福爾摩斯探案集·血字的研究 第33期:葛萊森大顯身手(4)

"I next called upon Madame Charpentier," continued the detective.

"我跟著就去拜訪了夏朋婕太太，"這位偵探接著說，

"I found her very pale and distressed.

"我發(fā)現(xiàn)她的臉色非常蒼白，她的神情十分不安。

Her daughter was in the room, too–an uncommonly fine girl she is, too;

她的女兒也在房里--她真是一位非常漂亮的姑娘。

she was looking red about the eyes and her lips trembled as I spoke to her.

當(dāng)我和她談話的時候，她的眼睛紅紅的，嘴唇不住地顫抖。

That didn't escape my notice.

這些自然都逃不過我的眼睛。

I began to smell a rat.

于是我就開始懷疑起來。

You know the feeling, Mr. Sherlock Holmes,

福爾摩斯先生，你是懂得的，

when you come upon the right scent–a kind of thrill in your nerves.

當(dāng)你發(fā)現(xiàn)正確線索時，那是一股什么勁兒，只覺得混身舒暢得使人發(fā)抖。

'Have you heard of the mysterious death of your late boarder Mr. Enoch J. Drebber, of Cleveland?' I asked.

我就問道：'你們聽到你們以前的房客克利夫蘭城的錐伯先生被人暗殺的消息了嗎？'

"The mother nodded. She didn't seem able to get out a word.

"這位太太點了點頭，她似乎連話都說不出來了。

The daughter burst into tears.

她的女兒卻不禁流下眼淚來。

I felt more than ever that these people knew something of the matter. "

我越看越覺得他們對于這個案情必有所知。"

'At what o'clock did Mr. Drebber leave your house for the train?' I asked.

我問道：'錐伯先生幾點鐘離開你們這里去車站的？'

"'At eight o'clock,' she said, gulping in her throat to keep down her agitation.

"'八點鐘，'她不住地咽著唾沫，壓抑著激動的情緒說，

'His secretary, Mr. Stangerson, said that there were two trains– one at 9:15 and one at 11.

'他的秘書斯坦節(jié)遜先生說：有兩班去利物浦的火車，一班是九點十五分，一班是十一點。

He was to catch the first.'

他是趕第一班火車的。'

"'And was that the last which you saw of him?'"

"'這是你們最后一次見面嗎？'"

A terrible change came over the woman's face as I asked the question.Her features turned perfectly livid.

我一提出這個問題，那個女人倏地一下變得面無人色。

It was some seconds before she could get out the single word 'Yes'

好大一會功夫，她才回答說：'是最后一次。'

and when it did come it was in a husky, unnatural tone.

可是她說話的時候聲音沙啞，極不自然。"

"There was silence for a moment, and then the daughter spoke in a calm, clear voice. "

沉默了一會以后，這位姑娘開口了。她的態(tài)度很鎮(zhèn)靜，口齒也很清楚。

'No good can ever come of falsehood, mother,' she said.

"她說：'說謊是沒有什么好處的，媽媽，

'Let us be frank with this gentleman.

咱們跟這位先生還是坦白地說好了。

We did see Mr. Drebber again.'

后來我們的確又見到過錐伯先生。'

"'God forgive you!' cried Madame Charpentier, throwing up her hands and sinking back in her chair.

"'愿上帝饒恕你！'夏朋婕太太雙手一伸，喊了一聲，就向后倚在椅背上了，

'You have murdered your brother.'

'你可害了你的哥哥了！'

"'Arthur would rather that we spoke the truth,' the girl answered firmly. "

"'阿瑟一定也愿意咱們說實話。'這位姑娘堅決地回答說。"

'You had best tell me all about it now,' I said.

我就說道：'你們現(xiàn)在最好還是全部告訴我吧。

'Half-confidences are worse than none.

這樣吞吞吐吐的，還不如根本不談。

Besides, you do not know how much we know of it.'

況且，你們也不知道我們究竟掌握了多少情況呢。'

"'On your head be it, Alice!' cried her mother; and then, turning to me,

"'都是你，愛莉絲！'她媽媽高聲地說，一面又轉(zhuǎn)過身來對我說，

'I will tell you all, sir.

'我通通告訴你吧，先生。

Do not imagine that my agitation on behalf of my son arises from any fear lest he should have had a hand in this terrible affair.

你不要以為，一提起我的兒子我就著急，是因為他和這個人命案子有什么關(guān)系。

He is utterly innocent of it.

他完全是清白無罪的。

My dread is, however, that in your eyes and in the eyes of others he may appear to be compromised.

可是我顧慮的是，在你們或是別人看來，他似乎是有嫌疑的。

That, however, is surely impossible.

但是，這是絕不可能的。

His high character, his profession, his antecedents would all forbid it.'

他的高貴氣質(zhì)、他的職業(yè)、他的過去都能證明這一點。'

"'Your best way is to make a clean breast of the facts,' I answered.

"我說：'你最好還是把事實和盤托出。

'Depend upon it, if your son is innocent he will be none the worse.'

相信我好啦，如果你的兒子真是清白無罪，他絕不會受到什么委屈的。'

"'Perhaps, Alice, you had better leave us together,' she said, and her daughter withdrew.

"她說：'愛莉絲，你最好出去一下，讓我們兩個人談吧。'于是她的女兒就走了出去。

'Now, sir,' she continued, 'I had no intention of telling you all this,

她接著說：'唉，先生，我原不想把這些告訴你，

but since my poor daughter has disclosed it I have no alternative.

可是我的女兒已經(jīng)說破，現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)沒有別的法子，我也只好說出來吧。

Having once decided to speak, I will tell you all without omitting any particular.'

我既然打算說，那就一點也不保留。'

"'It is your wisest course,' said I.

"我說：'這才是真聰明呢。'