건널목 사고 (Accident at a railroad crossing)
철도 건널목 사고
[번역 : 일수거인 070901]
어떤철도건널목에서 발생한 끔찍한 사고에서, 열차가 한 자동차를 밀어붙이면서 철길을 따라거의 400 야드나 끌고 갔다. 다행히 사망자는 없었지만, 운전자는 열차 회사를 고소하였다.
그 재판에서, 건널목 간수는 자기가 거의 1 분 동안이나 랜턴을 앞뒤로 흔들며 운전자에게 충분한 경고를 주었다고 주장하였다. 그는 자기가 했던 행동을 납득시키려고, 자리에서 일어나 시범을 보이기까지 하였다. 법정은 그의 이야기를 믿고, 그 소송을 기각하였다.
"축하합니다," 재판이 끝나자 변호사가 건널목간수에게 말했다. "반대신문 때 참 훌륭히 해내셨습니다."
"고마워요," 그가 말했다, "하지만 저는무지 조마조마하였이요."
"어째서요?" 변호사가 물었다.
"그 랜턴에 불이 켜져 있었느냐고 질문할까봐서요!"
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Accident at a railroad crossing
In a terrible accident at a railroad crossing, a train smashed into a car and pushed it nearly four hundred yards down the track. Though no one was killed, the driver took the train company to court.
At the trial, the engineer insisted that he had given the driver ample warning by waving his lantern back and forth for nearly a minute. He even stood and convincingly demonstrated how he'd done it. The court believed his story, and the suit was dismissed.
"Congratulations," the lawyer said to the engineer when it was over. "You did superbly under cross-examination."
"Thanks," he said, "But he sure had me worried.?"
"How's that?" the lawyer asked.
"I was afraid he was going to ask if the lantern was lit!"