8 The Stapletons of Pen House第8章 格林盆宅邸的斯台普顿兄妹
The next morning was sunny, and we were much more cheerful.
第二天早上阳光明媚，我们也就觉得心情舒畅些了。
I told Sir Henry about the crying I had heard.
我对亨利爵士讲述了我所听到的哭声这件事。
He rang the bell to call Barrymore, and asked him if he could explain the crying.
他摇铃把白瑞摩叫来，问他可否解释哭声的事。
Barrymore’s face went white when he heard Sir Henry’s question.
听到亨利爵士的问题时白瑞摩变得脸色煞白。
“There are only two women in the house, Sir Henry,” he answered.
“亨利爵爷，这个房子里只有两个女人，”他回答道。
“One is the maid, who sleeps on the other side of the house.
“一位是女仆，她睡在对面厢房里。
The other is my wife, and she was certainly not crying.”
另一位就是我的妻子，她当然没有哭了。”
But he was telling a lie.
但是他在撒谎。
I saw Mrs Barrymore after breakfast.
早饭后我见到了白瑞摩夫人。
The sun was full on her face, and it was clear she had been crying.
阳光普照在她的脸上，清楚地表明她曾哭过。
Why had Barrymore lied?
白瑞摩为何要撒谎呢？
What deep sadness had made his wife cry?
是什么样的至深的悲伤曾使他的妻子哭泣呢？
There was a mystery surrounding this black-bearded, handsome man.
这个蓄着黑须的英俊男人的周围萦绕着一团疑云。
Was it possible that Barrymore was in fact the man who had been watching Sir Henry in London?
白瑞摩有可能其实就是在伦敦监视亨利爵士的那个人吗？
I decided I must check with the local post office that the telegram had really been put into Barrymore’s own hands.
我决定与当地邮局核实一番，看看那封电报是否送到了白瑞摩手中。
While Sir Henry worked at some papers, I walked to the post office.
在亨利爵士处理一些文件时，我便步行去了邮局。
It was in the nearest village, which was called Grimpen.
它在距此最近的一个名叫格林盆的村庄里。
I spoke to the boy who had taken the telegram to the Hall.
我对把电报投送到庄园的那个男孩说起话来。
“Did you give it to Mr Barrymore himself?” I asked.
“你把它交给白瑞摩先生本人了吗？”我问道。
“Well,” the boy said, “he was working upon the roof, so I couldn’t give it to him.
“啊，”小男孩说道，“他当时正在屋顶上忙乎，所以我便把它交给了白瑞摩太太。
I gave it to Mrs Barrymore, and she promised to give it to him at once.”
她还答应马上就把它交给他。”
“Did you see Mr Barrymore?” I asked him.
“你看到白瑞摩先生了吗？”我问他。
“No,” said the boy, “but why did his wife say he was upon the roof if he wasn’t?”
“没看到，”男孩说，“要是他不在屋顶上他妻子干嘛要说他在呢？”
It was hopeless to ask any more questions.
再继续问下去也是无望的了。
It was clear that Holmes’ cleverness with the telegram had not given us the proof we needed.
很清楚，福尔摩斯在电报上所施的高招并未给我们提供所需的证据。
I was walking away from the post office when I heard someone running after me.
我从邮局出来正往前走着，这时听到身后有人在跑。
A voice called me by name, and I turned.
有人叫我的名字，我便转过身去。
I expected to see Dr Mortimer, as I knew nobody else in the village.
因为我在村里并不认识别人，所以我料想着看到的应是摩梯末医生。
To my surprise it was a stranger.
令我感到吃惊的是，那是位陌生人。
He was a small, thin man, between thirty and forty years old, with fair hair and no beard.
他是个矮小瘦削的男人，大约三四十岁年纪，长着淡黄色头发，还没有蓄胡子。
He was carrying a butterfly net, and a box for putting butterflies in.
他拿着一个捕蝶网和一个用来装蝴蝶的盒子。
“I hope you will excuse me for introducing myself, Dr Watson,” he said as he came up to me.
“我希望您会原谅我的冒昧，华生医生，”他走到我跟前对我说道。
“My name is Stapleton.
“我叫斯台普顿。
I was in Dr Mortimer’s house and we saw you.
当我在摩梯末医生家拜访他时，我们瞥见了您。
He told me who you are.
他就把您告诉给了我。
May I walk along with you?
我可以与您同行吗？
This path back to the Hall goes near my home.
回庄园的这条路正在格林盆宅邸即我的家附近。
Please come in and meet my sister, and spend an hour with us.”
请进来见见我妹妹，并与我们呆一会儿。”
I accepted Stapleton’s invitation, and we walked together.
我接受了斯台普顿的邀请，于是我们便同步而行。
“I know that you are a close friend of Sherlock Holmes,” said Stapleton.
“我知道您是歇洛克·福尔摩斯的亲密的朋友，”斯台普顿讲道。
“Has Mr Holmes any ideas about Sir Charles death?”
“福尔摩斯先生对查尔斯爵士的死有些看法了吗？”
“I’m afraid I can’t answer that question,” I said.
“我恐怕不能回答这个问题，”我说道。
“Will Mr Holmes visit us himself?” he asked.
“福尔摩斯先生是否将亲自来这儿光临我们呢？”他问道。
“He can’t leave London at the moment,” I answered.
“目前他还不能离开伦敦，”我回答道。
I was rather surprised that he was asking me these questions.
我对他问我这些问题感到很惊讶。
We walked on.
我们继续前行。
Stapleton told me that he and his sister had lived in Devonshire for only two years.
斯台普顿告诉我说，他和他妹妹在德文郡住了两年光景。
They had moved there soon after Sir Charles had begun to live in Baskerville Hall.
查尔斯爵士刚住进巴斯克维尔庄园没有多久，他们便搬到那儿了。
He also talked about the moor and how it interested him.
他还谈到了沼地及其如何激发起他的兴趣的事情。
He told me to look across the moor to a place which was a bright green colour.
他让我朝沼地的尽头看以眺望一处呈嫩绿色的地方。
“That is the Great Grimpen Marsh,” he said.
“那就是格林盆大泥潭，”他说道。
“If animals or men go into the marsh, they will sink into it and die.
“如果人畜踏进这片泥潭的话，就会陷进去送命的。
But I can find my way to the very centre of it.
但是我却能找到通往泥潭中心的道路。
Look, there is another of those poor horses.”
瞧，又一匹倒霉的马儿陷进去了。”
Something brown was fighting to get out of the bright green of the marsh.
有个棕色的东西正在竭力挣扎着，想要从那片嫩绿色的泥潭中挣脱出来。
Then a terrible cry came across the moor.
接着，从沼地传来一声可怕的吼声。
The horse’s head and neck disappeared under the green.
马的头和颈消失在那片绿色之下了。
“It’s gone,” Stapleton said.
“它完了，”斯台普顿道。
“The marsh has caught and killed it.
“泥潭已把它给吞没了。
That often happens.
这种情形经常发生。
It is an evil place, the Great Grimpen Marsh.”
格林盆大泥潭可真是个邪恶的地方。”
“But you say you can go safely in and out of it?” I asked him.
“但是您不是说您能安全地进出其中吗？”我向他问道。
“Yes, there are a few paths, and I have found them.
“是啊，其中有几条道，我都找到了。
The low hills you can see are like islands surrounded by the marsh.
您所能看到的那些小山就像是被泥潭环绕着的小岛一样。
That is where I can find the unusual plants and butterflies.
那便是我能觅到稀有植物和稀世蝴蝶的处所。
And that’s why I found my way through the marsh.”
而且那便是我为何能在泥潭中找到了路的原因。”
“I shall try my luck one day,” I said.
“某一天我也去碰碰运气，”我说道。
He looked at me in surprise.
他带着惊讶的神情看着我。
“Please don’t try,” he said.
“千万别去试，”他说道。
“You would never return alive, and it would be my fault.”
“您是不会活着回来的。那样就是我的错了。”
“Listen,” I said.
“听听，”我说道。
“What is that?”
“是什么东西？”
A long, low cry, very deep and very sad, came over the moor.
一声又低又长、非常深沉、相当悲惨的叫声传遍了整个沼地。
It filled the whole air.
它响彻空中。
Then it died away.
接着便消逝了。
“What is it?” I asked, with a cold fear in my heart.
“这是什么？”我问道，心里害怕得直打冷战。
Stapleton had a strange look on his face.
斯台普顿的脸上带着一种奇怪的神色。
“The people say it’s the Hound of the Baskervilles, which is calling for something to hunt and kill.
“人们说这是巴斯克维尔猎犬，它正在召唤猎物。
I’ve heard it once or twice before, but never so loud.”
我以前曾听到过一两次，可是声音从没有这么大过。”
“You are a man of science,” I said.
“您是位科学工作者，”我说道。
“You don’t believe that, do you? Isn’t there a natural explanation for the sound?”
“谅您也不会相信这些，是吧？难道对这种声音就没有一个符合自然规律的解释吗？”
“A marsh makes strange noises sometimes. It is the water and the wet ground moving.”
“泥潭有时会发出奇怪的声音。这是由于水和稀泥在移动。”
“But that was the voice of a living creature,” I said.
“可是那是动物发出的声音呀。”
“Well, perhaps it was.
“啊，也许是。
There are some very unusual birds on the moors. It was most probably the cry of one of those.”
沼地上有些稀有鸟类。极有可能是其中某一只的叫声。”
At that moment a small butterfly flew across the path in front of us.
那时，一只小蝴蝶从我们面前飞过。
“Excuse me, Dr Watson,” shouted Stapleton, and ran off to try to catch the butterfly.
“对不起，华生医生，”斯台普顿高喊着，同时跑开捉蝴蝶去了。
He ran quickly and followed the butterfly on to the marsh, but he knew exactly where he could go, and was not in any danger.
他飞快地跑着，随着那只蝴蝶到了泥潭中，但是他知道自己的脚该落在哪儿，因此便没有什么危险。
As I watched him, I heard the sound of steps behind me.
正当我注视着他的时侯，我听到了身后的脚步声。
I turned and saw a woman near me on the path.
我转过身去，看到路上离我不远处有一个女子。
I was sure she was Miss Stapleton.
我敢肯定她便是斯台普顿小姐。
She was very beautiful.
她人很漂亮。
She was dark and tall, with a lovely face.
她肤色很深，身材纤长。
Before I could say anything, she said: “Go back! Go straight back to London, immediately.
我还没来得及开口说话，她便说道：“回去吧！马上回到伦敦去。
I cannot tell you why, but please do what I ask you, and never come near the moor again.
我不能告诉您缘由，可是请照我说的去做，千万不要再靠近沼地了。
But my brother is coming. Not a word to him.”
但是，我哥哥来了。对他什么也别说。”
Stapleton had caught the butterfly, and was walking back to us.
斯台普顿已抓到了那只蝴蝶，正向我们这边走回来。
“Hello, my dear,” he said to his sister, but it seemed to me that his voice was not completely friendly.
“你好，我亲爱的，”他对他妹妹说道，可是就我看来他的语气并不怎么友好。
“I see that you two have already introduced yourselves.”
“我看得出来你们俩已经做过自我介绍了。”
“Yes,” she said. “I was telling Sir Henry that it was rather late in the year for him to see the true beauty of the moor.”
“是啊，”她说道。“我正和亨利爵士说，他来得太晚了，已经看不到沼地的真正美丽之处了。”
“I am sorry,” I said. “You have made a mistake. I’m not Sir Henry. I am a friend who is visiting him, and my name is Dr Watson.”
“我很抱歉，”我说道。“您弄错了。我不是亨利爵士。我是来拜访他的一位朋友，我是华生医生。”
Miss Stapleton was clearly angry with herself.
斯台普顿小姐显然对自己很懊恼。
“I’m sorry,” she said. “Please forget what I said.
“我很抱歉，”她说道。“请忘掉我所说的话。
But do come with us to our house.”
可是，您一定得和我们一道去屋里坐坐。”
The house was lonely and rather grim.
这所房屋既偏僻又相当阴森。
I wondered why the two of them had come to live so far away from anyone else.
我纳闷他们俩为何到这种与他人相隔甚远的地方来居住。
Stapleton seemed to know what I was thinking, and said: “You may think this a lonely, strange place to live, but the moors are very interesting, and we enjoy it here.
斯台普顿似乎知道我在想些什么，于是便说道：“您可能认为这儿要住人的话偏僻和奇特了些，可是这些沼地相当有趣，我们在这儿过得也很快活。
I owned a school in the north of England, but I had to close it.
我曾在英格兰北部办过一所学校，但是后来被迫关闭了。
I miss the boys and girls but there is plenty to do here, and we have good neighbours.
我很怀念那些孩子们，但在此处有许多事情都有待去做，而且我们还有很好的邻居们。
I hope Sir Henry will become one of them.
我希望亨利爵士也会成为其中的一员。
May I visit the Hall this afternoon to meet him, do you think?”
您认为我今天下午可否冒昧地去庄园拜访一下他呢？”
“I’m sure he will be very pleased to meet you,” I said.
“我敢说他一定会高兴见到您的，”我说道。
“I must go back to the Hall now, and I shall tell him immediately.”
“我现在得回庄园去了，我还打算立刻告诉他这个消息。”
I said goodbye to the Stapletons, and continued on the path back to the Hall.
我与斯台普顿兄妹道了别，继续沿着回庄园的那条路向前走。
I had been walking for only a few minutes when I was surprised to see Miss Stapleton sitting on a rock ahead of me.
没走几分钟便惊奇地看到斯台普顿小姐正坐在我前边的一块岩石上。
She was breathing quickly, and I realized she had run by a quicker way to get ahead of me.
她呼吸急促，我意识到她是为了赶在我前面而抄近路跑来的。
“Dr Watson,” she said. “I want to say sorry for the mistake I made.
“华生医生，”她说道。“因我所犯的错误，我想向您致以深深的歉意。
I thought you were Sir Henry. Please forget what I said.
我竟把您当成亨利爵士了。请忘掉我说过的话。
I did not mean you were in danger.
我当时并不是说您有危险。
Now I must go, or my brother will miss me.”
现在我得走了，否则的话我哥哥就要挂念我了。”
“I cannot forget your words, Miss Stapleton,” I said.
“我不会忘记您的话语的，斯台普顿小姐，”我说道。
“If Sir Henry is in danger, I must tell him.”
“如果亨利爵士有危险的话，那我就得告诉他。”
“You know the story of the Hound?” she asked me.
“您知道那个猎犬的故事吧？”她对我问道。
“Yes, but I do not believe it,” I replied.
“知道，但是我并不相信它，”我应答道。
“But I think it’s true,” she said.
“可是我认为它是真实的，”她说道。
“Please persuade Sir Henry to leave this place.
“请劝说亨利爵士离开这个地方。
So many of his family have died here mysteriously.
他家族中的那么多人都在这儿神秘地死去了。
He must not put his life in danger by staying here.”
他不应该因呆在这儿而让自己冒生命危险。”
“Sir Henry won’t leave this place without a real reason,” I said.
“没有真正的理由的话亨利爵士是不会离开此地的，”我说道。
“I can’t give you a real reason. I don’t know anything for certain.”
“我给不出真正的理由。我并非确切地知道某些事情。”
“One more question, Miss Stapleton,” I said.
“还有一个问题，斯台普顿小姐，”我说道。
“The story of the Hound is well known. Why didn’t you want your brother to hear what you said?”
“猎犬的故事是众所周知的。您为何不愿让您哥哥听到您所说的话呢？”
“My brother wants the head of the Baskerville family to live in the Hall,” she said.
“我哥哥想让巴斯克维尔家族的主人在这个庄园里住下来，”她说道。
“He wants Sir Henry to continue the good work that Sir Charles began.
“他想叫亨利爵士把查尔斯爵士开创的慈善工作继续下去。
He doesn’t want Sir Henry to go and live in another place.
他不想让亨利爵士去别处居住。
So he doesn’t want me to talk about the Hound.
因此他不想让我谈论猎犬的事情。
I must go now, or my brother will guess I have been speaking to you.
我现在得走了，否则的话我哥哥就会猜到我是在同您谈话了。
Goodbye!”
再见！”
She turned and went back towards her house, and I walked on to Baskerville Hall.
她转身往回走去，我便继续向巴斯克维尔庄园走去。
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