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司氏姐妹第12章：約翰·亨特

作者：Wuwuyu 於 2012-9-8 23:56 發表於最熱鬧的華人社交網路--貝殼村

作者分類:翻譯小說|通用分類:原創文學

關鍵詞：童話小說, 學英語, 中國女孩, 移民生活, 哈利波特

第12章 - 約翰·亨特

當她們穿好衣服，摩根和瑪麗能聽到一個男低音從一樓飄上來。她們沒有聽見門被打開或關閉的聲音，從這個聲音空洞地充滿了整個房間上判斷，她們猜測市長沒有帶來一大群人。法媽的聲音不能聽到，但她總是這樣走路悄然無聲。

我想這是我們的機會，去看看市長在報紙上的聲明有如何認真，瑪麗對摩根用感應交流著想法。

我想知道他有多么害怕，摩根對想回來。

不要開玩笑。瑪麗給摩根冷冷的盯了一眼，讓她看起來像法媽一模一樣。

我知道，我知道。但是你不是很好奇他到底對我們有多少了解和喜歡？關於我們？和我們是否是女巫的事情？

是啊。我們現在就去。你准備好了么？

摩根點了點頭。瑪麗把她的頭髮向後梳成一個馬尾辮，而摩根只是用手拔弄了幾下她的那簇短紅毛，然後兩人一步兩個台階地蹦下樓梯，最後砰的一聲跳到樓底。

在客廳里市長和法媽相距一尺左右站著。他們挺直著背，看起來好像要努力使自己變得更高，尤其是法媽，她至少要比市長短一尺半。市長手裡拿著個小杯茶。在他的手中，茶杯看上去小了幾號，就像一個小孩子的玩具。在雙胞胎的背後，米娜躡手躡腳地下樓，然後一下抓住了瑪麗的手。

「市長先生」，法媽說，微微轉過頭來介紹她的女兒們。「我的小女兒。摩根，瑪麗，和米娜。「

市長點了點頭。他們見過面，在婚禮前。女孩們保持著同樣的沉默。「請叫我約翰。」他說。「約翰·亨特「。

「市長先生。」法媽說。「請坐。」

約翰·亨特在用竹子改裝過的紅色沙發上坐了下來，並打量了一下他的周圍。他的臉颳得乾乾凈凈，他看起來就像往常一樣：穿著得體，整潔，準備著可以隨時走上講台發表演講。甚至在他的眼框的下端，也沒有眼袋或皺紋的痕迹來顯示他有任何睡眠不足。他的外觀是愉快的，散發出一定程度的信任和信心，他的面容聚集著格雷厄姆所繼承的孩子氣的英俊。他的臉上既沒有微笑也沒有皺著眉頭，觀眾可以根據自己的喜好來區別決定這是什麼表情，因此女孩們很難判斷他是什麼態度。

終歸是政客，摩根對瑪麗感應道。

「嗯，我已經告訴過你們的母親，孩子們，但我想再說一遍，謝謝你們今天早上讓我進入你們的房子。我知道這幾晚對您們家是多麼的不易。「

「您們也不容易。」法媽說。

亨特市長點點頭，低頭看了一會兒他的手，就像要從中獲取他的想法的靈感。他的目光的重心像是悲傷，但也可能是在集中精力。「你們一定很奇怪為什么我要來這裡。也許你們已經讀過報紙。「

「我敢打賭我們讀過！」摩根輕聲而含糊不清地說。法媽馬上射出嚴厲的眼光。

「她的意思是說，我們看了那篇關於您和您妻子的文章」瑪麗說。

市長向瑪麗點點頭，然後轉向法媽。「所以，您必須明白，我是帶著最大的好意來的。我想為您所遭受和忍受的道歉，也為您女兒和姐…我的媳婦…」，講到這里，亨特市長閉了一小會兒眼睛。「所遭受的道歉。我只希望能讓您們安慰的是保證她在最安全的地方，不會被任何憤怒的鄉民，包括我自己的妻子所加害，同時也請您們諒解我妻子的非理性。

「我想重復我在報紙中表達的觀點。我沒有理由去設想您女兒殺害了我的兒子，我不會這樣，除非在法庭上有充分的證據。即使最後發現瑪拉是有罪的…」

「她不是！」米娜突然叫了起來，拉緊了瑪麗的手。

「她愛格雷厄姆勝過你！」摩根也迸出聲來。

「孩子們！」法媽的聲音像一根鞭子抽在空氣中。「注意禮貌！市長先生，請繼續。「

市長點了點頭，表示同意女孩們。「我理解你們對姐姐的心情，我不是說她有罪。只是在她可能被判定有罪的情況下，我會盡我的一切努力，以確保在這個問題上，沒有更多的無辜者受到傷害。也就是說，我會盡我一切權力來保護你們家庭來應對社會的反彈。如果您」，亨特市長轉向法媽，「如果您和您的女兒能在整個訴訟過程中保持乾淨。「

法媽沉默了片刻，一眼不眨地盯著市長。

「我不懂您這最後一句話的意思，市長先生，」法媽說。

「我的意思是，」市長說，身體向前傾了傾，「在這一刻，我沒有理由懷疑，除了瑪拉外您的任何家人捲入了這場悲劇中，假如這個設想是真的，我不想讓您們遭受不應該得到的遭遇。然而，對我來說，要繼續相信整個家庭的清白，包括瑪拉，我必須得到保證，您的家人不會去...干涉，就像我也沒有打算去干涉整個刑事訴訟的公平和正義。「

瑪麗深深地吸了一口氣。原來這才是他的真正目的。

你認為他知道昨晚嗎？摩根感應過來。

我不知道。

法媽從她的椅子上站了起來。市長也得到他的暗示而站立起來，把他的茶杯放在茶几上，茶杯突然又變成了正常大小。他剛要張嘴說話，並來握法媽的手，法媽打斷了他的話。

「謝謝你的關心，市長先生，」她說。「無論是什麼樣的結果，我們的苦難已經很深。至於干擾，我可以向您保證，即使我們希望去干，我們也沒辦法。「

她伸出手來握住市長的手，就在他們要放開時，瑪麗走上前來。

「在您離開之前我可以問一個問題嗎，市長先生？」

「當然，年輕的女士。是瑪麗嗎？「

「如果你也不相信瑪拉是有罪的，你認為誰是真正的犯罪嫌疑人呢？」

約翰·亨特的堅忍的臉上在幾分之一秒鐘內閃過一絲微笑，米娜似乎也看見他的眼角泛起小小光芒。接下來的一秒鐘，他的臉又回到其正常的神態。他稍稍皺起眉頭俯身對著瑪麗，輕輕地說。

「如果你想聽到真相，」他說，「我想我在那天晚上看到了一個奇怪的潛影。」

他朝門口走去，說著對不起。

「但是，也許您比我更清楚，那可能是什么。」他歪了一下頭對著法媽，「我會再次找您談話」，說完他走出了門。

Chapter 12 – John Hunter

As they got dressed, Morgan and Marie could hear the low rumbles of a man』s voice float up from the first floor. They had not heard the door open or close, and judging from the hollowed way the voice filled the room, they guessed that the mayor had not brought a large group of people. Fa could not be heard, but then, she always moved silently.

I guess this is our chance to see how serious the mayor』s statements in the newspaper were, Marie thought to Morgan.

I wonder how easily he scares, Morgan thought back.

That』s not funny. Marie gave Morgan a cold stare that made her look eerily similar to Fa.

I know, I know. But aren』t you curious what he』s going to be like? About us? and all the witch business.

Yeah. Let』s go now. You ready?

Morgan nodded. Marie combed back her hair into a ponytail as Morgan ran a hand through her short red tuft, and then the girls bounded down the staircase, two steps at a time until they reached the first floor with a thud.

In the sitting room the mayor and Fa Switch were standing feet away from each other. Their backs were straight and they looked as if they were trying to make themselves tall–especially Fa, who was a good foot and a half shorter than the mayor. The mayor held a small cup of tea. In his hands, the teacup looked miniature, like a toy for a young child. Behind the twins, Mina crept quietly down the stairs and grabbed onto Marie』s hand.

「Mr. Mayor,」 Fa said, turning her head slightly to acknowledge her daughters.

「My younger daughters. Morgan, Marie, and Mina.」

The mayor nodded. They had met before, before the wedding. The girls had been similarly silent. 「Please,」 he said. 「Call me John. John Hunter.」

「Mr. Mayor,」 Fa said. 「Please have a seat.」

John Hunter sat down on the bamboo-upholstered red couch and took note of his surroundings. His face was clean shaven, and he looked like he always did: well-dressed, neat, and ready to step up to a podium at any time to give a speech. Even below his eyes, there were no bags or wrinkles to signal that he had lost any sleep. His general appearance was pleasant, commanding a certain measure of trust and confidence, a countenance from which could be gleaned the boyish handsomeness that Graham had inherited. His face was neither smiling nor frowning–it had the look of being distinguishable according to the viewer』s desires, and so it was difficult for the girls to determine what exactly he was feeling.

Always the politician, Morgan thought to Marie.

「Well, I have already told your mother this, girls, but I want to say it again–thank you for having me in your house this morning. I know it has not been the easiest of nights for your family.」

「Nor for yours.」 Fa said.

Mayor Hunter nodded and looked down at his hands for a moment, as if collecting his thoughts. The gravity in his gaze could have been grief, but it could also have been focus. 」You must be wondering why I have come at all. Perhaps you have had a chance to read the newspaper.」

「You bet we have,」 Morgan mumbled. Fa shot her a sharp look.

「What she means to say is that we saw the article about you and your wife,」 Marie said.

The mayor nodded at Marie and then turned to Fa. 「So you must understand that I come with nothing but the best intentions. I want to apologize for the treatment you have endured up until now, as well as the treatment your daughter and sister–my daughter-in-law」–here, Mayor Hunter closed his eyes for a brief moment–」has endured. I can only hope to comfort you by assuring that she is in the safest of hands, out of reach from any angry townspeople, or indeed, from my own wife, who you must forgive for being irrational.

「I would like to repeat the sentiments expressed in the paper. I have no reason to assume that your daughter murdered my son, and I will not do so until the evidence is held up in court. Even if it turns out that Mara is guilty–」

「She』s not!」 Mina shouted suddenly, squeezing Marie』s hand tightly.

「She loved Graham more than you did!」 Morgan burst out.

「Girls!」 Fa』s voice snapped into the air like a whip. 「Manners. Mr. Mayor, continue.」

The mayor nodded, acknowleding the girls now. 「I understand your feelings about your sister, and I am not saying anything about her guilt. Only that given the possibility that she is determined guilty, I will do everything in my power to make sure that no more innocents are harmed in this matter. That is, I will do all in my power to protect your family against the backlash of the community. If you,」 Mayor Hunter turned back to Fa, 「If you and your daughters stay cleanly out of the proceedings, that is.」

Fa remained silent for a moment, not blinking or breaking her gaze with the mayor.

「I』m not sure what you mean by that last sentence, Mr. Mayor,」 Fa said.

「What I mean,」 the mayor said, leaning forward, 「is that at this moment I have no reason to suspect that any of your family beyond Mara was involved in this tragedy, and given that this holds true, I would not want you to suffer what you do not deserve. However, for me to continue to believe in the entire family』s innocence–Mara』s included–I must be promised that your family will not… interfere, just as I do not plan to interfere, on the fairness and justice of the criminal proceedings.」

Marie breathed deeply. So this is what its really about.

Do you think he knows about last night? Morgan sent back.

I can』t tell.

Fa had stood up from her chair. The mayor took his cue to stand as well, placing his teacup on the side table, where it suddenly appeared to be normally sized again. He opened his mouth to speak, reaching out to shake Fa』s hand, when Fa interrupted him.

「Thank you for your concern, Mr. Mayor,」 she said. 「Whatever the outcomes of this, our sufferings have already been great. As for interference, I can assure you that we have no means for doing so even if we wished.」

She reached out to shake the mayor』s hand, and just as they were letting go, Marie stepped forward.

「If I may ask one question, Mr. Mayor, before you leave.」

「Of course, young lady. Marie?」

「If you don』t believe that Mara is guilty either, who do you think is the real suspect?」

John Hunter』s stoic face broke for a fraction of a second into a grin, and Mina thought she saw in the corner of his eye a small glint of light. The next second his face was back to its regular composure. He frowned lightly and leaned toward Marie, speaking softly.

「If you want to hear the truth,」 he said, 「I thought I saw a strange shadow lurking that night.」

He walked towards the door, excusing himself out.

「But perhaps you will know better than I what it could be.」 He tipped his head at Fa–」We will speak again」–and stepped outside.