WinkLingo
ログイン

Witness for the Prosecution · 1957 — 第 22 / 27 章 · 4'28" · B2

Myers Cross-Examines Leonard Vole, Explained：establish an alibi

Myers has a simple weapon: the calendar. On the very day Mrs French changed her will in Leonard's favour, he was asking about luxury cruises with another woman. "Supposing I did? It's not a crime, is it?" Leonard snaps—and the jury is left weighing his word against the timing.

あらすじ

Leonard Vole takes the witness stand. Sir Wilfrid finishes his brief questioning and leaves him to the prosecution. Myers walks him through the trench coat, the will, and a visit to a travel agency on the same afternoon, then presses on a detail Leonard cannot explain: why plan an expensive cruise just as he inherits.

CourtroomInterrogationsConfrontingExplainingRivalsB2fastbritishClean
IMDb ↗

注目の表現

trench coatestablish an alibimake inquiries abouthard up

00:00 / 04:28
Space 再生 · ← → セリフ移動 · R リピート
いま
  42. ❝ 独白Vole explains the travel agency9 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

establish an alibi

prove you were elsewhere

The defence tells the judge it circulated a photo to establish the prisoner's alibi.

The suspect could not establish an alibi for the night of the fire.

このシーンの他の表現

  • trench coat

    a belted raincoat

  • make inquiries about

    ask for information about

  • hard up

    short of money

  • the bulk of her money

    most of her money

  • out of her mind

    crazy or insane

このシーンのメモ一覧

60 行のセリフに 23 件のメモ

表現 · B2the whole truth and nothing but the truth

the complete truth

truth, - the whole truth and nothing but the truth. - No.
表現 · C1cross-examination by someone

questioning by the other side

The defence feels his faculties should be spared for the cross-examination by my learned friend for the prosecution.
文法 · C1no matter how searching this may be

concessive clause: No matter how sets up a concession: however harsh the questioning, he will hold up.

I am confident that no matter how searching this may be, the prisoner will withstand it.
表現 · B2make the acquaintance of someone

get to know someone

At the time you made the acquaintance of Mrs French, were you employed?
表現 · B2a trench coat

a belted raincoat

Myers asks whether Vole wore a trench coat and brown hat on his last visit to Mrs French.

did you wear a trench coat and a brown hat?
文法 · C1hoping to bring forth a witness who had seen him leaving Mrs French's house

participle and relative clause: Hoping is a participle phrase, and the who-clause tells us what the witness saw.

circulated this photograph, hoping to bring forth a witness who had seen him leaving Mrs French's house or entering his own at the times that he has stated.
文法 · B2were you not in a travel agency in Regent Street?

negative question: The negative question is not a real query but pressure; only yes is expected.

On the afternoon of October 8, were you not in a travel agency in Regent Street?
表現 · B2make inquiries about something

ask for information about

Myers presses Vole on whether he asked about prices and schedules of foreign cruises.

And did you not make inquiries about prices and schedules of foreign cruises?
発音Supposing I

Blend Supposing I together and let did rise.

Supposing I did? It's not a crime, is it?
表現 · B1be hard up

short of money

Vole admits he had no money, using the casual hard up with a note of embarrassment.

- But you couldn't pay for it, could you? - Well, I was hard up. I told you that.
発音couldn't pay for it

The t in couldn't often drops; link pay and for.

- But you couldn't pay for it, could you? - Well, I was hard up. I told you that.
表現 · B2cling to someone's arm

hold on to someone's arm

She was very affectionate with the prisoner, constantly clinging to his arm.
表現 · B2the bulk of something

most of her money

Myers lands his key blow: the will left Vole the bulk of Mrs French's money.

heard Mrs French change her will, - leaving you the bulk of her money. - I didn't!
表現 · C1dispose of something

get rid of something

And in the afternoon, you started plans to dispose of it.
表現 · A2for fun

as a joke or game

The Grecian isles or somewhere. We went in for fun and I started asking for folders.
スラング · B2shabby

worn and poor-looking — Informal; describes worn clothes, avoid saying it to someone's face.

Well, the man gave me a funny look because I did look a bit shabby.
表現 · B2just an act

only a performance

so I kept asking for the swankiest tours, all deluxe and cabin on the boat deck, but it was just an act!
スラング · B2swankiest

the most luxurious — Casual and showy; teasing among friends.

so I kept asking for the swankiest tours, all deluxe and cabin on the boat deck, but it was just an act!
表現 · B2make-believe

pretend play

No! it wasn't that way at all. It was make-believe and childish but...
文法 · C1that Mrs French should be killed only one week later

subjunctive should: Should be killed here expresses disbelief at the coincidence, not obligation.

It's just a coincidence that Mrs French should be killed only one week later?
表現 · B1out of one's mind

crazy or insane

Vole cannot explain his wife's testimony and guesses she is lying or out of her mind.

I don't know why I still call her my wife. She must be lying or out of her mind.
表現 · B2take someone's word for it

only someone's bare claim

And the fact, Mr Vole, is that we've only your word for it.
発音only your word

Link only your and run word for it as one phrase.

And the fact, Mr Vole, is that we've only your word for it.

「Myers Cross-Examines Leonard Vole」を読み解く

What's really going on

Myers is not chasing a confession; he is stacking coincidence. Each fact alone is harmless—a coat, a will, a travel agency—but together they sketch a man spending money he did not yet have. Leonard feels the trap and turns sharp: "Supposing I did? It's not a crime, is it?" That flash of temper is exactly what Myers wants the jury to see, because a composed innocent man would not defend himself so fast. Leonard then supplies his own damage: he admits he was "hard up," that the cruise talk was "just an act," and that he cannot explain Christine. Myers closes the net with "we've only your word for it." The scene is less about the murder than about how easily honest details can be arranged into guilt.

Theme

JusticeThe cross-examination tests whether Leonard's account can survive the case built against him.
LiesMyers turns Leonard's own words—"just an act"—into proof he cannot explain the timing.

このチャプターで学べること

  • Myers tightens the net with one fact at a time.
  • A shabby man in a luxury agency looks guilty.
  • Vole's story is vivid, foolish and hard to check.
  • The closing line reduces everything to his word.

発音のポイント

  • Supposing I — Blend Supposing I together and let did rise.
  • couldn't pay for it — The t in couldn't often drops; link pay and for.
  • only your word — Link only your and run word for it as one phrase.
I am confident that no matter how searching this may be, the prisoner will withstand it.

Sir Wilfrid says the defence is not begging for mercy; he trusts Leonard can handle the prosecution's cross-examination.

Supposing I did? It's not a crime, is it?

Leonard turns defensive when asked about the cruise inquiries, insisting that asking is not itself illegal.

Very effective, I'm sure. But in this court we deal with fact.

Myers dismisses Leonard's emotional denials as performance and reminds him the court wants evidence.

And the fact, Mr Vole, is that we've only your word for it.

Myers closes by pointing out the defence rests entirely on Leonard's own unproven testimony.

このシーンについての質問

Why does Myers bring up the travel agency?

It undercuts Leonard's story that he was just killing time with a strange girl. Asking about deluxe cruises the same day Mrs French changed her will makes him look like a man planning how to spend the inheritance.

Why does Leonard say he was 'hard up'?

Myers presses him on how he could afford a luxury cruise while unemployed. Leonard admits he had almost no money, which is exactly why the inquiries look suspicious to the jury.

Why won't Leonard admit Christine might be telling the truth?

He insists she must be lying or out of her mind, but cannot explain why she would testify against him. Myers treats this as the weakness in his defence.

Is Leonard's alibi actually proven?

No. No witness came forward to confirm he left Mrs French's house or entered his own at the times he claimed, so the defence rests on Leonard's word alone.

情婦 · 全 27 章

すべて見る →
次のチャプター · 第 23 章wild-goose chaseThe Call About the German Wife
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再生中 · 第 22 章establish an alibiMyers Cross-Examines Leonard Vole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 22 / 27 章 · 残り約 18 分