福爾摩斯探案集·四簽名 第35期:福爾摩斯作出判斷(4)
"Before they come," said Holmes, "just put your hand here on this poor fellow's arm, and here on his leg. What do you feel?"
福爾摩斯道："乘他們還沒有上來的時候，你用手摸一摸尸身的胳臂，還有他的兩條腿。你有什么感覺？"
"The muscles are as hard as a board," I answered.
我答道："肌肉堅硬得象木頭一樣。"
"Quite so. They are in a state of extreme contraction, far exceeding the usual rigor mortis.
"正是。是極端強烈的'收縮' ，比普通的'死后強直'還要厲害，
Coupled with this distortion of the face, this Hippocratic smile,
再加上臉部的歪斜和希波克拉底式的微笑,
or 'risus sardonicus,' as the old writers called it, what conclusion would it suggest to your mind?"
或者是像以前作家寫的'慘笑'，你作何結(jié)論呢？"
"Death from some powerful vegetable alkaloid," I answered,
我答道："中了植物性生物鹼的劇毒
"some strychnine-like substance which would produce tetanus."
一種類似番木鱉鹼，能造成破傷風性癥狀的毒物而致死的。"
"That was the idea which occurred to me the instant I saw the drawn muscles of the face.
"我一發(fā)現(xiàn)他那面部肌肉收縮的情形，就想到是中劇毒的現(xiàn)象。
On getting into the room I at once looked for the means by which the poison had entered the system.
進屋以后我就馬上設法弄清這毒物是如何進入體內(nèi)的。
As you saw, I discovered a thorn which had been driven or shot with no great force into the scalp.
你也看見我發(fā)現(xiàn)了那根不費力就能扎進或者射入他頭部的荊刺。
You observe that the part struck was that which would be turned towards the hole in the ceiling if the man were erect in his chair.
似乎死者當時是直坐在椅上，你看那刺入的地方正對著那天花板的洞。
Now examine this thorn."
你再仔細看看這根荊刺。"
I took it up gingerly and held it in the light of the lantern.
我小心地把它拿在手里對著燈光細看。
It was long, sharp, and black, with a glazed look near the point as though some gummy substance had dried upon it.
是一個長而尖的木餾油黑刺，尖端上有一層發(fā)亮的好象是一種干了的膠質(zhì)的東西。
The blunt end had been trimmed and rounded off with a knife.
較鈍的那一頭，是被刀削過的。
"Is that an English thorn?" he asked.
他問道："是生長在英國的荊刺嗎？"
"No, it certainly is not."
"絕對不是的。"
"With all these data you should be able to draw some just inference.
"有了這些資料，你就應當能作出合理的結(jié)論來。
But here are the regulars, so the auxiliary forces may beat a retreat."
這是主要之點，其余的更容易解決了。"
As he spoke, the steps which had been coming nearer sounded loudly on the passage,
他說話的時節(jié)，腳步聲已經(jīng)來到甬道。
and a very stout, portly man in a gray suit strode heavily into the room.
一個穿灰衣的胖子走進屋內(nèi)。
He was red-faced, burly, and plethoric,
他的面色發(fā)紅，身材魁偉，多血的體質(zhì)，
with a pair of very small twinkling eyes which looked keenly out from between swollen and puffy pouches.
從腫脹的凸眼泡中間露出了一對小小的閃爍的眼睛。
He was closely followed by an inspector in uniform and by the still palpitating Thaddeus Sholto.
后面緊隨著一個穿制服的警長和還在那里發(fā)抖的塞笛厄斯·舒爾托。
"Here's a business!" he cried in a muffled, husky voice. "Here's a pretty business!
他喊道："這成什么樣子！這成什么樣子！
But who are all these? Why, the house seems to be as full as a rabbit-warren!"
這些人都是誰？這屋子里簡直熱鬧得都象養(yǎng)兔場了。"
"I think you must recollect me, Mr. Athelney Jones," said Holmes quietly.
福爾摩斯靜靜地說道："埃瑟爾尼·瓊斯先生，我想您一定還記得我吧？"
"Why, of course I do!" he wheezed. "It's Mr. Sherlock Holmes, the theorist. Remember you!
他喘息未定地說道："當然還記得的！你是大理論家歇洛克·福爾摩斯先生。記得您，記得您的！
I'll never forget how you lectured us all on causes and inferences and effects in the Bishopgate jewel case.
我忘不了那次您怎么向我們演說關于主教門珍寶案的起因和推論結(jié)果。
It's true you set us on the right track; but you'll own now that it was more by good luck than good guidance."
您確實把我們引入了正軌，但是您也應當承認，那次主要還是靠了運氣好，而不是因為有了正確的指導才破的案。"
"It was a piece of very simple reasoning."
"那是一個很簡單很容易理解的案子。"
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