梦千寻比如说，有这么一个普通人，一个非常普通、心中全无杀意的人。他的骨子里潜藏着某种性格缺陷——藏得很深很深，迄今为止都没有人发现，或许一辈子也不会表现出来——那么他将体面地走完人生之路，受到所有人的尊敬。但假设他因为某些缘故而陷入困境——也许不至于如此，也许他是偶然窥见某个秘密——对某人而言性命攸关的秘密。他的第一反应是说出来——履行诚实公民的义务。然后他潜在的性格缺陷开始冒头。这可是个发财的好机会——天降横财啊。他想要钱，渴望搞到这笔钱，而这笔钱又唾手可得。他不必付出代价，只需保持沉默。但这只是开始。他对金钱的欲望与日俱增，渴望弄到更多的钱——越多越好！
眼前这座已开采的金矿令他陶醉，他的贪念不断膨胀，贪婪扭曲了他的人性。如果对方是个男人，那尽可随便压榨——但对于女人，逼人太甚是大忌。因为女人有一种说真话的强烈本能。有多少丈夫蒙骗了妻子一辈子，把秘密带进坟墓，而又有多少不忠的妻子对同样不忠的丈夫坦白，从而毁了自己的一生！一旦被逼得走投无路，她们就会不顾一切后果（当然，事后免不了又会后悔），忘掉个人安危，只图一时痛快，就倾吐全部真相。我想这个案子就属于这种情况。所谓杀鸡取卵，逼人太甚的结果就是断了财路。可事情还没结束。
我们所说的这个人正面临阴谋败露的危险，而他再也回不去了——再也变不回一年前的那个他了。他的道德底线已被全部腐蚀，他在绝望中挣扎，他在打一场败局已定的仗，他已经做好了不择手段的准备，因为真相败露意味着身败名裂。就这样——他刺出了那一剑！
Let us take a man – a very ordinary man. A man with no idea of murder in his heart. There is in him somewhere a strain of weakness – deep down. It has so far never been called into play. Perhaps it never will be – and if so he will go to his grave honoured and respected by everyone. But let us suppose that something occurs. He is in difficulties – or perhaps not that even. He may stumble by accident on a secret – a secret involving life or death to someone. And his first impulse will be to speak out – to do his duty as an honest citizen. And then the strain of weakness tells. Here is a chance of money – a great amount of money. He wants money – he desires it – and it is so easy. He has to do nothing for it – just keep silence. That is the beginning. The desire for money grows. He must have more – and more! He is intoxicated by the gold mine which has opened at his feet.
He becomes greedy. And in his greed he overreaches himself. One can press a man as far as one likes – but with a woman one must not press too far. For a woman has at heart a great desire to speak the truth. How many husbands who have deceived their wives go comfortably to their graves, carrying their secret with them! How many wives who have deceived their husbands wreck their lives by throwing the fact in those same husbands’ teeth! They have been pressed too far. In a reckless moment (which they will afterwards regret, bien entendu) they fling safety to the winds and turn at bay, proclaiming the truth with great momentary satisfaction to themselves. So it was, I think, in this case. The strain was too great. And so there came your proverb, the death of the goose that laid the golden eggs. But that is not the end. Exposure faced the man of whom we are speaking.
And he is not the same man he was – say, a year ago. His moral fibre is blunted. He is desperate. He is fighting a losing battle, and he is prepared to take any means that come to his hand, for exposure means ruin to him. And so – the dagger strikes!
——阿加莎·克里斯蒂Agatha Christie《罗杰疑案（The Murder of Roger Ackroyd）》
译者：常禾
新星出版社发行
#英国侦探推理文学#
网友评论精选：
想到那部《英国病人》。
“周公恐惧流言日，王莽谦恭未篡时。向使当初身便死，一生真伪复谁知”
一本只能读一次的侦探小说
一本如果被剧透了结局就别看了的书
And he is not the same man he was – say, a year ago. His moral fibre is blunted.
