1．A true story 一个真实的故事
This is a true story. But although it is true, no one knows exactly what happened. That’s why it is so interesting.
这是一个真实的故事。但尽管它是真实的，却没人确切知道发生了什么。这正是它如此引人入胜的原因。
On Friday 21st April 1876 a young lawyer, Charles Bravo, died at his home in Balham, which at that time was a village just south of London.
1876年4月21日星期五，一位名叫查尔斯·布拉沃的年轻律师在巴勒姆的家中去世，当时那里只是伦敦南部的一个小村庄。
But why did Charles Bravo die? Did he kill himself? Was he murdered? Or was his death just a terrible accident?
但查尔斯·布拉沃为何而死？他是自杀吗？是被谋杀了吗？还是他的死只是一场可怕的意外？
At first, the doctors thought Mr Bravo had killed himself. But then his family started asking questions. ‘I met him on Tuesday afternoon,’ said his cousin, Dr Royes Bell. ‘He was healthy and happy then. I want to know what happened.’
起初，医生们认为布拉沃先生是自杀的。但随后他的家人开始提出质疑。“我在周二下午还见过他，”他的表亲罗伊斯·贝尔医生说，“那时他还健康又快乐。我想知道到底发生了什么。”
‘I’m sure Charles didn’t kill himself,’ said his stepfather, Joseph Bravo. ‘He was a strong, brave young man. I think he was murdered.’
“我确信查尔斯没有自杀，”他的继父约瑟夫·布拉沃说，“他是一个强壮而勇敢的年轻人。我认为他是被谋杀的。”
Charles Bravo was killed by a poison, antimony. But how did the poison get into his body? Did he take it himself, or did someone give it to him? If so, how? And where did the antimony come from?
查尔斯·布拉沃死于一种名为锑的毒药。但这种毒药是如何进入他体内的？是他自己服下的，还是有人给他下的毒？如果是后者，是怎么做到的？锑又是从哪里来的？
During July and August 1876, the London Coroner held an enquiry to answer these questions. At the enquiry, the police told their story, and so did Charles Bravo’s friends, and the servants in his house. Famous lawyers asked questions. All over England, people read the story in their morning newspapers.
在1876年的7月和8月期间，伦敦验尸官举行了一场调查以解答这些疑问。在调查中，警方陈述了案情，查尔斯·布拉沃的朋友以及家中的仆人也分别讲述了各自的经历。知名律师们提出了质询。整个英格兰的人们都在晨报上读到了这个故事。
‘Who killed Charles Bravo?’ they asked. ‘Or did he kill himself?’
人们问道：“谁杀害了查尔斯·布拉沃？还是说他真的是自杀？”
The longest newspaper stories were about three people: Charles’s wife, Florence; Florence’s friend, Jane Cox; and Florence’s lover, Dr James Gully.
报纸上篇幅最长的报道聚焦于三个人：查尔斯的妻子弗洛伦丝；弗洛伦丝的朋友简·考克斯；以及弗洛伦丝的情人詹姆斯·古利医生。
These three people told their stories, but there are differences between the stories. So were they all telling the truth – or only some of the truth? And if one of them told a few lies, which one was it? And why did he or she lie?
这三个人都讲述了自己的版本，但他们的说法之间存在出入。那么，他们说的是全部真相——还是仅仅说了部分事实？如果其中有人撒了谎，那会是谁？他或她为什么要撒谎？
What really happened to Charles Bravo?
查尔斯·布拉沃身上究竟发生了什么？
Here are the three most important stories. First, Charles’s wife, Florence …
以下是三个最重要的叙述。首先是查尔斯的妻子，弗洛伦丝……
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