福爾摩斯探案集·血字的研究 第14期:勞瑞斯頓花園街的慘案(2)

"Gregson is the smartest of the Scotland Yarders," my friend remarked;

我的朋友說道："葛萊森在倫敦警察廳中不愧是首屈一指的能干人物。

"he and Lestrade are the pick of a bad lot.

他和雷斯垂德都算是那一群蠢貨之中的佼佼者。

They are both quick and energetic, but conventional–shockingly so.

他們兩人也稱得起是眼明手快、機(jī)警干練了，但都因循守舊，而且守舊得厲害。

They have their knives into one another, too.

他們彼此明槍暗箭、勾心斗角，

They are as jealous as a pair of professional beauties.

就象兩個賣笑婦人似的多猜善妒。

There will be some fun over this case if they are both put upon the scent."

如果這兩個人都插手這件案子的話，那就一定會鬧出笑話來的。"

I was amazed at the calm way in which he rippled on.

看到福爾摩斯還在不慌不忙、若無其事地侃侃而談，我非常驚訝。

"Surely there is not a moment to be lost," I cried;

因此我大聲叫道："真是一分鐘也不能耽誤了，

"shall I go and order you a cab?"

要我給你雇輛馬車來嗎？"

"I'm not sure about whether I shall go.

"連去不去我還沒有肯定呢。

I am the most incurably lazy devil that ever stood in shoe leather–that is, when the fit is on me, for I can be spry enough at times."

我確實是世界上少有的懶鬼，可是，那只是當(dāng)我的懶勁兒上來的時候才這樣，因為有時我也非常敏捷哩。"

"Why, it is just such a chance as you have been longing for."

"什么？這不正是你一直盼望著的機(jī)會嗎？"

"My dear fellow, what does it matter to me?

"親愛的朋友，這和我又有什么關(guān)系呢？

Supposing I unravel the whole matter, you may be sure that Gregson, Lestrade, and Co.will pocket all the credit.

我如果把這件案子全盤解決了，肯定地說，葛萊森和雷斯垂德這一幫人是會把全部功勞歸為己有的。

That comes of being an unofficial personage."

這是因為我是個非官方人士的緣故。"

"But he begs you to help him."

"但是他現(xiàn)在是求助于你呀。"

"Yes. He knows that I am his superior, and acknowledges it to me;

"是的。他知道我勝他一籌，當(dāng)我面他也會承認(rèn)；

but he would cut his tongue out before he would own it to any third person.

但是，他寧愿割掉他的舌頭，也決不愿在任何第三者的面前承認(rèn)這一點。

However, we may as well go and have a look. I shall work it out on my own hook.

雖然如此，咱們還是可以瞧瞧去。我可以自己單干，一個人破案。

I may have a laugh at them, if I have nothing else. Come on!" 、

即使我得不到什么，也可以嘲笑他們一番。走罷！"

He hustled on his overcoat, and bustled about in a way that showed that an energetic fit had superseded the apathetic one.

他披上大衣，那種匆忙的樣子說明他躍躍欲試的心情已壓倒了無動于衷和消極冷淡的一面。

"Get your hat," he said.

他說："戴上你的帽子。"

"You wish me to come?"

"你希望我也去嗎？"

"Yes, if you have nothing better to do."

"是的，如果你沒有別的事情要做的話。"

A minute later we were both in a hansom, driving furiously for the Brixton Road.

一分鐘以后，我們就坐上了一輛馬車，急急忙忙地向布瑞克斯頓路駛?cè)ァ?/p>

It was a foggy, cloudy morning, and a dun-coloured veil hung over the housetops,

這是一個陰霾多霧的早晨，屋頂上籠罩著一層灰褐色的帷幔，

looking like the reflection of the mud-coloured streets beneath.

恰似下面泥濘街道的反映。

My companion was in the best of spirits,

我同伴的興致很高，

and prattled away about Cremona fiddles and the difference between a Stradivarius and an Amati.

喋喋不休地大談意大利克里莫納出產(chǎn)的提琴以及斯特萊迪瓦利提琴與阿瑪?shù)偬崆僦g的區(qū)別，

As for myself, I was silent,

而我卻一言不發(fā)，靜悄悄地聽著，

for the dull weather and the melancholy business upon which we were engaged depressed my spirits.

因為沉悶的天氣和這種令人傷感的任務(wù)使我的情緒非常消沉。

"You don't seem to give much thought to the matter in hand," I said at last, interrupting Holmes's musical disquisition.

最后我終于打斷了福爾摩斯在音樂方面的議論，我說："你似乎不大考慮眼前的這件案子。"

"No data yet," he answered.

他回答說："還沒有材料哪。

"It is a capital mistake to theorize before you have all the evidence. It biases the judgment."

沒有掌握全部證據(jù)之前，先作出假設(shè)來，這是絕大的錯誤。那樣就會使判斷產(chǎn)生氣差。"

"You will have your data soon," I remarked, pointing with my finger;

"你很快就可以得到材料了。"我一面說，一面用手指著前面，

"this is the Brixton Road, and that is the house, if I am not very much mistaken."

"若是我沒弄錯的話，這就是布瑞克斯頓路，那里就是出事所在的房子。"

"So it is. Stop, driver, stop!"

"正是。停下，車夫，快停車！"

We were still a hundred yards or so from it,

我們離那所房子還有一百碼左右，

but he insisted upon our alighting, and we finished our journey upon foot.

他就堅持要下車，剩下的一段路，我們就步行。