马龙探案卷四 之 正确的凶案 十四
“我真的非常抱歉，杰克。” 布莱克县治安官安迪?阿赫恩说道，“如果我当时在这儿，这种事就不会发生了。很抱歉你被关进了监狱。但是乔很冲动。他当副警长才几个月，而且他热爱自己的工作。”
“I’m sorry as hell, Jake,” Andy Ahearn, sheriff of Blake County, was saying. “It’d never have happened if I’d been here myself. I’m sorry you got thrown in the jail. But Joe’s impetuous. He’s only been a deputy for a coupla months, and he loves his work.”
杰克说：“好吧，也许我不该打他鼻子。但他让我很恼火。他说我要么是喝醉了，要么是疯了，然后我就发脾气了。行为不检点，这个讨厌的家伙！他把我扔进你的该死的监狱，我应该再揍他一顿。”
Jake said, “Well, maybe I oughtn’t to have busted him one in the nose. But he made me sore. He said I was either drunk or bats, and I lost my temper. Disorderly conduct, the dirty bum! I ought to bust him again for throwing me in your damn jail.”
“乔是个非常紧张的人。” 安迪?阿赫恩说。
“Joe’s an awful nervous fellow,” Andy Ahearn said.
“此外。” 杰克?贾斯特痛苦地补充道，“我和狱卒玩皮诺奇牌输了两美元。”
“Besides,” Jake Justus added bitterly, “I lost two bucks playing pinochle with the jailer.”
“他是个很棒的皮诺奇牌玩家。” 安迪说。他又补充道，好像是在提供补偿，“喝一杯吗？”
“He’s a good pinochle player,” Andy said. He added, as though offering reparations, “Have a drink?”
“当然。” 杰克说，希望安迪?阿赫恩的杜松子酒自他上次来后质量有所提高。但并没有。
“Sure,” Jake said, hoping the quality of Andy Ahearn’s gin had improved since his last visit. It hadn’t.
“我真的对此很抱歉，杰克。” 治安官又说了一遍，“乔也很抱歉。如果我当时在这儿……”
“I really am sorry about this, Jake,” the sheriff said again. “Joe, he’s sorry too. If I’d been here myself—”
“当然，我们都很抱歉。” 杰克说，“你抱歉，他抱歉，我也抱歉，只有狱卒高兴，他赢了两美元。忘了它吧。这是个很棒的监狱。现在坦白这里发生的这起谋杀案，我们就两清了。”
“Sure, we’re all sorry,” Jake said. “You’re sorry, he’s sorry, I’m sorry, nobody’s happy but the jailer, he won two bucks. Forget it. It’s a swell jail. Now e clean about this murder you’ve had out here and we’ll call it square.”
阿赫恩盯着他，“天啊，杰克，也许你真的疯了。”
Ahearn stared at him. “Jeez, Jake, maybe you are nuts.”
“得了，安迪，我过去帮过你忙。而且，我现在不为任何报纸工作了。我得到一个可靠的消息，说你们这里发生了一起没有见报的凶杀案。”
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