the bank. then she offers to bet her winnings against the casino, and I’m God damned if she didn’t win!”
“她认识冈布里尔吗？” 马龙漫不经心地问道。
“did she ever know Gumbril?” malone asked unconcernedly.
胡克摇了摇头。“像她这样的优秀女人，怎么会认识冈布里尔这样的人呢？” 他又叹了口气，那效果就像一座山被地震震动一样。“一个优秀的女人。但相信我，和她对赌可不是什么好主意！”
hook shook his head. “what would a swell dame like that be doing, knowing a guy like Gumbril?” he sighed again, the effect was not unlike that of a mountain caught in an earthquake. “A swell dame. but take it from me, she’s a bad one to bet with!”