"And what of Irene Adler?" I asked.
"艾琳·艾德勒的情況如何?"我問道。
"Oh, she has turned all the men's heads down in that part.
"噢,她使那一帶所有的男人都拜倒在她的石榴裙下。
She is the daintiest thing under a bonnet on this planet.
她是世界上最俏麗的佳人了。
So say the Serpentine-mews, to a man.
在塞彭泰恩大街馬房,人人都是這么說的。
She lives quietly, sings at concerts, drives out at five every day, and returns at seven sharp for dinner.
她過著寧靜的生活,在音樂會上演唱。每天五點鐘出去,七點鐘回家吃晚餐。
Seldom goes out at other times, except when she sings. Has only one male visitor, but a good deal of him.
她除了演唱外,其余時間則深居簡出。她只與一個男人交往,而且過從甚密。
He is dark, handsome, and dashing, never calls less than once a day, and often twice.
他膚色黝黑,體態(tài)英俊,很有朝氣。他每天至少來看她一回,經常是兩回。
He is a Mr. Godfrey Norton, of the Inner Temple. See the advantages of a cabman as a confidant.
他是住在坦普爾的戈弗雷·諾頓先生。你懂一個作為心腹車夫的好處嗎?
They had driven him home a dozen times from Serpentine-mews, and knew all about him.
這些馬車夫為他趕車不下十幾次,從塞彭泰恩大街馬房送他回家,對他的事無不知曉。
When I had listened to all they had to tell,
我聽完了他們所談的一切之后,
I began to walk up and down near Briony Lodge once more, and to think over my plan of campaign.
便開始再一次在布里翁尼府第附近漫步徘徊,思考我的行動方案。
This Godfrey Norton was evidently an important factor in the matter. He was a lawyer. That sounded ominous.
這個戈弗雷·諾頓顯然是這件事的關鍵性人物。他是一位律師。這聽起來不大妙。
What was the relation between them, and what the object of his repeated visits?
他們兩人之間是什么關系呢?他不斷地來看她有什么目的?
Was she his client, his friend, or his mistress?
她是他的委托人,他的朋友,或者是他的情婦?
If the former, she had probably transferred the photograph to his keeping.
如果是他的委托人,她大概已經把照片交給他保存了。
If the latter, it was less likely.
如果是他的情婦,那就不大會那么做。
On the issue of this question depended whether I should continue my work at Briony Lodge,
這個問題的答案將決定我應當繼續(xù)對布里翁尼府第的調查工作呢,
or turn my attention to the gentleman's chambers in the Temple.
還是把我的注意力轉到那位先生在坦普爾的住宅方面。
It was a delicate point, and it widened the field of my inquiry.
這是必須加以小心從事的要點所在,這就擴大了我調查的范圍。
I fear that I bore you with these details, but I have to let you see my little difficulties, if you are to understand the situation."
我擔心這些瑣瑣碎碎的細節(jié)會使你感覺厭煩,但是我必須讓你看到我的一點困難,如果你要想了解情況的話。"