After he left Marta’s village, Alex moved quickly and quietly across the fields. Nobody saw him. He walked and ran, and walked again. It rained all day and all night. He walked through the night, and the next morning—the fourth day—he was very tired and very hungry. He hid in some trees for an hour or two, then he went on south. Always south. To his home town.
But first he needed food. He had some money in his pocket—Marta’s money. He remembered her words. You take it. I don’t need it. An old woman doesn’t need money. Alex smiled. What a wonderful old woman!
He came to a small town on a river, and found a food shop in a quiet street. He opened the door and went in. There were a lot of people in the shop, and he waited quietly behind them. People looked at him, and a man went out quickly. Alex wanted to run, but he was very hungry, so he waited. Then a woman with her young son came into the shop. The woman whispered to the boy, and the boy came up to Alex. ’There are two policemen in the street,’ he said very quietly, ’and they’re coming here.’
Alex looked quickly at the door, but he could not escape now. Then the shopkeeper called to him, ’Hey, you!’ he said. ’Quick! Go out through the back.’
Alex ran through the back of the shop, and the shopkeeper followed him. ’I never help the police—they’re all bad,’ he said. He opened the back door and looked out. ’It’s OK,’ he said quickly. ’You can get out of town along the river. Follow the back of the houses. Nobody goes there. Good luck!’
Three kilometres from the town Alex came to a road. He crossed the road quickly but a lorry came along at the same time. The lorry slowed down and the driver called out to him, ’Where are you going?’
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9
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亚历克斯说出了他家乡小镇的名字,司机说:“快点儿。我正要到那儿附近去,你可以和我一块儿去。”
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9
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Alex said the name of his home town, and the driver said, ’Come on. I’m going near there. You can come with me.’
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10
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亚历克斯进了驾驶室,司机仔细地打量他的脸。“我认识你吗?”他问。
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10
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Alex got into the front of the lorry, and the driver looked carefully into his face. ’Do I know you?’ he asked.
Alex said nothing, and waited. He felt very tired. The driver stared at him for a minute, then he smiled. ’No, I don’t know you,’ he said. ’Get into the back of the lorry. Nobody can see you there. Are you hungry?’
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12
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“是的,我饿了,”亚历克斯说,“非常饿。”
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12
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’Yes, I am,’ Alex said. ’Very.’
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13
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“好的,我有一些三明治。给你。现在,赶在我们看到警车之前,快钻到车厢里去。”
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13
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’Well, I’ve got some sandwiches. Here you are. Now, get in the back quickly. Before we see a police car.’
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14
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卡车慢慢地驶向南方。亚历克斯吃光了司机的三明治,然后像个死人似的睡着了。
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14
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The lorry drove slowly south. Alex ate all the driver’s sandwiches and then slept like a dead man.
’We’re always three hours or more behind him,’ Felix said to Adam in the car. ’We drive up and down the country, but Dinon always moves on before we get there.’
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16
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“也许这个店主能告诉我们点儿什么。”亚当说。
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16
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’Perhaps this shopkeeper can tell us something,’ Adam said.
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17
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但是店主并没有给他们提供什么有用的东西。“亚历克斯什么?”他问。
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17
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But the shopkeeper was not helpful. ’Alex who?’ he said.
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18
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“迪——农!”费利克斯吼道,他非常疲惫,“他五天前从监狱里逃走了。有人看见他在你的店里。”
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18
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’DINON!’ Felix shouted. He was very tired. ’He escaped from prison five days ago. Somebody saw him in your shop.’
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19
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“我的店里没有罪犯,”店主生气地说,“而且我也不欢迎警察。”
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19
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’I don’t have prisoners in my shop,’ the shopkeeper said angrily. ’And I don’t want the police here.’
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20
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“迪农来过这个店吗?”费利克斯问道。
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20
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’Did Dinon come into this shop?’ Felix asked.
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21
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“迪农,”店主慢悠悠地说,“他是干什么的?等一下,想起来了!他是不是写过一本关于前总统的书?”
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21
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’Dinon,’ the shopkeeper said slowly. ’What did he do? Wait a minute. Yes! Did he write a book about the old President?’
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22
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“他杀了总统,”亚当说,“他谋杀了他。”
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22
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’He killed the President,’ Adam said. ’He murdered him.’
Felix stared at the telephone on his desk. ’Where is Dinon?’ he said slowly. ’People are helping him, but why? He’s a murderer. And nobody wants to help us.’
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31
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“在这个国家,人们向来不帮警察。”亚当说,“人们不喜欢我们。”
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31
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’People never help the police in this country,’ Adam said. ’People don’t like us.’
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32
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“那为什么我们要做警察呢,亚当?”
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32
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’Why are we policemen, Adam?’
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33
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“这个活儿不错,”亚当说,“还有,薪水也不错。”
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33
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’It’s a good job,’ Adam said. ’And the money’s good.’
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34
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过了一两分钟,费利克斯才说:“迪农谋杀总统了吗?你怎么看,亚当?”
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34
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After a minute or two Felix said, ’Did Dinon murder the President? What do you think, Adam?’
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35
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“嗯,那他们为什么要把他关进监狱呢?”
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35
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’Well, why did they put him in prison, then?’
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36
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“这不能回答我的问题。”费利克斯说。
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36
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’That doesn’t answer my question,’ Felix said.
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37
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“我只管低头干活,”亚当说,“我不问问题。”
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37
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’I do my job,’ Adam said, ’and I don’t ask questions.’