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We were ushered into a small chamber,
我們被引進了一間小屋，
where a police inspector noted down our prisoner's name and the names of the men with whose murder he had been charged.
那里有一個警官把我們罪犯的姓名以及他被控殺死的兩個人的姓名都記錄了下來。
The official was a white-faced, unemotional man, who went through his duties in a dull, mechanical way.
這個警官是個面色白皙、神情冷淡的人，他機械而呆板地履行了他的職務。
"The prisoner will be put before the magistrates in the course of the week," he said;
他說："犯人將在本周內提交法庭審訊。
"in the meantime, Mr. Jefferson Hope, have you anything that you wish to say?
杰弗遜·侯波先生，你在審訊之前，還有什么話要說嗎？
I must warn you that your words will be taken down, and may be used against you."
但是我必須事先告訴你，你所說的話都要記錄下來，并且可能用來作為定罪的根據的。"
"I've got a good deal to say," our prisoner said slowly.
我們的罪犯慢慢地說道："諸位先生，我有許多話要說，
"I want to tell you gentlemen all about it."
我愿意把它原原本本地都告訴你們。"
"Hadn't you better reserve that for your trial?" asked the inspector.
這個警官問道："你等到審訊時再說不更好嗎？"
"I may never be tried," he answered.
他回答說："我也許永遠不會受到審訊了呢，
"You needn't look startled. It isn't suicide I am thinking of. Are you a doctor?"
你們不要大驚小怪，我并不是想要自殺。你是一位醫生么？"
He turned his fierce dark eyes upon me as he asked this last question.
他說這句話時，一面把他的兇悍而黧黑的眼睛轉過來瞧著我。
"Yes, I am," I answered.
我說："是的，我是醫生。"
"Then put your hand here," he said, with a smile, motioning with his manacled wrists towards his chest.
"那么，請你用手按一個這里。"他說時微笑了一下，一面用他被銬著的手，指了一下胸口。
I did so; and became at once conscious of an extraordinary throbbing and commotion which was going on inside.
我用手按按他的胸部，立刻覺察到里邊有一種不同尋常的跳動。
The walls of his chest seemed to thrill and quiver as a frail building would do inside when some powerful engine was at work.
他的胸腔微微震動，就象在一座不堅固的建筑中，開動了一架強力的機平時的情形一樣。
In the silence of the room I could hear a dull humming and buzzing noise which proceeded from the same source.
在這靜靜的屋中，我能夠聽到他的胸膛里面有一陣輕微的噪雜聲音。
"Why," I cried, "you have an aortic aneurism!"
我叫道："怎么，你得了動脈血瘤癥！"
"That's what they call it," he said, placidly.
他平靜地說："他們都這樣說。
"I went to a doctor last week about it, and he told me that it is bound to burst before many days passed.
上個星期，我找了一位醫生瞧過，他對我說，過不了多少天，血瘤就要破裂。
It has been getting worse for years. I got it from overexposure and under-feeding among the Salt Lake Mountains.
這個病已經好多年了，一年比一年壞起來。這個病，是我在鹽湖城大山之中，過度操勞，而且又吃不飽的緣故所引起的，
I've done my work now, and I don't care how soon I go,
現在我已經完成了我的工作，什么時候死，我都不在乎了。
but I should like to leave some account of the business behind me.
但是，我愿意在死以前，把這件事交代明白，死后好有個記載。
I don't want to be remembered as a common cut-throat."
我不愿在我死后讓別人把我看成是一個尋常的殺人犯。"
The inspector and the two detectives had a hurried discussion as to the advisability of allowing him to tell his story.
警官和兩個偵探匆忙地商量了一下，考慮準許他說出他的經歷來是否適當。
"Do you consider, Doctor, that there is immediate danger?" the former asked.
警官問道："醫生，你認為他的病情確實有突然變化的危險嗎？"
"Most certainly there is," I answered.
我回答說："確是這樣。"
"In that case it is clearly our duty, in the interests of justice, to take his statement," said the inspector.
這位警官于是說道："如果是這樣的話，為了維護法律起見，顯然，我們的職責是首先取得他的口供。
"You are at liberty, sir, to give your account, which I again warn you will be taken down."
先生，你現在可以自由交代了。不過，我再一次告訴你，你所交代的都要記錄下來的。"
