福爾摩斯探案集·血字的研究 第28期:廣告引來了不速之客(4)

I glanced at my companion,

我看了我的伙伴一眼，

and his face had assumed such a disconsolate expression that it was all I could do to keep my countenance.

只見他顯得怏怏不樂，我也只好裝出一副泰然自若的神氣來。

The old crone drew out an evening paper, and pointed at our advertisement.

這個(gè)老太婆掏出一張晚報(bào)，用手指著我們登的那個(gè)廣告說：

"It's this as has brought me, good gentlemen," she said, dropping another curtsey;

"我是為這件事來的，先生們，"說著，她又深深施了一禮，

"a gold wedding ring in the Brixton Road.

"廣告上說，在布瑞克斯頓路拾得一個(gè)結(jié)婚金戒指。

It belongs to my girl Sally, as was married only this time twelvemonth,

這是我女兒賽莉的，她是去年這個(gè)時(shí)候才結(jié)的婚，

which her husband is steward aboard a Union boat,

她的丈夫在一只英國船上當(dāng)會(huì)計(jì)。

and what he'd say if he comes 'ome and found her without her ring is more than I can think,

如果他回來時(shí)，發(fā)現(xiàn)她的戒指沒有了，誰會(huì)知道他要怎么樣呢。我簡直不敢想。

he being short enough at the best o' times,

他這個(gè)人品常就性子急，

but more especially when he has the drink.

喝了點(diǎn)酒以后，就更加暴躁了。

If it please you, she went to the circus last night along with– –"

對不起，是這么回事，昨天晚上她去看馬戲，是和——"

"Is that her ring?" I asked.

"這是她的戒指嗎？"我問道。

"The Lord be thanked!" cried the old woman;

老太婆叫了起來："謝天謝地！

"Sally will be a glad woman this night. That's the ring."

賽莉今天晚上可要開心死了。這正是她丟的那個(gè)戒指。"

"And what may your address be?" I inquired, taking up a pencil.

我拿起一支鉛筆問道："您住在哪兒？"

"13, Duncan Street, Houndsditch. A weary way from here."

"宏茲迪池區(qū)，鄧肯街13號(hào)。離這兒老遠(yuǎn)呢。"

"The Brixton Road does not lie between any circus and Houndsditch," said Sherlock Holmes sharply.

福爾摩斯突然說："布瑞克斯頓路并不在宏茲迪池區(qū)和什么馬戲團(tuán)之間呀。"

The old woman faced round and looked keenly at him from her little red-rimmed eyes.

老太婆轉(zhuǎn)過臉去，一雙小紅眼銳利地瞧了福爾摩斯一下，

"The gentleman asked me for my address," she said.

她說："那位先生剛才是問我的住址。

"Sally lives in lodgings at 3, Mayfield Place, Peckham."

賽莉住在培克罕區(qū)，梅菲爾德公寓３號(hào)。"

"And your name is– –?"

"貴姓是--？"

"My name is Sawyer–hers is Dennis,

"我姓索葉，我的女兒姓丹尼斯，

which Tom Dennis married her–and a smart, clean lad, too, as long as he's at sea,

他的丈夫叫湯姆·丹尼斯。他在船上真是一個(gè)又漂亮又正直的小伙子，

and no steward in the company more thought of;

是公司里提得起來的會(huì)計(jì)；

but when on shore, what with the women and what with liquor shops– –"

可是一上岸，又玩女人，又喝酒——"

"Here is your ring, Mrs. Sawyer," I interrupted, in obedience to a sign from my companion;

"這是你的戒指，索葉太太，"我遵照著我伙伴的暗示打斷了她的話頭說，

"it clearly belongs to your daughter, and I am glad to be able to restore it to the rightful owner."

"這個(gè)戒指顯然是你女兒的。我很高興，現(xiàn)在物歸原主了。"

With many mumbled blessings and protestations of gratitude the old crone packed it away in her pocket,

這個(gè)老太婆嘟嘟囔囔地說了千恩萬謝的話以后，把戒指包好，放入衣袋，

and shuffled off down the stairs.

然后拖拖拉拉地走下樓去。

Sherlock Holmes sprang to his feet the moment that she was gone and rushed into his room.

她剛出房門，福爾摩斯立刻站起，跑進(jìn)他的屋中去。

He returned in a few seconds enveloped in an ulster and a cravat.

幾秒鐘以后，他走了出來，已然穿上大衣，系好圍巾。

"I'll follow her," he said, hurriedly;

福爾摩斯匆忙中說："我要跟著她。

"she must be an accomplice, and will lead me to him. Wait up for me."

她一定是個(gè)同黨，她會(huì)把我?guī)У絻捶改抢锶ァe睡，等著我。"

The hall door had hardly slammed behind our visitor before Holmes had descended the stair.

客人出去時(shí)大門剛剛砰地一聲關(guān)好，福爾摩斯就下了樓。

Looking through the window I could see her walking feebly along the other side,

我從窗子向外看去，只見那個(gè)老太婆有氣無力地在馬路那邊走著，

while her pursuer dogged her some little distance behind.

福爾摩斯在她的后邊不遠(yuǎn)處尾隨著。

"Either his whole theory is incorrect," I thought to myself,

這時(shí)，我心里想：福爾摩斯的全部看法假如不錯(cuò)的話，

"or else he will be led now to the heart of the mystery."

他現(xiàn)在就要直搗虎穴了。

There was no need for him to ask me to wait up for him,

他用不著告訴我等著他，

for I felt that sleep was impossible until I heard the result of his adventure.

因?yàn)樵谖覜]有聽到他冒險(xiǎn)的結(jié)果以前，要想睡覺是絕不可能的事。

It was close upon nine when he set out.

福爾摩斯出門的時(shí)候?qū)⒔劈c(diǎn)鐘。

I had no idea how long he might be,

我不知道他要去多久，

but I sat stolidly puffing at my pipe and skipping over the pages of Henri Murger's Vie de Boheme.

只好呆坐在房里抽著煙斗，翻閱一本昂利·穆爾杰的《波亥米傳》。

Ten o'clock passed, and I heard the footsteps of the maid as she pattered off to bed.

十點(diǎn)過后，我聽見女傭人回房睡覺去的腳步聲。

Eleven, and the more stately tread of the landlady passed my door, bound for the same destination.

十一點(diǎn)鐘，房東太太的沉重腳步聲從房門前走過，她也是回房去睡覺的