双语法律笑话：351　An Honest Lawyer 诚实的律师

英语笑话

351　An Honest Lawyer 诚实的律师

A dying man gathered his lawyer, doctor and clergyman at his bedside and handed each of them an envelope containing $25,000 in cash. He made them each promise that after his death and during his repose, they would place the three envelops in his coffin. He told them that he wanted to have enough money to enjoy the next life. A week later the man died. At the Wake, the lawyer and doctor and clergyman, each concealed an envelope in the coffin and bid their old client and friend farewell. By chance, these three met several months later. Soon the Clergyman, feeling guilty, blurted out a confession saying that there was only $10,000 in the envelope he placed in the coffin. He felt, rather than waste all the money, he would send it to a Mission in South America. He asked for their forgiveness. The Doctor, moved by the gentle Clergyman's sincerity, confessed that he too had kept some of the money for a worthy medical charity. The envelope, he admitted, had only $8000 in it. The lawyer expressed his deep disappointment in the felonious behavior of two of his oldest and most trusted friends. “I am the only one who kept my promise to our dying friend. I want you both to know that the envelope I placed in the coffin contained the full amount. Indeed, my envelope contained my personal check for the entire $25,000.”

一个快死的人把他的律师、医生和牧师叫到他的床前，给他们每人一个装有两万五千美元现金的信封。他让他们每个人都承诺，在他入殓的时候，他们会把这三个信封放进他的棺材。他说他希望下一辈子能有足够的钱花。一星期以后他死了。在守灵的时候，律师、医生和牧师每个人都把一个信封放进棺材，并且和他们的老客户、老朋友告别。几个月以后，这三个人碰巧又见面了。牧师带着负罪感很快就忏悔说，他放进棺材里的那个信封只装了一万美元。他觉得，与其浪费所有的钱，不如寄一些给南美的传教士。他请求他们的原谅。被牧师的真诚所感动，医生也忏悔说，他给一个有价值的医学慈善机构留了一些钱。他承认信封里只装了八千美元。律师对他的两位最老、最信任的朋友的严重犯罪行为表示深深的失望。他说：“我是唯一的对我们将死的朋友信守承诺的人。我想让你们俩知道，我把全额都装进了棺材。确实，我的信封里装有我的个人支票两万五千美元。”