這場戲：證人指認拆穿騙局
第 19 章 · 共 21 章 · 4'24"
基斯在辦公室復盤那樁謀殺：同夥拄拐冒充迪特里奇森上車跳車，再把屍體扔上軌道，他說這招 a cinch（十拿九穩）。他請傑克遜來辨認，對方一看照片就否認。基斯斷言 Murder's never perfect.（謀殺從來沒有完美的），案子 come apart at the seams（開始散架）。想學怎麼復盤手法、怎麼用英文下斷言，這段很過癮。
❝ 獨白 · 10 句 案子「撐不住、開始散架」：come apart at the seams
come apart at the seams 撐不住、開始散架twice as safe 安全一倍stuck with each other 被綁在一起、甩不掉one-way trip 單程、有去無回
基斯在辦公室裡把整樁謀殺復盤給內夫聽：兇手讓一個同夥拄著柺杖，冒充迪特里奇森上了火車，在暗處跳車，再把屍體放到火車碾過的軌道上，做成摔車的樣子。他說這招 a cinch（十拿九穩）。為找證據，他把奧勒岡州梅德福的傑克遜請來認照片：傑克遜說自己在梅德福 take our time（不著急），但最後明確表示這照片上的人 not the man that was on the train（不是火車上那個人），還說 If I say it, I mean it.（我說出口就是當真的）。基斯由此斷言 Murder's never perfect.（謀殺從來沒有完美的），案子開始 come apart at the seams（散架）。想學怎麼復盤手法、辨認證據、下斷言，這段很經典。
A1–C2 是歐標等級。點一個等級後，比它高的卡片會變淡，播放到那裡不會自動暫停。
“Murder's never perfect. Always comes apart sooner or later.”
謀殺從來沒有完美的，早晚都會露餡。
把謀殺當成一件註定磨損的作品，冷靜裡透著宿命感。
X is never perfect. It always ...
勸人別指望僥倖能瞞住時可以說，對正想鋌而走險的人別用。
No plan stays perfect for long. ／ Secrets fall apart on their own.
中性
never 重讀，sooner or later 壓低放緩。
The lie is never perfect; it always comes apart sooner or later. 謊言從來不會完美，早晚會露餡。
“And it's a one-way trip, and the last stop is the cemetery.”
而且是趟單程車，最後一站就是墓地。
用坐車比喻共謀的下場，輕描淡寫卻句句見血。
It's a one-way trip, and the last stop is ...
形容沒有回頭路的選擇時能用，安慰剛經歷喪失的人別用。
One-way ticket, no refunds. ／ There's no getting off this ride.
literary
one-way 與 cemetery 重讀，and 輕帶。
Keep lying and it's a one-way trip to the end of the line. 再撒謊就是一趟開到終點的單程車。
“Whether it's love or hate doesn't matter. They can't keep away from each other.”
是愛是恨都無所謂，他們離不開彼此。
把愛與恨一併歸入同一種相互牽扯，斷言乾脆利落。
Whether it's X or Y doesn't matter.
對糾纏不清的兩人下判斷時能用，正式彙報裡別這樣說人。
Call it love or hate, it makes no difference. ／ Whatever it is, they can't stay apart.
中性
Whether 輕起，can't keep away 連讀加重。
Whether they call it love or hate, they can't keep away from each other. 不管他們管這叫愛還是恨，兩人就是離不開。
“Up in Medford we take our time making up our mind.”
在我們梅德福，拿定主意是要花時間的。
一句慢悠悠的鄉下自豪，把證人不緊不慢的倔勁兒說活，也拖出全場笑點。
Up in ..., we take our time ...
自嘲或強調自己不趕時間、說話算話時用，熟人閒聊合適，催進度的場合別這麼說。
Where I come from, we don't rush. ／ We think things over before we answer.
口語
Up in Medford 連讀，take our time 稍慢，making up 輕帶。
Back home we take our time before we say yes. 在我們那兒，答應之前是要慢慢想的。
He'll show. He's got to show. Sometime, somewhere, they've got to meet. Their emotions are all kicked up. Whether it's love or hate doesn't matter. They can't keep away from each other. They may think it's twice as safe because there are two of them. But it isn't twice as safe. and it's not like taking a trolley ride together... where they can get off at different stops. They're stuck with each other and they've got to ride... all the way to the end of the line. And it's a one-way trip, and the last stop is the cemetery.
他會露面的。他非露面不可。早晚、總有個地方，他們得碰頭。 他們的情緒都被攪起來了。 是愛是恨都無所謂。他們離不開彼此。 他們也許以為兩個人更保險，安全了一倍。 可實際上並不更保險。 這不像是兩個人一起坐電車…… 可以各自在不同的站下車。 他們被綁在了一起，只能一路坐下去…… 一直坐到終點。 而且是單程，最後一站就是墓地。
下一章 · 20hang on to your hat扶好帽子這場戲：錯把替罪羊當兇手「十拿九穩、小菜一碟」。基斯說 An impersonation, see? A cinch to work.，意思是冒名頂替這招幹起來毫不費力。
come apart at the seams。字面是衣服縫線崩開，引申為「開始散架、露餡」。基斯說案子 It's beginning to come apart at the seams already.，就是快撐不住了。
意思是「說起來、這麼一想」，用來補充剛想到的細節。傑克遜說 Come to think of it, he tried to keep his back towards me.，就是「說起來，他一直背對著我」。
「在……方面、就……而言」。基斯說 let's see what we have in the way of proof，就是「看看我們在證據方面有什麼」。
不是。take one's time 是「不著急、慢慢來」。傑克遜來自梅德福，說 Up in Medford we take our time making up our mind.，強調他們拿主意講究慢。
