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Witness for the Prosecution · 1957 — 第 23 / 27 章 · 4'38" · B2

The Call About the German Wife, Explained：wild-goose chase

After Christine's testimony, Vole breaks down in the dock — "God, it's like a nightmare" — while Wilfrid tells his nurse the jury believed her. Then a stranger phones at night: she claims to hold "the goods" on the German wife and offers to sell them at Euston Station. Told it is a wild-goose chase, Wilfrid goes anyway.

あらすじ

The trial over for the day, Vole collapses in the dock, calling the whole thing a nightmare. Back home, Wilfrid and his nurse discuss the case: the jury liked Vole but did not believe him, and they believed the wife. A late-night call brings a stranger who claims to have evidence about Christine and wants money for it. Wilfrid calls it a wild-goose chase, then heads to Euston Station.

Phone callsCourtroomExplainingBargainingB2mediumbritishClean
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注目の表現

on the standopen-and-shutat stakeentitled to

00:00 / 04:38
Space 再生 · ← → セリフ移動 · R リピート
いま
  36. ❝ 独白Sir Wilfrid's vow to his client4 行練習ページ ↗
セリフをタップするとそこから再生

このシーンの表現

wild-goose chase

a pointless search

Sir Wilfrid calls the call nonsense and says he is too old and sick for a wild-goose chase.

That tip turned out to be a wild-goose chase.

このシーンの他の表現

  • on the stand

    testifying in court

  • open-and-shut

    simple and clear-cut

  • at stake

    at risk

  • entitled to

    having the right to

  • short of breath

    breathing with difficulty

このシーンのメモ一覧

71 行のセリフに 25 件のメモ

表現 · B2have blood on your hands

be responsible for a death

that you had blood on your hands.
表現 · B2make it sound as though

make something seem true

But you make it sound as though I did. I can hear it myself.
文法 · B1it's like a nightmare

simile: It's like introduces a simile; like is a preposition followed by a noun.

God, it's like a nightmare. Some ghastly, horrible dream.
表現 · C1an open-and-shut case

simple and clear-cut

Mayhew doubts the jury will take long, since the case looks open-and-shut.

Not on this case, I'm afraid. It seems too open-and-shut.
表現 · B2be on the stand

testifying in court

Mayhew says he watched Frau Helm testify and saw that the jury disliked her.

I watched when Frau Helm was on the stand. They didn't like her.
文法 · B2They liked Leonard Vole but they didn't believe him

contrast clause: The but-clause sets liking against belief, capturing the jury's split feeling.

No, but they believed her. They liked Leonard Vole but they didn't believe him.
表現 · B2what's someone's game

someone's hidden plan

The only question is why. What's her game? What is she up to? What?
表現 · B2be at stake

at risk

Sir Wilfrid refuses to rest, saying his client's life is at stake and nothing else counts.

My client's life is at stake. That's all that matters... his life.
表現 · B2be entitled to something

having the right to

Sir Wilfrid insists his client deserves his best effort, however ill he feels.

He's entitled to the best that I can do.
文法 · B2If I can't stand up to make my final appeal for him

conditional clause: The if-clause states what may fail, and the main clause gives the fallback.

If I can't stand up to make my final appeal for him, I'll make it sitting down.
表現 · B1be short of breath

breathing with difficulty

Sir Wilfrid jokes that if he gets short of breath he will take a pill, or the whole box.

If I become short of breath I'll take a pill, or two pills, or all of them and the box too.
文法 · B2If I become short of breath I'll take a pill

conditional clause: A first conditional: if it happens, will follows, with a casual list after.

If I become short of breath I'll take a pill, or two pills, or all of them and the box too.
スラング · B2geezer

an old man — London slang, teasing; not for polite use.

- Well, yes, it is. - Let me talk to the old geezer.
発音'im

The h in him is dropped, leaving 'im.

- Who is this speaking, please? - Never you mind. Let me talk to 'im.
表現 · C1the nature of one's business

what someone wants

I'm afraid that's impossible. What is the nature of your business?
表現 · B2have the goods on someone

hold evidence against someone

I've got the goods on her and it's for sale.
スラング · B2ducky

a familiar term of address — Old London speech; warm or cheeky depending on tone.

Well, hello, ducky.
表現 · B2in black and white

in writing

She insists she is not making it up, because she has it in black and white.

I'm not just saying. I've got it in black and white.
発音at the far end

Link at the far end into one smooth run.

I'm at the buffet at Euston Station at the far end of the bar.
表現 · B2the lowdown on someone

the inside information

If you want the lowdown on that German bag, get yourself here.
スラング · C1German bag

a slur for a German woman — A derogatory slur; do not repeat it.

If you want the lowdown on that German bag, get yourself here.
スラング · A2Uh-uh

no way — Casual refusal; too loose for formal talk.

Uh-uh. Not on the phone.
表現 · A2plenty of something

a lot of something

You'd better get on over here, and bring plenty of money.
表現 · C1a wild-goose chase

a pointless search

Sir Wilfrid calls the call nonsense and says he is too old and sick for a wild-goose chase.

I'm too old and too sick to go on a wild-goose chase.
発音where do you

Where do you blurs into one quick unit.

Euston Station, where do you think?

「The Call About the German Wife」を読み解く

What's really going on

Two things are happening at once. In court, Vole's last shred of dignity is gone: "God, it's like a nightmare. Some ghastly, horrible dream." Out of court, Wilfrid is already doing what he does best — reading the jury like an instrument. "No, but they believed her. They liked Leonard Vole but they didn't believe him," he says, and the distinction is the whole case in one line. He is certain Christine lied, but not why, and the uncertainty keeps him from resting. The phone call offers an answer in the form of a shady deal, and his refusal to be sensible — going after it despite his health — is the same stubbornness that makes him a great barrister.

Theme

JusticeEven after a day that seemed to sink the defence, Wilfrid refuses to rest while his client's life is at stake.
DeceptionThe verdict turns on whom the jury believes, and a midnight caller offers documents to expose Christine's lie.

このチャプターで学べること

  • A jury can like a man and still not believe him.
  • Duty outlasts health for a stubborn barrister.
  • The phone call turns health talk into a new lead.
  • Cockney speech hides him and you in plain sound.

発音のポイント

  • 'im — The h in him is dropped, leaving 'im.
  • at the far end — Link at the far end into one smooth run.
  • where do you — Where do you blurs into one quick unit.
No, but they believed her. They liked Leonard Vole but they didn't believe him.

Wilfrid's summary of the jury: charm is not enough. They warm to Vole as a person yet accept the wife's story, which is bad news for the defence.

My client's life is at stake. That's all that matters... his life.

His answer to the nurse's warnings: nothing, not even his own health, can take priority over keeping Vole alive.

If I can't stand up to make my final appeal for him, I'll make it sitting down.

A stubborn, half-humorous promise: he will give the closing speech for Vole no matter how weak he is.

God, it's like a nightmare. Some ghastly, horrible dream.

Vole's outburst as the evidence turns against him — the moment the confident defendant breaks in front of the court.

このシーンについての質問

Why does Wilfrid think the case is lost?

The jury liked Vole but did not believe him, and they believed Christine's testimony. Wilfrid says the case looks too open-and-shut, and the travel agency detail makes it worse.

Why does Wilfrid go to meet the caller?

The woman claims to have documentary evidence about Christine and will sell it. Although he calls it a wild-goose chase, he cannot ignore any chance to help his client.

What does the caller claim to have?

She says she has the goods on Christine, the German wife — the lowdown on her past — and she has it in black and white, meaning written proof she is willing to sell.

Why doesn't Wilfrid rest as his nurse orders?

He insists that until the trial is over he is still a barrister, and his client's life is at stake. He jokes that if he cannot stand to make the appeal, he will make it sitting.

What does the nurse report about the jury?

She watched Christine on the stand and says the jury did not like her. Wilfrid corrects her: they did not like her, but they believed her, and that is what matters.

情婦 · 全 27 章

すべて見る →
次のチャプター · 第 24 章on the slySir Wilfrid Buys the Letters
第 1 章put it in mothballsSir Wilfrid Goes Home第 2 章when her back is turnedSir Wilfrid Hides Cigars in His Cane第 3 章circumstantial evidenceVole Tries to Hire Sir Wilfrid第 4 章in the hands ofLeonard Tells Sir Wilfrid His Story第 5 章not cricketHow Vole Met Mrs French第 6 章a hot potatoLeonard Recounts the Night of the Murder第 7 章with flying coloursInspector Hearne Arrests Leonard第 8 章call it what you likeChristine Vole Meets the Lawyers第 9 章a way with womenChristine and the Green Socks第 10 章worships the ground I walk onChristine Denies She's His Wife第 11 章on the chance thatWilfrid Photographs Vole in Prison第 12 章gave someone ideasLeonard Meets Christine in Hamburg第 13 章clutching at a razor bladeVole Tells How He Married Christine第 14 章to a pointLeonard Vole Pleads Not Guilty第 15 章take someone by surpriseHearne Testifies About the Prints第 16 章account forThe Bloodstained Jacket in Court第 17 章hither and thitherJanet McKenzie Takes the Stand第 18 章a scheming rascalWilfrid Cross-Examines the Housekeeper第 19 章an accomplice toChristine Testifies Against Vole第 20 章a chronic and habitual liarMyers Destroys Christine on the Stand第 21 章shed new light onSir Wilfrid Calls Leonard Vole第 22 章establish an alibiMyers Cross-Examines Leonard Vole再生中 · 第 23 章wild-goose chaseThe Call About the German Wife第 24 章on the slySir Wilfrid Buys the Letters第 25 章a pack of liesSir Wilfrid's Blue Letter Trap第 26 章dispose ofVole Is Found Not Guilty第 27 章call someone namesChristine Reveals Leonard Was Guilty
第 23 / 27 章 · 残り約 13 分