It was instantly opened by a bright-looking, clean-shaven young fellow, who asked him to step in.
一個看上去很精明能干、胡子刮得光光的年輕小伙子立即給他開了門,請他進去。
"Thank you," said Holmes, "I only wished to ask you how you would go from here to the Strand."
福爾摩斯說:"勞駕,我只想問一下,從這里到斯特蘭德怎么走。"
"Third right, fourth left," answered the assistant promptly, closing the door.
那個伙計立即回答說:"到第三個路口往右拐,到第四個路口再往左拐。"隨即關上了門。
"Smart fellow, that," observed Holmes as we walked away.
當我們從那里走開的時候,福爾摩斯說,"我看他真是個精明能干的小伙子。
"He is, in my judgment, the fourth smartest man in London,
據(jù)我的判斷,他在倫敦可以算得上是第四個最精明能干的人了;
and for daring I am not sure that he has not a claim to be third. I have known something of him before."
至于在膽略方面,我不敢肯定說他是不是數(shù)第三。我以前對他有所了解。"
"Evidently," said I, "Mr. Wilson's assistant counts for a good deal in this mystery of the Red-headed League.
我說,"顯然,威爾遜先生的伙計在這個紅發(fā)會的神秘事件中起了很大的作用。
I am sure that you inquired your way merely in order that you might see him."
我相信你去問路不過是為了想看一看他而已。"
"Not him." "What then?" "The knees of his trousers."
"不是看他。""那又是為了什么呢?""看看他褲子膝蓋那個地方。"
"And what did you see?" "What I expected to see." "Why did you beat the pavement?"
"你看見了什么?""我看到了我想看的東西。""你為什么要敲打人行道?"
"My dear doctor, this is a time for observation, not for talk.
"我的親愛的大夫,現(xiàn)在是留心觀察的時候,而不是談話的時候。
We are spies in an enemy's country. We know something of Saxe-Coburg Square.
我們是在敵人的領土里進行偵查活動。我們知道一些薩克斯—科伯格廣場的情況。
Let us now explore the parts which lie behind it."
讓我們現(xiàn)在去探查一下廣場后面那些地方。"