He sank almost immediately afterward into a state of gloom and inactivity, until he was at length brought to perfect distraction by learning that he was to be summoned as a witness against the prisoner, who asserted his complete innocence.

之后他几乎立刻陷入了一种忧郁和无所事事的状态，直到得知他将被传唤作为证人指控囚犯， 而囚犯断言他完全无辜时，他终于完全分心了。