福爾摩斯探案集·四簽名 第74期:兇手的末日(7)
"You have planned it all very neatly, whether they are the right men or not," said Jones;
瓊斯道："不管這幾個人是不是真的兇手，你的準備是很周密的。
"but if the affair were in my hands I should have had a body of police in Jacobson's Yard and arrested them when they came down."
不過要是我，我一定派幾個能干的警察，等到匪徒來到杰克勃森船塢時，就把他們當場逮捕了。"
"Which would have been never. This man Small is a pretty shrewd fellow.
"這個我可不敢贊同，因為斯茂是個很狡猾的人，
He would send a scout on ahead, and if anything made him suspicious he would lie snug for another week."
他行動以前一定先派人查看動靜，如有可疑的情況，他自然又要再隱匿一個時期。"
"But you might have stuck to Mordecai Smith, and so been led to their hiding-place," said I.
我道："可是你若盯緊了茂迪凱·斯密司也可以把匪穴找到呀。"
"In that case I should have wasted my day.
"那樣我的時光就全要浪費了。
I think that it is a hundred to one against Smith knowing where they live.
我想匪徒們的住處九成九斯密司是不知道的。
As long as he has liquor and good pay, why should he ask questions? They send him messages what to do.
斯密司有酒喝、有錢花，其余的問它做什么？有事時匪徒們派人通知他就行啦。
No, I thought over every possible course, and this is the best."
我各方面都考慮到了，我以為這是最好的辦法。"
While this conversation had been proceeding, we had been shooting the long series of bridges which span the Thames.
談話之間，我們已經穿過了泰晤士河上的幾座橋。
As we passed the City the last rays of the sun were gilding the cross upon the summit of St. Paul's.
當我們出了市區(qū)的時候，落日余輝已將圣保羅教堂房頂上的十字架照得金光閃閃。
It was twilight before we reached the Tower.
在我們還沒有到達倫敦塔的時候，就已是黃昏時分了。
"That is Jacobson's Yard," said Holmes, pointing to a bristle of masts and rigging on the Surrey side.
福爾摩斯遠遠指著靠薩利區(qū)河岸桅墻密立的地方說道："那就是杰克勃森船塢，
"Cruise gently up and down here under cover of this string of lighters."
讓我們的船借著這一串駁船的掩護，慢慢地來回游戈。"
He took a pair of night-glasses from his pocket and gazed some time at the shore.
他從口袋中拿出夜望鏡，向岸上觀察，
"I see my sentry at his post," he remarked, "but no sign of a handkerchief."
說道："我已經找到了我派的那個人，可是手巾還沒有揮動。"
"Suppose we go downstream a short way and lie in wait for them," said Jones eagerly.
瓊斯很性急地說道："咱們還是停泊到下游等著他們吧。"
