福爾摩斯探案集·血字的研究 第29期:廣告引來了不速之客(5)

It was close upon twelve before I heard the sharp sound of his latchkey.

將近十二點鐘，我才聽到福爾摩斯用鑰匙打開大門上彈簧鎖的聲音。

The instant he entered I saw by his face that he had not been successful.

他一進房來，我就從他的臉色看出，他并沒有成功。

Amusement and chagrin seemed to be struggling for the mastery,

是高興還是懊惱，似乎一直在他的心里交戰(zhàn)著。

until the former suddenly carried the day, and he burst into a hearty laugh.

頃刻之間，高興戰(zhàn)勝了懊惱，福爾摩斯忽然縱聲大笑起來。

"I wouldn't have the Scotland Yarders know it for the world," he cried, dropping into his chair;

"這件事說什么我也不能讓蘇格蘭場的人知道。"福爾摩斯大聲說著，一面就在椅子上坐了下來，

"I have chaffed them so much that they would never have let me hear the end of it.

"我把他們嘲笑得夠了，這一回他們絕不會善罷甘休的。

I can afford to laugh, because I know that I will be even with them in the long run."

可是，他們就是知道了，譏笑我，我也不在乎，遲早我會把面子找回來的。"

"What is it then?" I asked.

我問道："到底是怎么回事？"

"Oh, I don't mind telling a story against myself.

"啊，我把我失敗的情況跟你談談吧，這倒沒有什么。

That creature had gone a little way when she began to limp and show every sign of being footsore.

那個家伙走不多遠，就一瘸一拐地顯出腳痛的樣子。

Presently she came to a halt, and hailed a four-wheeler which was passing.

她突然停下腳步，叫住了一輛過路的馬車。

I managed to be close to her so as to hear the address,

我向她湊近些，想聽聽她雇車的地點；

but I need not have been so anxious, for she sang it out loud enough to be heard at the other side of the street,

其實我根本用不著這樣急躁，因為她說話的聲音很大，就是隔一條馬路也能聽得清楚。

'Drive to 13, Duncan Street, Houndsditch,' she cried.

她大聲說：'到宏茲迪池區(qū)，鄧肯街13號。'

This begins to look genuine, I thought,

我當時認為她說的是實話。

and having seen her safely inside, I perched myself behind.

我看見她上車以后，也跟著跳上了馬車后部。

That's an art which every detective should be an expert at.

這是每一個偵探必精的技術。

Well, away we rattled, and never drew rein until we reached the street in question.

好啦，我們就這樣向前行進。馬車一路未停，一直到了目的地。

I hopped off before we came to the door, and strolled down the street in an easy,lounging way.

快到13號門前的時候，我先跳下車來，漫步在馬路上閑蕩著。

I saw the cab pull up.

我眼見馬車停了，

The driver jumped down, and I saw him open the door and stand expectantly.

車夫跳了下來，把車門打開等候著，

Nothing came out though.

可是并沒有人下來。

When I reached him, he was groping about frantically in the empty cab,

我走到車夫面前，他正在黑暗的車廂中到處摸索，

and giving vent to the finest assorted collection of oaths that ever I listened to.

嘴里不干不凈，亂七八糟地罵著，罵的那話簡直是我從來也沒聽到過的'最好聽的'詞了。

There was no sign or trace of his passenger, and I fear it will be some time before he gets his fare.

乘客早已蹤跡全無了。我想，他要想拿到車費恐怕要俟諸他日了。

On inquiring at Number 13 we found that the house belonged to a respectable paperhanger,

我們到13號去詢問了一下，那里住的卻是一位起行端正的裱糊匠，

named Keswick, and that no one of the name either of Sawyer or Dennis had ever been heard of there."

叫做凱斯維克，從來沒有聽說有叫做什么索葉或者丹尼斯的人在那里住過。"

"You don't mean to say," I cried, in amazement,

我驚奇地大聲說道："難道你是說

"that that tottering, feeble old woman was able to get out of the cab while it was in motion,

那個身體虛弱、步履蹣跚的老太婆居然能夠瞞過你和車夫的眼，

without either you or the driver seeing her?"

在車走動的時候跳下去了嗎？"

"Old woman be damned!" said Sherlock Holmes, sharply.

福爾摩斯厲聲說道："什么老太婆，真該死！

"We were the old women to be so taken in.

咱們兩個才是老太婆呢，竟受了人家這樣的氣。

It must have been a young man, and an active one, too, besides being an incomparable actor.

他一定是個年輕的小伙子，而且還是一個精明強干的小伙子。不僅如此，他還一定是個了不起的演員，

The get-up was inimitable.

他扮演得真是到了無可比擬的程度。

He saw that he was followed, no doubt, and used this means of giving me the slip.

顯而易見，他是知道有人跟著他的，因此就用了這一著，乘我不備，溜之大吉。

It shows that the man we are after is not as lonely as I imagined he was,

這件事實說明，絕不是象我當初想象的那樣，僅僅是單獨一個人，

but has friends who are ready to risk something for him.

他有許多朋友，他們甘愿為他冒險。

Now, Doctor, you are looking done-up. Take my advice and turn in."

喂，大夫，看樣子你象是累壞了，聽我的話請去睡吧。"

I was certainly feeling very weary, so I obeyed his injunction.

我的確感到很疲乏，所以我就聽從他的話回屋去睡了。

I left Holmes seated in front of the smouldering fire,

留下福爾摩斯一個人坐在微微燃燒著的火爐邊。

and long into the watches of the night I heard the low melancholy wailings of his violin,

在這萬籟俱寂的漫漫長夜里，我還聽到他那憂郁的琴音低聲回訴，

and knew that he was still pondering over the strange problem which he had set himself to unravel.

我知道他仍舊在深思著那個他認真著手解決的奇異課題。