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TextBook3Unit1TextAyoungmanfindsthatstrollingalongthestreetswithoutanobviouspurposecanleadtotroublewiththelaw.Onemisunderstandingleadstoanotheruntileventuallyhemustappearincourtfortrial……一个青年发现，在大街上毫无明显目的地游逛会招致警方的责罚。误会一个接一个发生，最终他只得出庭受审……ABrushwiththeLaw与警察的一场小冲突Ihaveonlyoncebeenintroublewiththelaw.我平生只有一次跟警方发生纠葛。Thewholeprocessofbeingarrestedandtakentocourtwasaratherunpleasantexperienceatthetime,butitmakesagoodstorynow.被捕和出庭的整个过程在当时是一件非常不愉快的事，但现在倒成了一篇很好的故事。Whatmakesitratherdisturbingwasthearbitrarycircumstancesbothofmyarrestandmysubsequentfateincourt.这次经历令人可恼之处在于围绕着我的被捕以及随后庭上审讯而出现的种种武断专横的情况。IthappenedinFebruaryabouttwelveyearsago.事情发生在大约12年前，其时正是2月。IhadleftschoolacoupleofmonthsbeforethatandwasnotduetogotouniversityuntilthefollowingOctober.几个月前我中学毕业了，但上大学要等到10月。Iwasstilllivingathomeatthetime.当时我还在家中居住。OnemorningIwasinRichmond,asuburbofLondonnearwhereIlived.一天早晨，我来到里士满。这里是伦敦的一个郊区，离我住的地方不远。IwaslookingforatemporaryjobsothatIcouldsaveupsomemoneytogotravelling.我在寻找一份临时工作，以便积些钱去旅游。AsitwasafinedayandIwasinnohurry,Iwastakingmytime,lookinginshopwindows,strollinginthepark,andsometimesjuststoppingandlookingaroundme.由于天气晴朗，当时又无急事，我便慢悠悠看看橱窗，逛逛公园。有时干脆停下脚步，四处张望。Itmusthavebeenthisobviousaimlessnessthatledtomydownfall.现在看来，一定是这种明显的毫无目的的游逛，使我倒了霉。Itwasabouthalfpastelevenwhenithappened.事情发生在11点半钟光景。Iwasjustwalkingoutofthelocallibrary,havingunsuccessfullysoughtemploymentthere,whenIsawamanwalkingacrosstheroadwiththeobviousintentionoftalkingtome.我在当地图书馆谋职未成，刚刚走出来，便看到一个人穿越马路，显然是要来跟我说话。Ithoughthewasgoingtoaskmethetime.Instead,hesaidhewasapoliceofficerandhewasarrestingme.我以为他要问我时间，不料他说他是警官，要逮捕我。AtfirstIthoughtitwassomekindofjoke.Butthenanotherpolicemanappeared,thistimeinuniform,andIwasleftinnodoubt.起先我还以为这是在开玩笑，但又一个警察出现在我的面前，这次是位身着警服的，这一下使我确信无疑了。'Butwhatfor?'Iasked.“为什么要抓我?”我问道。Wanderingwithintenttocommitanarrestableoffence,'hesaid.“到处游荡，企图作案，”他说。'Whatoffence?'Iasked.“作什么案?”我又问。'Theft,'hesaid.“偷窃，”他说。'Theftofwhat?'Iasked.“偷什么?”我追问。'Milkbottles,'hesaid,andwithaperfectlystraightfacetoo!“牛奶瓶，”他板着面孔说道。'Oh,'Isaid.“噢，”我说。Itturnedouttherehadbeenalotofpettytheftsinthearea,particularlythatofstealingmilkbottlesfromdoorsteps.事情原来是这样的，在这一地区多次发生小的扒窃案，特别是从门前台阶上偷走牛奶瓶。ThenImademybigmistake.接着，我犯了一个大错误。AtthetimeIwasnineteen,hadlonguntidyhair,andregardedmyselfaspartofthesixties''youthcountercultrue.其时我年方19，留一头蓬乱的长发，自认为是60年代“青年反主流文化”的一员。Asaresult,Iwanttoappearcoolandunconcernedwiththeincident,soIsaid,'Howlonghaveyoubeenfollowingme?'inthemostcasualandconversationaltoneIcouldmanage.所以我想装出一副冷漠的、对这一事件满不在乎的样子。于是我尽量用一种漫不经心的极其随便的腔调说，“你们跟踪我多久啦?”Ithusappearedtothemtobequitefamiliarwiththissortofsituation,anditconfirmedthemintheirbeliefthatIwasathoroughlydisreputablecharacter.这样一来，在他们眼里，我就像是非常熟悉这一套的了，也使他们更加确信我是一个地地道道的坏蛋。Afewminuteslaterapolicecararrived.几分钟后，开来了一辆警车。'Getintheback,theysaid.'Putyourhandsonthebackofthefrontseatanddon'tmovethem.'“坐到后面去，”他们说。“把手放到前排座位的靠背上，不准挪动。”Theygotinoneithersideofme.Itwasn'tfunnyanymore.他们分别坐在我的两边。这可再也不是闹着玩的了。Atthepolicestationtheyquestionedmeforseveralhours.在警察局，他们审讯了我好几个小时。Icontinuedtotrytolookworldlyandaufaitwiththesituation.我继续装成老于世故、对这种事习以为常。WhentheyaskedmewhatIhadbeendoing,ItoldthemI'dbeenlookingforajob.当他们问我在干什么时，我告诉他们在找工作。'Aha,'Icouldseethemthinking,'unemployed'.“啊，”我可以想象他们在想，“果然是个失业的家伙。”Eventually,IwasofficiallychargedandtoldtoreporttoRichmondMagistrates'CourtthefollowingMonday.Thentheyletmego.最后，我被正式起诉，并通知我下周一到里士满地方法庭受审。随后他们让我离开。Iwantedtoconductmyowndefenceincourt,butassoonasmyfatherfoundoutwhathadhappened,hehiredaverygoodsolicitor.我想在法庭上作自我辩护，但父亲知道这事后，马上请了一位高明的律师。WewentalongthatMondayarmedwithallkindsofwitnesses,includingmyEnglishteacherfromschoolasacharacterwitness.我们星期一出庭的时候，带了各种各样的证人，其中包括我中学的英语老师，做我人品的见证人。Buthewasnevercalledontogiveevidence.My'trial'didn'tgetthatfar.但结果法庭没有叫他作证。我的“审判”没有进行到那一步。Themagistratedismissedthecaseafterfifteenminutes.开庭15分钟，法官就驳回了对我的指控。Iwasfree.Thepoorpolicehadneverstoodachance.我无罪获释。可怜的警方一点儿赢的机会都没有。Thesolicitorevensucceededingettingcostsawardedagainstthepolice.我的律师甚至让法庭责成警方承担了诉讼费用。AndsoIdonothaveacriminalrecord.这样，我的履历上没有留下犯罪的记录。Butwhatwasmostshockingatthetimewasthethingsmyreleasefromthechargesoclearlydependedon.但当时最令人震惊的，是那些显然导致宣布我无罪的证据。Ihadthe'right'accent,respectablemiddle-classparentsincourt,reliablewitnesses,andIcouldobviouslyaffordaverygoodsolicitor.我讲话的口音“表明我教养良好”，到庭的有体面的中产阶级的双亲，有可靠的证人，还有，我显然请得起一名很好的律师。Giventheobscurenatureofthecharge,IfeelsurethatifIhadcomefromadifferentbackground,andhadreallybeenunemployed,thereiseverychancethatIwouldhavebeenfoundguilty.从对我指控的这种捕风捉影的做法来看，我肯定，如果我出身在另一种背景的家庭里，并且真的是失了业的话，我完全可能被判有罪。Whileaskingforcoststobeawarded,mysolicitor'scasequiteobviouslyrevolvedaroundthefactthatIhada'brilliantacademicrecord'.当我的律师要求赔偿诉讼费时，他公然把辩护的证据建立在我“学业优异”这一事实上。Meanwhile,justoutsidethecourtroom,oneofthepolicemenwhohadarrestedmewasgloomilycomplainingtomymotherthatanotheryoungsterhadbeenturnedagainstthepolice.与此同时，就在审判室外面，一位抓我的警察正在沮丧地向我母亲抱怨，说是又一个小伙子要跟警察作对了。'Youcouldhavebeenabitmorehelpfulwhenwearrestedyou,'hesaidtomereproachfully.他带着责备的口气对我说，“我们抓你的时候，你本可以稍微帮点忙的。”Whatdidhemean?他说这话