刘宰（1167—1240）字平国，号漫塘病叟，镇江金坛（今属江苏）人 。绍熙元年（1190）举进士。历任州县，有能声。寻告归。理宗立，以为籍田令。迁太常丞，知宁国府，皆辞不就。端平间，时相收召誉望略尽，不能举者仅宰与崔与之二人。隐居三十年，于书无所不读。既卒，朝廷嘉其节，谥文清。宰为文淳古质直，著有《京口耆旧传》九卷、《漫塘文集》三十六卷，《四库总目》又作有语录，并传于世。

大意：刘宰为泰兴令时，当地百姓报案遗失金钗。案发现场只有主人的两名仆妾在，经过审讯，两人矢口否认行窃。刘宰命两人分别各拿一只葫芦，说：“这葫芦有灵，如果不曾偷取金钗，明天葫芦的大小不会改变；若是偷了金钗，那手上的葫芦就会长大两寸。”第二天刘宰命两人各自拿着葫芦前来，其中一只不变，另外一只却少了两寸，原来那偷金钗的仆妾害怕葫芦长大，所以事先切去两寸。

《刘宰》·《增补智囊补》

宋刘宰为泰兴令，民有亡金钗者，唯二仆妇在。讯之莫肯承，宰命各持一芦去，曰："不盗者，明日芦自若，果盗明旦则必长二寸。"明视之则一自若，一去芦二寸矣。盖虑其长也，盗遂服。

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.

（乔车洁玲 译）

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