Chapter 6 Chapter Six

They didn't get up very late the next morning.Like a couple who have been married for many years, they eat breakfast and read the newspaper together.By the time they had showered and got dressed, the clock had already pointed to one o'clock in the afternoon. "We could go to Café Dom for a cocktail and then lunch," he said. "What do you think?" "There is a nice restaurant across the street from this cafe. It's a bit pricey." "Oh, the price doesn't matter." "Are you sure?" She looked at him suspiciously, "I don't want you to spend too much money. You have always been good to me. I think I have been taking advantage of you."

"Stop talking nonsense!" He blushed. "You don't know how I've felt these past two days. I was completely rested. Last night was the first time in months that I didn't wake up in the middle of the night and I didn't have dreams. I felt lighter and I felt like a different person Like." She did look better this morning.Her skin is more radiant and her eyes are brighter.Her reactions were also quicker. "You gave me a wonderful little vacation. I really needed one. But I must have caused you a lot of trouble." "I didn't treat you as a burden."

She smiled sarcastically. "My dear, you are very well-bred. I am very touched by what you say. I am not used to people saying compliments to me, so I am moved to tears. But after all, you came to Paris to have a good time. .and you know, you are unlikely to have fun with me now. You are young, but youth is short, enjoy it. If you want, buy me another meal at noon today, and I will leave you in the afternoon , back to Alexei's house." "Go back to the Sultan's Palace tonight?" "I think so." She was about to sigh, but she swallowed it back, shrugged her shoulders somewhat cheerfully, and gave him a broad smile.Charlie couldn't figure out what she meant. He looked at her with pained eyes and frowned slightly.He felt himself in a position of power and was embarrassed by it.I am healthy, radiant, full of happiness, and my uplifting spirit will be revealed unconsciously.But it seemed oddly sinful to him.He felt like a vulgar rich man showing off his wealth to a poor relative.She looked frail, with a shabby brown dress wrapped around her slender body.She looked younger after a good night's sleep, almost like a child.How could you not help her?When you think about her tragic story, when you think about her crazy idea of ​​atonement for her husband through self-deprecation, your heartstrings are tightened.Why, the idea of ​​hers was so senseless and frightening that I hated to think about it.However, the annoying thing is that the more I don't want to think about it, the more it lingers in my mind and refuses to leave.You don't feel like you matter at all, and now that the Paris holiday you've been looking forward to with so much excitement has turned so bleak, you'd better bear with it.Charley felt as though it were not he himself who uttered the hesitant words, but a force within him which was beyond his control.When he heard this sentence from his own mouth, he didn't even know why he said it.

"I don't have work until Monday morning, and I'm staying here until Sunday. If you want to stay here, you can stay here for a few more days." Her face lights up instantly, giving you the feeling that a ray of winter sunlight has accidentally entered the room. "Do you really mean that?" "Otherwise I wouldn't have said it." Her legs seemed to be unable to support her body suddenly, and she slumped on a chair. "Oh, that would be great. I can rest well again. I can have a new courage to live. But I can't, I can't." "Why not? There will be trouble at the Sultan's Palace?"

"Oh, that's not the reason. I can call them and tell them I have a cold. It's because it's so unfair to you." "That's my business. Isn't it?" It seemed cruel to Charlie that he had to persuade her to do something that she clearly wanted and that he'd rather she wouldn't, but he had no other choice now.She glanced at him inquiringly. "Why are you doing this? You don't want me, do you?" He shook his head. "Does it matter to you whether I live or die, whether I am happy or unhappy? You haven't known me for forty-eight hours. Is it friendship? But I'm a stranger to you. It's pity." How can a man of your age know mercy?"

"I hope you don't ask me such an embarrassing question." He smiled. "It's just a benevolent nature, I suppose. The English people are often said to be very kind to animals. I remember our landlady once stole our little food to adopt a mangy mongrel, Because the dog is homeless." "If you weren't such a petite person, I would definitely give you a slap on the face." He retorted cheerfully, "Then it's settled?" "Let's go eat. I'm hungry." At lunch they talked about ordinary topics.But when they had finished eating, Charley paid, and while he was waiting for change, she said to him, "You said I could stay with you until you left, did you really mean it?"

"It's absolutely true." "You don't know, it's just gospel to me. My desire for you to mean it is beyond words." "Then why don't you say yes?" "Then you will be much less happy." "No, it won't," he replied bluntly, with a charming smile. "It's sure to be a fun time." she laughed. "Then I'll go back to Alexey's and get something. At least a toothbrush and some clean socks." They parted at the subway station, and Lydia took the subway away.Charlie thought he should go and see if Simon was at home.After asking for directions two or three times, he found Simon's place on the Champs-Elysées.Simon lived in a tall, dilapidated house with peeling paint on the shutters, revealing the dull wood inside.Charley poked his head into the caretaker's hut, and almost immediately fell to the ground with a foul stench that entered his nostrils.The air in the room was stuffy, mixed with the stench of food and human body.There was a thin old woman in a baggy skirt, with a dirty red scarf wrapped around her head.In an angry raspy voice she told him where Simon lived--the same voice that Charlie had asked her if he could go in and see, as if she utterly resented Charlie's trespassing.Charlie followed her instructions across a dirty courtyard and up a narrow staircase.There was a smell of old urine in the corridor.Simon lived on the second floor, and he opened the door after Charlie rang the bell.

"Well, I was wondering what's going on with you now." "did I interrupt you?" "Don't disturb. Come in. You'd better have your coat on. It's a bit cold in here." He was telling the truth.It was freezing cold in the room.It was a studio with a large window facing north and a fireplace in the room.But Simon, apparently too busy with his work, forgot about it, and the flame in the furnace was nearly extinguished.The desk in the middle of the room was scattered with papers.Simon dragged a battered sofa over to the fire and asked Charlie to sit down.

"I'll add some more coke. The stove will heat up in no time. I don't feel cold myself." Charlie found that one of the sofa's springs was broken, and it was not at all comfortable to sit on.The walls of this room are a cold slate gray and look like they haven't been painted in years.The only decoration on the wall was a large map stuck to the wall with thumbtacks.There is also a small iron bed in the room.The quilts on the bed were not arranged, they were piled up. Seeing Charlie looking at the bed, Simon said, "The porter hasn't come up to clean up the room today."

There is also a large dining table in the room, several bookshelves full of books, an office chair, and two or three dining chairs stacked with books; a worn-out carpet is laid beside the bed.Besides that there are no other objects.This dining table is also second-hand, and Simon uses it as a writing desk.The room was lifeless.The cold winter light that came in from the north windows gave the scruffy room a gloomy feel.The third-class waiting room of a small roadside station will look more intimate than this room. Simon drew a chair over to the fire, sat down and lit his pipe.His sharp mind had already guessed what impression his room had made on Charlie, and he smiled grimly.

"The room isn't too luxurious, is it? But I don't want to live a luxurious life." Charlie didn't answer.Simon gave him a cold look, with contempt in his eyes. "This room isn't even comfortable, but I don't want to live a comfortable life either. One cannot indulge in a comfortable life. A comfortable life is a trap into which many otherwise sane people fall and ruin themselves." Own." Charlie felt that he couldn't keep letting Simon play tricks on him, so he said, not without malice: "You look starving and haggard, old chap. How about we take a taxi to the Ritz and sit in a warm room on a comfortable sofa and have a plate of ham and eggs?" "Fuck you. How are you and Olga?" "Her name is Lydia. She went home to get her toothbrush. She stayed with me in that hotel until I went back to London." "She's such a monster. You two are going on so fast, aren't you?" After the two young men had stared at each other for a while, Simon leaned over and said, "You're not in love with her yet, are you?" "Why did you introduce her to me?" "I thought it would be a joke. I thought it would be a new experience for you if you slept with the wife of a notorious murderer. To tell you the truth, I thought she might fall in love with you. If she's in love with you, I'd be laughing my ass off. You're the same type as Berger, but better looking than him." Charlie suddenly remembered a comment Lydia had made when they had dinner together after midnight mass.He didn't understand what she meant then, but now he does. "You might be surprised to know that she has read your intentions. I don't think you will be able to laugh anymore." "Have you two been together since I left on Christmas Eve?" "That's right." "You two seem quite compatible. You look all right. You may be a little pale." Charlie tried to hide his unease.The last thing he wanted Simon to know was that his relationship with Lydia was completely platonic.To let him know, there must be another round of ridicule.He would take Charlie's behavior as sentimental. "Let me meet this woman and then let me be punished for it, I think the joke is a little too far," Charlie said. Simon gave an ugly smile. "It suits my sense of humor. You can tell your parents about it when you get home. You have nothing to complain about anyway. It's all very good. Olga is very professional, she naturally Will serve you well. She has a lot of experience, she's smart, and her conversation is much more interesting than most women. Boy, this is an open education. Do you think she still loves her husband as much as she used to ?” "I think so." "It's very strange, is it human nature? You don't know, he is such a scoundrel. I wonder if you know why she is going to the Sultan's palace? She hopes to make more money so that he can finance his escape. Then they meet in Brazil. " Charlie felt a little apprehensive.She had told him she was there because she wanted to atone for Robert's sin.He took her word for it.Although the intention seemed to him a little excessive, it moved him strangely.Charlie was shocked to think that she might have lied to him.If what Simon said was true, she had been fooling herself. "You don't know, I did a full report on that trial, and the articles were published in our newspaper." Simon went on, "These reports caused a sensation in England. Because Berger killed an Englishman, so The newspapers devoted a lot of space to the case. It was a rare opportunity for me. I had never attended a murder trial in France before, and I was very eager to witness such a trial. I attended the trial at the Old Bailey, and I was curious to compare the course of the trial in France with that in England. I have commented on it at length. I now have the papers here that carry it. If If you're interested, I can find it out and read it for you." "Yes, I'm interested." "The murder was a sensation in France. You see, Robert Berger was not a rascal or something, he was regarded as a gentleman. His family was well established, he was well educated, He spoke English fairly well. A newspaper article dubbed him a 'gentleman gangster.' The title caught on immediately. It whetted the public's appetite and made him a smash-hit entertainer. His Good looking too, very distinctive; and he's young, only twenty-two years old, which helps him become a big hit. Women are crazy about him. God, want to listen The trial crowd was really crowded! When he entered the courtroom, the crowd was so excited. Before the judge entered the courtroom, he was brought in front of the photographers by two bailiffs so that they could take pictures first. I Never seen such a cool guy. He is well dressed and very well dressed. He is freshly shaved and has nice brunette hair combed neatly. He smiles at the photographers and poses as they ask All kinds of side poses, so that they can take a satisfactory photo. He looks like an ordinary rich boy, like a guy who can be seen in the Lijia bar, drinking with a girl. See him This way, I can't help saying, what a character this rascal is. He's a born criminal. Of course his kind aren't rich, but they don't starve. I don't think he even thinks much of a hundred francs. Catchy. I wrote an article about him for a weekly newspaper. It was quite beautifully written and AFP published an excerpt of it. The article also gave me a bit of fame here. My way of writing this article is to describe his criminal experience as a sport. Is that a good idea? The result is that the article is quite interesting to read. He is almost a first-class tennis player , someone is already considering training him to play in tournaments. The strange thing is that although he has a high quality serve, runs fast in front of the net, and plays very well in general games, he always falls down as soon as he enters the league. After that he has some Something was wrong. He lost the willpower, tenacity and other qualities that a great tennis player must have. It's an interesting question of psychology, I think. Anyway, he wants to be a professional tennis player The dream is dashed. Because as long as he shows up in the dressing room, someone will say that the money stored in the clothes in the dressing room is missing. Although there has never been direct evidence, everyone who stole the money believes that he stole the money. of." Simon relighted his pipe. "What impressed me most about Robert Berger was that he was both neurotic and poised, yet charming. Charisma is of course a very valuable quality in a person, but neurotic people and very reserved people are very different. It is difficult to be attractive. Attractive people are generally weak in character and indecisive in everything. Charm is a weapon that nature has given them to compensate for their shortcomings. I will never put too much trust in such attractive people.” Charlie, slightly amused, glanced at his friend.He knew that Simon was deliberately belittling qualities he didn't think he possessed in order to build up his self-confidence.He was sure that he had other strengths, and that his flaws, charm, were nothing.But Charlie didn't interrupt him. "Robert Berger was neither weak nor lacking in character. He almost got away with it. It was a marvelous job for the police to catch him. They had neither brilliant methods nor There was no surprising method, they just worked meticulously and patiently to solve the case. Perhaps accidents also helped them a little, but they were able to grasp this point, which also shows that they are smart enough. People have to be always ready to take an opportunity, but they rarely do." There was a trance in Simon's eyes again, and Charlie knew he was reflecting on himself again. "Lydia didn't tell me why the police suspected him." "When they first questioned him, it never occurred to them that he would be involved in the killing. They were looking for someone who was bigger." "What kind of man is Jordan?" "I've never met him. He's a badass, but in that circle he's a solid guy. Everyone likes him. He's always willing to buy someone a drink, and if a dude is down and out, he's always He was always helpful and never stingy. He was a small man who used to be a jockey. But he was warned out of it when he was in England. It turned out that he was convicted of fraud in Wolverhampton. He was thirty-six years old and had been in Paris for ten years. The police suspected that he was involved in drug trafficking, but no evidence was ever found.” "But how did the police suspect Berger?" "He is one of the regulars at Jojo's Bar, and this is also where Jordan often eats. It is relatively secluded, and it is a frequented place for horse betting brokers, jockeys, horse racing intelligence dealers, smugglers, etc. The reputation here is not bad. Would be great, our reporter described this type of place as a congenial hangout. Of course the cops have to investigate as many people as they can go in and out of it. Jordan must have had a date with someone that night because left on a plate at the scene There were two mugs and a piece of cake and the police thought he might have left some clue as to who he was going to see. The police very much suspected he was a gay so someone might have seen him in Jojo's bar Often with someone. And Berger and Jordan are quite close, Jojo, the owner of this bar, told the police that he saw Berger touch the horse dealer a few times and asked him for money. Berger had He was prosecuted for smuggling heroin from Belgium to France, and the two men he partnered with were in prison. Somehow, he escaped jail. The police are sure he was guilty. If Jordan was involved in the drug smuggling and lost Killer, police think Berger probably knows who the killer is. He's a badass. He's also been convicted in another case — two years probation for auto theft." "I know about it," said Charlie. "His method of stealing cars is extremely simple. He often hangs around big stores like Printemps or Pomarchais. He waits for someone to pull up in a Citroen, get out of the car and go into the store. Then he will have the audacity walked over as if he had just stepped out of the store and swaggered away." "Do these people not lock their cars?" "Very few people lock their cars. And he has some keys to Citroëns. He always only steals one make of car. He uses the stolen car for two or three days and leaves it somewhere. When he wants another He started stealing again when one car was in use. He stole dozens of cars in all. He never tried to sell the stolen cars, he just stole them for himself when he needed them. And it was he The characteristics of this kind of crime inspired me to write this report. He took stealing cars as a pleasure, stealing cars is to get psychological satisfaction from this clever and daring course of action. It was found during the trial that he also invented Another unique modus operandi. He would drive around a bus stop when the store was about to close, and when he saw a woman waiting for a bus at the stop, he would pull over and ask her if she would take a ride. A lift. I guess he's very observant and knows what type of woman is willing to accept an offer from a good-looking guy. Well, the woman gets in the car and he'll steer the car in the direction she wants to go Go. When they come to a deserted street, he'll turn off the car. He'll pretend the car breaks down and ask this woman to fix it. He'll ask her to get out of the car and open the hood while he cranks the electric starter Knock on the carburetor. Women tend to do what he says and leave satchels and packages in the car. Just as she was about to get in the car again, the engine started up and the car sped away. Before she understood It had disappeared from her sight before. Of course there were many women who would report to the police. But they all saw him in the dark and could only recall him as a handsome young man with a pleasant voice and a gentle manner. and a Citroen. All the police could do was to warn them that it was very unwise to hitch a ride with a handsome young man. He had never been caught stealing a car. After his trial it became clear that he Do this kind of thing often, and it's very smooth. "Going on. He was questioned by two police officers. He doesn't deny being at JoJo's on the night of the murder and being with Jordan, but he says he left around ten o'clock. He was there, and he was never seen again. After some conversation, they asked him to come with him to the police station. You know, the police officer in charge of this case didn't think at first that Berger might be the murderer. He thought that killing Jordan's killer was either a villain he brought home, or someone in the drug ring he had conned, and if it was the latter, the officer believed the killer likely used cajoling, bullying, and intimidation to get Jordan to Tell where the swallowed goods are hidden, and the police can follow them to catch the killer. "I managed to get an interview with this officer. His name was Lucas. He didn't look like a guy for this kind of job at all. He was a big, fat guy. Red-faced, He has a big beard and sparkling dark eyes. He's a jovial person, and I'm sure he likes good wine and food. He's from the South of France, and he has a strong accent. He's got a big heart and a big laugh. He's a Good-natured, easy-going, pat on the back friendly guy, you can trust him easily. As a matter of fact, he's had an astonishing feat in obtaining confessions from criminal suspects. His physical stamina Very nice to be able to interrogate for sixteen hours straight. In France the police don't interrogate prisoners the American way of torture or mental abuse. I mean no dental drills or anything like that They just bring the prisoner into the interrogation room, make him stand, don't let him smoke, don't give him food, just ask him questions. The interrogation continues like this. Of course they smoke themselves, and when they feel hungry, someone brings food Come in. Interrogations often last all night, because they know that the will to resist is weakest at night. If an interrogate knows he is guilty, but if he has a cup of coffee and a cigarette in the morning, he will Will be very stubborn and refuse to come clean. The officer got nothing from Berger. He admitted that he had been friendly with the heroin smugglers, but he claimed that he was completely innocent in the case in which he was acquitted. He said that he did some stupid things when he was young, but he has learned his lesson. He stole the car just for two or three days to take the girls for a ride, which is not a felony. But now that he is married, he wants to be upright. As for The drug dealer, he said he hadn't had any contact with them since his conviction and he didn't think Teddy Jordan would hang out with them either. He answered very frankly. He told this officer that he loved his wife very much, His greatest fear was that she would find out about his past. For her sake, as well as for himself and his mother, he resolved to live a decent and dignified life. The jovial fat officer continued to ask some questions, but instead It became a friendly and sympathetic tone. I think this will make you think that he did not mean any harm. He praised Berger's determination and congratulated Berger on marrying a penniless girl for love; Hopefully they will have a baby, which will not only enrich the family life, but also comfort their parents. But Lucas has read Berger's file and knows about that heroin case. Although the jury found him not guilty, he undoubtedly He is guilty. During the investigation that day, Lucas also discovered the reason why he was fired by the brokerage firm. If his mother hadn't returned the public funds he embezzled in time, he would have faced the company's prosecution again. He said It's an obvious lie that he's been living an honest life since he got married. Lucas also inquired about his financial situation. Berger admits financial difficulties at the moment. But says his mother has a little savings and he'll be able to soon Get a job and everything will be fine. What about pocket money? He said that every now and then heBet on the horse races, introduce clients to the horse brokers, and get some commissions.It was during this process that he met Jordan.Sometimes he also has nothing in his pocket. "Inspector Lucas said: 'Actually, you said that the day before Jordan was killed you said you were broke and borrowed fifty francs from him.' "'He was very kind to me. Poor chap. I'm sorry he's gone.' "The officer gave Berger a friendly look with his twinkling eyes. To him, the young man looked like a gentleman. Could he be the murderer? But don't judge a book by its cover, it's just stupid. A thought It popped into his head: Berger was lying when he said he had cut all ties with the dealers. After all, he was short of money, and it was easy to get money from drug dealers. If Berger continued to deal drugs, he would definitely be haunting drug addicts. Although unable to say why, Lucas had a feeling that even if Berger didn't know who the murderer was in this murder, he had someone to suspect. There's heroin in his house, so they might be able to force him to name whoever he suspects. Lucas is a good observer of people's characters, and he's pretty sure Berger would sell out his friends for him. He makes up his mind to detain Berger , to search his home before he might dispose of the things hidden in the house. With the same thought, he asked Berger about his activities on the night of the crime. Berger said that he came out of the house relatively late, and he Walked to JoJo's bar; he found a lot of people there after the races. He was offered a drink or two. And Jordan was lucky that day, made a fortune, and said he would pay for dinner. Eat He stayed a little longer after dinner, but the smoke in the bar gave him a headache, so he went for a walk in the street. He returned to the bar around eleven o'clock and took the last subway home. "'You've been out walking long enough to kill the Englishman,' said the officer in a playful tone. ' Berger laughed. "'You're not going to sue me for that, are you?' he asked. "'No, no.' Lucas laughed too. "'Take my word for it, Jordan's death was also a financial loss to me. He lent me fifty francs the day before he was murdered, but it wasn't the first time he'd lent me money. Speak out A bit ashamed, it's really easy to get some money out of him after he's had a few drinks.' "'He made a lot of money that day. He left the bar in a good mood, though not drunk. Maybe you think it's more worthwhile to secure a few thousand francs at once than to beg for fifty francs every now and then. .' "Officer Lucas didn't say that to suspect him of being a murderer, it was just a joke. He thought it wouldn't be a bad thing for Berger to think he was a suspect. That way, if he knew a little bit, he would Preferring to name the criminal to clear himself of suspicion, Berger took all the money out of his pocket and put it on the table. It was less than ten francs in total. "'If I had robbed Jordan of his money, I wouldn't have these few dollars in my pocket now.' "'Well, boy, I'm not assuming anything. I'm just saying, you've got time to kill Jordan, and you need the money.' "Berger gave his frank, kind smile again. "'I admit both,' said he. "'I'm speaking with you completely open and honest,' said Cass. 'I don't think you killed Jordan, but I'm pretty sure you have suspects, if not who, at least.' "Berger denies this, and despite the pressure of Officer Lucas, he is adamant about not admitting it. It's getting late, and Officer Lucas thinks it would be better to restart the conversation the next day. He I think Berger will reflect on his situation after a night in the cell. Berger has been arrested twice before and knows that there is no use in protesting about it. "You know, drug dealers use all sorts of tricks to hide their drugs. They hide them in hollow walking sticks, in the heels of shoes, in mended areas of old clothes, in mattresses and pillows, in Inside the bed frame. Just about any place imaginable can be used to hide drugs. But the police know all their tricks. It's safe to say that if there is something like drugs hidden in a home, the police will find it. Turns out they No drugs were found. However, when Officer Lucas searched Lydia's bedroom, he came across a small handbag. He had a flash of inspiration and thought that such an expensive handbag should not be owned by such a financially distressed woman. Bag. The watch she was wearing also looked expensive. She said both the watch and handbag were gifted to her by her husband. Officer Lucas wondered how he got the money for such an expensive item Must be interesting. Back at the police station, he immediately ordered an investigation into the origin of the two items. He soon learned that several women had reported that a young man in a Citroen had offered them a lift and then took the opportunity to steal their handbags. One owner also described her lost handbag in the report, which matched Lydia's handbag. Another owner said that her lost handbag contained A gold watch, the brand and manufacturer of which was recorded in the police report. Lydia's gold watch was exactly the same. Apparently, the mysterious young man who was never found by the police was Robert Berger. This does not appear to be directly related to Jordan's murder, but Officer Lucas has another weapon in his hands that can force Berger to call out a killer or suspect he knows. He has Berger Brought him to his office and asked him to explain the origin of the handbag and the watch. Berger said he bought one from a prostitute who was in need of money, and the other from a man he saw in a bar. Bought from a man. He didn't know the names of the two men. They were two strangers who happened to meet, just chatted. Never saw them before, and haven't seen them since. Officer Lucas He was then formally arrested for theft. He was told that he might have to confront the two women who had reported the crime the next morning to persuade him to confess and avoid trouble. But Berger stood by his story and said unless a lawyer was present help him, or he refuses to answer any more questions. And according to French law, now that he has been arrested, he has the right to a lawyer to assist him in the interrogation. Officer Lucas has no choice but to acquiesce, and in the The proceedings were completed that night. "The next morning, the two aforementioned women came to the police station and immediately recognized their stolen items. Berger was brought in. One of the women immediately confirmed that he was the one who offered to send her a Cheng's 'helpful' young man. Another woman wasn't sure. She said it was late and she accepted his offer to drive her home but didn't see his face clearly. But she thought it would I heard his voice. Berger read a few words from a newspaper as he was ordered. He had just read six or seven words when the woman exclaimed that she was sure it was the man who made the sound. I can tell You, Berger's voice is very soft and kind. The two women left, and Berger was sent back to the cell. The handbag and watch were placed on the table in front of him. Officer Lucas stared at these two things in a daze .Suddenly, his expression became focused." Charlie cut him off. "Simon, how do you know this? You are making up a story." Simon smiled. “我说的是戏剧化了一点儿。我讲给你听的也就是我的第一篇报道。我不得不根据想象编一点儿故事情节出来，这你知道。” “接着说吧，然后呢？” “好。然后他找来一名手下，问他伯杰被捕时手腕上是否戴着一块手表，如果是，把手表拿来。请记住，所有这些在今后的司法审判中都要成为证据。警察把伯杰的手表拿了出来。这是一块仿金手表，是由一种叫做亚金的金属材料制造的，有一个圆形表面。报界曾大量报道了约旦被杀案的细节。例如，报道曾说，杀人的刀具还没有找到，而且恐怕永远也找不到了。报道还说，警方没有找到任何凶手的指纹。一般来说，在约旦的钱夹或门把手上可能发现凶手留下的指纹；如果没有找到指纹，则可以据此推断，凶手作案时戴着手套。其实警方在彻底搜查约旦住的房间时发现了一些手表表蒙的玻璃碎片。但警方注意保密，没有让报界知道这件事。这些碎片不一定是约旦的手表上掉下来的，也不一定就是凶手遗留下的。但有这种可能，由于紧张或匆忙，凶手不小心撞到一件家具上，撞破了他的手表表蒙。在这样一个时刻，凶手很可能没有注意到这一点。虽然只找到部分破碎的表蒙，但足以表明这是一块小巧的长方形手表。卢卡斯警官曾将这些碎片装进一个信封，小心翼翼地用绵纸包好。现在他将这些碎片倒在面前的桌子上。这些碎片与莉迪娅手表的表蒙正好相配。这可能只是一个巧合，同样大小和形状的手表有成千上万只。莉迪娅的手表表蒙完好。卢卡斯警官陷入了沉思。他的脑海中闪过了各种可能性。这些可能过于牵强，他不由得耸了耸肩。当然，这段时间足有四十五分钟，伯杰称他一直在大街上散步。从乔乔酒吧走到约旦所住的公寓大约需要十分钟时间，四十五分钟足够他走到那里，杀完人，洗手，整理衣服，然后走回来。但为什么他要一直戴着他妻子的手表呢？他自己也有一块手表嘛。当然，他自己的手表可能出了故障。想到这里，卢卡斯警官若有所思地点了点头。” 查利咯咯地笑了起来。 “西蒙，你说得有板有眼，就跟真的一样。” “闭嘴。他命令便衣警探出发，到伯杰家周围方圆两英里的每一个钟表匠那里去询问。这些警探要打听的是，上周是否有哪个钟表匠修过一块仿金手表，或者给一块小巧的女士手表换过一个长方形的表蒙。几个小时后一名警探就探访回来了，说距伯杰家不到四分之一英里的一个钟表匠修过一块这样的表。这块表是留在店里修的，在取表的时候这位客户又拿来了另一块手表，要给它换个玻璃表蒙。钟表匠当时就给这块表换好了表蒙，她半个小时后过来把表取走了。他不记得这位客户的长相了，但记得她说话带有俄罗斯人口音。这两块手表都拿去让这个钟表匠进行了辨认，他声称这两块表就是他修好的。卢卡斯警官听后不禁喜形于色，就如同在马赛旧港餐厅吃饭时给他端上了一大盘浓味炖鱼一样。他知道他已经抓到了想要抓的那个人。” “这又如何解释呢？”查利问道。 “这就像一加一等于二一样简单。伯杰自己的手表停摆了，他就将送给莉迪娅的手表借来戴。她几乎从不出门，不需要戴手表。你必须记住，那时她是一个言语不多，朴素，有点儿腼腆的姑娘，她几乎没有自己的朋友。我想她的生活应该是有点儿懒洋洋的。在法庭审判这个案子时，两名男子发誓说，他们曾看到伯杰戴过这块女表。乔乔其实是警察的一名线人，他知道伯杰是一个窃贼，曾想打听他是如何得到这块手表的。他曾漫不经心地指出伯杰戴了一块新表，伯杰当时告诉他，这块表是他妻子的。在凶杀案发生后的那天早上，莉迪娅去修表店取她丈夫的手表。因为她已经到了修表店，很自然地就想起给她自己的手表换一个新表蒙。她从未提起这件事，而伯杰也从来不知道他曾把这块手表的表蒙碰碎了。” “你不会是说，这个证据就使他被判有罪吧？” “不是。但这个证据足以使卢卡斯警官以谋杀罪名起诉他。他认为新的证据唾手可得。事实也证明，他的想法非常正确。伯杰在整个审讯过程中显示了惊人的机敏和冷静。他承认了一切可以被证明的犯罪事实，不再否认是他抢夺了那些妇女的手提包；他承认，即使被判缓刑后，只要需要，他就继续偷车。他说偷一辆车对他来说太容易了，而他喜欢冒险的性格又使他控制不住自己。但他坚决否认他与这起凶杀案有任何关系。他说玻璃碎片与莉迪娅的手表相符证明不了什么，她戴手表非常不注意，表蒙是她自己碰破的。负责这起案件的预审法官最后也感到很迷惑，因为没有找到任何伯杰偷了钱的线索，而伯杰肯定是偷了这些钱。实际上这笔钱从未被找到过。另一桩奇怪的事是，伯杰那天晚上穿着的衣服上没有任何血迹。杀人的刀也找不到。有人证明伯杰曾有一把匕首。但在他活动的那个圈子中，有一把刀是再平常不过的事了。但他发誓说，一个月前匕首丢了。告诉你，警探们的工作非常出色。被盗的汽车及被盗的手提包上都没有留下指纹。他将这些手提包内的东西掏空后就随手扔到街上。其中一些包最终到了警察手中。这些事实说明，他作案时总是戴着手套。警察在他的物品中找到了一副皮手套，但他去看约旦时不大可能戴着这副手套。从尸体被发现的现场来看，约旦被杀时正在更换留声机的唱片，这说明在约旦将他让进屋的时候，伯杰并没有马上动手。此外，这副手套过大，无法装进他的口袋里。如果他在酒吧里拿着这副手套，就会有人注意到。当然，伯杰的照片早已被刊登在了各种报纸上。无计可施的警方只有请报社来帮助他们。警方希望任何一个记得曾在某个日期向一个可能穿灰色西装的年轻人出售了一副手套的人能够站出来。各家报纸大肆宣扬了这件事。他们把伯杰的照片配上说明：'你曾卖给他一副手套吗？他就是戴着这幅手套杀死了特迪·约旦。' “你不知道，有一件事对我总是有很深的触动，那就是人们都有一种出卖他人的凶残渴望。他们装作这是热心公益的表现，这种话我根本一个字都不相信。我相信这是一种落井下石的表现，我相信这只是把已经受伤的同类再踢上一脚，这源自人类卑劣的天性。你当然知道，在英国，人们都认为财政部和王室讼监拥有有效的情报收集系统，以监视在离婚案中可能出现的共谋逃避缴纳所得税等行为。然而事实根本不是这样。他们完全依赖匿名信的举报。很多人只要有机会，就会迫不及待地打压他人。如果有谁做了违法的事而想要侥幸逃脱，他周围肯定会有人告密。” “这个观点太让人感到害怕了。”查利插言道。接着他又快乐地补充说：“我希望你这只是夸大其词而已。” “好吧，就算如此。但结果还是有一个在三区交界购物中心手套部工作的女人站出来说，她记得自己在凶杀案发生的当天，向一个年轻人出售了一副灰色麂皮手套。她年龄在四十岁左右。她说当时感到这个年轻人长相很英俊。当时他想要买一副与他的灰色西装相配的手套，而且尺码要大一点儿，戴起来方便。伯杰与其他十几个年轻男子一道被带了出来，她立刻认出他来。但正如伯杰的律师指出的那样，这很简单，因为她刚刚在报纸上看到他的照片。然后警方又抓住了伯杰的那些狐朋狗友中的一个，他供认在凶杀案发生的当晚他曾遇到过伯杰。但伯杰不是在往大街方向走，而是朝着约旦住的公寓方向去。他当时还与伯杰握了握手，注意到他戴着手套。但这个特殊证人是一个十足的恶棍，前科累累。伯杰的律师在法庭上反驳说这种人的证言根本不能采信。伯杰否认在那个特定的晚上他曾看到过这个人。他的律师试图说服陪审团，让他们相信这是一个编造的故事，是这名男子为了讨好警察而杜撰出来的。该死的是这条裤子。报章上对伯杰笔挺的服装不惜笔墨，发明了很多诸如衣着考究的歹徒这类词语。你如果读了这些报纸，你会产生他的西装都是在萨维尔街定做的，他的衬衣都是夏尔凡牌的感觉。检方急于证明他非常缺钱。他们走访了所有他和他的家人采购物品的商店，看看是否有赊欠的账目急需付清。但结果发现，似乎这个家庭购买所有东西都是付的现款，没有任何欠债。至于伯杰的服饰，调查的结果表明，自打他失业后，除了一身灰色西装外，他一件衣服也没买过。当调查这个裁缝的警探询问这套西服是何时付款时，裁缝翻出了他的账本。这个裁缝的经营规模比较大，他以较低的价格接受定制服装的生意。就在这时发现伯杰在定做这套西服时额外定做了一条同样的裤子。警方有一个他衣柜中所有衣物的清单，这条裤子没有列在其中。警方立刻认识到这件事的重要性，他们决定暂不公开这个证据，要等到在法庭上拿出来，让被告方措手不及。 “当检方拿出这个证据的时候，那真是一个激动人心的时刻啊。毫无疑问，伯杰的灰色西装上衣配有两条西裤，而其中的一条不见了。当问他如何解释这个问题时，他似乎并不慌乱。他说不知道裤子不见了。他指出，在法庭审判过程中他在狱中已经待了几个月了，没有机会察看自己的衣柜，又怎么能够解释裤子不见的问题呢。虽然有些失礼，他想也许有某个参与搜查的警察需要一条新裤子，就顺手牵羊地拿走了。而伯杰夫人给出的解释更为合理。我不能不说这是一个非常巧妙的解释。她说，罗伯特穿过的裤子都是由莉迪娅来熨烫的。一次熨铁烧得太热了，她把裤子烫煳了。他对自己的衣服看得很重，而且全家人好不容易才攒下了买这套西服的钱。她俩知道罗伯特会因此发火。伯杰夫人看到儿媳吓得够戗，想让她免遭一场斥责，因此提议不要告诉他这件事。她会把这条裤子处理掉，罗伯特也许永远也不会注意到裤子少了一条。对如何处理这条裤子的问题，她的回答是，曾有一个流浪汉到她门口要钱，她就把裤子给了他。问她这条裤子烫煳的程度，她说这条裤子已经穿不出去了。公诉人指出，织补方法能够修复破损的地方，但她回答说这样修补的费用比买一条新裤子还贵。公诉人又说，考虑到他们的窘困生活，这条裤子应该还能够在家里穿。即使他不高兴，也比扔掉一条还能穿的裤子要强。伯杰夫人说，她从来没这样想过。她一时冲动就把这条裤子给了一个流浪汉。检察官直言不讳地对她说，她把这条裤子处理掉的原因是裤子上沾有血迹，她并没有把裤子给一个流浪汉，而是她自己把裤子销毁了。要是有这样一个流浪汉，他很可能会出来作证的。她激烈否认了这个说法。那么流浪者在哪里呢？他会在报上读到相关报道，知道一个人的生命危在旦夕。如果有这样一个人，他一定会露面的。她转向记者席，张开双臂，摆出了一个演戏一样的姿势。 “'记者先生们，'她喊道，'请把这个消息传遍大街小巷。我恳求那个拿了裤子的人站出来救救我的儿子。' “她在证人席上的表现真的很了不起。公诉人对她进行了无情的诘问，而她像一个愤怒的女神一样进行了激烈的反驳。公诉人历数了年轻的伯杰过去的违法记录，而她承认了他所有的恶劣行为。他从网球俱乐部一直偷到经纪事务所，而后者在他已经被判缓刑后出于怜悯仍然给了他一次机会。她将所有这些过失的责任都归于自己。在法国的刑事审判过程中，证人的自由发言权限远超英国。她痛心疾首地承认，他的错误是她管教不严，自幼就对孩子娇纵的结果。他是个独生子，她把他宠坏了。她的丈夫在一战中由于在火线抢救伤员而失去了一条腿。由于丈夫健康状况不佳，她不得不把主要精力放在对他的照料上，因而没有尽到做母亲的职责。她丈夫过早撒手人间，这使她可怜的孩子失去了父亲的教诲。她悲伤地详述了这个三口之家顶梁柱的离去给她们母子带来的打击以及他们娘俩所遭受的痛苦，以此来打动陪审团。她说儿子是她唯一的慰藉。她说她的儿子性格刚烈而任性，容易受不良伙伴的影响，但他非常注重感情，不管他犯有哪些罪行，他都不可能去杀害一个曾对他很好的人。 “但不知怎的，她并没有给陪审团留下一个良好的印象。她不断以一种刺激人的方式提及她无疑是值得尊敬的家庭背景。尽管她是在为她所喜爱的儿子进行辩护，但总是抓住任何机会提醒法庭注意她是一个参谋军官的女儿。她衣着非常考究，一身黑色。但也许过于考究了，留给你的印象是她是一个死要面子活遭罪的女人。她冷酷而坚毅的面容显得十分精明，你无法相信这样一个女人施舍给一个乞丐的不是一片硬面包，而是一条西裤。这条裤子损坏了也比一片面包要值钱得多。” “莉迪娅呢？” “莉迪娅相当凄惨可怜。她很可能已经怀孕了，满脸泪水，声音小得像蚊子叫。你几乎听不清她说的是什么。没有人相信她说是自己打破了手表表蒙的说法，但检察官并没有像对待她婆婆那样难为她。她是一个残酷命运的无辜受害者，这一点再明显不过了。伯杰夫人和罗伯特为了达到自己的目的，曾无情地利用了她。法庭认为她为了拯救自己的丈夫不惜一切，这很正常。她在法庭上讲述了罗伯特对她一贯和蔼和体贴的故事，甚至感动了不少人。显然，她疯狂地爱着自己的丈夫。她在证人席上看他的眼神十分感人。要我说，在法庭审判现场所有的这些证人、警察和侦探、狱卒、酒吧里的闲人、线人、恶棍和精神病专家中，唯一有点儿人类情感的可能就是莉迪娅了。法庭找了两个心理学家对伯杰的精神状态进行了鉴定。他们为伯杰的性格描绘了一张栩栩如生的画像。 “他们请到了迈特尔·勒莫尼耶作为伯杰的辩护律师。他是法国接手刑事案件的最优秀的律师之一。他人又高又瘦，脸色蜡黄，长着一双黑黑的大眼睛，留着一头浓密而乌黑的头发。他是我见过的最有口才的人。他身着黑色律师袍，扎着白色的领巾，非常引人注目。不知道为什么，他让我想起了隆吉画作中的那些神秘人物。他既是一名演员，也是一位演说家。他只要看你一眼，就可以对你的性格特点说上一二；只要稍加思索，他就能将死马说成活马。你要是能亲眼看到他对付恶意证人的手段就好了。他用温柔的语言引诱他们说出自相矛盾的话来，轻蔑地揭开他们的老底，对他们的证词冷嘲热讽，使他们无地自容。他的辩词一会儿娓娓动听，一会儿如急风暴雨。心理专家们在法庭上作证说，他们对监狱中的伯杰进行了反复测试，得出了对他的评价。他是一个自负、傲慢、爱撒谎、冷酷、缺乏道德意识、无道德原则和没有自责心的人。这位大律师仿佛自己是一个训练有素的心理学家一样，跟他们进行辩论。看看他敏锐的脑子是如何工作的很有意思。他谈话的语气一般都很轻松，就像闲谈一样，但由于他非常善于选择用词，而且有一副甜美的嗓音，因此你会觉得他说的每一句话无需做任何修改便可以直接写到书本上。但到了他的辩词将要结束的时候，他会调用所有可用的资源，使他的发言产生惊人的效果。他坚持认为上述证词不堪一击。他的辩词对这些声名狼藉的证人的证词之可信性充满了蔑视；他很快就转移了话题；他辩称，控方并没有拿出有力的证据来证明被告有罪。现在，他又开始了闲谈式的谈话，诚恳地与陪审团的成员唠叨着，就如同面对一些老熟人一样。然后他说话的激情逐渐上升，语调越来越激昂，嗓音越来越洪亮，直到整个法庭大厅都震荡着他的声音。然后他的发言突然停顿了，使你全身的每一根神经都在期待着下文。他发言的结束语甚为华丽。他告诉陪审团，他们必须尽到自己的责任，根据自己的良心做出决断。但他恳求他们抛弃对这个年轻人以往犯罪记录的成见。他的声音很低，由于激动而颤抖。天啊！他的发言真有效果。他提醒陪审团注意，公诉人要求判处死刑的这名男子是一个寡妇的儿子，这个寡妇自己是一名曾为国献身的战士的女儿，而这儿子是个军官的儿子，他的生死就取决于他们。他提醒他们注意，这个年轻人最近刚刚结婚，是为了爱情而结婚的；现在他年轻妻子的子宫内正孕育着他们爱情的果实。难道你们能让这个无辜的孩子一生下来就带上父亲是一名杀人犯的耻辱标记吗？哗众取宠？当然，但如果你是在法庭现场，听到如此厚重的嗓音发出那些激动人心的话语，你也可能会被他的发言所打动。God!无数的人泪流满面。我几乎也要失去控制，但一抬头，看到伯杰的脸颊上也滚下了眼泪，他正用手绢抹着自己的眼睛，这使我感到太滑稽了。我这才冷静下来。但辩护律师的发言还是产生了巨大的反响，当他坐下来的时候，听众席上爆发出热烈的掌声，即使法警也制止不了。 “公诉人是一个身材粗壮，脸色红润的家伙，我估计岁数大概在三十六到四十之间，看起来像是一个北方地区的农民。他的发言带着一种自鸣得意的腔调。你可以感觉到他将这个案子当成了出名和进一步飞黄腾达的绝佳机会。他的发言啰里啰唆，逻辑混乱。如果不是主审法官不时插言予以提示，陪审团几乎就不知道他说的到底是什么意思。他是这个情节剧中不值一提的人物。有一次，伯杰刚刚同身旁跟他一道坐在被告席上的法警说了几句话，这个公诉人就转过身去对他说道： “'你现在可以笑，但到了那个时候你就笑不出来了。你的双臂会被反绑在背后，在一个阴冷的早晨被带出牢房，你会发现自己走到了恐怖的断头台前。那个时候你的嘴唇就再也不会有笑意了，你的四肢会因恐怖而颤抖，那时你对你犯下的滔天罪恶会悔之晚矣。' “伯杰被逗乐了，他顽皮地瞅了一眼身旁的法警。公诉人刚才所说的话得到的回答如此轻蔑，如果他不是非常自大，一定会惊慌起来。如果能看到勒莫尼耶对待他的方式那就更有意思了。勒莫尼耶对他大大地恭维了一番，但这番恭维话别有一番刻薄的嘲讽意味，公诉人尽管非常自高自大，但也感觉出自己被人愚弄了。勒莫尼耶的话语是如此恶毒，但遣词造句又是极为谦恭有礼，温文尔雅，可以从主审法官的眼神中看出赞赏和佩服来。公诉人能否通过接手这个案子而提升他的职业生涯，我对此深表怀疑。 “有三名法官坐在审判席上。他们的猩红色法袍和黑色方形帽非常引人注目。其中两个法官是中年男子，他们一句话也没有说过。主审法官是个小老头，长着一张猴子一样布满皱纹的脸，说话声音单调，似乎在打瞌睡。但他非常善于观察，认真地听取控辩双方的陈述。他开口说话时平静而没有任何感情色彩，语气虽然并不严厉，但颇有慑服力。他是一个极度理性的人，不相信所谓的人性道德。他从往昔的经验中体会到，人是可以干出任何邪恶之事的。他觉得这就如同人都有两只胳膊和两条腿一样，是再自然不过的事情了。当陪审团离开法庭现场，闭门讨论他们的裁决时，我们这些记者也四下走开，有的聚在一起聊天，有的出去喝一杯酒或咖啡。我们都盼着陪审团能快点儿露面宣读裁决。当时天色已晚，各家报纸都腾出了版面等着我们的报道文章呢。我们毫不怀疑伯杰会被判有罪。我注意到，我旁听的这起凶杀案有一个奇怪的现象。这就是在法庭现场得到的印象与阅读报纸的报道所得到的印象全然不同。如果你是在报纸上看到对此案证据的介绍，你会认为证据有些不足。如果你是陪审团的一员，你就会本着疑罪从无的精神投被告无罪一票。但你没有考虑法庭现场的气氛，以及你被现场气氛所带起来的情绪。在这种气氛下，你会对同样的证据产生截然不同的看法。大约过了一个小时后，有人告知我们陪审团已经做出了裁决。我们再次鱼贯进入审判大厅。伯杰被从监舍中带出，当三个法官一个接一个走向法官席的时候，法庭内全体起立。大厅灯火通明，拥挤的法庭内似乎有种不祥之兆。有一种不安的战栗气氛。你有没有去过老贝利旁听庭审？” “没有，事实上，我从没去过。”查利答道。 “我在伦敦的时候经常去那里旁听庭审。那里是一个了解人类天性的好地方。你在那里旁听与在一个法国法庭上旁听，感觉截然不同。这一点给我留下了特别深的印象。我不会假装理解这一点。在老贝利，你感觉到被告面对的是法律的威严。他要面对的是与个人感情无关的抽象的正义。产生的实际效果确实也很不错。只有亲眼目睹了那个法庭的审判过程才能领悟什么是法律的威严。我在这个法国法庭一共旁听了两天，然而在这里我被一种完全不同的气氛所包围。在这里我没有得到那种庄严而抽象的印象，我感到法庭成了一个资产阶级维护其人身和财产安全的工具，使他们的特权免遭威胁。我不是说法庭的审判不公正或陪审团的裁决不合理。我的意思是说，你在这个法庭上感受到的是这个社会由于害怕而产生的愤怒情绪，而感受不到必须坚持的司法原则。不像我们英国，被告所面对的是想要保卫自身安全和利益的大众，而我们要捍卫的是一个原则，即使天塌下来也要坚持这个原则。这不仅让人感到可怕，简直是恐怖。陪审团裁决谋杀罪成立，但有可减轻罪责的情节。” “哪些情节可以减轻罪责？” “根本就没有这样的情节。但法国陪审团不喜欢判处被告死刑这样的结果。根据法国法律，如果有可以减轻罪责的情节，则不能判处被告死刑。最后伯杰被判处服十五年苦役的徒刑。” 西蒙看了看手表，站了起来。 “我得走了。我把我写的关于这桩案件审判的材料给你，你有空的时候可以看一看。看，这里是我作为消遣写的几篇关于犯罪的文章。我给你的女朋友看过，但我想她不太喜欢这篇文章。她把报纸还回来的时候对这篇文章只字未提。但把这些文章当做练习讽刺和幽默的材料还是不错的。”