1.Silver Blaze 银色马
The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes / 福尔摩斯回忆录
《福尔摩斯回忆录》
“I am afraid, Watson, that I shall have to go,” said Holmes, as we sat down together to our breakfast one morning.
“恐怕我得走一趟了，华生，”一天早上我们一起吃早餐时，福尔摩斯说道。
“Go! Where to?”
“走！去哪儿？”
“To Dartmoor; to King’s Pyland.”
“去达特穆尔；去金斯皮兰。”
I was not surprised. Indeed, my only wonder was that he had not already been mixed up in this extraordinary case, which was the one topic of conversation through the length and breadth of England.
我并不感到惊讶。事实上，我唯一纳闷的是他怎么还没有卷入这桩离奇的案件，这可是全英国上下谈论的唯一话题。
For a whole day my companion had rambled about the room with his chin upon his chest and his brows knitted, charging and recharging his pipe with the strongest black tobacco, and absolutely deaf to any of my questions or remarks.
整整一天，我的同伴都在房间里踱来踱去，下巴抵着胸口，眉头紧锁，不停地往烟斗里填装最烈的黑烟草，对我的任何提问或评论都充耳不闻。
Fresh editions of every paper had been sent up by our news agent, only to be glanced over and tossed down into a corner.
报贩送来了各种报纸的最新版本，但他只是瞥了一眼就扔到了角落里。
Yet, silent as he was, I knew perfectly well what it was over which he was brooding.
然而，尽管他沉默不语，我却完全清楚他在深思什么。
There was but one problem before the public which could challenge his powers of analysis, and that was the singular disappearance of the favourite for the Wessex Cup, and the tragic murder of its trainer.
公众面前只有一个难题能挑战他的分析能力，那就是韦塞克斯杯夺冠热门马匹的离奇失踪，以及其驯马师的悲惨遇害。
When, therefore, he suddenly announced his intention of setting out for the scene of the drama it was only what I had both expected and hoped for.
因此，当他突然宣布打算前往案发地点时，这正是我所预料和期盼的。
“I should be most happy to go down with you if I should not be in the way,” said I.
“如果我不碍事的话，我很乐意和你一起去，”我说。
“My dear Watson, you would confer a great favour upon me by coming. And I think that your time will not be misspent, for there are points about the case which promise to make it an absolutely unique one.”
“亲爱的华生，你能同去真是帮了我大忙。而且我想你的时间不会白费，因为这个案子有些特点注定使它成为绝无仅有的案例。”
“We have, I think, just time to catch our train at Paddington, and I will go further into the matter upon our journey. You would oblige me by bringing with you your very excellent field-glass.”
“我想我们还来得及赶上帕丁顿车站的火车，途中我会详细谈谈这件事。麻烦你带上你那副极好的双筒望远镜。”
And so it happened that an hour or so later I found myself in the corner of a first-class carriage flying along en route for Exeter, while Sherlock Holmes, with his sharp, eager face framed in his ear-flapped travelling-cap, dipped rapidly into the bundle of fresh papers which he had procured at Paddington.
大约一小时后，我发现自己坐在开往埃克塞特的一等车厢角落里飞驰前行，而夏洛克·福尔摩斯戴着一顶护耳旅行帽，衬托出他那敏锐热切的面庞，正飞快地翻阅他在帕丁顿买到的一捆新报纸。
We had left Reading far behind us before he thrust the last one of them under the seat, and offered me his cigar-case.
直到我们把雷丁远远抛在身后，他才把最后一份报纸塞到座位下，递给我雪茄盒。
“We are going well,” said he, looking out the window and glancing at his watch. “Our rate at present is fifty-three and a half miles an hour.”
“我们跑得很快，”他看着窗外又瞥了一眼手表说道，“现在的时速是五十三英里半。”
“I have not observed the quarter-mile posts,” said I.
“我没注意四分之一英里的路标，”我说。
“Nor have I. But the telegraph posts upon this line are sixty yards apart, and the calculation is a simple one.”
“我也没注意。但这条线路上的电报杆间距是六十码，计算起来很简单。”
“I presume that you have looked into this matter of the murder of John Straker and the disappearance of Silver Blaze?”
“我想你已经研究过约翰·斯特雷克被杀和‘银色马’失踪的事了吧？”
“I have seen what the Telegraph and the Chronicle have to say.”
“我看过了《电讯报》和《纪事报》的报道。”
“It is one of those cases where the art of the reasoner should be used rather for the sifting of details than for the acquiring of fresh evidence.”
“这是那种推理艺术更应用于筛选细节而非获取新证据的案件之一。”
“The tragedy has been so uncommon, so complete and of such personal importance to so many people, that we are suffering from a plethora of surmise, conjecture, and hypothesis.”
“这场悲剧如此罕见、如此完整，且对这么多人有切身利害关系，导致我们被过多的猜测、臆想和假设所淹没。”
“The difficulty is to detach the framework of fact—of absolute undeniable fact—from the embellishments of theorists and reporters.”
“难点在于从理论家和记者的渲染中剥离出事实的框架——绝对无可辩驳的事实。”
“Then, having established ourselves upon this sound basis, it is our duty to see what inferences may be drawn and what are the special points upon which the whole mystery turns.”
“然后，在这个可靠的基础上，我们的职责就是看看能得出什么推论，以及整个谜团的关键点在哪里。”
“On Tuesday evening I received telegrams from both Colonel Ross, the owner of the horse, and from Inspector Gregory, who is looking after the case, inviting my co-operation.”
“周二晚上，我收到了马主罗斯上校和负责此案的格雷戈里警探的电报，邀请我协助调查。”
“Tuesday evening!” I exclaimed. “And this is Thursday morning. Why didn’t you go down yesterday?”
“周二晚上！”我惊呼道，“可现在是周四早上了。你昨天为什么不去？”
“Because I made a blunder, my dear Watson—which is, I am afraid, a more common occurrence than any one would think who only knew me through your memoirs.”
“因为我犯了个错误，亲爱的华生——恐怕这种事比那些只通过你的回忆录了解我的人所想象的要常见得多。”
“The fact is that I could not believe it possible that the most remarkable horse in England could long remain concealed, especially in so sparsely inhabited a place as the north of Dartmoor.”
“事实是，我无法相信英国最著名的赛马能长时间被藏匿，尤其是在达特穆尔北部这样人烟稀少的地方。”
“From hour to hour yesterday I expected to hear that he had been found, and that his abductor was the murderer of John Straker.”
“昨天我一直盼着听到马被找到的消息，并以为绑架者就是杀害约翰·斯特雷克的凶手。”
“When, however, another morning had come, and I found that beyond the arrest of young Fitzroy Simpson nothing had been done, I felt that it was time for me to take action.”
“然而，当又一个早晨来临，我发现除了逮捕年轻的菲茨罗伊·辛普森外毫无进展时，我觉得是时候采取行动了。”
“Yet in some ways I feel that yesterday has not been wasted.”
“不过在某些方面，我觉得昨天并没有浪费。”
“You have formed a theory, then?”
“那么你已经形成了一套理论？”
“At least I have got a grip of the essential facts of the case. I shall enumerate them to you, for nothing clears up a case so much as stating it to another person, and I can hardly expect your co-operation if I do not show you the position from which we start.”
“至少我已经掌握了案件的基本事实。我来给你列举一下，因为向别人陈述案情最能理清思路，而且如果不让你了解我们的起点，我也很难指望你的配合。”
I lay back against the cushions, puffing at my cigar, while Holmes, leaning forward, with his long, thin forefinger checking off the points upon the palm of his left hand, gave me a sketch of the events which had led to our journey.
我靠在椅垫上抽着雪茄，而福尔摩斯身子前倾，用细长的食指在左手掌心逐一核对要点，向我概述了导致我们此行的一系列事件。
“Silver Blaze,” said he, “is from the Isonomy stock, and holds as brilliant a record as his famous ancestor.”
“‘银色马’，”他说，“出自艾索诺米血统，拥有与其著名祖先一样辉煌的战绩。”
“He is now in his fifth year, and has brought in turn each of the prizes of the turf to Colonel Ross, his fortunate owner.”
“它现在五岁，已接连为它的幸运马主罗斯上校赢得了赛马场上的各项大奖。”
“Up to the time of the catastrophe he was the first favourite for the Wessex Cup, the betting being three to one on him.”
“在灾难发生前，它是韦塞克斯杯的头号热门，赔率为三比一。”
“He has always, however, been a prime favourite with the racing public, and has never yet disappointed them, so that even at those odds enormous sums of money have been laid upon him.”
“然而，它一直是赛马观众的最爱，从未让他们失望，所以即使在这样的赔率下，仍有巨额资金押在它身上。”
“It is obvious, therefore, that there were many people who had the strongest interest in preventing Silver Blaze from being there at the fall of the flag next Tuesday.”
“因此显而易见，许多人有极大的利益动机阻止‘银色马’参加下周二的比赛。”
“The fact was, of course, appreciated at King’s Pyland, where the Colonel’s training-stable is situated.”
“这一点在罗斯上校的训练马厩所在地金斯皮兰当然也被意识到了。”
“Every precaution was taken to guard the favourite. The trainer, John Straker, is a retired jockey who rode in Colonel Ross’s colours before he became too heavy for the weighing-chair.”
“人们采取了各种预防措施来保护这匹热门马。驯马师约翰·斯特雷克是一名退役骑师，在体重超标无法参赛前曾代表罗斯上校出战。”
“He has served the Colonel for five years as jockey and for seven as trainer, and has always shown himself to be a zealous and honest servant.”
“他为上校当了五年骑师和七年驯马师，一直表现得热情而忠诚。”
“Under him were three lads; for the establishment was a small one, containing only four horses in all.”
“他手下有三个马童；因为这是一个小型马场，总共只有四匹马。”
“One of these lads sat up each night in the stable, while the others slept in the loft. All three bore excellent characters.”
“每晚由一名马童在马厩守夜，其余两人睡在阁楼上。这三个人的品行都很好。”
“John Straker, who is a married man, lived in a small villa about two hundred yards from the stables.”
“已婚的约翰·斯特雷克住在距离马厩约两百码的一栋小别墅里。”
“He has no children, keeps one maid-servant, and is comfortably off.”
“他没有孩子，雇了一名女佣，生活还算宽裕。”
“The country round is very lonely, but about half a mile to the north there is a small cluster of villas which have been built by a Tavistock contractor for the use of invalids and others who may wish to enjoy the pure Dartmoor air.”
“周围乡村非常荒凉，但在北面约半英里处有一小片别墅群，是由塔维斯托克的一位承包商建造的，供病人及其他希望享受达特穆尔清新空气的人居住。”
“Tavistock itself lies two miles to the west, while across the moor, also about two miles distant, is the larger training establishment of Mapleton, which belongs to Lord Backwater, and is managed by Silas Brown.”
“塔维斯托克镇本身在西面两英里处，而在荒原对面同样约两英里远的地方，是属于巴克沃特勋爵的更大的梅普尔顿训练马场，由赛拉斯·布朗管理。”
“In every other direction the moor is a complete wilderness, inhabited only by a few roaming gypsies.”
“其他方向的荒原则是一片完全的荒野，只有少数流浪的吉普赛人居住。”
“Such was the general situation last Monday night when the catastrophe occurred.”
“这就是上周一晚灾难发生时的大致情况。”
“On that evening the horses had been exercised and watered as usual, and the stables were locked up at nine o’clock.”
“那天晚上，马匹像往常一样进行了遛弯和饮水，九点钟马厩上了锁。”
“Two of the lads walked up to the trainer’s house, where they had supper in the kitchen, while the third, Ned Hunter, remained on guard.”
“两名马童走到驯马师家，在厨房吃了晚饭，而第三名马童内德·亨特留下来看守。”
“At a few minutes after nine the maid, Edith Baxter, carried down to the stables his supper, which consisted of a dish of curried mutton.”
“九点过几分，女佣伊迪丝·巴克斯特把晚饭送到马厩，是一盘咖喱羊肉。”
“She took no liquid, as there was a water-tap in the stables, and it was the rule that the lad on duty should drink nothing else.”
“她没有带饮料，因为马厩里有水龙头，而且规定值班的马童只能喝水。”
“The maid carried a lantern with her, as it was very dark and the path ran across the open moor.”
“女佣提着灯笼，因为天很黑，小路穿过开阔的荒原。”
“Edith Baxter was within thirty yards of the stables, when a man appeared out of the darkness and called to her to stop.”
“伊迪丝·巴克斯特走到离马厩不到三十码的地方时，一个男人从黑暗中现身叫住了她。”
“As he stepped into the circle of yellow light thrown by the lantern she saw that he was a person of gentlemanly bearing, dressed in a grey suit of tweeds, with a cloth cap.”
“当他走进灯笼投下的黄色光圈时，她看到他举止像个绅士，穿着灰色粗花呢套装，戴着布帽。”
“He wore gaiters, and carried a heavy stick with a knob to it.”
“他打着绑腿，手里拿着一根带圆头的沉重手杖。”
“She was most impressed, however, by the extreme pallor of his face and by the nervousness of his manner.”
“然而，给她印象最深的是他脸色极度苍白，神情紧张。”
“His age, she thought, would be rather over thirty than under it.”
“她觉得他的年纪应该三十出头。”
“‘Can you tell me where I am?’ he asked. ‘I had almost made up my mind to sleep on the moor, when I saw the light of your lantern.’”
“‘你能告诉我这是哪儿吗？’他问，‘看到你的灯光前，我差点决定就在荒原上过夜了。’”
“‘You are close to the King’s Pyland training-stables,’ said she.”
“‘你靠近金斯皮兰训练马场，’她说。”
“‘Oh, indeed! What a stroke of luck!’ he cried. ‘I understand that a stable-boy sleeps there alone every night. Perhaps that is his supper which you are carrying to him.’”
“‘哦，真的吗！运气真好！’他叫道，‘听说每晚有个马童独自睡在那里。也许你手里端的就是给他的晚饭吧。’”
“‘Now I am sure that you would not be too proud to earn the price of a new dress, would you?’ He took a piece of white paper folded up out of his waistcoat pocket.”
“‘我相信你不会清高到不愿赚一件新裙子的钱，对吧？’他从马甲口袋里掏出一张折好的白纸。”
“‘See that the boy has this to-night, and you shall have the prettiest frock that money can buy.’”
“‘确保这孩子今晚收到这个，你就能得到用钱能买到的最漂亮的裙子。’”
“She was frightened by the earnestness of his manner, and ran past him to the window through which she was accustomed to hand the meals.”
“被他急切的态度吓坏了，她跑过他身边，来到平时递饭的窗口。”
“It was already opened, and Hunter was seated at the small table inside.”
“窗户已经打开，亨特正坐在里面的小桌旁。”
“She had begun to tell him of what had happened, when the stranger came up again.”
“她刚开始告诉他发生的事，那个陌生人又走了过来。”
“‘Good-evening,’ said he, looking through the window. ‘I wanted to have a word with you.’”
“‘晚上好，’他透过窗户说，‘我想跟你说句话。’”
“The girl has sworn that as he spoke she noticed the corner of the little paper packet protruding from his closed hand.”
“女孩发誓说，在他说话时，她注意到那个小纸包的一角从他紧握的手中露了出来。”
“‘What business have you here?’ asked the lad.”
“‘你来这儿干什么？’马童问道。”
“‘It’s business that may put something into your pocket,’ said the other.”
“‘是能让你口袋里进账的生意，’对方说。”
“‘You’ve two horses in for the Wessex Cup—Silver Blaze and Bayard. Let me have the straight tip and you won’t be a loser.’”
“‘你们有两匹马参加韦塞克斯杯——银色马和贝亚德。给我确切的内幕消息，你就不会亏本。’”
“‘Is it a fact that at the weights Bayard could give the other a hundred yards in five furlongs, and that the stable have put their money on him?’”
“‘是不是真的按负重算，贝亚德在五弗隆能让另一匹马一百码，而且马场把钱都押在它身上了？’”
“‘So, you’re one of those damned touts!’ cried the lad. ‘I’ll show you how we serve them in King’s Pyland.’”
“‘原来你是那些该死的赛马探子！’马童喊道，‘让你看看我们在金斯皮兰是怎么对付这种人的。’”
“He sprang up and rushed across the stable to unloose the dog.”
“他跳起来冲过马厩去解开狗绳。”
“The girl fled away to the house, but as she ran she looked back and saw that the stranger was leaning through the window.”
“女孩逃回屋子，但跑的时候回头看了一眼，看见陌生人正趴在窗户上。”
“A minute later, however, when Hunter rushed out with the hound he was gone, and though he ran all round the buildings he failed to find any trace of him.”
“然而一分钟后，当亨特带着猎犬冲出来时，那人已经不见了，尽管他绕着建筑物跑了一圈，也没找到任何踪迹。”
“One moment,” I asked. “Did the stable-boy, when he ran out with the dog, leave the door unlocked behind him?”
“等一下，”我问，“马童带着狗跑出去时，身后的门没锁吗？”
“Excellent, Watson, excellent!” murmured my companion. “The importance of the point struck me so forcibly that I sent a special wire to Dartmoor yesterday to clear the matter up.”
“问得好，华生，问得好！”我的同伴低声说，“这个问题的重要性让我印象深刻，所以我昨天特意发了封电报到达特穆尔去核实此事。”
“The boy locked the door before he left it. The window, I may add, was not large enough for a man to get through.”
“那孩子离开前锁了门。补充一点，窗户太小，大人钻不进去。”
“Hunter waited until his fellow-grooms had returned, when he sent a message to the trainer and told him what had occurred.”
“亨特等到同伴们回来，才派人给驯马师送信，讲述了发生的事。”
“Straker was excited at hearing the account, although he does not seem to have quite realized its true significance.”
“斯特雷克听到汇报后很激动，尽管他似乎没有完全意识到其真正的严重性。”
“It left him, however, vaguely uneasy, and Mrs. Straker, waking at one in the morning, found that he was dressing.”
“但这让他隐隐不安，凌晨一点斯特雷克太太醒来时发现他正在穿衣服。”
“In reply to her inquiries, he said that he could not sleep on account of his anxiety about the horses, and that he intended to walk down to the stables to see that all was well.”
“面对她的询问，他说因为担心马匹睡不着，打算去马厩看看一切是否安好。”
“She begged him to remain at home, as she could hear the rain pattering against the window, but in spite of her entreaties he pulled on his large mackintosh and left the house.”
“她恳求他留在家里，因为她听到雨点拍打着窗户，但他不顾她的哀求，穿上大雨衣离开了家。”
“Mrs. Straker awoke at seven in the morning, to find that her husband had not yet returned.”
“早上七点斯特雷克太太醒来，发现丈夫还没回来。”
“She dressed herself hastily, called the maid, and set off for the stables.”
“她匆忙穿好衣服，叫上女佣，赶往马厩。”
“The door was open; inside, huddled together upon a chair, Hunter was sunk in a state of absolute stupor, the favourite’s stall was empty, and there were no signs of his trainer.”
“门开着；在里面，亨特蜷缩在椅子上陷入深度昏迷，热门马的马厩空了，驯马师也不见踪影。”
“The two lads who slept in the chaff-cutting loft above the harness-room were quickly aroused.”
“睡在挽具室上方切草阁楼里的两个马童很快被叫醒。”
“They had heard nothing during the night, for they are both sound sleepers.”
“他们夜里什么都没听见，因为他们都睡得很沉。”
“Hunter was obviously under the influence of some powerful drug, and as no sense could be got out of him, he was left to sleep it off while the two lads and the two women ran out in search of the absentees.”
“亨特显然受了某种强效药物的影响，既然问不出什么，就让他继续睡着，两个马童和两个女人跑出去寻找失踪的人。”
“They still had hopes that the trainer had for some reason taken out the horse for early exercise, but on ascending the knoll near the house, from which all the neighbouring moors were visible, they not only could see no signs of the missing favourite, but they perceived something which warned them that they were in the presence of a tragedy.”
“他们仍抱有希望，以为驯马师出于某种原因牵马去晨练了，但当爬上房子附近可以俯瞰周围荒原的小山丘时，他们不仅没看到失踪名马的迹象，反而看到了警示他们悲剧发生的东西。”
“About a quarter of a mile from the stables John Straker’s overcoat was flapping from a furze-bush.”
“在离马厩约四分之一英里的地方，约翰·斯特雷克的大衣挂在一丛荆豆灌木上随风飘动。”
“Immediately beyond there was a bowl-shaped depression in the moor, and at the bottom of this was found the dead body of the unfortunate trainer.”
“紧接着那边有一个碗状的洼地，在底部发现了这位不幸驯马师的尸体。”
“His head had been shattered by a savage blow from some heavy weapon, and he was wounded on the thigh, where there was a long, clean cut, inflicted evidently by some very sharp instrument.”
“他的头部被某种重器猛击而碎裂，大腿也受了伤，有一道长长的整齐切口，显然是某种极锋利的器具造成的。”
“It was clear, however, that Straker had defended himself vigorously against his assailants, for in his right hand he held a small knife, which was clotted with blood up to the handle, while in his left he clasped a red and black silk cravat, which was recognised by the maid as having been worn on the preceding evening by the stranger who had visited the stables.”
“然而很明显，斯特雷克曾奋力反抗袭击者，因为他右手握着一把小刀，刀柄以下都凝结着血块，左手则紧抓着一条红黑相间的丝领巾，女佣认出那是昨晚造访马厩的陌生人戴过的。
“Hunter, on recovering from his stupor, was also quite positive as to the ownership of the cravat.”
“亨特从昏迷中苏醒后，也十分肯定那条领巾的归属。”
“He was equally certain that the same stranger had, while standing at the window, drugged his curried mutton, and so deprived the stables of their watchman.”
“他同样确信就是那个陌生人站在窗边时，在他的咖喱羊肉里下了药，从而使马厩失去了看守。
“As to the missing horse, there were abundant proofs in the mud which lay at the bottom of the fatal hollow that he had been there at the time of the struggle.”
“至于失踪的马，在那个致命洼地底部的泥土中有充分证据证明它在搏斗时曾在现场。
“But from that morning he has disappeared, and although a large reward has been offered, and all the gypsies of Dartmoor are on the alert, no news has come of him.”
“但从那天早上起它就消失了，尽管悬赏丰厚，且达特穆尔所有的吉普赛人都提高了警惕，却依然杳无音信。
“Finally, an analysis has shown that the remains of his supper left by the stable-lad contain an appreciable quantity of powdered opium, while the people at the house partook of the same dish on the same night without any ill effect.”
“最后，化验显示马童剩下的晚餐残羹中含有相当数量的鸦片粉，而屋里其他人当晚吃了同样的菜却没有任何不良反应。
“Those are the main facts of the case, stripped of all surmise, and stated as baldly as possible.”
“以上就是案件的主要事实，剔除了所有猜测，尽可能直白地陈述出来。
“I shall now recapitulate what the police have done in the matter.”
“现在我来概述一下警方在此事中的行动。
“Inspector Gregory, to whom the case has been committed, is an extremely competent officer.”
“负责此案的格雷戈里警探是一位极其称职的警官。
“Were he but gifted with imagination he might rise to great heights in his profession.”
“如果他再有几分想象力，或许能在职业生涯中达到更高的高度。
“On his arrival he promptly found and arrested the man upon whom suspicion naturally rested.”
“他一到达就迅速找到并逮捕了自然受到怀疑的那个人。
“There was little difficulty in finding him, for he inhabited one of those villas which I have mentioned.”
“找到他并不难，因为他就住在我刚才提到的那些别墅中的一栋里。
“His name, it appears, was Fitzroy Simpson.”
“他的名字似乎是菲茨罗伊·辛普森。
“He was a man of excellent birth and education, who had squandered a fortune upon the turf, and who lived now by doing a little quiet and genteel book-making in the sporting clubs of London.”
“他出身良好，受过优良教育，曾在赛马场上挥霍了一笔财富，如今靠在伦敦体育俱乐部做些低调体面的赌注登记为生。
“An examination of his betting-book shows that bets to the amount of five thousand pounds had been registered by him against the favourite.”
“检查他的赌注簿发现，他登记了五千英镑赌热门马输。
“On being arrested he volunteered the statement that he had come down to Dartmoor in the hope of getting some information about the King’s Pyland horses, and also about Desborough, the second favourite, which was in charge of Silas Brown at the Mapleton stables.”
“被捕后他主动供述，他来达特穆尔是希望能获得关于金斯皮兰马匹的一些信息，以及关于第二热门马德斯伯勒的消息，后者由梅普尔顿马场的赛拉斯·布朗负责。
“He did not attempt to deny that he had acted as described upon the evening before, but declared that he had no sinister designs, and had simply wished to obtain first-hand information.”
“他没有试图否认前一晚的行为，但声称自己没有恶意，只是想获取第一手资料。
“When confronted with his cravat, he turned very pale, and was utterly unable to account for its presence in the hand of the murdered man.”
“当面对他的领巾时，他脸色变得煞白，完全无法解释为何它会出现在死者手中。
“His wet clothing showed that he had been out in the storm of the night before, and his stick, which was a Penang-lawyer weighted with lead, was just such a weapon as might, by repeated blows, have inflicted the terrible injuries to which the trainer had succumbed.”
“他湿透的衣服表明他在前夜的暴风雨中外出过，他的手杖是一根灌铅的槟榔木棍，正是这样一种武器，通过反复击打可能造成驯马师致死的那种可怕伤害。
“On the other hand, there was no wound upon his person, while the state of Straker’s knife would show that one at least of his assailants must bear his mark upon him.”
“另一方面，他身上没有伤口，而斯特雷克刀上的状况表明，至少有一名袭击者身上应该留有刀痕。
“There you have it all in a nutshell, Watson, and if you can give me any light I shall be infinitely obliged to you.”
“简而言之就是这样，华生，如果你能给我任何启发，我将感激不尽。”
I had listened with the greatest interest to the statement which Holmes, with characteristic clearness, had laid before me.
我怀着极大的兴趣听完了福尔摩斯以其特有的清晰条理向我做的陈述。
Though most of the facts were familiar to me, I had not sufficiently appreciated their relative importance, nor their connection to each other.
虽然大多数事实我都熟悉，但我并未充分认识到它们的相对重要性及其相互联系。
“Is it not possible,” I suggested, “that the incised wound upon Straker may have been caused by his own knife in the convulsive struggles which follow any brain injury?”
“有没有可能，”我提出，“斯特雷克身上的割伤是在脑损伤后的痉挛挣扎中被自己的刀划伤的？”
“It is more than possible; it is probable,” said Holmes. “In that case one of the main points in favour of the accused disappears.”
“不仅可能，而且很可能，”福尔摩斯说，“那样的话，有利于被告的一个主要论点就不存在了。”
“And yet,” said I, “even now I fail to understand what the theory of the police can be.”
“可是，”我说，“即便如此，我还是不明白警方的理论是什么。”
“I am afraid that whatever theory we state has very grave objections to it,” returned my companion.
“恐怕无论我们提出什么理论都存在严重的反驳理由，”我的同伴回答。
“The police imagine, I take it, that this Fitzroy Simpson, having drugged the lad, and having in some way obtained a duplicate key, opened the stable door and took out the horse, with the intention, apparently, of kidnapping him altogether.”
“我想警方认为，这个菲茨罗伊·辛普森在给马童下药后，又设法弄到了备用钥匙，打开马厩门牵走了马，显然是想彻底把它偷走。
“His bridle is missing, so that Simpson must have put this on.”
“马笼头不见了，所以一定是辛普森给它戴上的。
“Then, having left the door open behind him, he was leading the horse away over the moor, when he was either met or overtaken by the trainer.”
“然后，他敞着门牵马穿过荒原，这时要么遇到了驯马师，要么被驯马师追上了。
“A row naturally ensued. Simpson beat out the trainer’s brains with his heavy stick without receiving any injury from the small knife which Straker used in self-defence, and then the thief either led the horse on to some secret hiding-place, or else it may have bolted during the struggle, and be now wandering out on the moors.”
“冲突自然随之爆发。辛普森用重手杖打碎了驯马师的脑袋，而自己未受斯特雷克用于自卫的小刀的任何伤害，随后窃贼要么把马牵到了某个秘密藏身处，要么马在搏斗中受惊逃跑，此刻正在荒原上游荡。
“That is the case as it appears to the police, and improbable as it is, all other explanations are more improbable still.”
“这就是警方眼中的案情，虽然不太可能，但其他所有解释都更加不可能。
“However, I shall very quickly test the matter when I am once upon the spot, and until then I cannot really see how we can get much further than our present position.”
“不过，一旦到了现场，我会很快验证此事，在此之前我真的看不出我们能比现状有更大进展。”
It was evening before we reached the little town of Tavistock, which lies, like the boss of a shield, in the middle of the huge circle of Dartmoor.
傍晚时分我们才抵达塔维斯托克小镇，它就像盾牌上的凸饰一样坐落在达特穆尔巨大圆圈的中心。
Two gentlemen were awaiting us in the station—the one a tall, fair man with lion-like hair and beard and curiously penetrating light blue eyes; the other a small, alert person, very neat and dapper, in a frock-coat and gaiters, with trim little side-whiskers and an eye-glass.
两位绅士在车站等我们——一位是个金发高个子男人，有着狮子般的须发和奇特锐利的浅蓝色眼睛；另一位身材矮小机警，衣着整洁时髦，穿着长礼服打着绑腿，留着修剪整齐的小鬓角，戴着单片眼镜。
The latter was Colonel Ross, the well-known sportsman; the other, Inspector Gregory, a man who was rapidly making his name in the English detective service.
后者是著名的体育爱好者罗斯上校；另一位是格雷戈里警探，一个在英国侦探界声名鹊起的人物。
“I am delighted that you have come down, Mr. Holmes,” said the Colonel. “The Inspector here has done all that could possibly be suggested, but I wish to leave no stone unturned in trying to avenge poor Straker and in recovering my horse.”
“很高兴您能来，福尔摩斯先生，”上校说，“这里的警探已经做了所有能想到的事，但我希望在为可怜的斯特雷克报仇和找回我的马这件事上不遗余力。”
“Have there been any fresh developments?” asked Holmes.
“有什么新进展吗？”福尔摩斯问。
“I am sorry to say that we have made very little progress,” said the Inspector. “We have an open carriage outside, and as you would no doubt like to see the place before the light fails, we might talk it over as we drive.”
“很遗憾我们进展甚微，”警探说，“外面有一辆敞篷马车，趁天还没黑您肯定想去看看现场，我们可以路上谈。”
A minute later we were all seated in a comfortable landau, and were rattling through the quaint old Devonshire city.
一分钟后我们都坐进了一辆舒适的四轮马车，嘎吱嘎吱地穿过这座古朴的德文郡老城。
Inspector Gregory was full of his case, and poured out a stream of remarks, while Holmes threw in an occasional question or interjection.
格雷戈里警探满脑子都是案子，滔滔不绝地发表看法，而福尔摩斯偶尔插个问题或感叹。
Colonel Ross leaned back with his arms folded and his hat tilted over his eyes, while I listened with interest to the dialogue of the two detectives.
罗斯上校双臂交叉靠在椅背上，帽子斜遮住眼睛，而我饶有兴致地听着两位侦探的对话。
Gregory was formulating his theory, which was almost exactly what Holmes had foretold in the train.
格雷戈里正在阐述他的理论，几乎与福尔摩斯在火车上预言的一模一样。
“The net is drawn pretty close round Fitzroy Simpson,” he remarked, “and I believe myself that he is our man.”
“针对菲茨罗伊·辛普森的包围圈已经收得很紧了，”他说，“我自己相信他就是我们要找的人。”
“At the same time I recognise that the evidence is purely circumstantial, and that some new development may upset it.”
“同时我也承认证据纯粹是间接的，某些新进展可能会推翻它。”
“How about Straker’s knife?”
“斯特雷克的刀怎么说？”
“We have quite come to the conclusion that he wounded himself in his fall.”
“我们已经得出结论，他是摔倒时划伤了自己的。”
“My friend Dr. Watson made that suggestion to me as we came down. If so, it would tell against this man Simpson.”
“我的朋友华生医生在路上也向我提出了这点。如果是这样，那就对辛普森不利了。”
“Undoubtedly. He has neither a knife nor any sign of a wound. The evidence against him is certainly very strong.”
“毫无疑问。他既没有刀也没有受伤的痕迹。对他不利的证据确实非常有力。”
“He had a great interest in the disappearance of the favourite. He lies under suspicion of having poisoned the stable-boy, he was undoubtedly out in the storm, he was armed with a heavy stick, and his cravat was found in the dead man’s hand.”
“他对热门马的失踪有重大利害关系。他被怀疑毒害了马童，无疑在暴风雨中外出了，携带着重手杖，而且他的领巾在死者手中被发现。”
“I really think we have enough to go before a jury.”
“我真的认为我们有足够的证据提交陪审团了。”
Holmes shook his head. “A clever counsel would tear it all to rags,” said he.
福尔摩斯摇了摇头。“一个精明的律师会把这一切撕得粉碎，”他说。
“Why should he take the horse out of the stable? If he wished to injure it why could he not do it there?”
“他为什么要把马牵出马厩？如果想伤害它，为什么不在那里动手？”
“Has a duplicate key been found in his possession? What chemist sold him the powdered opium?”
“在他身上发现备用钥匙了吗？哪家药店卖给他鸦片粉的？”
“Above all, where could he, a stranger to the district, hide a horse, and such a horse as this?”
“最重要的是，作为一个外地人，他能把马藏在哪里，而且是这么一匹名马？”
“What is his own explanation as to the paper which he wished the maid to give to the stable-boy?”
“对于他想让女佣交给马童的那张纸，他自己怎么解释？”
“He says that it was a ten-pound note. One was found in his purse.”
“他说那是一张十英镑钞票。在他钱包里确实发现了一张。”
“But your other difficulties are not so formidable as they seem. He is not a stranger to the district. He has twice lodged at Tavistock in the summer.”
“但您的其他疑点并不像看起来那么难以解决。他对这一带并不陌生。夏天他曾在塔维斯托克住过两次。”
“The opium was probably brought from London. The key, having served its purpose, would be hurled away.”
“鸦片可能是从伦敦带来的。钥匙用完之后就被扔掉了。”
“The horse may be at the bottom of one of the pits or old mines upon the moor.”
“马可能在荒原上的某个坑洞或废弃矿井底部。”
“What does he say about the cravat?”
“关于领巾他怎么说？”
“He acknowledges that it is his, and declares that he had lost it.”
“他承认是他的，并声称弄丢了。”
“But a new element has been introduced into the case which may account for his leading the horse from the stable.”
“但案件中引入了一个新因素，或许可以解释他把马牵出马厩的原因。”
Holmes pricked up his ears.
福尔摩斯竖起了耳朵。
“We have found traces which show that a party of gypsies encamped on Monday night within a mile of the spot where the murder took place.”
“我们发现痕迹表明，周一晚有一伙吉普赛人在距谋杀地点一英里内扎营。”
“On Tuesday they were gone. Now, presuming that there was some understanding between Simpson and these gypsies, might he not have been leading the horse to them when he was overtaken, and may they not have him now?”
“周二他们就走了。现在假设辛普森和这些吉普赛人之间有某种默契，他被追上时会不会正把马牵给他们，而现在马会不会在他们手里？”
“It is certainly possible.”
“这确实有可能。”
“The moor is being scoured for these gypsies. I have also examined every stable and out-house in Tavistock, and for a radius of ten miles.”
“目前正在荒原上搜寻这些吉普赛人。我还检查了塔维斯托克方圆十英里内的每一个马厩和外屋。”
“There is another training-stable quite close, I understand?”
“据我所知，附近还有一个训练马场？”
“Yes, and that is a factor which we must certainly not neglect. As Desborough, their horse, was second in the betting, they had an interest in the disappearance of the favourite.”
“是的，这也是我们绝不能忽视的因素。由于他们的马德斯伯勒是博彩中的第二名，他们对热门马的失踪也有利害关系。”
“Silas Brown, the trainer, is known to have had large bets upon the event, and he was no friend to poor Straker.”
“众所周知，驯马师赛拉斯·布朗在这次赛事上下了重注，而且他和可怜的斯特雷克关系不好。”
“We have, however, examined the stables, and there is nothing to connect him with the affair.”
“不过我们已经搜查了马厩，没有任何东西将他与此案联系起来。”
“And nothing to connect this man Simpson with the interests of the Mapleton stables?”
“也没有任何东西将辛普森此人与梅普尔顿马场的利益联系起来？”
“Nothing at all.”
“完全没有。”
Holmes leaned back in the carriage, and the conversation ceased.
福尔摩斯靠回马车椅背，谈话停止了。
A few minutes later our driver pulled up at a neat little red-brick villa with overhanging eaves which stood by the road.
几分钟后，车夫在路边一栋屋檐突出的精致小红砖别墅前停了下来。
Some distance off, across a paddock, lay a long grey-tiled out-building.
隔着一段距离，穿过围场，有一座铺着灰瓦的长形附属建筑。
In every other direction the low curves of the moor, bronze-coloured from the fading ferns, stretched away to the sky-line, broken only by the steeples of Tavistock, and by a cluster of houses away to the westward which marked the Mapleton stables.
在其他各个方向，荒原低缓的曲线因枯萎的蕨类而呈现青铜色，一直延伸到天际线，只有塔维斯托克的尖塔和西边远处标志梅普尔顿马场的一簇房屋打破了这片连绵。
We all sprang out with the exception of Holmes, who continued to lean back with his eyes fixed upon the sky in front of him, entirely absorbed in his own thoughts.
我们都跳下车，唯独福尔摩斯依旧靠在那里，双眼凝视着前方的天空，完全沉浸在自己的思绪中。
It was only when I touched his arm that he roused himself with a violent start and stepped out of the carriage.
直到我碰了碰他的胳膊，他才猛地惊醒，走下马车。
“Excuse me,” said he, turning to Colonel Ross, who had looked at him in some surprise. “I was day-dreaming.”
“抱歉，”他转向有些惊讶地看着他的罗斯上校说，“我在做白日梦。”
There was a gleam in his eyes and a suppressed excitement in his manner which convinced me, used as I was to his ways, that his hand was upon a clue, though I could not imagine where he had found it.
他眼中闪烁着光芒，举止中压抑着兴奋，这让我深信——鉴于我对他习惯的了解——他已经抓住了线索，尽管我无法想象他在哪里发现的。
“Perhaps you would prefer at once to go on to the scene of the crime, Mr. Holmes?” said Gregory.
“也许您想立刻前往犯罪现场，福尔摩斯先生？”格雷戈里问。
“I think that I should prefer to stay here a little and go into one or two questions of detail. Straker was brought back here, I presume?”
“我想我更愿意在这里稍作停留，探讨一两个细节问题。斯特雷克是被抬回这里的吧？”
“Yes; he lies upstairs. The inquest is to-morrow.”
“是的；他在楼上。验尸定于明天。”
“He has been in your service some years, Colonel Ross?”
“他在您手下服务多年了吧，罗斯上校？”
“I have always found him an excellent servant.”
“我一直觉得他是个出色的仆人。”
“I presume that you made an inventory of what he had in his pockets at the time of his death, Inspector?”
“我想您已经清点过他死时口袋里的物品了吧，警探？”
“I have the things themselves in the sitting-room, if you would care to see them.”
“实物就在客厅里，如果您想看的话。”
“I should be very glad.” We all filed into the front room and sat round the central table while the Inspector unlocked a square tin box and laid a small heap of things before us.
“我很乐意。”我们鱼贯走进前厅，围坐在中央桌子旁，警探打开一个方形锡盒，在我们面前摆出一小堆物品。
There was a box of vestas, two inches of tallow candle, an A.D.P. briar-root pipe, a pouch of seal-skin with half an ounce of long-cut Cavendish, a silver watch with a gold chain, five sovereigns in gold, an aluminium pencil-case, a few papers, and an ivory-handled knife with a very delicate, inflexible blade marked Weiss & Co., London.
有一盒火柴、两英寸长的牛脂蜡烛、一只A.D.P.石楠根烟斗、一个装着半盎司长切卡文迪许烟草的海豹皮烟袋、一块带金链的银表、五枚金镑、一个铝制铅笔盒、几张纸，以及一把象牙柄小刀，刀刃极薄且不可折叠，上面刻着“伦敦韦斯公司”。
“This is a very singular knife,” said Holmes, lifting it up and examining it minutely.
“这把刀非常特别，”福尔摩斯拿起它仔细端详道。
“I presume, as I see blood-stains upon it, that it is the one which was found in the dead man’s grasp.”
“既然上面有血迹，我想这就是在死者手中发现的那把。”
“Watson, this knife is surely in your line?”
“华生，这种刀你应该很熟悉吧？”
“It is what we call a cataract knife,” said I.
“这是我们所说的白内障手术刀，”我说。
“I thought so. A very delicate blade devised for very delicate work. A strange thing for a man to carry with him upon a rough expedition, especially as it would not shut in his pocket.”
“我就知道。这是一种专为精细手术设计的极薄刀片。一个人出门办这种粗事带着它很奇怪，尤其是它还折不起来放进口袋。”
“The tip was guarded by a disk of cork which we found beside his body,” said the Inspector.
“刀尖原本套着一个软木圆盘，我们在尸体旁找到了它，”警探说。
“His wife tells us that the knife had lain upon the dressing-table, and that he had picked it up as he left the room.”
“他妻子告诉我们，这把刀原本放在梳妆台上，是他离开房间时顺手拿起的。”
“It was a poor weapon, but perhaps the best that he could lay his hands on at the moment.”
“作为武器它太弱了，但也许是他当时能随手抓到的最好工具。”
“Very possible. How about these papers?”
“很有可能。这些纸张呢？”
“Three of them are receipted hay-dealers’ accounts. One of them is a letter of instructions from Colonel Ross.”
“其中三张是干草商已结账的账单。一张是罗斯上校的指示信。”
“This other is a milliner’s account for thirty-seven pounds fifteen made out by Madame Lesurier, of Bond Street, to William Derbyshire.”
“另一张是邦德街莱苏里耶夫人开给威廉·德比希尔的女帽店账单，金额为三十七英镑十五先令。”
“Mrs. Straker tells us that Derbyshire was a friend of her husband’s and that occasionally his letters were addressed here.”
“斯特雷克太太告诉我们，德比希尔是她丈夫的朋友，偶尔信件会寄到这里。”
“Madam Derbyshire had somewhat expensive tastes,” remarked Holmes, glancing down the account.
“德比希尔夫人的品味颇为奢侈，”福尔摩斯扫了一眼账单评论道。
“Twenty-two guineas is rather heavy for a single costume.”
“一套衣服二十二基尼未免太贵了。”
“However there appears to be nothing more to learn, and we may now go down to the scene of the crime.”
“不过看来没什么可学的了，我们现在可以去犯罪现场了。”
As we emerged from the sitting-room a woman, who had been waiting in the passage, took a step forward and laid her hand upon the Inspector’s sleeve.
当我们走出客厅时，一个一直在走廊等候的女人向前迈了一步，把手搭在警探的袖子上。
Her face was haggard and thin and eager, stamped with the print of a recent horror.
她面容憔悴消瘦，神情急切，印刻着近期遭遇恐怖的痕迹。
“Have you got them? Have you found them?” she panted.
“抓到他们了吗？找到了吗？”她气喘吁吁地问。
“No, Mrs. Straker. But Mr. Holmes here has come from London to help us, and we shall do all that is possible.”
“还没有，斯特雷克太太。但这位福尔摩斯先生专程从伦敦赶来帮忙，我们会尽一切努力。”
“Surely I met you in Plymouth at a garden-party some little time ago, Mrs. Straker?” said Holmes.
“斯特雷克太太，前段时间我肯定在普利茅斯的一次花园派对上见过您吧？”福尔摩斯说。
“No, sir; you are mistaken.”
“不，先生；您认错人了。”
“Dear me! Why, I could have sworn to it. You wore a costume of dove-coloured silk with ostrich-feather trimming.”
“天哪！我可以发誓没错。您穿了一套鸽灰色丝绸长裙，配有鸵鸟羽毛饰边。”
“I never had such a dress, sir,” answered the lady.
“我从来没有那样的裙子，先生，”女士回答。
“Ah, that quite settles it,” said Holmes. And with an apology he followed the Inspector outside.
“啊，这就清楚了，”福尔摩斯说。道了声歉后，他跟着警探走到了外面。
A short walk across the moor took us to the hollow in which the body had been found.
穿过荒原走了一小段路，我们就来到了发现尸体的洼地。
At the brink of it was the furze-bush upon which the coat had been hung.
洼地边缘就是挂着大衣的那丛荆豆灌木。
“There was no wind that night, I understand,” said Holmes.
“据说那天晚上没有风，”福尔摩斯说。
“None; but very heavy rain.”
“没有；但雨下得很大。”
“In that case the overcoat was not blown against the furze-bush, but placed there.”
“既然如此，大衣不是被风吹到灌木上的，而是被人放在那里的。”
“Yes, it was laid across the bush.”
“是的，它是被搭在灌木上的。”
“You fill me with interest, I perceive that the ground has been trampled up a good deal. No doubt many feet have been here since Monday night.”
“你让我充满了兴趣，我注意到地面被踩踏得很厉害。毫无疑问，自周一晚以来有许多人来过这里。”
“A piece of matting has been laid here at the side, and we have all stood upon that.”
“旁边铺了一块垫子，我们都站在上面。”
“Excellent.”
“很好。”
“In this bag I have one of the boots which Straker wore, one of Fitzroy Simpson’s shoes, and a cast horseshoe of Silver Blaze.”
“这个袋子里有斯特雷克穿的一只靴子、菲茨罗伊·辛普森的一只鞋，以及‘银色马’的一个蹄铁模型。”
“My dear Inspector, you surpass yourself!” Holmes took the bag, and, descending into the hollow, he pushed the matting into a more central position.
“亲爱的警探，你真是超越了自己！”福尔摩斯接过袋子，下到洼地里，把垫子推到更中心的位置。
Then stretching himself upon his face and leaning his chin upon his hands, he made a careful study of the trampled mud in front of him.
然后他趴在地上，下巴抵着双手，仔细研究面前被踩烂的泥土。
“Hullo!” said he, suddenly. “What’s this?” It was a wax vesta half burned, which was so coated with mud that it looked at first like a little chip of wood.
“咦！”他突然说道，“这是什么？”这是一根烧了一半的蜡火柴，上面裹满了泥，乍一看像一小片木屑。
“I cannot think how I came to overlook it,” said the Inspector, with an expression of annoyance.
“我真想不通怎么会漏掉它，”警探一脸懊恼地说。
“It was invisible, buried in the mud. I only saw it because I was looking for it.”
“它埋在泥里看不见。我是因为特意找它才看到的。”
“What! You expected to find it?”
“什么！你料到会找到它？”
“I thought it not unlikely.”
“我觉得并非不可能。”
He took the boots from the bag, and compared the impressions of each of them with marks upon the ground.
他从袋子里拿出靴子，将每只鞋的印痕与地面上的痕迹进行比对。
Then he clambered up to the rim of the hollow, and crawled about among the ferns and bushes.
然后他爬到洼地边缘，在蕨类和灌木丛中匍匐爬行。
“I am afraid that there are no more tracks,” said the Inspector. “I have examined the ground very carefully for a hundred yards in each direction.”
“恐怕没有其他足迹了，”警探说，“我已经非常仔细地检查了各个方向一百码内的地面。”
“Indeed!” said Holmes, rising. “I should not have the impertinence to do it again after what you say.”
“是吗！”福尔摩斯站起身说，“既然您这么说，我就不敢造次再查一遍了。”
“But I should like to take a little walk over the moor before it grows dark, that I may know my ground to-morrow, and I think that I shall put this horseshoe into my pocket for luck.”
“但我想趁天没黑在荒原上走走，以便熟悉明天的地形，我想把这个蹄铁装进口袋讨个吉利。”
Colonel Ross, who had shown some signs of impatience at my companion’s quiet and systematic method of work, glanced at his watch.
罗斯上校对我同伴沉稳系统的工作方式流露出些许不耐烦，他看了看表。
“I wish you would come back with me, Inspector,” said he. “There are several points on which I should like your advice, and especially as to whether we do not owe it to the public to remove our horse’s name from the entries for the Cup.”
“希望您能跟我回去，警探，”他说，“有几个问题我想听听您的建议，特别是我们是否有义务为了公众利益将我们的马从杯赛名单中撤下。”
“Certainly not,” cried Holmes, with decision. “I should let the name stand.”
“当然不必，”福尔摩斯果断地喊道，“应该保留名字。”
The Colonel bowed. “I am very glad to have had your opinion, sir,” said he.
上校鞠了一躬。“很高兴能得到您的意见，先生，”他说。
“You will find us at poor Straker’s house when you have finished your walk, and we can drive together into Tavistock.”
“您散完步可以到可怜的斯特雷克家找我们，我们可以一起坐车去塔维斯托克。”
He turned back with the Inspector, while Holmes and I walked slowly across the moor.
他和警探转身回去了，而福尔摩斯和我则在荒原上缓步前行。
The sun was beginning to sink behind the stables of Mapleton, and the long, sloping plain in front of us was tinged with gold, deepening into rich, reddy browns where the faded ferns and brambles caught the evening light.
太阳开始在梅普尔顿马场后方下沉，面前长长的斜坡平原染上了一层金色，枯萎的蕨类和荆棘在夕照下呈现出浓郁的红褐色。
But the glories of the landscape were all wasted upon my companion, who was sunk in the deepest thought.
但这壮丽的景色对我的同伴来说全然白费，他正陷入深深的沉思之中。
“It’s this way, Watson,” said he at last. “We may leave the question of who killed John Straker for the instant, and confine ourselves to finding out what has become of the horse.”
“是这样的，华生，”他终于开口了，“我们可以暂时搁置谁杀了约翰·斯特雷克的问题，先专注于查明马的下落。”
“Now, supposing that he broke away during or after the tragedy, where could he have gone to? The horse is a very gregarious creature.”
“假设它在悲剧发生时或之后挣脱跑了，它能去哪儿呢？马是非常群居的动物。”
“If left to himself his instincts would have been either to return to King’s Pyland or go over to Mapleton.”
“如果任由其本能，它要么回到金斯皮兰，要么跑去梅普尔顿。”
“Why should he run wild upon the moor? He would surely have been seen by now.”
“它为什么要在荒原上乱跑？到现在肯定早就被人看见了。”
“And why should gypsies kidnap him? These people always clear out when they hear of trouble, for they do not wish to be pestered by the police.”
“吉普赛人为什么要绑架它？这些人一听说出事就会溜之大吉，因为他们不想被警察纠缠。”
“They could not hope to sell such a horse. They would run a great risk and gain nothing by taking him. Surely that is clear.”
“他们不可能指望卖掉这样一匹马。带走它风险极大且一无所获。这一点显而易见。”
“Where is he, then?”
“那它在哪儿呢？”
“I have already said that he must have gone to King’s Pyland or to Mapleton. He is not at King’s Pyland. Therefore he is at Mapleton.”
“我已经说过它必定去了金斯皮兰或梅普尔顿。它不在金斯皮兰。因此它在梅普尔顿。”
“Let us take that as a working hypothesis and see what it leads us to.”
“让我们以此为工作假设，看看能推导出什么。”
“This part of the moor, as the Inspector remarked, is very hard and dry. But it falls away towards Mapleton, and you can see from here that there is a long hollow over yonder, which must have been very wet on Monday night.”
“正如警探所言，这部分荒原非常坚硬干燥。但地势向梅普尔顿方向倾斜，从这里可以看到那边有一条长洼地，周一晚上那里一定非常潮湿。”
“If our supposition is correct, then the horse must have crossed that, and there is the point where we should look for his tracks.”
“如果我们的推测正确，马必定穿过了那里，那就是我们应该寻找蹄印的地方。”
We had been walking briskly during this conversation, and a few more minutes brought us to the hollow in question.
我们在交谈中走得很快，几分钟后就到达了那条洼地。
At Holmes’ request I walked down the bank to the right, and he to the left, but I had not taken fifty paces before I heard him give a shout, and saw him waving his hand to me.
应福尔摩斯的要求，我沿右侧坡岸走下去，他走左侧，但我还没走出五十步就听到他喊了一声，并看见他向我挥手。
The track of a horse was plainly outlined in the soft earth in front of him, and the shoe which he took from his pocket exactly fitted the impression.
在他面前松软的泥土上清晰地印着马蹄印，他从口袋里掏出的蹄铁与印痕完全吻合。
“See the value of imagination,” said Holmes. “It is the one quality which Gregory lacks.”
“看到了想象力的价值了吧，”福尔摩斯说，“这正是格雷戈里所缺乏的品质。”
“We imagined what might have happened, acted upon the supposition, and find ourselves justified. Let us proceed.”
“我们设想了可能发生的情况，据此行动，结果证明是正确的。继续前进吧。”
We crossed the marshy bottom and passed over a quarter of a mile of dry, hard turf.
我们穿过沼泽底部，走过了四分之一英里的干硬草地。
Again the ground sloped, and again we came on the tracks.
地势再次倾斜，我们又发现了蹄印。
Then we lost them for half a mile, but only to pick them up once more quite close to Mapleton.
随后蹄印消失了半英里，但在靠近梅普尔顿的地方又重新出现了。
It was Holmes who saw them first, and he stood pointing with a look of triumph upon his face.
福尔摩斯最先看到，他站在那里指着前方，脸上带着胜利的神情。
A man’s track was visible beside the horse’s.
马蹄印旁边可见一个人的脚印。
“The horse was alone before,” I cried.
“之前马是独自走的，”我喊道。
“Quite so. It was alone before. Hullo, what is this?”
“没错。之前确实是单独的。咦，这是什么？”
The double track turned sharp off and took the direction of King’s Pyland.
双重足迹急转弯，朝着金斯皮兰的方向延伸。
Holmes whistled, and we both followed along after it.
福尔摩斯吹了声口哨，我们俩顺着足迹跟了过去。
His eyes were on the trail, but I happened to look a little to one side, and saw to my surprise the same tracks coming back again in the opposite direction.
他盯着踪迹，而我碰巧往旁边看了一眼，惊讶地发现同样的足迹又从反方向折了回来。
“One for you, Watson,” said Holmes, when I pointed it out. “You have saved us a long walk, which would have brought us back on our own traces. Let us follow the return track.”
“记你一功，华生，”当我指出来时福尔摩斯说，“你省了我们一大段路，否则我们会绕回自己的脚印上。跟着返回的足迹走吧。”
We had not to go far. It ended at the paving of asphalt which led up to the gates of the Mapleton stables.
我们没走多远。足迹终止于通往梅普尔顿马场大门的柏油路上。
As we approached, a groom ran out from them.
当我们走近时，一个马夫从里面跑了出来。
“We don’t want any loiterers about here,” said he.
“我们这儿不允许闲人逗留，”他说。
“I only wished to ask a question,” said Holmes, with his finger and thumb in his waistcoat pocket.
“我只是想问个问题，”福尔摩斯说着，手指捏着马甲口袋里的东西。
“Should I be too early to see your master, Mr. Silas Brown, if I were to call at five o’clock to-morrow morning?”
“如果我明早五点来拜访您的主人赛拉斯·布朗先生，会不会太早？”
“Bless you, sir, if any one is about he will be, for he is always the first stirring.”
“老天爷，先生，只要有人醒着那肯定是他，他总是第一个起床的。”
“But here he is, sir, to answer your questions for himself. No, sir, no; it is as much as my place is worth to let him see me touch your money. Afterwards, if you like.”
“不过他来了，先生，您可以亲自问他。不，先生，不行；要是让他看见我拿您的钱，我这饭碗就砸了。过后如果您愿意的话再说。”
As Sherlock Holmes replaced the half-crown which he had drawn from his pocket, a fierce-looking elderly man strode out from the gate with a hunting-crop swinging in his hand.
正当夏洛克·福尔摩斯把刚从口袋里掏出的半克朗硬币放回去时，一个面相凶狠的老人大步跨出大门，手里挥舞着猎鞭。
“What’s this, Dawson!” he cried. “No gossiping! Go about your business! And you, what the devil do you want here?”
“怎么回事，道森！”他吼道，“不许闲聊！干你的活去！还有你，你到底来这儿干什么？”
“Ten minutes’ talk with you, my good sir,” said Holmes in the sweetest of voices.
“只想占用您十分钟时间，好先生，”福尔摩斯用最甜美的声音说道。
“I’ve no time to talk to every gadabout. We want no strangers here. Be off, or you may find a dog at your heels.”
“我没工夫跟每个游手好闲的人聊天。我们不欢迎陌生人。快走，不然小心狗咬你的脚后跟。”
Holmes leaned forward and whispered something in the trainer’s ear.
福尔摩斯凑上前去，在驯马师耳边低语了几句。
He started violently and flushed to the temples.
对方猛地一惊，太阳穴涨得通红。
“It’s a lie!” he shouted, “an infernal lie!”
“胡说八道！”他咆哮道，“简直是弥天大谎！”
“Very good. Shall we argue about it here in public or talk it over in your parlour?”
“很好。我们是当众争论，还是去您客厅里谈？”
“Oh, come in if you wish to.”
“噢，想进来就进来吧。”
Holmes smiled. “I shall not keep you more than a few minutes, Watson,” said he. “Now, Mr. Brown, I am quite at your disposal.”
福尔摩斯微微一笑。“我只需几分钟，华生，”他说，“好了，布朗先生，悉听尊便。”
It was twenty minutes, and the reds had all faded into greys before Holmes and the trainer reappeared.
二十分钟过去了，晚霞的红晕已褪成灰暗，福尔摩斯和驯马师才重新出现。
Never have I seen such a change as had been brought about in Silas Brown in that short time.
我从未见过有人在如此短的时间内发生像赛拉斯·布朗这样巨大的变化。
His face was ashy pale, beads of perspiration shone upon his brow, and his hands shook until the hunting-crop wagged like a branch in the wind.
他面色灰白，额头上汗珠闪烁，双手颤抖得连猎鞭都像风中的树枝一样摇晃。
His bullying, overbearing manner was all gone too, and he cringed along at my companion’s side like a dog with its master.
他那欺软怕硬、盛气凌人的架势也荡然无存，像条狗跟在主人身边一样卑躬屈膝地挨着我的同伴走着。
“Your instructions will be done. It shall all be done,” said he.
“您的指示一定会照办。一切都会办妥的，”他说。
“There must be no mistake,” said Holmes, looking round at him. The other winced as he read the menace in his eyes.
“绝不能出错，”福尔摩斯回头看着他说道。对方读懂了他眼中的威胁，不禁畏缩了一下。
“Oh no, there shall be no mistake. It shall be there. Should I change it first or not?”
“哦不，绝不会出错。它一定会在那儿。我要不要先给它换个样子？”
Holmes thought a little and then burst out laughing. “No, don’t,” said he; “I shall write to you about it. No tricks, now, or—”
福尔摩斯想了想，随即放声大笑。“不，别换，”他说，“我会写信告诉你。别耍花招，否则——”
“Oh, you can trust me, you can trust me!”
“噢，您可以信任我，绝对信任我！”
“Yes, I think I can. Well, you shall hear from me to-morrow.” He turned upon his heel, disregarding the trembling hand which the other held out to him, and we set off for King’s Pyland.
“是的，我想我可以。好吧，明天你会收到我的信。”他转过身去，无视对方伸出的颤抖的手，我们便启程前往金斯皮兰。
“A more perfect compound of the bully, coward, and sneak than Master Silas Brown I have seldom met with,” remarked Holmes as we trudged along together.
“像赛拉斯·布朗这种集恶霸、懦夫和无赖于一身的极品，我还真少见，”我们在艰难跋涉时福尔摩斯评论道。
“He has the horse, then?”
“这么说马在他那儿？”
“He tried to bluster out of it, but I described to him so exactly what his actions had been upon that morning that he is convinced that I was watching him.”
“他本想虚张声势蒙混过关，但我把他那天早上的行动描述得丝毫不差，让他确信我一直在监视他。”
“Of course you observed the peculiarly square toes in the impressions, and that his own boots exactly corresponded to them.”
“你当然注意到了足迹中方头鞋印的特征，而他的靴子恰好与之吻合。”
“Again, of course no subordinate would have dared to do such a thing.”
“再者，手下人当然不敢做这种事。”
“I described to him how, when according to his custom he was the first down, he perceived a strange horse wandering over the moor.”
“我向他描述了他如何像往常一样第一个下楼，发现一匹陌生的马在荒原上游荡。”
“How he went out to it, and his astonishment at recognising, from the white forehead which has given the favourite its name, that chance had put in his power the only horse which could beat the one upon which he had put his money.”
“他如何走过去，并在认出那赋予热门马名字的白色额头时大吃一惊，意识到命运竟将那匹唯一能击败他押注马匹的名驹送到了他手中。”
“Then I described how his first impulse had been to lead him back to King’s Pyland, and how the devil had shown him how he could hide the horse until the race was over, and how he had led it back and concealed it at Mapleton.”
“接着我描述了他最初的冲动本是把它牵回金斯皮兰，但邪念让他想到了如何在赛前藏匿这匹马，以及他如何将其牵回并藏在梅普尔顿。”
“When I told him every detail he gave it up and thought only of saving his own skin.”
“当我讲出每一个细节时，他彻底放弃了抵抗，只想保全自己。”
“But his stables had been searched?”
“但他的马厩已经被搜查过了啊？”
“Oh, an old horse-faker like him has many a dodge.”
“噢，像他这样的老马贩子有的是花招。”
“But are you not afraid to leave the horse in his power now, since he has every interest in injuring it?”
“但现在把马留在他手里你不担心吗？毕竟他有充分的动机去伤害它。”
“My dear fellow, he will guard it as the apple of his eye. He knows that his only hope of mercy is to produce it safe.”
“亲爱的朋友，他会像爱护眼珠子一样守护它。他知道获得宽恕的唯一希望就是完好无损地交出马匹。”
“Colonel Ross did not impress me as a man who would be likely to show much mercy in any case.”
“罗斯上校给我的印象可不是那种轻易宽恕别人的人。”
“The matter does not rest with Colonel Ross. I follow my own methods, and tell as much or as little as I choose.”
“这事不由罗斯上校说了算。我按自己的方法行事，想说多少就说多少。”
“That is the advantage of being unofficial. I don’t know whether you observed it, Watson, but the Colonel’s manner has been just a trifle cavalier to me.”
“这就是非官方身份的好处。不知你是否注意到，华生，上校对我不免有些傲慢。”
“I am inclined now to have a little amusement at his expense. Say nothing to him about the horse.”
“我现在倒想拿他寻寻开心。关于马的事对他只字不提。”
“Certainly not without your permission.”
“没有你的允许我当然不会说。”
“And of course this is all quite a minor point compared to the question of who killed John Straker.”
“当然，比起谁杀了约翰·斯特雷克这个问题，这一切都只是小事。”
“And you will devote yourself to that?”
“那你准备专心调查那个问题了？”
“On the contrary, we both go back to London by the night train.”
“恰恰相反，我们俩都要乘夜班火车回伦敦。”
I was thunderstruck by my friend’s words. We had only been a few hours in Devonshire, and that he should give up an investigation which he had begun so brilliantly was quite incomprehensible to me.
朋友的话让我目瞪口呆。我们在德文郡才待了几个小时，他竟然要放弃这个开局如此精彩的调查，这令我完全无法理解。
Not a word more could I draw from him until we were back at the trainer’s house.
直到回到驯马师家，我再也没能从嘴里套出一个字。
The Colonel and the Inspector were awaiting us in the parlour.
上校和警探正在客厅等我们。
“My friend and I return to town by the night-express,” said Holmes. “We have had a charming little breath of your beautiful Dartmoor air.”
“我和我的朋友将乘夜间快车回城，”福尔摩斯说，“我们已经领略了达特穆尔迷人的空气。”
The Inspector opened his eyes, and the Colonel’s lip curled in a sneer.
警探瞪大了眼睛，上校撇着嘴冷笑。
“So you despair of arresting the murderer of poor Straker,” said he.
“看来你对抓捕杀害可怜斯特雷克的凶手已经不抱希望了，”他说。
Holmes shrugged his shoulders. “There are certainly grave difficulties in the way,” said he.
福尔摩斯耸了耸肩。“确实存在严重困难，”他说。
“I have every hope, however, that your horse will start upon Tuesday, and I beg that you will have your jockey in readiness.”
“但我非常有信心您的马能在周二参赛，请您务必准备好骑师。”
“Might I ask for a photograph of Mr. John Straker?”
“能否给我一张约翰·斯特雷克先生的照片？”
The Inspector took one from an envelope and handed it to him.
警探从信封里取出一张递给了他。
“My dear Gregory, you anticipate all my wants. If I might ask you to wait here for an instant, I have a question which I should like to put to the maid.”
“亲爱的格雷戈里，你总是想在我前面。能否请你稍候片刻，我有几个问题想问问女佣。”
“I must say that I am rather disappointed in our London consultant,” said Colonel Ross, bluntly, as my friend left the room.
“坦白说，我对这位伦敦顾问相当失望，”我的朋友离开房间后，罗斯上校直言不讳地说。
“I do not see that we are any further than when he came.”
“我看我们比他来时没有任何进展。”
“At least you have his assurance that your horse will run,” said I.
“至少他保证您的马会参赛，”我说。
“Yes, I have his assurance,” said the Colonel, with a shrug of his shoulders. “I should prefer to have the horse.”
“是啊，我是得到了他的保证，”上校耸耸肩说，“但我更想要马本身。”
I was about to make some reply in defence of my friend when he entered the room again.
我正想替朋友辩解几句，他又回到了房间。
“Now, gentlemen,” said he, “I am quite ready for Tavistock.”
“好了，先生们，”他说，“我们可以出发去塔维斯托克了。”
As we stepped into the carriage one of the stable-lads held the door open for us.
当我们上车时，一名马童为我们扶着车门。
A sudden idea seemed to occur to Holmes, for he leaned forward and touched the lad upon the sleeve.
福尔摩斯似乎突然想起了什么，身子前倾碰了碰马童的袖子。
“You have a few sheep in the paddock,” he said. “Who attends to them?”
“你们围场里有几只羊，”他说，“谁负责照料它们？”
“I do, sir.”
“是我，先生。”
“Have you noticed anything amiss with them of late?”
“最近你有没有发现它们有什么异常？”
“Well, sir, not of much account; but three of them have gone lame, sir.”
“嗯，先生，没什么大不了的；不过有三只瘸了，先生。”
I could see that Holmes was extremely pleased, for he chuckled and rubbed his hands together.
我能看出福尔摩斯高兴极了，因为他轻笑出声并搓着双手。
“A long shot, Watson; a very long shot,” said he, pinching my arm.
“大胆的猜测，华生；非常大胆的猜测，”他掐着我的手臂说。
“Gregory, let me recommend to your attention this singular epidemic among the sheep. Drive on, coachman!”
“格雷戈里，提请你关注这场奇特的羊群流行病。走吧，车夫！”
Colonel Ross still wore an expression which showed the poor opinion which he had formed of my companion’s ability, but I saw by the Inspector’s face that his attention had been keenly aroused.
罗斯上校依然一脸不屑，显示出他对我同伴能力的低估，但我从警探的脸上看出他的注意力已被强烈激起。
“You consider that to be important?” he asked.
“你认为那很重要吗？”他问。
“Exceedingly so.”
“极其重要。”
“Is there any point to which you would wish to draw my attention?”
“还有什么需要我特别注意的吗？”
“To the curious incident of the dog in the night-time.”
“关于夜里狗的奇特事件。”
“The dog did nothing in the night-time.”
“狗在夜里什么也没做啊。”
“That was the curious incident,” remarked Sherlock Holmes.
“这正是奇特之处，”夏洛克·福尔摩斯评论道。
Four days later Holmes and I were again in the train, bound for Winchester to see the race for the Wessex Cup.
四天后，福尔摩斯和我再次坐上火车，前往温彻斯特观看韦塞克斯杯赛马。
Colonel Ross met us by appointment outside the station, and we drove in his drag to the course beyond the town.
罗斯上校如约在站外接我们，我们乘坐他的敞篷马车前往城外的赛场。
His face was grave, and his manner was cold in the extreme.
他神色凝重，态度极其冷淡。
“I have seen nothing of my horse,” said he.
“我还没见到我的马，”他说。
“I suppose that you would know him when you saw him?” asked Holmes.
“我想您见到它应该认得出来吧？”福尔摩斯问。
The Colonel was very angry. “I have been on the turf for twenty years, and never was asked such a question as that before,” said he.
上校非常生气。“我在赛马场混了二十年，以前从来没人问过这种问题，”他说。
“A child would know Silver Blaze, with his white forehead and his mottled off-foreleg.”
“连小孩都能认出‘银色马’，它有白色的额头和斑驳的右前腿。”
“How is the betting?”
“赔率如何？”
“Well, that is the curious part of it. You could have got fifteen to one yesterday, but the price has become shorter and shorter, until you can hardly get three to one now.”
“嗯，这正是奇怪的地方。昨天还能拿到十五比一的赔率，但赔率越来越低，现在连三比一都很难拿到了。”
“Hum!” said Holmes. “Somebody knows something, that is clear.”
“哼！”福尔摩斯说，“显然有人知道内情。”
As the drag drew up in the enclosure near the grand stand I glanced at the card to see the entries. It ran:—
当马车在大看台附近的围场停下时，我瞥了一眼赛程表上的参赛名单。上面写着：——
Wessex Plate. 50 sovs each h ft with 1000 sovs added for four and five year olds. Second, £300. Third, £200. New course (one mile and five furlongs).
韦塞克斯锦标。四五岁马参赛，报名费50索维林，加奖金1000索维林。亚军300英镑，季军200英镑。新赛道（一英里五弗隆）。
- Mr. Heath Newton’s The Negro (red cap, cinnamon jacket).
- 希思·牛顿先生的“黑人”（红帽，肉桂色上衣）。
- Colonel Wardlaw’s Pugilist (pink cap, blue and black jacket).
- 沃德劳上校的“拳击手”（粉帽，蓝黑相间上衣）。
- Lord Backwater’s Desborough (yellow cap and sleeves).
- 巴克沃特勋爵的“德斯伯勒”（黄帽黄袖）。
- Colonel Ross’s Silver Blaze (black cap, red jacket).
- 罗斯上校的“银色马”（黑帽，红外衣）。
- Duke of Balmoral’s Iris (yellow and black stripes).
- 巴尔莫拉尔公爵的“鸢尾花”（黄黑条纹）。
- Lord Singleford’s Rasper (purple cap, black sleeves).
- 辛格尔福德勋爵的“锉刀”（紫帽，黑袖）。
“We scratched our other one, and put all hopes on your word,” said the Colonel. “Why, what is that? Silver Blaze favourite?”
“我们撤下了另一匹马，把全部希望都寄托在你的话上了，”上校说，“咦，怎么回事？‘银色马’成了热门？”
“Five to four against Silver Blaze!” roared the ring. “Five to four against Silver Blaze! Five to fifteen against Desborough! Five to four on the field!”
“‘银色马’五比四！”博彩圈大声吆喝，“‘银色马’五比四！‘德斯伯勒’五比十五！全场五比四！”
“There are the numbers up,” I cried. “They are all six there.”
“号码挂出来了，”我喊道，“六匹马都在。”
“All six there? Then my horse is running,” cried the Colonel in great agitation. “But I don’t see him. My colours have not passed.”
“六匹都在？那我的马也在参赛，”上校激动地叫道，“但我没看见它。我的颜色还没经过。”
“Only five have passed. This must be he.”
“只过去了五匹。这肯定是它。”
As I spoke a powerful bay horse swept out from the weighing enclosure and cantered past us, bearing on its back the well-known black and red of the Colonel.
话音刚落，一匹强壮的栗色马从称重区飞奔而出，小跑着经过我们，背上披着上校那熟悉的黑红两色。
“That’s not my horse,” cried the owner. “That beast has not a white hair upon its body. What is this that you have done, Mr. Holmes?”
“那不是我的马，”马主叫道，“那畜生身上一根白毛都没有。你到底干了什么，福尔摩斯先生？”
“Well, well, let us see how he gets on,” said my friend, imperturbably. For a few minutes he gazed through my field-glass. “Capital! An excellent start!” he cried suddenly. “There they are, coming round the curve!”
“好了好了，看看它跑得怎么样吧，”我的朋友镇定自若地说。他用我的望远镜观察了几分钟。“太棒了！起跑极佳！”他突然喊道，“来了，过弯道了！”
From our drag we had a superb view as they came up the straight. Six horses were so close together that a carpet could have covered them, but half way up the yellow of the Mapleton stable showed to the front.
从马车上我们视野极佳，看着它们进入直道。六匹马紧紧咬在一起，一块地毯就能盖住它们，但在半程时梅普尔顿马场的黄色冲到了前面。
Before they reached us, however, Desborough’s bolt was shot, and the Colonel’s horse, coming away with a rush, passed the post a good six lengths before its rival, the Duke of Balmoral’s Iris making a bad third.
然而在到达我们面前之前，“德斯伯勒”已是强弩之末，而上校的马猛然加速冲刺，领先对手整整六个马身率先冲线，巴尔莫拉尔公爵的“鸢尾花”勉强拿了第三。
“It’s my race, anyhow,” gasped the Colonel, passing his hand over his eyes. “I confess that I can make neither head nor tail of it.”
“反正比赛是我的了，”上校喘着气，用手揉了揉眼睛，“坦白说我完全摸不着头脑。”
“Don’t you think that you have kept up your mystery long enough, Mr. Holmes?”
“您不觉得这哑谜打得够久了吗，福尔摩斯先生？”
“Certainly, Colonel, you shall know everything. Let us all go round and have a look at the horse together.”
“当然，上校，您会知道一切的。我们一起过去看看那匹马吧。”
“Here he is,” he continued, as we made our way into the weighing enclosure, where only owners and their friends find admittance.
“就在这儿，”当我们走进仅限马主及其友人进入的称重区时，他继续说道。
“You have only to wash his face and his leg in spirits of wine, and you will find that he is the same old Silver Blaze as ever.”
“您只需用酒精洗洗它的脸和腿，就会发现它依然是那匹老‘银色马’。”
“You take my breath away!”
“你真让我大吃一惊！”
“I found him in the hands of a faker, and took the liberty of running him just as he was sent over.”
“我发现它落在一个造假者手里，就擅自让它以伪装的样子参赛了。”
“My dear sir, you have done wonders. The horse looks very fit and well. It never went better in its life.”
“亲爱的先生，您创造了奇迹。这马看起来状态极佳。它这辈子从没跑得这么好过。”
“I owe you a thousand apologies for having doubted your ability. You have done me a great service by recovering my horse.”
“我曾怀疑您的能力，为此向您千倍道歉。您帮我找回了马，真是帮了大忙。”
“You would do me a greater still if you could lay your hands on the murderer of John Straker.”
“如果您能抓住杀害约翰·斯特雷克的凶手，那就是更大的恩惠了。”
“I have done so,” said Holmes quietly.
“我已经做到了，”福尔摩斯平静地说。
The Colonel and I stared at him in amazement. “You have got him! Where is he, then?”
上校和我惊讶地盯着他。“您抓到他了！他在哪儿？”
“He is here.”
“就在这里。”
“Here! Where?”
“这里！在哪儿？”
“In my company at the present moment.”
“此刻就在我身边。”
The Colonel flushed angrily. “I quite recognise that I am under obligations to you, Mr. Holmes,” said he, “but I must regard what you have just said as either a very bad joke or an insult.”
上校气得满脸通红。“我承认我欠您人情，福尔摩斯先生，”他说，“但我必须把您刚才的话视为恶劣的玩笑或侮辱。”
Sherlock Holmes laughed. “I assure you that I have not associated you with the crime, Colonel,” said he.
夏洛克·福尔摩斯笑了。“我向您保证，我没有把您和罪行联系在一起，上校，”他说。
“The real murderer is standing immediately behind you.” He stepped past and laid his hand upon the glossy neck of the thoroughbred.
“真正的凶手就站在您身后。”他迈步上前，把手搭在这匹纯种马光亮的脖子上。
“The horse!” cried both the Colonel and myself.
“是马！”上校和我异口同声地喊道。
“Yes, the horse. And it may lessen his guilt if I say that it was done in self-defence, and that John Straker was a man who was entirely unworthy of your confidence.”
“是的，是马。如果说它是出于自卫，且约翰·斯特雷克完全不值得您信任，或许能减轻它的罪责。”
“But there goes the bell, and as I stand to win a little on this next race, I shall defer a lengthy explanation until a more fitting time.”
“铃响了，既然我还想在下一场比赛中赢点小钱，详细的解释就留到更合适的时候再说吧。”
We had the corner of a Pullman car to ourselves that evening as we whirled back to London, and I fancy that the journey was a short one to Colonel Ross as well as to myself, as we listened to our companion’s narrative of the events which had occurred at the Dartmoor training-stables upon the Monday night, and the means by which he had unravelled them.
当晚回程伦敦时，我们包下了普尔曼车厢的一角，我想对罗斯上校和我来说旅程都很短暂，因为我们一直在倾听同伴讲述周一晚达特穆尔训练马场发生的事件，以及他解开谜团的方法。
“I confess,” said he, “that any theories which I had formed from the newspaper reports were entirely erroneous.”
“我承认，”他说，“我之前根据新闻报道形成的任何理论都是完全错误的。”
“And yet there were indications there, had they not been overlaid by other details which concealed their true import.”
“然而线索其实就在那里，只是被掩盖了其真实含义的其他细节所遮蔽了。”
“I went to Devonshire with the conviction that Fitzroy Simpson was the true culprit, although, of course, I saw that the evidence against him was by no means complete.”
“我去德文郡时确信菲茨罗伊·辛普森是真凶，尽管我当然看出对他不利的证据并不完整。”
“It was while I was in the carriage, just as we reached the trainer’s house, that the immense significance of the curried mutton occurred to me.”
“就在我们到达驯马师家、我还坐在马车里时，我突然意识到了咖喱羊肉的巨大意义。”
“You may remember that I was distrait, and remained sitting after you had all alighted. I was marvelling in my own mind how I could possibly have overlooked so obvious a clue.”
“你可能记得我当时心不在焉，你们都下车了我还坐着。我心里暗自惊叹怎么会忽略如此明显的线索。”
“I confess,” said the Colonel, “that even now I cannot see how it helps us.”
“我承认，”上校说，“即便现在我也看不出它怎么帮了我们。”
“It was the first link in my chain of reasoning. Powdered opium is by no means tasteless.”
“这是我推理链条的第一环。鸦片粉绝非无味。”
“The flavour is not disagreeable, but it is perceptible. Were it mixed with any ordinary dish the eater would undoubtedly detect it, and would probably eat no more.”
“味道虽不难闻，但能被察觉。如果掺入普通菜肴，食客无疑会发现，并且大概不会再吃了。”
“A curry was exactly the medium which would disguise this taste.”
“咖喱恰好是掩盖这种味道的最佳媒介。”
“By no possible supposition could this stranger, Fitzroy Simpson, have caused curry to be served in the trainer’s family that night, and it is surely too monstrous a coincidence to suppose that he happened to come along with powdered opium upon the very night when a dish happened to be served which would disguise the flavour.”
“无论如何设想，陌生人菲茨罗伊·辛普森都不可能促使驯马师家当晚供应咖喱，而且假设他恰好在供应能掩盖药味的菜肴那晚带着鸦片粉出现，这种巧合也太离谱了。”
“That is unthinkable. Therefore Simpson becomes eliminated from the case, and our attention centres upon Straker and his wife, the only two people who could have chosen curried mutton for supper that night.”
“这是不可想象的。因此辛普森被排除嫌疑，我们的注意力集中在斯特雷克和他妻子身上，只有他们俩能决定当晚晚餐吃咖喱羊肉。”
“The opium was added after the dish was set aside for the stable-boy, for the others had the same for supper with no ill effects.”
“鸦片是在留给马童的那份饭菜分出后才加入的，因为其他人吃了同样的晚餐并无不适。”
“Which of them, then, had access to that dish without the maid seeing them?”
“那么，他们俩谁能避开女佣接触那份饭菜呢？”
“Before deciding that question I had grasped the significance of the silence of the dog, for one true inference invariably suggests others.”
“在解决这个问题之前，我已经领会了狗保持沉默的意义，因为一个正确的推论总会引出其他的推论。”
“The Simpson incident had shown me that a dog was kept in the stables, and yet, though some one had been in and had fetched out a horse, he had not barked enough to arouse the two lads in the loft.”
“辛普森事件表明马厩里养了一条狗，然而尽管有人进去牵走了一匹马，它却没有吠叫到足以惊醒阁楼上的两个马童。”
“Obviously the midnight visitor was some one whom the dog knew well.”
“显然午夜来访者是狗非常熟悉的人。”
“I was already convinced, or almost convinced, that John Straker went down to the stables in the dead of the night and took out Silver Blaze.”
“我已经确信，或者几乎确信，约翰·斯特雷克在深夜下到马厩牵出了‘银色马’。”
“For what purpose? For a dishonest one, obviously, or why should he drug his own stable-boy?”
“目的是什么？显然是不轨企图，否则他为什么要给自己的马童下药？”
“And yet I was at a loss to know why. There have been cases before now where trainers have made sure of great sums of money by laying against their own horses, through agents, and then preventing them from winning by fraud.”
“然而我不知道具体原因。以前有过这样的案例，驯马师通过代理人押注自己的马输来确保赚取巨款，然后通过欺诈手段阻止马获胜。”
“Sometimes it is a pulling jockey. Sometimes it is some surer and subtler means. What was it here?”
“有时是让骑师故意勒马。有时是更稳妥隐蔽的手段。这次是什么呢？”
“I hoped that the contents of his pockets might help me to form a conclusion.”
“我希望他口袋里的物品能帮我得出结论。”
“And they did so. You cannot have forgotten the singular knife which was found in the dead man’s hand, a knife which certainly no sane man would choose for a weapon.”
“确实如此。你不会忘记在死者手中发现的那把奇特小刀，正常人绝不会选它当武器。”
“It was, as Dr. Watson told us, a form of knife which is used for the most delicate operations known in surgery.”
“正如华生医生告诉我们的，这是一种用于外科最精细手术的刀。”
“And it was to be used for a delicate operation that night. You must know, with your wide experience of turf matters, Colonel Ross, that it is possible to make a slight nick upon the tendons of a horse’s ham, and to do it subcutaneously, so as to leave absolutely no trace.”
“那天晚上它就是用来做精细手术的。凭您在赛马界的丰富经验，罗斯上校，您一定知道可以在马后腿肌腱上划一个小口子，而且是皮下操作，不留任何痕迹。”
“A horse so treated would develop a slight lameness, which would be put down to a strain in exercise or a touch of rheumatism, but never to foul play.”
“被这样处理的马会出现轻微跛行，会被归咎于训练拉伤或风湿，绝不会想到是人为破坏。”
“Villain! Scoundrel!” cried the Colonel.
“恶棍！无赖！”上校骂道。
“We have here the explanation of why John Straker wished to take the horse out on to the moor. So spirited a creature would have certainly roused the soundest of sleepers when it felt the prick of the knife. It was absolutely necessary to do it in the open air.”
“这就解释了约翰·斯特雷克为什么要把马牵到荒原上。如此烈性的动物一旦感到针刺，肯定会惊醒睡得最沉的人。必须在露天进行。”
“I have been blind!” cried the Colonel. “Of course that was why he needed the candle, and struck the match.”
“我太盲目了！”上校喊道，“难怪他需要蜡烛，还划了火柴。”
“Undoubtedly. But in examining his belongings I was fortunate enough to discover not only the method of the crime, but even its motives.”
“毫无疑问。但在检查他的遗物时，我有幸不仅发现了作案手法，甚至还发现了动机。”
“As a man of the world, Colonel, you know that men do not carry other people’s bills about in their pockets. We have most of us quite enough to do to settle our own.”
“作为阅历丰富的人，上校，您知道男人不会把别人的账单揣在口袋里。我们大多数人光是结清自己的账就够忙的了。”
“I at once concluded that Straker was leading a double life, and keeping a second establishment.”
“我立刻断定斯特雷克过着双重生活，在外面另有家室。”
“The nature of the bill showed that there was a lady in the case, and one who had expensive tastes.”
“账单的性质表明涉及一位女士，而且品味奢侈。”
“Liberal as you are with your servants, one can hardly expect that they can buy twenty-guinea walking dresses for their ladies.”
“尽管您对仆人慷慨，但也很难指望他们能给女伴买二十基尼的日常裙装。”
“I questioned Mrs. Straker as to the dress without her knowing it, and having satisfied myself that it had never reached her, I made a note of the milliner’s address, and felt that by calling there with Straker’s photo I could easily dispose of the mythical Derbyshire.”
“我在斯特雷克太太不知情的情况下向她打听那条裙子，确认她从未收到过后，我记下了女帽店的地址，觉得带着斯特雷克的照片去那里就能轻易揭穿虚构的德比希尔。”
“From that time on all was plain. Straker had led out the horse to a hollow where his light would be invisible.”
“从此一切明朗。斯特雷克把马牵到一个灯光不可见的洼地。”
“Simpson in his flight had dropped his cravat, and Straker had picked it up—with some idea, perhaps, that he might use it in securing the horse’s leg.”
“辛普森逃跑时掉落了领巾，斯特雷克捡了起来——或许是想着可以用它来固定马腿。”
“Once in the hollow, he had got behind the horse and had struck a light; but the creature frightened at the sudden glare, and with the strange instinct of animals feeling that some mischief was intended, had lashed out, and the steel shoe had struck Straker full on the forehead.”
“一到洼地，他就站到马身后划亮了火柴；但马被突如其来的强光惊吓，凭着动物感知恶意的奇特本能猛踢一脚，铁蹄正中斯特雷克的前额。”
“He had already, in spite of the rain, taken off his overcoat in order to do his delicate task, and so, as he fell, his knife gashed his thigh. Do I make it clear?”
“为了完成精细的任务，他不顾下雨脱掉了大衣，所以在倒下时手中的刀划伤了大腿。我说清楚了吗？”
“Wonderful!” cried the Colonel. “Wonderful! You might have been there!”
“太精彩了！”上校喊道，“太精彩了！简直就像你在现场一样！”
“My final shot was, I confess a very long one. It struck me that so astute a man as Straker would not undertake this delicate tendon-nicking without a little practice.”
“我最后的推测，坦白说非常大胆。我想像斯特雷克这么精明的人，在没有练习的情况下是不会贸然进行这种精细的肌腱切割手术的。”
“What could he practice on? My eyes fell upon the sheep, and I asked a question which, rather to my surprise, showed that my surmise was correct.”
“他能拿什么练习呢？我的目光落在了羊身上，于是问了个问题，令我略感惊讶的是，结果证实了我的猜想是正确的。”
“When I returned to London I called upon the milliner, who had recognised Straker as an excellent customer of the name of Derbyshire, who had a very dashing wife, with a strong partiality for expensive dresses.”
“回到伦敦后我拜访了那位女帽商，她认出斯特雷克就是那位名叫德比希尔的优质顾客，说他有个非常时髦的妻子，对昂贵服饰情有独钟。”
“I have no doubt that this woman had plunged him over head and ears in debt, and so led him into this miserable plot.”
“毫无疑问，是这个女人让他深陷债务泥潭，从而引诱他走上了这条可悲的犯罪道路。”
“You have explained all but one thing,” cried the Colonel. “Where was the horse?”
“除了一件事外您全都解释了，”上校喊道，“马当时在哪儿？”
“Ah, it bolted, and was cared for by one of your neighbours. We must have an amnesty in that direction, I think.”
“啊，它受惊跑了，被您的一位邻居收留照料了。我想在这方面我们必须予以宽恕。”
“This is Clapham Junction, if I am not mistaken, and we shall be in Victoria in less than ten minutes.”
“如果我没弄错的话，这里是克拉珀姆枢纽站，不到十分钟我们就到维多利亚站了。”
“If you care to smoke a cigar in our rooms, Colonel, I shall be happy to give you any other details which might interest you.”
“如果您愿意到我们住处抽支雪茄，上校，我很乐意为您提供您可能感兴趣的任何其他细节。”
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