guard came to the prison shoe shop where Jimmy Valentine was working and took him to the prison office. There the warden handed Jimmy his pardon, which had been signed that morning by the governor. He took it quietly; he was too tired to show excitement. He had been in prison nearly ten months and he had been sentenced to four years. True, he had expected to stay only about three months, at the longest. He had a lot of friends and he had been sure they would help him.
看守来到基米·范林丁正在干活的监狱制鞋间，将他带到监狱办公室。到了那里，监狱长将一张赦免书递给基米，这是今天早上州长签署的。基米默默地接过去，对此他没有流露出任何的激动。他早已腻烦，他在狱中呆了将近10个月，而判他的是4年徒刑。说真的，他本来打算最多呆3个月的。他有好多朋友，他相信他们一定会为他想办法的。

“Now, Valentine,” said the warden, “You’ll go out in the morning. Make a man of yourself. You’re not a bad fellow really. Stop breaking open safes and be honest.”

“范林丁，”监狱长说，“明天早上你就可以出狱了，要活出个人样来。其实你这人并不坏。再不要撬保险柜了。做一个诚实的人。”

“Me?” said Jimmy, in surprise. “Why, I’ve never broken open a safe in my life.”

“我？”基米吃惊地说，“你说什么？我可从来没有撬过保险柜呀。”

“Oh, no,” laughed the warden. “Of course not. And what about that Springfield job? Do you mean to say you didn’t take part in it?”

“啊，没有，”监狱长笑道，“当然没有。可是，春田事件该怎么说呢？你是说你没有参与那件事吗？”

“Me?” said Jimmy still more surprised. “Why, warden, I’ve never been to Springfield in my life!”

“我？”基米更吃惊了。“怎么，监狱长，我可从来没有去过春田呀！”

“Take him back,” the warden said to the guard smiling, “and give him some clothes. Unlock him at seven in the morning and let him come to me. Better think over my advice, Valentine.”

“把他带回去，”监狱长对看守笑道，“给他一些衣服，明天早上7点给他开锁后让他到我这里来。最好还是把我的劝告想一下，范林丁。”

At a quarter past seven the next morning Jimmy stood in the warden’s office. He wore a badly-fitting ready-made suit and the cheap shoes that the state gives to prisoners, when they are set free. The cler