There was a moment’s silence — a silence of dismay and bewilderment. Then the judge’s small clear voice took up the thread once more.
房间里顿时静了下来。静了好一阵子。因为大家都心慌意乱，不知怎么办才好。后来，还是嗓门细小但吐字清晰的法官把话茬接了下去。
He took a letter from his pocket and tossed it onto the table.
他从口袋里掏出一封信，摊在桌上。
“This purports to be from an old friend of mine, Lady Constance Culmington. I have not seen her for some years. She went to the East. It is exactly the kind of vague incoherent letter she would write, urging me to join her here and referring to her host and hostess in the vaguest of terms. The same technique, you will observe. I only mention it because it agrees with the other evidence — from all of which emerges one interesting point. Whoever it was who enticed us here, that person knows or has taken the trouble to find out a good deal about us all. He, whoever he may be, is aware of my Lady Constance — and is familiar with her epistolary style. He knows something about Dr. Armstrong’s colleagues and their present whereabouts. He knows the nickname of Mr. Marston’s friend and the kind of telegrams he sends. He knows exactly where Miss Brent was two years ago for her holiday and the kind of people she met there. He knows all about General Macarthur’s old cronies.”
“这玩意儿自称是我的一个老朋友，康斯坦斯·卡尔明顿夫人写来的。我有多年没见到她了。她去了东方。信倒是完全像她以往写的那样：措辞含糊，前言不搭后语。她要我到这里来，提起了这里的这位东道主和东道主夫人，但语焉不详。总之，你们都看得出来，像给你们的信一样，还是老一套手法。我之所以提一提是因为这封信同其它的一些证据吻合——凡此种种，归结到耐人寻味的一点：且不管把我们大家弄到这儿来的那位老兄是谁，但他了解，或者说费尽心机地打听到了不少有关我们的事情。不管他是谁，总之，他知道我同康斯坦斯夫人的友谊，甚至熟悉她写信的文体。他知道阿姆斯特朗大夫的同行，包括他们现今的行止。他知道马斯顿先生朋友的绰号以及他习惯于拍发的那种电报。他确确实实地知道布伦特小姐两年前在哪里度的假，同哪些人打过交道。至于麦克阿瑟将军的那些老伙计，他也都知道。”
“We will now proceed to the next stage of our inquiry. First, however, I will just add my own credentials to the list.”
“现在，我们进入询问的第二步。但是，在这之前，让我在我们这份名单里先添上我本人的证明信件。”
Immediately a babel broke out.
话音刚落，顿时引起了一阵喧哗。
He paused. Then he said: “He knows, you see, a good deal. And out of his knowledge concerning us, he has made certain definite accusations.”
他停了停，又说道：“你们看，他知道得真多啊！然后，就他所知，对我们提出了某些具体而明确的指控。”
General Macarthur shouted: “A pack of damn lies! Slander!”
麦克阿瑟将军嚷了起来：“尽是些胡说八道，诽谤。”
Rogers said hoarsely: “A lie — a wicked lie… we never did — neither of us.”
罗杰斯粗声粗气地说：“撒谎——恶意的撒谎……我们从来没有干过——我们谁也没有干过……”
Anthony Marston growled: “Don’t know what the damned fool was getting at!”
安东尼·马斯顿咆哮起来：“真不明白这该死的家伙目的何在！”
The upraised hand of Mr. Justice Wargrave calmed the tumult.
沃格雷夫法官先生用高举着的手止住了这一阵子纷乱。
Vera cried out: “It’s iniquitous!” Her breath came fast. “Wicked!”
维拉也大声喊道：“居心不良！”她的呼吸急促起来，“坏透了。”
He said, picking his words with care: “I wish to say this. Our unknown friend accuses me of the murder of one Edward Seton. I remember Seton perfectly well. He came up before me for trial in June of the year 1930. He was charged with the murder of an elderly woman. He was very ably defended and made a good impression on the jury in the witness box. Nevertheless, on the evidence, he was certainly guilty. I summed up accordingly, and the jury brought in a verdict of Guilty. In passing sentence of death I concurred with the verdict. An appeal was lodged on the grounds of misdirection. The appeal was rejected and the man was duly executed. I wish to say before you all that my conscience is perfectly clear on the matter. I did my duty and nothing more. I passed sentence on a rightly convicted murderer.”
他字斟句酌地说道：“我希望说说这点儿。我们这位不知名姓的朋友控告我谋杀了一个叫爱德华·塞顿的人。我清清楚楚地记得塞顿。1930年6月，他站在我面前受审。他的罪名是杀害了一个女长辈。他能言善辩，打动了证人席上的陪审团。尽管如此，罪证确凿，他肯定是有罪的。我依法结案，而陪审团也认定他有罪。根据定案，判处他死刑。他又上诉，但证据不足，理当驳回。结果按期处决了。我愿意当着你们大家的面说清楚，在这桩事情上，我问心无愧。我履行职责，如此而已，决无他情。我判处的是个是非有据、定了罪的谋杀犯。”
Armstrong was remembering now. The Seton case! The verdict had come as a great surprise. He had met Matthews, K. C., on one of the days of the trial dining at a restaurant. Matthews had been confident. “Not a doubt of the verdict. Acquittal practically certain.” And then afterwards he had heard comments: “Judge was dead against him. Turned the jury right round and they brought him in guilty. Quite legal, though. Old Wargrave knows his law.”
啊，现在阿姆斯特朗记起塞顿那桩案子了！当时如此定罪，对谁都是个极大的意外！记得审案期间，有一天在饭馆吃饭时，他见到王家法律顾问马修斯。马修斯很有把握地说：“无罪开释这一点实际上已经肯定了，只能这样结案，不容置疑。”后来，他听到了种种议论，说什么“法官一意同被告作对，操纵了陪审团，结果定为有罪。当然法律上还是有根有据的，沃格雷夫老法官这一套是不含糊的。”
All these memories rushed through the doctor’s mind. Before he could consider the wisdom of the question he had asked impulsively: “Did you know Seton at all? I mean previous to the case.”
这些回忆一下子涌上了大夫的心头，还没有来得及考虑好怎样问才更巧妙一些，他就脱口而出：“你一点也不认识塞顿？我意思是说，在办案之前？”
“it was almost as though he had a private down on the fellow.”
“这桩事情几乎可以说完全是他对被告的发泄私愤。”
Vera Claythorne spoke in a trembling voice. She said: “I’d like to tell you. About that child — Cyril Hamilton. I was nursery governess to him. He was forbidden to swim out far. One day, when my attention was distracted, he started off. I swam after him. I couldn’t get there in time… It was awful… But it wasn’t my fault. At the inquest the Coroner exonerated me. And his mother — she was so kind. If even she didn’t blame me, why should why should this awful thing be said? It’s not f air — not fair.”
维拉·克莱索恩嗓音颤抖地说：“我愿意向大家说说，关于那个孩子西里尔·汉密尔顿。我是他所在托儿所里照料他的保育员。我们不许他游泳游得太远。有一天，我一不在意，他就游出去了。我游着赶上去……我没来得及赶上……确实可怕……但这不是我的过错。质询时，验尸官开脱了我。孩子的母亲——好心极了，就是她也没责怪我。那，为什么要——为什么要这样可怕地说这些话？这不公平，不公平……”
Armstrong said to himself: “The fellow’s lying — I know he’s lying.”
阿姆斯特朗大夫心里想：“这家伙在撒谎——我清楚，他明明是在撒谎。”
The hooded reptilian eyes met his. In a clear cold voice the judge said: “I knew nothing of Seton previous to the case.”
法官那双耷拉着眼皮的、鬼鬼祟祟的眼睛望着他，冷冰冰地明确地说道：“在这桩案子之前，我同塞顿素不相识。”
He stood erect, squaring his shoulders. He barked out: “Best really to leave this sort of thing unanswered. However, feel I ought to say — no truth — no truth whatever in what he said about — er — young Arthur Richmond. Richmond was one of my officers. I sent him on a reconnaissance. He was killed. Natural course of events in war time. Wish to say resent very much — slur on my wife. Best woman in the world. Absolutely — Caesar’s wife!”
他笔直地站着，平端双肩地大声吼道：“最好干脆不理睬它。当然，我想我也得说上几句——不对的——他说的那些事是不对的。呃——阿瑟·里奇蒙那小伙子！里奇蒙是我的一个部下。我让他去执行一次侦察任务，他被打死了，这是战争期间常有的事。我得说我是非常气愤的——往我夫人脸上抹黑。她是天底下最贤惠不过的妇女了。没话说的——凯撒的老婆（指克利奥巴特拉，以美丽著称——译者注）！”
General Macarthur sat down. His shaking hand pulled at his moustache. The effort to speak had cost him a good deal.
麦克阿瑟将军坐下了。他用那颤抖的手抚弄着胡子，说出这段话，可费了他老大的劲儿。
Lombard spoke. His eyes were amused. He said: “About those natives –“
轮到隆巴德说话了，眼神还在逗趣儿呐。他说道：“关于那些当地土著的——”
Philip Lombard grinned. “Story’s quite true! I left ’em! Matter of self-preservation. We were lost in the bush. I and a couple of other fellows took what food there was and cleared out.”
菲利普·隆巴德乐了。“事情是真的，我甩开了他们，保全自己嘛。我们在林子里迷了路。我同另外一两个人把粮食全拿走，溜了。”
General Macarthur patted her shoulder. He said: “There, there, my dear. Of course it’s not true. Fellow’s a madman. A madman! Got a bee in his bonnet! Got hold of the wrong end of the stick all round.”
麦克阿瑟将军拍拍她的肩膀说：“得了，得了，亲爱的。当然这样说是不对的。那家伙是个疯子，一个疯子，精神错乱，完完全全纠缠不清，颠三倒四。”
She broke down, weeping bitterly.
她说不下去了，伤心地哭了起来。
Marston said: “What about them?”
马斯顿说道：“他们怎么啦？”
Vera lifted her face from her hands. She said, staring at him: “You left them — to die?”
维拉把脸从捂着的双手中抬了起来，她瞅着隆巴德说道：“你就让他们——去死，啊？”
Lombard said: “Not quite the act of a pukka sahib, I’m afraid. But self-preservation’s a man’s first duty. And natives don’t mind dying, you know. They don’t feel about it as Europeans do.”
隆巴德说道：“是有点儿不够绅士味儿，我自己看也是。但是保全自己是人类的本能啊！而且土人们也不在乎死啊活啊的，你也知道，他们不像欧洲人把死看得那么重。”
General Macarthur said sternly: “You abandoned your men — left them to starve?”
麦克阿瑟将军严厉地说道：“你抛弃了你的部下，存心让他们饿死？”
His amused eyes looked into her horrified ones.
他那双乐滋滋的眼睛直盯着维拉惊恐的双眼。
Lombard answered: “I left them to die.”
隆巴德回答说：“对，我让他们去死。”
Mr. Justice Wargrave said acidly: “For them, or for you?”
沃格雷夫法官先生酸溜溜地说道：“谁倒霉，你，还是他们？”
Dr. Armstrong said warmly: “This speeding’s all wrong — all wrong! Young men like you are a danger to the community.”
阿姆斯特朗大夫激动地争辩说：“车开得这么快是不对头的——是完全不对头的！像你这样的年轻人对社会简直是个祸害。”
Anthony Marston said in a slow puzzled voice: “I’ve just been thinking — John and Lucy Combes. Must have been a couple of kids I ran over near Cambridge. Beastly bad luck.”
安东尼·马斯顿神情恍惚地慢慢说：“此刻我一直在想——约翰和露西·库姆斯，想必就是我在剑桥附近压死的那两个孩子。倒了一辈子的霉了。”
Anthony said: “Well, I was thinking — for me — but of course, you’re right, Sir, it was damned bad luck on them. Of course it was a pure accident. They rushed out of some cottage or other. I had my licence endorsed for a year. Beastly nuisance.”
安东尼说道：“是啊，我正在想的是——我倒霉。当然，话又得说回来，你是对的。先生，对他们说来，是够倒霉的。当然，这纯粹是个意外。他们从屋子里还是从别的什么地方冲出来。我的汽车执照给吊销了一年。糟糕透了。”
Lombard said: “Go ahead, Rogers.”
隆巴德说道：“说吧，罗杰斯。”
Anthony shrugged his shoulders. He said: “Speed’s come to stay. English roads are hopeless, of course. Can’t get up a decent pace on them.”
安东尼耸了耸肩膀说：“快不快的问题，那得另说。倒是英国的路真是拿它们没办法，说不上开多快才合适。”
The manservant, Rogers, had been moistening his lips and twisting his hands. He said now in a low deferential voice: “If I might just say a word, Sir.”
男管家罗杰斯一直在舔着嘴唇，搓绞着双手。现在轮到他毕恭毕敬地低声说了：“我能说一句吗，先生。”
He looked round vaguely for his glass, picked it up off a table and went over to the side table and helped himself to another whiskey and soda. He said over his shoulder: “Well, anyway, it wasn’t my fault. Just an accident!”
他四下里找他的杯子，一副“马大哈”的模样，结果在另一张桌上找到了。他又到靠墙的桌上倒了一杯白兰地苏打，回过头来说道：“好吧。不管怎么说，这不是我的错。顶多是一次意外而已！”
Rogers cleared his throat and passed his tongue once more over his dry lips. “There was a mention, sir, of me and Mrs. Rogers. And of Miss Brady. There isn’t a word of truth in it, sir. My wife and I were with Miss Brady till she died. She was always in poor health, Sir, always from the time we came to her. There was a storm, Sir, that night — the night she was taken bad. The telephone was out of order. We couldn’t get the doctor to her. I went for him, sir, on foot. But he got there too late. We’d done everything possible for her, Sir. Devoted to her, we were. Any one will tell you the same. There was never a word said against us. Not a word.”
罗杰斯清了清嗓子，再一次用舌头润润发干的双唇。“是，先生，刚才，也提到了我同罗杰斯太太，还有布雷迪小姐。没有一句是真的，先生。我和我家里的一直伺候布雷迪小姐，直到她去世。她身体一直不好，先生，我们开始伺候她的时候，她身体就不好。那天晚上刮大风了，先生。就在那个晚上，她突然不行了。碰巧，电话又坏了，我们没法给她找大夫。先生，我是走着去找大夫的。大夫来的时候，已经来不及了。我们确实想尽了一切办法，打算救活她，先生。我们对她忠心耿耿，实在是这样的，问谁谁都会这么说。她从来没说过我们一句半句的，从未没有。”
“Landor got penal servitude for life and died in Dartmoor a year later. He was a delicate man.”
“兰道被判处无期徒刑，终身劳役，他体质很弱，一年后死在达脱摩。”
Blore went purple. “Landor, you mean? That was the bank robbery — London and Commercial.”
布洛尔的脸色发紫了。“你的意思是说兰道？那是件银行抢劫案——伦敦商业银行。”
Lombard looked thoughtfully at the man’s twitching face, his dry lips, the fright in his eyes. He remembered the crash of the falling coffee tray. He thought, but did not say, “Oh, yeah?”
隆巴德若有所思地瞧着这个人紧张得歪扭了的脸，发干的嘴唇和惊慌害怕的眼神。他想起刚才失手落地的咖啡托盘。这些只是他心里想着，没有说出口：“喔，是这样吗？”
Lombard said: “What about yourself, Mr. Blore?”
隆巴德说道：“布洛尔先生，说说你自己吧！”
Blore said: “He was a crook. It was he who knocked out the night watchman. The case was quite clear against him.”
布洛尔说道：“他是个匪徒。把夜班警卫打昏的就是他。案情明摆着，该他倒霉。”
Rogers drew himself up. He said stiffly: “Miss Brady left us a legacy in recognition of our faithful services. And why not, I’d like to know?”
罗杰斯强打起精神，死板板地说道：“布雷迪小姐认定我们忠心可靠，服侍得好，所以留了一笔遗产给我门。我倒要请问，这有什么不对呢？”
“What about me?”
“我有什么？”
Blore said: “it was.”
布洛尔说道：“是我。”
Blore spoke — spoke in his hearty bullying official manner.
布洛尔开口了——完全是一副神气活现的吃公事饭的派头儿。
Mr. Justice Wargrave stirred. He said: “I remember. It didn’t come before me, but I remember the case. Landor was convicted on your evidence. You were the police officer in charge of the case?”
沃格雷夫法官先生吃了一惊。他说：“我记起来了。虽然不是我审的，但我记得那起案子。兰道是由你作证才定的罪，你是承办那起案子的警官吗？”
He said: “Came into a little something at her death, though? Eh?”
他说道：“那老娘儿们完了，你们俩总弄到点儿油水了吧？呃？”
“Your name was included in the list.”
“那份起诉书上面也有您的大名。”
Blore said sulkily: “I got my promotion.”
布洛尔阴阳怪气地答道：“我升级了。”
He added in a thick voice: “I was only doing my duty.”
然后，他又恶狠狠地说：“我不过尽我的本分，履行公事罢了。”
Dr. Armstrong, very much master of himself, shook his head goodhumouredly. “I’m at a loss to understand the matter,” he said. “The name meant nothing to me when it was spoken. What was it — Clees? Close? I really can’t remember having a patient of that name, or being connected with a death in any way. The thing’s a complete mystery to me. Of course, it’s a long time ago. It might possibly be one of my operation cases in hospital. They come too late, so many of these people. Then, when the patient dies, they always consider it’s the surgeon’s fault.” He sighed, shaking his head.
阿姆斯特朗大夫，什么也压不垮似的，悠闲地摇摇头。“对此事此地，本人茫然不解，一无所知。”他说道，“至于提到的那个名字，我不清楚。叫什么来着，克利斯？克洛斯？我不记得有叫这个名字的病人，也不记得同哪一桩死亡有任何关系。这事对我压根儿是个谜。这是好久以前的事啦！当然，有可能是我在医院里动过的手术，记不得是哪一次了。送医院送迟了，这种情况多得很！但是只要病人一死，他们总说是动手术人的差错。”他叹着气，摇摇头。
Wargave said slowly: “You were complimented, I think, on your able handling of the case.”
沃格雷夫慢条斯理地说道：“那次，你由于办案干练而得到了嘉奖，我没说错吧！”
Lombard laughed — a sudden ringing laugh. He said: “What a duty — loving, law-abiding lot we all seem to be! Myself excepted. What about you, doctor — and your little professional mistake? Illegal operation, was it?”
隆巴德哈哈大笑——笑得突然，笑得响亮。他笑道：“看来我们都是些多么克尽职责、奉公守法的人物啊！当然我自己不算。那么你又是怎么回事呢？大夫——还有你那小小的医疗事故？是动了什么违法的手术吧！”
Emily Brent glanced at him in sharp distaste and drew herself away a little.
埃米莉·布伦特小姐十分厌恶地瞟了他一眼，把身体挪开了些。
There was a silence in the room. Everybody was looking, covertly or openly, at Emily Brent. It was a minute or two before she became aware of the expectation. Her eyebrows rose on her narrow forehead. She said: “Are you waiting for me to say something? I have nothing to say.”
房间里一片寂静。每个人都瞧着埃米莉·布伦特，有的大大方方，有的偷偷摸摸。隔了足足有一两分钟，她才意识到大家都在等待着她。她那窄窄的额角上挑着双眉说道：“你们都等着我说，是吗？我没有什么好说的。”
“Nothing.”
“一点儿也没有。”
He thought: Drunk — that’s what it was — drunk. And I operated! Nerves all to pieces-hands shaking. I killed her, all right. Poor devil-elderly woman — simple job if I’d been sober. Lucky for me there’s loyalty in our profession. The Sister knew, of course — but she held her tongue. God, it gave me a shock! Pulled me up. But who could have known about it — after all these years?
他心里在想：喝醉了——就是这么回事——喝醉了……喝醉了动的手术！神经全然不管用了——手发颤。是我杀了她，没问题，可怜的冤鬼——那位大嫂。要是没喝酒的话，这种小手术根本不在话下。总算吃我们这行饭的都讲义气。当然，在场的护士心里是有数的——但是没人声张。天哪，那次可把我吓懵了！以后再也不敢了。可是事隔多年——谁又会知道这桩事情呢？
The judge said: “Nothing, Miss Brent?”
法官问：“一点儿也没有吗？布伦特小姐？”
Her lips closed tightly.
她双唇紧闭着。
There was an unsatisfied feeling in the air. But Emily Brent was not one to be swayed by public opinion. She sat unyielding.
现场出现了一种不满的情绪。埃米莉·布伦特竟然不为舆论所动！她毫不妥协地坐着。
The judge stroked his face. He said mildly: “You reserve your defence?”
法官摸摸自己的脸庞，温和地说：“你保留辩护权吗？”
Miss Brent said coldly: “There is no question of defence. I have always acted in accordance with the dictates of my conscience. I have nothing with which to reproach myself.”
布伦特小姐冷冷地答道：“根本谈不到辩护问题。我做事从来不违背我的良心。我没有什么好谴责自己的事情。”
“You’re sure of that?”
“你能肯定吗？”
The judge cleared his throat once or twice. Then he said: “Our inquiry rests there. Now, Rogers, who else is there on this island besides ourselves and you and your wife?”
法官清了清嗓子，又清了清嗓子，然后说道：“我们的询问到此为止。好吧，罗杰斯你说，除了我们以及你和你太太之外，岛上还有别的什么人？”
Wargrave said: “I am not yet clear as to the purpose of our Unknown host in getting us to assemble here. But in my opinion this person, whoever he may be, is not sane in the accepted sense of the word. He may be dangerous. In my opinion it would be well for us to leave this place as soon as possible. I suggest that we leave tonight.”
沃格雷夫说道：“我还不太清楚我们这位不知名姓的主人，他把我们一起拴在这儿究竟是要干什么？但是，据我看来，这位老兄，且不管他是何许人也，用我们正常的话来说，他是不正常的。也可能是危险的。我的意思是我们应该尽快地离开这儿。我提议今晚就走。”
“Quite sure, Sir.”
“完全肯定，先生。”
“Fred Narracott, he comes over every morning, sir. He brings the bread and the milk and the post, and takes the orders.”
“弗雷德·纳拉科特每天早晨来，先生。他送来面包、牛奶、邮件，听取吩咐。”
“Nobody, Sir. Nobody at all.”
“没有人了，先生。一个也没有。”
“No boat at all?”
“一条也没有吗？”
Rogers said: “I beg your pardon, sir, but there’s no boat on the island.”
罗杰斯说道：“抱歉得很，先生。岛上没有船。”
“How do you communicate with the mainland?”
“那你和岸上是怎样联系的？”
Mr. Justice Wargrave said: “Then in my opinion it would be well if we all left tomorrow morning as soon as Narracott’s boat arrives.”
沃格雷夫法官先生说道：“那么我的意见是等明天早晨纳拉科特一来，我们就走。那就好了。”
There was a chorus of agreement with only one dissentient voice. It was Anthony Marston who disagreed with the majority.
大家都表示赞成，只有一个人反对。只有安东尼·马斯顿和大多数人的意见相左。
“No, sir.”
“没有，先生。”
The judge said acidly: “At my time of life, I have no desire for ‘thrills,’ as you call them.”
法官挖苦他说：“活到我这把年纪，我是不再想要什么‘刺激’了，如果用你的词儿来说的话。”
“A bit unsporting, what?” he said. “Ought to ferret out the mystery before we go. Whole thing’s like a detective story. Positively thrilling.”
“有点儿怕了，还是什么的？”他说道，“得把这个谜解开再走。从头到尾活像是一个侦探故事。够刺激的。”
Anthony said with a grin: “The legal life’s narrowing! I’m all for crime! Here’s to it.”
安东尼微笑着说道：“安分守己的生活，天地何其狭窄！我举双手赞成，何妨去碰碰法律！我就为它干一杯！”
He picked up his drink and drank it off at a gulp. I Too quickly, perhaps. He choked — choked badly. His face contorted, turned purple. He gasped for breath — then slid down off his chair, the glass falling from his hand.
他举起杯子，一饮而尽。也许，太急了。他噎住了——呛住了，呛得很厉害，脸都抽搐起来，发紫了，他大口大口地喘着气——接着就从坐着的椅子上滑了下来，酒杯脱手，倒在地上了。
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