Welcome to Our Bank

開門揖盜實為監守自盜

[1]"I wish Central Bank would be robbed," George Pickens said to himself. He had been making this wish daily from the time he had started work as a teller at the bank.

[2] All over the country banks were being robbed, George thought. Why not this bank? Were robbers scornful of its four-million-dollar capital? Were they afraid of Mr. Ackerman, the old bank guard, who hadn't pulled out his gun in twenty-two years?

[3] Of course George had a reason for wanting the bank to be robbed. After all, he couldn't simply take the thick bundles of bills that were under his hands all day long. So he had thought of another way to get them. His plan was simple. It went like this:

If Bank Robber A holds up Bank Teller B...

And if Bank Teller B gives Bank Robber A a certain amount of money...

What is to prevent Bank Teller B from keeping all the money left and claiming that it was stolen by Bank Robber A?

There was only one problem. Where was Bank Robber A?

[4] One morning George entered the bank feeling something was about to happen. "Good morning, Mr. Burrows." He said cheerfully. The bank president said something in a low voice and went into his office.

[5] At two o'clock Bank Robber A walked in. George knew he was a bank robber. For one thing, be slipped in. For another thing, be wore a mask.

[6] "This is a holdup," the man said roughly. He took a pistol from his pocket. The guard made a small sound. "You," the bank robber said, "lie down on the floor." Mr. Ackerman lay down. The robber stepped over to George's cage.

"All right," he said. "Hand it over."

"Yes, sir," said George. "Would you like it in ten- or twenty-dollar bills?"

"Just hand it over!"

[7] George reached into his cashbox and took all the bills from the top section--close to six thousand dollars. He passed them through the window. The robber snatched them, put them into his pocket, and turned to leave.

[8] Then, while everyone watched Bank Robber A, Bank Teller B calmly lifted off the top section of the cashbox and slipped bills from the bottom section into his pockets.

[9] The door swung and the bank robber was gone. George fainted. When he woke he smiled up at the worried faces looking down at him. "I'm all right," he said bravely.

(1)“要是中央銀行被搶了該多好，”喬治·皮肯斯自言自語道。自從在銀行里開始擔任出納員之日起，他就每天都琢磨著要實現這個愿望。

(2)喬治想，全國所有的銀行都被搶過，為什么唯獨這家銀行沒被搶呢?強盜們是看不上這400萬元的資本嗎?他們是害怕這家銀行的老門衛阿克曼先生嗎?他22年來從沒有掏出過他的槍。