第六章: 福尔摩斯作出判断 Sherlock Holmes Gives a Demonstration
“Surely,” said he with something of the air of a clinical- professor expounding to his class. “Just sit in the corner there, that your footprints may not complicate matters. Now to work! In the first place, how did these folk come and how did they go? The door has not been opened since last night. How of the window?” He carried the lamp across to it, muttering his observations aloud the while but addressing them to himself rather than to me. “Window is snibbed on the inner side. Frame-work is solid. No hinges at the side. Let us open it. No water-pipe near. Roof quite out of reach. Yet a man has mounted by the window. It rained a little last night. Here is the print of a foot in mould upon the sill. And here is a circular muddy-mark, and here again upon the floor, and here again by the table. See here, Watson! This is really a very pretty demonstration.”
“当然，”他用老教授教导学生的语气对我说，“坐在角落里，不要让你的脚印扰乱了证据。现在开始工作了！首先，这些人是怎么来，又是怎么走的呢？屋门从昨晚起就没有开过了。窗户呢？”他拿着灯穿过房间，大声念叨着他的观察，与其说是在跟我交谈，他更像是在自言自语。“窗户从里面关死了。窗框也很牢固。两旁也没有合页。咱们来打开它。附近没有任何水管。屋顶也够不着。可有人曾在窗边站过。昨晚下了点儿小雨，窗台上有一个脚印。这儿有一个圆形的泥印子，地上又有一个，桌边还有一个。看这里，沃森！这真是一个好证据。”
“Now, Watson,” said Holmes, rubbing his hands, “we have half an hour to ourselves. Let us make good use of it. My case is, as I have told you, almost complete; but we must not err on the side of overconfidence. Simple as the case seems now, there may be something deeper underlying it.”
“那么，沃森，”福尔摩斯搓着手说，“我们现在还有半个钟头。让我们好好利用。如我所说，这个案子几乎已经清楚了，但我们不能过于自信，以免出错。案情看起来似乎很简单，但里面还有一些玄奥的事情。”
“Simple!” I ejaculated.
“简单？！”我喊道。
“That is not a foot-mark,” said I.
“这不是一个脚印。”我说。
“It is the wooden-legged man.”
“这就是那个装有木腿的人。”
I looked at the round, well-defined muddy discs.
我看了看那个很清晰的圆圆的泥印。
“Quite so. But there has been someone else — a very able and efficient ally. Could you scale that wall, Doctor?”
“没错。可还有另外一个人——一个非常灵活、能干的同伙。你能从那面墙爬过来吗，医生？”
“It is absolutely impossible,” I answered.
“完全是不可能。”我回答道。
“It is something much more valuable to us. It is the impression of a wooden stump. You see here on the sill is the boot-mark, a heavy boot with a broad metal heel, and beside it is the mark of the timber-toe.”
“这是对我们很有价值的东西。这是木桩的印记。你看窗台上的靴子印，是一只后跟镶着宽铁掌的厚靴子，旁边是木桩的印记。
“Without aid it is so. But suppose you had a friend up here who lowered you this good stout rope which I see in the corner, securing one end of it to this great hook in the wall. Then, I think, if you were an active man, you might swarm up, wooden leg and all. You would depart, of course, in the same fashion, and your ally would draw up the rope, untie it from the hook, shut the window, snib it on the inside, and get away in the way that he originally came. As a minor point, it may be noted,” he continued, fingering the rope, “that our wooden-legged friend, though a fair climber, was not a professional sailor. His hands were far from horny. My lens discloses more than one blood-mark, especially towards the end of the rope, from which I gather that he slipped down with such velocity that he took the skin off his hands.”
“没有协助是不可能的。不过，假若这里有你的朋友，用放在屋角的那条粗绳子，一头系在墙上的这个大钩子上，另一头放给你。我想，只要你是一个有力气的人，就算是装着木腿，你也可以顺着绳子爬上来。下去的时候也一样，你的朋友会收起绳子，从钩子上取下来，关上窗户，从里面锁好，然后用他最初来时使用的方法离开。还有一个值得注意的细节，”他指着那根绳子，继续说道，“那就是，我们的木腿朋友尽管是一个不错的攀登者，但却不是一个职业水手。他的手一点儿也不粗糙。我的放大镜发现了不止一处血迹，尤其是绳子的底部，由此我断定，他是顺着绳子滑下来的，速度太快，以至于把手都磨破了。”
I looked out of the open window. The moon still shone brightly on that angle of the house. We were a good sixty feet from the ground, and, look where I would, I could see no foothold, nor as much as a crevice in the brickwork.
我从敞开的窗户望出去。月光依旧从那个角度照射进来。我们在距离地面六十英尺的地方，墙上连一个能搭脚的砖块缝隙都没有。
“This is all very well,” said I; “but the thing becomes more unintelligible than ever. How about this mysterious ally? How came he into the room?”
“这都很对，”我说，“不过，有一件事情比什么都难以理解。那个神秘的同伙是怎样的一个人呢？他是怎样进的房间呢？
“Yes, the ally!” repeated Holmes pensively. “There are features of interest about this ally. He lifts the case from the regions of the commonplace. I fancy that this ally breaks fresh ground in the annals of crime in this country — though parallel cases suggest themselves from India and, if my memory serves me, from Senegambia.”
“是，那个同伙！”福尔摩斯沉思着重复道，“这名同伙有一些很有趣的特征。他把这个案子变得很不平凡。我想这个同谋在我国的犯罪历史上又开辟了一条新路子——尽管在印度有过先例，如果我没有记错，在塞内冈比亚也曾有过。”
“How came he, then?” I reiterated. “The door is locked; the window is inaccessible. Was it through the chimney?”
“那他到底是怎么进来的呢？”我追问道，“门是锁着的；窗户也不可能进得来。难道是从烟囱进来的吗？”
“The grate is much too small,” he answered. “I had already considered that possibility.”
“那个壁炉太小了，”他回答，“我考虑过这种可能性了。”
“How, then?” I persisted.
“那么到底怎样进来的呢？”我坚持问道。
“You will not apply my precept,” he said, shaking his head. “How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth? We know that he did not come through the door, the window, or the chimney. We also know that he could not have been concealed in the room, as there is no concealment possible. When, then, did he come?”
“你就是不愿运用我教你的方法，”他摇着头说，“我跟你讲过多少次了，当你排除了不可能的方面之后，剩下的，就算再不可置信，也一定会是真相。我们都知道，他不可能从门进来，也不可能从窗户或是烟囱进来。我们也知道，他不可能藏在房间里，因为这里根本没有任何藏身之处。那么，他到底是什么时候进来的呢？”
The chamber in which we found ourselves was about ten feet one way and six the other. The floor was formed by the rafters, with thin lath and plaster between, so that in walking one had to step from beam to beam. The roof ran up to an apex and was evidently the inner shell of the true roof of the house. There was no furniture of any sort, and the accumulated dust of years lay thick upon the floor.
我们所在的小屋大概长十英尺，宽六英尺。地板是由椽木构成的，中间铺了一些薄板条，敷了一层灰泥，我们走在里面，得从一根椽木踩到另一根上面去。屋顶呈尖形，也就是这所房子真正的屋顶的内壳。这里没有任何家具，长年累月的灰尘在地板上堆出厚厚一层。
“Of course he did. He must have done so. If you will have the kindness to hold the lamp for me, we shall now extend our researches to the room above — the secret room in which the treasure was found.”
“他当然是的。他一定是这么做的。如果你能帮我拿着灯，我们就能到上面的屋子里去查探看看——那个发现了宝藏的密室。”
“Here you are, you see,” said Sherlock Holmes, putting his hand against the sloping wall. “This is a trap door which leads out on to the roof. I can press it back, and here is the roof itself, sloping at a gentle angle. This, then, is the way by which Number One entered. Let us see if we can find some other traces of his individuality?”
“这就是了，你看，”舍洛克·福尔摩斯说道，用手扶着那面斜墙。“这就是一个向外通往屋顶的暗门。我用点儿劲儿就能把这个暗门打开，外面就是坡度不大的屋顶。这就是第一个人进来的路。咱们找一找，看他有没有留下什么显示个人信息的痕迹。”
He mounted the steps, and, seizing a rafter with either hand, he swung himself up into the garret. Then, lying on his face, he reached down for the lamp and held it while I followed him.
他爬上了梯子，两手按住椽木，翻身上了顶楼。他俯下身来，把灯接过去，我随后也上去了。
“He came through the hole in the roof!” I cried.
“他是从屋顶的洞进来的！”我喊道。
He had recovered his self-possession in an instant.
他迅速地恢复了镇定。
“What is your theory, then, as to those footmarks?” I asked eagerly when we had regained the lower room once more.
“关于这些脚印，你有什么见解呢？”当我们回到下面的房间后，我急切地问道。
“I was staggered for the moment,” he said, “but the thing is quite natural. My memory failed me, or I should have been able to foretell it. There is nothing more to be learned here. Let us go down.”
“起初我也很吃惊，”他说，“不过这件事还是正常的。我一时忘了，否则，我本该预见得到的。这里没什么值得寻找的了。我们下去吧。”
“My dear Watson, try a little analysis yourself,” said he with a touch of impatience. “You know my methods. Apply them, and it will be instructive to compare results.”
“我亲爱的沃森，尝试着自己分析一下吧，”福尔摩斯有点儿不耐烦地说，“你知道我的方法。使用这些方法，然后我们可以对比彼此的结论，这会很有益处。”
“Holmes,” I said in a whisper, “a child has done this horrid thing.”
“福尔摩斯，”我小声说，“一个孩子做了这件可怕的事情。”
“I cannot conceive anything which will cover the facts,” I answered.
“我不能从这些事实中得到任何结论，”我回答。
He held down the lamp to the floor, and as he did so I saw for the second time that night a startled, surprised look come over his face. For myself, as I followed his gaze, my skin was cold under my clothes. The floor was covered thickly with the prints of a naked foot — clear, well-defined, perfectly formed, but scarce half the size of those of an ordinary man.
他把灯靠近地面，然后脸上露出了今晚第二次的震惊的表情。至于我，随着他的目光看过去，我霎时浑身冰凉。地板布满了光脚留下的印子——清楚且边缘清晰，形状完好，不过几乎不到常人的一半大小。
He whipped out his lens and a tape measure and hurried about the room on his knees, measuring, comparing, examining, with his long thin nose only a few inches from the planks and his beady eyes gleaming and deep-set like those of a bird. So swift, silent, and furtive were his movements, like those of a trained bloodhound picking out a scent, that I could not but think what a terrible criminal he would have made had he turned his energy and sagacity against the law instead of exerting them in its defence. As he hunted about, he kept muttering to himself, and finally he broke out into a loud crow of delight.
他拿出他的放大镜和皮尺，跪着在房间里快速地四处测量、比较、检查，他那细长的鼻子离地只有几英寸，他那圆溜溜的眼睛炯炯有神，就像鸟眼一般深邃。他的动作敏捷、无声、隐秘，真像一只熟练的猎犬在找寻气味，我不禁联想到：如果他把精力和聪明不用于维护法律，而是去触犯法律的话，他会变成一个多么可怕的罪犯啊！他一面勘查，一面自言自语，最后终于发出一阵响亮的欢呼声。
“We are certainly in luck,” said he. “We ought to have very little trouble now. Number One has had the misfortune to tread in the creosote. You can see the outline of the edge of his small foot here at the side of this evil-smelling mess. The carboy has been cracked, you see, and the stuff has leaked out.”
“我们真的很幸运，”他说，“我们现在应该没什么困难了。第一个侵入者不幸踏到了木馏油。你可以看见，在这难闻的东西上面，这一边有他的小脚的轮廓。你看，这盛油的瓶子裂了，里边的东西流了出来。”
“It will be clear enough to you soon,” he said, in an off-hand way. “I think that there is nothing else of importance here, but I will look.”
“你很快就会清楚了，”他不假思索地说，“我认为这里没有什么重要的东西了，不过，我得再看看。”
“What then?” I asked.
“那又怎么样呢？”我问。
Heavy steps and the clamour of loud voices were audible from below, and the hall door shut with a loud crash.
沉重的脚步声和大声的喧闹从下面传来，接着，房门被重重地关上了。
“Why, we have got him, that’s all,” said he.
“怎么样？我们抓到他了，就是这样。”他说。
“Before they come,” said Holmes, “just put your hand here on this poor fellow’s arm, and here on his leg. What do you feel?”
“他们进来之前，”福尔摩斯说，“把你的手放到这个可怜人的胳膊和腿上来。你能感觉到什么？”
“The muscles are as hard as a board,” I answered.
“肌肉如木板一样僵硬。”我回答。
“I know a dog that would follow that scent to the world’s end. If a pack can track a trailed herring across a shire, how far can a specially trained hound follow so pungent a smell as this? It sounds like a sum in the rule of three. The answer should give us the — But hallo! here are the accredited representatives of the law.”
“我知道，一只狗凭着气味就可以追寻到世界尽头。如果兽群可以循着气味穿越一个郡县追踪到一条鲱鱼，那么，一只经过特别训练的猎犬跟随着这么强烈的气味能找多远呢？听起来像是举一反三。结果当然是——不过你瞧！法律的正式代表来了。”
“Quite so. They are in a state of extreme contraction, far exceeding the usual rigor mortis. Coupled with this distortion of the face, this Hippocratic smile, or ‘risus sardonicus,’ as the old writers called it, what conclusion would it suggest to your mind?”
“是的。它们处于极端的收缩状态，比普通的‘死后强直’还要厉害。再加上他脸上扭曲的表情，还有这旧时作家称为‘希波克拉底之笑’的‘痉笑’，你能想到什么结论呢？”
“Death from some powerful vegetable alkaloid,” I answered, “some strychnine-like substance which would produce tetanus.”
“他死于某种带有剧毒性的植物性生物碱，”我答道，“一种类似番木鳖碱、能造成破伤风症状的毒物。”
I took it up gingerly and held it in the light of the lantern. It was long, sharp, and black, with a glazed look near the point as though some gummy substance had dried upon it. The blunt end had been trimmed and rounded off with a knife.
我小心翼翼地拿起那根刺，对准了灯。那是一根很长、很尖利的黑刺，刺尖周围有一层半透明的东西，似乎是涂过什么黏液，然后又干了。粗钝的底部是用刀修整削圆了的。
“Is that an English thorn?” he asked.
“这是英国产的毒刺吗？”他问。
“That was the idea which occurred to me the instant I saw the drawn muscles of the face. On getting into the room I at once looked for the means by which the poison had entered the system. As you saw, I discovered a thorn which had been driven or shot with no great force into the scalp. You observe that the part struck was that which would be turned towards the hole in the ceiling if the man were erect in his chair. Now examine this thorn.”
“我一发现他那面部肌肉收缩的情形，就想到了是这样。一进这个屋子，我就马上想要找到他中毒的地方。如你所见，我发现了那根轻轻插入或者射入他头皮的刺。你看，如果死者当时是直挺地坐在椅子上的话，中刺的部位正是一扭头就会正对着的天花板洞口的位置。现在，让我们来检查这根刺吧。”
As he spoke, the steps which had been coming nearer sounded loudly on the passage, and a very stout, portly man in a gray suit strode heavily into the room. He was red-faced, burly, and plethoric, with a pair of very small twinkling eyes which looked keenly out from between swollen and puffy pouches. He was closely followed by an inspector in uniform and by the still palpitating Thaddeus Sholto.
就在他说话的时候，渐渐走近的脚步声已在甬道里响起，接着，一个健壮、粗犷、穿着灰制服的男人迈着沉重的步伐走进了房间。他有一张红脸，身材魁梧，精力旺盛，肿胀充血的眼泡中，露出一对小而晶亮的眼睛。他后面紧跟着另一位穿制服的警察，以及依然在发抖的塞迪厄斯·肖尔托。
“No, it certainly is not.”
“不，很明显不是。”
“With all these data you should be able to draw some just inference. But here are the regulars, so the auxiliary forces may beat a retreat.”
“根据所有这些线索，你应该能够得出点儿合理的推论了吧？这是最主要的部分，其他的细枝末节就很好办了。”
“Why, of course I do!” he wheezed. “It’s Mr. Sherlock Holmes, the theorist. Remember you! I’ll never forget how you lectured us all on causes and inferences and effects in the Bishopgate jewel case. It’s true you set us on the right track; but you’ll own now that it was more by good luck than good guidance.”
“噢，我当然记得了！”他气喘吁吁地说，“这是理论家，舍洛克·福尔摩斯先生。我记得你！我永远忘不了，你是如何向我们讲述主教门珍宝案的起因、推论和结果的。你的确把我们引向了正确的方向；不过，你现在该明白了，与其说那是好的指导，倒不如说是好的运气。”
“I think you must recollect me, Mr. Athelney Jones,” said Holmes quietly.
“我想你一定记得我的，阿塞尔纳·琼斯先生。”福尔摩斯平静地说。
“Oh, come, now, come! Never be ashamed to own up. But what is all this? Bad business! Bad business! Stern facts here — no room for theories. How lucky that I happened to be out at Norwood over another case! I was at the station when the message arrived. What d’you think the man died of?”
“噢，算了吧，算了吧！不用不好意思承认。不过，这到底是怎么回事？太糟糕了！太糟糕了！事实都摆在眼前了——不需要任何分析推理了。真是碰巧，我正好为了别的案子来到诺伍德！报案的时候，我正好在警察局里。你认为这个人是怎么死的呢？”
“It was a piece of very simple reasoning.”
“那是一次非常简单的推理。”
“Here’s a business!” he cried in a muffled, husky voice. “Here’s a pretty business! But who are all these? Why, the house seems to be as full as a rabbit-warren!”
“这里出事了！”他用嘶哑而压抑的声音喊道。“这里出大事了！但这些人都是谁？怎么回事，这房子看起来闹腾得像一个兔窝！”
“Oh, this is hardly a case for me to theorize over,” said Holmes dryly.
“哦，这个案子似乎不需要我做分析推理。”福尔摩斯冷冷地说。
“No, no. Still, we can’t deny that you hit the nail on the head sometimes. Dear me! Door locked, I understand. Jewels worth half a million missing. How was the window?”
“不需要，不需要。不过，我们不能否认，你有时候还是能够一语中的的。哦，我的天啊！门是锁着的，我明白了。价值五十万的珠宝丢失了。窗户怎么样？”
“Fastened; but there are steps on the sill.”
“锁好了的，不过，窗台上有脚印。”
“On which the dead man very considerately got up and locked the door on the inside.”
“然后，死者贴心地站起来，把门从里面反锁起来了。”
“Well, well, if it was fastened the steps could have nothing to do with the matter. That’s common sense. Man might have died in a fit; but then the jewels are missing. Ha! I have a theory. These flashes come upon me at times. — Just step outside, Sergeant, and you, Mr. Sholto. Your friend can remain. — What do you think of this, Holmes? Sholto was, on his own confession, with his brother last night. The brother died in a fit, on which Sholto walked off with the treasure? How’s that?”
“好吧，好吧，如果窗是锁好的，那么脚印就跟本案无关了。这是常识。这个人也许是突发死亡，不过财宝随后就丢失了。哈！我有一套推理了。我总是时不时灵光乍现。——先到外面去呆一会儿吧，警官，还有你，肖尔托先生。你的朋友可以留下。——你是怎么看的，福尔摩斯？肖尔托跟我们坦白了，他昨晚跟他哥哥在一起。他哥哥突发死亡，随后肖尔托拿走了财宝？这个想法如何？”
“Hum! There’s a flaw there. Let us apply common sense to the matter. This Thaddeus Sholto was with his brother; there was a quarrel: so much we know. The brother is dead and the jewels are gone. So much also we know. No one saw the brother from the time Thaddeus left him. His bed had not been slept in. Thaddeus is evidently in a most disturbed state of mind. His appearance is — well, not attractive. You see that I am weaving my web round Thaddeus. The net begins to close upon him.”
“嗯！这里有一个缺陷。让我们在这个案子里运用一些常识。这个塞迪厄斯·肖尔托和他哥哥在一起，然后有了一场争吵，这是我们所知道的情况。然后，他哥哥死了，财宝也没了。这是我们知道的情况。没有人在塞迪厄斯离开后见过他哥哥。他的床铺也没有睡过的痕迹。塞迪厄斯明显非常困扰。他的表情——恩，不怎么好看。你可以看出，我正在从四面八方包围塞迪厄斯。这张网已经开始收口了。”
“He can find something,” remarked Holmes, shrugging his shoulders; “he has occasional glimmerings of reason. Il n’y a pas des sots si incommodes que ceux qui ont de l’esprit!”
“他会找到一些东西的，”福尔摩斯耸了耸肩，说道，“他有时也有一些模糊的逻辑思维。用法国人的话来说就是：最难以相处的是有思想的蠢人。”
“You are not quite in possession of the facts yet,” said Holmes. “This splinter of wood, which I have every reason to believe to be poisoned, was in the man’s scalp where you still see the mark; this card, inscribed as you see it, was on the table, and beside it lay this rather curious stone-headed instrument. How does all that fit into your theory?”
“你目前还没有掌握足够的事实，”福尔摩斯说，“这根木刺，我有理由认为它有毒，它是从死者的头皮上拿下来的，你还可以看到伤口；这张卡片，你可以看到，上面写了一些东西，旁边放着一根顶上嵌着石头的奇怪木棒。你认为这些要怎么用你的推理解释呢？”
“Confirms it in every respect,” said the fat detective pompously. “House is full of Indian curiosities. Thaddeus brought this up, and if this splinter be poisonous Thaddeus may as well have made murderous use of it as any other man. The card is some hocus-pocus — a blind, as like as not. The only question is, how did he depart? Ah, of course, here is a hole in the roof.”
“各方面都能证实我的推理，”胖侦探神气活现地说道，“这房子里满是印度古玩。塞迪厄斯把这个拿了上来，如果木刺是有毒的，那么，塞迪厄斯和任何人一样，都可以把这个拿来做凶器。这张卡片不过是一种欺骗的把戏罢了——障眼法，可有可无。唯一的问题是，他是怎么离开的呢？啊，果然，屋顶有一个洞。”
With great activity, considering his bulk, he sprang up the steps and squeezed through into the garret and immediately afterwards we heard his exulting voice proclaiming that he had found the trapdoor.
他虽然块头大，但还是相当灵活地爬上了梯子，挤进了顶楼，然后，我们就听到他兴高采烈地欢呼，说他找到了通向屋顶的暗门。
“It was I who opened it.”
“那是我打开的。”
“You see!” said Athelney Jones, reappearing down the steps again; “facts are better than theories, after all. My view of the case is confirmed. There is a trapdoor communicating with the roof, and it is partly open.”
“你看看！”阿塞尔纳·琼斯一边从梯子上下来，一边说，“事实果然比分析推理更有说服力。我关于这个案件的观点已经被证实了。那儿有一扇通往屋顶的暗门，现在半开着。”
“Oh, indeed! You did notice it, then?” He seemed a little crestfallen at the discovery. “Well, whoever noticed it, it shows how our gentleman got away. Inspector!”
“哦，是吗？那么，你已经注意到了？”他发现这一点后，似乎有点儿失望，“好吧，无论是谁发现的，它都能表明那位先生是怎么脱身的。警官！”
“Don’t trouble yourself about it, Mr. Sholto,” said Holmes; “I think that I can engage to clear you of the charge.”
“别紧张，肖尔托先生，”福尔摩斯说，“我认为我可以为你洗脱罪名。”
“Yes, sir,” from the passage. “Ask Mr. Sholto to step this way.– Mr. Sholto, it is my duty to inform you that anything which you may say will be used against you. I arrest you in the Queen’s name as being concerned in the death of your brother.”
“在，长官！”声音从甬道中传来。“让肖尔托先生进来——肖尔托先生，我有责任提醒你，你所说的一切都可能成为对你不利的证据。我以女王的名义逮捕你，因为你和你哥哥的死有关。”
“There, now! Didn’t I tell you!” cried the poor little man, throwing out his hands and looking from one to the other of us.
“看吧，现在！我就说吧！”那个可怜的矮小男人喊道，摊开双手，来回看着我们两人。
“Don’t promise too much, Mr. Theorist, don’t promise too much!” snapped the detective. “You may find it a harder matter than you think.”
“不要承诺太多，理论家先生，千万别承诺太多！”警探反驳道，“你会发现，这比你想象得要困难。”
“Ah! the other man?”asked Athelney Jones in a sneering voice, but impressed none the less, as I could easily see, by the precision of the other’s manner.
“啊！另一个人？”阿塞尔纳·琼斯用不屑的语气问道，但我很容易就能看出，他已经对福尔摩斯关于前一个人的精确描述诧异不已了。
“Is a rather curious person,” said Sherlock Holmes, turning upon his heel. “I hope before very long to be able to introduce you to the pair of them. A word with you, Watson.”
“这是一个很奇怪的人，”舍洛克·福尔摩斯转过身来说道，“我希望，不久以后，我就能把这两个人介绍给你。跟你说句话，沃森。”
“Not only will I clear him, Mr. Jones, but I will make you a free present of the name and description of one of the two people who were in this room last night. His name, I have every reason to believe, is Jonathan Small. He is a poorly educated man, small, active, with his right leg off, and wearing a wooden stump which is worn away upon the inner side. His left boot has a coarse, square-toed sole, with an iron band round the heel. He is a middle-aged man, much sunburned, and has been a convict. These few indications may be of some assistance to you, coupled with the fact that there is a good deal of skin missing from the palm of his hand. The other man –“
“我不仅会为他洗脱罪名，琼斯先生，还会免费赠予您一件礼物，那就是昨晚在这个房间里的两个人之中的一个人的名字和特征。他的名字，我完全有理由相信，是乔纳森·斯莫尔。他是一个没受过什么教育的人，矮小而灵活，没有右腿，戴着一支木腿，木腿内侧已经磨去了一块。他的左靴子是粗糙的方形鞋底，后跟上钉着铁掌。他是一个中年男人，皮肤晒得黝黑，从前是一个囚犯。这些指示或许会对你有所帮助，还有，他的手掌磨破了不少皮。而另一个人呢——”
He led me out to the head of the stair.
他带着我走出去，到了楼梯顶端。
“This unexpected occurrence,” he said, “has caused us rather to lose sight of the original purpose of our journey.”
“这件意料之外的事情，”他说，“使我们已经背离了这趟行程的初衷。”
“By no means. I don’t think I could rest until I know more of this fantastic business. I have seen something of the rough side of life, but I give you my word that this quick succession of strange surprises to-night has shaken my nerve completely. I should like, however, to see the matter through with you, now that I have got so far.”
“一点儿也不。在更多地了解这件奇异的案子之前，我想我没法休息好。我也曾经历过艰险困苦，可是说实话，今天晚上这一系列的怪事，着实让我胆战心惊。然而，事情已经到了现在这个阶段，我愿意陪同你，把案子彻底解决。”
“I have just been thinking so,” I answered; “it is not right that Miss Morstan should remain in this stricken house.”
“我也正这么想着，”我回答，“摩斯坦小姐不该在这所发生惨案的房子里等这么久。”
“Your presence will be of great service to me,” he answered. “We shall work the case out independently and leave this fellow Jones to exult over any mare’s-nest which he may choose to construct. When you have dropped Miss Morstan, I wish you to go on to No. 3 Pinchin Lane, down near the water’s edge at Lambeth. The third house on the right-hand side is a bird-stuffer’s; Sherman is the name. You will see a weasel holding a young rabbit in the window. Knock old Sherman up and tell him, with my compliments, that I want Toby at once. You will bring Toby back in the cab with you.”
“你的在场对我来说是一个很大的帮助，”他回答，“我们应该独立完成这个案子，这个琼斯愿意怎样干，就干他的去吧。你送摩斯坦小姐回去以后，请你到河边兰贝斯区宾奇三号去一趟。右边的第三个房子里住着一个做鸟类标本的人，名叫舍曼。”你可以看到他的窗上画着一只鼬鼠抓着一只小兔子。把老舍曼叫起来，告诉他我向他问好，并想借托比用一用。请你带托比一同坐车来。”
“No. You must escort her home. She lives with Mrs. Cecil Forrester in Lower Camberwell, so it is not very far. I will wait for you here if you will drive out again. Or perhaps you are too tired?”
“确实不该。你必须送她回去。她跟塞西尔·福里斯特夫人住在一起，就在坎伯威尔低地，离这里也不远。我在这里等你，如果你愿意再次驾马车回来的话。或者，你已经很累了？”
“Yes, a queer mongrel with a most amazing power of scent. I would rather have Toby’s help than that of the whole detective force of London.”
“是一只奇特的混血狗，嗅觉极其灵敏。我宁愿要这只狗帮忙，它比全伦敦的警察还要得力得多呢。”
“A dog, I suppose.”
“托比是一只狗吗？”
“And I,” said Holmes, “shall see what I can learn from Mrs. Bernstone and from the Indian servant, who, Mr. Thaddeus tells me, sleeps in the next garret. Then I shall study the great Jones’s methods and listen to his not too delicate sarcasms.
“而我，”福尔摩斯说道，“要看看能从女管家伯恩斯通太太和印度仆人那里了解些什么信息，塞迪厄斯先生曾告诉过我，那个仆人住在旁边那间阁楼。然后我再研究这个伟大的琼斯的工作方法，听听他不太妙的挖苦吧。
“I shall bring him then,” said I. “It is one now. I ought to be back before three if I can get a fresh horse.”
“那我一定把它带回来，”我说，“现在已经一点钟了，如果能换一匹新马，三点钟以前，我一准儿能回来。”
“‘Wir sind gewohnt dass die Menschen verhöhnen was sie nicht verstehen.’ Goethe is always pithy.”
“‘我们已经习惯，有些人对于他们所不了解的事物偏要挖苦。’歌德的话总是这样简洁有力。”
0 条评论