劉宰(1167—1240)字平國(guó),號(hào)漫塘病叟,鎮(zhèn)江金壇(今屬江蘇)人 。紹熙元年(1190)舉進(jìn)士。歷任州縣,有能聲。尋告歸。理宗立,以為籍田令。遷太常丞,知寧國(guó)府,皆辭不就。端平間,時(shí)相收召譽(yù)望略盡,不能舉者僅宰與崔與之二人。隱居三十年,于書無(wú)所不讀。既卒,朝廷嘉其節(jié),謚文清。宰為文淳古質(zhì)直,著有《京口耆舊傳》九卷、《漫塘文集》三十六卷,《四庫(kù)總目》又作有語(yǔ)錄,并傳于世。
大意:劉宰為泰興令時(shí),當(dāng)?shù)匕傩請(qǐng)?bào)案遺失金釵。案發(fā)現(xiàn)場(chǎng)只有主人的兩名仆妾在,經(jīng)過(guò)審訊,兩人矢口否認(rèn)行竊。劉宰命兩人分別各拿一只葫蘆,說(shuō):“這葫蘆有靈,如果不曾偷取金釵,明天葫蘆的大小不會(huì)改變;若是偷了金釵,那手上的葫蘆就會(huì)長(zhǎng)大兩寸。”第二天劉宰命兩人各自拿著葫蘆前來(lái),其中一只不變,另外一只卻少了兩寸,原來(lái)那偷金釵的仆妾害怕葫蘆長(zhǎng)大,所以事先切去兩寸。
《劉宰》·《增補(bǔ)智囊補(bǔ)》
宋劉宰為泰興令,民有亡金釵者,唯二仆婦在。訊之莫肯承,宰命各持一蘆去,曰:"不盜者,明日蘆自若,果盜明旦則必長(zhǎng)二寸。"明視之則一自若,一去蘆二寸矣。蓋慮其長(zhǎng)也,盜遂服。
Telltale Behaviour
When Liu Zai was the Magistrate of Taixing District, the loss of a golden hairpin was reported to him. Only two women working as servants were present at the scene. Upon being cross-examined neither admitted to stealing the hairpin. Liu Zai ordered them each to take a reed home.
"The reed of the innocent one will remain at the same," said Liu, "but the reed of the guilty one will grow tow inches by tomorrow."
When the reeds were inspected the next day, one was still the same while the other was two inches shorter. The culprit had been afraid that her reed would grow longer. She confessed to the crime.
(喬車潔玲 譯)