福爾摩斯探案集·血字的研究 第12期:演繹法(7)

“Have you read Gaboriau’s works?” I asked.

我問道："你讀過加波利奧的作品嗎？

“Does Lecoq come up to your idea of a detective?”

你對勒高克這個人物的評價如何，他可算得上一個偵探么？"

Sherlock Holmes sniffed sardonically. “Lecoq was a miserable bungler,” he said, in an angry voice;

福爾摩斯輕蔑地哼了一聲。他惡聲惡氣地說道："勒高克是個不中用的笨蛋。

“he had only one thing to recommend him, and that was his energy.

他只有一件事還值得提一提，就是他的精力。

That book made me positively ill. The question was how to identify an unknown prisoner.

那本書簡直使我膩透了。書中的主題只是談到怎樣去辨識不知名的罪犯。

I could have done it in twenty-four hours. Lecoq took six months or so.

我能在二十四小時之內(nèi)解決這樣的問題?？墒抢崭呖藚s費(fèi)了六個月左右的工夫。

It might be made a textbook for detectives to teach them what to avoid.”

有這么長的時間，真可以給偵探們寫出一本教科書了，教導(dǎo)教導(dǎo)他們應(yīng)當(dāng)避免些什么。"

I felt rather indignant at having two characters whom I had admired treated in this cavalier style.

我聽到他把我所欽佩的兩個人物說成這樣一文不值，心中感到非常惱怒。

I walked over to the window and stood looking out into the busy street.

我便走到窗口，望著熱鬧的街道。

“This fellow may be very clever,” I said to myself,

我自言自語地說："這個人也許非常聰明，

“but he is certainly very conceited.”

但是他卻太驕傲自負(fù)了。"

“There are no crimes and no criminals in these days,” he said, querulously.

他不滿地抱怨著說："這些天來一直沒有罪案發(fā)生，也沒有發(fā)現(xiàn)什么罪犯，

“What is the use of having brains in our profession?

干我們這行的人，頭腦真是沒用了。

I know well that I have it in me to make my name famous.

我深知我的才能足以使我成名。

No man lives or has ever lived who has brought the same amount of study and of natural talent to the detection of crime which I have done.

從古到今，從來沒有人象我這樣，在偵查罪行上既有天賦又有這樣精湛的研究。

And what is the result?

可是結(jié)果怎樣呢？

There is no crime to detect,

竟沒有罪案可以偵查，

or, at most, some bungling villainy with a motive so transparent that even a Scotland Yard official can see through it.”

頂多也不過是些簡單幼稚的罪案，犯罪動機(jī)淺顯易見，就連蘇格蘭場的人員也能一眼識破。"

I was still annoyed at his bumptious style of conversation.

我對他這種大言不慚的談話，余怒未息。

I thought it best to change the topic.

我想最好還是換個話題。

“I wonder what that fellow is looking for?” I asked,

"我不知道這個人在找什么？"

pointing to a stalwart, plainly dressed individual who was walking slowly down the other side of the street,

我指著一個體格魁偉、衣著樸素的人說。他正在街那邊慢慢地走著，

looking anxiously at the numbers.

焦急地尋找著門牌號碼。

He had a large blue envelope in his hand, and was evidently the bearer of a message.

他的手中拿著一個藍(lán)色大信封，分明是個送信的人。

“You mean the retired sergeant of Marines,” said Sherlock Holmes.

福爾摩斯說："你是說那個退伍的海軍陸戰(zhàn)隊的軍曹嗎？"

“Brag and bounce!” thought I to myself.

我心中暗暗想道："又在吹牛說大話了。

“He knows that I cannot verify his guess.”

他明知我沒法證實(shí)他的猜測是否正確。"

The thought had hardly passed through my mind when the man whom we were watching caught sight of the number on our door,

這個念頭還沒有從我的腦中消逝，只見我們所觀察的那個人看到了我們的門牌號碼以后，

and ran rapidly across the roadway.

就從街對面飛快地跑了過來。

We heard a loud knock, a deep voice below, and heavy steps ascending the stair.

只聽見一陣急促的敲門聲，樓下有人用低沉的聲音講著話，接著樓梯上便響起了沉重的腳步聲。

“For Mr. Sherlock Holmes,” he said, stepping into the room and handing my friend the letter.

這個人一走進(jìn)房來，便把那封信交給了我的朋友。他說："這是給福爾摩斯先生的信。"

Here was an opportunity of taking the conceit out of him.

這正是把福爾摩斯的傲氣挫折一下的好機(jī)會。

He little thought of this when he made that random shot.

他方才信口胡說，決沒想到會有目前這一步。

“May I ask, my lad,” I said, in the blandest voice,

我盡量用溫和的聲音說道：

“what your trade may be?”

"小伙子，請問你的職業(yè)是什么？"

“Commissionaire, sir,” he said, gruffly.

"我是當(dāng)差的，先生，"那人粗聲粗平地回答說，

“Uniform away for repairs.”

"我的制服修補(bǔ)去了。"

“And you were?” I asked, with a slightly malicious glance at my companion.

"你過去是干什么的？"我一面問他，一面略帶惡意地瞟了我同伴一眼。

“A sergeant, sir, Royal Marine Light Infantry, sir. No answer? Right, sir.”

"軍曹，先生，我在皇家海軍陸戰(zhàn)輕步兵隊中服務(wù)過。先生，沒有回信嗎？好吧，先生。"

He clicked his heels together, raised his hand in salute, and was gone.

他碰了一下腳跟，舉手敬禮，然后走了出去。