侍者回答:“I found it.(是我。)”
英国男人:“What time?(时间呢?)”
侍者看看表:“It's been fifteen minutes now.(距离现在已经过去了十五分钟。)”
英国男人:“At ten fifteen, it was found stolen.(也就是十点十五分的时候发现失窃的。)”
侍者:“Yes.(是的)”
“I'd like to ask five of you to help me ask all the visitors what they're doing at this time and where, and you five interrogators and I'll ask each other later, okay?(我想请你们五位帮助我询问所有的参观者,这个时间点都在做什么,在哪个位置,而你们五位询问者加上我一会儿再相互询问,可以吗?)”
东方男子,英国男人,还有剩下的三名参观者都答应了,英国男人又问顾星乔和宋七梧,“Are the two of you willing?(你们两位呢?)”
顾星乔和宋七梧两人点点头,表示同意。
几人开始了问话,这里面一共有20人,除去馆主,两名侍者,英国男人,东方男子,顾星乔宋七梧,还有13人。
除馆主,英国男人,东方男子,顾星乔宋七梧以外,其他13人和两名侍者都需要先接受询问。
“Could you tell me where you are at ten fifteen this time? What's going on?(请你告诉我,十点十五分这个时间,你在哪里?在做什么?)”
“I am visiting the bedroom.(我在卧室参观)”
“Could you tell me where you are at ten fifteen this time? What's going on?(请你告诉你,十点十五分这个时间,你在哪里?在做什么?)”
“I'm taking photos in the study. The waiter can prove it.(我在书房拍照,侍者可以作证。)”
“I am taking a photo of a visitor.(我正在给一名参观者拍照)”
“………………”
这些人十点十五分这个时间点在做的事都大同小异,本来就这么大点地方,大家都奔着这两间房来的,不在书房就在卧室,而且有的人还可以相互作证,说谎的可能性很小。
宋七梧和顾星乔两人熟练的说着英文询问这几名参观者,观察着他们的反应,没发现什么异常。
英国男人有些气馁,虔诚的做了一个祷告,“Oh! God, I thought reasoning was easy, but I was wrong. I couldn't find a burglar. God, forgive me.(噢!上帝,我以为推理是很容易的事情,可是我错了,我找不到盗窃者,上帝,宽恕我吧!)”
东方男人说,“Don't worry. No one is asked. Maybe the thief is in the rest of the people.(别着急,还有人没有询问呢,或许盗窃者就在剩下的人里面。)”
东方男人询问其他几名参与推理的参观者,英国男人先询问顾星乔和宋七梧,“Please answer the same question.(同样的问题,请你们回答。)”
“When we heard the waiter say the pipe was stolen, my wife and I were about to leave, but he stopped us and told us it was stolen five minutes ago, so we left at 10:20, and at 10:15 my wife and I were taking pictures and saying... Whisper.(当我们听到侍者先生说烟斗失窃的时候,我和我的太太正准备离开,不过他拦下了我们,他告诉我们五分钟前失窃了,所以我们离开的时间是十点二十分,而十点十五分的时候我和我的太太拍完照片正在说……悄悄话。)”
“Whisper? Can anyone prove it for you?(悄悄话?有人能为你们证明吗?)”英国男人失笑,然后接着问。
顾星乔耸耸肩,“I don't know. I only have my wife in my eyes. I don't notice if anyone is looking at us and proving it to us.(这我就不知道了,我的眼里只有我的太太,没注意是否有人在看我们,并且为我们证明。)”
英国男人把两人打量了一遍,说了句题外话,“It looks like you love your wife very much.(看样子,你很爱你的太太。)”
顾星乔:“sure.(当然)”
“But you still have suspicion.(可你们还是有嫌疑。)”英国男人话锋一转。
“It doesn't matter. If you can't find thieves, my wife and I will find him to clean up our suspicions.(没关系,如果你找不到盗窃者,我和我太太会找到他,为我们洗脱嫌疑。)”
“I hope so.(但愿如此。)”
这时候,东方男子已经询问完其他几名参与推理的参观者,英国男人又转而询问东方男子,他说,“You and they are both Asians, and I think you are a person who likes challenges and adventures.(你和他们两一样是亚洲人,不过我认为你是一个喜欢挑战和冒险的人。)”
东方男子:“Thank you, but you should ask me.(谢谢,不过你该询问我了。)”
“Ok,Then, please tell me where you were and what you did when the theft happened.(是,那么请你说说盗窃发生的时候你在哪里?做什么?)”
“I'm talked to a waiter. She can testify for me.(我正在和一名侍者交谈,她可以为我作证。)”东方男子指了指其中一名女侍者。
那名侍者站出来为东方男子作证,“Yes, he was talked to me.(是的,他正和我交谈。)”
“Now, there's only you left.(现在,只剩下你了。)”东方男子对英国男人说。
英国男人开始感到挫败,他坐了下来,“You can ask.(你问吧)”
“I don't have to ask, you said, the problem is those two.(我不用问,你自己说,问题就是那两个。)”东方男子说。
“Well, at that time, I was admiring a beautiful and interesting lady.(好吧,那个时候,我正在欣赏一位美丽又有趣的女士。)”英国男人回答。
在场的人都有些诧异,参观者当中确实有几位女士。
“Which one?(哪一位?)”
英国男人看向宋七梧的方向,视线停留在她身上,他的目光带着欣赏和仰慕,“It's her. I don't know what her name is, and unfortunately she already has a husband, but it doesn't affect my appreciation of her beauty.(就是她,我不知道她叫什么名字,而且遗憾的是她已经是有了丈夫,不过这不影响我欣赏她的美丽。)”
顾星乔微微挑眉,有些不悦,动动嘴却没说什么。
宋七梧也诧异,这是撞上桃花运了?她扭头看看顾星乔,咦?没什么反应?他不在乎?还是装作不在乎?
“Is there a witness?(那有人证吗?)”东方男子问。
“I don't know. Maybe not.(不知道,或许没有)”
东方男子说:“Well, now you and their husband and wife are suspected. Do you want to prove it to yourself? Search is illegal. We have no right to search. You can only prove it to yourself.(好,那么,现在你和他们夫妻两都有嫌疑,你们愿意自己向大家证明吗?搜身不合法,我们无权搜身,只能你们自己向大家证明。)”
英国男子赶紧拿出自己的背包,又把身上的兜兜都翻出来给大家看,一一向大家证明。