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Ever so long ago, two young men, Edmund and Oswald, appeared in court. 很久很久以前，两个年轻人埃德蒙和奥斯瓦尔德上了法庭。 Edmund said to the judge, Three years ago, when I left home I gave Oswald, who I thought was my best friend, a costly gold ring set with precious stones, and I asked him to keep it till I returned home. Now he says that he knows nothing about it. 埃德蒙对法官说：三年前我离开家时，我认为奥斯瓦尔德是我最好的朋友，就交给他一枚镶嵌了贵重宝石的十分值钱的金戒指，请他帮我保管，等我回家时再还给我。但是现在，他说他压根不知道有这么回事。 Placing his hand on his heart, Oswald said, I declare on my honor1) that I know nothing about the ring. I am afraid that my good friend Edmund has been affected2) in his mental powers since he went away. 奥斯瓦尔德将手放在心口，说道：我以我的名誉担保，我对那枚戒指一无所知。恐怕是我的好朋友埃德蒙离开家后脑子出了什么问题吧。 The judge said, Edmund, were there any witnesses who could testify that you gave the ring to Oswald? 法官说：埃德蒙，当时有证人在场可以证明你把戒指交给了奥斯瓦尔德吗? Edmund replied, Unfortunately in the field where we were at the time there was nobody. We were talking beneath an old oak tree and there we were alone. 埃德蒙答道：很不幸，当时我们待的那块地里没有别人。我们当时在一棵老橡树下说话，那儿只有我们俩。 | 
