马龙探案卷四 之 正确的凶案 二十九
“躺着别动。”马龙严厉地说，“你不能动。”
“Lie still,” malone said sternly. “You mustn’t move.”
有那么一瞬间，杰克疯狂地想起自己小时候玩士兵和印第安人的游戏，还喊过：“嘿，你不许动。你死了。”
For an insane moment Jake was reminded of playing soldiers and Indians when he was a small boy, and of crying out, “hey, you ain’t allowed to move. You’re dead.”
“把你的大衣给我，杰克。”律师说。他已经把自己的大衣塞在了罗斯·麦克劳林的身体下面。海伦的大皮手筒放在他的头下。
“Give me your overcoat, Jake,” the lawyer said. he had already tucked his own under the body of Ross mcLaurin. helene’s immense fur muff was under his head.
杰克顺从地把大衣脱下来，几乎感觉不到刺骨的寒风。马龙轻轻地把它盖在伤者身上，跪在他旁边又摸了摸他的脉搏。
Jake peeled it off obediently, almost unconscious of the biting wind. malone laid it gently over the wounded man, knelt beside him and felt his pulse again.
“你不该活着。”他嘟囔着，“但，看在上帝的份上，你确实活着。”
“You haven’t any business being alive,” he grumbled, “but, by all that’s holy, you are.”
罗斯·麦克劳林的眼睛与他对视了一瞬间，认出了他，然后又闭上了。
Ross mcLaurin’s eyes met his for an instant of recognition and closed again.
“这真是一团糟。”马龙说，“我们得赶紧把他送到医院去。而且我正努力把这该死的案子都控制在冯·弗拉纳根的管辖范围内。要是让安迪·阿赫恩或者枫树公园警察局掺和进来，我会发疯的。”
“this is a hell of a mess,” malone said. “we’ve got to get him to a hospital quick. And I’m trying to keep all this damned case inside von Flanagan’s jurisdiction. Let Andy Ahearn or the maple park police department get mixed up in it, and I’ll lose my mind.”
“他伤得有多重？”海伦问道。
“how bad is he?” helene demanded.
“我不知道。他背上有个伤口。但不可能有严重的内出血，不然他坚持不了这么久。显然，刀没有刺中任何主要动脉。不过，我们还是得赶紧把他转移走。”
“I don’t know. he’s got a hole in his back. but there can’t be any severe internal hemorrhage or he wouldn’t have lasted this long. Evidently the knife didn’t hit any main artery. Still, we’ve got to move him, fast.”
杰克说：“我认识一个有灵车的人。他在罗杰斯公园开了一家低价殡仪馆。他是个骗子，但我们可以信任他。”
“Jake said, “I know a guy who owns a hearse. Runs a cut-rate undertaking parlor in Rogers park. he’s a crook, but we can trust him.”
“那就行。”马龙说，“哪儿有电话？”
“that’ll do it,” malone said. “where’s a telephone?”
“离这儿大概四个街区，车站附近有一家通宵营业的小酒馆。”
“there’s an all-night tavern open near the station, about four blocks from here.”
“快去打电话，”海伦说，“让你的朋友快点。我们不能让这个人死在我们面前。”她在他身后喊道，“我们会尽量让他暖和着，等你回来。我想生堆火，但枫树公园可能会叫海岸警卫队来。”
“make it on the run,” helene said, “and tell your pal to hurry. we can’t let this guy die on us.” She called after him, “we’ll try to keep him warm till you get back. I’d build a fire, but maple park would probably call out the coast guard.”
杰克从树林里的坟墓一路狂奔到北岸车站附近的小酒馆。在那里，他打了个电话，把哈里·科瓦尔克从床上叫起来，用贿赂和威胁巧妙结合的方式让他以最快速度开车到枫树公园来。他买了一夸脱黑麦威士忌，发现酒馆老板住在他店铺楼上，有一条多余的毯子，就也买了下来，然后一路跑着回来。
Jake sprinted the entire distance between the grave in the woods and the little tavern near the North Shore station. there he made his telephone call, got one harry Kowalke out of bed and induced him, with a finely balanced bination of bribery and blackmail, to drive out to maple park at top speed. he bought a quart of rye, found that the tavernkeeper, who lived above his place of business, had an extra blanket and bought that too, and ran every step of the way back.
“给。”他气喘吁吁地说，把黑麦威士忌递过去。他把毯子盖在那个一动不动的身体上。“他怎么样了？”
“here,” he said breathlessly, holding out the rye. he tucked the blanket over the still form. “how is he?”
马龙撕开瓶子的封口，一口气喝了差不多两英寸高的酒，然后才递给海伦。“伤口不严重。刀显然是撞到了一根肋骨然后滑开了，没造成太大伤害。主要问题是受冻。”
“malone tore the top off the bottle and took a good two inches out of it in one breath before he handed it to helene. “the wound isn’t a bad one. Knife evidently hit a rib and slid off without doing much harm. Exposure’s the main trouble.”
“除非，”海伦看着病人说，“他只是昏过去了。”
“Unless,” helene said, peering at the patient, “he’s just passed out.”
“给他喝点酒。”杰克说着自己也喝了一口。“我不是医生，但这能让他暖和点。也许我该再喝一口，我没穿大衣呢。”他把瓶子递给海伦。
“Give him a drink,” Jake said, taking one himself. “I’m no doctor, but it’ll keep him warm. maybe I’d better take another one, I haven’t my overcoat on.” he handed the bottle to helene.
“我自己也不怎么暖和。”海伦说着打开了瓶子。“你给你朋友打电话了吗？”
“I’m not so darn warm myself,” helene said, taking the top off the bottle. “did you phone your pal?”
“他正在路上。”杰克告诉她。他转向马龙。“他会把车停在小门边。我们能把这个人抬那么远吗？”
“he’s on his way,” Jake told her. he turned to malone. “he’ll park right by the little gate. can we carry this guy that far?”
“很容易。”马龙说。他把毯子铺在雪地上，从中间对折起来，在杰克的帮助下，把罗斯·麦克劳林挪到毯子上。然后他把两件大衣盖在那个一动不动的身体上，说：“你拿两个角，我拿两个角，就像抬担架一样。我就知道我在童子军训练中学到的东西会有用处。”他把手电筒和瓶子递给海伦，又说：“看在上帝的份上，别被什么东西绊倒了。那瓶黑麦威士忌是我们仅有的酒了。”
“Easy,” malone said. he spread the blanket out on the snow, folded down the middle, and, with Jake’s help, slid Ross mcLaurin onto it. then he spread the two overcoats over the still form and said, “You take two corners, and I’ll take two, just like a stretcher. I always knew I’d get some good out of that boy Scout training.” he handed the flashlight and the bottle to helene, adding, “For the love of mike, don’t trip over anything. that bottle of rye is all the liquor we’ve got.”
他们抬着失去知觉的罗斯·麦克劳林，轻松地穿过树林里怪异的黑暗，走过宽阔的白色草坪，来到小门边。
they carried the unconscious Ross mcLaurin back through the eerie darkness of the woods, across the broad, white expanse of lawn, and up to the little gate, by easy stages.
他们在那里停下来，等着哈里·科瓦尔克和他的灵车到来。马龙利用这个间歇点了一支雪茄，又拿回了那瓶黑麦威士忌。
there they paused, waiting for the arrival of harry Kowalke and his hearse. malone took advantage of the pause to light a cigar and retrieve the bottle of rye.
“当然，”海伦说，“我们来这里是为了监视伊迪莎·文宁。也许马龙应该留在这里保持警惕，而我们把罗斯送回芝加哥。”
“of course,” helene said, “we came out here to watch for Editha Venning. maybe malone ought to stay out here and keep his eyes open, while we take Ross back to chicago.”
幸运的是，马龙的回答没有被听到。
Fortunately malone’s reply was lost.
罗斯·麦克劳林微微动了一下，喃喃地说着：“苍白的手，指尖粉红，像漂浮在……我们曾经居住的芬芳水域上的莲花苞……”然后又陷入了昏迷。
Ross mcLaurin stirred faintly and murmured something about, “pale hands, pink-tipped, like lotus buds that floated—on scented waters where we used to dwell—” and lapsed into unconsciousness again.
“他在说他的女朋友。”海伦温柔地说。
“he’s talking about his girl friend,” helene said gently.
“如果他活下来，”马龙严峻地说，“等他苏醒过来，他会告诉我们他发生了什么事。他会知道是谁刺伤了他。然后，谢天谢地，这个案子就差不多结了。”他把黑麦威士忌递给杰克。
“If he lives,” malone said grimly, “when he es to, he’ll tell us what happened to him. he’ll know who knifed him. then, heaven be praised, the case will be practically closed.” he handed the rye to Jake.
“他不仅要活下来。”杰克严峻地说，“他还要活下来并且记得。你忘了莱昂纳多·亨尼西医生了吗？”
“he’s got to do better than live,” Jake said grimly. “he’s got to live and remember. have you forgotten dr. Leonardo hennessey?”
几分钟后，一辆长长的黑色灵车悄无声息地、没有开灯地驶到了门口。一个高个子、瘦长、脸色苍白的男人穿着一件黑色的切斯特菲尔德大衣，戴着一顶圆顶礼帽走了出来。马龙把剩下的大部分黑麦威士忌给了他，而杰克从灵车后面抬起担架。没过几分钟，罗斯·麦克劳林就安全舒适地被抬上了车。
A few minutes later a long, black hearse, moving quietly and without lights, slid up to the gate. A tall, thin, pale-faced man in a black chesterfield overcoat and a derby hat emerged. malone gave him most of the remaining rye while Jake lifted the stretcher from the back of the conveyance. It was only a matter of minutes before Ross mcLaurin was safely and fortably on board.
“我们很着急。”海伦说，“我来开车。”
“we’re in a hurry,” helene said. “I’ll drive.”
哈里·科瓦尔克怀疑地看着她。
harry Kowalke looked at her skeptically.
“她是对的。”杰克说，“别和她争。”
“She’s right,” Jake said. “don’t argue with her.”
“好吧，伙计。”科瓦尔克说，打开一根口香糖。“我去后面陪病人。我们去哪儿？”
“o. K., pal,” Kowalke said, unwrapping a stick of chewing gum. “I’ll get in back with the patient. where are we going?”
“去芝加哥里面的第一家医院……不，等一下。”马龙开始说。
“the first hospital inside chicago—” malone began. “No, wait a minute.”
“你不能那么做。”杰克说，“警察会问你为什么不叫他们，却叫了这个人。”
“You can’t do that,” Jake said. “the police are going to ask why the hell you didn’t call them, instead of this guy.”
“对。往芝加哥开。在我们到那儿之前我会想出办法的。”马龙说。他看了看瓶子。“如果能找到一家通宵营业的酒类商店，你最好停一下。这快空了。”他和车主以及昏迷的麦克劳林一起爬上了灵车的后部。
“that’s right. Go on toward chicago I’ll think of something before we get there,” malone said. he glanced at the bottle. “You’d better pause at an all-night liquor store if you can find one. this is damn-near empty.” he climbed into the back of the hearse with its owner and the unconscious mcLaurin.
海伦慢慢地开了两个街区，没开灯，然后把灯全打开。“让他们见识下！”哈里·科瓦尔克从后面喊道，她踩下了油门。
helene drove two blocks slowly and with the lights off, then switched them on full. “Let ’em rip!” came harry Kowalke’s voice from the back, and she stepped on the gas.
回芝加哥的旅程有一种噩梦般的感觉。傍晚早些时候的交通把雪压实在了弯曲的道路上，雪在这里那里融化了，然后又冻成了一片片危险的冰。有一次，灵车疯狂地滑行了半个街区，转了半圈，最后停在了一个受惊的市民的车道上。
the ride back to chicago had a nightmarish quality about it. the snow, packed down on curving roads by the early evening traffic, had melted here and there, and then frozen into patches of treacherous ice. once the hearse skidded insanely for half a block, turned halfway around, and came to rest in the driveway of a startled citizen.
在埃文斯顿的边界处，海伦发现，作为一辆辅助救护车，这辆车可以使用警笛。这个发现带来了一场真正精彩的表演。
At the border of Evanston, helene discovered that, as an auxiliary ambulance, the vehicle was permitted to carry a siren. the discovery brought out a really inspired performance.
刚过霍华德街，马龙说：“我不太认识这些北区的警察。走外车道，然后全速开往芝加哥大街。”
Just beyond howard Street, malone said, “I don’t know any of these north-side cops very well. take the outer drive and go like hell down to chicago Avenue.”
海伦严格按照指示行事。在芝加哥大街，他们向西转时，杰克在六十个街区里第三次倒吸了一口气。
helene carried out instructions to the letter. At chicago Avenue, as they turned west, Jake caught his breath for the third time in sixy blocks.
“开过克拉克街，”马龙说，“向左转，在街区的半道上你会找到一条小巷。我们在那儿下车。”
“drive past clark Street,” malone said, “turn left, and you’ll find an alley halfway down the block. we’ll get out there.”
他们拐进小巷时，仪表盘上的时钟正好显示三点半。仍然昏迷不醒的罗斯·麦克劳林被从灵车上抬下来，放在了路面上。马龙把自己的名片递给哈里·科瓦尔克，说：“给我寄账单。把剩下的黑麦威士忌带回家路上喝。”
It was exactly half-past three by the clock on the dashboard when they turned into the alley. Ross mcLaurin, still unconscious, was lifted out of the hearse and laid on the pavement. malone gave harry Kowalke his card and said, “Send me a bill. take the rest of the rye to drink on the way home.”
“还有，谢谢。”杰克补充道。
“And thanks,” Jake added.
哈里·科瓦尔克说：“为朋友两肋插刀。”然后上了灵车开走了。
harry Kowalke said, “Anything for a pal,” got in the hearse, and drove away.
马龙检查了一下这个年轻人，发现他的呼吸稍微平稳了一些，脉搏也更强了。
malone examined the young man, saw that his breathing was a little more regular and his pulse stronger.
“现在，”他说，“杰克，你赶紧去最近的电话亭给芝加哥大街警察局打电话。我们从午夜就开始找这个人，刚刚发现他躺在一条小巷里。我在这儿陪着他等你回来。”
“Now,” he said, “Jake, you beat it up to the nearest phone and call the chicago Avenue police station. we’ve been out looking for this guy since midnight, and just found him lying in an alley. I’ll stay here with him till you get back.”
杰克离开后，他蹲在那个一动不动的人旁边。罗斯·麦克劳林的脸毫无表情，苍白得像粉笔。突然，他喘了口气，似乎有点噎住了，然后睁开了眼睛。
while Jake was gone, he squatted down beside the still figure. Ross mcLaurin’s face was expressionless and pale, the color of chalk. Suddenly he gasped, seemed to choke a little, and opened his eyes.
“你没事了。”马龙含糊而又安慰地说。
“You’re o. K.,” malone said, vaguely and helpfully.
年轻人眼中的神情变成了认出他的样子。“我现在想起来了。你是……马龙。”
the look in the young man’s eyes changed to one of recognition. “I remember now. You’re—malone.”
“是我。”律师说。
“that’s me,” the lawyer said.
“别说话。”海伦说着，俯身在年轻人身上。
“don’t try to talk,” helene said, bending over the young man.
“我想起来了。”罗斯·麦克劳林低声说。“我跟着……那个被杀的人……沿着谢尔曼酒店附近停车场旁边的小巷走。”他慢慢地、痛苦地吸了口气。“他不想让我……跟着他……但我想帮他……找到你。我看到他……被杀了。我以为是我自己干的。但现在我知道……不是我……”
“I remember,” Ross mcLaurin whispered. “I followed—the man who was killed—up the alley near the parking lot—near the Sherman hotel.” he drew a slow, painful breath. “he didn’t want me—with him—but I wanted to help him—find you. I saw him—killed. I thought I did it myself. but I know now—I didn’t—”
“那另一个呢？”马龙轻声问。
“And the other one?” malone said quietly.
“我……没杀他。我走进他的房间……发现他死了。”
“I—didn’t kill him. I went into his room and—found him dead.”
海伦在他身边跪下。“今天下午你怎么了，罗斯？”
“helene knelt down beside him. “what happened to you this afternoon, Ross?”
“我想起了……我刚刚告诉你的事。我想……找到你……或者那个女孩……或者其他人……然后告诉……”他的呼吸开始变得缓慢。“我们……正打算出去找你……然后……”他停了下来。
“I remembered—what I’ve just told you. I wanted to—find you—or that girl—or someone—and tell—” his breath began to e slowly. “we—were going out to find you—and then—” he paused.
“继续说。”马龙沙哑地说。“谁刺伤了你？”
“Go on,” malone said hoarsely. “who stabbed you?”
罗斯·麦克劳林苍白的嘴唇吐出一个词，但没有声音发出。他蓝色的眼睛与律师的目光短暂交汇，然后像鸟儿收起翅膀一样轻轻地闭上了。
Ross mcLaurin’s white lips formed a word, but no sound came. his blue eyes met the lawyer’s in one brief glance, and closed as gently as the folding of a bird’s wing.
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