Surely they’d got the temperature too high? The sweat was rolling down his face. His hands were clammy. Difficult to hold the scalpel firmly…
肯定是他们把温度调得太高了，汗水从他脸上淌了下来，双手粘糊糊的，连手术刀都拿不稳……
Sister was watching him. No, he couldn’t ask her. She was suspicious, he could see that. But who was it on the operating table?
护士正在注意他呢。不，他不能问她。她正在起疑心，他看得出这一点。但是，谁躺在手术台上呢？
Easy to do a murder with a knife like that. And of course he was doing a murder. The woman’s body looked different. It had been a large unwieldy body. This was a spare meagre body. And the face was hidden.
用这样的刀子杀人，太容易了，他现在不就是在杀人吗？这个女人的身体看上去真特别。本来应该是又粗壮又笨重的，而今却是一把骨头，瘦得可怜，脸藏起来了，看不见。
Emily Brent, of course. It was Emily Brent that he had to kill. How malicious her eyes were! Her lips were moving. What was she saying?
埃米莉·布伦特，不错。他就是要杀死埃米莉·布伦特，她那双眼睛多恶毒！她的嘴唇在嚅动，她在说什么？
He couldn’t remember. But he must know! Should he ask Sister?
他记不得了，但是他一定要知道，他该不该问护士？
Ah! that was better. A young probationer was pulling off the handkerchief.
啊！这样好多了，一个年青的实习医生把盖着的帕子拉掉了。
They shouldn’t have covered up the face like that.
他们不应该把脸像这种样子盖起来……
If he could only see the face…
他能看见这张脸就好了……
Dr. Armstrong was dreaming…
阿姆斯特朗大夫在做梦……
She was laughing now. No, nurse, don’t put the handkerchief back. I’ve got to see. I’ve got to give the anaesthetic. Where’s the ether? I must have brought the ether with me. What have you done with the ether, Sister? Chateau Neuf du Pape? Yes, that will do quite as well.
现在她又在笑了，不，护士，别再把帕子盖上去。我得看看。我得上麻药。乙醚在哪儿呢？我肯定把乙醚拿来了。你把乙醚弄到哪儿去啦，护士？“教皇的新城堡”（一种名酒——译者注）？行，那样也行。
Who was it that he had to kill?
他杀害的是哪一个呢？
“In the midst of life we are in death.
“生即是死，无时无死……”
It was very hot in the operating room…
手术室里闷热得厉害……
How beautifully sharp it was…
这把刀锐利得发亮，真美……
Look out, man, look out. Nurse, steady it — steady — it — With a start Dr. Armstrong woke up. It was morning. Sunlight was pouring into the room.
瞧着点儿，伙计，瞧着点儿。护士，扶稳了——扶住……猛然一惊，阿姆斯特朗大夫醒了。天色已经大亮，阳光正照进房间。
Take the handkerchief away, nurse.
把帕子拿开，护士。
Dr. Armstrong woke up completely.
阿姆斯特朗大夫完全苏醒了。
Of course! I knew it all the time! It’s Anthony Marston! His face is purple and convulsed. But he’s not dead-he’s laughing. I tell you he’s laughing! He’s shaking the operating table.
当然！我早就知道，这是安东尼·马斯顿！脸色青紫，还歪扭着。但是他并没有死，他在笑呢。我对你说他正在笑着呢！把手术台都晃动了。
And some one was leaning over him — shaking him. It was Rogers. Rogers, with a white face, saying: “Doctor — doctor!”
而且，正有个人向他弯着腰——在推他呢！那是罗杰斯。他脸色煞白，正在喊着：“大夫——大夫！”
He bent over the bed where the woman was lying peacefully on her side. He lifted the cold hand, raised the eyelid. It was some few minutes before be straightened himself and turned from the bed.
他在罗杰斯太太宁静地躺着的床边俯下身去。他搬起那女人冷冰冰的手，翻了翻她的眼皮，一连摆弄了好几分钟才直起腰杆儿，从床边转过身来。
“It’s the wife, doctor. I can’t get her to wake. My God! I can’t get her to wake. And — and she don’t look right to me.”
“我妻子，是我妻子，大夫。我没法弄醒她，天哪！我没法弄醒她，而且——我觉得，她看上去不太对劲啦。”
He sat up in bed. He said sharply: “What is it?”
他从床上坐起来，急急忙忙地问道：“怎么啦？”
Dr. Armstrong was quick and efficient. He wrapped himself in his dressing-gown and followed Rogers.
阿姆斯特朗大夫又快又利索——披上晨衣，就跟着罗杰斯走了。
Rogers whispered: “Is — she — is she?”
罗杰斯低声问道：“她——是——她是——？”
Rogers said: “Was it — was it — ‘er ‘eart, doctor?”
罗杰斯说道：“是她——是——她的心脏——，大夫？”
His eyes rested thoughtfully on the man before him. Then they went to the table by the bed, to the washstand, then back to the sleeping woman.
他的眼睛看着站在他面前的这个男人，若有所思。接着他挨个儿走向床边的桌子，漱洗池，又回到长眠的女人身旁。
Armstrong went over to the washstand. There were a certain number of bottles on it. Hair lotion, lavender water, cascara, glycerine of cucumber for the hands, a mouth wash, tooth paste and some Elliman’s.
阿姆斯特朗走向漱洗池。周围放着不少瓶子。发油，香水，润肠药水，润肤甘油，漱口水和牙膏等等。
The doctor said sharply: “Did she take things to make her sleep?”
大夫钉住问道：“她是否吃点什么药帮助睡眠呢？”
Rogers said: “She was a bit rheumaticky.”
罗杰斯说道：“有点风湿病。”
“No, doctor. I never knew of anything.”
“没有，大夫。我一直不清楚。”
Armstrong said: “Did she sleep well?”
阿姆斯特朗说道：“她睡眠好吗？”
“Any doctor been attending her recently?”
“最近瞧过什么医生吗？”
“Doctor?” Rogers stared. “Not been to a doctor for years — neither of us.”
“医生？”罗杰斯瞪着眼，“我们俩好多年都没上医生的门了。”
Now Rogers’ eyes evaded his. The man’s hands came together and turned and twisted uneasily. He muttered. “She didn’t sleep extra well — no.”
这次罗杰斯把眼睛避开了，两手握在一起，不安地搓着，嘴里嘟囔着：“她睡得不特别好——不好。”
Armstrong nodded. “Yes, she’s gone.”
阿姆斯特朗点点头。“对，她去世了。”
Dr. Armstrong was a minute or two before replying. Then he said: “What was her health like normally?”
阿姆斯特朗大夫隔了一两分钟才回答说：“她平时身体情况如何？”
“You’d no reason to believe she suffered from heart trouble?”
“你没有什么理由可以认为她有心脏病吧？”
Rogers stared at him, surprised. “Take things? To make her sleep? Not that I knew of. I’m sure she didn’t.”
罗杰斯吃惊地盯着他。“吃药？帮助睡眠？我没听说过，我肯定她没有。”
He passed a tongue over dry lips.
他伸出舌头舔了舔干巴巴的嘴唇。
When the gong sounded for breakfast at nine o’clock it found every one up and awaiting the summons.
正九点敲响早饭钟时，谁都起来了，正等着招呼在一起呐。
Glancing up at the sky, Blore remarked: “Looks all right to me.”
布洛尔瞟了天空一眼，判断说：“依我看，没问题吧。”
Vera Claythome and Philip Lombard had been up to the summit of the island behind the house. There they had discovered William Henry Blore, standing staring at the mainland.
维拉·克莱索恩和菲利普·隆巴德爬上房后岛上的最高点，碰见威廉·亨利·布洛尔也在那里，正站着眺望远处的岸边。
Rogers helped by pulling out the drawers of the dressing-table. From there they moved on to the chest of drawers. But there was no sign of sleeping draughts or tablets.
罗杰斯帮着打开了梳妆台的抽屉，从这儿翻起，他们一直翻到五屉柜。哪儿都找不到什么安眠药片或药剂。
He said abruptly: “What d’you think of the weather?”
他骤然说道：“你们看天气怎么样？”
Rogers said: “She didn’t have nothing last night, sir, except what you gave her…”
罗杰斯说道：“除了你给她的之外，昨晚上她没吃别的……”
He said: “No sign of that motor boat yet. I’ve been watching for it.”
他说道：“还没看到摩托艇的影子。我一直在守着呢。”
Philip Lombard was looking the other way, out to sea.
菲利普·隆巴德眼望它处，望着海的那一边。
Vera said, smiling: “Devon’s a sleepy county. Things are usually late.”
维拉含笑说道：“德文郡是个贪睡懒起的地方，做起事来总是拖拖拉拉的。”
Lombard pursed up his mouth into a whistle. He said: “It will come on to blow before the day’s out.”
隆巴德尖起嘴唇打了个唿哨说：“我说，熬不过一天就得起风。”
General Macarthur and the judge had been pacing the terrace outside, exchanging desultory comments on the political situation.
麦克阿瑟将军和法官一块儿在外面平台上踱着步，随便聊着对政治局势的看法。
Emily Brent came out of the drawing-room door to meet them.
埃米莉·布伦特经过客厅的落地长窗，迎了上来。
“I’d want some proof. Motive, to begin with. Well off I should say he was.”
“我在找证据，首先是意图。我想应该说他挺阔气。”
Blore said: “Squally — eh?”
布洛尔说道：“是风暴吗——呃？”
From below them came the boom of a gong.
坡下传来了钟声。
Vera was a little ahead. Lombard hung back slightly. He said: “Got any alternative theory?”
维拉在前面不远处走着。隆巴德放慢了脚步，说道：“有各种设想吗？”
As they went down the steep slope Blore said to Lombard in a ruminating voice: “You know, it beats me — why that young fellow wanted to do himself in! I’ve been worrying about it all night.”
他们走下斜坡的时候，布洛尔思虑重重地对隆巴德说道：“你知道，这件事可苦了我了——这小伙子干吗要干掉他自己！昨儿晚上我想了一晚上都没有想通。”
“Not yet,” said Vera.
“还没有。”维拉说道。
Philip Lombard said: “Breakfast? Well, I could do with some.”
菲利普·隆巴德说道：“吃早饭了！好，我能来上点儿。”
They went in to breakfast. There was a vast dish of eggs and bacon on the sideboard and tea and coffee.
他们往里面走，去吃早饭。食柜上搁着一大盘腌肉鸡蛋，还有茶和咖啡。
Rogers held the door open for them to pass in, then shut it from the outside.
罗杰斯打开门让他们进去，跟着在外面随手带上了门。
Emily Brent said: “That man looks ill this morning.”
埃米莉·布伦特说道：“这个人今天早晨看来不大对劲儿。”
Dr. Armstrong, who was standing by the window, cleared his throat. He said: “You must excuse any — er — shortcomings this morning. Rogers has had to do the best he can for breakfast single-handed. Mrs. Rogers has — er — not been able to carry on this morning.”
阿姆斯特朗大夫这时正靠窗站着，他清了清嗓子，说道：“今天早晨有什么不周到的地方，请——呃——大家包涵着点。今天早晨这顿早饭够罗杰斯一个人忙乎的了，罗杰斯太太今天早晨可——呃——干不了。”
She said sharply: “Is the boat coming?”
她尖声问道：“船来了吗？”
They took the hint. Plates were filled, coffee and tea was poured. The meal began.
大家都领会了，都去盛了吃的，取了咖啡和茶，开始吃饭。
Emily Brent said sharply: “What’s the matter with the woman?”
埃米莉·布伦特尖声问：“那个女人怎么啦？”
Then, when plates were cleared, Dr. Armstrong moved back his chair a little, cleared his throat importantly and spoke. He said:
就这样，杯盘撤走以后，阿姆斯特朗大夫稍稍地把椅子往后挪了挪，然后郑重其事地清了清嗓子，开口了。
Dr. Armstrong said easily: “Let us start our breakfast. The eggs will be cold. Afterwards, there are several matters I want to discuss with you all.”
阿姆斯特朗大夫随随便便地说道：“我们还是用早点吧！否则蛋要凉了，吃完了，我有点事同大家谈谈。”
There were startled and shocked ejaculations.
随即出现了惊叫声，震骇声。
Discussion of the island was, by mutual consent, tabooed. They spoke instead in a desultory fashion of current events. The news from abroad, events in the world of sport, the latest reappearance of the Loch Ness monster.
心照不宣，谁都闭口不提本岛的事，而是东拉西扯地随便聊流行的新闻，国外的啦，体育界的啦，还有什么洛克·奈斯的怪物最近又出现啦。
“I thought it better to wait until you had had your breakfast before telling you of a sad piece of news. Mrs. Rogers died in her sleep.”
“我认为还是等诸位用完早点后再把这个不幸的消息告诉你们的好。罗杰斯太太在睡梦中去世了。”
Mr. Justice Wargrave, his eyes narrowed, said in his small precise clear voice: “H’m — very remarkable — what was the cause of death?”
沃格雷夫法官先生，眯起双眼，用他细小但字字清晰明确的声音说道：“喔——真有意思——那么，死因呢？”
Vera exclaimed: “How awful! Two deaths on this island since we arrived!”
维拉惊呼道：“太可怕了！我们来到之后，出了两条人命！”
“I certainly couldn’t give a certificate. I have no knowledge whatsoever of the woman’s state of health.”
“当然，我没法出具证明。对这个女人的健康情况，我一点也不了解。”
Vera said: “She was a very nervous-looking creature. And she had a shock last night. It might have been heart failure, I suppose?”
维拉说道：“她看上去精神非常紧张。昨天晚上又受了一次惊吓。可能是心脏出了毛病。我看是的。”
Armstrong shrugged his shoulders. “Impossible to say offhand.”
阿姆斯特朗耸耸肩膀：“一下子说不清楚。”
“There must be an autopsy?”
“一定要解剖尸体吗？”
One word fell from Emily Brent. It fell hard and clear into the listening group.
从埃米莉·布伦特嘴里迸出来两个字。这对听着的一伙人来说，真是又有分量又干脆。
“Conscience!” she said.
“良心！”她说道。
“What exactly do you mean by that, Miss Brent?”
“你说这个话具体指什么？布伦特小姐？”
Emily Brent, her lips tight and hard, said: “You all heard. She was accused, together with her husband, of having deliberately murdered her former employer — an old lady.”
埃米莉·布伦特从她紧闭着的嘴里又尖刻地说出来：“你们全都听见了的。人家告了她，也告了她丈夫，说他们蓄意谋杀了他们原来的东家——一位老太太。”
Armstrong turned to her.
阿姆斯特朗向她转过身去。
“And you think?”
“你认为呢？”
Emily Brent said: “I think that that accusation was true. You all saw her last night. She broke down completely and fainted. The shock of having her wickedness brought home to her was too much for her. She literally died of fear.”
埃米莉·布伦特说道：“我看那个控告是真实的。昨天晚上你们都看见了。她压根儿瘫了，晕过去了。把她的罪孽重新翻腾出来，这个打击她可受不了。干脆说，她就是吓死的。”
Dr. Armstrong said drily: “Her heart certainly failed to beat — but what caused it to fail is the question.”
阿姆斯特朗大夫干巴巴地说道：“她的心脏出了毛病，不再跳动了。这倒是真的——但问题是为什么出了毛病。”
Dr. Armstrong shook his head doubtfully.
阿姆斯特朗大夫不无疑虑地摇着头。
Emily Brent said quietly: “Call it, if you prefer, an Act of God.”
埃米莉·布伦特安详冷静地说道：“要是你这样说的活。好吧，就叫做天命吧。”
“It is a possible theory,” he said. “One cannot adopt it without more exact knowledge of her state of health. If there was cardiac weakness –“
“也许是这样，”他说道，“但是在进一步了解她的健康情况之前，谁也不能这样肯定。如果心脏方面确实衰弱的话——”
Armstrong said: “Nothing.”
阿姆斯特朗说道：“啥也没有。”
Every one looked shocked. Mr. Blore said uneasily: “That’s carrying things a bit far, Miss Brent.”
一下子，谁都吃了一惊。布洛尔先生不安地说道：“这未免把问题扯得太远了吧，布伦特小姐。”
Emily Brent shrugged her shoulders.
埃米莉·布伦特不以为然地耸耸肩膀。
The judge stroked his chin. He murmured in a slightly ironic voice: “My dear lady, in my experience of ill-doing, Providence leaves the work of conviction and chastisement to us mortals — and the process is often fraught with difficulties. There are no short cuts.”
法官摸着下巴。他带着稍许有点讽刺意味的声调轻声说：“我亲爱的夫人，根据我对为非作歹的了解，天命总是把服罪和惩罚的工作留给我们这些凡夫俗子来处理的——而处理起来又总是困难重重的，别无捷径可循啊。”
Blore said sharply: “What did she have to eat and drink?”
布洛尔粗鲁地说道：“昨天晚上她上床以后吃过啥，喝过啥了？”
“She didn’t take anything? A cup of tea? A drink of water? I’ll bet you she had a cup of tea. That sort always does.”
“没有吗？连一杯茶、一杯水都没有吗？我敢打赌说她喝过一杯茶。这类事情总是这样的。”
She looked at them with shining eyes. Her chin went up. She said: “You regard it as impossible that a sinner should be struck down by the wrath of God! I do not!”
她瞧着大家，两眼熠熠发光，连下巴颏也翘了起来。她说道：“你们认为一个有罪的人不可能因为震慑于上帝的威怒而倒毙吗，我认为可能。”
“Rogers assures me she had nothing whatsoever.”
“罗杰斯一口咬定她什么东西也没有吃过。”
“Ah,” said Blore. “But he might say so!”
“啊！”布洛尔说道，“他就是会这样说的。”
Vera interrupted. In a low voice she said: “No, I don’t think Mrs. Rogers ever felt safe.”
维拉打断了他的说话，低声说道：“不对，我不觉得罗杰斯太太是那么心安理得。”
Blore said aggressively: “Well, why not? We all heard that accusation last night. May be sheer moonshine — just plain lunacy! On the other hand, it may not. Allow for the moment that it’s true. Rogers and his missus polished off that old lady. Well, where does that get you? They’ve been feeling quite safe and happy about it –“
布洛尔气势汹汹地说道：“怎么，不行吗？昨天晚上的控告是我们人家都听见的。也许是捕风捉影——尽是些胡话！反过来说，也可能不是呢！姑且说控告是实吧。罗杰斯和他那位太太干掉了那个老太太，如果是这样的话，你又怎么想呢？他们一直是心安理得——”
His tone was so significant that the doctor looked at him sharply.
他的语调是如此地煞有介事，使大夫盯着他瞧了半天。
Philip Lombard said: “So that’s your idea?”
菲利普·隆巴德说道：“这样说来，你就是这么想的喽？”
Blore looked slightly annoyed at the interruption. “Just like a woman,” his glance said.
布洛尔对别人打断自己的话有点不高兴。他瞟着她的眼神似乎说，“也是婆婆妈妈的。”
He resumed: “That’s as may be. Anyway there’s no active danger to them as far as they know. Then, last night, some unknown lunatic spills the beans. What happens? The woman cracks — she goes to pieces. Notice how her husband hung over her as she was coming round. Not all husbandly solicitude! Not on your life! He was like a cat on hot bricks. Scared out of his life as to what she might say.”
他继续说道：“那也是可能的。但按照他们自己的想法，眼前无论如何并没有什么危险。然而，昨天晚上，某个说不清道不明的妖魔鬼怪来了个竹筒倒豆子，结果如何呢？那个女人垮了——垮得七零八碎了。注意到了吗？当她刚刚苏醒过来时，那个当丈夫的又是怎样恐吓她的呢？根本没有一点儿当丈夫的应该有的焦急！就是一丁点儿也没有！他就像热锅上的蚂蚁那样，怕得要死，生怕她会说出些什么来。”
“And there’s the position for you! They’ve done a murder and got away with it. But if the whole thing’s going to be raked up, what’s going to happen? Ten to one, the woman will give the show away. She hasn’t got the nerve to stand up and brazen it out. She’s a living danger to her husband, that’s what she is. He’s all right. He’ll lie with a straight face till kingdom comes — but he can’t be sure of her! And if she goes to pieces, his neck’s in danger! So he slips something into a cup of tea and makes sure that her mouth is shut permanently.”
“所以就请诸位想想吧！他们作了案，脱了身。万一整个事情抖落了出来，那又会出现什么情况呢？十有八九，那个女人会和盘托出。她没有那个胆量顶住，熬过去的。她就是这么一个——对她丈夫来说，一个活生生的祸害。男的没问题。就是在阎王爷面前，他撒谎也不会脸红——但他就是把握不住她。要是她一撅不振，他的脑袋就危险啦！这样一来，他就在茶里偷偷搁了些什么，而她的嘴也就永远永远地闭上了。”
Blore snorted. “Of course there wouldn’t be! First thing he’d do when she’d drunk it would be to take that cup and saucer away and wash it up carefully.”
布洛尔不禁嗤之以鼻：“当然不可能有。她喝完之后，他首先干的就是把杯碟拿走，仔细涮洗干净。”
Armstrong said slowly: “There was no empty cup by her bedside — there was nothing there at all. I looked.”
阿姆斯特朗慢条斯理地说道：“在她床边，没有空茶杯——什么也没有，我看过了。”
Blore gave a short laugh. He said: “When a man’s neck’s in danger, he doesn’t stop to think too much about sentiment.”
布洛尔嘿嘿一笑说：“当一个男人连自己脑袋都保不住了的时候，他就顾不上什么男恩女爱的了。”
There was a pause. Then General Macarthur said doubtfully: “It may be so. But I should hardly think it possible that a man would do that — to his wife.”
冷场了。后来，麦克阿瑟将军又怀疑地说道：“可能是这样。但是我很难相信一个男人竟然可能对自己的妻子做出这种事情来！”
Rogers inclined his head. “Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.”
罗杰斯低下了头。“是的，先生。我谢谢你，先生。”
On the terrace outside Philip Lombard said: “About this motor boat –“
在外面地平台上，菲利普·隆巴德说道：“关于这只摩托艇……”
Again there was a silence.
又是一片寂静。
Philip Lombard said: “What’s the time now?”
菲利普·隆巴德问：“现在什么时候啦？”
“Ten minutes to ten, sir.”
“差十分十点，先生。”
Rogers waited a minute or two.
罗杰斯等着。
Lombard’s eyebrows rose. He nodded slowly to himself.
隆巴德挑了挑眉毛，自个儿慢慢地点着脑袋。
He said, looking from one to the other: “Is there anything more I can get you? I’m sorry there was so little toast, but we’ve run right out of bread. The new bread hasn’t come over from the mainland yet.”
他一边说，一边挨个儿看着大家：“各位还要我给大家煮点什么吗？我知道，吐司少了点，真抱歉。因为面包不够了。岸上还没有把新面包送来。”
He took up the empty bacon dish and went out.
他拿起装腌肉的空盘子，走出去了。
General Macarthur spoke suddenly and explosively. “Sorry to hear about your wife, Rogers. Doctor’s just been telling US.”
过了一两分钟，麦克阿瑟将军突然间迸出一句话来：“关于你太太的事，我深表痛心，罗杰斯。医生方才正在对我们讲起这件事。”
“Between seven and eight, Sir. Sometimes it’s a bit after eight. Don’t know what Fred Narracott can be doing this morning. If he’s ill he’d send his brother.”
“七点到八点之间，先生。有时候八点过一点儿。不知道弗雷德·纳拉科特今天早上干什么去了。如果他有病，他会派他兄弟来的。”
There was a pause. Before any one could speak, the door opened and Rogers came in.
又是冷场。谁也没有开口，门开了。罗杰斯走了进来。
Mr. Justice Wargrave stirred a little in his chair. He asked: “What time does the motor boat usually come over?”
沃格雷夫法官先生在椅子上挪动了一下，他问道：“摩托艇通常在什么时候开来？”
Blore looked at him.
布洛尔望着他。
“Found the answer?” asked Lombard.
“找到答案了吗？”隆巴德问道。
“It’s not an accident — that’s what I say. It’s part and parcel of the whole business. It’s all bound up together.”
“这并不意外——这是我说的——这是一码事。同整个事情都有联系的。”
Blore nodded his head. He said: “I know what you’re thinking, Mr. Lombard. I’ve asked myself the same question. Motor boat ought to have been here nigh on two hours ago. It hasn’t come? Why?”
布洛尔点点头说道：“我知道你在想什么，隆巴德先生。我也在用同样的问题问我自己：差不多两小时前摩托艇就该到了。它没到吧？什么缘故呢？”
Blore turned his square shoulder slightly and viewed the last speaker thoughtfully. “You think not too, General?”
布洛尔微微扭动着他方正厚实的肩膀，深思地审视着后来说话的人。“您也是这样想吗，将军？”
Philip Lombard said: “It won’t come, you think?”
菲利普·隆巴德说道：“那么，你认为它不会来了？”
A voice spoke behind him — a testy impatient voice. “The motor boat’s not coming,” he said.
忽然，在他们两人身后，一个不耐烦的声音说道：“摩托艇不会来了。”
General Macarthur said sharply: “Of course it won’t come. We’re counting on the motor boat to take us off the island. That’s the meaning of the whole business. We’re not going to leave the island… None of us will ever leave… It’s the end, you see — the end of everything.”
麦克阿瑟将军大声说道：“当然它不会来。我们都盼望着这条船把我们送出小岛。要知道这才是整个事件的内容呢。也就是我们离不开这个小岛了……谁也别想离开……这就是结局，瞧——万事大吉……”
He hesitated, then he said in a low strange voice: “That’s peace — real peace. To come to the end — not to have to go on… Yes, peace…”
他犹豫了一会几，又用一种低沉而异样的声音说道：“那就是安息——真正的安息。叶落归根——不必再纷纷扰扰……是的，安息了……”
Dr. Armstrong came out onto the terrace. He stood there hesitating. To his left were Blore and Lombard. To his right was Wargrave, slowly pacing up and down, his head bent down.
阿姆斯特朗大夫走到平台上来了，他站着迟疑了一会儿。左边的是布洛尔和隆巴德，在他右边的是沃格雷夫。沃格雷夫低着脑袋，信步踱过来又踱过去。
“Could I have a word with you, sir, please?”
“我能同你说句话吗，先生？”
He walked a little unsteadily, like a man who was only half awake. Blore said: “There goes another one who’s balmy! Looks as though it’ll end with the whole lot going that way.”
他走起路来有点蹒跚，像是半睡不醒似的。布洛尔说道：“又来了一个鬼迷心窍的！看来，到头来该帮子人都会搞成这副德性！”
“It would take a lot to send me off my head.” He added drily: “And I don’t think you’ll be going that way either, Mr. Lombard.”
“要让我也昏了头，那可不容易。”他冷漠地说，“而且，我同样不相信你也会这样，隆巴德先生。”
He was startled at what he saw.
他眼前看到的情景，使他大吃一惊。
Philip Lombard said: “I feel quite sane at the minute, thank you.”
菲利普·隆巴德说道：“此刻我自己感觉相当正常。多谢了。”
But at that moment Rogers came quickly out of the house.
就在这个时候，罗杰斯匆忙从屋里走了出来。
The ex-Inspector laughed.
这位前探长笑了起来。
Philip Lombard said: “I don’t fancy you will, Blore.”
菲利普·隆巴德说道：“我不相信你也会这样，布洛尔！”
Armstrong turned.
阿姆斯特朗转过身去。
Armstrong, after a moment of indecision, turned towards the latter.
阿姆斯特朗起初拿不定主意，隔了一会儿，终于向沃格雷夫走过去。
He turned abruptly and walked away. Along the terrace, then down the slope towards the sea — obliquely — to the end of the island where loose rocks went out into the water.
他猛然转过身去，走开了。先是沿着平台，接着走下斜坡，趔趄着身子，向海的方向走去，一直走到岛的尽头，那里的礁石疏疏落落地一直通向水中。
He opened the dining-room door. The doctor passed in. Rogers followed him and shut the door behind him. “Well,” said Armstrong, “what is it?”
他打开了餐厅的门。大夫走了进去，罗杰斯跟进去之后，随手带上了门。“好吧，”阿姆斯特朗问道，“怎么回事？”
“In here, sir, come in here.”
“请这边来，先生，这边。”
Rogers’ face was working. Its colour was greyish green. His hands shook. It was such a contrast to his restraint of a few minutes ago that Armstrong was quite taken aback.
罗杰斯的脸在抽搐着，颜色是青灰的，双手在打哆嗦。这副模样和他在几分钟前那种克制自若的神态形成了强烈的对照，阿姆斯特朗不由得大吃一惊。
The muscles of Rogers’ throat were working. He was swallowing. He jerked out: “There’s things going on, sir, that I don’t understand.”
罗杰斯喉头的肌肉在颤动，他拼命咽着口水，一个字一个字地迸出来说：“这儿还在出事情呢，先生，我实在想不通。”
“Please, sir, if I could have a word with you. Inside, sir.”
“我请你，先生，请你听我说句话，请到里面来，先生。”
“Well, man, tell me what it is? Don’t go on talking in riddles.”
“行了，老兄，告诉我怎么回事？别再打哑谜了。”
The doctor turned back and re-entered the house with the frenzied butler. He said: “What’s the matter, man? Pull yourself together.”
医生回过身去，同失魂落魄的管家一起又进了屋子。他说道：“怎么回事，你，镇静点！”
“You’ll think I’m crazy, sir. You’ll say it isn’t anything. But it’s got to be explained, sir. It’s got to be explained. Because it doesn’t make any sense.”
“你可能认为我发疯了，先生。你可能会说这没什么。但是，总得解释得通啊，先生。总得解释得通啊。因为这说不过去啊！”
Armstrong said sharply: “Things? What things?”
阿姆斯特朗厉声说：“事情？什么事情？”
Rogers swallowed again. He said: “It’s those little figures, sir. In the middle of the table. The little china figures. Ten of them, there were. I’ll swear to that, ten of them.”
罗杰斯又咽了咽口水说：“是那些小瓷人，先生。就是在桌子正中的那些。那些小瓷人，一共十个，本来是十个。这一点我可以发誓，一共是十个。”
Rogers came nearer.
罗杰斯挨近了点。
Armstrong said: “Yes, ten. We counted them last night at dinner.”
阿姆斯特朗说道：“是的，十个。昨天晚上吃饭的时候，我们还数来着。”
“There’s only eight, sir! Only eight! It doesn’t make sense, does it? Only eight…”
“只有八个了，先生！只有八个，这叫人想不通吧？只有八个……”
“That’s just it, sir. Last night, when I was clearing up, there wasn’t but nine, sir. I noticed it and thought it queer. But that’s all I thought. And now, sir, this morning. I didn’t notice when I laid the breakfast. I was upset and all that.
“就是这个问题，先生。昨天晚上，我收拾桌子的时候，只有九个了，先生。我注意到了，也感到奇怪。但无非是这么一想而已。不过，今天早晨，我摆桌子的时候，没注意。因为我心里这样那样的可乱着呐。
“But now, sir, when I came to clear away. See for yourself if you don’t believe me.”
“但是，现在，先生，我正打算收拾。请您自己看看吧，别说又该不相信我了。”
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