Welcome to Our Bank

开门揖盗实为监守自盗

[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)“要是中央银行被抢了该多好，”乔治·皮肯斯自言自语道。自从在银行里开始担任出纳员之日起，他就每天都琢磨着要实现这个愿望。

(2)乔治想，全国所有的银行都被抢过，为什么唯独这家银行没被抢呢?强盗们是看不上这400万元的资本吗?他们是害怕这家银行的老门卫阿克曼先生吗?他22年来从没有掏出过他的枪。