《福尔摩斯探案集·蓝宝石案》第29节
Ryder threw himself down suddenly upon the rug and clutched at my companion’s knees. “For God’s sake, have mercy!” he shrieked. “Think of my father! Of my mother! It would break their hearts. I never went wrong before! I never will again. I swear it. I’ll swear it on a Bible. Oh, don’t bring it into court! For Christ’s sake, don’t!” “Get back into your chair!” said Holmes sternly. “It is very well to cringe and crawl now, but you thought little enough of this poor Horner in the dock for a crime of which he knew nothing.” “I will fly, Mr. Holmes. I will leave the country, sir. Then the charge against him will break down.” “Hum! We will talk about that. And now let us hear a true account of the next act. How came the stone into the goose, and how came the goose into the open market? Tell us the truth, for there lies your only hope of safety.”
注释摘要
这一节是整场谈话中最剧烈的一次肢体与情绪的爆发。自从我们在柯文特花园市场外的黑暗里截住那个矮小、面色惨白的人，把他带回贝克街，房间里的气氛就一直在一种压抑的紧张中慢慢聚积。现在，它终于碎裂了。赖德扑倒在壁炉前的地毯上，抱住福尔摩斯的膝盖，嘶喊着乞求怜悯。他不求脱罪，只求不被送上法庭。他搬出的不是法律意义上的无罪，而是情感上的刑罚：父亲、母亲、从未犯错、圣经…