福爾摩斯探案集·博斯科姆比溪谷秘案 第12期:整理線索(6)
"The Coroner: Did your father make any statement to you before he died?
"驗尸官："你父親臨終前對你說過什么沒有？"
Witness: He mumbled a few words, but I could only catch some allusion to a rat.
證人："他含糊不清地說了幾句話，但我只聽到他好象提到一個'拉特'。
The Coroner: What did you understand by that?
"驗尸官："你認為這話是什么意思？"
Witness: It conveyed no meaning to me. I thought that he was delirious.
證人："我不懂它是什么意思，我認為他當時已經神志昏迷。"
The Coroner: What was the point upon which you and your father had this final quarrel?
驗尸官："你和你父親最后一次爭吵的原因是什么？"
Witness: I should prefer not to answer.
證人："我不想回答這個問題。"
The Coroner: I am afraid that I must press it.
驗尸官："看來我必須堅持要你回答。"
Witness: It is really impossible for me to tell you. I can assure you that it has nothing to do with the sad tragedy which followed.
證人："我真的不可能告訴你。我可以向你保證，這和隨后發(fā)生的慘案毫無關系。"
The Coroner: That is for the court to decide.
驗尸官："這要由法庭來裁決。
I need not point out to you that your refusal to answer will prejudice your case considerably in any future proceedings which may arise.
我無須向你指出你也該明白，拒絕回答問題，在將來可能提出起訴時，對于你的案情將相當不利的。"
Witness: I must still refuse.
證人："我仍然要堅持拒絕回答。"
The Coroner: I understand that the cry of "Cooee" was a common signal between you and your father?
驗尸官："據我了解，'庫伊'的喊聲是你們父子之間常用的信號。"
Witness: It was.
證人："是的。"
The Coroner: How was it, then, that he uttered it before he saw you, and before he even knew that you had returned from Bristol?
驗尸官："那么，他還沒有見到你，甚至還不知道你已從布里斯托爾回來就喊這個信號，那是怎么回事呢？"
Witness (with considerable confusion): I do not know.
證人（顯得相當慌亂）："這個，我可不知道。"
