福爾摩斯探案集·血字的研究 第26期:廣告引來了不速之客(2)

"I can understand. There is a mystery about this which stimulates the imagination;

"這一點我能夠理解。這件案子有一些神秘莫測的地方，因而才引起了想象。

where there is no imagination there is no horror. Have you seen the evening paper?"

如果沒有想象，恐懼也就不存在了。你看過晚報了嗎？"

"No."

"沒有。"

"It gives a fairly good account of the affair.

"晚報把這個案子敘述得相當詳盡。

It does not mention the fact that when the man was raised up a woman's wedding ring fell upon the floor.

但是卻沒有提到抬尸時，有一個女人的結(jié)婚戒指掉在地板上。

It is just as well it does not."

沒有提到這一點倒是更好。"

"Why?"

"為什么？"

"Look at this advertisement," he answered.

"你看看這個廣告，"福爾摩斯說，

"I had one sent to every paper this morning immediately after the affair."

"今天上午，這個案子發(fā)生后，我立刻就在各家報紙上登了一則廣告。"

He threw the paper across to me and I glanced at the place indicated.

他把報紙遞給我，我看了一眼他所指的地方。

It was the first announcement in the "Found" column.

這是"失物招領(lǐng)欄"的頭一則廣告。

"In Brixton Road, this morning," it ran,

廣告內(nèi)容是：

"a plain gold wedding ring, found in the roadway between the White Hart Tavern and Holland Grove.

"今晨在布瑞克斯頓路、白鹿酒館和荷蘭樹林之間拾得結(jié)婚金戒指一枚。

Apply Dr. Watson, 221B, Baker Street, between eight and nine this evening."

失者請于今晚八時至九時向貝克街221號乙華生醫(yī)生處洽領(lǐng)。"

"Excuse my using your name," he said.

"請你不要見怪，"福爾摩斯說，"廣告上用了你的名字。

"If I used my own, some of these dunderheads would recognize it, and want to meddle in the affair."

如果用我自己的名字，這些笨蛋偵探中有些人也許就會識破，他們就要從中插手了。"

"That is all right," I answered.

"這倒沒有什么，"我回答說，

"But supposing anyone applies, I have no ring."

"不過，假如有人前來領(lǐng)取的話，我可沒有戒指呀。"

"Oh, yes, you have," said he, handing me one.

"哦，有的，"他說著就交給了我一只戒指，

"This will do very well. It is almost a facsimile."

"這一個滿能對付過去。幾乎和原來的一模一樣。"

"And who do you expect will answer this advertisement?"

"那么你預(yù)料誰會來領(lǐng)取這項失物呢？"

"Why, the man in the brown coat–our florid friend with the square toes.

"唔，就是那個穿棕色外衣的男人，咱們那位穿方頭靴子的紅臉朋友。

If he does not come himself, he will send an accomplice."

如果他自己不來，他也會打發(fā)一個同黨來的。"

"Would he not consider it as too dangerous?"

"難道他不會覺得這樣做太危險嗎？"

"Not at all. If my view of the case is correct,

"決不會。如果我對這個案子的看法不錯的話

and I have every reason to believe that it is,

我有種種理由可以自信我沒有看錯。

this man would rather risk anything than lose the ring.

這個人寧愿冒任何危險，也不愿失去這個戒指。

According to my notion he dropped it while stooping over Drebber's body,

我認為，戒指是在他俯身察看錐伯尸體的時候掉下來的，

and did not miss it at the time.

可是當時他沒有察覺。

After leaving the house he discovered his loss and hurried back,

離開這座房子以后，他才發(fā)覺他把戒指丟了，于是又急忙回去。

but found the police already in possession, owing to his own folly in leaving the candle burning.

但是，這時他發(fā)現(xiàn)，由于他自己粗心大意，沒有把蠟燭熄掉，警察已經(jīng)到了屋里。

He had to pretend to be drunk in order to allay the suspicions which might have been aroused by his appearance at the gate.

在這種時候，他在這座房了的門口出現(xiàn)，很可能受到嫌疑，因此，他不得不裝作酩酊大醉的樣子。

Now put yourself in that man's place.

你無妨設(shè)身處地想一想：

On thinking the matter over,

他把這件事仔細地思索一遍以后，

it must have occurred to him that it was possible that he had lost the ring in the road after leaving the house.

他一定會想到，也可能是他在離開那所房子以后，把戒指掉在路上了。

What would he do then?

那么怎么辦呢？

He would eagerly look out for the evening papers in the hope of seeing it among the articles found.

他自然要急忙地在晚報上尋找一番，希望在招領(lǐng)欄中能夠有所發(fā)現(xiàn)。

His eye, of course, would light upon this.

他看到這個廣告后一定會非常高興，

He would be overjoyed. Why should he fear a trap?

簡直要喜出望外哩，怎么還會害怕這是一個圈套呢？

There would be no reason in his eyes why the finding of the ring should be connected with the murder.

在他看來，尋找戒指為什么就一定要和暗殺這件事有關(guān)系呢，這是沒有道理的。

He would come. He will come. You shall see him within an hour."

他會來的，他一定要來的。一小時之內(nèi)你就能夠見到他了。"

"And then?" I asked.

"他來了以后又怎么辦呢？"我問道。

"Oh, you can leave me to deal with him then. Have you any arms?"

"啊，到時候你讓我來對付他。你有什么武器嗎？"

"I have my old service revolver and a few cartridges."

"我有一支舊的軍用左輪手槍，還有一些子彈。"

"You had better clean it and load it.

"你最好把它擦干凈，裝上子彈。

He will be a desperate man;

這家伙準是一個亡命徒。

and though I shall take him unawares, it is as well to be ready for anything."

雖然我可以出其不意地捉住他，但是還是準備一下，以防萬一的好。"