4 Phone Call
4 電話(huà)
The phone rang again in Alan Cole's room.
阿蘭.科爾房間里的電話(huà)又響了。
‘Hello?’he said.
“喂?”他說(shuō)。
"Alan?".
“阿蘭?”
He recognized her voice at once .‘Anna!’he said,’his heart beating fast.
他立即聽(tīng)出她的聲音。“安娜!”他說(shuō),他的心跳得很快。
`Yes. Now listen carefully.,Alan--’
是我。仔細(xì)聽(tīng)著,阿蘭—”
‘Oh Anna! I've been waiting for your;.call.Have ,yov heard about -- about my leg,Anna?’
“哦,安娜!我一直都在等你的電話(huà)。你聽(tīng)說(shuō)—我的腿的事了嗎,安娜?”
‘Never mind your leg. Listen to me、III say this:,once; t#nd once only."
“你的腿沒(méi)關(guān)系。聽(tīng)著。我只說(shuō)一遍,就一遍。”
‘what?Anna,what are you --’
“什么?安娜,你什么—”
‘We've got your daughter,Alan.Jane.That's her name,isn't it? Speak to your father,Jane.Now!’
“我們抓住了你女兒,阿蘭。就是簡(jiǎn)。她叫那名字,不對(duì)嗎?跟你爸爸講話(huà),簡(jiǎn)。就現(xiàn)在!”
Over the phone,Alan heard the high,frightened voice of his daughter.‘Dad? I'm sorry,Dad.They say.if you tell the police anything about Anna,they'll kill me,but I don't care ,I…oh!"
通過(guò)電話(huà),阿蘭聽(tīng)到女兒高高的而又驚恐的聲音。“爸爸嗎?對(duì)不起.爸爸。他們說(shuō)要是你跟警察說(shuō)起安娜,他們就殺了我,但我不在乎,我……噢!”
Alan heard a scream ,which was suddenly cut off.Then Anna's voice again:‘She won't die if you keep.quiet,lover boy.But if you say a word,a single word shout me to the police,you'll find her body in the river Thames.Do you under-stand?"
阿蘭聽(tīng)見(jiàn)一聲尖叫,它又嘎然而止。接著,他又聽(tīng)見(jiàn)安娜的聲音:“要是你保持沉默,她就不會(huì)死,我的情郎。可要是你跟警察說(shuō)起我一個(gè)字,哪怕就一個(gè)字,你就到泰晤士河給她收尸吧。你明白了嗎?”
Alan tried to speak,but there~something wrong with his voice. `-Yes," 'tie said.‘But,please…’
阿蘭想說(shuō)話(huà),可他的聲音不知是怎么了。“好的,”他說(shuō),“可是,請(qǐng)......”
‘No buts, 'If -ybu want to see your daughter ,again,keep your riath shut."
“沒(méi)有可是。如果你還想見(jiàn)你女兒,就讓你的嘴閉上。”
The phone Went dead. Alan Cole sat very still. There was a ble pain: In his' chest,his mouth was dry and he -couldn't move .He sat like a stone.
電話(huà)掛斷了。阿蘭?科爾一動(dòng)不動(dòng)地坐在那兒。他的腳部劇烈地疼痛,他口干舌燥,也挪動(dòng)不了身體。他就像石頭一樣呆坐著。
It's like a dream,he thought.Surely it didn't happen.But that voice on the phone,it was Jane all right .And Anna,too.Anna…saying that she had kidnapped Jane.
就像夢(mèng)一樣,他想??隙ㄊ裁匆矝](méi)發(fā)生??赡请娫?huà)里的聲音分明是簡(jiǎn)。還有安娜。安娜!……說(shuō)她綁架了簡(jiǎn)。
But why? What was going on?
可是為什么呢?發(fā)生了什么事?
Slowly,he tried to understand.He hadn't told .the police about Anna,because of her husband.But why was that so im-portant?
慢慢地,他想搞懂這是怎么回事。他還沒(méi)有跟警察談起安娜,那是因?yàn)樗煞?。但那為何這么重要?
Why has Anna kidnapped Jane
為什么安娜綁架了簡(jiǎn)?
Because Anna has a secret .Something very important that I,Alan,know about、but mustn’t tell the police.Anna will kill Jane if I tell anyone about it:
因?yàn)榘材扔须[私。有什么重要的事情是我阿蘭知道但又不該告訴警察的。要是我對(duì)任何人講了,安娜就會(huì)殺了簡(jiǎn)。
But what is this secret? What am I supposed to know?
但秘密是什么呢?她以為我知道什么?
There was a knock on the door.A nurse came in.
有人敲門(mén)。一個(gè)護(hù)士走了進(jìn)來(lái)。
‘Hello , Mr Cole .A policeman to see you.Are you OK?’
“你好,科爾先生。一個(gè)警察來(lái)看你。你還好嗎?”
‘Yes…yes,fine,thanks.’
“是……是,挺好的,謝謝。”
‘You don,t look OK.’The nurse put her hand on his head,and felt his wrist.‘Well,you're not too hot; and your heart's OK.’She smiled at the policeman.‘just half an hour,now.Remember,he's had a very serious accident.’
“你臉色不好。”護(hù)士把手放在他的額頭上,又摸了摸他的脈搏。“唔,不太熱,心臟也還可以。”她朝警察笑笑。“就半個(gè)小時(shí)。記住,他剛出了嚴(yán)重的事故。”
‘I know that.’The policeman came in and sat down,and the nurse went out,pushing the telephone table in front of her:‘I'm Detective Hall,Mr Cole.We met before.’
“我知道。”警察走進(jìn)來(lái),坐下,護(hù)士推著電話(huà)桌走了出去。“我是荷爾警探,科爾先生。我們以前見(jiàn)過(guò)。”
‘Yes,’Alan said .The policeman had a kind,friendly face.The kind of~you could trust.He'll help me,Alan thought. He's probably a father himself.
“是的,”阿蘭說(shuō)。這個(gè)警察有一張和藹而友善的臉,是那種你可以信賴(lài)的人。他會(huì)幫助我的,阿蘭想,他自己可能也是個(gè)父親。
No! Fear burned Alan like a fire.1 mustn't tell him about Anna.If ldo,Jane will die…
不!恐懼就像火一樣折磨著阿蘭。我不能跟他談起安娜。否則簡(jiǎn)會(huì)死的……
‘You've probably read in the newspapers,Mr Cole,that we've arrested two men.’The policeman told Alan the story about the two Irishmen in the coach factory.‘So we know they bombed the coach,and how they did it.`I suppose you're pleased about that.’
“你可能已經(jīng)從報(bào)紙上知道了,科爾先生,我們抓了兩個(gè)人。”警察告訴阿蘭那兩個(gè)在馬車(chē)工廠工作的愛(ài)爾蘭人的事。“所以我們知道是他們炸的馬車(chē),而且知道是怎么炸的。我想你對(duì)此很高興吧。“
‘Er…yes,’Alan said quietly.‘That's good.But why have you come to see me?’
“哦…是啊,”阿蘭低聲說(shuō),“很好,可是……你為什么來(lái)看我?"
‘I iusLneed to ask you s few questions about the day before the bowXg .You see,we think these~put the bomb in the coach three days before the bombing,while the coach was at the factory.So the bomb was already in the coach when it came back to the Mews.’
“我只是想間幾個(gè)有關(guān)爆炸前一天的問(wèn)題。你知道,我們認(rèn)為這兩個(gè)人在爆炸發(fā)生三天前就把炸彈放進(jìn)了馬車(chē),當(dāng)時(shí)馬車(chē)在工廠。因此馬車(chē)回到馬廄時(shí),炸彈已經(jīng)在里邊了。”
‘Was it?’Alan said.He didn't really understand what the policeman was talking about.
“是嗎?"阿蘭說(shuō)。他不太懂警察在說(shuō)什么。
‘We think so,yes.And in your job,you look after the coach,don't you?’
“是的,我們是這么認(rèn)為。你的工作是照看馬車(chē),對(duì)嗎?"
‘The coach,yes.And the horses.Mostly the horses.’
“馬車(chē),是的。還有馬。大部分是馬。.
‘Well,did you notice anything unusual — anything at all?’
“那么,你沒(méi)發(fā)現(xiàn)什么異常嗎—任何異常?”
‘No,I don't think so.’
“沒(méi)有,我想沒(méi)有。”
‘Let's take this slowly,the policeman said.‘The day before the bombing,when did you leave work?’
“讓我們慢慢來(lái),”警察說(shuō),“爆炸前一天,你幾點(diǎn)下的班?"
‘At…about six o'clock.Half past,perhaps,’
“大約……在六點(diǎn)。也許是六點(diǎn)半。”
‘And you didn't go back?,
“你沒(méi)再回去嗎?"
‘No,’Alan said quietly.
“沒(méi)有,”阿蘭低聲說(shuō)。
Then he looked away,quickly,out of the window.He felt cold,frightened,lonely.
接著,他迅速地朝窗外望去。他感到又冷又怕又孤獨(dú)。
‘Are you sure about that,Mr Cole?You see,a guard told me you came back later,at about ten,’
“你肯定嗎,科爾先生?你知道,一個(gè)門(mén)衛(wèi)告訴我你后來(lái)回去了,在大約十點(diǎn)鐘時(shí)。”
‘He did? Oh,yes,of course .I went back to see a horse,Sandman .He had a bad leg.’
“他說(shuō)的?噢,是啊,當(dāng)然。我回去看一匹馬,山德曼。它一條腿壞了。”
‘I see.’The policeman wrote in his book.‘Alone?’
“我知道了,”警察在本上記錄著,“一個(gè)人嗎?"
‘I'm sorry?’
“什么?”
‘Were you alone,Mr Cole? When you saw the horse?’
“你是一個(gè)人嗎,科爾先生?你去看馬的時(shí)候?”
For a moment Alan didn't answer.A new,very, unwelcome idea came to him,and he began to feel sick with fear. It wasn't those two Irishmen,he thought,it was Anna!She put the bomb in the coach when I 'was with Sandman.I was alone with the horse for at least ten minutes;she had plenty of time.
片刻之時(shí)阿蘭沒(méi)有回答。他的腦子里又出現(xiàn)一個(gè)討厭的念頭,他開(kāi)始因恐俱而感到難受。不是那兩個(gè)愛(ài)爾蘭人干的,他想,是安娜!我和山德曼在一起時(shí),她把炸彈放在了馬車(chē)?yán)?。我和馬單獨(dú)在一起至少有10分鐘,她有足夠的時(shí)間。
And that means she didn't love me at all,she just used me.I thought I was so lucky,an old man with a young pretty woman in my bed — and all the time she was laughing at me.Worse than that — she's a murderer!She killed George and Bernard and John,and she took my leg,and now she's going to kill Jane as well!
那也就是說(shuō)她根本不愛(ài)我,她只是利用我。我還以為我這么一個(gè)老頭能和一個(gè)年輕漂亮的姑娘上床真走運(yùn)—而她一直都在笑話(huà)我。更糟的是—她竟是個(gè)兇手!她殺了喬治、伯納德和約翰,她還奪走了我的一條腿,現(xiàn)在她還要?dú)⒑?jiǎn)!
And I can't say anything about it.
而且我什么也不能說(shuō)。’
That's why she phoned me.To make sure that I never tell the police.
難怪她給我打電話(huà)。那是想確認(rèn)我不會(huì)跟警察說(shuō)什么。
If I tell this policeman,Jane will die.
要是我對(duì)警察說(shuō),簡(jiǎn)就會(huì)死的。
In a strange,shaky voice,Alan said,‘I was alone when I was with the horse,yes.’
阿蘭用一種奇怪而顫抖的聲音說(shuō):“我和馬在一起的時(shí)候就我一個(gè)人,是這樣。”
The'policeman said nothing.Alan felt his hands shaking and put them under the sheet.Why is he looking at me like that?he thought.What does he know?
警察什么也沒(méi)說(shuō)。阿蘭覺(jué)得自己的手在顫抖,就把它們放在被單底下。他干嘛那樣看著我?他想。他都知道些什么?
‘Are you sure,Mr Cole? The guard says you have a lady friend,and sometimes she visits the horses with you.Was she with you that night?’
“你肯定嗎,科爾先生?門(mén)衛(wèi)說(shuō)你有一個(gè)女朋友,她有時(shí)和你一起去看馬。她那天晚上和你在一起嗎?.
‘No.’
“不。”
‘You're sure about that,Mr Cole?’
“你肯定呀,科爾先生?”
‘Yes,I am.And she's not my friend any more now --we've ended it.’
“是的,我肯定。而且她也不再是我女朋友了—我們關(guān)系結(jié)束了。”
‘I see.’ The policeman sighed,wrote in his notebook,and stood up,‘That's all then,Mr Cole.The guard wasn't sure.Probably it was a different night.’
“我明白了。”警察嘆了口氣,在筆記本上寫(xiě)著,站了起來(lái)。“那么就這樣吧,科爾先生。門(mén)衛(wèi)也不肯定。那也許是另一個(gè)晚上。”
‘Yes .I'm sure it was .’
“是啊,我想是。.
‘Right then.Thank you for your help.Good night,Mr Cole.’He walked to the door,and went out.
“那好吧。謝謝你的幫助。晚安,科爾先生。”他走到門(mén)口,出去了。
Alan watched him go,unable to say another word.He had ~felt so helpless,so frightened.I have to speak,he thought,I have to do something.But I can't .
阿蘭眼看著他走了,卻再也說(shuō)不出一個(gè)字。他從沒(méi)感到過(guò)如此無(wú)助,如此害怕。我必須說(shuō),他想,我必須做些什么,可找不能。
If I 'speak,Jane will die.
如果我說(shuō)了,簡(jiǎn)就會(huì)死的。
But if I say nothing,will they ever let her go?
但我要是什么都不說(shuō),他們就會(huì)放了她嗎?
As the door closed,he opened his mouth and said,`Detec-tive Hall.’
門(mén)關(guān)上的時(shí)候,他張開(kāi)口,說(shuō):“荷爾偵探。”
But the policeman walked away.He didn't hear,
但是警察已經(jīng)走遠(yuǎn)了,沒(méi)有聽(tīng)見(jiàn)。
Oh God,Alan thought.What do I do now ?
噢,上帝啊,阿蘭想,我現(xiàn)在該怎么辦?
After the phone call. Kev and Anna tied the cloth round Jane's mouth again,and went back into .her kitchen‘Anna had the bag over Jane’s head too,’but Jane could hear most of what they were saying. They were angry,arguing.
打完電話(huà),凱夫和安娜又把布綁在簡(jiǎn)的嘴上,回到廚房。安娜也把袋子罩在了簡(jiǎn)臉上,可他們說(shuō)的大部分話(huà)她都能聽(tīng)見(jiàn)。他們正生氣,爭(zhēng)吵著什么。
‘You've made too many mistakes with this plan,Anna,’ Kev said.‘The Queen of England is still walking around Buckingham Palace because of you.,
“在這個(gè)計(jì)劃上你出了太多的錯(cuò),安娜。”凱夫說(shuō),“就因?yàn)槟?,英格蘭女王還在白金漢宮周?chē)⒉健?rdquo;
Anna's voice was high and angry.‘Because of me?What about ynu?You were supposed, to understand bombs and radio transmitters, and what happened? The transmitter in that camera didn't work when I pressed the button!’
安娜的聲音又高又生氣。“因?yàn)槲?那么你呢?本以為你懂得炸彈和無(wú)線(xiàn)電傳感器,可發(fā)生了什么?我按下照相機(jī)快門(mén)時(shí),相機(jī)里邊的那個(gè)傳感器卻沒(méi)奏效!”
‘You probably didn't press it hard enough,’Kev said coldly.‘It worked in the end,didn't it?’
“也許你按得不夠狠勁,”凱夫冷冷地說(shuō),“最后奏效了,不是嗎?"
‘Yes,too late!’Anna said.‘That was your mistake,not mine.So now we've got Cole to worry about,and this girl. We've got to get her away from here fast.’
“是啊,太晚了!”安娜說(shuō),“那是你的錯(cuò),不是我的。所以我們現(xiàn)在要為科爾和這女孩的事?lián)?。我們得盡快把她從這兒弄走。”
‘Wait until midnight,when the house is quiet.’
“等到半夜這兒靜下來(lái)時(shí)再說(shuō)。”
There was an icy fear in Jane's stomach.They know I can hear them,and they don't care,she thought.I'm sure Dad will keep quiet,but they can never let me go now .They'll have to kill me,because I know too much.
簡(jiǎn)感到恐懼像冰一般襲上心頭。他們知道我能聽(tīng)見(jiàn)他們說(shuō)話(huà),他們還不在乎,她想。我相信爸爸會(huì)保持沉默的,但他們現(xiàn)在不會(huì)讓我走的。他們肯定得殺了我,因?yàn)槲抑赖锰唷?/p>
If I don't get away from them soon,f m going to die.
如果我不趕快離開(kāi)他們,我就會(huì)死的。
Alan lay in the dark and listened to the voices in his head,arguing this way,and that way,until he thought he would go crazy.
阿蘭在黑暗中躺著,傾聽(tīng)著自己腦海中的兩個(gè)自我這樣、那樣地爭(zhēng)拼著,直到他覺(jué)得自己都要瘋了。
Keep your mouth shut,If you speak,she'll die.
閉上你的嘴!你若講出來(lái)她就得死!
But they'll still kill her,if she's seen their faces.
但是如果她看見(jiàn)了他們的臉,他們?nèi)詴?huì)殺了她。
They won't,Anna won't .She's a woman,she couldn't do that,She was your lover,
他們不會(huì)的,安娜不會(huì)的。她是個(gè)女人,她不能那樣做!她曾是你的情人!
Woman!She killed five people!She blew my leg off!
女人!她殺了五個(gè)人!她炸掉了我的腿!
Those two men the police have arrested are innocent. They'll go to prison for thirty years if 1 don't speak !
警察抓的那兩個(gè)人是無(wú)辜的。要是我不說(shuō)話(huà),他們就要坐30年牢!
I don't know them,I don't care about them.Jane is the only person who matters to me!
我不認(rèn)識(shí)他們,我不在乎他們。簡(jiǎn)是我唯一在乎的人!
The police will think that I helped Anna put the bomb‘.the coach ! I'll go to prison.
警察會(huì)以為我?guī)桶材仍隈R車(chē)?yán)锓帕苏◤?我會(huì)坐牢的。
That woman is laughing at me.She was laughing at me when we made love .I hate her!I hope she dies!
那個(gè)女人在笑話(huà)我。我們做愛(ài)的時(shí)候她在笑我。我恨她!我希望她死!
She won't die,Jane will .1 must keep quiet !
她死不了,簡(jiǎn)會(huì)死。我必須保持沉默!
What can I do? If I speak,they'll kill her.But if I don't speak,they'll kill her later. So I've got to tell the police now, it's Jane's only chance.
我該怎么辦?如果我說(shuō)了,他們會(huì)殺了簡(jiǎn)。可我不說(shuō),他們過(guò)后也會(huì)殺了她。所以 我現(xiàn)在就得跟警察說(shuō),這是簡(jiǎn)唯一的機(jī)會(huì)。
I can't,it's too dangerous.1 can't! I want to see my daughter !
我不能!這太危險(xiǎn)了。我不能!我想見(jiàn)到我女兒!
For two hours he lay in his room and,listened to the voices in his head and.thought he was going crazy.His lei ached,his chest felt very hot .Twice he dedided `to get tip and tell some -one,but his body wouldn't move.
‘他就這樣在房間里躺著并聽(tīng)著自己腦子里的聲音達(dá)兩個(gè)小時(shí)之久,覺(jué)得自己快瘋了。他的腿在疼,胸部熱極了。他有兩次都決定起來(lái)跟別人說(shuō),可他的身體卻沒(méi)動(dòng)。
Then,the third time, he, got into his wheelchair and went out into the corridor.It was midnight.
于是,第三次時(shí),他坐到輪椅上并出去到了走廊里。這時(shí)是半夜了。
Nurse!’he said,‘Nurse,I need a telephone,now!"
“護(hù)士!”他說(shuō),“護(hù)士,我要用電話(huà),就現(xiàn)在!”
Oh God,he thought.Where is Jane now ?
噢,上帝啊,他想,簡(jiǎn)現(xiàn)在在哪兒?
Jane was in the boot of a 'car.Her hands and feet were tied,the piece of cloth was round her mouth,and the bag was over her. head,but she knew she was in a car boot because she could hear the engine, and when she tried to sit up she hit her head.
簡(jiǎn)被關(guān)在一輛汽車(chē)的后備箱里。她的手腳被捆著,嘴上塞著布,頭上還罩著袋子,但她知道她在一輛汽車(chē)的后備箱里,因?yàn)樗苈?tīng)見(jiàn)發(fā)動(dòng)機(jī)在響,而且當(dāng)她想坐起來(lái)的時(shí)候她的頭被撞了一下。
She didn't know how long she had been there.There wasn't much air,but she couldn,t do anything about it.She just lay there and thought:it can't be much longer.We must get there soon and then they'll let me. out.
她不知道她還要在那兒呆多久。里邊的空氣不太多了,可她毫無(wú)辦法。她只能躺在那兒,想:不會(huì)太長(zhǎng)的;我們很快就會(huì)到,然后他們就會(huì)把我放出去。
And then what? How long before they kill me?
然后呢?距他們殺我還有多久?
4 Phone Call
The phone rang again in Alan Cole's room.
‘Hello?’he said.
"Alan?".
He recognized her voice at once .‘Anna!’he said,’his heart beating fast.
`Yes. Now listen carefully.,Alan--’
‘Oh Anna! I've been waiting for your;.call.Have ,yov heard about -- about my leg,Anna?’
‘Never mind your leg. Listen to me、III say this:,once; t#nd once only."
‘what?Anna,what are you --’
‘We've got your daughter,Alan.Jane.That's her name,isn't it? Speak to your father,Jane.Now!’
Over the phone,Alan heard the high,frightened voice of his daughter.‘Dad? I'm sorry,Dad.They say.if you tell the police anything about Anna,they'll kill me,but I don't care ,I…oh!"
Alan heard a scream ,which was suddenly cut off.Then Anna's voice again:‘She won't die if you keep.quiet,lover boy.But if you say a word,a single word shout me to the police,you'll find her body in the river Thames.Do you under-stand?"
Alan tried to speak,but there~something wrong with his voice. `-Yes," 'tie said.‘But,please…’
‘No buts, 'If -ybu want to see your daughter ,again,keep your riath shut."
The phone Went dead. Alan Cole sat very still. There was a ble pain: In his' chest,his mouth was dry and he -couldn't move .He sat like a stone.
It's like a dream,he thought.Surely it didn't happen.But that voice on the phone,it was Jane all right .And Anna,too.Anna…saying that she had kidnapped Jane.
But why? What was going on?
Slowly,he tried to understand.He hadn't told .the police about Anna,because of her husband.But why was that so im-portant?
Why has Anna kidnapped Jane
Because Anna has a secret .Something very important that I,Alan,know about、but mustn’t tell the police.Anna will kill Jane if I tell anyone about it:
But what is this secret? What am I supposed to know?
There was a knock on the door.A nurse came in.
‘Hello , Mr Cole .A policeman to see you.Are you OK?’
‘Yes…yes,fine,thanks.’
‘You don,t look OK.’The nurse put her hand on his head,and felt his wrist.‘Well,you're not too hot; and your heart's OK.’She smiled at the policeman.‘just half an hour,now.Remember,he's had a very serious accident.’
‘I know that.’The policeman came in and sat down,and the nurse went out,pushing the telephone table in front of her:‘I'm Detective Hall,Mr Cole.We met before.’
‘Yes,’Alan said .The policeman had a kind,friendly face.The kind of~you could trust.He'll help me,Alan thought. He's probably a father himself.
No! Fear burned Alan like a fire.1 mustn't tell him about Anna.If ldo,Jane will die…
‘You've probably read in the newspapers,Mr Cole,that we've arrested two men.’The policeman told Alan the story about the two Irishmen in the coach factory.‘So we know they bombed the coach,and how they did it.`I suppose you're pleased about that.’
‘Er…yes,’Alan said quietly.‘That's good.But why have you come to see me?’
‘I iusLneed to ask you s few questions about the day before the bowXg .You see,we think these~put the bomb in the coach three days before the bombing,while the coach was at the factory.So the bomb was already in the coach when it came back to the Mews.’
‘Was it?’Alan said.He didn't really understand what the policeman was talking about.
‘We think so,yes.And in your job,you look after the coach,don't you?’
‘The coach,yes.And the horses.Mostly the horses.’
‘Well,did you notice anything unusual — anything at all?’
‘No,I don't think so.’
‘Let's take this slowly,the policeman said.‘The day before the bombing,when did you leave work?’
‘At…about six o'clock.Half past,perhaps,’
‘And you didn't go back?,
‘No,’Alan said quietly.
Then he looked away,quickly,out of the window.He felt cold,frightened,lonely.
‘Are you sure about that,Mr Cole?You see,a guard told me you came back later,at about ten,’
‘He did? Oh,yes,of course .I went back to see a horse,Sandman .He had a bad leg.’
‘I see.’The policeman wrote in his book.‘Alone?’
‘I'm sorry?’
‘Were you alone,Mr Cole? When you saw the horse?’
For a moment Alan didn't answer.A new,very, unwelcome idea came to him,and he began to feel sick with fear. It wasn't those two Irishmen,he thought,it was Anna!She put the bomb in the coach when I 'was with Sandman.I was alone with the horse for at least ten minutes;she had plenty of time.
And that means she didn't love me at all,she just used me.I thought I was so lucky,an old man with a young pretty woman in my bed — and all the time she was laughing at me.Worse than that — she's a murderer!She killed George and Bernard and John,and she took my leg,and now she's going to kill Jane as well!
And I can't say anything about it.
That's why she phoned me.To make sure that I never tell the police.
If I tell this policeman,Jane will die.
In a strange,shaky voice,Alan said,‘I was alone when I was with the horse,yes.’
The'policeman said nothing.Alan felt his hands shaking and put them under the sheet.Why is he looking at me like that?he thought.What does he know?
‘Are you sure,Mr Cole? The guard says you have a lady friend,and sometimes she visits the horses with you.Was she with you that night?’
‘No.’
‘You're sure about that,Mr Cole?’
‘Yes,I am.And she's not my friend any more now --we've ended it.’
‘I see.’ The policeman sighed,wrote in his notebook,and stood up,‘That's all then,Mr Cole.The guard wasn't sure.Probably it was a different night.’
‘Yes .I'm sure it was .’
‘Right then.Thank you for your help.Good night,Mr Cole.’He walked to the door,and went out.
Alan watched him go,unable to say another word.He had ~felt so helpless,so frightened.I have to speak,he thought,I have to do something.But I can't .
If I 'speak,Jane will die.
But if I say nothing,will they ever let her go?
As the door closed,he opened his mouth and said,`Detec-tive Hall.’
But the policeman walked away.He didn't hear,
Oh God,Alan thought.What do I do now ?
After the phone call. Kev and Anna tied the cloth round Jane's mouth again,and went back into .her kitchen‘Anna had the bag over Jane’s head too,’but Jane could hear most of what they were saying. They were angry,arguing.
‘You've made too many mistakes with this plan,Anna,’ Kev said.‘The Queen of England is still walking around Buckingham Palace because of you.,
Anna's voice was high and angry.‘Because of me?What about ynu?You were supposed, to understand bombs and radio transmitters, and what happened? The transmitter in that camera didn't work when I pressed the button!’
‘You probably didn't press it hard enough,’Kev said coldly.‘It worked in the end,didn't it?’
‘Yes,too late!’Anna said.‘That was your mistake,not mine.So now we've got Cole to worry about,and this girl. We've got to get her away from here fast.’
‘Wait until midnight,when the house is quiet.’
There was an icy fear in Jane's stomach.They know I can hear them,and they don't care,she thought.I'm sure Dad will keep quiet,but they can never let me go now .They'll have to kill me,because I know too much.
If I don't get away from them soon,f m going to die.
Alan lay in the dark and listened to the voices in his head,arguing this way,and that way,until he thought he would go crazy.
Keep your mouth shut,If you speak,she'll die.
But they'll still kill her,if she's seen their faces.
They won't,Anna won't .She's a woman,she couldn't do that,She was your lover,
Woman!She killed five people!She blew my leg off!
Those two men the police have arrested are innocent. They'll go to prison for thirty years if 1 don't speak !
I don't know them,I don't care about them.Jane is the only person who matters to me!
The police will think that I helped Anna put the bomb‘.the coach ! I'll go to prison.
That woman is laughing at me.She was laughing at me when we made love .I hate her!I hope she dies!
She won't die,Jane will .1 must keep quiet !
What can I do? If I speak,they'll kill her.But if I don't speak,they'll kill her later. So I've got to tell the police now, it's Jane's only chance.
I can't,it's too dangerous.1 can't! I want to see my daughter !
For two hours he lay in his room and,listened to the voices in his head and.thought he was going crazy.His lei ached,his chest felt very hot .Twice he dedided `to get tip and tell some -one,but his body wouldn't move.
Then,the third time, he, got into his wheelchair and went out into the corridor.It was midnight.
Nurse!’he said,‘Nurse,I need a telephone,now!"
Oh God,he thought.Where is Jane now ?
Jane was in the boot of a 'car.Her hands and feet were tied,the piece of cloth was round her mouth,and the bag was over her. head,but she knew she was in a car boot because she could hear the engine, and when she tried to sit up she hit her head.
She didn't know how long she had been there.There wasn't much air,but she couldn,t do anything about it.She just lay there and thought:it can't be much longer.We must get there soon and then they'll let me. out.
And then what? How long before they kill me?
4 電話(huà)
阿蘭.科爾房間里的電話(huà)又響了。
“喂?”他說(shuō)。
“阿蘭?”
他立即聽(tīng)出她的聲音。“安娜!”他說(shuō),他的心跳得很快。
是我。仔細(xì)聽(tīng)著,阿蘭—”
“哦,安娜!我一直都在等你的電話(huà)。你聽(tīng)說(shuō)—我的腿的事了嗎,安娜?”
“你的腿沒(méi)關(guān)系。聽(tīng)著。我只說(shuō)一遍,就一遍。”
“什么?安娜,你什么—”
“我們抓住了你女兒,阿蘭。就是簡(jiǎn)。她叫那名字,不對(duì)嗎?跟你爸爸講話(huà),簡(jiǎn)。就現(xiàn)在!”
通過(guò)電話(huà),阿蘭聽(tīng)到女兒高高的而又驚恐的聲音。“爸爸嗎?對(duì)不起.爸爸。他們說(shuō)要是你跟警察說(shuō)起安娜,他們就殺了我,但我不在乎,我……噢!”
阿蘭聽(tīng)見(jiàn)一聲尖叫,它又嘎然而止。接著,他又聽(tīng)見(jiàn)安娜的聲音:“要是你保持沉默,她就不會(huì)死,我的情郎??梢悄愀煺f(shuō)起我一個(gè)字,哪怕就一個(gè)字,你就到泰晤士河給她收尸吧。你明白了嗎?”
阿蘭想說(shuō)話(huà),可他的聲音不知是怎么了。“好的,”他說(shuō),“可是,請(qǐng)......”
“沒(méi)有可是。如果你還想見(jiàn)你女兒,就讓你的嘴閉上。”
電話(huà)掛斷了。阿蘭?科爾一動(dòng)不動(dòng)地坐在那兒。他的腳部劇烈地疼痛,他口干舌燥,也挪動(dòng)不了身體。他就像石頭一樣呆坐著。
就像夢(mèng)一樣,他想??隙ㄊ裁匆矝](méi)發(fā)生??赡请娫?huà)里的聲音分明是簡(jiǎn)。還有安娜。安娜!……說(shuō)她綁架了簡(jiǎn)。
可是為什么呢?發(fā)生了什么事?
慢慢地,他想搞懂這是怎么回事。他還沒(méi)有跟警察談起安娜,那是因?yàn)樗煞颉5菫楹芜@么重要?
為什么安娜綁架了簡(jiǎn)?
因?yàn)榘材扔须[私。有什么重要的事情是我阿蘭知道但又不該告訴警察的。要是我對(duì)任何人講了,安娜就會(huì)殺了簡(jiǎn)。
但秘密是什么呢?她以為我知道什么?
有人敲門(mén)。一個(gè)護(hù)士走了進(jìn)來(lái)。
“你好,科爾先生。一個(gè)警察來(lái)看你。你還好嗎?”
“是……是,挺好的,謝謝。”
“你臉色不好。”護(hù)士把手放在他的額頭上,又摸了摸他的脈搏。“唔,不太熱,心臟也還可以。”她朝警察笑笑。“就半個(gè)小時(shí)。記住,他剛出了嚴(yán)重的事故。”
“我知道。”警察走進(jìn)來(lái),坐下,護(hù)士推著電話(huà)桌走了出去。“我是荷爾警探,科爾先生。我們以前見(jiàn)過(guò)。”
“是的,”阿蘭說(shuō)。這個(gè)警察有一張和藹而友善的臉,是那種你可以信賴(lài)的人。他會(huì)幫助我的,阿蘭想,他自己可能也是個(gè)父親。
不!恐懼就像火一樣折磨著阿蘭。我不能跟他談起安娜。否則簡(jiǎn)會(huì)死的……
“你可能已經(jīng)從報(bào)紙上知道了,科爾先生,我們抓了兩個(gè)人。”警察告訴阿蘭那兩個(gè)在馬車(chē)工廠工作的愛(ài)爾蘭人的事。“所以我們知道是他們炸的馬車(chē),而且知道是怎么炸的。我想你對(duì)此很高興吧。“
“哦…是啊,”阿蘭低聲說(shuō),“很好,可是……你為什么來(lái)看我?"
“我只是想間幾個(gè)有關(guān)爆炸前一天的問(wèn)題。你知道,我們認(rèn)為這兩個(gè)人在爆炸發(fā)生三天前就把炸彈放進(jìn)了馬車(chē),當(dāng)時(shí)馬車(chē)在工廠。因此馬車(chē)回到馬廄時(shí),炸彈已經(jīng)在里邊了。”
“是嗎?"阿蘭說(shuō)。他不太懂警察在說(shuō)什么。
“是的,我們是這么認(rèn)為。你的工作是照看馬車(chē),對(duì)嗎?"
“馬車(chē),是的。還有馬。大部分是馬。.
“那么,你沒(méi)發(fā)現(xiàn)什么異常嗎—任何異常?”
“沒(méi)有,我想沒(méi)有。”
“讓我們慢慢來(lái),”警察說(shuō),“爆炸前一天,你幾點(diǎn)下的班?"
“大約……在六點(diǎn)。也許是六點(diǎn)半。”
“你沒(méi)再回去嗎?"
“沒(méi)有,”阿蘭低聲說(shuō)。
接著,他迅速地朝窗外望去。他感到又冷又怕又孤獨(dú)。
“你肯定嗎,科爾先生?你知道,一個(gè)門(mén)衛(wèi)告訴我你后來(lái)回去了,在大約十點(diǎn)鐘時(shí)。”
“他說(shuō)的?噢,是啊,當(dāng)然。我回去看一匹馬,山德曼。它一條腿壞了。”
“我知道了,”警察在本上記錄著,“一個(gè)人嗎?"
“什么?”
“你是一個(gè)人嗎,科爾先生?你去看馬的時(shí)候?”
片刻之時(shí)阿蘭沒(méi)有回答。他的腦子里又出現(xiàn)一個(gè)討厭的念頭,他開(kāi)始因恐俱而感到難受。不是那兩個(gè)愛(ài)爾蘭人干的,他想,是安娜!我和山德曼在一起時(shí),她把炸彈放在了馬車(chē)?yán)?。我和馬單獨(dú)在一起至少有10分鐘,她有足夠的時(shí)間。
那也就是說(shuō)她根本不愛(ài)我,她只是利用我。我還以為我這么一個(gè)老頭能和一個(gè)年輕漂亮的姑娘上床真走運(yùn)—而她一直都在笑話(huà)我。更糟的是—她竟是個(gè)兇手!她殺了喬治、伯納德和約翰,她還奪走了我的一條腿,現(xiàn)在她還要?dú)⒑?jiǎn)!
而且我什么也不能說(shuō)。’
難怪她給我打電話(huà)。那是想確認(rèn)我不會(huì)跟警察說(shuō)什么。
要是我對(duì)警察說(shuō),簡(jiǎn)就會(huì)死的。
阿蘭用一種奇怪而顫抖的聲音說(shuō):“我和馬在一起的時(shí)候就我一個(gè)人,是這樣。”
警察什么也沒(méi)說(shuō)。阿蘭覺(jué)得自己的手在顫抖,就把它們放在被單底下。他干嘛那樣看著我?他想。他都知道些什么?
“你肯定嗎,科爾先生?門(mén)衛(wèi)說(shuō)你有一個(gè)女朋友,她有時(shí)和你一起去看馬。她那天晚上和你在一起嗎?.
“不。”
“你肯定呀,科爾先生?”
“是的,我肯定。而且她也不再是我女朋友了—我們關(guān)系結(jié)束了。”
“我明白了。”警察嘆了口氣,在筆記本上寫(xiě)著,站了起來(lái)。“那么就這樣吧,科爾先生。門(mén)衛(wèi)也不肯定。那也許是另一個(gè)晚上。”
“是啊,我想是。.
“那好吧。謝謝你的幫助。晚安,科爾先生。”他走到門(mén)口,出去了。
阿蘭眼看著他走了,卻再也說(shuō)不出一個(gè)字。他從沒(méi)感到過(guò)如此無(wú)助,如此害怕。我必須說(shuō),他想,我必須做些什么,可找不能。
如果我說(shuō)了,簡(jiǎn)就會(huì)死的。
但我要是什么都不說(shuō),他們就會(huì)放了她嗎?
門(mén)關(guān)上的時(shí)候,他張開(kāi)口,說(shuō):“荷爾偵探。”
但是警察已經(jīng)走遠(yuǎn)了,沒(méi)有聽(tīng)見(jiàn)。
噢,上帝啊,阿蘭想,我現(xiàn)在該怎么辦?
打完電話(huà),凱夫和安娜又把布綁在簡(jiǎn)的嘴上,回到廚房。安娜也把袋子罩在了簡(jiǎn)臉上,可他們說(shuō)的大部分話(huà)她都能聽(tīng)見(jiàn)。他們正生氣,爭(zhēng)吵著什么。
“在這個(gè)計(jì)劃上你出了太多的錯(cuò),安娜。”凱夫說(shuō),“就因?yàn)槟?,英格蘭女王還在白金漢宮周?chē)⒉健?rdquo;
安娜的聲音又高又生氣。“因?yàn)槲?那么你呢?本以為你懂得炸彈和無(wú)線(xiàn)電傳感器,可發(fā)生了什么?我按下照相機(jī)快門(mén)時(shí),相機(jī)里邊的那個(gè)傳感器卻沒(méi)奏效!”
“也許你按得不夠狠勁,”凱夫冷冷地說(shuō),“最后奏效了,不是嗎?"
“是啊,太晚了!”安娜說(shuō),“那是你的錯(cuò),不是我的。所以我們現(xiàn)在要為科爾和這女孩的事?lián)?。我們得盡快把她從這兒弄走。”
“等到半夜這兒靜下來(lái)時(shí)再說(shuō)。”
簡(jiǎn)感到恐懼像冰一般襲上心頭。他們知道我能聽(tīng)見(jiàn)他們說(shuō)話(huà),他們還不在乎,她想。我相信爸爸會(huì)保持沉默的,但他們現(xiàn)在不會(huì)讓我走的。他們肯定得殺了我,因?yàn)槲抑赖锰唷?/p>
如果我不趕快離開(kāi)他們,我就會(huì)死的。
阿蘭在黑暗中躺著,傾聽(tīng)著自己腦海中的兩個(gè)自我這樣、那樣地爭(zhēng)拼著,直到他覺(jué)得自己都要瘋了。
閉上你的嘴!你若講出來(lái)她就得死!
但是如果她看見(jiàn)了他們的臉,他們?nèi)詴?huì)殺了她。
他們不會(huì)的,安娜不會(huì)的。她是個(gè)女人,她不能那樣做!她曾是你的情人!
女人!她殺了五個(gè)人!她炸掉了我的腿!
警察抓的那兩個(gè)人是無(wú)辜的。要是我不說(shuō)話(huà),他們就要坐30年牢!
我不認(rèn)識(shí)他們,我不在乎他們。簡(jiǎn)是我唯一在乎的人!
警察會(huì)以為我?guī)桶材仍隈R車(chē)?yán)锓帕苏◤?我會(huì)坐牢的。
那個(gè)女人在笑話(huà)我。我們做愛(ài)的時(shí)候她在笑我。我恨她!我希望她死!
她死不了,簡(jiǎn)會(huì)死。我必須保持沉默!
我該怎么辦?如果我說(shuō)了,他們會(huì)殺了簡(jiǎn)。可我不說(shuō),他們過(guò)后也會(huì)殺了她。所以 我現(xiàn)在就得跟警察說(shuō),這是簡(jiǎn)唯一的機(jī)會(huì)。
我不能!這太危險(xiǎn)了。我不能!我想見(jiàn)到我女兒!
‘他就這樣在房間里躺著并聽(tīng)著自己腦子里的聲音達(dá)兩個(gè)小時(shí)之久,覺(jué)得自己快瘋了。他的腿在疼,胸部熱極了。他有兩次都決定起來(lái)跟別人說(shuō),可他的身體卻沒(méi)動(dòng)。
于是,第三次時(shí),他坐到輪椅上并出去到了走廊里。這時(shí)是半夜了。
“護(hù)士!”他說(shuō),“護(hù)士,我要用電話(huà),就現(xiàn)在!”
噢,上帝啊,他想,簡(jiǎn)現(xiàn)在在哪兒?
簡(jiǎn)被關(guān)在一輛汽車(chē)的后備箱里。她的手腳被捆著,嘴上塞著布,頭上還罩著袋子,但她知道她在一輛汽車(chē)的后備箱里,因?yàn)樗苈?tīng)見(jiàn)發(fā)動(dòng)機(jī)在響,而且當(dāng)她想坐起來(lái)的時(shí)候她的頭被撞了一下。
她不知道她還要在那兒呆多久。里邊的空氣不太多了,可她毫無(wú)辦法。她只能躺在那兒,想:不會(huì)太長(zhǎng)的;我們很快就會(huì)到,然后他們就會(huì)把我放出去。
然后呢?距他們殺我還有多久?