We had the greatest difficulty in prising the truth out of the burglar.

我们最感困难的是要这个窃贼吐露真情.

The politeness cracks as does the earth with the force that he now pitches the spade, prising apart the darker soil into a deep fissure.

原先那份客气就像他铁锹之下的泥土一样碎裂了。 底下的土颜色更黑一些，他拿铁锹狠扎，扎出了一道深深的裂口。