11.The Naval Treaty 海军协定 |《福尔摩斯回忆录》中英双语免费阅读

11.The Naval Treaty 海军协定

The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes / 福尔摩斯回忆录
《福尔摩斯回忆录》

The July which immediately succeeded my marriage was made memorable by three cases of interest, in which I had the privilege of being associated with Sherlock Holmes and of studying his methods.
在我婚后紧接着的那个七月，发生了三起有趣的案件，使我有幸与夏洛克·福尔摩斯共事并研究他的破案方法，因而这个月令我难以忘怀。

I find them recorded in my notes under the headings of “The Adventure of the Second Stain,” “The Adventure of the Naval Treaty,” and “The Adventure of the Tired Captain.”
在我的笔记中，它们分别被记录在“第二块血迹案”、“海军协定案”和“疲惫的上尉案”这几个标题下。

The first of these, however, deals with interest of such importance and implicates so many of the first families in the kingdom that for many years it will be impossible to make it public.
然而，第一个案件涉及极其重要的利益，且牵连到王国中许多显赫家族，因此多年来都无法公之于众。

No case, however, in which Holmes was engaged has ever illustrated the value of his analytical methods so clearly or has impressed those who were associated with him so deeply.
但是，在福尔摩斯经办的所有案件中，没有一个能像此案这样清晰地展示他分析方法的价值，也没有一个能给与他共事的人留下如此深刻的印象。

I still retain an almost verbatim report of the interview in which he demonstrated the true facts of the case to Monsieur Dubuque of the Paris police, and Fritz von Waldbaum, the well-known specialist of Dantzig, both of whom had wasted their energies upon what proved to be side-issues.
我至今仍保留着那次会面的几乎逐字记录，当时他向巴黎警方的杜布克先生和但泽的著名专家弗里茨·冯·瓦尔德鲍姆展示了案件的真实情况，而这两人此前都在后来被证明是枝节问题上白费了精力。

The new century will have come, however, before the story can be safely told.
然而，只有等到新世纪到来，这个故事才能安全地讲述出来。

Meanwhile I pass on to the second on my list, which promised also at one time to be of national importance, and was marked by several incidents which give it a quite unique character.
与此同时，我要讲述的是清单上的第二个案件，它一度也有望成为举国关注的大事，并且因几个独特的情节而显得与众不同。

During my school-days I had been intimately associated with a lad named Percy Phelps, who was of much the same age as myself, though he was two classes ahead of me.
在我上学期间，我与一个名叫珀西·菲尔普斯的男孩关系密切，他和我年龄相仿，虽然比我高两个年级。

He was a very brilliant boy, and carried away every prize which the school had to offer, finished his exploits by winning a scholarship which sent him on to continue his triumphant career at Cambridge.
他是个非常聪明的孩子，囊括了学校颁发的所有奖项，最后还赢得了一项奖学金，使他得以在剑桥大学继续他辉煌的学业。

He was, I remember, extremely well connected, and even when we were all little boys together we knew that his mother’s brother was Lord Holdhurst, the great conservative politician.
我记得他家世显赫，甚至在我们还是小男孩的时候，我们就知道他母亲的兄弟是伟大的保守党政客霍尔德赫斯特勋爵。

This gaudy relationship did him little good at school.
这种显赫的亲缘关系在学校里对他没什么好处。

On the contrary, it seemed rather a piquant thing to us to chevy him about the playground and hit him over the shins with a wicket.
相反，对我们来说，在操场上追逐他、用板球门柱敲他的小腿反倒成了一件趣事。

But it was another thing when he came out into the world.
但当他步入社会后，情况就完全不同了。

I heard vaguely that his abilities and the influences which he commanded had won him a good position at the Foreign Office, and then he passed completely out of my mind until the following letter recalled his existence:
我隐约听说，凭借他的能力和人脉，他在外交部谋得了一个好职位，之后他便完全从我的记忆中消失了，直到下面这封信让我重新想起了他：

Briarbrae, Woking.
沃金，布莱尔布雷庄园。

My dear Watson,—I have no doubt that you can remember “Tadpole” Phelps, who was in the fifth form when you were in the third.
亲爱的华生：——我相信你一定还记得“蝌蚪”菲尔普斯，你在三年级时他在五年级。

It is possible even that you may have heard that through my uncle’s influence I obtained a good appointment at the Foreign Office, and that I was in a situation of trust and honour until a horrible misfortune came suddenly to blast my career.
你甚至可能已经听说，依靠舅舅的影响力，我在外交部获得了一个不错的任命，并且一直身处备受信任和荣耀的职位，直到一场可怕的灾难突然降临，毁了我的前程。

There is no use writing of the details of that dreadful event.
详述那场可怕事件的细节毫无意义。

In the event of your acceding to my request it is probable that I shall have to narrate them to you.
如果你答应我的请求，我可能不得不亲自向你讲述那些细节。

I have only just recovered from nine weeks of brain-fever, and am still exceedingly weak.
我刚从九周的脑热病中恢复过来，身体仍然极度虚弱。

Do you think that you could bring your friend Mr. Holmes down to see me?
你觉得你能带你的朋友福尔摩斯先生来看我吗？

I should like to have his opinion of the case, though the authorities assure me that nothing more can be done.
尽管当局向我保证已无能为力，但我仍想听听他对这个案子的看法。

Do try to bring him down, and as soon as possible.
请务必带他来，越快越好。

Every minute seems an hour while I live in this state of horrible suspense.
在这种可怕的悬念中生活，每一分钟都像一小时那样漫长。

Assure him that if I have not asked his advice sooner it was not because I did not appreciate his talents, but because I have been off my head ever since the blow fell.
请向他保证，我没有早点征求他的意见并非因为我不赏识他的才华，而是因为自打击降临以来我一直神志不清。

Now I am clear again, though I dare not think of it too much for fear of a relapse.
现在我的头脑清醒了，但我不敢多想此事，生怕旧病复发。

I am still so weak that I have to write, as you see, by dictating.
正如你所见，我仍然很虚弱，只能口述让人代笔写信。

Do try to bring him.
请务必带他来。

Your old schoolfellow,
你的老校友，

Percy Phelps.
珀西·菲尔普斯

There was something that touched me as I read this letter, something pitiable in the reiterated appeals to bring Holmes.
读这封信时，有些东西触动了我，那反复恳求带福尔摩斯前来的话语令人心生怜悯。

So moved was I that even had it been a difficult matter I should have tried it, but of course I knew well that Holmes loved his art, so that he was ever as ready to bring his aid as his client could be to receive it.
我深受感动，即使这事很难办我也会尝试，但我深知福尔摩斯热爱他的技艺，所以他随时准备伸出援手，就像委托人随时准备接受帮助一样。

My wife agreed with me that not a moment should be lost in laying the matter before him, and so within an hour of breakfast-time I found myself back once more in the old rooms in Baker Street.
我的妻子也同意我的看法，认为一刻也不应耽搁，必须立刻将此事告知他，于是在早餐后不到一小时，我发现自己又回到了贝克街的旧寓所。

Holmes was seated at his side-table clad in his dressing-gown, and working hard over a chemical investigation.
福尔摩斯穿着晨衣坐在侧桌旁，正全神贯注地进行一项化学实验。

A large curved retort was boiling furiously in the bluish flame of a Bunsen burner, and the distilled drops were condensing into a two-litre measure.
一个大曲颈甑在本生灯的蓝色火焰中剧烈沸腾，蒸馏出的液滴正冷凝到一个两升的量筒中。

My friend hardly glanced up as I entered, and I, seeing that his investigation must be of importance, seated myself in an armchair and waited.
我进去时朋友几乎没抬头看我一眼，我看出他的实验一定很重要，便在一把扶手椅上坐下等待。

He dipped into this bottle or that, drawing out a few drops of each with his glass pipette, and finally brought a test-tube containing a solution over to the table.
他一会儿蘸取这个瓶子，一会儿蘸取那个瓶子，用玻璃吸管吸取几滴液体，最后拿着一支装有溶液的试管走到桌边。

In his right hand he held a slip of litmus-paper.
他右手拿着一小条石蕊试纸。

“You come at a crisis, Watson,” said he. “If this paper remains blue, all is well. If it turns red, it means a man’s life.”
“你来得正是关键时刻，华生，”他说，“如果这张纸保持蓝色，就万事大吉；如果变红，就意味着有人要丧命。”

He dipped it into the test-tube and it flushed at once into a dull, dirty crimson.
他把试纸浸入试管，它立刻变成了暗淡浑浊的深红色。

“Hum! I thought as much!” he cried. “I will be at your service in an instant, Watson. You will find tobacco in the Persian slippers.”
“哼！果然不出我所料！”他叫道，“华生，我马上为你效劳。烟草就在波斯拖鞋里。”

He turned to his desk and scribbled off several telegrams, which were handed over to the page-boy.
他转向书桌匆匆写了几封电报，交给了小听差。

Then he threw himself down into the chair opposite, and drew up his knees until his fingers clasped round his long, thin shins.
然后他一屁股坐进对面的椅子里，双膝蜷起，手指紧扣着细长的小腿。

“A very commonplace little murder,” said he. “You’ve got something better, I fancy. You are the stormy petrel of crime, Watson. What is it?”
“一桩很平常的小谋杀案，”他说，“我想你带来了更有趣的案子。华生，你就是犯罪风暴中的海燕啊。是什么事？”

I handed him the letter, which he read with the most concentrated attention.
我把信递给他，他全神贯注地读了起来。

“It does not tell us very much, does it?” he remarked, as he handed it back to me.
“信里没告诉我们太多信息，是吧？”他把信递还给我时说道。

“Hardly anything.”
“几乎什么也没说。”

“And yet the writing is of interest.”
“不过笔迹倒是很有意思。”

“But the writing is not his own.”
“但这笔迹不是他自己的。”

“Precisely. It is a woman’s.”
“没错。这是一个女人的字迹。”

“A man’s surely,” I cried.
“肯定是男人的，”我叫道。

“No, a woman’s, and a woman of rare character. You see, at the commencement of an investigation it is something to know that your client is in close contact with some one who, for good or evil, has an exceptional nature. My interest is already awakened in the case. If you are ready we will start at once for Woking, and see this diplomatist who is in such evil case, and the lady to whom he dictates his letters.”
“不，是女人的，而且是一位性格非凡的女性。你看，在调查之初就能知道委托人与某位天性不凡的人（无论好坏）有密切接触，这本身就很有价值。我对这个案子已经产生了兴趣。如果你准备好了，我们这就出发去沃金，去看看这位处境糟糕的外交官，以及那位替他口述信件的女士。”

We were fortunate enough to catch an early train at Waterloo, and in a little under an hour we found ourselves among the fir-woods and the heather of Woking.
我们很幸运地在滑铁卢车站赶上了一班早车，不到一小时便置身于沃金的松林和石楠丛中。

Briarbrae proved to be a large detached house standing in extensive grounds within a few minutes’ walk of the station.
布莱尔布雷庄园原来是一栋宽敞的独立住宅，坐落在占地广阔的庭院中，距离车站只有几分钟的路程。

On sending in our cards we were shown into an elegantly appointed drawing-room, where we were joined in a few minutes by a rather stout man who received us with much hospitality.
递上名片后，我们被引进一间布置典雅的客厅，几分钟后一位相当壮实的男士加入了我们，他十分热情地接待了我们。

His age may have been nearer forty than thirty, but his cheeks were so ruddy and his eyes so merry that he still conveyed the impression of a plump and mischievous boy.
他的年纪与其说三十岁不如说更接近四十岁，但他面色红润、眼神欢快，给人的印象仍像个胖乎乎、调皮捣蛋的男孩。

“I am so glad that you have come,” said he, shaking our hands with effusion. “Percy has been inquiring for you all morning. Ah, poor old chap, he clings to any straw! His father and his mother asked me to see you, for the mere mention of the subject is very painful to them.”
“你们能来真是太好了，”他热情地握着我们的手说，“珀西整个上午都在问你们来了没有。唉，可怜的老伙计，他现在就像抓住救命稻草一样！他父母让我来接待你们，因为只要一提这件事他们就痛苦万分。”

“We have had no details yet,” observed Holmes. “I perceive that you are not yourself a member of the family.”
“我们还没了解到任何细节，”福尔摩斯说道，“我看您本人并不是这家里的成员。”

Our acquaintance looked surprised, and then, glancing down, he began to laugh.
我们这位新相识显得很惊讶，随即低头看了看，笑了起来。

“Of course you saw the ‘J.H.’ monogram on my locket,” said he. “For a moment I thought you had done something clever. Joseph Harrison is my name, and as Percy is to marry my sister Annie I shall at least be a relation by marriage. You will find my sister in his room, for she has nursed him hand-and-foot this two months back. Perhaps we’d better go in at once, for I know how impatient he is.”
“您当然是看到了我挂坠盒上的‘J.H.’字母组合图案，”他说，“刚才我还以为您有什么高明的手段呢。我叫约瑟夫·哈里森，既然珀西要娶我妹妹安妮，我至少也算个姻亲了。你们会在他的房间里找到我妹妹，这两个月来她一直在无微不至地照顾他。也许我们最好现在就进去，我知道他有多急切。”

The chamber in which we were shown was on the same floor as the drawing-room.
带我们去的房间和客厅在同一层楼。

It was furnished partly as a sitting and partly as a bedroom, with flowers arranged daintily in every nook and corner.
房间的布置一半像起居室，一半像卧室，每个角落都精心摆放着鲜花。

A young man, very pale and worn, was lying upon a sofa near the open window, through which came the rich scent of the garden and the balmy summer air.
一位脸色苍白、面容憔悴的年轻人躺在敞开的窗户旁的沙发上，窗外花园的浓郁芬芳和温暖的夏日空气飘了进来。

A woman was sitting beside him, who rose as we entered.
一位女士坐在他身旁，见我们进来便站了起来。

“Shall I leave, Percy?” she asked.
“珀西，我需要回避吗？”她问道。

He clutched her hand to detain her. “How are you, Watson?” said he, cordially. “I should never have known you under that moustache, and I daresay you would not be prepared to swear to me. This I presume is your celebrated friend, Mr. Sherlock Holmes?”
他紧紧握住她的手挽留她。“你好吗，华生？”他亲切地说，“留了胡子我差点认不出你了，我想你也未必敢认出我来吧。这位想必就是你那位大名鼎鼎的朋友夏洛克·福尔摩斯先生了？”

I introduced him in a few words, and we both sat down.
我简单做了介绍，然后我们都坐了下来。

The stout young man had left us, but his sister still remained with her hand in that of the invalid.
那位壮实的年轻人离开了，但他的妹妹依然握着病人的手留在房里。

She was a striking-looking woman, a little short and thick for symmetry, but with a beautiful olive complexion, large, dark, Italian eyes, and a wealth of deep black hair.
她是一位引人注目的女性，身材虽略显矮胖，但拥有美丽的橄榄色皮肤、大而深邃的意大利式眼睛和一头浓密的乌黑秀发。

Her rich tints made the white face of her companion the more worn and haggard by the contrast.
她丰润的气色反衬出同伴的面容愈发苍白憔悴。

“I won’t waste your time,” said he, raising himself upon the sofa. “I’ll plunge into the matter without further preamble. I was a happy and successful man, Mr. Holmes, and on the eve of being married, when a sudden and dreadful misfortune wrecked all my prospects in life.
“我就不浪费你们的时间了，”他在沙发上撑起身子说道，“我就开门见山地说吧。福尔摩斯先生，我本是个幸福成功的人，婚期在即，却突遭可怕的厄运，毁了人生所有的前程。”

“I was, as Watson may have told you, in the Foreign Office, and through the influences of my uncle, Lord Holdhurst, I rose rapidly to a responsible position. When my uncle became foreign minister in this administration he gave me several missions of trust, and as I always brought them to a successful conclusion, he came at last to have the utmost confidence in my ability and tact.”
“正如华生可能告诉过你的，我在外交部任职，靠着舅舅霍尔德赫斯特勋爵的关系，我迅速晋升到了重要岗位。当舅舅在本届政府出任外交大臣时，他交给了我几项机密任务，由于我总能圆满完成，他最终对我的能力和机智深信不疑。”

“Nearly ten weeks ago—to be more accurate, on the 23rd of May—he called me into his private room, and, after complimenting me on the good work which I had done, he informed me that he had a new commission of trust for me to execute.”
“大约十周前——确切地说是5月23日——他把我叫进私人办公室，在表扬了我的工作成绩后，告诉我有一项新的机密任务要我去执行。”

“‘This,’ said he, taking a grey roll of paper from his bureau, ‘is the original of that secret treaty between England and Italy of which, I regret to say, some rumours have already got into the public press. It is of enormous importance that nothing further should leak out. The French or the Russian embassy would pay an immense sum to learn the contents of these papers. They should not leave my bureau were it not that it is absolutely necessary to have them copied. You have a desk in your office?’”
“‘这是英国和意大利之间那份秘密协定的原件，’他从办公桌里拿出一卷灰色的文件说道，‘很遗憾，外界已经有了一些传闻。绝不能再泄露更多消息，这至关重要。法国或俄国大使馆愿意出巨资获知这些文件的内容。如果不是必须抄写一份副本，这些文件绝不应离开我的办公室。你的办公室里有个带锁的写字台吗？’”

“‘Yes, sir.’”
“‘有的，先生。’”

“‘Then take the treaty and lock it up there. I shall give directions that you may remain behind when the others go, so that you may copy it at your leisure without fear of being overlooked. When you have finished, relock both the original and the draft in the desk, and hand them over to me personally to-morrow morning.’”
“‘那就把协定拿去锁在里面。我会吩咐下去，等别人走后你可以留下来，这样你就能从容地抄写，不用担心被人看见。抄完后，把原件和草稿都重新锁回写字台，明天早上亲自交给我。’”

“I took the papers and—”
“我拿了文件，然后——”

“Excuse me an instant,” said Holmes. “Were you alone during this conversation?”
“请打断一下，”福尔摩斯说，“谈话时只有你们两个人吗？”

“Absolutely.”
“绝对只有我们两人。”

“In a large room?”
“在一个大房间里？”

“Thirty feet each way.”
“每边长三十英尺。”

“In the centre?”
“在房间中央谈的吗？”

“Yes, about it.”
“是的，差不多在中央。”

“And speaking low?”
“说话声音很低吗？”

“My uncle’s voice is always remarkably low. I hardly spoke at all.”
“我舅舅说话的声音一向很低。我几乎没怎么开口。”

“Thank you,” said Holmes, shutting his eyes; “pray go on.”
“谢谢，”福尔摩斯闭上眼睛说，“请继续。”

“I did exactly what he indicated, and waited until the other clerks had departed. One of them in my room, Charles Gorot, had some arrears of work to make up, so I left him there and went out to dine. When I returned he was gone. I was anxious to hurry my work, for I knew that Joseph—the Mr. Harrison whom you saw just now—was in town, and that he would travel down to Woking by the eleven o’clock train, and I wanted if possible to catch it.”
“我完全照他的指示去做，等到其他职员都离开了才动手。我办公室里有个叫查尔斯·戈罗的职员还有些积压的工作要做，我便把他留在那里，自己出去吃饭了。等我回来时他已经走了。我急于赶工，因为我知道约瑟夫——就是你们刚才见到的那位哈里森先生——正在城里，他要乘十一点的火车回沃金，如果可能的话我也想赶上那班车。”

“When I came to examine the treaty I saw at once that it was of such importance that my uncle had been guilty of no exaggeration in what he had said. Without going into details, I may say that it defined the position of Great Britain towards the Triple Alliance, and fore-shadowed the policy which this country would pursue in the event of the French fleet gaining a complete ascendancy over that of Italy in the Mediterranean. The questions treated in it were purely naval. At the end were the signatures of the high dignitaries who had signed it. I glanced my eyes over it, and then settled down to my task of copying.”
“当我仔细查看这份协定时，立刻意识到它的重要性确实如舅舅所言毫不夸张。不必细说内容，我只需指出它明确了大英帝国对三国同盟的立场，并预示了万一法国舰队在地中海完全压倒意大利舰队时我国将采取的政策。其中涉及的纯属海军问题。末尾有签署该协定的高级官员们的签名。我浏览了一遍，便开始着手抄写。”

“It was a long document, written in the French language, and containing twenty-six separate articles. I copied as quickly as I could, but at nine o’clock I had only done nine articles, and it seemed hopeless for me to attempt to catch my train. I was feeling drowsy and stupid, partly from my dinner and also from the effects of a long day’s work. A cup of coffee would clear my brain. A commissionnaire remains all night in a little lodge at the foot of the stairs, and is in the habit of making coffee at his spirit-lamp for any of the officials who may be working over time. I rang the bell, therefore, to summon him.”
“这是一份用法文写成的长篇文件，包含二十六个独立的条款。我尽可能快地抄写，但到了九点钟才抄完九个条款，看来想赶上火车是没希望了。我感到昏昏欲睡、头脑迟钝，一部分是因为晚饭，另一部分是因为一整天工作的疲劳。一杯咖啡能让我的头脑清醒些。楼梯下的一个小门房里整夜都有一名杂役值班，他习惯用酒精灯为加班的官员煮咖啡。于是我按铃叫他。”

“To my surprise, it was a woman who answered the summons, a large, coarse-faced, elderly woman, in an aprron. She explained that she was the commissionnaire’s wife, who did the charing, and I gave her the order for the coffee.”
令我吃惊的是，应声而来的竟是个女人，一个身材高大、面容粗糙、系着围裙的年长妇女。她解释说自己是杂役的妻子，在这里做清洁工，我便向她点了咖啡。

“I wrote two more articles and then, feeling more drowsy than ever, I rose and walked up and down the room to stretch my legs. My coffee had not yet come, and I wondered what the cause of the delay could be. Opening the door, I started down the corridor to find out. There was a straight passage, dimly lighted, which led from the room in which I had been working, and was the only exit from it. It ended in a curving staircase, with the commissionnaire’s lodge in the passage at the bottom. Half-way down this staircase is a small landing, with another passage running into it at right angles. This second one leads by means of a second small stair to a side door, used by servants, and also as a short cut by clerks when coming from Charles Street. Here is a rough chart of the place.”
我又抄了两个条款，觉得越发困倦，便站起来在屋里踱步舒展双腿。咖啡还没送来，我纳闷怎么会耽搁这么久。于是打开门，沿着走廊想去看看情况。从我工作的房间延伸出一条灯光昏暗的笔直通道，那是唯一的出口。通道尽头是一段弯曲的楼梯，楼梯底部的过道里就是杂役的门房。楼梯半腰有个小平台，另一条过道与之呈直角相交。这第二条过道通过一段小楼梯通向一扇侧门，供仆人使用，也是职员们从查尔斯街过来时的捷径。这里有一张该处的草图。

rough chart
草图

“Thank you. I think that I quite follow you,” said Sherlock Holmes.
“谢谢。我想我已经完全明白了，”夏洛克·福尔摩斯说。

“It is of the utmost importance that you should notice this point. I went down the stairs and into the hall, where I found the commissionnaire fast asleep in his box, with the kettle boiling furiously upon the spirit-lamp. I took off the kettle and blew out the lamp, for the water was spurting over the floor. Then I put out my hand and was about to shake the man, who was still sleeping soundly, when a bell over his head rang loudly, and he woke with a start.”
“这一点至关重要，请您务必注意。我走下楼梯来到大厅，发现杂役在他的门房里睡得正香，酒精灯上的水壶正剧烈沸腾。我拿下水壶吹灭了灯，因为水已经喷溅到了地板上。然后我伸出手正准备摇醒仍在酣睡的他，就在这时，他头顶上方的铃声大作，他猛地惊醒了。”

“‘Mr. Phelps, sir!’ said he, looking at me in bewilderment.”
“‘菲尔普斯先生！’他困惑地看着我说。”

“‘I came down to see if my coffee was ready.’”
“‘我下来看看咖啡好了没有。’”

“‘I was boiling the kettle when I fell asleep, sir.’ He looked at me and then up at the still quivering bell with an ever-growing astonishment upon his face.”
“‘先生，我烧水的时候睡着了。’他看着我，又抬头看了看还在颤动的铃铛，脸上露出了越来越惊讶的神情。”

“‘If you was here, sir, then who rang the bell?’ he asked.”
“‘先生，如果您在这儿，那是谁按的铃？’他问。”

“‘The bell!’ I cried. ‘What bell is it?’”
“‘铃！’我叫道，‘什么铃？’”

“‘It’s the bell of the room you were working in.’”
“‘是您工作的那个房间的铃。’”

“A cold hand seemed to close round my heart. Some one, then, was in that room where my precious treaty lay upon the table. I ran frantically up the stairs and along the passage. There was no one in the corridors, Mr. Holmes. There was no one in the room. All was exactly as I left it, save only that the papers which had been committed to my care had been taken from the desk on which they lay. The copy was there, and the original was gone.”
“仿佛一只冰冷的手紧紧攥住了我的心。这么说，有人进了那个房间，而我那份珍贵的协定就放在桌上。我疯狂地跑上楼梯，穿过走廊。福尔摩斯先生，走廊里没人。房间里也没人。一切都和我离开时一模一样，唯独托付给我保管的文件从桌上不翼而飞了。副本还在，原件却不见了。”

Holmes sat up in his chair and rubbed his hands. I could see that the problem was entirely to his heart. “Pray, what did you do then?” he murmured.
福尔摩斯在椅子上坐直了身子，搓了搓手。看得出这个问题完全合他的心意。“请问，那你后来做了什么？”他低声问道。

“I recognised in an instant that the thief must have come up the stairs from the side door. Of course I must have met him if he had come the other way.”
“我立刻意识到窃贼一定是从侧门的楼梯上来的。如果他走另一条路，我肯定会撞见他。”

“You were satisfied that he could not have been concealed in the room all the time, or in the corridor which you have just described as dimly lighted?”
“你确信他一直不可能藏在房间里，或者藏在你刚才描述的那条灯光昏暗的走廊里吗？”

“It is absolutely impossible. A rat could not conceal himself either in the room or the corridor. There is no cover at all.”
“绝对不可能。哪怕是只老鼠也无法在房间或走廊里藏身。那里根本没有遮挡物。”

“Thank you. Pray proceed.”
“谢谢。请继续讲。”

“The commissionnaire, seeing by my pale face that something was to be feared, had followed me upstairs. Now we both rushed along the corridor and down the steep steps which led to Charles Street. The door at the bottom was closed, but unlocked. We flung it open and rushed out. I can distinctly remember that as we did so there came three chimes from a neighbouring clock. It was quarter to ten.”
“杂役见我脸色苍白，知道出了大事，便跟着我上了楼。现在我们俩一起冲过走廊，跑下通往查尔斯街的陡峭台阶。底部的门关着但没上锁。我们猛地推开门冲了出去。我清楚地记得，就在我们冲出去的时候，附近的钟敲了三下。那时是九点四十五分。”

“That is of enormous importance,” said Holmes, making a note upon his shirt-cuff.
“这非常重要，”福尔摩斯一边说一边在衬衫袖口上做记号。

“The night was very dark, and a thin, warm rain was falling. There was no one in Charles Street, but a great traffic was going on, as usual, in Whitehall, at the extremity. We rushed along the pavement, bare-headed as we were, and at the far corner we found a policeman standing.”
“夜色漆黑，下着稀疏温暖的细雨。查尔斯街上空无一人，但在尽头的白厅街，交通一如既往繁忙。我们光着头在人行道上狂奔，在远处的拐角处看到一名警察站在那里。”

“‘A robbery has been committed,’ I gasped. ‘A document of immense value has been stolen from the Foreign Office. Has any one passed this way?’”
“‘发生盗窃案了，’我气喘吁吁地说，‘外交部的一份绝密文件被盗了。有人从这里经过吗？’”

“‘I have been standing here for a quarter of an hour, sir,’ said he; ‘only one person has passed during that time—a woman, tall and elderly, with a Paisley shawl.’”
“‘先生，我在这里站了一刻钟了，’他说，‘这段时间只有一个人经过——一个身材高大、上了年纪的女人，披着佩斯利披肩。’”

“‘Ah, that is only my wife,’ cried the commissionnaire; ‘has no one else passed?’”
“‘啊，那是我老婆，’杂役叫道，‘没有其他人经过吗？’”

“‘No one.’”
“‘没有。’”

“‘Then it must be the other way that the thief took,’ cried the fellow, tugging at my sleeve.”
“‘那窃贼一定是往另一个方向跑了，’这家伙拽着我的袖子喊道。”

“‘But I was not satisfied, and the attempts which he made to draw me away increased my suspicions.”
“‘但我并不放心，而他试图把我拉开的举动反而增加了我的怀疑。”

“‘Which way did the woman go?’ I cried.”
“‘那个女人往哪个方向走了？’我问。”

“‘I don’t know, sir. I noticed her pass, but I had no special reason for watching her. She seemed to be in a hurry.’”
“‘我不知道，先生。我注意到她过去了，但没有特别留意她的理由。她似乎很匆忙。’”

“‘How long ago was it?’”
“‘多久之前的事？’”

“‘Oh, not very many minutes.’”
“‘哦，没过几分钟。’”

“‘Within the last five?’”
“‘在五分钟内吗？’”

“‘Well, it could not be more than five.’”
“‘嗯，不会超过五分钟。’”

“‘You’re only wasting your time, sir, and every minute now is of importance,’ cried the commissionnaire; ‘take my word for it that my old woman has nothing to do with it, and come down to the other end of the street. Well, if you won’t, I will.’ And with that he rushed off in the other direction.”
“‘先生，您这是在浪费时间，现在每一分钟都很宝贵，’杂役叫道，‘相信我，这事跟我老婆没关系，咱们去街那头看看吧。好吧，如果您不去，我去。’说完他就朝另一个方向跑去。”

“But I was after him in an instant and caught him by the sleeve.”
“但我立刻追上去抓住了他的袖子。”

“‘Where do you live?’ said I.”
“‘你住在哪里？’我问。”

“‘16 Ivy Lane, Brixton,’ he answered. ‘But don’t let yourself be drawn away upon a false scent, Mr. Phelps. Come to the other end of the street and let us see if we can hear of anything.’”
“‘布里克斯顿，常春藤巷16号，’他答道，‘但别被误导了，菲尔普斯先生。去街那头看看能不能打听到什么消息吧。’”

“Nothing was to be lost by following his advice. With the policeman we both hurried down, but only to find the street full of traffic, many people coming and going, but all only too eager to get to a place of safety upon so wet a night. There was no lounger who could tell us who had passed.”
听从他的建议也没什么损失。我和警察一起匆匆赶到街那头，却发现街上车水马龙，行人往来穿梭，但在这样一个雨夜，大家都只想尽快回到安全的家中。没有一个闲人能告诉我们有谁经过。

“Then we returned to the office, and searched the stairs and the passage without result. The corridor which led to the room was laid down with a kind of creamy linoleum which shows an impression very easily. We examined it very carefully, but found no outline of any footmark.”
随后我们回到办公室，搜查了楼梯和过道，但一无所获。通往房间的走廊铺着一种米色的油毡，很容易留下痕迹。我们仔细检查了一番，却没发现任何脚印的轮廓。

“Had it been raining all evening?”
“整个晚上都在下雨吗？”

“Since about seven.”
“大约从七点开始下的。”

“How is it, then, that the woman who came into the room about nine left no traces with her muddy boots?”
“那么，为什么那个九点左右进入房间的女人没有留下沾满泥巴的靴印呢？”

“I am glad you raised the point. It occurred to me at the time. The charwomen are in the habit of taking off their boots at the commissionnaire’s office, and putting on list slippers.”
“很高兴您提到了这一点。我当时也想到了。清洁女工习惯在杂役办公室里脱下靴子，换上布条拖鞋。”

“That is very clear. There were no marks, then, though the night was a wet one? The chain of events is certainly one of extraordinary interest. What did you do next?”
“这就很清楚了。那么，尽管是个雨夜，却没有留下任何痕迹？这一连串事件确实非同寻常。接下来你做了什么？”

“We examined the room also. There is no possibility of a secret door, and the windows are quite thirty feet from the ground. Both of them were fastened on the inside. The carpet prevents any possibility of a trap-door, and the ceiling is of the ordinary whitewashed kind. I will pledge my life that whoever stole my papers could only have come through the door.”
“我们也检查了房间。不可能有暗门，窗户离地面足有三十英尺高。两扇窗都是从里面闩上的。地毯排除了活板门的可能性，天花板也是普通的白灰顶。我可以用性命担保，偷文件的人只能是从门进来的。”

“How about the fireplace?”
“壁炉怎么样？”

“They use none. There is a stove. The bell-rope hangs from the wire just to the right of my desk. Whoever rang it must have come right up to the desk to do it. But why should any criminal wish to ring the bell? It is a most insoluble mystery.”
“不用壁炉。有个火炉。铃绳就挂在我书桌右侧的铁丝上。按铃的人一定是走到书桌前才按的。但罪犯为什么要按铃呢？这真是个最难解的谜。”

“Certainly the incident was unusual. What were your next steps? You examined the room, I presume, to see if the intruder had left any traces—any cigar-end or dropped glove or hairpin or other trifle?”
“这件事确实不同寻常。下一步你们做了什么？我想你们检查了房间，看看入侵者是否留下了任何痕迹——比如烟头、掉落的手套、发夹或其他小物件？”

“There was nothing of the sort.”
“什么都没有。”

“No smell?”
“没有气味吗？”

“Well, we never thought of that.”
“嗯，我们从未想到这一点。”

“Ah, a scent of tobacco would have been worth a great deal to us in such an investigation.”
“啊，在这样的调查中，烟草的气味对我们来说价值连城。”

“I never smoke myself, so I think I should have observed it if there had been any smell of tobacco. There was absolutely no clue of any kind. The only tangible fact was that the commissionnaire’s wife—Mrs. Tangey was the name—had hurried out of the place. He could give no explanation save that it was about the time when the woman always went home. The policeman and I agreed that our best plan would be to seize the woman before she could get rid of the papers, presuming that she had them.”
“我自己从不抽烟，所以如果有烟味我想我会注意到的。完全没有一丝线索。唯一确凿的事实是杂役的妻子——她姓坦齐——匆匆离开了那里。除了说那是她平时回家的时间外，他给不出任何解释。我和警察一致认为，最好的办法是在那个女人销毁文件之前抓住她，假设文件在她手上的话。”

“The alarm had reached Scotland Yard by this time, and Mr. Forbes, the detective, came round at once and took up the case with a great deal of energy. We hired a hansom, and in half an hour we were at the address which had been given to us. A young woman opened the door, who proved to be Mrs. Tangey’s eldest daughter. Her mother had not come back yet, and we were shown into the front room to wait.”
此时警报已传到了苏格兰场，侦探福布斯先生立刻赶来，干劲十足地接手了此案。我们雇了一辆双轮马车，半小时后就到达了那个地址。开门的是一个年轻女子，后来证实是坦齐太太的大女儿。她母亲还没回来，我们被领进前屋等候。

“About ten minutes later a knock came at the door, and here we made the one serious mistake for which I blame myself. Instead of opening the door ourselves, we allowed the girl to do so. We heard her say, ‘Mother, there are two men in the house waiting to see you,’ and an instant afterwards we heard the patter of feet rushing down the passage. Forbes flung open the door, and we both ran into the back room or kitchen, but the woman had got there before us. She stared at us with defiant eyes, and then, suddenly recognising me, an expression of absolute astonishment came over her face.”
大约十分钟后传来了敲门声，在这里我们犯了一个严重的错误，对此我深感自责。我们没有自己去开门，而是让那个女孩去了。我们听到她说：“妈妈，屋里有两位先生在等您。”紧接着就听到一阵急促的脚步声穿过过道。福布斯猛地推开门，我们俩冲进后屋也就是厨房，但那女人比我们先到了。她用挑衅的目光瞪着我们，随后突然认出了我，脸上露出了极度震惊的表情。

“‘Why, if it isn’t Mr. Phelps, of the office!’ she cried.”
“‘哎呀，这不是办公室的菲尔普斯先生吗！’她叫道。”

“‘Come, come, who did you think we were when you ran away from us?’ asked my companion.”
“‘得了吧，你逃跑的时候以为我们是谁？’我的同伴问道。”

“‘I thought you were the brokers,’ said she, ‘we have had some trouble with a tradesman.’”
“‘我以为你们是讨债的经纪人，’她说，‘我们和一个商贩有点纠纷。’”

“‘That’s not quite good enough,’ answered Forbes. ‘We have reason to believe that you have taken a paper of importance from the Foreign Office, and that you ran in here to dispose of it. You must come back with us to Scotland Yard to be searched.’”
“‘这个借口可不够充分，’福布斯回答道，‘我们有理由相信你从外交部拿走了一份重要文件，跑到这里是为了处理掉它。你必须跟我们回苏格兰场接受搜查。’”

“It was in vain that she protested and resisted. A four-wheeler was brought, and we all three drove back in it. We had first made an examination of the kitchen, and especially of the kitchen fire, to see whether she might have made away with the papers during the instant that she was alone. There were no signs, however, of any ashes or scraps. When we reached Scotland Yard she was handed over at once to the female searcher. I waited in an agony of suspense until she came back with her report. There were no signs of the papers.”
她的抗议和反抗都是徒劳。一辆四轮马车被叫来，我们三人坐车返回。我们先检查了厨房，特别是厨灶，看她是否在独处的那一刻销毁了文件。然而没有任何灰烬或碎片的迹象。到达苏格兰场后，她立即被移交给女搜查员。我在痛苦的悬念中等待，直到她带着报告回来。没有任何文件的踪迹。

“Then for the first time the horror of my situation came in its full force. Hitherto I had been acting, and action had numbed thought. I had been so confident of regaining the treaty at once that I had not dared to think of what would be the consequence if I failed to do so. But now there was nothing more to be done, and I had leisure to realize my position. It was horrible. Watson there would tell you that I was a nervous, sensitive boy at school. It is my nature. I thought of my uncle and of his colleagues in the Cabinet, of the shame which I had brought upon him, upon myself, upon every one connected with me. What though I was the victim of an extraordinary accident? No allowance is made for accidents where diplomatic interests are at stake. I was ruined, shamefully, hopelessly ruined. I don’t know what I did. I fancy I must have made a scene. I have a dim recollection of a group of officials who crowded round me, endeavouring to soothe me. One of them drove down with me to Waterloo, and saw me into the Woking train. I believe that he would have come all the way had it not been that Dr. Ferrier, who lives near me, was going down by that very train. The doctor most kindly took charge of me, and it was well he did so, for I had a fit in the station, and before we reached home I was practically a raving maniac.”
直到这时，我才第一次真切地感受到自己处境的恐怖。在此之前我一直在行动，行动麻痹了思考。我曾如此确信能立刻找回协定，以至于不敢去想万一失败的后果。但现在无事可做了，我有空闲来认清自己的处境。太可怕了。华生可以告诉你，我在学校里就是个神经质、敏感的孩子。这是我的天性。我想到了舅舅和他的内阁同僚们，想到了给他们、给我自己以及所有与我有关的人带来的耻辱。就算我是这场离奇意外的受害者又如何？在涉及外交利益的问题上，没人会体谅意外。我完了，可耻地、彻底地完了。我不知道自己做了什么。我想我一定大闹了一场。我依稀记得一群官员围着我，试图安抚我。其中一人陪我坐车到了滑铁卢车站，送我上了去沃金的火车。要不是住在附近的费里尔医生恰好也坐那趟车，我相信他会一路陪到底。医生好心照料着我，幸好有他在，因为我在车站发作了，还没到家我就几乎成了一个狂躁的疯子。

“You can imagine the state of things here when they were aroused from their beds by the doctor’s ringing and found me in this condition. Poor Annie here and my mother were broken-hearted. Dr. Ferrier had just heard enough from the detective at the station to be able to give an idea of what had happened, and his story did not mend matters. It was evident to all that I was in for a long illness, so Joseph was bundled out of this cheery bedroom, and it was turned into a sick-room for me. Here I have lain, Mr. Holmes, for over nine weeks, unconscious, and raving with brain-fever. If it had not been for Miss Harrison here and for the doctor’s care I should not be speaking to you now. She has nursed me by day and a hired nurse has looked after me by night, for in my mad fits I was capable of anything. Slowly my reason has cleared, but it is only during the last three days that my memory has quite returned. Sometimes I wish that it never had. The first thing that I did was to wire to Mr. Forbes, who had the case in hand. He came out, and assures me that, though everything has been done, no trace of a clue has been discovered. The commissionnaire and his wife have been examined in every way without any light being thrown upon the matter. The suspicions of the police then rested upon young Gorot, who, as you may remember, stayed over time in the office that night. His remaining behind and his French name were really the only two points which could suggest suspicion; but, as a matter of fact, I did not begin work until he had gone, and his people are of Huguenot extraction, but as English in sympathy and tradition as you and I are. Nothing was found to implicate him in any way, and there the matter dropped. I turn to you, Mr. Holmes, as absolutely my last hope. If you fail me, then my honour as well as my position are forever forfeited.”
你可以想象，当医生按门铃把他们从床上叫醒，发现我这副模样时，家里乱成了什么样。可怜的安妮和我母亲心都碎了。费里尔医生从车站侦探那里听到的情况足以让他大致说明发生了什么，但他的叙述于事无补。显然我要病很长一段时间，于是约瑟夫被赶出了这间舒适的卧室，这里变成了我的病房。福尔摩斯先生，我在这里躺了九个多星期，昏迷不醒，因脑热病而胡言乱语。要不是哈里森小姐和医生的悉心照料，我现在根本无法跟您说话。白天由她护理，晚上则雇了一名护士，因为在疯癫发作时我什么事都做得出来。我的理智慢慢恢复了，但直到最近三天记忆才完全复原。有时我真希望永远不要恢复。我做的第一件事就是给负责此案的福布斯先生发电报。他来了，向我保证虽然已竭尽全力，但仍未发现任何线索。杂役和他的妻子受到了各种盘问，但案情依然毫无进展。警方的怀疑随后落在了年轻的戈罗身上，你可能还记得，那天晚上他在办公室加班。他留下来和他的法国名字确实是仅有的两个可疑之处；但实际上，直到他离开后我才开始工作，而且他的祖上是胡格诺派教徒，但在情感和传统上和你我一样是地道的英国人。没有任何证据表明他与本案有关，事情就此搁置。福尔摩斯先生，您是我最后的希望。如果您也帮不了我，那我的名誉和职位就永远保不住了。

The invalid sank back upon his cushions, tired out by this long recital, while his nurse poured him out a glass of some stimulating medicine. Holmes sat silently, with his head thrown back and his eyes closed, in an attitude which might seem listless to a stranger, but which I knew betokened the most intense self-absorption.
病人讲完这段漫长的经历后疲惫地靠回枕头上，护士给他倒了一杯提神药水。福尔摩斯默默地坐着，头向后仰，双眼紧闭，这种姿态在陌生人看来或许是无精打采，但我知道这标志着他正陷入极度的沉思之中。

“You statement has been so explicit,” said he at last, “that you have really left me very few questions to ask. There is one of the very utmost importance, however. Did you tell any one that you had this special task to perform?”
“你的陈述非常详尽，”他终于开口道，“几乎没给我留下什么问题可问。不过有一个至关重要的问题。你有没有告诉任何人你要执行这项特殊任务？”

“No one.”
“谁也没告诉。”

“Not Miss Harrison here, for example?”
“比如，没告诉这里的哈里森小姐？”

“No. I had not been back to Woking between getting the order and executing the commission.”
“没有。从接到命令到执行任务期间，我没回过沃金。”

“And none of your people had by chance been to see you?”
“你的家人也没有碰巧去看你吗？”

“None.”
“没有。”

“Did any of them know their way about in the office?”
“他们中有谁熟悉办公室的路吗？”

“Oh, yes, all of them had been shown over it.”
“哦，有的，他们都参观过那里。”

“Still, of course, if you said nothing to any one about the treaty these inquiries are irrelevant.”
“当然，如果你对谁都没提过协定，这些询问就无关紧要了。”

“I said nothing.”
“我什么也没说。”

“Do you know anything of the commissionnaire?”
“你了解那个杂役吗？”

“Nothing except that he is an old soldier.”
“只知道他是个退伍老兵。”

“What regiment?”
“哪个团的？”

“Oh, I have heard—Coldstream Guards.”
“哦，我听说过——冷溪近卫团。”

“Thank you. I have no doubt I can get details from Forbes. The authorities are excellent at amassing facts, though they do not always use them to advantage. What a lovely thing a rose is!”
“谢谢。毫无疑问我能从福布斯那里得到详细信息。当局擅长收集事实，尽管并不总能善加利用。玫瑰花真是可爱啊！”

He walked past the couch to the open window, and held up the drooping stalk of a moss-rose, looking down at the dainty blend of crimson and green. It was a new phase of his character to me, for I had never before seen him show any keen interest in natural objects.
他走过沙发来到敞开的窗前，举起一枝低垂的苔藓玫瑰，凝视着那绯红与翠绿交织的精致色彩。这对我来说是他性格中新的一面，因为我以前从未见过他对自然景物表现出如此浓厚的兴趣。

“There is nothing in which deduction is so necessary as in religion,” said he, leaning with his back against the shutters. “It can be built up as an exact science by the reasoner. Our highest assurance of the goodness of Providence seems to me to rest in the flowers. All other things, our powers our desires, our food, are all really necessary for our existence in the first instance. But this rose is an extra. Its smell and its colour are an embellishment of life, not a condition of it. It is only goodness which gives extras, and so I say again that we have much to hope from the flowers.”
“没有什么比宗教更需要推理了，”他背靠着百叶窗说道，“推理者可以将它构建为一门精确的科学。在我看来，我们对上帝仁慈的最高确信寄托于花朵之中。其他一切事物，我们的能力、欲望、食物，最初都是为了生存所必需的。但这朵玫瑰却是额外的恩赐。它的香气和颜色是对生活的点缀，而非生存的条件。只有仁慈才会赐予额外之物，所以我再次重申，我们可以从花朵中获得许多希望。”

Percy Phelps and his nurse looked at Holmes during this demonstration with surprise and a good deal of disappointment written upon their faces. He had fallen into a reverie, with the moss-rose between his fingers. It had lasted some minutes before the young lady broke in upon it.
在他发表这番宏论时，珀西·菲尔普斯和他的护士看着福尔摩斯，脸上写满了惊讶和失望。他陷入了冥想，指尖夹着那朵苔藓玫瑰。过了几分钟，那位年轻女士才打破了沉默。

“Do you see any prospect of solving this mystery, Mr. Holmes?” she asked, with a touch of asperity in her voice.
“福尔摩斯先生，您觉得有解开这个谜团的希望吗？”她问道，语气中带着一丝恼怒。

“Oh, the mystery!” he answered, coming back with a start to the realities of life. “Well, it would be absurd to deny that the case is a very abstruse and complicated one, but I can promise you that I will look into the matter and let you know any points which may strike me.”
“噢，谜团！”他猛然回到现实中回答道，“嗯，否认这个案子非常深奥复杂是荒谬的，但我可以向你们保证，我会调查此事，并将任何引起我注意的要点告知你们。”

“Do you see any clue?”
“您发现什么线索了吗？”

“You have furnished me with seven, but, of course, I must test them before I can pronounce upon their value.”
“你已经为我提供了七条线索，但在我判断其价值之前，当然必须先进行验证。”

“You suspect some one?”
“您怀疑某人吗？”

“I suspect myself.”
“我怀疑我自己。”

“What!”
“什么！”

“Of coming to conclusions too rapidly.”
“怀疑自己下结论太快了。”

“Then go to London and test your conclusions.”
“那就去伦敦验证您的结论吧。”

“Your advice is very excellent, Miss Harrison,” said Holmes, rising. “I think, Watson, we cannot do better. Do not allow yourself to indulge in false hopes, Mr. Phelps. The affair is a very tangled one.”
“你的建议非常好，哈里森小姐，”福尔摩斯站起身说，“华生，我想我们最好就这么办。菲尔普斯先生，不要让自己沉溺于虚幻的希望中。这件事错综复杂。”

“I shall be in a fever until I see you again,” cried the diplomatist.
“在再见到您之前，我会一直焦虑不安，”这位外交官叫道。

“Well, I’ll come out by the same train to-morrow, though it’s more than likely that my report will be a negative one.”
“好吧，我明天乘同一班火车过来，尽管我的报告很可能是否定的。”

“God bless you for promising to come,” cried our client. “It gives me fresh life to know that something is being done. By the way, I have had a letter from Lord Holdhurst.”
“上帝保佑您答应前来，”我们的委托人叫道，“知道有人在为此奔走，我就有了活下去的勇气。顺便说一下，我收到了霍尔德赫斯特勋爵的信。”

“Ha! What did he say?”
“哈！他说了什么？”

“He was cold, but not harsh. I daresay my severe illness prevented him from being that. He repeated that the matter was of the utmost importance, and added that no steps would be taken about my future—by which he means, of course, my dismissal—until my health was restored and I had an opportunity of repairing my misfortune.”
“他的态度冷淡，但并不严厉。我想是我严重的病情让他不忍苛责。他重申此事至关重要，并补充说在我的健康恢复、有机会弥补过失之前，不会对我的前途采取任何措施——当然，他指的是解雇我。”

“Well, that was reasonable and considerate,” said Holmes. “Come, Watson, for we have a good day’s work before us in town.”
“嗯，这既合理又体贴，”福尔摩斯说，“走吧，华生，我们在城里还有一整天的工作要做。”

Mr. Joseph Harrison drove us down to the station, and we were soon whirling up in a Portsmouth train. Holmes was sunk in profound thought, and hardly opened his mouth until we had passed Clapham Junction.
约瑟夫·哈里森先生开车送我们到车站，很快我们就登上了开往朴茨茅斯的列车飞驰而去。福尔摩斯陷入了深思，直到过了克拉珀姆枢纽站才开口。

“It’s a very cheery thing to come into London by any of these lines which run high, and allow you to look down upon the houses like this.”
“乘坐这些高架线路进入伦敦是一件令人愉快的事，可以像这样俯瞰下方的房屋。”

I thought he was joking, for the view was sordid enough, but he soon explained himself.
我以为他在开玩笑，因为景色实在够脏乱的，但他很快解释了原因。

“Look at those big, isolated clumps of building rising up above the slates, like brick islands in a lead-coloured sea.”
“看那些耸立在石板屋顶之上的巨大孤立建筑群，就像铅灰色大海中的砖岛。”

“The board-schools.”
“那是公立学校。”

“Light-houses, my boy! Beacons of the future! Capsules with hundreds of bright little seeds in each, out of which will spring the wise, better England of the future. I suppose that man Phelps does not drink?”
“那是灯塔，我的朋友！未来的指路明灯！每一个胶囊里都装着数百颗明亮的小种子，未来智慧、美好的英格兰将从中孕育而生。我想那个菲尔普斯不喝酒吧？”

“I should not think so.”
“我想他不喝。”

“Nor should I, but we are bound to take every possibility into account. The poor devil has certainly got himself into very deep water, and it’s a question whether we shall ever be able to get him ashore. What did you think of Miss Harrison?”
“我也觉得他不喝，但我们必须考虑到每一种可能性。这个可怜的家伙确实陷入了深深的困境，我们能否将他拉上岸还是个问题。你觉得哈里森小姐怎么样？”

“A girl of strong character.”
“一个性格坚强的女孩。”

“Yes, but she is a good sort, or I am mistaken. She and her brother are the only children of an iron-master somewhere up Northumberland way. He got engaged to her when traveling last winter, and she came down to be introduced to his people, with her brother as escort. Then came the smash, and she stayed on to nurse her lover, while brother Joseph, finding himself pretty snug, stayed on too. I’ve been making a few independent inquiries, you see. But to-day must be a day of inquiries.”
“是的，但她是个好人，否则就是我搞错了。她和哥哥是诺森伯兰郡某地铁厂主的独生子女。去年冬天旅行时他和她订了婚，她便南下拜见男方家人，由哥哥陪同。然后灾祸降临，她留下来照顾未婚夫，而哥哥约瑟夫觉得这里挺舒适，也就留了下来。你看，我已经做了一些独立调查。不过今天必须是调查的一天。”

“My practice—” I began.
“我的诊所……”我开口道。

“Oh, if you find your own cases more interesting than mine—” said Holmes, with some asperity.
“噢，如果你觉得你自己的案子比我的更有趣……”福尔摩斯略带恼怒地说。

“I was going to say that my practice could get along very well for a day or two, since it is the slackest time in the year.”
“我是想说，我的诊所这一两天没问题，因为现在是一年中最清闲的时候。”

“Excellent,” said he, recovering his good-humour. “Then we’ll look into this matter together. I think that we should begin by seeing Forbes. He can probably tell us all the details we want until we know from what side the case is to be approached.”
“太好了，”他恢复了愉快的心情说道，“那我们就一起来调查这件事。我想我们应该先去见福布斯。在我们确定从哪个角度切入此案之前，他大概能告诉我们所需的所有细节。”

“You said you had a clue?”
“你说你有线索？”

“Well, we have several, but we can only test their value by further inquiry. The most difficult crime to track is the one which is purposeless. Now this is not purposeless. Who is it who profits by it? There is the French ambassador, there is the Russian, there is whoever might sell it to either of these, and there is Lord Holdhurst.”
“嗯，我们有几条线索，但只有通过进一步调查才能检验它们的价值。最难追踪的犯罪是无目的的犯罪。而这个案子并非无目的。谁会从中获利？有法国大使，有俄国大使，有任何可能把文件卖给他们的人，还有霍尔德赫斯特勋爵。”

“Lord Holdhurst!”
“霍尔德赫斯特勋爵！”

“Well, it is just conceivable that a statesman might find himself in a position where he was not sorry to have such a document accidentally destroyed.”
“嗯，可以设想一位政治家可能会发现自己处于这样一种境地：这样一份文件被意外销毁反而让他不至于感到遗憾。”

“Not a statesman with the honourable record of Lord Holdhurst?”
“像霍尔德赫斯特勋爵这样有着光荣履历的政治家也会这样吗？”

“It is a possibility and we cannot afford to disregard it. We shall see the noble lord to-day and find out if he can tell us anything. Meanwhile I have already set inquiries on foot.”
“这是一种可能性，我们不能忽视。我们今天要去见这位尊贵的勋爵，看看他能否告诉我们些什么。同时我已经启动了调查。”

“Already?”
“已经开始了？”

“Yes, I sent wires from Woking station to every evening paper in London. This advertisement will appear in each of them.”
“是的，我在沃金车站给伦敦每家晚报都发了电报。这则广告将会出现在每一份报纸上。”

He handed over a sheet torn from a note-book. On it was scribbled in pencil:
他递过来一张从笔记本上撕下的纸。上面用铅笔潦草地写着：

“£10 Reward.—The number of the cab which dropped a fare at or about the door of the Foreign Office in Charles Street at quarter to ten in the evening of May 23rd. Apply 221B, Baker Street.”
“悬赏10英镑。——征集5月23日晚九点四十五分左右在查尔斯街外交部大门或其附近放下乘客的马车车牌号。请联系贝克街221B号。”

“You are confident that the thief came in a cab?”
“你确信窃贼是坐马车来的？”

“If not, there is no harm done. But if Mr. Phelps is correct in stating that there is no hiding-place either in the room or the corridors, then the person must have come from outside. If he came from outside on so wet a night, and yet left no trace of damp upon the linoleum, which was examined within a few minutes of his passing, then it is exceeding probable that he came in a cab. Yes, I think that we may safely deduce a cab.”
“如果不是，也没什么坏处。但如果菲尔普斯先生说得没错，房间和走廊里都没有藏身之处，那么那个人一定是从外面来的。如果在这样一个雨夜从外面进来，却在几分钟内被检查的油毡上没有留下任何潮湿的痕迹，那么他极有可能是坐马车来的。是的，我认为我们可以稳妥地推断出他坐了马车。”

“It sounds plausible.”
“听起来很有道理。”

“That is one of the clues of which I spoke. It may lead us to something. And then, of course, there is the bell—which is the most distinctive feature of the case. Why should the bell ring? Was it the thief who did it out of bravado? Or was it some one who was with the thief who did it in order to prevent the crime? Or was it an accident? Or was it—?” He sank back into the state of intense and silent thought from which he had emerged; but it seemed to me, accustomed as I was to his every mood, that some new possibility had dawned suddenly upon him.
“这是我提到的线索之一。它可能会引导我们发现些什么。然后，当然还有铃声——这是本案最显著的特征。为什么会响铃？是窃贼出于炫耀心理按的吗？还是窃贼的同伙为了阻止犯罪而按的？或者是意外？又或者……？”他又陷入了刚才那种紧张而沉默的思考状态；但对我这个熟悉他各种情绪的人来说，似乎某种新的可能性突然在他脑海中闪现了。

It was twenty past three when we reached our terminus, and after a hasty luncheon at the buffet we pushed on at once to Scotland Yard. Holmes had already wired to Forbes, and we found him waiting to receive us—a small, foxy man with a sharp but by no means amiable expression. He was decidedly frigid in his manner to us, especially when he heard the errand upon which we had come.
当我们到达终点站时已是三点二十分，在餐厅匆匆吃过午饭后，我们立刻赶往苏格兰场。福尔摩斯已经给福布斯发了电报，我们发现他正等着接待我们——他是个瘦小、狡猾的男人，表情精明却一点也不和蔼。他对我们的态度明显冷淡，尤其是当他得知我们的来意之后。

“I’ve heard of your methods before now, Mr. Holmes,” said he, tartly. “You are ready enough to use all the information that the police can lay at your disposal, and then you try to finish the case yourself and bring discredit on them.”
“福尔摩斯先生，我以前就听说过你的手段，”他尖刻地说，“你很乐意利用警方提供的所有情报，然后试图独自结案，让他们丢脸。”

“On the contrary,” said Holmes, “out of my last fifty-three cases my name has only appeared in four, and the police have had all the credit in forty-nine. I don’t blame you for not knowing this, for you are young and inexperienced, but if you wish to get on in your new duties you will work with me and not against me.”
“恰恰相反，”福尔摩斯说，“在我最近经办的五十三个案件中，我的名字只在四个案件中出现过，其余四十九个案件的功劳全归警方。我不怪你不知道这些，因为你年轻且缺乏经验，但如果你想在新岗位上有所作为，就应该与我合作而不是对抗。”

“I’d be very glad of a hint or two,” said the detective, changing his manner. “I’ve certainly had no credit from the case so far.”
“如果能得到一两点提示，我会非常高兴，”侦探改变了态度说道，“到目前为止，我确实没从这个案子中得到任何功劳。”

“What steps have you taken?”
“你采取了哪些措施？”

“Tangey, the commissionnaire, has been shadowed. He left the Guards with a good character and we can find nothing against him. His wife is a bad lot, though. I fancy she knows more about this than appears.”
“杂役坦齐已被监视。他以良好的品行从近卫团退役，我们找不到任何不利于他的证据。不过他老婆是个坏女人。我觉得她知道的内情比表面上看起来要多。”

“Have you shadowed her?”
“你们监视她了吗？”

“We have set one of our women on to her. Mrs. Tangey drinks, and our woman has been with her twice when she was well on, but she could get nothing out of her.”
“我们派了一名女探员跟踪她。坦齐太太嗜酒，我们的探员趁她喝醉时接近了她两次，但什么也没套出来。”

“I understand that they have had brokers in the house?”
“我听说他们家里有讨债的经纪人上门？”

“Yes, but they were paid off.”
“是的，但债已经还清了。”

“Where did the money come from?”
“钱从哪里来的？”

“That was all right. His pension was due. They have not shown any sign of being in funds.”
“这很正常。他的抚恤金到期了。他们没有表现出任何突然有钱的迹象。”

“What explanation did she give of having answered the bell when Mr. Phelps rang for the coffee?”
“对于菲尔普斯先生按铃要咖啡时她去应答一事，她作何解释？”

“She said that her husband was very tired and she wished to relieve him.”
“她说丈夫太累了，她想替他分担一下。”

“Well, certainly that would agree with his being found a little later asleep in his chair. There is nothing against them then but the woman’s character. Did you ask her why she hurried away that night? Her haste attracted the attention of the police constable.”
“嗯，这确实与她丈夫稍后被发现在椅子上睡着的情况相符。那么除了那个女人的品行外，没有什么对他们不利的证据。你问过她那晚为什么匆匆离开吗？她的匆忙引起了巡警的注意。”

“She was later than usual and wanted to get home.”
“她说那天比平时晚，想早点回家。”

“Did you point out to her that you and Mr. Phelps, who started at least twenty minutes after her, got home before her?”
“你有没有向她指出，你和菲尔普斯先生比她晚出发至少二十分钟，却比她先到家？”

“She explains that by the difference between a ‘bus and a hansom.”
“她用公共马车和双轮马车的速度差异来解释。”

“Did she make it clear why, on reaching her house, she ran into the back kitchen?”
“她有没有解释清楚为什么一到家就跑进后厨？”

“Because she had the money there with which to pay off the brokers.”
“因为用来还债的钱放在那里。”

“She has at least an answer for everything. Did you ask her whether in leaving she met any one or saw any one loitering about Charles Street?”
“她至少对每件事都有个回答。你问过她离开时是否遇到或看到有人在查尔斯街徘徊吗？”

“She saw no one but the constable.”
“除了那名巡警，她谁也没看见。”

“Well, you seem to have cross-examined her pretty thoroughly. What else have you done?”
“嗯，看来你对她的盘问相当彻底。你还做了什么？”

“The clerk Gorot has been shadowed all these nine weeks, but without result. We can show nothing against him.”
“职员戈罗已被监视了整整九周，但毫无结果。我们找不到任何不利于他的证据。”

“Anything else?”
“还有别的吗？”

“Well, we have nothing else to go upon—no evidence of any kind.”
“嗯，我们没有其他依据了——没有任何证据。”

“Have you formed a theory about how that bell rang?”
“关于铃是怎么响的，你有什么推测吗？”

“Well, I must confess that it beats me. It was a cool hand, whoever it was, to go and give the alarm like that.”
“嗯，我必须承认这让我摸不着头脑。不管是谁，跑去那样报警真是个胆大包天的家伙。”

“Yes, it was a queer thing to do. Many thanks to you for what you have told me. If I can put the man into your hands you shall hear from me. Come along, Watson.”
“是的，这举动确实古怪。非常感谢你告诉我这些。如果我能把犯人交到你手上，你会收到我的消息。走吧，华生。”

“Where are we going to now?” I asked, as we left the office.
“我们现在去哪儿？”走出办公室时我问道。

“We are now going to interview Lord Holdhurst, the cabinet minister and future premier of England.”
“我们现在要去拜访内阁大臣、未来的英国首相霍尔德赫斯特勋爵。”

We were fortunate in finding that Lord Holdhurst was still in his chambers in Downing Street, and on Holmes sending in his card we were instantly shown up. The statesman received us with that old-fashioned courtesy for which he is remarkable, and seated us on the two luxuriant lounges on either side of the fireplace. Standing on the rug between us, with his slight, tall figure, his sharp features, thoughtful face, and curling hair prematurely tinged with grey, he seemed to represent that not too common type, a nobleman who is in truth noble.
我们很幸运地发现霍尔德赫斯特勋爵还在唐宁街的办公室里，福尔摩斯递上名片后，我们立刻被引见上楼。这位政治家用他那著称于世的古典礼节接待了我们，让我们在壁炉两侧两张豪华的长沙发上落座。他站在我们之间的地毯上，身形修长挺拔，面容清瘦，神情凝重，卷发过早地染上了灰白，他似乎代表了那种不太常见的类型——一位真正高贵的贵族。

“Your name is very familiar to me, Mr. Holmes,” said he, smiling. “And, of course, I cannot pretend to be ignorant of the object of your visit. There has only been one occurrence in these offices which could call for your attention. In whose interest are you acting, may I ask?”
“福尔摩斯先生，我对您的大名如雷贯耳，”他微笑着说，“当然，我不能假装不知道您的来意。这些办公室里只发生过一件事值得您关注。请问您是代表谁的利益行事？”

“In that of Mr. Percy Phelps,” answered Holmes.
“代表珀西·菲尔普斯先生，”福尔摩斯回答。

“Ah, my unfortunate nephew! You can understand that our kinship makes it the more impossible for me to screen him in any way. I fear that the incident must have a very prejudicial effect upon his career.”
“唉，我不幸的外甥！你能理解，正因为我们的亲属关系，我更不可能以任何方式包庇他。恐怕这次事件会对他的职业生涯产生非常不利的影响。”

“But if the document is found?”
“但如果文件找到了呢？”

“Ah, that, of course, would be different.”
“啊，那样的话当然就不同了。”

“I had one or two questions which I wished to ask you, Lord Holdhurst.”
“霍尔德赫斯特勋爵，我有一两个问题想请教您。”

“I shall be happy to give you any information in my power.”
“我很乐意提供我所知道的一切信息。”

“Was it in this room that you gave your instructions as to the copying of the document?”
“您是在这个房间里下达抄写文件的指示的吗？”

“It was.”
“是的。”

“Then you could hardly have been overheard?”
“那应该不会被偷听到吧？”

“It is out of the question.”
“绝无可能。”

“Did you ever mention to any one that it was your intention to give any one the treaty to be copied?”
“您有没有向任何人提起过打算让人抄写这份协定？”

“Never.”
“从来没有。”

“You are certain of that?”
“您确定吗？”

“Absolutely.”
“绝对确定。”

“Well, since you never said so, and Mr. Phelps never said so, and nobody else knew anything of the matter, then the thief’s presence in the room was purely accidental. He saw his chance and he took it.”
“好吧，既然您从没说过，菲尔普斯先生也没说过，也没有其他人知道这件事，那么窃贼出现在房间里纯属偶然。他看到了机会便抓住了它。”

The statesman smiled. “You take me out of my province there,” said he.
政治家笑了。“这可就超出我的专业范围了，”他说。

Holmes considered for a moment. “There is another very important point which I wish to discuss with you,” said he. “You feared, as I understand, that very grave results might follow from the details of this treaty becoming known.”
福尔摩斯沉吟片刻。“还有一个非常重要的问题我想和您探讨，”他说，“据我理解，您担心一旦这份协定的细节曝光，将会引发极其严重的后果。”

A shadow passed over the expressive face of the statesman. “Very grave results indeed.”
一片阴影掠过这位政治家富有表现力的面庞。“确实是非常严重的后果。”

“And have they occurred?”
“这些后果发生了吗？”

“Not yet.”
“还没有。”

“If the treaty had reached, let us say, the French or Russian Foreign Office, you would expect to hear of it?”
“假如这份协定已经到了，比方说，法国或俄国外交部手中，您应该会听到风声吧？”

“I should,” said Lord Holdhurst, with a wry face.
“应该会的，”霍尔德赫斯特勋爵苦着脸说。

“Since nearly ten weeks have elapsed, then, and nothing has been heard, it is not unfair to suppose that for some reason the treaty has not reached them.”
“既然将近十周过去了，仍杳无音信，那么假定由于某种原因协定尚未到达他们手中，这并不算不公平吧。”

Lord Holdhurst shrugged his shoulders.
霍尔德赫斯特勋爵耸了耸肩。

“We can hardly suppose, Mr. Holmes, that the thief took the treaty in order to frame it and hang it up.”
“福尔摩斯先生，我们总不能假设窃贼偷走协定是为了把它装裱起来挂在墙上吧。”

“Perhaps he is waiting for a better price.”
“也许他在等待更好的价钱。”

“If he waits a little longer he will get no price at all. The treaty will cease to be secret in a few months.”
“如果他再等下去，就一分钱也拿不到了。再过几个月这份协定就不再是秘密了。”

“That is most important,” said Holmes. “Of course, it is a possible supposition that the thief has had a sudden illness—”
“这点至关重要，”福尔摩斯说，“当然，也有可能窃贼突发疾病……”

“An attack of brain-fever, for example?” asked the statesman, flashing a swift glance at him.
“比如脑热病发作？”政治家飞快地瞥了他一眼问道。

“I did not say so,” said Holmes, imperturbably. “And now, Lord Holdhurst, we have already taken up too much of your valuable time, and we shall wish you good-day.”
“我可没这么说，”福尔摩斯镇定自若地回答，“好了，霍尔德赫斯特勋爵，我们已经占用了您太多宝贵时间，就此告辞了。”

“Every success to your investigation, be the criminal who it may,” answered the nobleman, as he bowed us out the door.
“祝您的调查一切顺利，无论罪犯是谁，”这位贵族一边鞠躬送我们出门一边说道。

“He’s a fine fellow,” said Holmes, as we came out into Whitehall. “But he has a struggle to keep up his position. He is far from rich and has many calls. You noticed, of course, that his boots had been resoled. Now, Watson, I won’t detain you from your legitimate work any longer. I shall do nothing more to-day, unless I have an answer to my cab advertisement. But I should be extremely obliged to you if you would come down with me to Woking to-morrow, by the same train which we took yesterday.”
“他是个不错的人，”当我们走到白厅街时福尔摩斯说道，“但他维持地位并不容易。他远非富有，开销又大。你当然注意到了，他的靴子换过底。好了，华生，我不再耽误你的正事了。除非我的马车广告有了回音，否则今天我不会再做任何事。但如果你明天能陪我乘昨天同一班火车去沃金，我将不胜感激。”

I met him accordingly next morning and we travelled down to Woking together. He had had no answer to his advertisement, he said, and no fresh light had been thrown upon the case. He had, when he so willed it, the utter immobility of countenance of a red Indian, and I could not gather from his appearance whether he was satisfied or not with the position of the case. His conversation, I remember, was about the Bertillon system of measurements, and he expressed his enthusiastic admiration of the French savant.
第二天早上我如约与他碰面，我们一起乘车前往沃金。他说广告没有任何回音，案情也没有新的进展。只要他愿意，他的脸就能像印第安人一样毫无表情，我从他的外表看不出他对目前的案情是否满意。我记得他的谈话内容是关于贝蒂隆人体测量法的，他对这位法国学者表达了热烈的钦佩之情。

We found our client still under the charge of his devoted nurse, but looking considerably better than before. He rose from the sofa and greeted us without difficulty when we entered.
我们发现委托人仍由尽职的护士照料着，但气色比以前好了很多。我们进去时，他从沙发上站起来，毫不费力地向我们致意。

“Any news?” he asked, eagerly.
“有什么消息吗？”他急切地问。

“My report, as I expected, is a negative one,” said Holmes. “I have seen Forbes, and I have seen your uncle, and I have set one or two trains of inquiry upon foot which may lead to something.”
“正如我所料，我的报告是否定的，”福尔摩斯说，“我见了福布斯，也见了你舅舅，我还启动了一两条调查线索，可能会有所收获。”

“You have not lost heart, then?”
“那您还没有灰心？”

“By no means.”
“绝没有。”

“God bless you for saying that!” cried Miss Harrison. “If we keep our courage and our patience the truth must come out.”
“上帝保佑您这么说！”哈里森小姐叫道，“只要我们保持勇气和耐心，真相一定会大白。”

“We have more to tell you than you have for us,” said Phelps, reseating himself upon the couch.
“我们要告诉您的比您要告诉我们的还要多，”菲尔普斯说着重新在沙发上坐下。

“I hoped you might have something.”
“我本来希望你们能带来些好消息。”

“Yes, we have had an adventure during the night, and one which might have proved to be a serious one.” His expression grew very grave as he spoke, and a look of something akin to fear sprang up in his eyes. “Do you know,” said he, “that I begin to believe that I am the unconscious centre of some monstrous conspiracy, and that my life is aimed at as well as my honour?”
“是的，昨晚我们经历了一场冒险，而且可能是一场严重的冒险。”他说这话时表情变得非常严肃，眼中流露出近乎恐惧的神色。“你知道吗，”他说，“我开始相信自己是某个巨大阴谋的无意核心，他们不仅瞄准了我的名誉，还想要我的命。”

“Ah!” cried Holmes.
“啊！”福尔摩斯叫道。

“It sounds incredible, for I have not, as far as I know, an enemy in the world. Yet from last night’s experience I can come to no other conclusion.”
“这听起来难以置信，因为据我所知，我在世上没有一个敌人。但从昨晚的经历来看，我只能得出这个结论。”

“Pray let me hear it.”
“请讲给我听听。”

“You must know that last night was the very first night that I have ever slept without a nurse in the room. I was so much better that I thought I could dispense with one. I had a night-light burning, however. Well, about two in the morning I had sunk into a light sleep when I was suddenly aroused by a slight noise. It was like the sound which a mouse makes when it is gnawing a plank, and I lay listening to it for some time under the impression that it must come from that cause. Then it grew louder, and suddenly there came from the window a sharp metallic snick. I sat up in amazement. There could be no doubt what the sounds were now. The first ones had been caused by some one forcing an instrument through the slit between the sashes, and the second by the catch being pressed back.”
“要知道，昨晚是我第一次在没有护士陪护的情况下过夜。我感觉好多了，以为可以不用人了。不过我还是点了一盏夜灯。凌晨两点左右，我刚进入浅睡状态，突然被一阵轻微的响声惊醒。那声音就像老鼠啃木板的声音，我躺在床上听了一会儿，以为真是老鼠弄出来的。接着声音变大了，窗户那边突然传来一声清脆的金属咔哒声。我惊讶地坐了起来。现在毫无疑问那是什么声音了。第一种声音是有人把工具插进窗框缝隙造成的，第二种则是窗钩被拨开的声音。”

“There was a pause then for about ten minutes, as if the person were waiting to see whether the noise had awakened me. Then I heard a gentle creaking as the window was very slowly opened. I could stand it no longer, for my nerves are not what they used to be. I sprang out of bed and flung open the shutters. A man was crouching at the window. I could see little of him, for he was gone like a flash. He was wrapped in some sort of cloak which came across the lower part of his face. One thing only I am sure of, and that is that he had some weapon in his hand. It looked to me like a long knife. I distinctly saw the gleam of it as he turned to run.”
“随后停顿了大约十分钟，好像那个人在等着看响声是否吵醒了我。然后我听到一阵轻微的吱呀声，窗户被极其缓慢地打开了。我的神经已不如从前，再也忍受不了了。我从床上跳起来，猛地推开百叶窗。一个男人正蹲在窗边。我没看清他的样子，因为他像闪电一样消失了。他裹着某种斗篷，遮住了下半张脸。只有一点我可以肯定，那就是他手里拿着武器。在我看来像是一把长刀。当他转身逃跑时，我清楚地看到了刀锋的闪光。”

“This is most interesting,” said Holmes. “Pray what did you do then?”
“这非常有意思，”福尔摩斯说，“请问你后来做了什么？”

“I should have followed him through the open window if I had been stronger. As it was, I rang the bell and roused the house. It took me some little time, for the bell rings in the kitchen and the servants all sleep upstairs. I shouted, however, and that brought Joseph down, and he roused the others. Joseph and the groom found marks on the bed outside the window, but the weather has been so dry lately that they found it hopeless to follow the trail across the grass. There’s a place, however, on the wooden fence which skirts the road which shows signs, they tell me, as if some one had got over, and had snapped the top of the rail in doing so. I have said nothing to the local police yet, for I thought I had best have your opinion first.”
“如果我身体好些，就会从敞开的窗户追出去了。实际上，我按响了铃唤醒了全家。花了一点时间，因为铃声通到厨房，而仆人们都睡在楼上。不过我大喊了几声，把约瑟夫叫了下来，他又叫醒了其他人。约瑟夫和马夫在窗外的花坛上发现了痕迹，但最近天气干燥，他们觉得无法追踪穿过草坪的足迹。不过，他们说路边木栅栏上有个地方留下了迹象，好像有人翻越过去时折断了顶端的横栏。我还没跟当地警方说，因为我想最好先听听您的意见。”

This tale of our client’s appeared to have an extraordinary effect upon Sherlock Holmes. He rose from his chair and paced about the room in uncontrollable excitement.
我们委托人的这番叙述似乎对夏洛克·福尔摩斯产生了非凡的影响。他从椅子上站起来，在房间里激动地来回踱步，难以自制。

“Misfortunes never come single,” said Phelps, smiling, though it was evident that his adventure had somewhat shaken him.
“祸不单行啊，”菲尔普斯笑着说，尽管显然这次冒险让他有些惊魂未定。

“You have certainly had your share,” said Holmes. “Do you think you could walk round the house with me?”
“你确实够倒霉的，”福尔摩斯说，“你觉得能陪我绕房子走一圈吗？”

“Oh, yes, I should like a little sunshine. Joseph will come, too.”
“哦，可以，我想晒晒太阳。约瑟夫也会一起去。”

“And I also,” said Miss Harrison.
“我也去，”哈里森小姐说。

“I am afraid not,” said Holmes, shaking his head. “I think I must ask you to remain sitting exactly where you are.”
“恐怕不行，”福尔摩斯摇摇头说，“我想我必须请你坐在原地不要动。”

The young lady resumed her seat with an air of displeasure. Her brother, however, had joined us and we set off all four together. We passed round the lawn to the outside of the young diplomatist’s window. There were, as he had said, marks upon the bed, but they were hopelessly blurred and vague. Holmes stopped over them for an instant, and then rose shrugging his shoulders.
年轻女士带着不悦的神情重新坐下。然而她的哥哥加入了我们，于是我们四人一起出发了。我们绕过草坪来到年轻外交官窗外的外侧。正如他所说，花坛上有痕迹，但模糊不清，毫无用处。福尔摩斯在上面停留了片刻，然后耸耸肩站了起来。

“I don’t think any one could make much of this,” said he. “Let us go round the house and see why this particular room was chosen by the burglar. I should have thought those larger windows of the drawing-room and dining-room would have had more attractions for him.”
“我想没人能从这上面看出什么名堂，”他说，“让我们绕房子看看窃贼为什么偏偏选中了这个房间。我原以为客厅和餐厅那些更大的窗户对他更有吸引力。”

“They are more visible from the road,” suggested Mr. Joseph Harrison.
“那些窗户从路上更容易被看见，”约瑟夫·哈里森先生提出。

“Ah, yes, of course. There is a door here which he might have attempted. What is it for?”
“啊，是的，当然。这里有扇门他可能试过。这是干什么用的？”

“It is the side entrance for trades-people. Of course it is locked at night.”
“这是商贩使用的侧门。晚上当然是锁着的。”

“Have you ever had an alarm like this before?”
“以前发生过这样的警报吗？”

“Never,” said our client.
“从来没有，”我们的委托人说。

“Do you keep plate in the house, or anything to attract burglars?”
“家里存放银器或其他吸引窃贼的东西吗？”

“Nothing of value.”
“没有值钱的东西。”

Holmes strolled round the house with his hands in his pockets and a negligent air which was unusual with him.
福尔摩斯双手插兜，带着一种对他来说罕见的漫不经心的神态绕着房子溜达。

“By the way,” said he to Joseph Harrison, “you found some place, I understand, where the fellow scaled the fence. Let us have a look at that!”
“顺便问一下，”他对约瑟夫·哈里森说，“听说你发现了那人翻越栅栏的地方。让我们去看看！”

The plump young man led us to a spot where the top of one of the wooden rails had been cracked. A small fragment of the wood was hanging down. Holmes pulled it off and examined it critically.
这位胖乎乎的年輕人把我们带到一处木栏杆顶端断裂的地方。一小片木头悬挂在那里。福尔摩斯把它扯下来仔细检查。

“Do you think that was done last night? It looks rather old, does it not?”
“你认为这是昨晚弄断的吗？看起来挺旧的，不是吗？”

“Well, possibly so.”
“嗯，有可能。”

“There are no marks of any one jumping down upon the other side. No, I fancy we shall get no help here. Let us go back to the bedroom and talk the matter over.”
“另一侧没有跳落的痕迹。不，我想这里得不到什么帮助。让我们回卧室商量一下吧。”

Percy Phelps was walking very slowly, leaning upon the arm of his future brother-in-law. Holmes walked swiftly across the lawn, and we were at the open window of the bedroom long before the others came up.
珀西·菲尔普斯走得很慢，倚在未来姐夫的手臂上。福尔摩斯快步穿过草坪，在别人赶到之前很久我们就已经到了卧室敞开的窗前。

“Miss Harrison,” said Holmes, speaking with the utmost intensity of manner, “you must stay where you are all day. Let nothing prevent you from staying where you are all day. It is of the utmost importance.”
“哈里森小姐，”福尔摩斯以极其强烈的语气说道，“你必须整天待在这里。不要让任何事情妨碍你整天待在这里。这至关重要。”

“Certainly, if you wish it, Mr. Holmes,” said the girl in astonishment.
“当然，如果您希望这样的话，福尔摩斯先生，”女孩惊讶地说。

“When you go to bed lock the door of this room on the outside and keep the key. Promise to do this.”
“当你去睡觉时，从外面锁上这个房间的门并保管好钥匙。答应我这么做。”

“But Percy?”
“可是珀西怎么办？”

“He will come to London with us.”
“他将和我们一起去伦敦。”

“And am I to remain here?”
“那我就留在这里？”

“It is for his sake. You can serve him. Quick! Promise!”
“这是为了他好。你可以帮他。快！答应我！”

She gave a quick nod of assent just as the other two came up.
就在另外两人赶上来时，她迅速点头同意了。

“Why do you sit moping there, Annie?” cried her brother. “Come out into the sunshine!”
“你为什么闷闷不乐地坐在那里，安妮？”她哥哥叫道，“出来晒晒太阳吧！”

“No, thank you, Joseph. I have a slight headache and this room is deliciously cool and soothing.”
“不了，谢谢你，约瑟夫。我有点头痛，这个房间凉爽宜人，让人舒服。”

“What do you propose now, Mr. Holmes?” asked our client.
“福尔摩斯先生，您现在打算怎么做？”我们的委托人问。

“Well, in investigating this minor affair we must not lose sight of our main inquiry. It would be a very great help to me if you would come up to London with us.”
“嗯，在调查这件小事的同时，我们不能忘记主要的调查目标。如果你能和我们一起回伦敦，对我将是极大的帮助。”

“At once?”
“马上吗？”

“Well, as soon as you conveniently can. Say in an hour.”
“嗯，只要你方便，越快越好。就说一小时后吧。”

“I feel quite strong enough, if I can really be of any help.”
“如果我真的能帮上忙，我觉得体力足够了。”

“The greatest possible.”
“你能帮上大忙。”

“Perhaps you would like me to stay there to-night?”
“也许您希望我今晚住在那里？”

“I was just going to propose it.”
“我正打算这么提议。”

“Then, if my friend of the night comes to revisit me, he will find the bird flown. We are all in your hands, Mr. Holmes, and you must tell us exactly what you would like done. Perhaps you would prefer that Joseph came with us so as to look after me?”
“那么，如果我那位夜间的朋友再来拜访，就会发现鸟儿已经飞走了。福尔摩斯先生，我们全都听您的，您必须确切告诉我们该做什么。也许您更愿意让约瑟夫跟我们一起去以便照顾我？”

“Oh, no; my friend Watson is a medical man, you know, and he’ll look after you. We’ll have our lunch here, if you will permit us, and then we shall all three set off for town together.”
“哦，不用；你知道我的朋友华生是医生，他会照顾你的。如果你允许的话，我们就在这里吃午饭，然后我们三人一起进城。”

It was arranged as he suggested, though Miss Harrison excused herself from leaving the bedroom, in accordance with Holmes’s suggestion. What the object of my friend’s manœuvres was I could not conceive, unless it were to keep the lady away from Phelps, who, rejoiced by his returning health and by the prospect of action, lunched with us in the dining-room. Holmes had a still more startling surprise for us, however, for, after accompanying us down to the station and seeing us into our carriage, he calmly announced that he had no intention of leaving Woking.
一切照他的建议安排妥当，尽管哈里森小姐遵照福尔摩斯的建议，借口不离开了卧室。我无法猜透朋友这番操作的意图，除非是为了让那位女士远离菲尔普斯。菲尔普斯因健康恢复和行动的前景而欣喜，在餐厅与我们共进午餐。然而，福尔摩斯还有一个更令人吃惊的举动：在陪我们下到车站、看着我们上车后，他平静地宣布他不打算离开沃金。

“There are one or two small points which I should desire to clear up before I go,” said he. “Your absence, Mr. Phelps, will in some ways rather assist me. Watson, when you reach London you would oblige me by driving at once to Baker Street with our friend here, and remaining with him until I see you again. It is fortunate that you are old schoolfellows, as you must have much to talk over. Mr. Phelps can have the spare bedroom to-night, and I will be with you in time for breakfast, for there is a train which will take me into Waterloo at eight.”
“在我离开之前，我还想弄清楚一两个小问题，”他说，“菲尔普斯先生，你的缺席在某些方面反而对我有利。华生，到达伦敦后，麻烦你立刻驾车带我们的朋友去贝克街，并陪着他直到我再见到你们。幸好你们是老同学，一定有很多话可聊。菲尔普斯先生今晚可以睡备用卧室，我会赶在早餐时与你们会合，因为有一班火车能在八点把我送到滑铁卢车站。”

“But how about our investigation in London?” asked Phelps, ruefully.
“可是我们在伦敦的调查怎么办？”菲尔普斯沮丧地问。

“We can do that to-morrow. I think that just at present I can be of more immediate use here.”
“我们可以明天再做。我认为目前我在这里能发挥更直接的作用。”

“You might tell them at Briarbrae that I hope to be back to-morrow night,” cried Phelps, as we began to move from the platform.
“你可以告诉布莱尔布雷庄园的人，我希望明晚能回去，”当列车驶离站台时，菲尔普斯喊道。

“I hardly expect to go back to Briarbrae,” answered Holmes, and waved his hand to us cheerily as we shot out from the station.
“我不指望回布莱尔布雷庄园了，”福尔摩斯回答道，并在列车冲出车站时愉快地向我们挥手告别。

Phelps and I talked it over on our journey, but neither of us could devise a satisfactory reason for this new development.
菲尔普斯和我在旅途中讨论了此事，但我们谁也想不出这个新动向的合理原因。

“I suppose he wants to find out some clue as to the burglary last night, if a burglar it was. For myself, I don’t believe it was an ordinary thief.”
“我想他是想找出昨晚入室盗窃的线索，如果那真是窃贼的话。就我个人而言，我不认为那是普通小偷。”

“What is your own idea, then?”
“那你自己怎么看？”

“Upon my word, you may put it down to my weak nerves or not, but I believe there is some deep political intrigue going on around me, and that for some reason that passes my understanding my life is aimed at by the conspirators. It sounds high-flown and absurd, but consider the facts! Why should a thief try to break in at a bedroom window, where there could be no hope of any plunder, and why should he come with a long knife in his hand?”
“说实话，你可以归结为我神经衰弱，但我相信围绕着我正在进行某种深层的政治阴谋，而且出于某种我不理解的原因，阴谋分子想要我的命。这听起来夸大其词且荒谬，但想想事实吧！为什么窃贼要试图从卧室窗户闯入，那里根本不可能有什么战利品，而且他为什么手里拿着一把长刀？”

“You are sure it was not a house-breaker’s jimmy?”
“你确定那不是撬锁工具吗？”

“Oh, no, it was a knife. I saw the flash of the blade quite distinctly.”
“哦，不，那是刀。我非常清楚地看到了刀锋的闪光。”

“But why on earth should you be pursued with such animosity?”
“但他们究竟为什么要如此恶毒地追杀你？”

“Ah, that is the question.”
“啊，这就是问题所在。”

“Well, if Holmes takes the same view, that would account for his action, would it not? Presuming that your theory is correct, if he can lay his hands upon the man who threatened you last night he will have gone a long way towards finding who took the naval treaty. It is absurd to suppose that you have two enemies, one of whom robs you, while the other threatens your life.”
“好吧，如果福尔摩斯也持同样看法，那就能解释他的行为了，不是吗？假设你的理论是正确的，如果他能抓住昨晚威胁你的人，那么在查找谁偷了海军协定这件事上就迈进了一大步。假设你有两个敌人，一个抢劫你，另一个威胁你的生命，这是荒谬的。”

“But Holmes said that he was not going to Briarbrae.”
“但福尔摩斯说他不去布莱尔布雷庄园。”

“I have known him for some time,” said I, “but I never knew him do anything yet without a very good reason,” and with that our conversation drifted off on to other topics.
“我认识他有段时间了，”我说，“但我还从未见过他在没有充分理由的情况下做任何事。”说到这里，我们的谈话便转移到了其他话题上。

But it was a weary day for me. Phelps was still weak after his long illness, and his misfortune made him querulous and nervous. In vain I endeavoured to interest him in Afghanistan, in India, in social questions, in anything which might take his mind out of the groove. He would always come back to his lost treaty, wondering, guessing, speculating, as to what Holmes was doing, what steps Lord Holdhurst was taking, what news we should have in the morning. As the evening wore on his excitement became quite painful.
但这对我来说是漫长疲惫的一天。菲尔普斯在大病初愈后仍然虚弱，不幸的遭遇使他变得暴躁易怒、神经质。我试图让他对阿富汗、印度、社会问题或任何能让他分心的事情产生兴趣，但都是徒劳。他总是回到丢失的协定上，对福尔摩斯在做什么、霍尔德赫斯特勋爵采取了什么措施、明早会有什么消息等问题不停地猜想、推测。随着夜幕降临，他的激动情绪变得令人痛苦。

“You have implicit faith in Holmes?” he asked.
“你对福尔摩斯有绝对的信心吗？”他问。

“I have seen him do some remarkable things.”
“我见过他做成一些了不起的事。”

“But he never brought light into anything quite so dark as this?”
“但他从未照亮过像这样黑暗的案件吧？”

“Oh, yes; I have known him solve questions which presented fewer clues than yours.”
“哦，有的；我知道他解决过比你这线索更少的难题。”

“But not where such large interests are at stake?”
“但不是在这种涉及重大利益的案件中吧？”

“I don’t know that. To my certain knowledge he has acted on behalf of three of the reigning houses of Europe in very vital matters.”
“我不确定。据我所知，他曾代表欧洲三个王室处理过极其重要的事务。”

“But you know him well, Watson. He is such an inscrutable fellow that I never quite know what to make of him. Do you think he is hopeful? Do you think he expects to make a success of it?”
“但你很了解他，华生。他是如此深不可测，我总是琢磨不透他。你觉得他有希望吗？你觉得他期望成功吗？”

“He has said nothing.”
“他什么也没说。”

“That is a bad sign.”
“这是个坏兆头。”

“On the contrary, I have noticed that when he is off the trail he generally says so. It is when he is on a scent and is not quite absolutely sure yet that it is the right one that he is most taciturn. Now, my dear fellow, we can’t help matters by making ourselves nervous about them, so let me implore you to go to bed and so be fresh for whatever may await us to-morrow.”
“恰恰相反，我注意到当他失去线索时通常会说出来。只有当他嗅到了蛛丝马迹却又不能完全确定是否正确时，他才最为沉默寡言。好了，亲爱的朋友，焦虑无助于事，让我恳求你去睡觉吧，养精蓄锐以应对明天可能发生的一切。”

I was able at last to persuade my companion to take my advice, though I knew from his excited manner that there was not much hope of sleep for him. Indeed, his mood was infectious, for I lay tossing half the night myself, brooding over this strange problem, and inventing a hundred theories, each of which was more impossible than the last. Why had Holmes remained at Woking? Why had he asked Miss Harrison to remain in the sick-room all day? Why had he been so careful not to inform the people at Briarbrae that he intended to remain near them? I cudgelled my brains until I fell asleep in the endeavour to find some explanation which would cover all these facts.
我终于说服同伴听从了我的建议，尽管从他激动的样子我知道他很难入睡。事实上，他的情绪是有传染性的，我自己也在床上辗转反侧了半夜，思索着这个奇怪的问题，构想出一百种理论，每一种都比上一种更不可能。福尔摩斯为什么留在沃金？他为什么要求哈里森小姐整天待在病房里？他为什么小心翼翼地不让布莱尔布雷庄园的人知道他打算留在附近？我绞尽脑汁试图找到一个能解释所有这些事实的答案，直到沉沉睡去。

It was seven o’clock when I awoke, and I set off at once for Phelps’s room, to find him haggard and spent after a sleepless night. His first question was whether Holmes had arrived yet.
我七点钟醒来，立刻前往菲尔普斯的房间，发现他因一夜未眠而面容憔悴、精疲力竭。他的第一个问题是福尔摩斯到了没有。

“He’ll be here when he promised,” said I, “and not an instant sooner or later.”
“他会在承诺的时间到达，”我说，“不早也不晚。”

And my words were true, for shortly after eight a hansom dashed up to the door and our friend got out of it. Standing in the window we saw that his left hand was swathed in a bandage and that his face was very grim and pale. He entered the house, but it was some little time before he came upstairs.
我的话果然没错，八点刚过一辆双轮马车就冲到门前，我们的朋友下了车。站在窗边我们看到他的左手缠着绷带，脸色严峻苍白。他进了屋，但过了一会儿才上楼。

“He looks like a beaten man,” cried Phelps.
“他看起来像是被打败了，”菲尔普斯叫道。

I was forced to confess that he was right. “After all,” said I, “the clue of the matter lies probably here in town.”
我不得不承认他说得对。“毕竟，”我说，“事情的线索可能还是在城里。”

Phelps gave a groan.
菲尔普斯发出一声呻吟。

“I don’t know how it is,” said he, “but I had hoped for so much from his return. But surely his hand was not tied up like that yesterday. What can be the matter?”
“我不知道是怎么回事，”他说，“但我对他的归来寄予了厚望。但他昨天手肯定没有那样包扎着。到底出了什么事？”

“You are not wounded, Holmes?” I asked, as my friend entered the room.
“你没受伤吧，福尔摩斯？”当朋友走进房间时我问道。

“Tut, it is only a scratch through my own clumsiness,” he answered, nodding his good-mornings to us. “This case of yours, Mr. Phelps, is certainly one of the darkest which I have ever investigated.”
“啧，只是因为我自己笨手笨脚划破了点皮，”他一边向我们点头问好一边回答，“菲尔普斯先生，你这个案子确实是我调查过的最棘手的案件之一。”

“I feared that you would find it beyond you.”
“我担心你会发现这超出了你的能力。”

“It has been a most remarkable experience.”
“这是一次非常奇特的经历。”

“That bandage tells of adventures,” said I. “Won’t you tell us what has happened?”
“那条绷带说明了有过冒险，”我说，“你不能告诉我们发生了什么吗？”

“After breakfast, my dear Watson. Remember that I have breathed thirty miles of Surrey air this morning. I suppose that there has been no answer from my cabman advertisement? Well, well, we cannot expect to score every time.”
“早饭后再说吧，亲爱的华生。记住我今天早上呼吸了三十英里的萨里郡空气。我想我的马车夫广告没有回音吧？好吧，好吧，我们不能指望每次都得分。”

The table was all laid, and just as I was about to ring Mrs. Hudson entered with the tea and coffee. A few minutes later she brought in three covers, and we all drew up to the table, Holmes ravenous, I curious, and Phelps in the gloomiest state of depression.
餐桌已经摆好，正当我要按铃时，赫德森太太端着茶和咖啡进来了。几分钟后她端来三份盖着的餐盘，我们都拉到桌边，福尔摩斯饥肠辘辘，我充满好奇，而菲尔普斯则处于极度沮丧的状态。

“Mrs. Hudson has risen to the occasion,” said Holmes, uncovering a dish of curried chicken. “Her cuisine is a little limited, but she has as good an idea of breakfast as a Scotch-woman. What have you here, Watson?”
“赫德森太太超水平发挥了，”福尔摩斯揭开一盘咖喱鸡说道，“她的厨艺虽然有限，但对早餐的理解堪比苏格兰女人。你这是什么，华生？”

“Ham and eggs,” I answered.
“火腿蛋，”我回答。

“Good! What are you going to take, Mr. Phelps—curried fowl or eggs, or will you help yourself?”
“很好！菲尔普斯先生，你要吃什么——咖喱鸡还是鸡蛋，或者你自己来？”

“Thank you. I can eat nothing,” said Phelps.
“谢谢。我吃不下任何东西，”菲尔普斯说。

“Oh, come! Try the dish before you.”
“哦，来吧！尝尝面前的菜吧。”

“Thank you, I would really rather not.”
“谢谢，我真的不想吃。”

“Well, then,” said Holmes, with a mischievous twinkle, “I suppose that you have no objection to helping me?”
“那好吧，”福尔摩斯眼中闪过一丝狡黠的光芒，“我想你不介意帮我掀开盖子吧？”

Phelps raised the cover, and as he did so he uttered a scream, and sat there staring with a face as white as the plate upon which he looked. Across the centre of it was lying a little cylinder of blue-grey paper. He caught it up, devoured it with his eyes, and then danced madly about the room, pressing it to his bosom and shrieking out in his delight. Then he fell back into an armchair so limp and exhausted with his own emotions that we had to pour brandy down his throat to keep him from fainting.
菲尔普斯掀开盖子，就在这时他尖叫了一声，坐在那里盯着盘子，脸色白得像盘子一样。盘子中央横躺着一个蓝灰色的小纸卷。他一把抓起它，贪婪地盯着看，然后在房间里疯狂地跳舞，把它紧紧贴在胸口，欣喜若狂地尖叫着。随后他瘫倒在扶手椅里，因情绪激动而浑身无力、筋疲力尽，我们不得不往他喉咙里灌白兰地以防他晕倒。

“There! there!” said Holmes, soothing, patting him upon the shoulder. “It was too bad to spring it on you like this, but Watson here will tell you that I never can resist a touch of the dramatic.”
“好了！好了！”福尔摩斯安慰道，拍着他的肩膀，“这样突然给你惊喜确实不太好，但华生会告诉你，我总是忍不住想来点戏剧性效果。”

Phelps seized his hand and kissed it. “God bless you!” he cried. “You have saved my honour.”
菲尔普斯抓住他的手亲吻起来。“上帝保佑您！”他叫道，“您挽救了我的名誉。”

“Well, my own was at stake, you know,” said Holmes. “I assure you it is just as hateful to me to fail in a case as it can be to you to blunder over a commission.”
“嗯，你知道，我自己的名誉也岌岌可危，”福尔摩斯说，“我向你保证，办案失败对我来说就像你搞砸任务一样令人厌恶。”

Phelps thrust away the precious document into the innermost pocket of his coat.
菲尔普斯把这份珍贵的文件塞进外套最里面的口袋里。

“I have not the heart to interrupt your breakfast any further, and yet I am dying to know how you got it and where it was.”
“我不忍心再打扰你们吃早饭了，但我迫切想知道你是怎么得到的，它在哪里。”

Sherlock Holmes swallowed a cup of coffee, and turned his attention to the ham and eggs. Then he rose, lit his pipe, and settled himself down into his chair.
夏洛克·福尔摩斯喝下一杯咖啡，把注意力转向火腿蛋。然后他站起身，点燃烟斗，在椅子上坐定。

“I’ll tell you what I did first, and how I came to do it afterwards,” said he. “After leaving you at the station I went for a charming walk through some admirable Surrey scenery to a pretty little village called Ripley, where I had my tea at an inn, and took the precaution of filling my flask and of putting a paper of sandwiches in my pocket. There I remained until evening, when I set off for Woking again, and found myself in the high-road outside Briarbrae just after sunset.”
“我先告诉你我做了什么，然后再解释为什么这么做，”他说，“在车站送走你们后，我去欣赏了萨里郡迷人的风景，步行到了一个叫里普利的美丽小村庄，在一家旅馆喝了茶，并谨慎地灌满了酒壶、在口袋里装了一包三明治。我在那里待到傍晚，然后再次出发前往沃金，日落刚过就到了布莱尔布雷庄园外的大路上。”

“Well, I waited until the road was clear—it is never a very frequented one at any time, I fancy—and then I clambered over the fence into the grounds.”
“嗯，我等到路上没人——我想这条路任何时候都不算繁忙——然后翻过栅栏进入了庄园。”

“Surely the gate was open!” ejaculated Phelps.
“大门肯定是开着的吧！”菲尔普斯脱口而出。

“Yes, but I have a peculiar taste in these matters. I chose the place where the three fir-trees stand, and behind their screen I got over without the least chance of any one in the house being able to see me. I crouched down among the bushes on the other side, and crawled from one to the other—witness the disreputable state of my trouser knees—until I had reached the clump of rhododendrons just opposite to your bedroom window. There I squatted down and awaited developments.”
“是的，但在这类事情上我有独特的偏好。我选择了三棵枞树矗立的地方，在它们的掩护下翻了过去，屋里的人根本不可能看到我。我在另一侧的灌木丛中蹲下，从一个灌木丛爬到另一个——看看我裤膝盖这副狼狈样就知道了——直到抵达正对着你卧室窗户的那丛杜鹃花旁。我蹲在那里等待事态发展。”

“The blind was not down in your room, and I could see Miss Harrison sitting there reading by the table. It was quarter-past ten when she closed her book, fastened the shutters, and retired.”
“你房间的窗帘没有拉下，我能看到哈里森小姐坐在桌旁看书。十点一刻她合上书，关好百叶窗，退了出去。”

“I heard her shut the door, and felt quite sure that she had turned the key in the lock.”
“我听到她关门的声音，确信她已经转动钥匙锁上了门。”

“The key!” ejaculated Phelps.
“钥匙！”菲尔普斯惊呼。

“Yes; I had given Miss Harrison instructions to lock the door on the outside and take the key with her when she went to bed. She carried out every one of my injunctions to the letter, and certainly without her co-operation you would not have that paper in your coat-pocket. She departed then and the lights went out, and I was left squatting in the rhododendron-bush.”
“是的；我指示哈里森小姐从外面锁上门，并在去睡觉时带走钥匙。她一丝不苟地执行了我的每一项指令，如果没有她的配合，你外套口袋里就不会有那份文件。然后她离开了，灯熄灭了，我独自蹲在杜鹃花丛中。”

“The night was fine, but still it was a very weary vigil. Of course it has the sort of excitement about it that the sportsman feels when he lies beside the water-course and waits for the big game. It was very long, though—almost as long, Watson, as when you and I waited in that deadly room when we looked into the little problem of the Speckled Band. There was a church-clock down at Woking which struck the quarters, and I thought more than once that it had stopped. At last however about two in the morning, I suddenly heard the gentle sound of a bolt being pushed back and the creaking of a key. A moment later the servants’ door was opened, and Mr. Joseph Harrison stepped out into the moonlight.”
“夜色很好，但这仍然是一次令人疲惫的守候。当然，这其中有一种猎人在水边潜伏等待大型猎物时所感受到的兴奋感。不过时间很长——华生，几乎和我们调查斑点带子案时在那个致命房间里等待的时间一样长。沃金镇上有座教堂钟会报刻，我不止一次以为它停了。然而终于在凌晨两点左右，我突然听到了轻轻推开门栓的声音和钥匙转动的吱呀声。片刻之后，仆人用的门打开了，约瑟夫·哈里森先生走进了月光中。”

“Joseph!” ejaculated Phelps.
“约瑟夫！”菲尔普斯惊呼。

“He was bare-headed, but he had a black coat thrown over his shoulder so that he could conceal his face in an instant if there were any alarm. He walked on tiptoe under the shadow of the wall, and when he reached the window he worked a long-bladed knife through the sash and pushed back the catch. Then he flung open the window, and putting his knife through the crack in the shutters, he thrust the bar up and swung them open.”
“他没戴帽子，但肩上披着一件黑色外套，以便在有警报时能瞬间遮住脸。他踮着脚尖沿着墙根的阴影走去，到达窗户时用一把长刃刀插进窗框缝隙拨开了窗钩。然后他猛地推开窗户，把刀伸进百叶窗的裂缝，顶起横杠将它们打开。”

“From where I lay I had a perfect view of the inside of the room and of every one of his movements. He lit the two candles which stood upon the mantelpiece, and then he proceeded to turn back the corner of the carpet in the neighbourhood of the door. Presently he stopped and picked out a square piece of board, such as is usually left to enable plumbers to get at the joints of the gas-pipes. This one covered, as a matter of fact, the T joint which gives off the pipe which supplies the kitchen underneath. Out of this hiding-place he drew that little cylinder of paper, pushed down the board, rearranged the carpet, blew out the candles, and walked straight into my arms as I stood waiting for him outside the window.”
“从我躺卧的位置，我能完美地看到房间内的情景和他的每一个动作。他点燃了壁炉架上的两支蜡烛，然后掀起门附近的地毯一角。不一会儿他停下来，抠出一块方形木板，这种板通常是留给水管工检修煤气管接头用的。事实上，这块板覆盖着通往楼下厨房的煤气管T型接头。他从这个藏匿处抽出那个小纸卷，按下木板，铺好地毯，吹灭蜡烛，然后径直走进了站在窗外等候的我的怀抱。”

“Well, he has rather more viciousness than I gave him credit for, has Master Joseph. He flew at me with his knife, and I had to grasp him twice, and got a cut over the knuckles, before I had the upper hand of him. He looked murder out of the only eye he could see with when we had finished, but he listened to reason and gave up the papers. Having got them I let my man go, but I wired full particulars to Forbes this morning. If he is quick enough to catch his bird, well and good. But if, as I shrewdly suspect, he finds the nest empty before he gets there, why, all the better for the government. I fancy that Lord Holdhurst for one, and Mr. Percy Phelps for another, would very much rather that the affair never got as far as a police-court.”
“嗯，约瑟夫少爷比我想象的还要凶狠。他拿着刀向我扑来，我不得不两次擒拿他，指关节还被划了一道口子，才制服了他。当我们结束时，他用那只还能看见的眼睛恶狠狠地瞪着我，但他听取了劝告交出了文件。拿到文件后我放了他，但今天早上我给福布斯发了详细电报。如果他动作够快抓住了那只鸟，那很好。但如果像我敏锐猜测的那样，他在赶到之前发现巢穴已空，嗯，这对政府来说反而更好。我想无论是霍尔德赫斯特勋爵还是珀西·菲尔普斯先生，都非常不愿意让这件事闹到法庭上去。”

“My God!” gasped our client. “Do you tell me that during these long ten weeks of agony the stolen papers were within the very room with me all the time?”
“天哪！”我们的委托人喘着气说，“你是说在这漫长痛苦的十周里，被盗的文件一直就在我所在的这个房间里？”

“So it was.”
“确实如此。”

“And Joseph! Joseph a villain and a thief!”
“还有约瑟夫！约瑟夫竟然是个恶棍和小偷！”

“Hum! I am afraid Joseph’s character is a rather deeper and more dangerous one than one might judge from his appearance. From what I have heard from him this morning, I gather that he has lost heavily in dabbling with stocks, and that he is ready to do anything on earth to better his fortunes. Being an absolutely selfish man, when a chance presented itself he did not allow either his sister’s happiness or your reputation to hold his hand.”
“哼！恐怕约瑟夫的品格比他外表看起来更深沉、更危险。从今天早上我从他那里听到的情况来看，我推测他在股票投机中损失惨重，为了改善财运他什么都干得出来。作为一个极端自私的人，当机会出现时，无论是妹妹的幸福还是你的名誉都无法阻止他下手。”

Percy Phelps sank back in his chair. “My head whirls,” said he. “Your words have dazed me.”
珀西·菲尔普斯瘫靠在椅子上。“我的头都晕了，”他说，“你的话让我目瞪口呆。”

“The principal difficulty in your case,” remarked Holmes, in his didactic fashion, “lay in the fact of there being too much evidence. What was vital was overlaid and hidden by what was irrelevant. Of all the facts which were presented to us we had to pick just those which we deemed to be essential, and then piece them together in their order, so as to reconstruct this very remarkable chain of events. I had already begun to suspect Joseph, from the fact that you had intended to travel home with him that night, and that therefore it was a likely enough thing that he should call for you, knowing the Foreign Office well, upon his way. When I heard that some one had been so anxious to get into the bedroom, in which no one but Joseph could have concealed anything—you told us in your narrative how you had turned Joseph out when you arrived with the doctor—my suspicions all changed to certainties, especially as the attempt was made on the first night upon which the nurse was absent, showing that the intruder was well acquainted with the ways of the house.”
“你这个案子的主要困难，”福尔摩斯以说教的口吻评论道，“在于证据太多。关键信息被无关信息掩盖和隐藏了。在所有呈现给我们的事实中，我们必须挑选出我们认为必要的，然后按顺序将它们拼凑起来，以重建这一系列非凡的事件。当你提到原本打算当晚和他一起回家时，我就已经开始怀疑约瑟夫了，因此他很可能会顺路去找你，毕竟他对外交部很熟悉。当我听说有人急于进入卧室，而除了约瑟夫之外没人能在里面藏东西——你在叙述中提到过你和医生到达时是如何把约瑟夫赶出去的——我的怀疑就变成了确信，尤其是闯入企图发生在护士不在的第一个晚上，这表明入侵者对房子的情况了如指掌。”

“How blind I have been!”
“我真是太盲目了！”

“The facts of the case, as far as I have worked them out, are these: this Joseph Harrison entered the office through the Charles Street door, and knowing his way he walked straight into your room the instant after you left it. Finding no one there he promptly rang the bell, and at the instant that he did so his eyes caught the paper upon the table. A glance showed him that chance had put in his way a State document of immense value, and in an instant he had thrust it into his pocket and was gone. A few minutes elapsed, as you remember, before the sleepy commissionaire drew your attention to the bell, and those were just enough to give the thief time to make his escape.”
“据我分析，案件的事实是这样的：约瑟夫·哈里森从查尔斯街的门进入办公室，因为熟悉路线，在你离开后立刻走进了你的房间。发现没人后他立刻按了铃，就在那一瞬间他的目光落在了桌上的文件上。一眼看去他就知道命运让他偶遇了一份价值连城的国家文件，刹那间他便将其塞入口袋逃之夭夭。正如你所记得的，在那个昏昏欲睡的杂役提醒你注意铃声之前，已经过去了几分钟，而这刚好给了窃贼足够的时间逃脱。”

“He made his way to Woking by the first train, and having examined his booty and assured himself that it really was of immense value, he had concealed it in what he thought was a very safe place, with the intention of taking it out again in a day or two, and carrying it to the French embassy, or wherever he thought that a long price was to be had. Then came your sudden return. He, without a moment’s warning, was bundled out of his room, and from that time onward there were always at least two of you there to prevent him from regaining his treasure. The situation to him must have been a maddening one. But at last he thought he saw his chance. He tried to steal in, but was baffled by your wakefulness. You remember that you did not take your usual draught that night.”
“他乘第一班火车回到沃金，检查了战利品并确认其确实价值连城后，便将其藏在一个他认为非常安全的地方，打算一两天后再取出来，送到法国大使馆或任何他认为能卖高价的地方。然后你突然回来了。他在毫无预警的情况下被赶出了房间，从此以后房间里总是至少有两个人，使他无法取回宝藏。这种情况对他来说一定是令人抓狂的。但最终他以为看到了机会。他试图潜入，却被你的警觉挫败了。你还记得那天晚上你没有服用惯常的药水。”

“I remember.”
“我记得。”

“I fancy that he had taken steps to make that draught efficacious, and that he quite relied upon your being unconscious. Of course, I understood that he would repeat the attempt whenever it could be done with safety. Your leaving the room gave him the chance he wanted. I kept Miss Harrison in it all day so that he might not anticipate us. Then, having given him the idea that the coast was clear, I kept guard as I have described. I already knew that the papers were probably in the room, but I had no desire to rip up all the planking and skirting in search of them. I let him take them, therefore, from the hiding-place, and so saved myself an infinity of trouble. Is there any other point which I can make clear?”
“我想他采取了措施使药水生效，并且完全指望你会失去意识。当然，我明白只要安全他就会再次尝试。你离开房间给了他想要的机会。我让哈里森小姐整天待在房间里，以免他抢先行动。然后，在让他以为风头已过之后，我如前所述进行了守卫。我已经知道文件很可能在房间里，但我不想为了寻找它们而撬开所有的地板和踢脚线。因此，我让他自己从藏匿处取出文件，从而省去了自己无数的麻烦。还有什么需要我解释清楚的吗？”

“Why did he try the window on the first occasion,” I asked, “when he might have entered by the door?”
“为什么他第一次尝试从窗户进来，”我问，“明明可以从门进去？”

“In reaching the door he would have to pass seven bedrooms. On the other hand, he could get out on to the lawn with ease. Anything else?”
“要到门口他必须经过七个卧室。另一方面，他可以轻松地从窗户跳到草坪上。还有其他问题吗？”

“You do not think,” asked Phelps, “that he had any murderous intention? The knife was only meant as a tool.”
“你不认为，”菲尔普斯问，“他有杀人意图吗？那把刀只是作为工具使用的。”

“It may be so,” answered Holmes, shrugging his shoulders. “I can only say for certain that Mr. Joseph Harrison is a gentleman to whose mercy I should be extremely unwilling to trust.”
“也许是吧，”福尔摩斯耸耸肩回答，“我只能肯定地说，约瑟夫·哈里森先生是一位我极不情愿将自己的安危托付给他的绅士。”