“如果他刚到这个城市就不一定了。” 马龙温和地建议道，“就像他的衣服似乎表明的那样。也许他在芝加哥谁也不认识。”

“Not if he just came to the city,” Malone suggested mildly, “as his clothes seemed to indicate. Maybe he didn’t know anybody in Chicago.”

“如果他谁也不认识，那他为什么满城市地找你？” 冯?弗拉纳根问道。

“If he didn’t know anybody, why was he going all over town looking for you?” von Flanagan demanded.

“也许他想要我的签名。” 马龙说。“我怎么会知道？也许他很孤独，想交朋友。” 他慢慢地、小心翼翼地剥开一支雪茄，点着了。“如果这就是你找我来的全部原因，那我想出去吃点早饭。”

“Maybe he wanted my autograph,” Malone said. “How the hell should I know? Maybe he was lonesome and he wanted to make friends.” He unwrapped a cigar slowly and carefully and lighted it. “If that’s all you wanted to see me about, I’d like to go out and get some breakfast.”

“要不是看在两分钱的份上，” 冯?弗拉纳根咆哮道，“我就把你当作重要证人关进监狱。得了，马龙。告诉我这个人为什么找你，我就保护你，还有你的任何朋友或客户。我会忘记你和这件事有任何关系，也不会再打扰你。做个朋友吧。你看到报纸上对我的批评了吗？”

“For two cents,” von Flanagan growled, “I’d throw you in the can as a material witness. Come on, Malone. Tell me why this guy was looking for you, and I’ll protect you, or any friends or clients of yours. I’ll forget you had any part in it, and I won’t bother you again. Be a pal. Have you seen the panning I’m getting in the papers?”

小律师深深地叹了口气。“我告诉你，我不知道他为什么找我。”

The little lawyer sighed deeply. “I tell you, I don’t know why he was looking for me.”

“那么，上帝作证，” 冯?弗拉纳根说，“你就待在这儿，直到你想起来为什么。”

“Then, by God,” von Flanagan said, “you’ll stay right here until you can remember why.”

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马龙看着他，张开嘴想说什么，又一声不吭地闭上了嘴。

Malone looked at him, opened his mouth to speak, and closed it again without saying a word.

杰克热心地说：“你怎么就那么肯定这个人认识马龙呢？”

Jake said helpfully, “What makes you so sure this guy knew Malone, anyway?”

“他肯定认识他。” 冯?弗拉纳根固执地说，“不然他不会找他。”

“He must of known him,” von Flanagan said stubbornly, “or he wouldn’t have been looking for him.”

“听着，” 马龙生气地说，“我告诉你我从来 ——”

“Listen,” Malone said angrily, “I tell you I never—”

杰克做了个手势打断了他。“那不能说明任何问题。不管怎么说，我打赌马龙不认识他。”

Jake interrupted him with a gesture. “That doesn’t prove a thing. I bet Malone didn’t know him, anyway.”

“我什么时候要你的建议了 ——” 警官开口道。“你说马龙不认识他是什么意思？”

“When I want your advice—” the police officer began. “What’dya mean, Malone didn’t know him?”

“是这样的。” 杰克坚定地说。“被杀的那个人不是马龙认识的那个人。那他为什么找马龙呢？因为马龙认识杀人的那个人。”

“It’s like this,” Jake said firmly. “The man who was killed wasn’t the one Malone knew. Then why was he looking for Malone? Because Malone knew the guy who did the killing.”

冯?弗拉纳根眨了一两次眼睛。“听起来好像有道理，但又似乎不是那么回事。”

Von Flanagan blinked once or twice. “It sounds like it ought to make sense and still it doesn’t seem to.”

马龙接着说。“当然。我不认识被杀的那个人这一事实证明我认识杀人的那个人。”

Malone took it up. “Sure. The fact that I didn’t know the man who was killed proves that I know the man who did the killing.”

“我希望你们俩都赶紧给我滚出去。” 冯?弗拉纳根咆哮道。“你们把我搞糊涂了。等一下。” 他急忙补充道，这时马龙伸手去拿他的帽子。“如果你认识杀人的那个人，那他是谁？”

“I wish you’d both get the hell out of here,” von Flanagan growled. “You’re confusing me. Wait a minute,” he added hastily as Malone reached for his hat. “If you know the man who did the killing, who is he?”

“我不知道。” 马龙立刻说。

“I don’t know,” Malone said promptly.

警官仰望天空，滔滔不绝地数落着马龙。

The police officer raised his eyes to heaven and talked eloquently about Malone.

“听着。” 杰克很有说服力地说，同时坐在桌子的一角上。“凶手肯定知道这个人要去哪里，这样才能轻易地追上他并跟踪他。假设他知道他预定的受害者在找马龙不是很合理吗 —— 因为是他自己把受害者送到马龙那里去的？”

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“Look here,” Jake said persuasively, sitting down on a corner of the desk. “The killer must have known where this guy was going, in order to catch up with him and trail him so easily. Isn’t it logical to assume he knew his intended victim was out looking for Malone—because he himself had sent him to Malone?”

冯?弗拉纳根皱起眉头。“再说一遍。” 他怀疑地说。

Von Flanagan’s brow wrinkled. “Let’s have that again,” he said suspiciously.