马龙探案卷五 之 盛怒的审判 一
杰克逊县法庭那条长长的、昏暗的走廊寂静得如同坟墓，几乎密不透风。高高的天花板边缘，阴影聚拢成一片漆黑，烟雾弥漫，难以穿透；而下方广阔的空间里，只有一抹奇异、昏暗的半明半暗的光线，这光线更偏蓝色而非灰色，仿佛是自成一派。巨大的双扇大门外是烈日当空的正午，这条走廊里却宛如黄昏。
thE LoNG, dark corridor of the Jackson county A courthouse was as still as a grave, and almost as airless.Along the edges of the high ceiling, the shadows gathered into darkness, smoky and impenetrable; in the vast space below there was only a strange, murky half-light, more blue than gray, a light that seemed to be of its own making.outside the great double doors it was blazing noon, but in this corridor it was dusk.
即便是在那个夏天最炎热的日子里，静止的空气中也带着一丝微弱而令人不适的寒意。
Even on that day, the hottest of the summer, there was a faint and unfortable chill in the motionless air.
清洁工哈维?巴顿正要从瓷砖地板上捡起一片微不足道的废纸，这时他停了下来，站在那里倾听，仿佛他希望能听到一些令人安心的声音。
harvey button, the janitor, paused in the act of picking up an infinitesimal scrap of wastepaper from the tile floor, and stood listening, almost as though he hoped to hear some reassuring sound.
当然，后来他声称自己有过预感。他说，这个预感在清晨就随着他醒来了。其实也不完全算是预感，而是一种隐约让人感到不愉快的感觉。没错，这可能只是天气的原因，或者是前一晚啤酒的影响，但他得意地指出，这背后有更宿命的意味。
Later, of course, he claimed to have had a premonition. It had, he said, wakened with him early in the morning. Not exactly a premonition, either, but a kind of vaguely unpleasant feeling. Yes, it could have been the weather, or even the last night’s beer, but, he pointed out triumphantly, it was something much more fateful.
一扇厚重的大门突然猛地打开，涌入的阳光让他不禁眨了眨眼。伴随着阳光，一股仿佛来自熔炉的炽热空气也随之涌入。他能看到，外面的树上方的天空中，出现了一道巨大的黑色条纹，开始遮蔽住刺眼的阳光。每一棵树的每一片叶子都纹丝不动。
one of the massive doors suddenly swung open, and the blast of sunlight made him blink. A rush of hot air came in with it as though from a furnace. Above the trees outside he could see a great dark streak in the sky, beginning to blot out the blazing glare. Every leaf on every tree was perfectly motionless.
“要下雨了，” 哈维?巴顿友好地对刚进来的那对夫妇说。他猛地把门关上。
“Going to storm,” harvey button said amiably to the couple who had just e in. he slammed the door shut.
“不管怎样，这里很凉快，” 男人说，擦着额头。
“cool in here, anyway,” the man said, mopping his brow.
小个子清洁工好奇地打量着他们。那个男人身材高大，一头红发，非常瘦削；他那满是汗水的脸上布满了细小的雀斑。哈维后来提到，与他同行的女孩是个绝世佳人。
the little janitor looked at them curiously. the man was tall, red-haired, and very thin; his perspiring face was a mass of tiny freckles. the girl with him was, harvey said later, a whooperdoo.
即使在这酷热难耐的一天里，她依然显得清爽宜人。每一缕闪亮的灰金色头发都恰到好处地摆放着，她那苍白而精致、带有贵族气质的脸庞妆容完美无瑕。虽然哈维·巴顿对服装设计师和密歇根大道上的商店一无所知，但他十分欣赏她那套简洁灰色亚麻套装的剪裁。
Even on this day of almost incredible heat, she appeared cool. Every strand of shining ash-blonde hair was exquisitely in place, her pale, delicate, patrician face was made up to perfection. harvey button knew nothing of dress designers and michigan Avenue shops, but he enjoyed looking at the lines of her perfectly plain gray linen suit.
“县书记员到底在哪儿？”女孩愉快地问道。
“where the hell is the county clerk?” the girl asked pleasantly.
“你的意思是，县书记员的办公室在哪里，”她的同伴严厉地说，“你现在可是在一个体面的地方。”
“You mean, where’s the county clerk,” her panion said severely. “You’re in a respectable munity now.”
哈维·巴顿咧嘴一笑。“是谁想知道县书记员的办公室在哪里呢？”
harvey button grinned. “who the hell wants to know where the county clerk is?”
“你一下子就明白了，” 女孩笑着回应道。
“You get the idea right away,” the girl said, grinning back at him.
“他在楼上的法庭里，” 小个子清洁工告诉她，“今天有县委员会会议。” 从他的语气听起来，仿佛是在谈论一场天使们的聚会。“但如果你需要办理结婚证，他的副手可以帮忙处理。”
“he’s upstairs in the courtroom,” the little janitor told her. “today’s the county board meeting.” he might have been speaking of a convocation of the angels, from the tone of his voice. “but his deputy can take care of you, if you’re looking for a marriage license.”
“我们已经有结婚证了，” 红发男人说道，“这次我们想要一张钓鱼许可证。”
“we’ve already got one of those,” the red-haired man said. “this time we want a fishing license.”
“不过，” 女孩补充说，“如果今天有什么特别优惠的话，我们也许会考虑买今年流行的新款式。”
“though,” the girl added, “if you have a special on today, we might consider something snappy in a this year’s model.”
哈维·巴顿想了想整个情况。“你们最好去找县书记员的副手，” 最后他说，“沿着走廊走，在左边的第一扇门就是。”
buttonholes thought the whole thing over for a minute. “You’d better see the county clerk’s deputy,” he said at last. “First door to your left, down the corridor.”
这对夫妇向他道谢后便离开了。正当他在清扫金发女孩香烟掉落的一点烟灰时，楼梯上传来了沉重的脚步声。清洁工站到了一边，看着42位县委员会成员涌过走廊，然后开始清理他们在地板上留下的垃圾。
the couple thanked him and went. he was sweeping up a tiny bit of ash from the blonde girl’s cigarette when a heavy tread came from the stairs. the janitor stood aside as forty-two members of the county board poured out through the corridor, then he began to clean up the small litter they had made on the floor.
这是一座很棒的法院，如果人们能保持它整洁就更好了。他赞赏地环顾四周。1882年人们就知道如何建造宏伟的法院。巨大的镶板门，高高的天花板，华丽的瓷砖地板，到处都是精致的木工制品。
It was a wonderful courthouse, if only people would keep it neat. he looked around admiringly. back in 1882, they knew how to build courthouses. big, paneled doors, high ceilings, fancy tile floors, and elegant millwork everywhere.
他走到走廊尽头，打开门，往外看了一眼。在这几分钟内，天空已经完全变黑，巨大的乌云像一个巨大的盖子一样压在树梢上。任何地方都没有一丝空气流动，法院广场上的每一只鸟都沉默不语。
he walked to the end of the corridor, opened the door, and glanced out. In these few minutes, the sky had bee entirely dark, immense black clouds pressed down over the trees like a gigantic cover. Not a single breath of air stirred anywhere, every bird in the courthouse square was silent.
“当它来袭时，会是一场大风暴，” 清洁工对周围的人说道。
“She’s going to be a whopper when she hits,” the janitor remarked to the world in general.
他关上门，打开了洞穴般的走廊里的电灯。但这并没有太大帮助。
he shut the door and switched on the electric light in the cavernous hallway. It didn’t help much.
一个身材较高、穿着讲究、留着灰色短发的女人匆匆走进法院，砰地关上了身后的门。清洁工向她点了点头。“斯金丁斯鲁德先生还在这儿吗，纽扣先生？”
A tallish, well-dressed woman with short gray hair came hurrying into the courthouse, slamming the door behind her. the janitor nodded to her. “Is mr. Skindingsrude still here, buttonholes?”
“在，麦高恩小姐。他在楼上的法庭里。” 过了一会儿，门又开了。小个子清洁工在一个肥胖、红脸、白发的男人后面赶紧把门关上。
“Yep, miss macGowan. he’s up in the courthouse.” A moment later the door opened again. the little janitor hurried to close it after a portly, red-faced, white-haired man.
“下午好，参议员。”
“‘Afternoon, Senator.”
前参议员佩维利粗声粗气地点了点头，开始喘着粗气爬上通往二楼的陡峭楼梯。哈维·巴顿，也就是纽扣先生，疲惫地叹了口气，扫完了最后几片废纸和烟灰，把它们放进一个金属盒子里，盒子上他精心写着：
Ex-Senator peveley nodded gruffly and began puffing up the steep flight of stairs to the second floor. harvey button, otherwise known as buttonholes, sighed wearily, finished sweeping up the last bits of wastepaper and ashes, and deposited them in a metal box on which he had painstakingly lettered:
请保持我们法院的清洁。
hELp KEEp oUR coURthoUSE cLEAN.
当他做完这些的时候，那对年轻夫妇从县书记员办公室回来了。纽扣先生咧嘴笑了，为他们打开了门。金发女孩看着阴沉的天空，皱起了眉头。
by the time he had finished, the young couple had returned from the county clerk’s office. buttonholes grinned widely and opened the door for them. the blonde girl looked at the threatening sky and frowned.
“我不确定我想在这种天气出去。”
“I’m not sure I want to go out in that.”
“你们开车吗？” 纽扣先生问。
“Are you driving?” buttonholes asked.
她点了点头，指了指停在法院附近的一辆时髦的知更鸟蛋蓝色敞篷车。
She nodded and pointed to a rakish robin’s-egg-blue convertible parked near the courthouse.
“那你们最好等到暴风雨过去，”清洁工说。“这些夏季暴风雨从来不会持续很久。”
“then you’d better wait till she blows over,” the janitor said. “these summer storms never last long.”
红头发的男人耸了耸肩。“好吧，等候室在哪儿。”
the red-haired man shrugged his shoulders. “o.K., wheel out a waiting room.”
“我们没有等候室，” 纽扣先生遗憾地说。他若有所思地挠了挠头。“不过，你们等的时候，我很乐意带你们参观法院。” 从他的态度看，他可能是在提议带他们参观泰姬陵。
“we haven’t got one of those,” buttonholes said regretfully. he scratched his head thoughtfully. “I’ll be glad to show you around the courthouse while you’re waiting, though.” he might, from his manner, have been offering to show them the taj mahal.
“来吧，杰克，” 女孩说。“这是个高尚的提议。你从没见过像这样的法院。”
“e on, Jake,” the girl said. “It's a noble offer. You've never seen a courthouse like this one.”
杰克犹豫了。“我见过太多和这个一模一样的法院了，我打赌我蒙上眼睛都能找到男厕所。在格罗夫县 ——”
Jake hesitated. “I've seen so much of a courthouse exactly like this one, I bet I could find the men's toilet, blindfolded. back in Grove county -”
纽扣先生的眼睛亮了起来。“爱荷华州的格罗夫县？我在那儿有亲戚。1932 年去过那儿。但是说真的，格罗夫的法院比不上这个。”
A light came into buttonholes’ eyes. “Grove county, Iowa? I've got kinfolk there. Visited there back in ‘32. but say, the courthouse in Grove Falls can't touch this one.”
“你快跟他说说，” 女孩热情地说。“杰克只是个无知的乡下人。一个很了不起的法院才能比得上这个。”
“You tell him,” the girl said warmly. “Jake's just a helpless provincial. A courthouse would have to go some to beat this.”
“你得给我展示一下，” 杰克说。他看了看手表。“见鬼，我们除了时间一无所有。来吧，海伦，让我们看看风景。”
“You've got to show me,” Jake said. he looked at his wrist watch. “hell, we've got nothing in the world but time. “e on, helene, let's see the sights.”
“我是哈维?巴顿，” 清洁工说。
“I'm harvey button,” the janitor said.
“我是杰克?贾斯特，” 红头发的男人告诉他。“这是我的妻子，贾斯特夫人。”
“I'm Jake Justus,” the red-haired man told him. “this is my wife, mrs. Justus.”
“很高兴见到你们两位，” 纽扣先生说，摇晃着一大串钥匙。“嗯，你们已经看过县书记员办公室了。公路局办公室和它一样，法院书记员办公室也是。都非常优雅。这是县财务官办公室。”
“pleased to meet you both,” buttonholes said,rattling an enormous bunch of keys. “well, you've seen the county clerk's office. the highway office is just like it, so's the clerk of the court's. All pretty elegant, too. this here's the county treasurer's office.”
他自豪地打开了一扇门。
he opened a door with a proud gesture.
在他们所能看到的范围内，它和他们刚刚离开的办公室一模一样，只是这个办公室两面都有窗户。这是一个高大的房间，天花板很高，一张崭新的红木桌子紧挨着一张巨大的、有划痕的卷盖式桌子。尽管房间很大，但从墙到墙都摆满了桌子、椅子、书桌、凳子、文件柜和办公机器。
As far as they could see, it was exactly like the office they had just left, save that this one had windows on two sides. It was a large, high-ceilinged room in which a shining, new mahogany desk stood next to an immense, scarred, roll-top model. despite its size, the room was crowded from wall to wall with tables, chairs, desks, stools, filing cabinets, and office machines.
坐在那张旧卷盖式桌子旁的是杰克和海伦见过的最彻底的秃头男人。他很瘦，即使坐在转椅上也显得很高，但他唯一的其他显着特征是他光秃秃的、光滑的脑袋。海伦后来评论说，甚至他的眼皮都是秃的。
Sitting at the old roll-top desk was the most pletely hairless man Jake and helene had ever seen. he was thin, and even sitting in a swivel chair he appeared tall, but his only other mark of distinction was his nude, polished head. helene mented later that even his eyelids were bald.
在办公室的一端，一扇通往保险库的巨大铁门半掩着。在它旁边的角落里，是一个古老的黑色大理石壁炉，里面安装了一个小型蒸汽散热器。
At one end of the office a huge iron door leading to the vault stood ajar. Next to it, in the corner, was an ancient black marble fireplace in which a small steam radiator had been installed.
“当然，我们不再使用壁炉了，” 纽扣先生自豪地说。“它们只是用来装饰的。”
“course, we don’t use the fireplaces any more,” buttonholes said proudly. “they’re just for show.”
“我很高兴听到这个消息，” 海伦说。
“I’m glad to hear it,” helene said.
壁炉上方是一张装裱好的黄色合影，上面标着 “1902 年法院工作人员”。在它后面，一个黑色边框、手写的牌子上写着：
Above the fireplace was a framed yellow group photograph marked coURthoUSE StAFF, 1902. beyond it a black-framed, hand-lettered sign proclaimed:
一个诚实的人是上帝最崇高的作品。
AN hoNESt mAN IS thE NobLESt woRK. oF God.
“在格罗夫法院的财务官办公室，” 杰克说，“牌子上写着‘诚实是上策’。”
“In the treasurer’s office of the Grove Falls courthouse,” Jake said, “the sign read ‘honesty is the best policy.’”
那个秃头男人从他的分类账上抬起头来。“这个，” 他相当冷淡地说，“是杰克逊商人协会的口号。” 他又补充说，好像是为了对访客表示友好，“不过，诚实是上策。”
the bald-headed man looked up from his ledger. “this one,” he said rather coldly, “is the slogan of the Jackson businessmen’s association.” he added, as though to be agreeable to a visitor, “however, honesty is the best policy.”
“我听说这句话很有高度，” 杰克礼貌地说。
“I’ve heard it spoken of very highly,” Jake said politely.
“那是高奇先生，” 纽扣先生在走廊上说。“阿尔文?高奇。”
“that was mr. Goudge,” buttonholes said, out in the hall. “Alvin Goudge.”
他打开走廊下一扇门。里面是一个和高奇先生的办公室相似的办公室，只是有两个丰满的女孩在两台加法机前疯狂地工作，一排十分钱商店的玩具卡车装饰着雕刻的大理石壁炉架顶部。一个留着宽胡子、毡帽拉低遮住眼睛的男人在角落里的转椅上大声打着呼噜。
he opened the next door down the hall. It disclosed an office similar to the one occupied by mr. Goudge, save that two plumpish girls were working furiously at a pair of adding machines, and that a row of tencent-store toy trucks decorated the top of the carved marble mantelpiece. A wide mustached man with a felt hat pulled down over his eyes was sleeping noisily in the swivel chair in the corner.
“这是公路部门，” 杰克宣称。
“this is the highway department,” Jake declared.
纽扣先生钦佩地盯着他。“你怎么知道的？”
buttonholes stared at him admiringly. “how did you know?”
杰克神秘地说：“这是怀旧周。” 他吹了一句《公路是快乐的路》的曲调。“在格罗夫县，他们通过抽奖选公路专员。我们继续走吧。”
Jake said cryptically, “this is old home week.” he whistled a bar of highways Are happy ways. “back in Grove county they picked the highway missioner in a numbers game. Let’s shove on.”
纽扣先生会意地咧嘴笑了，用胳膊肘碰了碰杰克的肋骨，说：“我们的公路专员切特?费尼在米尔斯中心附近拥有六个农场。” 他突然停下来，表情严肃，然后用一种正直的低语补充道：“他酗酒。”
buttonholes grinned knowingly, nudged Jake in the ribs, and said, “chet Feeny, our highway missioner, owns a half-dozen farms up near mills center.” he stopped suddenly, looked stern, and added in a virtuous whisper, “he drinks.”
“也许他有一个不为人知的悲伤故事，” 海伦悲伤地说。
“maybe he has a secret sorrow,” helene said sadly.
小个子清洁工领着他们沿着洞穴般的走廊继续走，打开了一连串标有 “县护士”、“户外救济” 和 “卫生设施” 的门。他经过一对华丽的双扇门，门上有一个金色字母的牌子，上面写着 “县法院”。
the little janitor led them on down the cavernous hall, opening a succession of doors marked coUNtY NURSE, oUtdooR RELIEF, and SANItAtIoN. he passed by an ornate pair of double doors on which a gold-lettered sign proclaimed coUNtY coURt.
“门锁着，” 他解释说。“富特法官去钓鱼了。”
“It’s locked up,” he explained. “Judge Foote is away on a fishing trip.”
他打开一扇门，里面是一段又长又窄且极其陡峭的楼梯，然后他在前面带路。楼梯顶部附近有一个急剧而危险的弯道。
he opened a door disclosing a long, narrow, and extremely steep staircase, and led the way up. Near the top of it was a Sharp and perilous curve.
“这些只是后楼梯，” 他解释说。
“these are only the back stairs,” he 解释说。
“两组楼梯，” 金发女孩说。“真够炫耀的。”
“two sets of stairs,” the blonde girl said. “Sheer swank.”
楼梯顶部有两个大而沉闷的房间和一个小走廊。纽扣先生解释说，一个是陪审团室，另一个是用于商议的房间。走廊尽头的门通向一个扫帚柜。他们继续走进法庭。
At the top of the stairs were two large, dreary rooms and a tiny hall. one was the jury room and the other was for consultations, buttonholes explained. the door off the hall led into a broom closet. they went on into the courtroom.
这是一个巨大的、天花板很高的房间，灰泥墙被漆成很像大理石的样子。法官席上方一幅昏暗的壁画似乎与正义有关。它部分被一面旗帜覆盖着。
It was an immense, high-ceilinged room, the plaster walls painted in a fair approximation of marble. A dingy mural above the judge’s bench appeared to have something to do with justice. It was partly covered with a flag.
“漂亮的房间，” 纽扣先生自豪地说。“我很高兴你喜欢它，” 海伦说。杰克好奇地看着围栏内的一群人。有纽扣先生见过的那两个人，麦高恩小姐和前参议员佩维利，后者脸红得厉害，汗流浃背，显然很生气。有一个结实的中年男子，沙色头发；纽扣先生指出他是县委员会主席埃德?斯金丁斯鲁德。那个高大英俊、白发卷曲的男人是县书记员菲尔?史密斯。
“beautiful room,” buttonholes said proudly. “I’m glad you like it,” helene said. Jake looked curiously at the group of people inside the enclosure. there were the two that buttonholes had seen, miss macGowan, and ex-Senator peveley, the latter very red-faced, very perspiring, and apparently very cross. there was a sturdy, middle-aged man with sandy hair; buttonholes pointed him out as Ed Skindingsrude, chairman of the county board. the tall, handsome man with curly white hair is phil Smith, the county clerk.
“如果正在进行一场审判，你会觉得更有趣，” 清洁工抱歉地说。“法庭要到十月份才开庭。”
“You’d find it more interesting if a trial was going on,” the janitor said apologetically. “court ain’t in session till october.”
“我相信如果你知道我们要来，你会做出不同的安排，” 杰克说。“也许甚至是一个精彩的谋杀案。”
“I’m sure if you’d known we were ing you’d have made different arrangements,” Jake said. “maybe even a nice juicy murder case.”
纽扣先生咧嘴笑了。“三十二年来杰克逊县没有发生过谋杀案。三十二年前，杰伊溪的一个人因为一笔马匹交易开枪打死了他的岳父。杰伊溪的人非常强悍。”
buttonholes grinned. “Ain’t been a murder in Jackson county in thirty-two years. Fella up in Jay creek shot his father-in-law over a horse deal, thirty-two years ago. Awful tough bunch of people up in Jay creek.”
“脾气暴躁，” 海伦严肃地说。“也许事情比报纸上报道的要复杂得多。也许他也有一个不为人知的悲伤故事。”
“quick-tempered,” helene said gravely. “maybe there was more to it than ever got into the papers. maybe he had a secret sorrow too.”
纽扣先生摇摇头。“他声称老家伙偷了他的马，” 他严肃地说。他们慢慢地穿过法庭。来到另一边的一个宽阔的楼梯，这个楼梯令人印象深刻，它有一个厚厚的、近乎红木的栏杆，通向下面的楼层。
buttonholes shook his head. “he claimed the old guy stole his horse,” he said solemnly. they trailed slowly across the courtroom. on the other side, a wide, impressive stairway with a thick, near-mahogany rail led down to the floor below.
“这是主楼梯，” 清洁工说。“那个小楼梯是以防万一有紧急情况才建的，但它太方便了，所以一直都有人用。”
“this here’s the main stairway,” the janitor said. “the little one was put up there just in case of emergencies, but it’s so handy it gets used all the time.”
“别灰心，” 海伦说。“也许某一天这里会有紧急情况，然后所有人都会走主楼梯。”
“don’t be discouraged,” helene said. “maybe you’ll have an emergency here sometime, and then everybody’ll use the main stairway.”
杰克在楼梯平台上停了下来，一只手仍然抓着栏杆。透过楼梯平台上方的拱形窗户，他可以看到外面不祥的黑暗加深了，空气令人窒息的静止既能看到也能感觉到。天空的边缘出现了一道微弱、丑陋、略带绿色的光。
Jake had paused on the landing, one hand still clinging to the rail. through the arched window above the landing he could see that the ominous darkness outside had deepened, the breathless stillness of the air could be seen as much as felt. A faint, ugly, greenish light showed at the very edge of the sky.
“她会是一场狂风暴雨，” 纽扣先生钦佩地望着窗户，轻声说道。
“She’s going to be a ring-tailed dandy,” buttonhole breathed admiringly, looking up at the window.
“这让我感到恐惧，” 杰克尖锐地说，伸手去拿香烟。“我通常不介意暴风雨，但这次有些事情让我感到非常、非常恐惧。”
“It gives me the horrors,” Jake said sharply, reaching for a cigarette. “I usually don't mind storms, but something about this gives me just plain, old-fashioned horrors.”
海伦看着他，张开嘴想说什么，又闭上了。
helene looked at him, opened her mouth to speak, and closed it again.
纽扣先生若有所思地看着他。“你也这样吗？”
buttonholes regarded him thoughtfully. “Are you like that too?”
“像什么？” 杰克怀疑地问。他的声音有点尖锐。
“Like what?” Jake asked suspiciously. there was a little edge to his voice.
“预知能力。我自己也有点这种倾向。”
“Second sight. I tend a little that way myself.”
“那一定非常有用，” 海伦说。“你对赛马有什么研究么？”
“It must be wonderfully useful,” helene said. “how are you on horse races?”
纽扣先生没有理会她。“我的祖母是威尔士人。她有这种天赋。” 他深吸了一口气。“永远忘不了她见到阿特?托尼的时候，他当时在和我继妹的大女儿交往。她直视着他，然后说，‘年轻人，你身上有死亡的印记。’” 他停顿了一下，然后利落地往一个沙桶里吐了口痰。“这就是她原话。”
buttonholes ignored her. “my grandmother was a welshwoman. She had the gift.” he drew a long breath. “Never forget when she met Art tonny, he was going with my stepsister’s oldest girl. She looked right at him and she said, ‘Young man, there’s the mark of death on you.’ ” he paused and spat neatly into a sand bucket. “those are the very words she used.”
“我能想出更好的表述，” 杰克钦佩地说。
“I can think of better ones,” Jake said admiringly.
“五年后，” 纽扣先生说，“他喝醉了，把车开进了河里。” 他又补充道，“幸好我继妹的大女儿没有嫁给他。”
“Five years later,” buttonholes said, “he got drunk and drove his car into the river.” he added, “Good thing my stepsister’s oldest girl hadn’t married him.”
“也许她也有同样的天赋，” 海伦评论道。
“maybe she had the same gift,” helene mented.
他们来到了从杰克逊县法院前部延伸到后部的巨大的下层大厅。不知从哪里突然吹来一阵微风，像一把冰冷的刀穿过潮湿的温暖空气，然后又突然平息了。
they had reached the vast lower hall that stretched from the front of the Jackson county courthouse to its rear. A sudden breeze arose from nowhere, cutting across the humid warmth like a cold knife, and, as suddenly, died down again.
“不管有没有暴风雨，” 杰克?贾斯特坚定地说，抓住海伦的胳膊，“我们要离开这里，而且 ——”
“Storm or no storm,” Jake Justus began firmly, taking helene by the arm, “we’re getting out of here, and -”
就在这时，他们听到了一声尖叫。
that was when they heard the scream.
叫声来自他们头顶上方的某个地方，是一种奇怪的、半窒息的呼喊。接着是另一个声音，一个沉重的身体在那狭窄、扭曲的后楼梯上翻滚和碰撞的声音。
It came from somewhere over their heads, a strange, half-choked cry. It was followed by another sound, that of a heavy body rolling and bumping down that narrow twisting, back staircase.
红头发的男人在楼梯底部，就在前参议员佩维利的身体滚到走廊地板上的时候。杰克弯下腰快速看了一眼。
the red-haired man reached the bottom of the stairs just as the body of ex-Senator peveley rolled out onto the corridor floor. Jake bent down for a quick look.
“嗯，” 他严峻地说，“这是三十二年来的第二起谋杀案。”
“well,” he said grimly, “there’s your second murder in thirty-two years.”