Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

ADVENTURE  I.  A SCANDAL IN BOHEMIA

To Sherlock Holmes she is always the woman. I have seldom 很少 heard him mention her under any other name. In his eyes she eclipses 蚀 and pre‧dominate 掌握 the whole of her sex 性别. It was not that he felt any emotion 情感 akin 类似的 to love for Irene Adler. All emotions 情感, and that one particularly, were abhorrent to his cold, precise 精确 but admirably 令人钦佩 balanced mind. He was, I take it, the most perfect reasoning and observing machine that the world has seen, but as a lover he would have placed himself in a false 虚伪的 position. He never spoke speak of the softer passions 激情，热情；强烈情感, save with a gibe and a sneer 冷笑. They were admirable 令人钦佩 things for the observer—excellent for drawing the veil 面纱 from men’s motives 动机 and actions. But for the trained reasoner to admit such intrusions 侵扰 into his own delicate 微妙的；纤弱的 and finely adjusted 改变；调节 temperament 气质 was to introduce a distracting 转移 factor 因子 which might throw a doubt upon all his mental 心理 results. Grit in a sensitive instrument, or a crack 破裂 in one of his own high-power lenses 镜片, would not be more disturbing 打扰 than a strong emotion 情感 in a nature such as his. And yet there was but one woman to him, and that woman was the late Irene Adler, of dubious 可疑 and question‧able 可疑的 memory.

I had seen little of Holmes lately 近来. My marriage had drifted 漂移 us away from each other. My own complete happiness 幸福, and the home-cent‧red 分‧红色的 interests which rise up around the man who first finds himself master of his own establishment 机构, were sufficient 足够 to absorb 吸收 all my attention, while Holmes, who loathed 厌恶 every form of society with his whole Bohemian soul, remained in our lodgings 存放 in Baker Street, buried 埋葬 among his old books, and alternating 备用 from week to week between cocaine 可卡因 and ambition 抱负, the drowsiness of the drug 药物, and the fierce 凶猛的 energy 能源 of his own keen 热切的 nature. He was still, as ever, deeply attracted 吸引 by the study of crime 罪行, and occupied 占据 his immense 极大的 faculties 学院 and extra‧ordinary 非凡的 powers of observation 意见 in following out those clues 线索, and clearing up those mysteries which had been abandoned 放弃 as hope‧less 绝望 by the official police. From time to time I heard some vague 模糊 account of his doings: of his summons 召唤 to Odessa in the case of the Trepoff murder, of his clearing up of the singular 单数 tragedy 悲剧 of the Atkinson brothers at Trincomalee, and finally of the mission 任务 which he had accomplished 完成；实现；达到；做到 so delicately 微妙的；纤弱的 and successfully 顺利 for the reigning 统治 family of Holland. Beyond these signs of his activity, however, which I merely shared with all the readers 读者 of the daily press, I knew little of my former friend and companion 同伴.

One night—it was on the twentieth of March 行军；三月, 1888—I was returning from a journey 旅行 to a patient (for I had now returned to civil 国内 practice), when my way led me through Baker Street. As I passed the well-remembered door, which must always be associated 关联 in my mind with my wooing 求爱, and with the dark incidents 事件 of the Study in Scarlet, I was seized 抓住 with a keen 热切的 desire to see Holmes again, and to know how he was employing his extra‧ordinary 非凡的 powers. His rooms were brilliantly 出色的 lit, and, even as I looked up, I saw his tall, spare 节省；多余的；备用件 figure pass twice 两次 in a dark silhouette 轮廓 against the blind. He was pacing 步伐，速度 the room swiftly 如飞, eagerly 渴望的, with his head sunk 淹没:sink upon his chest 胸部 and his hands clasped 钩 behind him. To me, who knew his every mood 心境 and habit 习惯, his attitude 态度 and manner told their own story. He was at work again. He had risen rise out of his drug 药物-created dreams and was hot upon the scent 香味 of some new problem. I rang the bell 钟 and was shown up to the chamber 室 which had formerly been in part my own.

His manner was not effusive. It seldom 很少 was; but he was glad 高兴的, I think, to see me. With hardly a word spoken speak, but with a kindly eye, he waved me to an arm‧chair 扶手椅, threw throw across his case of cigars 雪茄, and indicated 表明 a spirit case and a gasogene in the corner. Then he stood before the fire and looked me over in his singular 单数 introspective fashion.

“Wedlock suits you,” he remarked. “I think, Watson, that you have put on seven 七 and a half pounds since I saw you.”

“Seven 七!” I answered.

“Indeed, I should have thought a little more. Just a trifle 琐事 more, I fancy 想像, Watson. And in practice again, I observe. You did not tell me that you intended to go into harness 马具.”

“Then, how do you know?”

“I see it, I deduce 推断 it. How do I know that you have been getting your‧self 你自己 very wet 湿的 lately 近来, and that you have a most clumsy 笨拙 and care‧less 粗心 servant 仆人 girl?”

“My dear Holmes,” said I, “this is too much. You would certainly have been burned burn, had you lived a few centuries ago. It is true that I had a country walk on Thursday and came home in a dreadful 可怕 mess 不整洁；弄乱, but as I have changed my clothes I can’t imagine how you deduce 推断 it. As to Mary Jane, she is incorrigible, and my wife has given her notice, but there, again, I fail to see how you work it out.”

He chuckled 暗笑 to himself and rubbed 擦 his long, nervous 担心的 hands together.

“It is simplicity 简单 itself 本身,” said he; “my eyes tell me that on the inside of your left shoe, just where the fire‧light 火‧光；灯 strikes it, the leather 皮 is scored 得分了 by six almost parallel 位置 cuts. Obviously 明显 they have been caused by someone who has very care‧less 粗心 scraped 擦 round the edges of the sole 唯一 in order to remove 去掉 crusted 脆皮 mud 泥 from it. Hence 因此, you see, my double deduction 扣除 that you had been out in vile weather, and that you had a particularly malignant 恶性 boot 靴；鞋-slitting 裂缝 specimen 标本 of the London slavey. As to your practice, if a gentle‧man 先生 walks into my rooms smelling of iodoform, with a black mark of nitrate 硝酸盐 of silver 银 upon his right fore‧finger 前面‧手指, and a bulge 凸 on the right side of his top-hat to show where he has secreted 分泌 his stethoscope, I must be dull 钝的；没兴趣, indeed, if I do not pronounce 发音 him to be an active member of the medical profession.”

I could not help laughing at the ease 轻松 with which he explained his process of deduction 扣除. “When I hear you give your reasons,” I remarked, “the thing always appears to me to be so ridiculously 荒谬 simple that I could easily do it myself 我, though at each successive 连续 instance 例 of your reasoning I am baffled 障 until you explain your process. And yet I believe that my eyes are as good as yours.”

“Quite so,” he answered, lighting a cigarette 香烟，纸烟, and throwing himself down into an arm‧chair 扶手椅. “You see, but you do not observe. The distinction 区别 is clear. For example, you have frequently seen the steps which lead up from the hall to this room.”

“Frequently.”

“How often?”

“Well, some hundreds 百 of times.”

“Then how many are there?”

“How many? I don’t know.”

“Quite so! You have not observed. And yet you have seen. That is just my point. Now, I know that there are seven‧teen 十七 steps, because I have both seen and observed. By the way, since you are interested in these little problems, and since you are good enough to chronicle 编年史 one or two of my trifling 琐事 experiences, you may be interested in this.” He threw over a sheet of thick, pink 粉红色的-tinted 着色 note‧paper 笔记‧纸；报纸 which had been lying open upon the table. “It came by the last post,” said he. “Read it aloud 高声.”

The note was undated, and without either signature 签名 or address.

“There will call upon you to-night, at a quarter to eight 八 o’ clock 钟,” it said, “a gentle‧man 先生 who desires to consult 咨询；请教；查阅 you upon a matter of the very deepest moment. Your recent services to one of the royal 王国的 houses of Europe have shown that you are one who may safely be trusted with matters which are of an importance which can hardly be exaggerated 夸大. This account of you we have from all quarters received. Be in your chamber 室 then at that hour, and do not take it amiss if your visitor 访问者 wear a mask 面具.”

“This is indeed a mystery,” I remarked. “What do you imagine that it means?”

“I have no data 数据 yet. It is a capital mistake to theorise before one has data 数据. Insensibly one begins to twist 扭成一束 facts to suit theories 理论, instead of theories 理论 to suit facts. But the note itself 本身. What do you deduce 推断 from it?”

I carefully 小心 examined the writing, and the paper upon which it was written.

“The man who wrote it was presumably 想必 well to do,” I remarked, endeavouring to imitate 模仿 my companion 同伴’s processes. “Such paper could not be bought buy under half a crown 王冠 a packet 包. It is peculiarly 奇怪的 strong and stiff 严厉的.”

“ Peculiar 奇怪的—that is the very word,” said Holmes. “It is not an English paper at all. Hold it up to the light.”

I did so, and saw a large “E” with a small “g,” a “P,” and a large “G” with a small “t” woven into the texture 质地 of the paper.

“What do you make of that?” asked Holmes.

“The name of the maker 做；逼, no doubt; or his monogram, rather.”

“Not at all. The ‘G’ with the small ‘t’ stands for ‘Gesellschaft,’ which is the German for ‘Company.’ It is a customary 习惯的 contract‧ion 收缩 like our ‘Co.’ ‘P,’ of course, stands for ‘Papier.’ Now for the ‘Eg.’ Let us glance 一瞥 at our Continental Gazetteer.” He took down a heavy brown volume 卷 from his shelves. “Eglow, Eglonitz—here we are, Egria. It is in a German-speaking country—in Bohemia, not far from Carlsbad. ‘ Remarkable 非凡的；奇异的；引人注目的 as being the scene of the death of Wallenstein, and for its numerous 很多的 glass-factories 工厂 and paper-mills 磨坊.’ Ha, ha, my boy, what do you make of that?” His eyes sparkled 火花, and he sent send up a great blue triumphant 凯 cloud from his cigarette 香烟，纸烟.

“The paper was made in Bohemia,” I said.

“ Precisely 精确地. And the man who wrote the note is a German. Do you note the peculiar 奇怪的 construction 施工 of the sentence 句子—‘This account of you we have from all quarters received.’ A Frenchman or Russian could not have written that. It is the German who is so uncourteous to his verbs 动词. It only remains, therefore, to discover what is wanted by this German who writes upon Bohemian paper and prefers wearing a mask 面具 to showing his face. And here he comes, if I am not mistaken 错误, to resolve 解决 all our doubts.”

As he spoke there was the sharp sound of horses’ hoofs 蹄 and grating 炉排 wheels against the curb 抑制, followed by a sharp pull at the bell 钟. Holmes whistled 吹口哨.

“A pair, by the sound,” said he. “Yes,” he continued, glancing 一瞥 out of the window. “A nice little brougham and a pair of beauties. A hundred 百 and fifty 五十 guineas 几内亚 apiece. There’s money in this case, Watson, if there is nothing else.”

“I think that I had better go, Holmes.”

“Not a bit 一点, Doctor. Stay where you are. I am lost without my Boswell. And this promises to be interesting. It would be a pity 怜悯 to miss it.”

“But your client 客户—”

“Never mind him. I may want your help, and so may he. Here he comes. Sit down in that arm‧chair 扶手椅, Doctor, and give us your best attention.”

A slow and heavy step, which had been heard upon the stairs 楼梯 and in the passage, paused 暂停 immediately outside the door. Then there was a loud 响亮的 and authoritative 权威性 tap 敲；龙头；汲取（液体）.

“Come in!” said Holmes.

A man entered who could hardly have been less than six feet six inches in height 高度, with the chest 胸部 and limbs 肢 of a Hercules. His dress was rich with a richness 丰富 which would, in England, be looked upon as akin 类似的 to bad taste. Heavy bands of astrakhan were slashed 削减 across the sleeves 袖 and fronts of his double-breasted 乳房 coat, while the deep blue cloak 披风 which was thrown throw over his shoulders was lined with flame 火焰-coloured silk 丝 and secured 安全 at the neck with a brooch which consisted 组成 of a single flaming 火焰 beryl. Boots which extended half‧way 半 up his calves, and which were trimmed 修剪 at the tops with rich brown fur 毛皮, completed the impression 印象 of barbaric opulence which was suggested by his whole appearance. He carried a broad-brimmed 边 hat in his hand, while he wore wear across the upper part of his face, extending down past the cheekbones, a black vizard mask 面具, which he had apparently 据…所知；看来；据说；听说 adjusted that very moment, for his hand was still raised to it as he entered. From the lower part of the face he appeared to be a man of strong character, with a thick, hanging lip, and a long, straight chin 下巴 suggestive 提示 of resolution 解析度 pushed to the length of obstinacy.

“You had my note?” he asked with a deep harsh 苛刻 voice and a strongly marked German accent 口音. “I told you that I would call.” He looked from one to the other of us, as if uncertain 不确定 which to address.

“Pray take a seat,” said Holmes. “This is my friend and colleague 同事, Dr. Watson, who is occasionally 偶尔，间或；有时 good enough to help me in my cases. Whom 谁 have I the honour to address?”

“You may address me as the Count Von Kramm, a Bohemian noble‧man 高尚的‧男人. I understand that this gentleman, your friend, is a man of honour and discretion 慎重, whom I may trust with a matter of the most extreme importance. If not, I should much prefer to communicate 通信 with you alone.”

I rose rise to go, but Holmes caught catch me by the wrist 腕 and pushed me back into my chair. “It is both, or none,” said he. “You may say before this gentleman anything which you may say to me.”

The Count shrugged 耸 his broad shoulders. “Then I must begin,” said he, “by binding you both to absolute secrecy 保密 for two years; at the end of that time the matter will be of no importance. At present it is not too much to say that it is of such weight it may have an influence upon European history.”

“I promise,” said Holmes.

“And I.”

“You will excuse 原谅 this mask 面具,” continued our strange visitor 访问者. “The august 八月 person who employs me wishes his agent to be unknown 未知 to you, and I may confess 供认 at once that the title by which I have just called myself 我 is not exactly my own.”

“I was aware 知道的 of it,” said Holmes dryly.

“The circumstances 环境 are of great delicacy 美味, and every pre‧caution 预防 has to be taken to quench what might grow to be an immense 极大的 scandal 丑闻 and seriously compromise 妥协 one of the reigning 统治 families of Europe. To speak plainly, the matter implicates 连累 the great House of Ormstein, hereditary 遗传 kings of Bohemia.”

“I was also aware 知道的 of that,” murmured 私语 Holmes, settling himself down in his arm‧chair 扶手椅 and closing his eyes.

Our visitor glanced 一瞥 with some apparent 清晰可见的；显而易见的；明白易懂的 surprise at the languid, lounging 休息室 figure of the man who had been no doubt depicted 描绘 to him as the most incisive reasoner and most energetic 有活力 agent in Europe. Holmes slowly reopened 重开 his eyes and looked impatiently 不耐烦 at his gigantic 巨大 client 客户.

“If your Majesty would con‧descend CON‧下来 to state your case,” he remarked, “I should be better able to advise you.”

The man sprang from his chair and paced 步伐，速度 up and down the room in uncontrollable agitation 搅动. Then, with a gesture 手势 of desperation 绝望, he tore tear the mask 面具 from his face and hurled 投 it upon the ground grind. “You are right,” he cried; “I am the King. Why should I attempt to conceal 隐藏 it?”

“Why, indeed?” murmured 私语 Holmes. “Your Majesty had not spoken before I was aware 知道的 that I was addressing Wilhelm Gottsreich Sigismond von Ormstein, Grand 宏大的 Duke of Cassel-Felstein, and hereditary 遗传 King of Bohemia.”

“But you can understand,” said our strange visitor, sitting down once more and passing his hand over his high white fore‧head 前额, “you can understand that I am not accustomed 使习惯 to doing such business in my own person. Yet the matter was so delicate 微妙的；纤弱的 that I could not confide 信任 it to an agent without putting myself 我 in his power. I have come incognito from Prague for the purpose of consulting 咨询；请教；查阅 you.”

“Then, pray consult 咨询；请教；查阅,” said Holmes, shutting 关闭 his eyes once more.

“The facts are briefly 短时间地 these: Some five years ago, during a lengthy 冗长 visit to Warsaw, I made the acquaintance 熟人 of the well-known adventuress, Irene Adler. The name is no doubt familiar to you.”

“Kindly look her up in my index 指数, Doctor,” murmured 私语 Holmes without opening his eyes. For many years he had adopted a system of docketing all paragraphs 段 concerning men and things, so that it was difficult to name a subject or a person on which he could not at once furnish information. In this case I found her biography 传 sandwiched 三明治 in between that of a Hebrew rabbi 拉比 and that of a staff-commander 命令 who had written a monograph 专着 upon the deep-sea fishes.

“Let me see!” said Holmes. “Hum! Born in New Jersey in the year 1858. Contralto—hum 哼! La Scala, hum 哼! Prima donna Imperial Opera 歌剧 of Warsaw—yes! Retired from operatic stage—ha! Living in London—quite so! Your Majesty, as I understand, became entangled with this young person, wrote her some compromising 妥协 letters, and is now desirous of getting those letters back.”

“ Precisely 精确地 so. But how—”

“Was there a secret marriage?”

“None.”

“No legal 法律 papers or certificates 证书?”

“None.”

“Then I fail to follow your Majesty. If this young person should produce her letters for black‧mail 勒索 or other purposes, how is she to prove their authenticity 真伪?”

“There is the writing.”

“Pooh, pooh! Forgery.”

“My private note-paper.”

“Stolen.”

“My own seal 封上，海豹.”

“Imitated.”

“My photograph 照片.”

“Bought.”

“We were both in the photograph.”

“Oh, dear! That is very bad! Your Majesty has indeed committed 承诺 an indiscretion.”

“I was mad 疯狂的—insane 疯.”

“You have compromised 妥协 your‧self 你自己 seriously.”

“I was only Crown 王冠 Prince then. I was young. I am but thirty 三十 now.”

“It must be recovered 恢复.”

“We have tried and failed.”

“Your Majesty must pay. It must be bought.”

“She will not sell.”

“Stolen, then.”

“Five attempts have been made. Twice 两次 burglars 窃贼 in my pay ransacked her house. Once we diverted 转移 her luggage 行李 when she travelled. Twice 两次 she has been waylaid. There has been no result.”

“No sign of it?”

“Absolutely none.”

Holmes laughed. “It is quite a pretty little problem,” said he.

“But a very serious one to me,” returned the King reproach‧fully 责备‧完全地.

“Very, indeed. And what does she propose to do with the photograph?”

“To ruin 破坏 me.”

“But how?”

“I am about to be married.”

“So I have heard.”

“To Clotilde Lothman von Saxe-Meningen, second daughter of the King of Scandinavia. You may know the strict 严格的 principles 原理 of her family. She is her‧self 她自己 the very soul of delicacy 美味. A shadow of a doubt as to my conduct 进行 would bring the matter to an end.”

“And Irene Adler?”

“Threatens to send them the photograph. And she will do it. I know that she will do it. You do not know her, but she has a soul of steel 钢. She has the face of the most beautiful 美丽 of women, and the mind of the most resolute of men. Rather than I should marry another woman, there are no lengths to which she would not go—none.”

“You are sure that she has not sent it yet?”

“I am sure.”

“And why?”

“Because she has said that she would send it on the day when the betrothal was publicly pro‧claim 宣布. That will be next Monday.”

“Oh, then we have three days yet,” said Holmes with a yawn 打哈欠. “That is very fortunate 侥幸的, as I have one or two matters of importance to look into just at present. Your Majesty will, of course, stay in London for the present?”

“Certainly. You will find me at the Langham under the name of the Count Von Kramm.”

“Then I shall drop you a line to let you know how we progress.”

“Pray do so. I shall be all anxiety 焦虑.”

“Then, as to money?”

“You have carte blanche.”

“Absolutely?”

“I tell you that I would give one of the provinces 省 of my kingdom 王国 to have that photograph.”

“And for present expenses?”

The King took a heavy chamois leather 皮 bag 袋 from under his cloak 披风 and laid it on the table.

“There are three hundred 百 pounds in gold 金 and seven 七 hundred 百 in notes,” he said.

Holmes scribbled 涂 a receipt 收据 upon a sheet of his note-book and handed it to him.

“And Mademoiselle’s address?” he asked.

“Is Briony Lodge 存放, Serpentine Avenue, St. John’s Wood.”

Holmes took a note of it. “One other question,” said he. “Was the photograph a cabinet 内阁?”

“It was.”

“Then, good-night, your Majesty, and I trust that we shall soon have some good news for you. And good-night, Watson,” he added, as the wheels of the royal 王国的 brougham rolled down the street. “If you will be good enough to call to-morrow afternoon at three o’ clock 钟 I should like to chat 聊 this little matter over with you.”

At three o’ clock precisely 精确地 I was at Baker Street, but Holmes had not yet returned. The land‧lady 陆地；着陆‧女士 informed me that he had left the house shortly after eight 八 o’clock 3 in the morning. I sat sit down beside the fire, however, with the intention of awaiting 等待 him, however long he might be. I was already deeply interested in his inquiry 调查, for, though it was surrounded by none of the grim 严峻 and strange features 特征 which were associated 关联 with the two crimes 罪行 which I have already recorded, still, the nature of the case and the exalted station of his client 客户 gave it a character of its own. Indeed, apart 相隔 from the nature of the investigation 调查 which my friend had on hand, there was something in his masterly grasp 把握 of a situation, and his keen 热切的, incisive reasoning, which made it a pleasure to me to study his system of work, and to follow the quick, subtle 微妙 methods 方法 by which he disentangled the most inextricable mysteries. So accustomed was I to his invariable success that the very possibility 可能性 of his failing had ceased 停止 to enter into my head.

It was close upon four before the door opened, and a drunken 醉-looking groom 马夫, ill 生病-kempt and side-whiskered, with an inflamed 发炎 face and disreputable clothes, walked into the room. Accustomed as I was to my friend’s amazing 使大为惊奇，使惊愕 powers in the use of disguises 伪装, I had to look three times before I was certain that it was indeed he. With a nod he vanished 消失 into the bed‧room 卧室, whence he emerged 出现 in five minutes tweed-suited 套房 and respect‧able 可敬, as of old. Putting his hands into his pockets 口袋, he stretched out his legs in front of the fire and laughed heartily 爽朗 for some minutes.

“Well, really!” he cried, and then he choked 呛 and laughed again until he was obliged 责成 to lie back, limp 跛行 and help‧less 无助, in the chair.

“What is it?”

“It’s quite too funny 有趣的. I am sure you could never guess how I employed my morning, or what I ended by doing.”

“I can’t imagine. I suppose that you have been watching the habits 习惯, and perhaps the house, of Miss Irene Adler.”

“Quite so; but the sequel 续集 was rather unusual 异常. I will tell you, however. I left the house a little after eight 八 o’clock this morning in the character of a groom 马夫 out of work. There is a wonderful 精彩 sympathy 同情 and freemasonry among horsey men. Be one of them, and you will know all that there is to know. I soon found Briony Lodge 存放. It is a bijou villa 别墅, with a garden at the back, but built out in front right up to the road, two stories. Chubb lock to the door. Large sitting-room on the right side, well furnished, with long windows almost to the floor, and those preposterous English window fasteners which a child could open. Behind there was nothing remark‧able 非凡的；奇异的；引人注目的, save that the passage window could be reached from the top of the coach 教练-house. I walked round it and examined it closely from every point of view, but without noting anything else of interest.

“I then lounged 休息室 down the street and found, as I expected, that there was a mews in a lane 车道 which runs down by one wall of the garden. I lent 把…借给:lend the ostlers a hand in rubbing 擦 down their horses, and received in exchange two‧pence 2‧便士, a glass of half-and-half, two fills of shag tobacco 烟草, and as much information as I could desire about Miss Adler, to say nothing of half a dozen other people in the neighbourhood in whom 谁 I was not in the least interested, but whose 谁的 biographies 传 I was compelled 迫使 to listen to.”

“And what of Irene Adler?” I asked.

“Oh, she has turned all the men’s heads down in that part. She is the daintiest thing under a bonnet 帽子 on this planet 行星. So say the Serpentine-mews, to a man. She lives quietly, sings at concerts 音乐会, drives out at five every day, and returns at seven 七 sharp for dinner. Seldom 很少 goes out at other times, except when she sings. Has only one male 男性的 visitor, but a good deal of him. He is dark, hand‧some 英俊, and dashing 短跑, never calls less than once a day, and often twice 两次. He is a Mr. Godfrey Norton, of the Inner 里面的 Temple 庙. See the advantages of a cabman as a confidant. They had driven drive him home a dozen times from Serpentine-mews, and knew all about him. When I had listened to all they had to tell, I began to walk up and down near Briony Lodge 存放 once more, and to think over my plan of campaign 运动.

“This Godfrey Norton was evidently 明显地 an important factor 因子 in the matter. He was a lawyer. That sounded ominous 不祥的. What was the relation between them, and what the object of his repeated visits? Was she his client 客户, his friend, or his mistress 情妇? If the former, she had probably transferred 转让 the photograph to his keeping. If the latter, it was less likely. On the issue of this question depended whether I should continue my work at Briony Lodge 3, or turn my attention to the gentleman’s chambers 室 in the Temple 庙. It was a delicate 微妙的；纤弱的 point, and it widened 放宽 the field of my inquiry 调查. I fear that I bore bear you with these details, but I have to let you see my little difficulties, if you are to understand the situation.”

“I am following you closely,” I answered.

“I was still balancing the matter in my mind when a hansom cab 出租车 drove drive up to Briony Lodge, and a gentleman sprang out. He was a remark‧able 非凡的；奇异的；引人注目的 hand‧some 英俊 man, dark, aquiline, and moustached—evidently 明显地 the man of whom 谁 I had heard. He appeared to be in a great hurry, shouted to the cabman to wait, and brushed past the maid 女佣 who opened the door with the air of a man who was thoroughly at home.

“He was in the house about half an hour, and I could catch glimpses 一瞥 of him in the windows of the sitting-room, pacing up and down, talking excitedly, and waving his arms. Of her I could see nothing. Presently he emerged 出现, looking even more flurried 慌张 than before. As he stepped up to the cab 出租车, he pulled a gold 金 watch from his pocket 口袋 and looked at it ear‧nest 热心的, ‘Drive like the devil 魔鬼,’ he shouted, ‘first to Gross & 功放; Hankey’s in Regent Street, and then to the Church of St. Monica in the Edgeware Road. Half a guinea 几内亚 if you do it in twenty 二十 minutes!’

“Away they went, and I was just wondering whether I should not do well to follow them when up the lane 车道 came a neat 整洁的 little landau, the coach‧man 教师‧男人 with his coat only half-buttoned 按钮, and his tie under his ear, while all the tags 标签 of his harness 马具 were sticking out of the buckles 扣. It hadn’t pulled up before she shot shoot out of the hall door and into it. I only caught a glimpse 一瞥 of her at the moment, but she was a lovely 可爱的 woman, with a face that a man might die for.

“ ‘The Church of St. Monica, John,’ she cried, ‘and half a sovereign 君主 if you reach it in twenty 二十 minutes.’

“This was quite too good to lose, Watson. I was just balancing whether I should run for it, or whether I should perch 栖息 behind her landau when a cab 出租车 came through the street. The driver looked twice 两次 at such a shabby 破旧 fare 票价, but I jumped in before he could object. ‘The Church of St. Monica,’ said I, ‘and half a sovereign 君主 if you reach it in twenty 二十 minutes.’ It was twenty 二十-five minutes to twelve 十二, and of course it was clear enough what was in the wind.

“My cabby drove fast. I don’t think I ever drove faster, but the others were there before us. The cab 出租车 and the landau with their steaming 蒸汽 horses were in front of the door when I arrived. I paid the man and hurried into the church. There was not a soul there save the two whom 谁 I had followed and a surpliced clergy‧man 牧师, who seemed to be expostulating with them. They were all three standing in a knot 结 in front of the altar 坛. I lounged 休息室 up the side aisle 走道 like any other idler 无意义的 who has dropped into a church. Suddenly, to my surprise, the three at the altar 坛 faced round to me, and Godfrey Norton came running as hard as he could towards me.

“ ‘Thank God,’ he cried. ‘You’ll do. Come! Come!’

“ ‘What then?’ I asked.

“ ‘Come, man, come, only three minutes, or it won win’t be legal 法律.’

“I was half-dragged 拖拽 up to the altar 坛, and before I knew where I was I found myself 我 mumbling 咕哝 responses 响应 which were whispered 低声说 in my ear, and vouching for things of which I knew nothing, and generally assisting 帮助；协助；援助 in the secure 安全 tying up of Irene Adler, spinster, to Godfrey Norton, bachelor 单身汉. It was all done in an instant 瞬间, and there was the gentleman thanking me on the one side and the lady on the other, while the clergy‧man 牧师 beamed 梁 on me in front. It was the most preposterous position in which I ever found myself 我 in my life, and it was the thought of it that started me laughing just now. It seems that there had been some informality about their license 执照, that the clergy‧man 牧师 absolutely refused to marry them without a witness of some sort, and that my lucky 幸运 appearance saved the bridegroom from having to sally out into the streets in search of a best man. The bride 新娘 gave me a sovereign 君主, and I mean to wear it on my watch chain in memory of the occasion.”

“This is a very unexpected 意外 turn of affairs,” said I; “and what then?”

“Well, I found my plans very seriously menaced 威胁. It looked as if the pair might take an immediate departure 离开, and so necessitate 必要 very prompt 敏捷的 and energetic 有活力 measures on my part. At the church door, however, they separated, he driving back to the Temple, and she to her own house. ‘I shall drive out in the park at five as usual,’ she said as she left him. I heard no more. They drove away in different directions, and I went off to make my own arrangements 安排.”

“Which are?”

“Some cold beef 牛肉 and a glass of beer 啤酒,” he answered, ringing the bell 钟. “I have been too busy to think of food, and I am likely to be busier still this evening. By the way, Doctor, I shall want your co-operation.”

“I shall be delighted.”

“You don’t mind breaking the law?”

“Not in the least.”

“Nor running a chance of arrest 逮捕?”

“Not in a good cause.”

“Oh, the cause is excellent!”

“Then I am your man.”

“I was sure that I might rely 依靠 on you.”

“But what is it you wish?”

“When Mrs. Turner has brought in the tray 盘子 I will make it clear to you. Now,” he said as he turned hungrily 饥饿 on the simple fare 票价 that our land‧lady 陆地；着陆‧女士 had provided, “I must discuss it while I eat, for I have not much time. It is nearly five now. In two hours we must be on the scene of action. Miss Irene, or Madame, rather, returns from her drive at seven 七. We must be at Briony Lodge to meet her.”

“And what then?”

“You must leave that to me. I have already arranged what is to occur 发生. There is only one point on which I must insist 咬定. You must not interfere 干预, come what may. You understand?”

“I am to be neutral 中性?”

“To do nothing whatever. There will probably be some small unpleasantness. Do not join in it. It will end in my being conveyed 传达 into the house. Four or five minutes after‧ward 之后 the sitting-room window will open. You are to station your‧self 你自己 close to that open window.”

“Yes.”

“You are to watch me, for I will be visible 可以看见的；可视的 to you.”

“Yes.”

“And when I raise my hand—so—you will throw into the room what I give you to throw, and will, at the same time, raise the cry of fire. You quite follow me?”

“Entirely.”

“It is nothing very formidable 强大,” he said, taking a long cigar 雪茄-shaped roll from his pocket 口袋. “It is an ordinary plumber 水管工人’s smoke-rocket 火箭, fitted with a cap 盖 at either end to make it self 自己-lighting. Your task 任务 is con‧fine 局限 to that. When you raise your cry of fire, it will be taken up by quite a number of people. You may then walk to the end of the street, and I will rejoin 归队 you in ten 十 minutes. I hope that I have made myself 我 clear?”

“I am to remain neutral 中性, to get near the window, to watch you, and at the signal to throw in this object, then to raise the cry of fire, and to wait you at the corner of the street.”

“ Precisely 精确地.”

“Then you may entirely rely 依靠 on me.”

“That is excellent. I think, perhaps, it is almost time that I prepare for the new role I have to play.”

He disappeared 不见 into his bed‧room 卧室 and returned in a few minutes in the character of an amiable 可亲 and simple-minded Nonconformist clergy‧man 牧师. His broad black hat, his baggy 松松垮垮 trousers 长裤, his white tie, his sympathetic 同情的 smile, and general look of peering 窥视 and benevolent curiosity 好奇心 were such as Mr. John Hare alone could have equalled. It was not merely that Holmes changed his costume 服装. His expression, his manner, his very soul seemed to vary 变化 with every fresh part that he assumed 承担. The stage lost a fine actor 演员, even as science lost an acute 急性 reasoner, when he became a specialist 专家；专业人员 in crime 罪行.

It was a quarter past six when we left Baker Street, and it still wanted ten 十 minutes to the hour when we found ourselves 我们自己 in Serpentine Avenue. It was already dusk 黄昏, and the lamps 灯 were just being lighted as we paced up and down in front of Briony Lodge, waiting for the coming of its occupant 占有者. The house was just such as I had pictured it from Sherlock Holmes’ succinct description, but the locality 局部性 appeared to be less private than I expected. On the contrary 相反, for a small street in a quiet neighbourhood, it was remarkably animated 活跃. There was a group of shabbily 破旧 dressed men smoking and laughing in a corner, a scissors 剪刀-grinder 磨碎 with his wheel, two guardsmen who were flirting 调情 with a nurse 护士-girl, and several well-dressed young men who were lounging 休息室 up and down with cigars 雪茄 in their mouths.

“You see,” remarked Holmes, as we paced to and fro 来来往往 in front of the house, “this marriage rather simplifies 简化 matters. The photograph becomes a double-edged weapon now. The chances are that she would be as averse to its being seen by Mr. Godfrey Norton, as our client 客户 is to its coming to the eyes of his princess 公主. Now the question is, Where are we to find the photograph?”

“Where, indeed?”

“It is most unlikely 不会 that she carries it about with her. It is cabinet 内阁 size. Too large for easy concealment about a woman’s dress. She knows that the King is cap‧able 能 of having her waylaid and searched. Two attempts of the sort have already been made. We may take it, then, that she does not carry it about with her.”

“Where, then?”

“Her banker or her lawyer. There is that double possibility 可能性. But I am inclined 倾斜 to think neither. Women are naturally 自然地 secretive 隐秘, and they like to do their own secreting 分泌. Why should she hand it over to anyone else? She could trust her own guardian‧ship 监护人‧船, but she could not tell what indirect 间接 or political influence might be brought to bear upon a business man. Besides, remember that she had resolved 解决 to use it within a few days. It must be where she can lay lie her hands upon it. It must be in her own house.”

“But it has twice 两次 been burgled.”

“Pshaw! They did not know how to look.”

“But how will you look?”

“I will not look.”

“What then?”

“I will get her to show me.”

“But she will refuse.”

“She will not be able to. But I hear the rumble 隆隆 of wheels. It is her carriage 运输. Now carry out my orders to the letter.”

As he spoke the gleam 闪光 of the sidelights of a carriage came round the curve of the avenue. It was a smart 聪明 little landau which rattled 霸王鞭 up to the door of Briony Lodge. As it pulled up, one of the loafing 面包条 men at the corner dashed 短跑 forward to open the door in the hope of earning a copper 铜, but was elbowed 弯头 away by another loafer 面包条, who had rushed 仓促 up with the same intention. A fierce 凶猛的 quarrel 争吵 broke break out, which was increased by the two guardsmen, who took sides with one of the loungers, and by the scissors 剪刀-grinder, who was equally hot upon the other side. A blow was struck strike, and in an instant 瞬间 the lady, who had stepped from her carriage 运输, was the centre of a little knot 结 of flushed 红晕 and struggling men, who struck savagely 野蛮人 at each other with their fists 拳头 and sticks. Holmes dashed 短跑 into the crowd to protect the lady; but, just as he reached her, he gave a cry and dropped to the ground, with the blood running freely down his face. At his fall the guardsmen took to their heels 脚跟 in one direction and the loungers in the other, while a number of better dressed people, who had watched the scuffle without taking part in it, crowded in to help the lady and to attend to the injured 损伤 man. Irene Adler, as I will still call her, had hurried up the steps; but she stood at the top with her superb 高超 figure out‧line 概述；轮廓线 against the lights of the hall, looking back into the street.

“Is the poor gentleman much hurt 损害?” she asked.

“He is dead,” cried several voices.

“No, no, there’s life in him!” shouted another. “But he’ll be gone before you can get him to hospital.”

“He’s a brave 勇敢的 fellow,” said a woman. “They would have had the lady’s purse 钱包 and watch if it hadn’t been for him. They were a gang 结伙, and a rough one, too. Ah, he’s breathing 呼吸 now.”

“He can’t lie in the street. May we bring him in, marm?”

“Surely. Bring him into the sitting-room. There is a comfort‧able 舒服；自在 sofa 沙发. This way, please!”

Slowly and solemnly 庄严的 he was borne bear into Briony Lodge and laid out in the principal 主要 room, while I still observed the proceedings 继续 from my post by the window. The lamps had been lit, but the blinds had not been drawn draw, so that I could see Holmes as he lay upon the couch 长椅. I do not know whether he was seized with compunction at that moment for the part he was playing, but I know that I never felt more heartily 爽朗 ashamed 惭愧的 of myself 我 in my life than when I saw the beautiful 美丽 creature 动物；生物 against whom 4 I was conspiring 合谋, or the grace 优雅；惠赐 and kindliness with which she waited upon the injured 损伤 man. And yet it would be the blackest treachery to Holmes to draw back now from the part which he had intrusted to me. I hardened 使硬化 my heart, and took the smoke-rocket 火箭 from under my ulster. After all, I thought, we are not injuring 损伤 her. We are but preventing her from injuring 损伤 another.

Holmes had sat up upon the couch 长椅, and I saw him motion like a man who is in need of air. A maid 女佣 rushed across and threw open the window. At the same instant I saw him raise his hand and at the signal I tossed 折腾 my rocket 火箭 into the room with a cry of “Fire!” The word was no sooner out of my mouth than the whole crowd of spectators 观众, well dressed and ill 生病—gentlemen, ostlers, and servant 仆人 maids 女佣—joined in a general shriek 尖叫 of “Fire!” Thick clouds of smoke curled 一绺鬈发 through the room and out at the open window. I caught a glimpse 一瞥 of rushing 仓促 figures, and a moment later the voice of Holmes from within assuring 向…保证；肯定地说 them that it was a false 虚伪的 alarm 警告. Slipping through the shouting crowd I made my way to the corner of the street, and in ten 十 minutes was rejoiced 欢庆 to find my friend’s arm in mine, and to get away from the scene of uproar. He walked swiftly 如飞 and in silence for some few minutes until we had turned down one of the quiet streets which lead towards the Edgeware Road.

“You did it very nicely, Doctor,” he remarked. “Nothing could have been better. It is all right.”

“You have the photograph?”

“I know where it is.”

“And how did you find out?”

“She showed me, as I told you she would.”

“I am still in the dark.”

“I do not wish to make a mystery,” said he, laughing. “The matter was perfectly simple. You, of course, saw that everyone in the street was an accomplice. They were all engaged 从事 for the evening.”

“I guessed as much.”

“Then, when the row 行 broke out, I had a little moist 湿 red paint in the palm 棕榈 of my hand. I rushed forward, fell fall down, clapped 拍 my hand to my face, and became a piteous spectacle 场面；眼镜. It is an old trick 哄骗；诀窍.”

“That also I could fathom.”

“Then they carried me in. She was bound 必定；跳 to have me in. What else could she do? And into her sitting-room, which was the very room which I suspected 怀疑；嫌疑犯. It lay between that and her bedroom, and I was determined to see which. They laid me on a couch 长椅, I motioned for air, they were compelled 迫使 to open the window, and you had your chance.”

“How did that help you?”

“It was all-important. When a woman thinks that her house is on fire, her instinct 直觉 is at once to rush 仓促 to the thing which she values most. It is a perfectly over‧power 压倒 impulse 冲动, and I have more than once taken advantage of it. In the case of the Darlington Substitution Scandal it was of use to me, and also in the Arnsworth Castle 城堡 business. A married woman grabs 用手抓 at her baby; an unmarried 未婚 one reaches for her jewel 宝石-box. Now it was clear to me that our lady of to-day had nothing in the house more precious 宝贵的 to her than what we are in quest 寻求 of. She would rush 仓促 to secure 安全 it. The alarm 警告 of fire was admirably 令人钦佩 done. The smoke and shouting were enough to shake nerves 神经 of steel 钢. She responded 响应 beautifully 精美. The photograph is in a recess 凹槽 behind a sliding panel 面板 just above the right bell 3-pull. She was there in an instant, and I caught a glimpse 一瞥 of it as she half drew draw it out. When I cried out that it was a false 虚伪的 alarm, she replaced it, glanced 一瞥 at the rocket 火箭, rushed from the room, and I have not seen her since. I rose, and, making my excuses 原谅, escaped from the house. I hesitated 犹豫 whether to attempt to secure 安全 the photograph at once; but the coach‧man 教师‧男人 had come in, and as he was watching me narrowly, it seemed safer to wait. A little over-precipitance may ruin 破坏 all.”

“And now?” I asked.

“Our quest 寻求 is practically finished. I shall call with the King to-morrow, and with you, if you care to come with us. We will be shown into the sitting-room to wait for the lady, but it is probable that when she comes she may find neither us nor the photograph. It might be a satisfaction 满足 to his Majesty to regain 恢复 it with his own hands.”

“And when will you call?”

“At eight 八 in the morning. She will not be up, so that we shall have a clear field. Besides, we must be prompt 敏捷的, for this marriage may mean a complete change in her life and habits. I must wire to the King without delay 延迟.”

We had reached Baker Street and had stopped at the door. He was searching his pockets for the key when someone passing said:

“Good-night, Mister Sherlock Holmes.”

There were several people on the pavement 路面 at the time, but the greeting 欢迎 appeared to come from a slim 瘦 youth in an ulster who had hurried by.

“I’ve heard that voice before,” said Holmes, staring down the dimly 暗淡 lit street. “Now, I wonder who the deuce that could have been.”

I slept sleep at Baker Street that night, and we were engaged 从事 upon our toast 烤面包 and coffee in the morning when the King of Bohemia rushed into the room.

“You have really got it!” he cried, grasping 把握 Sherlock Holmes by either shoulder and looking eagerly into his face.

“Not yet.”

“But you have hopes?”

“I have hopes.”

“Then, come. I am all impatience 不耐烦 to be gone.”

“We must have a cab 出租车.”

“No, my brougham is waiting.”

“Then that will simplify 简化 matters.” We descended 下来 and started off once more for Briony Lodge.

“Irene Adler is married,” remarked Holmes.

“Married! When?”

“Yesterday.”

“But to whom 5?”

“To an English lawyer named Norton.”

“But she could not love him.”

“I am in hopes that she does.”

“And why in hopes?”

“Because it would spare 节省；多余的；备用件 your Majesty all fear of future annoyance 恼怒. If the lady loves her husband, she does not love your Majesty. If she does not love your Majesty, there is no reason why she should interfere 干预 with your Majesty’s plan.”

“It is true. And yet—! Well! I wish she had been of my own station! What a queen 女王 she would have made!” He relapsed 复发 into a moody silence, which was not broken break until we drew up in Serpentine Avenue.

The door of Briony Lodge was open, and an elderly 年老的；上了年纪的 woman stood upon the steps. She watched us with a sardonic eye as we stepped from the brougham.

“Mr. Sherlock Holmes, I believe?” said she.

“I am Mr. Holmes,” answered my companion 同伴, looking at her with a questioning and rather startled 惊吓 gaze 凝视.

“Indeed! My mistress 情妇 told me that you were likely to call. She left this morning with her husband by the 5:15 train from Charing Cross for the Continent.”

“What!” Sherlock Holmes staggered 错开 back, white with chagrin and surprise. “Do you mean that she has left England?”

“Never to return.”

“And the papers?” asked the King hoarsely. “All is lost.”

“We shall see.” He pushed past the servant 仆人 and rushed into the drawing-room, followed by the King and myself 我. The furniture 家具 was scattered 散落 about in every direction, with dismantled 拆除 shelves and open drawers 抽屉, as if the lady had hurriedly ransacked them before her flight 飞行. Holmes rushed at the bell-pull, tore back a small sliding shutter 关闭, and, plunging 跳水 in his hand, pulled out a photograph and a letter. The photograph was of Irene Adler her‧self 她自己 in evening dress, the letter was superscribed to “Sherlock Holmes, Esq. To be left till 到 called for.” My friend tore it open, and we all three read it together. It was dated at mid‧night 午夜 of the preceding 优于 night and ran in this way:

“MY DEAR MR. SHERLOCK HOLMES,—You really did it very well. You took me in completely. Until after the alarm 警告 of fire, I had not a suspicion 怀疑. But then, when I found how I had betrayed 背叛 myself 我, I began to think. I had been warned against you months ago. I had been told that, if the King employed an agent, it would certainly be you. And your address had been given me. Yet, with all this, you made me reveal 揭示 what you wanted to know. Even after I became suspicious 可疑的, I found it hard to think evil of such a dear, kind old clergy‧man 牧师. But, you know, I have been trained as an actress 女演员 myself 我. Male 男性的 costume 服装 is nothing new to me. I often take advantage of the freedom which it gives. I sent John, the coach‧man 教师‧男人, to watch you, ran upstairs 楼上, got into my walking clothes, as I call them, and came down just as you departed 离开.

“Well, I followed you to your door, and so made sure that I was really an object of interest to the celebrated 庆祝 Mr. Sherlock Holmes. Then I, rather imprudently, wished you good-night, and started for the Temple to see my husband.

“We both thought the best resource 资源 was flight 飞行, when pursued 追求 by so formidable 强大 an antagonist; so you will find the nest （鸟）窝 empty when you call to-morrow. As to the photograph, your client 客户 may rest in peace. I love and am loved by a better man than he. The King may do what he will without hindrance 妨害 from one whom he has cruelly 残酷的 wronged. I keep it only to safe‧guard 保障 myself 我, and to preserve a weapon which will always secure 安全 me from any steps which he might take in the future. I leave a photograph which he might care to possess 拥有; and I remain, dear Mr. Sherlock Holmes,

“Very truly 真 yours,              
“IRENE NORTON, née ADLER.”

“What a woman—oh, what a woman!” cried the King of Bohemia, when we had all three read this epistle. “Did I not tell you how quick and resolute she was? Would she not have made an admirable 令人钦佩 queen 女王? Is it not a pity 怜悯 that she was not on my level?”

“From what I have seen of the lady, she seems, indeed, to be on a very different level to your Majesty,” said Holmes coldly. “I am sorry 对不起的 that I have not been able to bring your Majesty’s business to a more successful 成功 conclusion 结论.”

“On the contrary 相反, my dear sir 先生,” cried the King; “nothing could be more successful 成功. I know that her word is inviolate. The photograph is now as safe as if it were in the fire.”

“I am glad 高兴的 to hear your Majesty say so.”

“I am immensely 极大的 indebted 感激的 to you. Pray tell me in what way I can reward 报酬 you. This ring—” He slipped an emerald snake ring from his finger and held it out upon the palm 棕榈 of his hand.

“Your Majesty has something which I should value even more highly,” said Holmes.

“You have but to name it.”

“This photograph!”

The King stared at him in amazement 惊愕.

“Irene’s photograph!” he cried. “Certainly, if you wish it.”

“I thank your Majesty. Then there is no more to be done in the matter. I have the honour to wish you a very good morning.” He bowed 弓, and, turning away without observing the hand which the King had stretched out to him, he set off in my company for his chambers 室.

And that was how a great scandal 丑闻 threatened to affect 影响 the kingdom 王国 of Bohemia, and how the best plans of Mr. Sherlock Holmes were beaten beat by a woman’s wit 风趣. He used to make merry 愉快的 over the cleverness of women, but I have not heard him do it of late. And when he speaks of Irene Adler, or when he refers to her photograph, it is always under the honourable title of the woman.

I had called upon my friend, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, one day in the autumn 秋 of last year and found him in deep conversation with a very stout 肥硕, florid-faced, elderly gentleman with fiery 火热 red hair. With an apology 道歉认错 for my intrusion 侵扰, I was about to with‧draw 撤回 when Holmes pulled me abruptly 突然 into the room and closed the door behind me.

“You could not possibly have come at a better time, my dear Watson,” he said cordially.

“I was afraid that you were engaged 从事.”

“So I am. Very much so.”

“Then I can wait in the next room.”

“Not at all. This gentleman, Mr. Wilson, has been my partner 伙伴 and helper in many of my most successful 成功 cases, and I have no doubt that he will be of the utmost 极 use to me in yours also.”

The stout 肥硕 gentleman half rose from his chair and gave a bob 短发 of greeting, with a quick little questioning glance 一瞥 from his small fat-encircled 包围 eyes.

“Try the settee,” said Holmes, relapsing 复发 into his arm‧chair 扶手椅 and putting his finger‧tip 指尖 together, as was his custom 习惯 when in judicial 司法 moods 心境. “I know, my dear Watson, that you share my love of all that is bizarre 奇异的 and outside the conventions 惯例 and hum‧drum 哼‧鼓 routine 惯例，常规；例行公事 of every‧day 日常的 life. You have shown your relish 滋味 for it by the enthusiasm 热情 which has prompted 敏捷的 you to chronicle 编年史, and, if you will excuse 原谅 my saying so, some‧what 有些 to embellish so many of my own little adventures 冒险活动.”

“Your cases have indeed been of the greatest interest to me,” I observed.

“You will remember that I remarked the other day, just before we went into the very simple problem presented by Miss Mary Sutherland, that for strange effects and extra‧ordinary 非凡的 combinations 组合 we must go to life itself 本身, which is always far more daring 敢 than any effort of the imagination 想像力.”

“A pro‧position 主张 which I took the liberty 自由 of doubting.”

“You did, Doctor, but none the less you must come round to my view, for otherwise I shall keep on piling 堆 fact upon fact on you until your reason breaks down under them and acknowledges 确认 me to be right. Now, Mr. Jabez Wilson here has been good enough to call upon me this morning, and to begin a narrative 叙述 which promises to be one of the most singular 单数 which I have listened to for some time. You have heard me remark that the strangest and most unique 独特 things are very often connected 连接 not with the larger but with the smaller crimes, and occasionally 偶尔，间或；有时, indeed, where there is room for doubt whether any positive 正 crime has been committed 承诺. As far as I have heard, it is impossible for me to say whether the present case is an instance 例 of crime or not, but the course of events is certainly among the most singular 单数 that I have ever listened to. Perhaps, Mr. Wilson, you would have the great kindness 善良 to recommence your narrative 叙述. I ask you not merely because my friend Dr. Watson has not heard the opening part but also because the peculiar nature of the story makes me anxious 焦急的 to have every possible detail from your lips. As a rule, when I have heard some slight indication 迹象 of the course of events, I am able to guide myself 我 by the thou‧sand 千 of other similar 类似 cases which occur 发生 to my memory. In the present instance 例 I am forced to admit that the facts are, to the best of my belief, unique 独特.”

The portly 港口 client 客户 puffed 噗 out his chest with an appearance of some little pride 自尊 and pulled a dirty 肮脏 and wrinkled 皱纹 newspaper from the inside pocket of his great‧coat 巨大的‧上衣. As he glanced 一瞥 down the advertisement 广告 column 柱, with his head thrust 推力 forward and the paper flat‧ten 变平 out upon his knee, I took a good look at the man and endeavoured, after the fashion of my companion 3, to read the indications 迹象 which might be presented by his dress or appearance.

I did not gain very much, however, by my inspection 检查. Our visitor bore every mark of being an average common‧place 平凡 British tradesman, obese 肥胖, pompous, and slow. He wore rather baggy 松松垮垮 grey 灰色:gray shepherd 牧羊人’s check trousers 长裤, a not over-clean black frock-coat, unbuttoned in the front, and a drab 单调 waist‧coat 腰‧上衣 with a heavy brassy Albert chain, and a square pierced 刺穿 bit 一点 of metal dangling 吊着 down as an ornament 装饰. A frayed 磨损 top-hat and a faded 褪去 brown over‧coat 之上‧上衣 with a wrinkled 皱纹 velvet 丝绒 collar 衣领 lay upon a chair beside him. Altogether 全部地, look as I would, there was nothing remark‧able 非凡的；奇异的；引人注目的 about the man save his blazing 火焰 red head, and the expression of extreme chagrin and discontent 不满 upon his features 特征.

Sherlock Holmes’ quick eye took in my occupation 占用, and he shook shake his head with a smile as he noticed my questioning glances 一瞥. “Beyond the obvious 明显 facts that he has at some time done manual 手册 labour, that he takes snuff, that he is a Freemason, that he has been in China, and that he has done a consider‧able 大量 amount of writing lately 近来, I can deduce 推断 nothing else.”

Mr. Jabez Wilson started up in his chair, with his fore‧finger 前面‧手指 upon the paper, but his eyes upon my companion.

“How, in the name of good-for‧tune 命运, did you know all that, Mr. Holmes?” he asked. “How did you know, for example, that I did manual 手册 labour. It’s as true as gospel 福音, for I began as a ship’s carp‧enter 木匠.”

“Your hands, my dear sir 先生. Your right hand is quite a size larger than your left. You have worked with it, and the muscles 肌肉，身体部份 are more developed.”

“Well, the snuff, then, and the Freemasonry?”

“I won’t insult 侮辱 your intelligence 情报 by telling you how I read that, especially as, rather against the strict 严格的 rules of your order, you use an arc 弧-and-compass 罗盘 breast‧pin 乳房，女性‧钉.”

“Ah, of course, I forgot forget that. But the writing?”

“What else can be indicated 表明 by that right cuff 袖口 so very shiny 闪亮 for five inches, and the left one with the smooth patch 补丁 near the elbow 弯头 where you rest it upon the desk?”

“Well, but China?”

“The fish that you have tattooed 黥 immediately above your right wrist 腕 could only have been done in China. I have made a small study of tattoo 黥 marks and have even contributed 有助于 to the literature of the subject. That trick 哄骗；诀窍 of staining the fishes’ scales of a delicate 3 pink 粉红色的 is quite peculiar to China. When, in addition 加成, I see a Chinese coin 硬币 hanging from your watch-chain, the matter becomes even more simple.”

Mr. Jabez Wilson laughed heavily 很大，沉重地. “Well, I never!” said he. “I thought at first that you had done something clever 聪明的, but I see that there was nothing in it after all.”

“I begin to think, Watson,” said Holmes, “that I make a mistake in explaining. ‘Omne ignotum pro 亲 magnifico,’ you know, and my poor little reputation 名气, such as it is, will suffer ship‧wreck 船‧破坏；使遇难 if I am so candid 坦率. Can you not find the advertisement 广告, Mr. Wilson?”

“Yes, I have got it now,” he answered with his thick red finger planted half‧way 半 down the column 柱. “Here it is. This is what began it all. You just read it for your‧self 你自己, sir 先生.”

I took the paper from him and read as follows:

“TO THE RED-HEADED LEAGUE 联盟；联赛: On account of the bequest of the late Ezekiah Hopkins, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, U. S. A., there is now another vacancy 空缺 open which entitles 使有资格，允许 a member of the League to a salary 薪水 of £4 a week for purely nominal 公称 services. All red-headed men who are sound in body and mind and above the age of twenty 二十-one years, are eligible 合格. Apply in person on Monday, at eleven 十一 o’clock, to Duncan Ross, at the offices of the League, 7 Pope’s Court, Fleet Street.”

“What on earth does this mean?” I ejaculated after I had twice 两次 read over the extraordinary 3 announcement 公告.

Holmes chuckled 暗笑 and wriggled 蠢动 in his chair, as was his habit 习惯 when in high spirits. “It is a little off the beaten track 小路, isn’t it?” said he. “And now, Mr. Wilson, off you go at scratch 刮 and tell us all about your‧self 你自己, your house‧hold 家庭, and the effect which this advertisement 广告 had upon your for‧tune 命运. You will first make a note, Doctor, of the paper and the date.”

“It is The Morning Chronicle of April 27, 1890. Just two months ago.”

“Very good. Now, Mr. Wilson?”

“Well, it is just as I have been telling you, Mr. Sherlock Holmes,” said Jabez Wilson, mopping 拖把 his fore‧head 前额; “I have a small pawnbroker’s business at Coburg Square, near the City. It’s not a very large affair, and of late years it has not done more than just give me a living. I used to be able to keep two assistants 助理, but now I only keep one; and I would have a job to pay him but that he is willing to come for half wages so as to learn the business.”

“What is the name of this obliging 责成 youth?” asked Sherlock Holmes.

“His name is Vincent Spaulding, and he’s not such a youth, either. It’s hard to say his age. I should not wish a smarter 聪明 assistant 助理, Mr. Holmes; and I know very well that he could better himself and earn twice 两次 what I am able to give him. But, after all, if he is satisfied, why should I put ideas in his head?”

“Why, indeed? You seem most fortunate 侥幸的 in having an employé who comes under the full market price. It is not a common experience among employers 雇主 in this age. I don’t know that your assistant 助理 is not as remark‧able 非凡的；奇异的；引人注目的 as your advertisement 广告.”

“Oh, he has his faults 缺点, too,” said Mr. Wilson. “Never was such a fellow for photography 摄影. Snapping away with a camera 照相机 when he ought to be improving his mind, and then diving 潜水 down into the cellar 地窖 like a rabbit 兔子 into its hole to develop his pictures. That is his main fault 缺点, but on the whole he’s a good worker. There’s no vice 副职的；副的 in him.”

“He is still with you, I presume 假设?”

“Yes, sir 3. He and a girl of four‧teen 十四, who does a bit of simple cooking and keeps the place clean—that’s all I have in the house, for I am a widower 鳏夫 and never had any family. We live very quietly, sir, the three of us; and we keep a roof over our heads and pay our debts 债务, if we do nothing more.

“The first thing that put us out was that advertisement 广告. Spaulding, he came down into the office just this day eight 八 weeks, with this very paper in his hand, and he says:

“ ‘I wish to the Lord, Mr. Wilson, that I was a red-headed man.’

“ ‘Why that?’ I asks.

“ ‘Why,’ says he, ‘here’s another vacancy 空缺 on the League 联盟；联赛 of the Red-headed Men. It’s worth quite a littlefor‧tune 命运 to any man who gets it, and I understand that there are more vacancies 空缺 than there are men, so that the trustees 受托人 are at their wits 风趣’ end what to do with the money. If my hair would only change colour, here’s a nice little crib all ready for me to step into.’

“ ‘Why, what is it, then?’ I asked. You see, Mr. Holmes, I am a very stay-at-home man, and as my business came to me instead of my having to go to it, I was often weeks on end without putting my foot over the door-mat 席子. In that way I didn’t know much of what was going on outside, and I was always glad of a bit of news.

“ ‘Have you never heard of the League 联盟；联赛 of the Red-headed Men?’ he asked with his eyes open.

“ ‘Never.’

“ ‘Why, I wonder at that, for you are eligible 合格 your‧self 你自己 for one of the vacancies 空缺.’

“ ‘And what are they worth?’ I asked.

“ ‘Oh, merely a couple of hundred 百 a year, but the work is slight, and it need not interfere very much with one’s other occupations 占用.’

“Well, you can easily think that that made me prick 刺 up my ears, for the business has not been over good for some years, and an extra 额外的 couple of hundred 百 would have been very handy 便利.

“ ‘Tell me all about it,’ said I.

“ ‘Well,’ said he, showing me the advertisement 广告, ‘you can see for your‧self 你自己 that the League 3 has a vacancy 空缺, and there is the address where you should apply for particulars. As far as I can make out, the League was founded by an American millionaire 百万富翁, Ezekiah Hopkins, who was very peculiar in his ways. He was himself red-headed, and he had a great sympathy 同情 for all red-headed men; so, when he died, it was found that he had left his enormous 巨大for‧tune 命运 in the hands of trustees 受托人, with instructions 指令 to apply the interest to the providing of easy berths 泊位 to men whose 谁的 hair is of that colour. From all I hear it is splendid 壮观的 pay and very little to do.’

“ ‘But,’ said I, ‘there would be millions of red-headed men who would apply.’

“ ‘Not so many as you might think,’ he answered. ‘You see it is really con‧fine 局限 to Londoners, and to grown grow men. This American had started from London when he was young, and he wanted to do the old town a good turn. Then, again, I have heard it is no use your applying if your hair is light red, or dark red, or anything but real bright, blazing 火焰, fiery 火热 red. Now, if you cared to apply, Mr. Wilson, you would just walk in; but perhaps it would hardly be worth your while to put your‧self 你自己 out of the way for the sake 缘故 of a few hundred 百 pounds.’

“Now, it is a fact, gentlemen, as you may see for yourselves, that my hair is of a very full and rich tint 着色, so that it seemed to me that if there was to be any competition in the matter I stood as good a chance as any man that I had ever met. Vincent Spaulding seemed to know so much about it that I thought he might prove useful 有用, so I just ordered him to put up the shutters 快门 for the day and to come right away with me. He was very willing to have a holiday 假日, so we shut 关闭 the business up and started off for the address that was given us in the advertisement 广告.

“I never hope to see such a sight as that again, Mr. Holmes. From north, south, east, and west every man who had a shade 遮阳；阴 of red in his hair had tramped 流浪汉 into the city to answer the advertisement 广告. Fleet Street was choked 呛 with red-headed folk 民间, and Pope’s Court looked like a coster’s orange 桔子 barrow. I should not have thought there were so many in the whole country as were brought together by that single advertisement 广告. Every shade of colour they were— straw 稻草, lemon 柠檬, orange, brick 砖, Irish-setter, liver, clay; but, as Spaulding said, there were not many who had the real vivid 生动 flame 火焰-coloured tint 着色. When I saw how many were waiting, I would have given it up in despair 绝望; but Spaulding would not hear of it. How he did it I could not imagine, but he pushed and pulled and butted until he got me through the crowd, and right up to the steps which led to the office. There was a double stream upon the stair 楼梯, some going up in hope, and some coming back dejected; but we wedged 楔 in as well as we could and soon found ourselves 我们自己 in the office.”

“Your experience has been a most entertaining one,” remarked Holmes as his client 客户 paused and refreshed 使恢复 his memory with a huge 巨大 pinch 捏 of snuff. “Pray continue your very interesting statement 声明.”

“There was nothing in the office but a couple of wooden 木制的 chairs and a deal table, behind which sat a small man with a head that was even redder than mine. He said a few words to each candidate 候选人 as he came up, and then he always managed to find some fault 缺点 in them which would disqualify 资格 them. Getting a vacancy 空缺 did not seem to be such a very easy matter, after all. However, when our turn came the little man was much more favourable to me than to any of the others, and he closed the door as we entered, so that he might have a private word with us.

“ ‘This is Mr. Jabez Wilson,’ said my assistant 助理, ‘and he is willing to fill a vacancy 空缺 in the League.’

“ ‘And he is admirably 令人钦佩 suited 套房 for it,’ the other answered. ‘He has every requirement 需求. I cannot recall 召回 when I have seen anything so fine.’ He took a step backward 向后的, cocked 公鸡 his head on one side, and gazed 凝视 at my hair until I felt quite bashful. Then suddenly he plunged 跳水 forward, wrung my hand, and congratulated 祝贺 me warmly on my success.

“ ‘It would be injustice 不公正 to hesitate 犹豫,’ said he. ‘You will, however, I am sure, excuse 原谅 me for taking an obvious 明显 pre‧caution 预防.’ With that he seized my hair in both his hands, and tugged 拖船 until I yelled 叫喊 with the pain. ‘There is water in your eyes,’ said he as he released 发布 me. ‘I perceive 认为 that all is as it should be. But we have to be careful 小心, for we have twice 两次 been deceived 欺诈 by wigs 假发 and once by paint. I could tell you tales 故事，不实之词 of cobbler 鹅卵石’s wax 蜡 which would disgust 反感 you with human nature.’ He stepped over to the window and shouted through it at the top of his voice that the vacancy 空缺 was filled. A groan 呻吟 of disappointment 失望 came up from below, and the folk 民间 all trooped 部队 away in different directions until there was not a red-head to be seen except my own and that of the manager.

“ ‘My name,’ said he, ‘is Mr. Duncan Ross, and I am myself 我 one of the pensioners 跟班 upon the fund 基金；专款；资金 left by our noble 高尚的 benefactor. Are you a married man, Mr. Wilson? Have you a family?’

“I answered that I had not.

“His face fell immediately.

“ ‘Dear me!’ he said gravely 坟墓；严重的, ‘that is very serious indeed! I am sorry 对不起的 to hear you say that. The fund was, of course, for the propagation and spread of the red-heads as well as for their maintenance 保养. It is exceedingly 非常 unfortunate 不幸的 that you should be a bachelor 单身汉.’

“My face lengthened 延长 at this, Mr. Holmes, for I thought that I was not to have the vacancy 空缺 after all; but after thinking it over for a few minutes he said that it would be all right.

“ ‘In the case of another,’ said he, ‘the objection 反对 might be fatal 致命, but we must stretch a point in favour of a man with such a head of hair as yours. When shall you be able to enter upon your new duties?’

“ ‘Well, it is a little awkward 难堪, for I have a business already,’ said I.

“ ‘Oh, never mind about that, Mr. Wilson!’ said Vincent Spaulding. ‘I should be able to look after that for you.’

“ ‘What would be the hours?’ I asked.

“ ‘Ten 十 to two.’

“Now a pawnbroker’s business is mostly done of an evening, Mr. Holmes, especially Thursday and Friday evening, which is just before pay-day; so it would suit me very well to earn a little in the mornings. Besides, I knew that my assistant 助理 was a good man, and that he would see to anything that turned up.

“ ‘That would suit me very well,’ said I. ‘And the pay?’

“ ‘Is £4 a week.’

“ ‘And the work?’

“ ‘Is purely nominal 公称.’

“ ‘What do you call purely nominal 公称?’

“ ‘Well, you have to be in the office, or at least in the building, the whole time. If you leave, you forfeit 丧失 your whole position for‧ever 永远. The will is very clear upon that point. You don’t comply 执行 with the conditions if you budge from the office during that time.’

“ ‘It’s only four hours a day, and I should not think of leaving,’ said I.

“ ‘No excuse 3 will avail 果,’ said Mr. Duncan Ross; ‘neither sickness 疾病 nor business nor anything else. There you must stay, or you lose your billet.’

“ ‘And the work?’

“ ‘Is to copy out the Encyclopaedia Britannica. There is the first volume 卷 of it in that press. You must find your own ink 墨水, pens 笔, and blotting 斑点-paper, but we provide this table and chair. Will you be ready to-morrow?’

“ ‘Certainly,’ I answered.

“ ‘Then, good-bye 再见, Mr. Jabez Wilson, and let me congratulate 祝贺 you once more on the important position which you have been fortunate enough to gain.’ He bowed me out of the room and I went home with my assistant 助理, hardly knowing what to say or do, I was so pleased at my own good fortune 3.

“Well, I thought over the matter all day, and by evening I was in low spirits again; for I had quite persuaded 说服 myself 我 that the whole affair must be some great hoax or fraud 舞弊, though what its object might be I could not imagine. It seemed altogether 全部地 past belief that anyone could make such a will, or that they would pay such a sum 和 for doing anything so simple as copying out the Encyclopaedia Britannica. Vincent Spaulding did what he could to cheer 欢呼 me up, but by bed‧time 就寝时间 I had reasoned myself 我 out of the whole thing. However, in the morning I determined to have a look at it anyhow 总之, so I bought a penny 便士 bottle of ink 墨水, and with a quill-pen 笔, and seven 七 sheets of foolscap paper, I started off for Pope’s Court.

“Well, to my surprise and delight, everything was as right as possible. The table was set out ready for me, and Mr. Duncan Ross was there to see that I got fairly to work. He started me off upon the letter A, and then he left me; but he would drop in from time to time to see that all was right with me. At two o’clock he bade me good-day, complimented 赞扬 me upon the amount that I had written, and locked the door of the office after me.

“This went on day after day, Mr. Holmes, and on Saturday the manager came in and planked 板 down four golden 金色的 sovereigns 君主 for my week’s work. It was the same next week, and the same the week after. Every morning I was there at ten 十, and every afternoon I left at two. By degrees Mr. Duncan Ross took to coming in only once of a morning, and then, after a time, he did not come in at all. Still, of course, I never dared 敢 to leave the room for an instant, for I was not sure when he might come, and the billet was such a good one, and suited 套房 me so well, that I would not risk the loss of it.

“Eight 八 weeks passed away like this, and I had written about Abbots and Archery and Armour and Architecture 建筑 and Attica, and hoped with diligence 勤勉 that I might get on to the B’s before very long. It cost me something in foolscap, and I had pretty nearly filled a shelf 架子 with my writings. And then suddenly the whole business came to an end.”

“To an end?”

“Yes, sir. And no later than this morning. I went to my work as usual at ten 十 o’clock, but the door was shut 关闭 and locked, with a little square of card‧board 纸板 hammered 铁锤 on to the middle of the panel 面板 with a tack 钉. Here it is, and you can read for your‧self 你自己.”

He held up a piece of white card‧board 纸板 about the size of a sheet of note-paper. It read in this fashion:

Sherlock Holmes and I surveyed 调查 this curt announcement 公告 and the rueful face behind it, until the comical side of the affair so completely overtopped every other consideration 考虑 that we both burst 爆裂 out into a roar 咆哮 of laughter 笑.

“I cannot see that there is anything very funny 有趣的,” cried our client 客户, flushing 红晕 up to the roots of his flaming head. “If you can do nothing better than laugh at me, I can go else‧where 在别处.”

“No, no,” cried Holmes, shoving 推 him back into the chair from which he had half risen. “I really wouldn’t miss your case for the world. It is most refreshingly unusual 异常. But there is, if you will excuse my saying so, something just a little funny about it. Pray what steps did you take when you found the card upon the door?”

“I was staggered 错开, sir. I did not know what to do. Then I called at the offices round, but none of them seemed to know anything about it. Finally, I went to the land‧lord 房东, who is an account‧ant 会计 living on the ground floor, and I asked him if he could tell me what had become of the Red-headed League. He said that he had never heard of any such body. Then I asked him who Mr. Duncan Ross was. He answered that the name was new to him.

“ ‘Well,’ said I, ‘the gentleman at No. 4.’

“ ‘What, the red-headed man?’

“ ‘Yes.’

“ ‘Oh,’ said he, ‘his name was William Morris. He was a solicitor 律师 and was using my room as a temporary 临时 convenience 方便 until his new premises 前提 were ready. He moved out yesterday.’

“ ‘Where could I find him?’

“ ‘Oh, at his new offices. He did tell me the address. Yes, 17 King Edward Street, near St. Paul’s.’

“I started off, Mr. Holmes, but when I got to that address it was a manufactory of artificial 人造的 knee-caps 盖, and no one in it had ever heard of either Mr. William Morris or Mr. Duncan Ross.”

“And what did you do then?” asked Holmes.

“I went home to Saxe-Coburg Square, and I took the advice 劝告 of my assistant 助理. But he could not help me in any way. He could only say that if I waited I should hear by post. But that was not quite good enough, Mr. Holmes. I did not wish to lose such a place without a struggle, so, as I had heard that you were good enough to give advice to poor folk 民间 who were in need of it, I came right away to you.”

“And you did very wisely 明智的；聪明的,” said Holmes. “Your case is an exceedingly 非常 remarkable 4 one, and I shall be happy to look into it. From what you have told me I think that it is possible that graver 坟墓；严重的 issues hang from it than might at first sight appear.”

“ Grave 坟墓；严重的 enough!” said Mr. Jabez Wilson. “Why, I have lost four pound a week.”

“As far as you are personally 亲自 concerned,” remarked Holmes, “I do not see that you have any grievance 不平 against this extraordinary league. On the contrary 相反, you are, as I understand, richer by some £30, to say nothing of the minute knowledge which you have gained on every subject which comes under the letter A. You have lost nothing by them.”

“No, sir. But I want to find out about them, and who they are, and what their object was in playing this prank—if it was a prank—upon me. It was a pretty expensive 昂贵的 joke 笑话 for them, for it cost them two and thirty 三十 pounds.”

“We shall endeavour to clear up these points for you. And, first, one or two questions, Mr. Wilson. This assistant 助理 of yours who first called your attention to the advertisement 广告—how long had he been with you?”

“About a month then.”

“How did he come?”

“In answer to an advertisement 广告.”

“Was he the only applicant 申请人?”

“No, I had a dozen.”

“Why did you pick him?”

“Because he was handy 便利 and would come cheap 便宜的.”

“At half wages, in fact.”

“Yes.”

“What is he like, this Vincent Spaulding?”

“Small, stout 肥硕-built, very quick in his ways, no hair on his face, though he’s not short of thirty 三十. Has a white splash 溅 of acid 酸 upon his fore‧head 前额.”

Holmes sat up in his chair in consider‧able 大量 excitement 激动. “I thought as much,” said he. “Have you ever observed that his ears are pierced 刺穿 for earrings?”

“Yes, sir. He told me that a gipsy had done it for him when he was a lad 小伙子.”

“Hum!” said Holmes, sinking 淹没 back in deep thought. “He is still with you?”

“Oh, yes, sir; I have only just left him.”

“And has your business been attended to in your absence 缺席?”

“Nothing to complain 抱怨 of, sir. There’s never very much to do of a morning.”

“That will do, Mr. Wilson. I shall be happy to give you an opinion upon the subject in the course of a day or two. To-day is Saturday, and I hope that by Monday we may come to a conclusion 结论.”

“Well, Watson,” said Holmes when our visitor had left us, “what do you make of it all?”

“I make nothing of it,” I answered frankly 坦率地说. “It is a most mysterious 神秘 business.”

“As a rule,” said Holmes, “the more bizarre 奇异的 a thing is the less mysterious 神秘 it proves to be. It is your common‧place 平凡, feature‧less 特性‧少 crimes which are really puzzling 使迷惑, just as a common‧place 平凡 face is the most difficult to identify 鉴定. But I must be prompt over this matter.”

“What are you going to do, then?” I asked.

“To smoke,” he answered. “It is quite a three pipe 管子 problem, and I beg 乞讨 that you won’t speak to me for fifty 五十 minutes.” He curled himself up in his chair, with his thin knees drawn up to his hawk 鹰-like nose, and there he sat with his eyes closed and his black clay pipe thrusting 推力 out like the bill of some strange bird. I had come to the conclusion 结论 that he had dropped asleep 睡着的, and indeed was nodding 点头 myself 我, when he suddenly sprang out of his chair with the gesture 手势 of a man who has made up his mind and put his pipe down upon the mantelpiece.

“Sarasate plays at the St. James’s Hall this afternoon,” he remarked. “What do you think, Watson? Could your patients spare 节省；多余的；备用件 you for a few hours?”

“I have nothing to do to-day. My practice is never very absorbing 吸收.”

“Then put on your hat and come. I am going through the City first, and we can have some lunch 午餐 on the way. I observe that there is a good deal of German music on the programme, which is rather more to my taste than Italian or French. It is introspective, and I want to introspect. Come along!”

We travelled by the Underground as far as Aldersgate; and a short walk took us to Saxe-Coburg Square, the scene of the singular 单数 story which we had listened to in the morning. It was a poky, little, shabby 破旧-genteel place, where four lines of dingy two-storied brick 砖 houses looked out into a small railed 围栏；钢轨-in enclosure 圈占, where a lawn 草坪 of weedy grass 草 and a few clumps 丛 of faded laurel bushes 灌木 made a hard fight against a smoke-laden 载货 and uncongenial atmosphere 大气层. Three gilt 镀金 balls and a brown board with “JABEZ WILSON” in white letters, upon a corner house, announced 宣布 the place where our red-headed client 客户 carried on his business. Sherlock Holmes stopped in front of it with his head on one side and looked it all over, with his eyes shining 发光 brightly between puckered lids 盖子. Then he walked slowly up the street, and then down again to the corner, still looking keenly 热切的 at the houses. Finally he returned to the pawnbroker’s, and, having thumped 扑通 vigorously 大力 upon the pavement 路面 with his stick two or three times, he went up to the door and knocked 敲. It was instantly 瞬间 opened by a bright-looking, clean-shaven young fellow, who asked him to step in.

“Thank you,” said Holmes, “I only wished to ask you how you would go from here to the Strand.”

“Third right, fourth left,” answered the assistant 助理 promptly 敏捷的, closing the door.

“Smart 聪明 fellow, that,” observed Holmes as we walked away. “He is, in my judgment 判断, the fourth smartest 聪明 man in London, and for daring I am not sure that he has not a claim to be third. I have known something of him before.”

“Evidently,” said I, “Mr. Wilson’s assistant 助理 counts for a good deal in this mystery of the Red-headed League. I am sure that you inquired 打听 your way merely in order that you might see him.”

“Not him.”

“What then?”

“The knees of his trousers 长裤.”

“And what did you see?”

“What I expected to see.”

“Why did you beat the pavement 路面?”

“My dear doctor, this is a time for observation 意见, not for talk. We are spies 间谍 in an enemy’s country. We know something of Saxe-Coburg Square. Let us now explore the parts which lie behind it.”

The road in which we found ourselves 我们自己 as we turned round the corner from the retired Saxe-Coburg Square presented as great a contrast 对比 to it as the front of a picture does to the back. It was one of the main arteries 动脉 which conveyed 传达 the traffic 交通 of the City to the north and west. The road‧way 路‧路；方法 was blocked with the immense 极大的 stream of commerce 商业 flowing in a double tide 潮汐 inward 向内的 and outward 向外的, while the foot‧path 蹊 were black with the hurrying swarm 一群 of pedestrians 行人. It was difficult to realise as we looked at the line of fine shops and stately business premises 前提 that they really abutted on the other side upon the faded and stagnant 滞 square which we had just quitted 放弃.

“Let me see,” said Holmes, standing at the corner and glancing 一瞥 along the line, “I should like just to remember the order of the houses here. It is a hobby 爱好 of mine to have an exact knowledge of London. There is Mortimer’s, the tobacconist, the little newspaper shop, the Coburg branch of the City and Suburban Bank, the Vegetarian Restaurant 饭店, and McFarlane’s carriage 3-building depot 仓库. That carries us right on to the other block. And now, Doctor, we’ve done our work, so it’s time we had some play. A sandwich 三明治 and a cup of coffee, and then off to violin 小提琴-land, where all is sweetness 甜美 and delicacy 美味 and harmony 和谐, and there are no red-headed clients 客户 to vex us with their conundrums.”

My friend was an enthusiastic 热情 musician, being himself not only a very cap‧able 能 performer but a composer of no ordinary merit 值得. All the afternoon he sat in the stalls 摊子 wrapped 包 in the most perfect happiness 幸福, gently waving his long, thin fingers in time to the music, while his gently smiling face and his languid, dreamy eyes were as unlike 不像 those of Holmes the sleuth-hound 猎犬, Holmes the relentless 狠, keen 热切的-witted 风趣, ready-handed criminal 罪犯 agent, as it was possible to conceive 构想. In his singular 单数 character the dual 双 nature alternately 备用 asserted 断言 itself 本身, and his extreme exactness and astuteness represented, as I have often thought, the reaction 反应 against the poetic 诗意 and contemplative mood 心境 which occasionally 偶尔，间或；有时 pre‧dominate 掌握 in him. The swing of his nature took him from extreme languor to devouring 吞食 energy 能源; and, as I knew well, he was never so truly 真 formidable 强大 as when, for days on end, he had been lounging 休息室 in his arm‧chair 扶手椅 amid 际 his improvisations 即兴 and his black-letter editions 版. Then it was that the lust 情欲 of the chase 追 would suddenly come upon him, and that his brilliant 出色的 reasoning power would rise to the level of intuition 直觉, until those who were unacquainted with his methods 方法 would look askance at him as on a man whose 谁的 knowledge was not that of other mortals 凡人. When I saw him that afternoon so enwrapped in the music at St. James’s Hall I felt that an evil time might be coming upon those whom he had set himself to hunt down.

“You want to go home, no doubt, Doctor,” he remarked as we emerged 出现.

“Yes, it would be as well.”

“And I have some business to do which will take some hours. This business at Coburg Square is serious.”

“Why serious?”

“A consider‧able 大量 crime is in contemplation. I have every reason to believe that we shall be in time to stop it. But to-day being Saturday rather complicates 使复杂化 matters. I shall want your help to-night.”

“At what time?”

“Ten 十 will be early enough.”

“I shall be at Baker Street at ten 十.”

“Very well. And, I say, Doctor, there may be some little danger, so kindly put your army revolver 围绕 in your pocket.” He waved his hand, turned on his heel 脚跟, and disappeared in an instant among the crowd.

I trust that I am not more dense 稠密 than my neighbours, but I was always oppressed 压迫 with a sense of my own stupidity 糊涂事 in my dealings with Sherlock Holmes. Here I had heard what he had heard, I had seen what he had seen, and yet from his words it was evident 明显 that he saw clearly not only what had happened but what was about to happen, while to me the whole business was still confused 使困窘 and grotesque 奇怪的. As I drove home to my house in Kensington I thought over it all, from the extraordinary story of the red-headed copier of the Encyclopaedia down to the visit to Saxe-Coburg Square, and the ominous 不祥的 words with which he had parted from me. What was this nocturnal expedition 远征, and why should I go armed? Where were we going, and what were we to do? I had the hint 暗示 from Holmes that this smooth-faced pawnbroker’s assistant 助理 was a formidable 强大 man—a man who might play a deep game. I tried to puzzle 使迷惑 it out, but gave it up in despair 绝望 and set the matter aside until night should bring an explanation 说明.

It was a quarter-past nine 九 when I started from home and made my way across the Park, and so through Oxford Street to Baker Street. Two hansoms were standing at the door, and as I entered the passage I heard the sound of voices from above. On entering his room, I found Holmes in animated 活跃 conversation with two men, one of whom I recognised as Peter Jones, the official police agent, while the other was a long, thin, sad 悲哀的-faced man, with a very shiny 闪亮 hat and oppressively 压抑 respect‧able 可敬 frock-coat.

“Ha! Our party is complete,” said Holmes, buttoning 按钮 up his pea 豌豆-jacket 衣服 and taking his heavy hunting crop 农作物 from the rack 架. “Watson, I think you know Mr. Jones, of Scotland Yard? Let me introduce you to Mr. Merryweather, who is to be our companion in to-night’s adventure 冒险活动.”

“We’re hunting in couples again, Doctor, you see,” said Jones in his consequential way. “Our friend here is a wonderful 精彩 man for starting a chase 追. All he wants is an old dog to help him to do the running down.”

“I hope a wild goose 鹅 may not prove to be the end of our chase 追,” observed Mr. Merryweather gloomily 阴沉.

“You may place consider‧able 大量 confidence 信心 in Mr. Holmes, sir,” said the police agent loftily 高远. “He has his own little methods 方法, which are, if he won’t mind my saying so, just a little too theoretical 理论 and fantastic 奇妙, but he has the makings of a detective 侦探 in him. It is not too much to say that once or twice 两次, as in that business of the Sholto murder and the Agra treasure 金银财宝, he has been more nearly correct than the official force.”

“Oh, if you say so, Mr. Jones, it is all right,” said the stranger with deference 尊重. “Still, I confess 供认 that I miss my rubber 橡胶. It is the first Saturday night for seven 七-and-twenty 二十 years that I have not had my rubber.”

“I think you will find,” said Sherlock Holmes, “that you will play for a higher stake 赌注 to-night than you have ever done yet, and that the play will be more exciting. For you, Mr. Merryweather, the stake 赌注 will be some £30,000; and for you, Jones, it will be the man upon whom you wish to lay your hands.”

“John Clay, the murderer, thief 小偷, smasher 粉碎, and forger 锻造. He’s a young man, Mr. Merryweather, but he is at the head of his profession, and I would rather have my brace‧let 手镯 on him than on any criminal 罪犯 in London. He’s a remarkable 5 man, is young John Clay. His grand‧father 祖父 was a royal duke 公爵, and he himself has been to Eton and Oxford. His brain is as cunning 狡猾 as his fingers, and though we meet signs of him at every turn, we never know where to find the man himself. He’ll crack 破裂 a crib in Scotland one week, and be raising money to build an orphan‧age 孤儿院 in Cornwall the next. I’ve been on his track 小路 for years and have never set eyes on him yet.”

“I hope that I may have the pleasure of introducing you to-night. I’ve had one or two little turns also with Mr. John Clay, and I agree with you that he is at the head of his profession. It is past ten 十, however, and quite time that we started. If you two will take the first hansom, Watson and I will follow in the second.”

Sherlock Holmes was not very communicative 交际 during the long drive and lay back in the cab 出租车 humming 哼 the tunes 曲调 which he had heard in the afternoon. We rattled 霸王鞭 through an end‧less 无穷 labyrinth of gas-lit streets until we emerged 出现 into Farrington Street.

“We are close there now,” my friend remarked. “This fellow Merryweather is a bank director, and personally 亲自 interested in the matter. I thought it as well to have Jones with us also. He is not a bad fellow, though an absolute imbecile in his profession. He has one positive 正 virtue 美德. He is as brave 勇敢的 as a bull‧dog 公牛‧狗 and as tenacious as a lobster 龙虾 if he gets his claws 爪 upon anyone. Here we are, and they are waiting for us.”

We had reached the same crowded thorough‧fare 彻底‧票价 in which we had found ourselves 我们自己 in the morning. Our cabs 出租车 were dismissed 解雇, and, following the guidance 指导 of Mr. Merryweather, we passed down a narrow passage and through a side door, which he opened for us. Within there was a small corridor 走廊, which ended in a very massive 大规模的 iron 铁器 gate 门. This also was opened, and led down a flight 飞行 of winding stone steps, which terminated 终止 at another formidable 强大 gate. Mr. Merryweather stopped to light a lantern 灯笼, and then conducted 进行 us down a dark, earth-smelling passage, and so, after opening a third door, into a huge 巨大 vault 拱顶 or cellar 地窖, which was piled 堆 all round with crates 箱 and massive 大规模的 boxes.

“You are not very vulnerable 弱势 from above,” Holmes remarked as he held up the lantern 灯笼 and gazed 凝视 about him.

“Nor from below,” said Mr. Merryweather, striking his stick upon the flags 旗；石地板 which lined the floor. “Why, dear me, it sounds quite hollow 空的!” he remarked, looking up in surprise.

“I must really ask you to be a little more quiet!” said Holmes severely 严峻的. “You have already imperilled the whole success of our expedition 远征. Might I beg that you would have the goodness 善良 to sit down upon one of those boxes, and not to interfere?”

The solemn 庄严的 Mr. Merryweather perched 栖息 himself upon a crate 箱, with a very injured 损伤 expression upon his face, while Holmes fell upon his knees upon the floor and, with the lantern 灯笼 and a magnifying 放大 lens 镜片, began to examine minutely the cracks 破裂 between the stones. A few seconds sufficed 满足 to satisfy him, for he sprang to his feet again and put his glass in his pocket.

“We have at least an hour before us,” he remarked, “for they can hardly take any steps until the good pawnbroker is safely in bed. Then they will not lose a minute, for the sooner they do their work the longer time they will have for their escape. We are at present, Doctor—as no doubt you have divined 神圣—in the cellar 地窖 of the City branch of one of the principal 主要 London banks. Mr. Merryweather is the chairman of directors, and he will explain to you that there are reasons why the more daring criminals 罪犯 of London should take a consider‧able 大量 interest in this cellar 地窖 at present.”

“It is our French gold,” whispered the director. “We have had several warnings that an attempt might be made upon it.”

“Your French gold?”

“Yes. We had occasion some months ago to strengthen 加强 our resources 资源 and borrowed 借 for that purpose 30,000 napoleons from the Bank of France. It has become known that we have never had occasion to unpack 解压 the money, and that it is still lying in our cellar 地窖. The crate 箱 upon which I sit contains 2,000 napoleons packed between layers 层 of lead foil 挫败. Our reserve of bullion is much larger at present than is usually kept in a single branch office, and the directors have had misgivings 疑虑 upon the subject.”

“Which were very well justified 为…辩护；证明…正当；是…的正当理由,” observed Holmes. “And now it is time that we arranged our little plans. I expect that within an hour matters will come to a head. In the mean‧time 其时 Mr. Merryweather, we must put the screen over that dark lantern 灯笼.”

“And sit in the dark?”

“I am afraid so. I had brought a pack of cards in my pocket, and I thought that, as we were a partie carrée, you might have your rubber 橡胶 after all. But I see that the enemy’s preparations 制备 have gone so far that we cannot risk the presence of a light. And, first of all, we must choose our positions. These are daring men, and though we shall take them at a disadvantage 坏处, they may do us some harm 损害 unless we are careful 小心. I shall stand behind this crate 箱, and do you conceal 隐藏 yourselves behind those. Then, when I flash 使闪光 a light upon them, close in swiftly 如飞. If they fire, Watson, have no compunction about shooting them down.”

I placed my revolver 围绕, cocked 公鸡, upon the top of the wooden 木制的 case behind which I crouched 蹲伏. Holmes shot the slide across the front of his lantern 灯笼 and left us in pitch 沥青 darkness 黑暗—such an absolute darkness 黑暗 as I have never before experienced. The smell of hot metal remained to assure 向…保证；肯定地说 us that the light was still there, ready to flash 使闪光 out at a moment’s notice. To me, with my nerves 神经 worked up to a pitch 沥青 of expectancy 期待, there was something depressing 压抑 and subduing 征服 in the sudden gloom 愁云, and in the cold dank air of the vault 拱顶.

“They have but one retreat 撤退,” whispered Holmes. “That is back through the house into Saxe-Coburg Square. I hope that you have done what I asked you, Jones?”

“I have an inspector 检查员 and two officers waiting at the front door.”

“Then we have stopped all the holes. And now we must be silent and wait.”

What a time it seemed! From comparing notes after‧ward 之后 it was but an hour and a quarter, yet it appeared to me that the night must have almost gone, and the dawn 黎明 be breaking above us. My limbs were weary 厌倦 and stiff 严厉的, for I feared to change my position; yet my nerves 神经 were worked up to the highest pitch 沥青 of tension 紧张, and my hearing was so acute 急性 that I could not only hear the gentle breathing of my companions 同伴, but I could distinguish the deeper, heavier in-breath of the bulky 笨重 Jones from the thin, sighing 叹 note of the bank director. From my position I could look over the case in the direction of the floor. Suddenly my eyes caught the glint of a light.

At first it was but a lurid spark 火花 upon the stone pavement 路面. Then it lengthened out until it became a yellow line, and then, without any warning or sound, a gash seemed to open and a hand appeared, a white, almost womanly hand, which felt about in the centre of the little area of light. For a minute or more the hand, with its writhing fingers, protruded 突出 out of the floor. Then it was withdrawn as suddenly as it appeared, and all was dark again save the single lurid spark 火花 which marked a chink between the stones.

Its disappearance 消失, however, was but momentary 短暂的. With a rending, tearing sound, one of the broad, white stones turned over upon its side and left a square, gaping 盱；目瞪口呆 hole, through which streamed the light of a lantern 灯笼. Over the edge there peeped 窥视 a clean-cut, boyish face, which looked keenly about it, and then, with a hand on either side of the aperture, drew itself 本身 shoulder-high and waist 腰-high, until one knee rested upon the edge. In another instant he stood at the side of the hole and was hauling 运输 after him a companion, lithe and small like himself, with a pale face and a shock of very red hair.

“It’s all clear,” he whispered. “Have you the chisel and the bags 袋? Great Scott! Jump, Archie, jump, and I’ll swing for it!”

Sherlock Holmes had sprung out and seized the intruder 侵入者 by the collar 衣领. The other dived 潜水 down the hole, and I heard the sound of rending cloth 布 as Jones clutched 离合器 at his skirts 裙子. The light flashed 使闪光 upon the barrel 桶 of a revolver 围绕, but Holmes’ hunting crop 农作物 came down on the man’s wrist 腕, and the pistol 手枪 clinked upon the stone floor.

“It’s no use, John Clay,” said Holmes blandly 平淡. “You have no chance at all.”

“So I see,” the other answered with the utmost 极 coolness. “I fancy 想像 that my pal 朋友 is all right, though I see you have got his coat-tails 尾.”

“There are three men waiting for him at the door,” said Holmes.

“Oh, indeed! You seem to have done the thing very completely. I must compliment 赞扬 you.”

“And I you,” Holmes answered. “Your red-headed idea was very new and effective.”

“You’ll see your pal 朋友 again presently,” said Jones. “He’s quicker at climbing down holes than I am. Just hold out while I fix the derbies.”

“I beg that you will not touch me with your filthy 污秽 hands,” remarked our prisoner 犯人，囚犯 as the hand‧cuff 杻 clattered 哒 upon his wrists 腕. “You may not be aware 知道的 that I have royal blood in my veins 静脉. Have the goodness 善良, also, when you address me always to say ‘sir’ and ‘please.’ ”

“All right,” said Jones with a stare and a snigger. “Well, would you please, sir, march 行军；三月 upstairs 楼上, where we can get a cab 出租车 to carry your Highness to the police-station?”

“That is better,” said John Clay serenely 安详. He made a sweeping bow 弓 to the three of us and walked quietly off in the custody 保管 of the detective 侦探.

“Really, Mr. Holmes,” said Mr. Merryweather as we followed them from the cellar 地窖, “I do not know how the bank can thank you or repay 偿还 you. There is no doubt that you have detected 发现，察觉，看出 and defeated 击败 in the most complete manner one of the most determined attempts at bank robbery 抢劫案 that have ever come within my experience.”

“I have had one or two little scores 得分了 of my own to settle with Mr. John Clay,” said Holmes. “I have been at some small expense over this matter, which I shall expect the bank to refund 退, but beyond that I am amply 功放 repaid by having had an experience which is in many ways unique 独特, and by hearing the very remarkable narrative 叙述 of the Red-headed League.”

“You see, Watson,” he explained in the early hours of the morning as we sat over a glass of whisky 威士忌酒 and soda 苏打 in Baker Street, “it was perfectly obvious 明显 from the first that the only possible object of this rather fantastic 奇妙 business of the advertisement 广告 of the League, and the copying of the Encyclopaedia, must be to get this not over-bright pawnbroker out of the way for a number of hours every day. It was a curious way of managing it, but, really, it would be difficult to suggest a better. The method 方法 was no doubt suggested to Clay’s ingenious 巧妙 mind by the colour of his accomplice’s hair. The £4 a week was a lure 饵 which must draw him, and what was it to them, who were playing for thou‧sand 千? They put in the advertisement 广告, one rogue 流氓 has the temporary 临时 office, the other rogue 流氓 incites 煽动 the man to apply for it, and together they manage to secure 安全 his absence 缺席 every morning in the week. From the time that I heard of the assistant 助理 having come for half wages, it was obvious 明显 to me that he had some strong motive 动机 for securing 安全 the situation.”

“But how could you guess what the motive 动机 was?”

“Had there been women in the house, I should have suspected a mere vulgar 庸俗 intrigue 诡计. That, however, was out of the question. The man’s business was a small one, and there was nothing in his house which could account for such elaborate 阐述 preparations 制备, and such an expenditure 支出 as they were at. It must, then, be something out of the house. What could it be? I thought of the assistant 助理’s fondness for photography 摄影, and his trick 哄骗；诀窍 of vanishing 消失 into the cellar 地窖. The cellar 地窖! There was the end of this tangled 纠纷 clue 线索. Then I made inquiries 调查 as to this mysterious 神秘 assistant 助理 and found that I had to deal with one of the coolest and most daring criminals in London. He was doing something in the cellar 地窖—something which took many hours a day for months on end. What could it be, once more? I could think of nothing save that he was running a tunnel 隧道 to some other building.

“So far I had got when we went to visit the scene of action. I surprised you by beating upon the pavement 路面 with my stick. I was ascertaining 探明 whether the cellar 地窖 stretched out in front or behind. It was not in front. Then I rang the bell, and, as I hoped, the assistant 助理 answered it. We have had some skirmishes, but we had never set eyes upon each other before. I hardly looked at his face. His knees were what I wished to see. You must your‧self 你自己 have remarked how worn wear, wrinkled 皱纹, and stained they were. They spoke of those hours of burrowing 地洞. The only remaining point was what they were burrowing 地洞 for. I walked round the corner, saw the City and Suburban Bank abutted on our friend’s premises 前提, and felt that I had solved 解决 my problem. When you drove home after the concert 音乐会 I called upon Scotland Yard and upon the chairman of the bank directors, with the result that you have seen.”

“And how could you tell that they would make their attempt to-night?” I asked.

“Well, when they closed their League offices that was a sign that they cared no longer about Mr. Jabez Wilson’s presence—in other words, that they had completed their tunnel 隧道. But it was essential that they should use it soon, as it might be discovered, or the bullion might be removed 去掉. Saturday would suit them better than any other day, as it would give them two days for their escape. For all these reasons I expected them to come to-night.”

“You reasoned it out beautifully 精美,” I exclaimed 喊叫 in unfeigned admiration 钦佩. “It is so long a chain, and yet every link 链接 rings true.”

“It saved me from ennui,” he answered, yawning 打哈欠. “Alas! I already feel it closing in upon me. My life is spent spend in one long effort to escape from the common‧place 平凡 of existence. These little problems help me to do so.”

“And you are a benefactor of the race,” said I.

He shrugged 耸 his shoulders. “Well, perhaps, after all, it is of some little use,” he remarked. “ ‘L’homme c’est rien—l’oeuvre c’est tout 兜售,’ as Gustave Flaubert wrote to George Sand 沙.”

“My dear fellow,” said Sherlock Holmes as we sat on either side of the fire in his lodgings at Baker Street, “life is infinitely 无限地 stranger than anything which the mind of man could invent 发明. We would not dare 敢 to conceive 构想 the things which are really mere common‧place 平凡 of existence. If we could fly out of that window hand in hand, hover 徘徊 over this great city, gently remove 去掉 the roofs, and peep 窥视 in at the queer 奇怪 things which are going on, the strange coincidences 巧合, the plannings, the cross-purposes, the wonderful 精彩 chains of events, working through generations 代, and leading to the most outré results, it would make all fiction 小说 with its conventionalities and foreseen conclusions 结论 most stale 陈旧 and unprofitable.”

“And yet I am not convinced 说服 of it,” I answered. “The cases which come to light in the papers are, as a rule, bald 秃 enough, and vulgar 庸俗 enough. We have in our police reports realism 现实主义 pushed to its extreme limits, and yet the result is, it must be confessed 供认, neither fascinating 深深吸引；迷住 nor artistic 艺术的.”

“A certain selection 选择 and discretion 慎重 must be used in producing a realistic 实际 effect,” remarked Holmes. “This is wanting in the police report, where more stress 强调 is laid, perhaps, upon the platitudes of the magistrate 法官 than upon the details, which to an observer contain the vital 重要的 essence 本质 of the whole matter. Depend upon it, there is nothing so unnatural 不自然 as the common‧place 平凡.”

I smiled and shook my head. “I can quite understand your thinking so,” I said. “Of course, in your position of unofficial 非官方 adviser 顾问 and helper to everybody who is absolutely puzzled 使迷惑, through‧out 始终 three continents 大陆, you are brought in contact 联系 with all that is strange and bizarre 奇异的. But here”—I picked up the morning paper from the ground—“let us put it to a practical test. Here is the first heading upon which I come. ‘A husband’s cruelty 残酷 to his wife.’ There is half a column 柱 of print, but I know without reading it that it is all perfectly familiar to me. There is, of course, the other woman, the drink, the push, the blow, the bruise 挫伤, the sympathetic 同情的 sister 姐妹 or land‧lady 陆地；着陆‧女士. The crudest 原油 of writers 作家 could invent 发明 nothing more crude 原油.”

“Indeed, your example is an unfortunate 不幸的 one for your argument 论据,” said Holmes, taking the paper and glancing 一瞥 his eye down it. “This is the Dundas separation 分离 case, and, as it happens, I was engaged 从事 in clearing up some small points in connection with it. The husband was a teetotaler, there was no other woman, and the conduct 进行 complained 抱怨 of was that he had drifted 漂移 into the habit of winding up every meal 餐 by taking out his false 3 teeth and hurling 投 them at his wife, which, you will allow, is not an action likely to occur 发生 to the imagination 想像力 of the average story-teller. Take a pinch 捏 of snuff, Doctor, and acknowledge 确认 that I have scored 得分了 over you in your example.”

He held out his snuffbox of old gold, with a great amethyst in the centre of the lid 盖子. Its splendour was in such contrast 对比 to his homely ways and simple life that I could not help commenting 评论 upon it.

“Ah,” said he, “I forgot that I had not seen you for some weeks. It is a little souvenir 纪念品 from the King of Bohemia in return for my assistance 帮助 in the case of the Irene Adler papers.”

“And the ring?” I asked, glancing 一瞥 at a remarkable brilliant 出色的 which sparkled 火花 upon his finger.

“It was from the reigning 统治 family of Holland, though the matter in which I served them was of such delicacy 美味 that I cannot confide 信任 it even to you, who have been good enough to chronicle 编年史 one or two of my little problems.”

“And have you any on hand just now?” I asked with interest.

“Some ten 十 or twelve 十二, but none which present any feature 特征 of interest. They are important, you understand, without being interesting. Indeed, I have found that it is usually in unimportant 不重要 matters that there is a field for the observation 意见, and for the quick analysis 分析 of cause and effect which gives the charm 魔力；使陶醉 to an investigation 调查. The larger crimes are apt 易于 to be the simpler, for the bigger the crime the more obvious 明显, as a rule, is the motive 动机. In these cases, save for one rather intricate 错综复杂 matter which has been referred to me from Marseilles, there is nothing which presents any features 特征 of interest. It is possible, however, that I may have something better before very many minutes are over, for this is one of my clients 客户, or I am much mistaken 错误.”

He had risen from his chair and was standing between the parted blinds gazing 凝视 down into the dull 钝的；没兴趣 neutral 中性-tinted 着色 London street. Looking over his shoulder, I saw that on the pavement 路面 opposite there stood a large woman with a heavy fur boa round her neck, and a large curling 一绺鬈发 red feather 羽毛 in a broad-brimmed 边 hat which was tilted 倾斜 in a coquettish Duchess of Devonshire fashion over her ear. From under this great panoply she peeped 窥视 up in a nervous 担心的, hesitating 犹豫 fashion at our windows, while her body oscillated backward 向后的 and forward, and her fingers fidgeted with her glove 手套 buttons 按钮. Suddenly, with a plunge 跳水, as of the swimmer 游泳 who leaves the bank, she hurried across the road, and we heard the sharp clang of the bell.

“I have seen those symptoms 症状 before,” said Holmes, throwing his cigarette 香烟，纸烟 into the fire. “Oscillation upon the pavement 路面 always means an affaire de coeur. She would like advice, but is not sure that the matter is not too delicate for communication 通讯. And yet even here we may discriminate 辨析. When a woman has been seriously wronged by a man she no longer oscillates, and the usual symptom 症状 is a broken bell wire. Here we may take it that there is a love matter, but that the maiden 少女 is not so much angry 生气的 as perplexed 困扰, or grieved 悼. But here she comes in person to resolve 解决 our doubts.”

As he spoke there was a tap 敲；龙头；汲取（液体） at the door, and the boy in buttons entered to announce 宣布 Miss Mary Sutherland, while the lady her‧self 她自己 loomed 织布机 behind his small black figure like a full-sailed 航行；帆 merchant 商人-man behind a tiny 小 pilot 飞行员 boat. Sherlock Holmes welcomed her with the easy courtesy 礼貌 for which he was remarkable, and, having closed the door and bowed her into an arm‧chair 扶手椅, he looked her over in the minute and yet abstracted 抽象 fashion which was peculiar to him.

“Do you not find,” he said, “that with your short sight it is a little trying to do so much typewriting?”

“I did at first,” she answered, “but now I know where the letters are without looking.” Then, suddenly realising the full purport 旨趣 of his words, she gave a violent 猛烈 start and looked up, with fear and astonishment 惊愕 upon her broad, good-humoured face. “You’ve heard about me, Mr. Holmes,” she cried, “else how could you know all that?”

“Never mind,” said Holmes, laughing; “it is my business to know things. Perhaps I have trained myself 我 to see what others over‧look 俯瞰. If not, why should you come to consult 咨询；请教；查阅 me?”

“I came to you, sir, because I heard of you from Mrs. Etherege, whose 谁的 husband you found so easy when the police and everyone had given him up for dead. Oh, Mr. Holmes, I wish you would do as much for me. I’m not rich, but still I have a hundred 百 a year in my own right, besides the little that I make by the machine, and I would give it all to know what has become of Mr. Hosmer Angel.”

“Why did you come away to consult 咨询；请教；查阅 me in such a hurry?” asked Sherlock Holmes, with his finger-tips 尖；窍门 together and his eyes to the ceiling 天花板.

Again a startled 惊吓 look came over the some‧what 有些 vacuous face of Miss Mary Sutherland. “Yes, I did bang 砰 out of the house,” she said, “for it made me angry 生气的 to see the easy way in which Mr. Windibank—that is, my father—took it all. He would not go to the police, and he would not go to you, and so at last, as he would do nothing and kept on saying that there was no harm 损害 done, it made me mad, and I just on with my things and came right away to you.”

“Your father,” said Holmes, “your step‧father 后爹, surely, since the name is different.”

“Yes, my step‧father 后爹. I call him father, though it sounds funny, too, for he is only five years and two months older than myself 我.”

“And your mother is alive 活的；有生命的?”

“Oh, yes, mother is alive and well. I wasn’t best pleased, Mr. Holmes, when she married again so soon after father’s death, and a man who was nearly fifteen 十五 years younger than her‧self 她自己. Father was a plumber 水管工人 in the Tottenham Court Road, and he left a tidy 整洁的 business behind him, which mother carried on with Mr. Hardy, the fore‧man 领班; but when Mr. Windibank came he made her sell the business, for he was very superior 优越, being a traveller in wines. They got £4700 for the good‧will 善意 and interest, which wasn’t near as much as father could have got if he had been alive.”

I had expected to see Sherlock Holmes impatient 不耐烦 under this rambling 漫谈 and inconsequential narrative 叙述, but, on the contrary 相反, he had listened with the greatest concentration 浓度 of attention.

“Your own little income 收入,” he asked, “does it come out of the business?”

“Oh, no, sir. It is quite separate and was left me by my uncle 叔叔 Ned in Auckland. It is in New Zealand stock, paying 4½ per cent. Two thou‧sand 千 five hundred 百 pounds was the amount, but I can only touch the interest.”

“You interest me extremely,” said Holmes. “And since you draw so large a sum 和 as a hundred 百 a year, with what you earn into the bar‧gain 讨价还价；交易, you no doubt travel a little and indulge 放纵 your‧self 你自己 in every way. I believe that a single lady can get on very nicely upon an income 收入 of about £60.”

“I could do with much less than that, Mr. Holmes, but you understand that as long as I live at home I don’t wish to be a burden 负荷，重负 to them, and so they have the use of the money just while I am staying with them. Of course, that is only just for the time. Mr. Windibank draws my interest every quarter and pays it over to mother, and I find that I can do pretty well with what I earn at typewriting. It brings me two‧pence 2‧便士 a sheet, and I can often do from fifteen 十五 to twenty 二十 sheets in a day.”

“You have made your position very clear to me,” said Holmes. “This is my friend, Dr. Watson, before whom you can speak as freely as before myself 我. Kindly tell us now all about your connection with Mr. Hosmer Angel.”

A flush 红晕 stole over Miss Sutherland’s face, and she picked nervously 担心的 at the fringe 边缘 of herjacket 衣服. “I met him first at the gasfitters’ ball,” she said. “They used to send father tickets 票 when he was alive, and then after‧ward 之后 they remembered us, and sent them to mother. Mr. Windibank did not wish us to go. He never did wish us to go any‧where 任何地方. He would get quite mad if I wanted so much as to join a Sunday-school treat. But this time I was set on going, and I would go; for what right had he to prevent? He said the folk 民间 were not fit for us to know, when all father’s friends were to be there. And he said that I had nothing fit to wear, when I had my purple 紫色的 plush that I had never so much as taken out of the drawer 抽屉. At last, when nothing else would do, he went off to France upon the business of the firm, but we went, mother and I, with Mr. Hardy, who used to be our fore‧man 领班, and it was there I met Mr. Hosmer Angel.”

“I suppose,” said Holmes, “that when Mr. Windibank came back from France he was very annoyed 打扰 at your having gone to the ball.”

“Oh, well, he was very good about it. He laughed, I remember, and shrugged 耸 his shoulders, and said there was no use denying 拒绝 anything to a woman, for she would have her way.”

“I see. Then at the gasfitters’ ball you met, as I understand, a gentleman called Mr. Hosmer Angel.”

“Yes, sir. I met him that night, and he called next day to ask if we had got home all safe, and after that we met him—that is to say, Mr. Holmes, I met him twice 两次 for walks, but after that father came back again, and Mr. Hosmer Angel could not come to the house any more.”

“No?”

“Well, you know father didn’t like anything of the sort. He wouldn’t have any visitors 访问者 if he could help it, and he used to say that a woman should be happy in her own family circle. But then, as I used to say to mother, a woman wants her own circle to begin with, and I had not got mine yet.”

“But how about Mr. Hosmer Angel? Did he make no attempt to see you?”

“Well, father was going off to France again in a week, and Hosmer wrote and said that it would be safer and better not to see each other until he had gone. We could write in the mean‧time 其时, and he used to write every day. I took the letters in in the morning, so there was no need for father to know.”

“Were you engaged 从事 to the gentleman at this time?”

“Oh, yes, Mr. Holmes. We were engaged 从事 after the first walk that we took. Hosmer—Mr. Angel—was a cashier 出纳员 in an office in Leadenhall Street—and—”

“What office?”

“That’s the worst 生病:ill of it, Mr. Holmes, I don’t know.”

“Where did he live, then?”

“He slept on the premises 前提.”

“And you don’t know his address?”

“No—except that it was Leadenhall Street.”

“Where did you address your letters, then?”

“To the Leadenhall Street Post Office, to be left till 到 called for. He said that if they were sent to the office he would be chaffed by all the other clerks 店员 about having letters from a lady, so I offered to type‧write 类型‧写 them, like he did his, but he wouldn’t have that, for he said that when I wrote them they seemed to come from me, but when they were typewritten he always felt that the machine had come between us. That will just show you how fond 喜欢的 he was of me, Mr. Holmes, and the little things that he would think of.”

“It was most suggestive 提示,” said Holmes. “It has long been an axiom 公理 of mine that the little things are infinitely 无限地 the most important. Can you remember any other little things about Mr. Hosmer Angel?”

“He was a very shy 害羞 man, Mr. Holmes. He would rather walk with me in the evening than in the day‧light 日光, for he said that he hated to be conspicuous 显着. Very retiring and gentle‧man 先生 he was. Even his voice was gentle. He’d had the quinsy and swollen 膨胀；增强:swell glands 腺 when he was young, he told me, and it had left him with a weak throat, and a hesitating, whispering 低声说 fashion of speech. He was always well dressed, very neat 整洁的 and plain, but his eyes were weak, just as mine are, and he wore tinted 着色 glasses against the glare 强光.”

“Well, and what happened when Mr. Windibank, your step‧father 后爹, returned to France?”

“Mr. Hosmer Angel came to the house again and proposed that we should marry before father came back. He was in dreadful 可怕 earnest 热心的 and made me swear 发誓, with my hands on the Testament, that whatever happened I would always be true to him. Mother said he was quite right to make me swear, and that it was a sign of his passion 激情，热情；强烈情感. Mother was all in his favour from the first and was even fonder 喜欢的 of him than I was. Then, when they talked of marrying within the week, I began to ask about father; but they both said never to mind about father, but just to tell him after‧ward 之后, and mother said she would make it all right with him. I didn’t quite like that, Mr. Holmes. It seemed funny that I should ask his leave, as he was only a few years older than me; but I didn’t want to do anything on the sly, so I wrote to father at Bordeaux, where the company has its French offices, but the letter came back to me on the very morning of the wedding 结婚.”

“It missed him, then?”

“Yes, sir; for he had started to England just before it arrived.”

“Ha! that was unfortunate 不幸的. Your wedding 结婚 was arranged, then, for the Friday. Was it to be in church?”

“Yes, sir, but very quietly. It was to be at St. Saviour’s, near King’s Cross, and we were to have break‧fast 早餐 after‧ward 之后 at the St. Pancras Hotel. Hosmer came for us in a hansom, but as there were two of us he put us both into it and stepped himself into a four-wheeler, which happened to be the only other cab 出租车 in the street. We got to the church first, and when the four-wheeler drove up we waited for him to step out, but he never did, and when the cabman got down from the box and looked there was no one there! The cabman said that he could not imagine what had become of him, for he had seen him get in with his own eyes. That was last Friday, Mr. Holmes, and I have never seen or heard anything since then to throw any light upon what became of him.”

“It seems to me that you have been very shamefully 可耻 treated,” said Holmes.

“Oh, no, sir! He was too good and kind to leave me so. Why, all the morning he was saying to me that, whatever happened, I was to be true; and that even if something quite unforeseen occurred 发生 to separate us, I was always to remember that I was pledged 保证 to him, and that he would claim his pledge 保证 sooner or later. It seemed strange talk for a wedding 结婚-morning, but what has happened since gives a meaning to it.”

“Most certainly it does. Your own opinion is, then, that some unforeseen catastrophe 灾难 has occurred 发生 to him?”

“Yes, sir. I believe that he foresaw some danger, or else he would not have talked so. And then I think that what he foresaw happened.”

“But you have no notion 概念 as to what it could have been?”

“None.”

“One more question. How did your mother take the matter?”

“She was angry, and said that I was never to speak of the matter again.”

“And your father? Did you tell him?”

“Yes; and he seemed to think, with me, that something had happened, and that I should hear of Hosmer again. As he said, what interest could anyone have in bringing me to the doors of the church, and then leaving me? Now, if he had borrowed my money, or if he had married me and got my money settled on him, there might be some reason, but Hosmer was very independent 独立 about money and never would look at a shilling 一毛钱 of mine. And yet, what could have happened? And why could he not write? Oh, it drives me half-mad to think of it, and I can’t sleep a wink 眨眼 at night.” She pulled a little handkerchief 手帕 out of her muff and began to sob 哭泣 heavily 很大，沉重地 into it.

“I shall glance 一瞥 into the case for you,” said Holmes, rising, “and I have no doubt that we shall reach some definite 定 result. Let the weight of the matter rest upon me now, and do not let your mind dwell 住 upon it further. Above all, try to let Mr. Hosmer Angel vanish 消失 from your memory, as he has done from your life.”

“Then you don’t think I’ll see him again?”

“I fear not.”

“Then what has happened to him?”

“You will leave that question in my hands. I should like an accurate 准确的；精确的；正确的 description of him and any letters of his which you can spare 3.”

“I advertised for him in last Saturday’s Chronicle,” said she. “Here is the slip and here are four letters from him.”

“Thank you. And your address?”

“No. 31 Lyon Place, Camberwell.”

“Mr. Angel’s address you never had, I understand. Where is your father’s place of business?”

“He travels for Westhouse & 功放; Marbank, the great claret importers of Fenchurch Street.”

“Thank you. You have made your statement 声明 very clearly. You will leave the papers here, and remember the advice which I have given you. Let the whole incident 事件 be a sealed 封上，海豹 book, and do not allow it to affect 影响 your life.”

“You are very kind, Mr. Holmes, but I cannot do that. I shall be true to Hosmer. He shall find me ready when he comes back.”

For all the preposterous hat and the vacuous face, there was something noble 高尚的 in the simple faith of our visitor which compelled 迫使 our respect. She laid her little bundle 捆 of papers upon the table and went her way, with a promise to come again when‧ever 随时 she might be summoned 召唤.

Sherlock Holmes sat silent for a few minutes with his finger‧tip 指尖 still pressed together, his legs stretched out in front of him, and his gaze 凝视 directed upward 向上 to the ceiling 天花板. Then he took down from the rack 架 the old and oily clay pipe 3, which was to him as a counsellor, and, having lit it, he leaned lean back in his chair, with the thick blue cloud-wreaths spinning 旋转；纺纱 up from him, and a look of infinite 无穷 languor in his face.

“Quite an interesting study, that maiden 少女,” he observed. “I found her more interesting than her little problem, which, by the way, is rather a trite one. You will find parallel 位置 cases, if you consult 4 my index 指数, in Andover in ’77, and there was something of the sort at The Hague last year. Old as is the idea, however, there were one or two details which were new to me. But the maiden 少女 her‧self 她自己 was most instructive 教育性.”

“You appeared to read a good deal upon her which was quite invisible 无形 to me,” I remarked.

“Not invisible 无形 but unnoticed 被忽视, Watson. You did not know where to look, and so you missed all that was important. I can never bring you to realise the importance of sleeves 袖, the suggestiveness of thumb 拇指-nails 钉子, or the great issues that may hang from a boot 靴；鞋-lace 花边. Now, what did you gather from that woman’s appearance? Describe it.”

“Well, she had a slate 石板-coloured, broad-brimmed 边 straw 稻草 hat, with a feather 羽毛 of a brickish red. Herjacket 衣服 was black, with black beads 珠子 sewn 缝:sew upon it, and a fringe 边缘 of little black jet 喷射 ornaments 装饰. Her dress was brown, rather darker than coffee colour, with a little purple 紫色的 plush at the neck and sleeves 袖. Her gloves 手套 were greyish and were worn through at the right fore‧finger 前面‧手指. Her boots 靴；鞋 I didn’t observe. She had small round, hanging gold earrings, and a general air of being fairly well-to-do in a vulgar 庸俗, comfort‧able 舒服；自在, easy-going way.”

Sherlock Holmes clapped 拍 his hands softly together and chuckled 暗笑.

“ ’Pon my word, Watson, you are coming along wonderfully 奇妙. You have really done very well indeed. It is true that you have missed everything of importance, but you have hit upon the method 方法, and you have a quick eye for colour. Never trust to general impressions 印象, my boy, but concentrate 集中 your‧self 你自己 upon details. My first glance 一瞥 is always at a woman’s sleeve 袖. In a man it is perhaps better first to take the knee of the trouser. As you observe, this woman had plush upon her sleeves 袖, which is a most useful 有用 material for showing traces 跟踪. The double line a little above the wrist 3, where the typewritist presses against the table, was beautifully 精美 defined 确定. The sewing 缝-machine, of the hand type, leaves a similar 类似 mark, but only on the left arm, and on the side of it farthest from the thumb 拇指, instead of being right across the broadest part, as this was. I then glanced 一瞥 at her face, and, observing the dint of a pince-nez at either side of her nose, I ventured 企业；投机活动；商业冒险 a remark upon short sight and typewriting, which seemed to surprise her.”

“It surprised me.”

“But, surely, it was obvious 明显. I was then much surprised and interested on glancing 一瞥 down to observe that, though the boots which she was wearing were not unlike 不像 each other, they were really odd 奇 ones; the one having a slightly decorated 装饰 toe 脚趾-cap, and the other a plain one. One was buttoned only in the two lower buttons out of five, and the other at the first, third, and fifth. Now, when you see that a young lady, otherwise neatly 整洁的 dressed, has come away from home with odd 奇 boots, half-buttoned, it is no great deduction 扣除 to say that she came away in a hurry.”

“And what else?” I asked, keenly interested, as I always was, by my friend’s incisive reasoning.

“I noted, in passing, that she had written a note before leaving home but after being fully 充分 dressed. You observed that her right glove 手套 was torn tear at the fore‧finger 前面‧手指, but you did not apparently see that both glove 手套 and finger were stained with violet 紫色 ink 墨水. She had written in a hurry and dipped 浸 herpen 笔 too deep. It must have been this morning, or the mark would not remain clear upon the finger. All this is amusing 使人发笑, though rather elementary 初级, but I must go back to business, Watson. Would you mind reading me the advertised description of Mr. Hosmer Angel?”

I held the little printed slip to the light.

“Missing,” it said, “on the morning of the fourteenth, a gentleman named Hosmer Angel. About five ft. seven 七 in. in height 高度; strongly built, sallow complex‧ion 肤色, black hair, a little bald 秃 in the centre, bushy, black side-whiskers and moustache; tinted 着色 glasses, slight infirmity of speech. Was dressed, when last seen, in black frock-coat faced with silk 丝, black waist‧coat 腰‧上衣, gold Albert chain, and grey 灰色:gray Harris tweed trousers 长裤, with brown gaiters over elastic 有弹力的-sided boots. Known to have been employed in an office in Leadenhall Street. Anybody 任何人 bringing—”

“That will do,” said Holmes. “As to the letters,” he continued, glancing 一瞥 over them, “they are very common‧place 平凡. Absolutely no clue 线索 in them to Mr. Angel, save that he quotes 引用 Balzac once. There is one remarkable point, however, which will no doubt strike you.”

“They are typewritten,” I remarked.

“Not only that, but the signature 签名 is typewritten. Look at the neat little ‘Hosmer Angel’ at the bottom. There is a date, you see, but no superscription except Leadenhall Street, which is rather vague 模糊. The point about the signature is very suggestive 提示—in fact, we may call it conclusive 确凿.”

“Of what?”

“My dear fellow, is it possible you do not see how strongly it bears upon the case?”

“I cannot say that I do unless it were that he wished to be able to deny 拒绝 his signature if an action for breach 突破口 of promise were instituted 研究所.”

“No, that was not the point. However, I shall write two letters, which should settle the matter. One is to a firm in the City, the other is to the young lady’s step‧father 后爹, Mr. Windibank, asking him whether he could meet us here at six o’clock to-morrow evening. It is just as well that we should do business with the male relatives. And now, Doctor, we can do nothing until the answers to those letters come, so we may put our little problem upon the shelf 架子 for the interim 临时.”

I had had so many reasons to believe in my friend’s subtle 微妙 powers of reasoning and extraordinary energy 能源 in action that I felt that he must have some solid grounds for the assured 向…保证；肯定地说 and easy demeanour with which he treated the singular 单数 mystery which he had been called upon to fathom. Once only had I known him to fail, in the case of the King of Bohemia and of the Irene Adler photograph; but when I looked back to the weird 奇怪的 business of the Sign of Four, and the extraordinary circumstances 环境 connected with the Study in Scarlet, I felt that it would be a strange tangle 纠纷 indeed which he could not unravel 绎.

I left him then, still puffing 噗 at his black clay pipe, with the conviction 定罪 that when I came again on the next evening I would find that he held in his hands all the clues 线索 which would lead up to the identity 身分 of the disappearing 不见 bridegroom of Miss Mary Sutherland.

A professional 专业的 case of great gravity 重力 was engaging 从事 my own attention at the time, and the whole of next day I was busy at the bed‧side 床头 of the sufferer. It was not until close upon six o’clock that I found myself 我 free and was able to spring into a hansom and drive to Baker Street, half afraid that I might be too late to assist 帮助；协助；援助 at the dénouement of the little mystery. I found Sherlock Holmes alone, however, half asleep 睡着的, with his long, thin form curled up in the recesses 凹槽 of his arm‧chair 扶手椅. A formidable 强大 array 排列 of bottles and test-tubes 管, with the pungent cleanly smell of hydrochloric acid 酸, told me that he had spent his day in the chemical 化学 work which was so dear to him.

“Well, have you solved it?” I asked as I entered.

“Yes. It was the bisulphate of baryta.”

“No, no, the mystery!” I cried.

“Oh, that! I thought of the salt that I have been working upon. There was never any mystery in the matter, though, as I said yesterday, some of the details are of interest. The only draw‧back 退税 is that there is no law, I fear, that can touch the scoundrel.”

“Who was he, then, and what was his object in deserting 沙漠；抛弃 Miss Sutherland?”

The question was hardly out of my mouth, and Holmes had not yet opened his lips to reply, when we heard a heavy foot‧fall 脚；英尺‧落下 in the passage and a tap 敲；龙头；汲取（液体） at the door.

“This is the girl’s step‧father 后爹, Mr. James Windibank,” said Holmes. “He has written to me to say that he would be here at six. Come in!”

The man who entered was a sturdy 粗壮, middle-sized fellow, some thirty 三十 years of age, clean-shaven, and sallow-skinned 皮, with a bland 平淡, insinuating manner, and a pair of wonderfully 奇妙 sharp and penetrating 穿透 grey 灰色:gray eyes. He shot a questioning glance 一瞥 at each of us, placed his shiny 闪亮 top-hat upon the side‧board 边；面‧板，上船, and with a slight bow 弓 sidled down into the nearest chair.

“Good-evening, Mr. James Windibank,” said Holmes. “I think that this typewritten letter is from you, in which you made an appointment 约定 with me for six o’clock?”

“Yes, sir. I am afraid that I am a little late, but I am not quite my own master, you know. I am sorry that Miss Sutherland has troubled you about this little matter, for I think it is far better not to wash linen 麻布 of the sort in public. It was quite against my wishes that she came, but she is a very excitable, impulsive 浮躁 girl, as you may have noticed, and she is not easily controlled when she has made up her mind on a point. Of course, I did not mind you so much, as you are not connected with the official police, but it is not pleasant to have a family misfortune 不幸 like this noised 噪音 abroad 到国外. Besides, it is a use‧less 无用 expense, for how could you possibly find this Hosmer Angel?”

“On the contrary 相反,” said Holmes quietly; “I have every reason to believe that I will succeed in discovering Mr. Hosmer Angel.”

Mr. Windibank gave a violent 猛烈 start and dropped his gloves 手套. “I am delighted to hear it,” he said.

“It is a curious thing,” remarked Holmes, “that a type‧writer 打字机 has really quite as much individuality 个性 as a man’s hand‧write 书法. Unless they are quite new, no two of them write exactly alike 同样的. Some letters get more worn than others, and some wear only on one side. Now, you remark in this note of yours, Mr. Windibank, that in every case there is some little slurring 诽谤 over of the ‘e,’ and a slight defect 缺陷 in the tail 尾 of the ‘r.’ There are four‧teen 十四 other characteristics 特性, but those are the more obvious 明显.”

“We do all our correspondence 对应 with this machine at the office, and no doubt it is a little worn,” our visitor answered, glancing 一瞥 keenly at Holmes with his bright little eyes.

“And now I will show you what is really a very interesting study, Mr. Windibank,” Holmes continued. “I think of writing another little monograph 专着 some of these days on the type‧writer 打字机 and its relation to crime. It is a subject to which I have devoted 奉献 some little attention. I have here four letters which purport 旨趣 to come from the missing man. They are all typewritten. In each case, not only are the ‘e’s’ slurred 诽谤 and the ‘r’s’ tail‧less 尾‧少, but you will observe, if you care to use my magnifying 放大 lens 镜片, that the four‧teen 十四 other characteristics 特性 to which I have alluded 暗示 are there as well.”

Mr. Windibank sprang out of his chair and picked up his hat. “I cannot waste time over this sort of fantastic 奇妙 talk, Mr. Holmes,” he said. “If you can catch the man, catch him, and let me know when you have done it.”

“Certainly,” said Holmes, stepping over and turning the key in the door. “I let you know, then, that I have caught him!”

“What! where?” shouted Mr. Windibank, turning white to his lips and glancing 一瞥 about him like a rat 鼠 in a trap 陷阱；诱骗.

“Oh, it won’t do—really it won’t,” said Holmes suavely. “There is no possible getting out of it, Mr. Windibank. It is quite too trans‧parent 透明, and it was a very bad compliment 赞扬 when you said that it was impossible for me to solve 解决 so simple a question. That’s right! Sit down and let us talk it over.”

Our visitor collapsed 坍方 into a chair, with a ghastly 阴森 face and a glitter 闪光 of moisture 湿气 on his brow 眉头. “It—it’s not action‧able 行动‧能够的,” he stammered.

“I am very much afraid that it is not. But between ourselves 我们自己, Windibank, it was as cruel 残酷的 and selfish 自私的 and heart‧less 心‧少 a trick 3 in a petty 小气 way as ever came before me. Now, let me just run over the course of events, and you will contradict 顶撞 me if I go wrong.”

The man sat huddled 乱堆 up in his chair, with his head sunk upon his breast 乳房, like one who is utterly 完全 crushed 压破. Holmes stuck stick his feet up on the corner of the mantelpiece and, leaning back with his hands in his pockets, began talking, rather to himself, as it seemed, than to us.

“The man married a woman very much older than himself for her money,” said he, “and he enjoyed the use of the money of the daughter as long as she lived with them. It was a consider‧able 大量 sum 和, for people in their position, and the loss of it would have made a serious difference. It was worth an effort to preserve it. The daughter was of a good, amiable 可亲 disposition 性格, but affectionate 亲热 and warm-hearted in her ways, so that it was evident 明显 that with her fair personal 个人 advantages, and her little income 收入, she would not be allowed to remain single long. Now her marriage would mean, of course, the loss of a hundred 百 a year, so what does her step‧father 后爹 do to prevent it? He takes the obvious 明显 course of keeping her at home and forbidding 禁止 her to seek 寻求 the company of people of her own age. But soon he found that that would not answer for‧ever 永远. She became restive, insisted 咬定 upon her rights, and finally announced 宣布 her positive 正 intention of going to a certain ball. What does her clever 聪明的 step‧father 后爹 do then? He conceives 构想 an idea more credit‧able 学分；信用；表扬‧能够的 to his head than to his heart. With the connivance and assistance 帮助 of his wife he disguised 伪装 himself, covered those keen 4 eyes with tinted 着色 glasses, masked 面具 the face with a moustache and a pair of bushy whiskers, sunk that clear voice into an insinuating whisper 低声说, and doubly secure 安全 on account of the girl’s short sight, he appears as Mr. Hosmer Angel, and keeps off other lovers 情人 by making love himself.”

“It was only a joke 笑话 at first,” groaned 呻吟 our visitor. “We never thought that she would have been so carried away.”

“Very likely not. However that may be, the young lady was very decidedly 果断地 carried away, and, having quite made up her mind that her step‧father 后爹 was in France, the suspicion 怀疑 of treachery never for an instant entered her mind. She was flattered 奉承 by the gentleman’s attentions, and the effect was increased by the loudly 响亮的 expressed admiration 钦佩 of her mother. Then Mr. Angel began to call, for it was obvious 明显 that the matter should be pushed as far as it would go if a real effect were to be produced. There were meetings, and an engagement 订婚, which would finally secure 安全 the girl’s affect‧ion 感情 from turning towards anyone else. But the deception 骗局 could not be kept up for‧ever 永远. These pretended 假装 journeys 旅行 to France were rather cumbrous. The thing to do was clearly to bring the business to an end in such a dramatic 戏剧性 manner that it would leave a permanent 永久 impression 印象 upon the young lady’s mind and prevent her from looking upon any other suitor for some time to come. Hence 因此 those vows 发誓 of fidelity 保真度 exacted upon a Testament, and hence also the allusions 典故 to a possibility 可能性 of something happening on the very morning of the wedding 结婚. James Windibank wished Miss Sutherland to be so bound 必定；跳 to Hosmer Angel, and so uncertain 不确定 as to his fate 命运, that for ten 十 years to come, at any rate, she would not listen to another man. As far as the church door he brought her, and then, as he could go no farther, he conveniently 方便的 vanished 消失 away by the old trick of stepping in at one door of a four-wheeler and out at the other. I think that was the chain of events, Mr. Windibank!”

Our visitor had recovered 恢复 something of his assurance 保证 while Holmes had been talking, and he rose from his chair now with a cold sneer 冷笑 upon his pale face.

“It may be so, or it may not, Mr. Holmes,” said he, “but if you are so very sharp you ought to be sharp enough to know that it is you who are breaking the law now, and not me. I have done nothing action‧able 行动‧能够的 from the first, but as long as you keep that door locked you lay your‧self 你自己 open to an action for assault 突击 and illegal 非法的，违法的 constraint 约束.”

“The law cannot, as you say, touch you,” said Holmes, unlocking 开锁 and throwing open the door, “yet there never was a man who deserved 应受 punishment 惩罚 more. If the young lady has a brother or a friend, he ought to lay a whip 鞭打 across your shoulders. By Jove!” he continued, flushing 红晕 up at the sight of the bitter sneer 冷笑 upon the man’s face, “it is not part of my duties to my client 客户, but here’s a hunting crop handy 便利, and I think I shall just treat myself 我 to—” He took two swift 迅速 steps to the whip, but before he could grasp 把握 it there was a wild clatter 哒 of steps upon the stairs, the heavy hall door banged 砰, and from the window we could see Mr. James Windibank running at the top of his speed down the road.

“There’s a cold-blooded scoundrel!” said Holmes, laughing, as he threw himself down into his chair once more. “That fellow will rise from crime to crime until he does something very bad, and ends on a gallows. The case has, in some respects, been not entirely devoid 没有 of interest.”

“I cannot now entirely see all the steps of your reasoning,” I remarked.

“Well, of course it was obvious 明显 from the first that this Mr. Hosmer Angel must have some strong object for his curious conduct 进行, and it was equally clear that the only man who really profited by the incident 事件, as far as we could see, was the step‧father 后爹. Then the fact that the two men were never together, but that the one always appeared when the other was away, was suggestive 提示. So were the tinted 着色 spectacles 场面；眼镜 and the curious voice, which both hinted 暗示 at a disguise 伪装, as did the bushy whiskers. My suspicions 怀疑 were all confirmed 确认 by his peculiar action in typewriting his signature 4, which, of course, inferred 推断 that his hand‧write 书法 was so familiar to her that she would recognise even the smallest sample of it. You see all these isolated 隔离；孤立；分离 facts, together with many minor 次要 ones, all pointed in the same direction.”

“And how did you verify 校验 them?”

“Having once spotted my man, it was easy to get corroboration. I knew the firm for which this man worked. Having taken the printed description. I eliminated 排除；消除；清除 everything from it which could be the result of a disguise 伪装—the whiskers, the glasses, the voice, and I sent it to the firm, with a request that they would inform me whether it answered to the description of any of their travellers. I had already noticed the peculiarities of the type‧writer 打字机, and I wrote to the man himself at his business address asking him if he would come here. As I expected, his reply was typewritten and revealed 揭示 the same trivial 不重要的 but characteristic 特性 defects 缺陷. The same post brought me a letter from Westhouse & 功放; Marbank, of Fenchurch Street, to say that the description tallied 相符 in every respect with that of their employé, James Windibank. Voilà tout 兜售!”

“And Miss Sutherland?”

“If I tell her she will not believe me. You may remember the old Persian saying, ‘There is danger for him who taketh the tiger 虎 cub, and danger also for whoso snatches 抢夺 a delusion 妄想 from a woman.’ There is as much sense in Hafiz as in Horace, and as much knowledge of the world.”

We were seated at break‧fast 早餐 one morning, my wife and I, when the maid 女佣 brought in a telegram 电报. It was from Sherlock Holmes and ran in this way:

“Have you a couple of days to spare? Have just been wired for from the west of England in connection with Boscombe Valley tragedy 悲剧. Shall be glad if you will come with me. Air and scenery 风景 perfect. Leave Paddington by the 11:15.”

“What do you say, dear?” said my wife, looking across at me. “Will you go?”

“I really don’t know what to say. I have a fairly long list at present.”

“Oh, Anstruther would do your work for you. You have been looking a little pale lately 近来. I think that the change would do you good, and you are always so interested in Mr. Sherlock Holmes’ cases.”

“I should be ungrateful if I were not, seeing what I gained through one of them,” I answered. “But if I am to go, I must pack at once, for I have only half an hour.”

My experience of camp life in Afghanistan had at least had the effect of making me a prompt and ready traveller. My wants were few and simple, so that in less than the time stated I was in a cab 出租车 with my valise, rattling 霸王鞭 away to Paddington Station. Sherlock Holmes was pacing up and down the platform 平台, his tall, gaunt figure made even gaunter and taller by his long grey 灰色:gray travelling-cloak 披风 and close-fitting cloth cap.

“It is really very good of you to come, Watson,” said he. “It makes a consider‧able 大量 difference to me, having someone with me on whom I can thoroughly rely 依靠. Local aid 援助 is always either worth‧less 无用 or else biassed 偏压. If you will keep the two corner seats I shall get the tickets.”

We had the carriage to ourselves 我们自己 save for an immense 3 litter 窝 of papers which Holmes had brought with him. Among these he rummaged and read, with intervals 间隔 of note-taking and of meditation 冥想, until we were past Reading. Then he suddenly rolled them all into a gigantic 巨大 ball and tossed 折腾 them up onto the rack 架.

“Have you heard anything of the case?” he asked.

“Not a word. I have not seen a paper for some days.”

“The London press has not had very full accounts. I have just been looking through all the recent papers in order to master the particulars. It seems, from what I gather, to be one of those simple cases which are so extremely difficult.”

“That sounds a little paradoxical.”

“But it is profoundly 深深 true. Singularity is almost invariably 不变地 a clue 线索. The more feature‧less 特性‧少 and common‧place 平凡 a crime is, the more difficult it is to bring it home. In this case, however, they have established 建立 a very serious case against the son of the murdered man.”

“It is a murder, then?”

“Well, it is conjectured 推测 to be so. I shall take nothing for granted 发放 until I have the opportunity of looking personally 亲自 into it. I will explain the state of things to you, as far as I have been able to understand it, in a very few words.

“Boscombe Valley is a country district not very far from Ross, in Herefordshire. The largest landed proprietor 业主 in that part is a Mr. John Turner, who made his money in Australia and returned some years ago to the old country. One of the farms which he held, that of Hatherley, was let to Mr. Charles McCarthy, who was also an ex 前-Australian. The men had known each other in the colonies, so that it was not unnatural 不自然 that when they came to settle down they should do so as near each other as possible. Turner was apparently the richer man, so McCarthy became his tenant 承租人 but still remained, it seems, upon terms of perfect equality 平等, as they were frequently together. McCarthy had one son, a lad 小伙子 of eighteen 十八, and Turner had an only daughter of the same age, but neither of them had wives living. They appear to have avoided the society of the neighbouring English families and to have led retired lives, though both the McCarthys were fond 喜欢的 of sport and were frequently seen at the race-meetings of the neighbourhood. McCarthy kept two servants 仆人—a man and a girl. Turner had a consider‧able 大量 house‧hold 家庭, some half-dozen at the least. That is as much as I have been able to gather about the families. Now for the facts.

“On June 3rd, that is, on Monday last, McCarthy left his house at Hatherley about three in the afternoon and walked down to the Boscombe Pool, which is a small lake formed by the spreading out of the stream which runs down the Boscombe Valley. He had been out with his serving-man in the morning at Ross, and he had told the man that he must hurry, as he had an appointment 约定 of importance to keep at three. From that appointment 约定 he never came back alive.

“From Hatherley Farmhouse to the Boscombe Pool is a quarter of a mile, and two people saw him as he passed over this ground. One was an old woman, whose 4 name is not mentioned, and the other was William Crowder, a game-keeper in the employ of Mr. Turner. Both these witnesses depose 免职 that Mr. McCarthy was walking alone. The game-keeper adds that within a few minutes of his seeing Mr. McCarthy pass he had seen his son, Mr. James McCarthy, going the same way with a gun under his arm. To the best of his belief, the father was actually in sight at the time, and the son was following him. He thought no more of the matter until he heard in the evening of the tragedy 悲剧 that had occurred 发生.

“The two McCarthys were seen after the time when William Crowder, the game-keeper, lost sight of them. The Boscombe Pool is thickly wooded round, with just a fringe 边缘 of grass 草 and of reeds 芦苇 round the edge. A girl of four‧teen 十四, Patience 耐心 Moran, who is the daughter of the lodge-keeper of the Boscombe Valley estate 房地产, was in one of the woods picking flowers. She states that while she was there she saw, at the border 边；界 of the wood and close by the lake, Mr. McCarthy and his son, and that they appeared to be having a violent quarrel 争吵. She heard Mr. McCarthy the elder 年长的 using very strong language to his son, and she saw the latter raise up his hand as if to strike his father. She was so frightened 使惊恐 by their violence 暴力 that she ran away and told her mother when she reached home that she had left the two McCarthys quarrelling 争吵 near Boscombe Pool, and that she was afraid that they were going to fight. She had hardly said the words when young Mr. McCarthy came running up to the lodge to say that he had found his father dead in the wood, and to ask for the help of the lodge-keeper. He was much excited, without either his gun or his hat, and his right hand and sleeve 袖 were observed to be stained with fresh blood. On following him they found the dead body stretched out upon the grass beside the pool. The head had been beaten in by repeated blows of some heavy and blunt 钝 weapon. The injuries 伤 were such as might very well have been inflicted 造成 by the butt 屁股-end of his son’s gun, which was found lying on the grass within a few paces 步伐，速度 of the body. Under these circumstances 环境 the young man was instantly arrested 逮捕, and a verdict 判决书 of ‘wilful murder’ having been returned at the inquest on Tuesday, he was on Wednesday brought before the magistrates 法官 at Ross, who have referred the case to the next Assizes. Those are the main facts of the case as they came out before the coroner 验尸官 and the police-court.”

“I could hardly imagine a more damning 该死的 case,” I remarked. “If ever circumstantial evidence 证据 pointed to a criminal 罪犯 it does so here.”

“Circumstantial evidence 证据 is a very tricky 狡猾 thing,” answered Holmes thoughtfully 沉思地. “It may seem to point very straight to one thing, but if you shift 转移 your own point of view a little, you may find it pointing in an equally uncompromising manner to something entirely different. It must be confessed, however, that the case looks exceedingly 非常 grave 坟墓；严重的 against the young man, and it is very possible that he is indeed the culprit 罪魁祸首. There are several people in the neighbourhood, however, and among them Miss Turner, the daughter of the neighbouring land‧owner 地主, who believe in his innocence 无辜, and who have retained 保留 Lestrade, whom you may recollect in connection with the Study in Scarlet, to work out the case in his interest. Lestrade, being rather puzzled, has referred the case to me, and hence 因此 it is that two middle-aged gentlemen are flying west‧ward 向西 at fifty 五十 miles an hour instead of quietly digesting 消化 their break‧fast 早餐 at home.”

“I am afraid,” said I, “that the facts are so obvious 明显 that you will find little credit 信用 to be gained out of this case.”

“There is nothing more deceptive 骗人的 than an obvious 明显 fact,” he answered, laughing. “Besides, we may chance to hit upon some other obvious 明显 facts which may have been by no means obvious 明显 to Mr. Lestrade. You know me too well to think that I am boasting 自夸 when I say that I shall either confirm 确认 or destroy his theory 理论 by means which he is quite incapable 无法 of employing, or even of understanding. To take the first example to hand, I very clearly perceive 认为 that in your bedroom the window is upon the right-hand side, and yet I question whether Mr. Lestrade would have noted even so self 自己-evident 明显 a thing as that.”

“How on earth—”

“My dear fellow, I know you well. I know the military 军事 neatness which characterises you. You shave 剃须 every morning, and in this season you shave by the sun‧light 阳光; but since your shaving 剃须 is less and less complete as we get farther back on the left side, until it becomes positively 积极 slovenly as we get round the angle of the jaw 下巴, it is surely very clear that that side is less illuminated 照亮 than the other. I could not imagine a man of your habits looking at himself in an equal light and being satisfied with such a result. I only quote 引用 this as a trivial 不重要的 example of observation 意见 and inference 推理. Therein lies my métier, and it is just possible that it may be of some service in the investigation 调查 which lies before us. There are one or two minor 次要 points which were brought out in the inquest, and which are worth considering.”

“What are they?”

“It appears that his arrest 逮捕 did not take place at once, but after the return to Hatherley Farm. On the inspector 检查员 of constabulary informing him that he was a prisoner 犯人，囚犯, he remarked that he was not surprised to hear it, and that it was no more than his deserts 沙漠；抛弃. This observation 意见 of his had the natural 自然 effect of removing 去掉 any traces 跟踪 of doubt which might have remained in the minds of the coroner 验尸官’s jury 陪审团.”

“It was a confession 承认,” I ejaculated.

“No, for it was followed by a protestation of innocence 无辜.”

“Coming on the top of such a damning 该死的 series 系列 of events, it was at least a most suspicious 可疑的 remark.”

“On the contrary 相反,” said Holmes, “it is the brightest rift 裂痕 which I can at present see in the clouds. However innocent 无辜 he might be, he could not be such an absolute imbecile as not to see that the circumstances 环境 were very black against him. Had he appeared surprised at his own arrest, or feigned indignation 愤慨 at it, I should have looked upon it as highly suspicious 可疑的, because such surprise or anger 生气 would not be natural 自然 under the circumstances 环境, and yet might appear to be the best policy to a scheming 方案 man. His frank 坦率 acceptance 验收 of the situation marks him as either an innocent 无辜 man, or else as a man of consider‧able 大量 self-restraint 克制 and firmness. As to his remark about his deserts, it was also not unnatural 不自然 if you consider that he stood beside the dead body of his father, and that there is no doubt that he had that very day so far forgotten forget his filial duty as to bandy words with him, and even, according to the little girl whose 5 evidence 证据 is so important, to raise his hand as if to strike him. The self-reproach 责备 and contrition which are displayed 显示 in his remark appear to me to be the signs of a healthy 健康 mind rather than of a guilty 有罪的；内疚的 one.”

I shook my head. “Many men have been hanged on far slighter evidence 证据,” I remarked.

“So they have. And many men have been wrong‧fully 有毛病的‧完全地 hanged.”

“What is the young man’s own account of the matter?”

“It is, I am afraid, not very encouraging to his supporters 支持者，拥护者, though there are one or two points in it which are suggestive 提示. You will find it here, and may read it for your‧self 你自己.”

He picked out from his bundle 捆 a copy of the local Herefordshire paper, and having turned down the sheet he pointed out the paragraph 段 in which the unfortunate 不幸的 young man had given his own statement 声明 of what had occurred 发生. I settled myself 我 down in the corner of the carriage and read it very carefully 小心. It ran in this way:

“Mr. James McCarthy, the only son of the deceased 死亡, was then called and gave evidence 证据 as follows: ‘I had been away from home for three days at Bristol, and had only just returned upon the morning of last Monday, the 3rd. My father was absent 缺席的 from home at the time of my arrival 到达, and I was informed by the maid 女佣 that he had driven over to Ross with John Cobb, the groom 马夫. Shortly after my return I heard the wheels of his trap 陷阱；诱骗 in the yard, and, looking out of my window, I saw him get out and walk rapidly out of the yard, though I was not aware 知道的 in which direction he was going. I then took my gun and strolled 漫步 out in the direction of the Boscombe Pool, with the intention of visiting the rabbit 兔子 warren which is upon the other side. On my way I saw William Crowder, the game-keeper, as he had stated in his evidence 证据; but he is mistaken 错误 in thinking that I was following my father. I had no idea that he was in front of me. When about a hundred 百 yards from the pool I heard a cry of “Cooee!” which was a usual signal between my father and myself 我. I then hurried forward, and found him standing by the pool. He appeared to be much surprised at seeing me and asked me rather roughly what I was doing there. A conversation ensued 接踵而至 which led to high words and almost to blows, for my father was a man of a very violent temper 性情. Seeing that his passion 激情，热情；强烈情感 was becoming ungovernable, I left him and returned towards Hatherley Farm. I had not gone more than 150 yards, however, when I heard a hideous 可怕 outcry 喊叫 behind me, which caused me to run back again. I found my father expiring 到期 upon the ground, with his head terribly injured 损伤. I dropped my gun and held him in my arms, but he almost instantly expired 到期. I knelt 跪:kneel beside him for some minutes, and then made my way to Mr. Turner’s lodge-keeper, his house being the nearest, to ask for assistance 帮助. I saw no one near my father when I returned, and I have no idea how he came by his injuries 伤. He was not a popular man, being some‧what 有些 cold and forbidding in his manners, but he had, as far as I know, no active enemies. I know nothing further of the matter.’

“The Coroner: Did your father make any statement 声明 to you before he died?

“Witness: He mumbled 咕哝 a few words, but I could only catch some allusion 典故 to a rat 鼠.

“The Coroner: What did you understand by that?

“Witness: It conveyed 传达 no meaning to me. I thought that he was delirious.

“The Coroner: What was the point upon which you and your father had this final 最后 quarrel 争吵?

“Witness: I should prefer not to answer.

“The Coroner: I am afraid that I must press it.

“Witness: It is really impossible for me to tell you. I can assure 向…保证；肯定地说 you that it has nothing to do with the sad 悲哀的 tragedy 悲剧 which followed.

“The Coroner: That is for the court to decide. I need not point out to you that your refusal 拒绝 to answer will prejudice 成见 your case consider‧able 相当 in any future proceedings 继续 which may arise.

“Witness: I must still refuse.

“The Coroner: I understand that the cry of ‘Cooee’ was a common signal between you and your father?

“Witness: It was.

“The Coroner: How was it, then, that he uttered 说出 it before he saw you, and before he even knew that you had returned from Bristol?

“Witness (with consider‧able 大量 confusion 混乱): I do not know.

“A Juryman: Did you see nothing which aroused 引起 your suspicions when you returned on hearing the cry and found your father fatally 致命 injured 损伤?

“Witness: Nothing definite 定.

“The Coroner: What do you mean?

“Witness: I was so disturbed 打扰 and excited as I rushed out into the open, that I could think of nothing except of my father. Yet I have a vague 模糊 impression 印象 that as I ran forward something lay upon the ground to the left of me. It seemed to me to be something grey 灰色:gray in colour, a coat of some sort, or a plaid perhaps. When I rose from my father I looked round for it, but it was gone.

“ ‘Do you mean that it disappeared before you went for help?’

“ ‘Yes, it was gone.’

“ ‘You cannot say what it was?’

“ ‘No, I had a feeling something was there.’

“ ‘How far from the body?’

“ ‘A dozen yards or so.’

“ ‘And how far from the edge of the wood?’

“ ‘About the same.’

“ ‘Then if it was removed 去掉 it was while you were within a dozen yards of it?’

“ ‘Yes, but with my back towards it.’

“This concluded 得出结论 the examination 检查 of the witness.”

“I see,” said I as I glanced 一瞥 down the column 柱, “that the coroner 验尸官 in his concluding 得出结论 remarks was rather severe 严峻的 upon young McCarthy. He calls attention, and with reason, to the discrepancy 差异 about his father having signalled to him before seeing him, also to his refusal 拒绝 to give details of his conversation with his father, and his singular 单数 account of his father’s dying words. They are all, as he remarks, very much against the son.”

Holmes laughed softly to himself and stretched himself out upon the cushioned 垫子 seat. “Both you and the coroner 验尸官 have been at some pains,” said he, “to single out the very strongest points in the young man’s favour. Don’t you see that you alternately 备用 give him credit 信用 for having too much imagination 想像力 and too little? Too little, if he could not invent 发明 a cause of quarrel 3 which would give him the sympathy of the jury 陪审团; too much, if he evolved 发展 from his own inner 里面的 consciousness 意识 anything so outré as a dying reference to a rat 鼠, and the incident 事件 of the vanishing 消失 cloth. No, sir, I shall approach this case from the point of view that what this young man says is true, and we shall see whither that hypothesis 假设 will lead us. And now here is my pocket Petrarch, and not another word shall I say of this case until we are on the scene of action. We lunch 午餐 at Swindon, and I see that we shall be there in twenty 二十 minutes.”

It was nearly four o’clock when we at last, after passing through the beautiful 美丽 Stroud Valley, and over the broad gleaming 闪光 Severn, found ourselves 我们自己 at the pretty little country-town of Ross. A lean, ferret 鼬-like man, furtive and sly-looking, was waiting for us upon the platform 平台. In spite 恶意 of the light brown dust‧coat 灰尘‧上衣 and leather 皮-leggings which he wore in deference 尊重 to his rustic 乡村 surroundings, I had no difficulty in recognising Lestrade, of Scotland Yard. With him we drove to the Hereford Arms where a room had already been engaged 从事 for us.

“I have ordered a carriage,” said Lestrade as we sat over a cup of tea 茶水. “I knew your energetic 有活力 nature, and that you would not be happy until you had been on the scene of the crime.”

“It was very nice and complimentary 免费 of you,” Holmes answered. “It is entirely a question of barometric pressure.”

Lestrade looked startled 惊吓. “I do not quite follow,” he said.

“How is the glass? Twenty-nine 九, I see. No wind, and not a cloud in the sky. I have a caseful of cigarettes 香烟，纸烟 here which need smoking, and the sofa 沙发 is very much superior 优越 to the usual country hotel abomination. I do not think that it is probable that I shall use the carriage to-night.”

Lestrade laughed indulgently. “You have, no doubt, already formed your conclusions 结论 from the newspapers,” he said. “The case is as plain as a pikestaff, and the more one goes into it the plainer it becomes. Still, of course, one can’t refuse a lady, and such a very positive 正 one, too. She has heard of you, and would have your opinion, though I repeatedly 反复 told her that there was nothing which you could do which I had not already done. Why, bless 祝福 my soul! here is her carriage at the door.”

He had hardly spoken before there rushed into the room one of the most lovely 可爱的 young women that I have ever seen in my life. Her violet 紫色 eyes shining, her lips parted, a pink flush 红晕 upon her cheeks 脸颊, all thought of her natural 自然 reserve lost in her over‧power 压倒 excitement 激动 and concern.

“Oh, Mr. Sherlock Holmes!” she cried, glancing 一瞥 from one to the other of us, and finally, with a woman’s quick intuition 直觉, fastening 系牢 upon my companion, “I am so glad that you have come. I have driven down to tell you so. I know that James didn’t do it. I know it, and I want you to start upon your work knowing it, too. Never let your‧self 你自己 doubt upon that point. We have known each other since we were little children, and I know his faults as no one else does; but he is too tender 纤弱的-hearted to hurt 损害 a fly. Such a charge is absurd 荒诞 to anyone who really knows him.”

“I hope we may clear him, Miss Turner,” said Sherlock Holmes. “You may rely 依靠 upon my doing all that I can.”

“But you have read the evidence 证据. You have formed some conclusion 结论? Do you not see some loop‧hole 漏洞, some flaw 缺陷? Do you not your‧self 你自己 think that he is innocent 无辜?”

“I think that it is very probable.”

“There, now!” she cried, throwing back her head and looking defiantly 目中无人 at Lestrade. “You hear! He gives me hopes.”

Lestrade shrugged 耸 his shoulders. “I am afraid that my colleague 同事 has been a little quick in forming his conclusions 结论,” he said.

“But he is right. Oh! I know that he is right. James never did it. And about his quarrel with his father, I am sure that the reason why he would not speak about it to the coroner 验尸官 was because I was concerned in it.”

“In what way?” asked Holmes.

“It is no time for me to hide anything. James and his father had many disagreements 异议 about me. Mr. McCarthy was very anxious 焦急的 that there should be a marriage between us. James and I have always loved each other as brother and sister 姐妹; but of course he is young and has seen very little of life yet, and—and—well, he naturally 自然地 did not wish to do anything like that yet. So there were quarrels 争吵, and this, I am sure, was one of them.”

“And your father?” asked Holmes. “Was he in favour of such a union?”

“No, he was averse to it also. No one but Mr. McCarthy was in favour of it.” A quick blush 脸红 passed over her fresh young face as Holmes shot one of his keen 5, questioning glances 一瞥 at her.

“Thank you for this information,” said he. “May I see your father if I call to-morrow?”

“I am afraid the doctor won’t allow it.”

“The doctor?”

“Yes, have you not heard? Poor father has never been strong for years back, but this has broken him down completely. He has taken to his bed, and Dr. Willows says that he is a wreck 破坏；使遇难 and that his nervous 担心的 system is shattered 打碎. Mr. McCarthy was the only man alive who had known dad 爸 in the old days in Victoria.”

“Ha! In Victoria! That is important.”

“Yes, at the mines.”

“Quite so; at the gold-mines, where, as I understand, Mr. Turner made his money.”

“Yes, certainly.”

“Thank you, Miss Turner. You have been of material assistance 帮助 to me.”

“You will tell me if you have any news to-morrow. No doubt you will go to the prison to see James. Oh, if you do, Mr. Holmes, do tell him that I know him to be innocent 无辜.”

“I will, Miss Turner.”

“I must go home now, for dad 爸 is very ill, and he misses me so if I leave him. Good-bye 再见, and God help you in your under‧take 承担.” She hurried from the room as impulsively 浮躁 as she had entered, and we heard the wheels of her carriage rattle 霸王鞭 off down the street.

“I am ashamed 惭愧的 of you, Holmes,” said Lestrade with dignity 尊严 after a few minutes’ silence. “Why should you raise up hopes which you are bound 必定；跳 to disappoint 使失望? I am not over- tender 纤弱的 of heart, but I call it cruel 残酷的.”

“I think that I see my way to clearing James McCarthy,” said Holmes. “Have you an order to see him in prison?”

“Yes, but only for you and me.”

“Then I shall reconsider 重新考虑 my resolution 解析度 about going out. We have still time to take a train to Hereford and see him to-night?”

“Ample.”

“Then let us do so. Watson, I fear that you will find it very slow, but I shall only be away a couple of hours.”

I walked down to the station with them, and then wandered 漫步 through the streets of the little town, finally returning to the hotel, where I lay upon the sofa 沙发 and tried to interest myself 我 in a yellow-backed novel 小说. The puny plot 情节 of the story was so thin, however, when compared to the deep mystery through which we were groping 摸索, and I found my attention wander 漫步 so continually 不断 from the action to the fact, that I at last flung it across the room and gave myself 我 up entirely to a consideration 考虑 of the events of the day. Supposing that this unhappy 不快乐 young man’s story were absolutely true, then what hellish thing, what absolutely unforeseen and extraordinary calamity could have occurred 发生 between the time when he parted from his father, and the moment when, drawn back by his screams 叫喊, he rushed into the glade? It was something terrible and deadly. What could it be? Might not the nature of the injuries 伤 reveal 揭示 something to my medical instincts 直觉? I rang the bell and called for the weekly county 县 paper, which contained a verbatim account of the inquest. In the surgeon 外科医生’s deposit‧ion 沉积 it was stated that the posterior third of the left parietal bone 骨头 and the left half of the occipital bone had been shattered 打碎 by a heavy blow from a blunt 钝 weapon. I marked the spot upon my own head. Clearly such a blow must have been struck from behind. That was to some extent in favour of the accused 指责, as when seen quarrelling he was face to face with his father. Still, it did not go for very much, for the older man might have turned his back before the blow fell. Still, it might be worth while to call Holmes’ attention to it. Then there was the peculiar dying reference to a rat 鼠. What could that mean? It could not be delirium. A man dying from a sudden blow does not commonly become delirious. No, it was more likely to be an attempt to explain how he met his fate 命运. But what could it indicate 表明? I cudgelled my brains to find some possible explanation 说明. And then the incident 事件 of the grey 灰色:gray cloth seen by young McCarthy. If that were true the murderer must have dropped some part of his dress, presumably 想必 his over‧coat 之上‧上衣, in his flight 飞行, and must have had the hardihood to return and to carry it away at the instant when the son was kneeling 跪 with his back turned not a dozen paces off. What a tissue 组织 of mysteries and improbabilities the whole thing was! I did not wonder at Lestrade’s opinion, and yet I had so much faith in Sherlock Holmes’ insight 眼光 that I could not lose hope as long as every fresh fact seemed to strengthen 加强 his conviction 定罪 of young McCarthy’s innocence 无辜.

It was late before Sherlock Holmes returned. He came back alone, for Lestrade was staying in lodgings in the town.

“The glass still keeps very high,” he remarked as he sat down. “It is of importance that it should not rain before we are able to go over the ground. On the other hand, a man should be at his very best and keenest 热切的 for such nice work as that, and I did not wish to do it when fagged by a long journey 旅行. I have seen young McCarthy.”

“And what did you learn from him?”

“Nothing.”

“Could he throw no light?”

“None at all. I was inclined 倾斜 to think at one time that he knew who had done it and was screening him or her, but I am convinced 说服 now that he is as puzzled as everyone else. He is not a very quick-witted 风趣 youth, though comely to look at and, I should think, sound at heart.”

“I cannot admire his taste,” I remarked, “if it is indeed a fact that he was averse to a marriage with so charming 魔力；使陶醉 a young lady as this Miss Turner.”

“Ah, thereby 从而 hangs a rather painful 痛苦 tale 故事，不实之词. This fellow is madly 疯狂的, insanely 疯, in love with her, but some two years ago, when he was only a lad 小伙子, and before he really knew her, for she had been away five years at a boarding-school, what does the idiot 白痴 do but get into the clutches 离合器 of a bar‧maid 条；酒吧‧女佣 in Bristol and marry her at a registry 注册处 office? No one knows a word of the matter, but you can imagine how maddening it must be to him to be upbraided for not doing what he would give his very eyes to do, but what he knows to be absolutely impossible. It was sheer frenzy 发狂 of this sort which made him throw his hands up into the air when his father, at their last interview 访问, was goading him on to propose to Miss Turner. On the other hand, he had no means of supporting himself, and his father, who was by all accounts a very hard man, would have thrown him over utterly 完全 had he known the truth. It was with his bar‧maid 条；酒吧‧女佣 wife that he had spent the last three days in Bristol, and his father did not know where he was. Mark that point. It is of importance. Good has come out of evil, however, for the bar‧maid 条；酒吧‧女佣, finding from the papers that he is in serious trouble and likely to be hanged, has thrown him over utterly 完全 and has written to him to say that she has a husband already in the Bermuda Dockyard, so that there is really no tie between them. I think that that bit of news has consoled 安慰 young McCarthy for all that he has suffered.”

“But if he is innocent 无辜, who has done it?”

“Ah! who? I would call your attention very particularly to two points. One is that the murdered man had an appointment 约定 with someone at the pool, and that the someone could not have been his son, for his son was away, and he did not know when he would return. The second is that the murdered man was heard to cry ‘Cooee!’ before he knew that his son had returned. Those are the crucial 关键 points upon which the case depends. And now let us talk about George Meredith, if you please, and we shall leave all minor 次要 matters until to-morrow.”

There was no rain, as Holmes had foretold, and the morning broke bright and cloud‧less 云‧少. At nine 九 o’clock Lestrade called for us with the carriage, and we set off for Hatherley Farm and the Boscombe Pool.

“There is serious news this morning,” Lestrade observed. “It is said that Mr. Turner, of the Hall, is so ill that his life is despaired 绝望 of.”

“An elderly man, I presume 假设?” said Holmes.

“About sixty 六十; but his constitution 宪法 has been shattered 打碎 by his life abroad 到国外, and he has been in failing health for some time. This business has had a very bad effect upon him. He was an old friend of McCarthy’s, and, I may add, a great benefactor to him, for I have learned learn that he gave him Hatherley Farm rent 租；租金 free.”

“Indeed! That is interesting,” said Holmes.

“Oh, yes! In a hundred 百 other ways he has helped him. Everybody about here speaks of his kindness 善良 to him.”

“Really! Does it not strike you as a little singular 单数 that this McCarthy, who appears to have had little of his own, and to have been under such obligations 义务；责任；职责 to Turner, should still talk of marrying his son to Turner’s daughter, who is, presumably 想必, heiress to the estate 房地产, and that in such a very cock‧sure 公鸡‧确信的 manner, as if it were merely a case of a proposal and all else would follow? It is the more strange, since we know that Turner himself was averse to the idea. The daughter told us as much. Do you not deduce 推断 something from that?”

“We have got to the deductions 扣除 and the inferences 推理,” said Lestrade, winking 眨眼 at me. “I find it hard enough to tackle 滑车 facts, Holmes, without flying away after theories 理论 and fancies 想像.”

“You are right,” said Holmes demurely; “you do find it very hard to tackle 滑车 the facts.”

“ Anyhow 总之, I have grasped 把握 one fact which you seem to find it difficult to get hold of,” replied Lestrade with some warmth 温暖.

“And that is—”

“That McCarthy senior 前辈 met his death from McCarthy junior 初级 and that all theories 理论 to the contrary 相反 are the merest moon‧shine 月亮‧发光.”

“Well, moon‧shine 月亮‧发光 is a brighter thing than fog 多雾路段,” said Holmes, laughing. “But I am very much mistaken 错误 if this is not Hatherley Farm upon the left.”

“Yes, that is it.” It was a wide‧spread 广泛, comfort‧able 舒服；自在-looking building, two-storied, slate 石板-roofed, with great yellow blotches of lichen upon the grey 灰色:gray walls. The drawn blinds and the smoke‧less 烟‧少 chimneys 烟囱, however, gave it a stricken look, as though the weight of this horror 恐怖 still lay heavy upon it. We called at the door, when the maid 女佣, at Holmes’ request, showed us the boots which her master wore at the time of his death, and also a pair of the son’s, though not the pair which he had then had. Having measured these very carefully 小心 from seven 七 or eight 八 different points, Holmes desired to be led to the court-yard, from which we all followed the winding track which led to Boscombe Pool.

Sherlock Holmes was transformed 使彻底改观；使大变样 when he was hot upon such a scent 香味 as this. Men who had only known the quiet thinker and logician of Baker Street would have failed to recognise him. His face flushed 红晕 and darkened 变暗. His brows 眉头 were drawn into two hard black lines, while his eyes shone 发光:shine out from beneath 之下 them with a steely glitter 闪光. His face was bent bend down‧ward 向下, his shoulders bowed, his lips compressed 压缩, and the veins 静脉 stood out like whip‧cord 鞭打‧绳 in his long, sinewy neck. His nostrils 鼻孔 seemed to dilate with a purely animal lust 情欲 for the chase 追, and his mind was so absolutely concentrated 集中 upon the matter before him that a question or remark fell unheeded upon his ears, or, at the most, only provoked 惹 a quick, impatient 不耐烦 snarl 搞乱 in reply. Swiftly and silently he made his way along the track which ran through the meadows 草地, and so by way of the woods to the Boscombe Pool. It was damp 微湿的, marshy ground, as is all that district, and there were marks of many feet, both upon the path 小路 and amid 际 the short grass which bounded 必定；跳 it on either side. Sometimes Holmes would hurry on, sometimes stop dead, and once he made quite a little detour 車輛改道 into the meadow 草地. Lestrade and I walked behind him, the detective 侦探 indifferent 冷漠 and contemptuous, while I watched my friend with the interest which sprang from the conviction 定罪 that every one of his actions was directed towards a definite 定 end.

The Boscombe Pool, which is a little reed 芦苇-girt sheet of water some fifty 五十 yards across, is situated 位于 at the boundary 分界线 between the Hatherley Farm and the private park of the wealthy 富裕 Mr. Turner. Above the woods which lined it upon the farther side we could see the red, jutting 突出部分 pinnacles which marked the site of the rich land‧owner 地主’s dwelling 住. On the Hatherley side of the pool the woods grew grow very thick, and there was a narrow belt 腰带 of sodden grass twenty 二十 paces across between the edge of the trees and the reeds 芦苇 which lined the lake. Lestrade showed us the exact spot at which the body had been found, and, indeed, so moist 湿 was the ground, that I could plainly see the traces 跟踪 which had been left by the fall of the stricken man. To Holmes, as I could see by his eager 渴望的 face and peering 窥视 eyes, very many other things were to be read upon the trampled 践踏 grass. He ran round, like a dog who is picking up a scent 香味, and then turned upon my companion.

“What did you go into the pool for?” he asked.

“I fished about with a rake 耙子. I thought there might be some weapon or other trace 跟踪. But how on earth—”

“Oh, tut, tut! I have no time! That left foot of yours with its inward 向内的 twist 扭成一束 is all over the place. A mole 痣 could trace 跟踪 it, and there it vanishes 消失 among the reeds 芦苇. Oh, how simple it would all have been had I been here before they came like a herd 放牧 of buffalo 水牛 and wallowed all over it. Here is where the party with the lodge-keeper came, and they have covered all tracks 小路 for six or eight 八 feet round the body. But here are three separate tracks of the same feet.” He drew out a lens 镜片 and lay down upon his water‧proof 防水 to have a better view, talking all the time rather to himself than to us. “These are young McCarthy’s feet. Twice 两次 he was walking, and once he ran swiftly 如飞, so that the soles 唯一 are deeply marked and the heels 脚跟 hardly visible 可以看见的；可视的. That bears out his story. He ran when he saw his father on the ground. Then here are the father’s feet as he paced up and down. What is this, then? It is the butt 屁股-end of the gun as the son stood listening. And this? Ha, ha! What have we here? Tiptoes! tiptoes! Square, too, quite unusual 异常 boots! They come, they go, they come again—of course that was for the cloak 披风. Now where did they come from?” He ran up and down, sometimes losing, sometimes finding the track until we were well within the edge of the wood and under the shadow of a great beech, the largest tree in the neighbourhood. Holmes traced 跟踪 his way to the farther side of this and lay down once more upon his face with a little cry of satisfaction 满足. For a long time he remained there, turning over the leaves and dried sticks, gathering up what seemed to me to be dust into an envelope 信封 and examining with his lens 镜片 not only the ground but even the bark 吠 of the tree as far as he could reach. A jagged 乱切 stone was lying among the moss 苔藓, and this also he carefully 小心 examined and retained 保留. Then he followed a path‧way 路 through the wood until he came to the high‧road 高的‧路, where all traces 跟踪 were lost.

“It has been a case of consider‧able 大量 interest,” he remarked, returning to his natural 自然 manner. “I fancy 想像 that this grey 灰色:gray house on the right must be the lodge. I think that I will go in and have a word with Moran, and perhaps write a little note. Having done that, we may drive back to our luncheon 午餐. You may walk to the cab 出租车, and I shall be with you presently.”

It was about ten 十 minutes before we regained 恢复 our cab 出租车 and drove back into Ross, Holmes still carrying with him the stone which he had picked up in the wood.

“This may interest you, Lestrade,” he remarked, holding it out. “The murder was done with it.”

“I see no marks.”

“There are none.”

“How do you know, then?”

“The grass was growing under it. It had only lain lie there a few days. There was no sign of a place whence it had been taken. It corresponds 对应 with the injuries 伤. There is no sign of any other weapon.”

“And the murderer?”

“Is a tall man, left-handed, limps 跛行 with the right leg, wears thick-soled 唯一 shooting-boots and a grey 灰色:gray cloak 披风, smokes Indian cigars 雪茄, uses a cigar 雪茄-holder, and carries a blunt 钝pen 笔-knife in his pocket. There are several other indications 迹象, but these may be enough to aid 援助 us in our search.”

Lestrade laughed. “I am afraid that I am still a sceptic,” he said. “Theories are all very well, but we have to deal with a hard-headed British jury 陪审团.”

“Nous verrons,” answered Holmes calmly 镇定的. “You work your own method 方法, and I shall work mine. I shall be busy this afternoon, and shall probably return to London by the evening train.”

“And leave your case unfinished 未完成?”

“No, finished.”

“But the mystery?”

“It is solved.”

“Who was the criminal 3, then?”

“The gentleman I describe.”

“But who is he?”

“Surely it would not be difficult to find out. This is not such a populous neighbourhood.”

Lestrade shrugged 耸 his shoulders. “I am a practical man,” he said, “and I really cannot under‧take 承担 to go about the country looking for a left-handed gentleman with a game leg. I should become the laughing-stock of Scotland Yard.”

“All right,” said Holmes quietly. “I have given you the chance. Here are your lodgings. Good-bye 再见. I shall drop you a line before I leave.”

Having left Lestrade at his rooms, we drove to our hotel, where we found lunch 午餐 upon the table. Holmes was silent and buried in thought with a pained expression upon his face, as one who finds himself in a perplexing 困扰 position.

“Look here, Watson,” he said when the cloth was cleared “just sit down in this chair and let me preach 说教 to you for a little. I don’t know quite what to do, and I should value your advice. Light a cigar 雪茄 and let me expound.”

“Pray do so.”

“Well, now, in considering this case there are two points about young McCarthy’s narrative 叙述 which struck us both instantly, although they impressed 给…留下深刻印象；使钦佩 me in his favour and you against him. One was the fact that his father should, according to his account, cry ‘Cooee!’ before seeing him. The other was his singular 单数 dying reference to a rat 鼠. He mumbled 咕哝 several words, you understand, but that was all that caught the son’s ear. Now from this double point our research must commence 开始, and we will begin it by presuming 假设 that what the lad 小伙子 says is absolutely true.”

“What of this ‘Cooee!’ then?”

“Well, obviously 明显 it could not have been meant for the son. The son, as far as he knew, was in Bristol. It was mere chance that he was within ear‧shot 耳朵‧射击. The ‘Cooee!’ was meant to attract 吸引 the attention of who‧ever 无论谁 it was that he had the appointment 约定 with. But ‘Cooee’ is a distinctly 历历 Australian cry, and one which is used between Australians. There is a strong presumption 假定 that the person whom McCarthy expected to meet him at Boscombe Pool was someone who had been in Australia.”

“What of the rat 鼠, then?”

Sherlock Holmes took a folded 折叠 paper from his pocket and flattened it out on the table. “This is a map 地图 of the Colony of Victoria,” he said. “I wired to Bristol for it last night.” He put his hand over part of the map. “What do you read?”

“ARAT,” I read.

“And now?” He raised his hand.

“BALLARAT.”

“Quite so. That was the word the man uttered 说出, and of which his son only caught the last two syllables 音节. He was trying to utter 说出 the name of his murderer. So and so, of Ballarat.”

“It is wonderful 精彩!” I exclaimed 喊叫.

“It is obvious 明显. And now, you see, I had narrowed the field down consider‧able 相当. The possession 所有物 of a grey 灰色:gray garment 服装 was a third point which, granting 发放 the son’s statement 声明 to be correct, was a certainty 确定性. We have come now out of mere vagueness to the definite 定 concept‧ion 概念 of an Australian from Ballarat with a grey 灰色:gray cloak 披风.”

“Certainly.”

“And one who was at home in the district, for the pool can only be approached by the farm or by the estate 房地产, where strangers 陌生人 could hardly wander 漫步.”

“Quite so.”

“Then comes our expedition 远征 of to-day. By an examination 检查 of the ground I gained the trifling 琐事 details which I gave to that imbecile Lestrade, as to the personality 个性 of the criminal.”

“But how did you gain them?”

“You know my method 方法. It is founded upon the observation 意见 of trifles 琐事.”

“His height I know that you might roughly judge from the length of his stride 迈. His boots, too, might be told from their traces 跟踪.”

“Yes, they were peculiar boots.”

“But his lameness?”

“The impression 印象 of his right foot was always less distinct 不同 than his left. He put less weight upon it. Why? Because he limped 跛行—he was lame 瘸.”

“But his left-handedness.”

“You were your‧self 你自己 struck by the nature of the injury 伤 as recorded by the surgeon 外科医生 at the inquest. The blow was struck from immediately behind, and yet was upon the left side. Now, how can that be unless it were by a left-handed man? He had stood behind that tree during the interview 访问 between the father and son. He had even smoked there. I found the ash 灰 of a cigar 雪茄, which my special knowledge of tobacco 烟草 ashes 灰 enables 启用 me to pronounce 发音 as an Indian cigar 雪茄. I have, as you know, devoted some attention to this, and written a little monograph 专着 on the ashes of 140 different varieties of pipe, cigar 雪茄, and cigarette 3 tobacco. Having found the ash, I then looked round and discovered the stump 树墩 among the moss 苔藓 where he had tossed 折腾 it. It was an Indian cigar 雪茄, of the variety which are rolled in Rotterdam.”

“And the cigar 雪茄-holder?”

“I could see that the end had not been in his mouth. Therefore he used a holder. The tip 尖；窍门 had been cut off, not bitten 咬 off, but the cut was not a clean one, so I deduced 推断 a blunt 钝 pen 3-knife.”

“Holmes,” I said, “you have drawn a net 网 round this man from which he cannot escape, and you have saved an innocent 无辜 human life as truly 真 as if you had cut the cord 绳 which was hanging him. I see the direction in which all this points. The culprit 罪魁祸首 is—”

“Mr. John Turner,” cried the hotel waiter 侍者, opening the door of our sitting-room, and ushering 招待员 in a visitor.

The man who entered was a strange and impressive 有声有色 figure. His slow, limping 跛行 step and bowed shoulders gave the appearance of decrepitude, and yet his hard, deep-lined, craggy features 特征, and his enormous 巨大 limbs showed that he was possessed 拥有 of unusual 异常 strength of body and of character. His tangled 纠纷 beard 胡须, grizzled hair, and outstanding 优秀, drooping eye‧brow 眉 combined to give an air of dignity 尊严 and power to his appearance, but his face was of an ashen white, while his lips and the corners of his nostrils 鼻孔 were tinged with a shade of blue. It was clear to me at a glance 一瞥 that he was in the grip 握 of some deadly and chronic 慢性 disease.

“Pray sit down on the sofa 沙发,” said Holmes gently. “You had my note?”

“Yes, the lodge-keeper brought it up. You said that you wished to see me here to avoid scandal 丑闻.”

“I thought people would talk if I went to the Hall.”

“And why did you wish to see me?” He looked across at my companion with despair 绝望 in his weary 厌倦 eyes, as though his question was already answered.

“Yes,” said Holmes, answering the look rather than the words. “It is so. I know all about McCarthy.”

The old man sank 淹没:sink his face in his hands. “God help me!” he cried. “But I would not have let the young man come to harm 损害. I give you my word that I would have spoken out if it went against him at the Assizes.”

“I am glad to hear you say so,” said Holmes gravely.

“I would have spoken now had it not been for my dear girl. It would break her heart—it will break her heart when she hears that I am arrested.”

“It may not come to that,” said Holmes.

“What?”

“I am no official agent. I understand that it was your daughter who required my presence here, and I am acting in her interests. Young McCarthy must be got off, however.”

“I am a dying man,” said old Turner. “I have had diabetes 糖尿病 for years. My doctor says it is a question whether I shall live a month. Yet I would rather die under my own roof than in a gaol.”

Holmes rose and sat down at the table with his pen in his hand and a bundle 捆 of paper before him. “Just tell us the truth,” he said. “I shall jot down the facts. You will sign it, and Watson here can witness it. Then I could produce your confession 承认 at the last extremity to save young McCarthy. I promise you that I shall not use it unless it is absolutely needed.”

“It’s as well,” said the old man; “it’s a question whether I shall live to the Assizes, so it matters little to me, but I should wish to spare Alice the shock. And now I will make the thing clear to you; it has been a long time in the acting, but will not take me long to tell.

“You didn’t know this dead man, McCarthy. He was a devil 魔鬼 incarnate. I tell you that. God keep you out of the clutches 离合器 of such a man as he. His grip 握 has been upon me these twenty 二十 years, and he has blasted 爆破 my life. I’ll tell you first how I came to be in his power.

“It was in the early ’60’s at the diggings 挖. I was a young chap 皴裂 then, hot-blooded and reckless 鲁莽, ready to turn my hand at anything; I got among bad companions 同伴, took to drink, had no luck with my claim, took to the bush 灌木, and in a word became what you would call over here a high‧way 公路 robber 抢劫. There were six of us, and we had a wild, free life of it, sticking up a station from time to time, or stopping the wagons 车皮 on the road to the diggings. Black Jack of Ballarat was the name I went under, and our party is still remembered in the colony as the Ballarat Gang.

“One day a gold convoy 护航 came down from Ballarat to Melbourne, and we lay in wait for it and attacked it. There were six troopers 士兵 and six of us, so it was a close thing, but we emptied four of their saddles 马鞍 at the first volley 齐射. Three of our boys were killed, however, before we got the swag. I put my pistol 手枪 to the head of the wagon 车皮-driver, who was this very man McCarthy. I wish to the Lord that I had shot him then, but I spared 节省；多余的；备用件 him, though I saw his wicked 邪恶的 little eyes fixed on my face, as though to remember every feature 特征. We got away with the gold, became wealthy 富裕 men, and made our way over to England without being suspected. There I parted from my old pals 朋友 and determined to settle down to a quiet and respect‧able 可敬 life. I bought this estate 房地产, which chanced to be in the market, and I set myself 我 to do a little good with my money, to make up for the way in which I had earned it. I married, too, and though my wife died young she left me my dear little Alice. Even when she was just a baby her wee 凌晨 hand seemed to lead me down the right path 小路 as nothing else had ever done. In a word, I turned over a new leaf 叶子 and did my best to make up for the past. All was going well when McCarthy laid his grip 握 upon me.

“I had gone up to town about an investment 投资, and I met him in Regent Street with hardly a coat to his back or a boot 靴；鞋 to his foot.

“ ‘Here we are, Jack,’ says he, touching me on the arm; ‘we’ll be as good as a family to you. There’s two of us, me and my son, and you can have the keeping of us. If you don’t—it’s a fine, law-abiding 遵守 country is England, and there’s always a police‧man 警察 within hail 冰雹.’

“Well, down they came to the west country, there was no shaking them off, and there they have lived rent 租；租金 free on my best land ever since. There was no rest for me, no peace, no forgetfulness; turn where I would, there was his cunning 狡猾, grinning 微笑 face at my elbow 弯头. It grew worse as Alice grew up, for he soon saw I was more afraid of her knowing my past than of the police. Whatever he wanted he must have, and whatever it was I gave him without question, land, money, houses, until at last he asked a thing which I could not give. He asked for Alice.

“His son, you see, had grown up, and so had my girl, and as I was known to be in weak health, it seemed a fine stroke 一击;轻抚 to him that his lad 小伙子 should step into the whole property. But there I was firm. I would not have his cursed 诅咒 stock mixed with mine; not that I had any dislike 反感 to the lad 小伙子, but his blood was in him, and that was enough. I stood firm. McCarthy threatened. I braved 勇敢的 him to do his worst. We were to meet at the pool midway 中途 between our houses to talk it over.

“When I went down there I found him talking with his son, so I smoked a cigar 雪茄 and waited behind a tree until he should be alone. But as I listened to his talk all that was black and bitter in me seemed to come upper‧most 最高的. He was urging his son to marry my daughter with as little regard for what she might think as if she were a slut from off the streets. It drove me mad to think that I and all that I held most dear should be in the power of such a man as this. Could I not snap 卡 the bond 键? I was already a dying and a desperate 殊死 man. Though clear of mind and fairly strong of limb 肢, I knew that my own fate 命运 was sealed. But my memory and my girl! Both could be saved if I could but silence that foul 犯规 tongue 舌头. I did it, Mr. Holmes. I would do it again. Deeply as I have sinned 罪, I have led a life of martyrdom to atone for it. But that my girl should be entangled in the same meshes 网孔 which held me was more than I could suffer. I struck him down with no more compunction than if he had been some foul 犯规 and venomous beast 野兽. His cry brought back his son; but I had gained the cover of the wood, though I was forced to go back to fetch 取 the cloak 披风 which I had dropped in my flight 飞行. That is the true story, gentlemen, of all that occurred 发生.”

“Well, it is not for me to judge you,” said Holmes as the old man signed the statement 声明 which had been drawn out. “I pray that we may never be exposed 暴露 to such a temptation 诱惑.”

“I pray not, sir. And what do you intend to do?”

“In view of your health, nothing. You are your‧self 你自己 aware 知道的 that you will soon have to answer for your deed 行为 at a higher court than the Assizes. I will keep your confession 承认, and if McCarthy is condemned 谴责 I shall be forced to use it. If not, it shall never be seen by mortal 凡人 eye; and your secret, whether you be alive or dead, shall be safe with us.”

“Farewell, then,” said the old man solemnly. “Your own deathbeds, when they come, will be the easier for the thought of the peace which you have given to mine.” Tottering and shaking in all his giant 巨人 frame, he stumbled 绊倒 slowly from the room.

“God help us!” said Holmes after a long silence. “Why does fate 3 play such tricks 哄骗；诀窍 with poor, help‧less 无助 worms 虫? I never hear of such a case as this that I do not think of Baxter’s words, and say, ‘There, but for the grace 优雅；惠赐 of God, goes Sherlock Holmes.’ ”

James McCarthy was acquitted 开释 at the Assizes on the strength of a number of objections 反对 which had been drawn out by Holmes and submitted 给 to the defending counsel 法律顾问. Old Turner lived for seven 七 months after our interview 访问, but he is now dead; and there is every prospect 展望 that the son and daughter may come to live happily together in ignorance 无知 of the black cloud which rests upon their past.

When 母鸡 I glance 一瞥 over my notes and records of the Sherlock Holmes cases between the years ’82 and ’90, I am faced by so many which present strange and interesting features 特征 that it is no easy matter to know which to choose and which to leave. Some, however, have already gained publicity 公开 through the papers, and others have not offered a field for those peculiar qualities which my friend possessed in so high a degree, and which it is the object of these papers to illustrate 说明. Some, too, have baffled 障 his analytical 分析 skill, and would be, as narratives 叙述, beginnings without an ending, while others have been but partially 部分 cleared up, and have their explanations 说明 founded rather upon conjecture 推测 and surmise than on that absolute logical 合乎逻辑 proof 证明 which was so dear to him. There is, however, one of these last which was so remarkable in its details and so startling 惊吓 in its results that I am tempted 引诱 to give some account of it in spite 恶意 of the fact that there are points in connection with it which never have been, and probably never will be, entirely cleared up.

The year ’87 furnished us with a long series 系列 of cases of greater or less interest, of which I retain 保留 the records. Among my headings under this one twelve 十二 months I find an account of the adventure 冒险活动 of the Paradol Chamber 室, of the Amateur Mendicant Society, who held a luxurious 豪华 club in the lower vault 拱顶 of a furniture 家具 ware‧house 仓库, of the facts connected with the loss of the British barque Sophy Anderson, of the singular 单数 adventures of the Grice Patersons in the island of Uffa, and finally of the Camberwell poisoning 毒药 case. In the latter, as may be remembered, Sherlock Holmes was able, by winding up the dead man’s watch, to prove that it had been wound 创伤 up two hours before, and that therefore the deceased 死亡 had gone to bed within that time—a deduction 扣除 which was of the greatest importance in clearing up the case. All these I may sketch 草图 out at some future date, but none of them present such singular 单数 features 特征 as the strange train of circumstances 环境 which I have now taken up my pen to describe.

It was in the latter days of September, and the equinoctial gales 大风 had set in with exceptional 优秀 violence 暴力. All day the wind had screamed 叫喊 and the rain had beaten against the windows, so that even here in the heart of great, hand-made London we were forced to raise our minds for the instant from the routine 惯例，常规；例行公事 of life and to recognise the presence of those great elemental forces which shriek 尖叫 at man‧kind 人类 through the bars of his civilisation, like untamed beasts 野兽 in a cage 笼子. As evening drew in, the storm 暴风雨 grew higher and louder 响亮的, and the wind cried and sobbed 哭泣 like a child in the chimney 烟囱. Sherlock Holmes sat moodily at one side of the fire‧place 壁炉 cross-indexing 指数 his records of crime, while I at the other was deep in one of Clark Russell’s fine sea-stories until the howl 嗥 of the gale 大风 from without seemed to blend 混合 with the text 文本, and the splash 溅 of the rain to lengthen 延长 out into the long swash of the sea waves. My wife was on a visit to her mother’s, and for a few days I was a dweller 居住者 once more in my old quarters at Baker Street.

“Why,” said I, glancing 一瞥 up at my companion, “that was surely the bell. Who could come to-night? Some friend of yours, perhaps?”

“Except your‧self 你自己 I have none,” he answered. “I do not encourage visitors.”

“A client 客户, then?”

“If so, it is a serious case. Nothing less would bring a man out on such a day and at such an hour. But I take it that it is more likely to be some crony of the land‧lady 陆地；着陆‧女士’s.”

Sherlock Holmes was wrong in his conjecture 推测, however, for there came a step in the passage and a tapping 敲；龙头；汲取（液体） at the door. He stretched out his long arm to turn the lamp 灯 away from himself and towards the vacant 空的 chair upon which a newcomer 新人 must sit.

“Come in!” said he.

The man who entered was young, some two-and-twenty 二十 at the outside, well-groomed 马夫 and trimly 修剪 clad 包层的, with something of refinement 精致 and delicacy 美味 in his bearing. The streaming umbrella 雨伞 which he held in his hand, and his long shining water‧proof 防水 told of the fierce 凶猛的 weather through which he had come. He looked about him anxiously 焦急的 in the glare 强光 of the lamp 灯, and I could see that his face was pale and his eyes heavy, like those of a man who is weighed 称重 down with some great anxiety 焦虑.

“I owe 欠…债 you an apology 道歉认错,” he said, raising his golden 金色的 pince-nez to his eyes. “I trust that I am not intruding 侵入. I fear that I have brought some traces 跟踪 of the storm 暴风雨 and rain into your snug chamber 室.”

“Give me your coat and umbrella 雨伞,” said Holmes. “They may rest here on the hook 钩 and will be dry presently. You have come up from the south-west, I see.”

“Yes, from Horsham.”

“That clay and chalk 粉笔 mixture 混合 which I see upon your toe 脚趾 caps is quite distinctive 独特.”

“I have come for advice.”

“That is easily got.”

“And help.”

“That is not always so easy.”

“I have heard of you, Mr. Holmes. I heard from Major Prendergast how you saved him in the Tankerville Club scandal 丑闻.”

“Ah, of course. He was wrong‧fully 有毛病的‧完全地 accused of cheating 欺骗 at cards.”

“He said that you could solve 解决 anything.”

“He said too much.”

“That you are never beaten.”

“I have been beaten four times—three times by men, and once by a woman.”

“But what is that compared with the number of your successes?”

“It is true that I have been generally successful 成功.”

“Then you may be so with me.”

“I beg that you will draw your chair up to the fire and favour me with some details as to your case.”

“It is no ordinary one.”

“None of those which come to me are. I am the last court of appeal 上诉.”

“And yet I question, sir, whether, in all your experience, you have ever listened to a more mysterious 神秘 and inexplicable chain of events than those which have happened in my own family.”

“You fill me with interest,” said Holmes. “Pray give us the essential facts from the commencement 开始, and I can after‧ward 之后 question you as to those details which seem to me to be most important.”

The young man pulled his chair up and pushed his wet 湿的 feet out towards the blaze 火焰.

“My name,” said he, “is John Openshaw, but my own affairs have, as far as I can understand, little to do with this awful 糟糕的 business. It is a hereditary 遗传 matter; so in order to give you an idea of the facts, I must go back to the commencement 开始 of the affair.

“You must know that my grand‧father 祖父 had two sons—my uncle 叔叔 Elias and my father Joseph. My father had a small factory 工厂 at Coventry, which he enlarged 放大 at the time of the invention 发明 of bicycling 自行车. He was a patentee of the Openshaw unbreakable tire, and his business met with such success that he was able to sell it and to retire upon a hand‧some 英俊 competence 权限.

“My uncle Elias emigrated 移民 to America when he was a young man and became a planter in Florida, where he was reported to have done very well. At the time of the war he fought fight in Jackson’s army, and after‧ward 之后 under Hood, where he rose to be a colonel 陆军上校. When Lee laid down his arms my uncle returned to his plantation 种植园, where he remained for three or four years. About 1869 or 1870 he came back to Europe and took a small estate 房地产 in Sussex, near Horsham. He had made a very consider‧able 大量 fortune in the States, and his reason for leaving them was his aversion 厌恶 to the negroes, and his dislike 反感 of the Republican policy in extending the franchise 专营权 to them. He was a singular 单数 man, fierce 凶猛的 and quick-tempered 性情, very foul 犯规-mouthed when he was angry, and of a most retiring disposition 性格. During all the years that he lived at Horsham, I doubt if ever he set foot in the town. He had a garden and two or three fields round his house, and there he would take his exercise, though very often for weeks on end he would never leave his room. He drank drink a great deal of brandy 白兰地 and smoked very heavily 很大，沉重地, but he would see no society and did not want any friends, not even his own brother.

“He didn’t mind me; in fact, he took a fancy 3 to me, for at the time when he saw me first I was a youngster 青少年 of twelve 十二 or so. This would be in the year 1878, after he had been eight 八 or nine 九 years in England. He begged 乞讨 my father to let me live with him and he was very kind to me in his way. When he was sober 清醒 he used to be fond 喜欢的 of playing backgammon and draughts with me, and he would make me his representative both with the servants and with the tradespeople, so that by the time that I was six‧teen 十六 I was quite master of the house. I kept all the keys and could go where I liked and do what I liked, so long as I did not disturb 打扰 him in his privacy 隐私. There was one singular 单数 exception, however, for he had a single room, a lumber 木料-room up among the attics 阁楼, which was invariably 不变地 locked, and which he would never permit either me or anyone else to enter. With a boy’s curiosity 好奇心 I have peeped 窥视 through the key‧hole 钥匙‧洞, but I was never able to see more than such a collection of old trunks 树干 and bundles 捆 as would be expected in such a room.

“One day—it was in March, 1883—a letter with a foreign stamp 邮票 lay upon the table in front of the colonel 陆军上校’s plate 盘子. It was not a common thing for him to receive letters, for his bills were all paid in ready money, and he had no friends of any sort. ‘From India!’ said he as he took it up, ‘Pondicherry post‧mark 邮件‧斑点；标注! What can this be?’ Opening it hurriedly, out there jumped five little dried orange 桔子 pips, which pattered down upon his plate. I began to laugh at this, but the laugh was struck from my lips at the sight of his face. His lip had fallen fall, his eyes were protruding 突出, his skin 皮 the colour of putty, and he glared 强光 at the envelope 信封 which he still held in his trembling 发抖 hand, ‘K. K. K.!’ he shrieked 尖叫, and then, ‘My God, my God, my sins 罪 have overtaken me!’

“ ‘What is it, uncle?’ I cried.

“ ‘Death,’ said he, and rising from the table he retired to his room, leaving me palpitating with horror 恐怖. I took up the envelope 信封 and saw scrawled in red ink 墨水 upon the inner 里面的 flap 拍打, just above the gum 胶, the letter K three times repeated. There was nothing else save the five dried pips. What could be the reason of his over‧power 压倒 terror 恐怖? I left the breakfast-table, and as I ascended 登 the stair 楼梯 I met him coming down with an old rusty 生疏 key, which must have belonged to the attic 阁楼, in one hand, and a small brass 黄铜 box, like a cash‧box 现金；现款‧盒；耳光, in the other.

“ ‘They may do what they like, but I’ll check‧mate 检查‧伴，友 them still,’ said he with an oath 誓言. ‘Tell Mary that I shall want a fire in my room to-day, and send down to Fordham, the Horsham lawyer.’

“I did as he ordered, and when the lawyer arrived I was asked to step up to the room. The fire was burning brightly, and in the grate 炉排 there was a mass of black, fluffy 蓬松 ashes, as of burned paper, while the brass 黄铜 box stood open and empty beside it. As I glanced 一瞥 at the box I noticed, with a start, that upon the lid 盖子 was printed the treble 三重 K which I had read in the morning upon the envelope 3.

“ ‘I wish you, John,’ said my uncle, ‘to witness my will. I leave my estate 房地产, with all its advantages and all its disadvantages 坏处, to my brother, your father, whence it will, no doubt, descend 下来 to you. If you can enjoy it in peace, well and good! If you find you cannot, take my advice, my boy, and leave it to your deadliest enemy. I am sorry to give you such a two-edged thing, but I can’t say what turn things are going to take. Kindly sign the paper where Mr. Fordham shows you.’

“I signed the paper as directed, and the lawyer took it away with him. The singular 单数 incident 事件 made, as you may think, the deepest impression 印象 upon me, and I pondered 思考 over it and turned it every way in my mind without being able to make anything of it. Yet I could not shake off the vague 模糊 feeling of dread 恐惧 which it left behind, though the sensation 感觉 grew less keen as the weeks passed and nothing happened to disturb 打扰 the usual routine 惯例，常规；例行公事 of our lives. I could see a change in my uncle, however. He drank more than ever, and he was less inclined 倾斜 for any sort of society. Most of his time he would spend in his room, with the door locked upon the inside, but sometimes he would emerge 出现 in a sort of drunken 醉 frenzy 发狂 and would burst 爆裂 out of the house and tear about the garden with a revolver 围绕 in his hand, screaming 叫喊 out that he was afraid of no man, and that he was not to be cooped up, like a sheep 羊 in a pen, by man or devil 魔鬼. When these hot fits were over, however, he would rush tumultuously in at the door and lock and bar it behind him, like a man who can brazen it out no longer against the terror 恐怖 which lies at the roots of his soul. At such times I have seen his face, even on a cold day, glisten 闪亮 with moisture 湿气, as though it were new raised from a basin 盆.

“Well, to come to an end of the matter, Mr. Holmes, and not to abuse 滥用 your patience 耐心, there came a night when he made one of those drunken 醉 sallies from which he never came back. We found him, when we went to search for him, face down‧ward 向下 in a little green-scummed pool, which lay at the foot of the garden. There was no sign of any violence, and the water was but two feet deep, so that the jury 陪审团, having regard to his known eccentricity, brought in a verdict 判决书 of ‘ suicide.’ But I, who knew how he winced WINCE from the very thought of death, had much ado to persuade 说服 myself 我 that he had gone out of his way to meet it. The matter passed, however, and my father entered into possession 所有物 of the estate 房地产, and of some £14,000, which lay to his credit 信用 at the bank.”

“One moment,” Holmes interposed, “your statement 声明 is, I fore‧see 预料, one of the most remarkable to which I have ever listened. Let me have the date of the reception 招待会 by your uncle of the letter, and the date of his supposed suicide.”

“The letter arrived on March 10, 1883. His death was seven 七 weeks later, upon the night of May 2nd.”

“Thank you. Pray proceed 继续.”

“When my father took over the Horsham property, he, at my request, made a careful 小心 examination 检查 of the attic 阁楼, which had been always locked up. We found the brass 黄铜 box there, although its contents had been destroyed. On the inside of the cover was a paper label 标签, with the initials 初始 of K. K. K. repeated upon it, and ‘Letters, memoranda, receipts 收据, and a register 寄存器’ written beneath 之下. These, we presume 假设, indicated 表明 the nature of the papers which had been destroyed by Colonel Openshaw. For the rest, there was nothing of much importance in the attic 阁楼 save a great many scattered papers and note-books bearing upon my uncle’s life in America. Some of them were of the war time and showed that he had done his duty well and had borne the repute 名气 of a brave 勇敢的 soldier. Others were of a date during the reconstruction 重建 of the Southern 南部的 states, and were mostly concerned with politics, for he had evidently 明显地 taken a strong part in opposing the carpet 地毯- bag 袋 politicians 政治家 who had been sent down from the North.

“Well, it was the beginning of ’84 when my father came to live at Horsham, and all went as well as possible with us until the January of ’85. On the fourth day after the new year I heard my father give a sharp cry of surprise as we sat together at the breakfast-table. There he was, sitting with a newly 最近，新近 opened envelope in one hand and five dried orange 3 pips in the outstretched palm 棕榈 of the other one. He had always laughed at what he called my cock 公鸡-and-bull 公牛 story about the colonel 陆军上校, but he looked very scared 惊恐 and puzzled now that the same thing had come upon himself.

“ ‘Why, what on earth does this mean, John?’ he stammered.

“My heart had turned to lead. ‘It is K. K. K.,’ said I.

“He looked inside the envelope. ‘So it is,’ he cried. ‘Here are the very letters. But what is this written above them?’

“ ‘Put the papers on the sun‧dial 太阳‧拨号,’ I read, peeping 窥视 over his shoulder.

“ ‘What papers? What sun‧dial 太阳‧拨号?’ he asked.

“ ‘The sun‧dial 太阳‧拨号 in the garden. There is no other,’ said I; ‘but the papers must be those that are destroyed.’

“ ‘Pooh!’ said he, gripping 握 hard at his courage 勇气. ‘We are in a civilised land here, and we can’t have tomfoolery of this kind. Where does the thing come from?’

“ ‘From Dundee,’ I answered, glancing 一瞥 at the post‧mark 邮件‧斑点；标注.

“ ‘Some preposterous practical joke 笑话,’ said he. ‘What have I to do with sundials and papers? I shall take no notice of such non‧sense 废话.’

“ ‘I should certainly speak to the police,’ I said.

“ ‘And be laughed at for my pains. Nothing of the sort.’

“ ‘Then let me do so?’

“ ‘No, I forbid 禁止 you. I won’t have a fuss 小题大作 made about such non‧sense 废话.’

“It was in vain 徒劳的 to argue with him, for he was a very obstinate man. I went about, however, with a heart which was full of forebodings.

“On the third day after the coming of the letter my father went from home to visit an old friend of his, Major Freebody, who is in command of one of the forts 堡 upon Portsdown Hill. I was glad that he should go, for it seemed to me that he was farther from danger when he was away from home. In that, however, I was in error 错误. Upon the second day of his absence I received a telegram 电报 from the major, imploring me to come at once. My father had fallen over one of the deep chalk 粉笔-pits 坑 which abound 盛产 in the neighbourhood, and was lying sense‧less 感觉‧少, with a shattered 打碎 skull 头骨. I hurried to him, but he passed away without having ever recovered 恢复 his consciousness 意识. He had, as it appears, been returning from Fareham in the twilight 暮, and as the country was unknown 未知 to him, and the chalk-pit 坑 unfenced, the jury 陪审团 had no hesitation 犹豫 in bringing in a verdict 判决书 of ‘death from accidental 偶然 causes.’ Carefully 小心 as I examined every fact connected with his death, I was unable 无法 to find anything which could suggest the idea of murder. There were no signs of violence, no footmarks, no robbery 抢劫案, no record of strangers 陌生人 having been seen upon the roads. And yet I need not tell you that my mind was far from at ease 轻松, and that I was well-nigh certain that some foul 犯规 plot 情节 had been woven round him.

“In this sinister 险恶 way I came into my inheritance 遗产. You will ask me why I did not dispose 部署 of it? I answer, because I was well convinced 说服 that our troubles were in some way dependent upon an incident 事件 in my uncle’s life, and that the danger would be as pressing in one house as in another.

“It was in January, ’85, that my poor father met his end, and two years and eight 八 months have elapsed 过去 since then. During that time I have lived happily at Horsham, and I had begun to hope that this curse 诅咒 had passed away from the family, and that it had ended with the last generation 代. I had begun to take comfort too soon, however; yesterday morning the blow fell in the very shape in which it had come upon my father.”

The young man took from his waist‧coat 腰‧上衣 a crumpled 弄皱 envelope, and turning to the table he shook out upon it five little dried orange pips.

“This is the envelope,” he continued. “The post‧mark 邮件‧斑点；标注 is London— eastern 东方的 division. Within are the very words which were upon my father’s last message: ‘K. K. K.’; and then ‘Put the papers on the sun‧dial 太阳‧拨号.’ ”

“What have you done?” asked Holmes.

“Nothing.”

“Nothing?”

“To tell the truth”—he sank his face into his thin, white hands—“I have felt help‧less 无助. I have felt like one of those poor rabbits 兔子 when the snake is writhing towards it. I seem to be in the grasp 把握 of some resist‧less 抵抗‧少, inexorable evil, which no fore‧sight 前面‧视力 and no pre‧caution 预防 can guard against.”

“Tut! tut!” cried Sherlock Holmes. “You must act, man, or you are lost. Nothing but energy 能源 can save you. This is no time for despair 3.”

“I have seen the police.”

“Ah!”

“But they listened to my story with a smile. I am convinced 说服 that the inspector 检查员 has formed the opinion that the letters are all practical jokes 笑话, and that the deaths of my relations were really accidents 意外事件, as the jury 陪审团 stated, and were not to be connected with the warnings.”

Holmes shook his clenched 咬紧 hands in the air. “Incredible imbecility!” he cried.

“They have, however, allowed me a police‧man 警察, who may remain in the house with me.”

“Has he come with you to-night?”

“No. His orders were to stay in the house.”

Again Holmes raved 狂欢 in the air.

“Why did you come to me,” he cried, “and, above all, why did you not come at once?”

“I did not know. It was only to-day that I spoke to Major Prendergast about my troubles and was advised by him to come to you.”

“It is really two days since you had the letter. We should have acted before this. You have no further evidence 证据, I suppose, than that which you have placed before us—no suggestive 提示 detail which might help us?”

“There is one thing,” said John Openshaw. He rummaged in his coat pocket, and, drawing out a piece of discoloured, blue-tinted 着色 paper, he laid it out upon the table. “I have some remembrance 纪念,” said he, “that on the day when my uncle burned the papers I observed that the small, unburned margins 差额 which lay amid 际 the ashes were of this particular colour. I found this single sheet upon the floor of his room, and I am inclined 倾斜 to think that it may be one of the papers which has, perhaps, fluttered 扑 out from among the others, and in that way has escaped destruction 破坏. Beyond the mention of pips, I do not see that it helps us much. I think myself 我 that it is a page from some private diary 日记. The writing is undoubtedly 无疑 my uncle’s.”

Holmes moved the lamp 灯, and we both bent over the sheet of paper, which showed by its ragged 抹布 edge that it had indeed been torn from a book. It was headed, “March, 1869,” and beneath were the following enigmatical notices:

“4th. Hudson came. Same old platform 平台.

“7th. Set the pips on McCauley, Paramore, and

        John Swain, of St. Augustine.

“9th. McCauley cleared.

“10th. John Swain cleared.

“12th. Visited Paramore. All well.”

“Thank you!” said Holmes, folding 折叠 up the paper and returning it to our visitor. “And now you must on no account lose another instant. We cannot spare time even to discuss what you have told me. You must get home instantly and act.”

“What shall I do?”

“There is but one thing to do. It must be done at once. You must put this piece of paper which you have shown us into the brass 3 box which you have described. You must also put in a note to say that all the other papers were burned by your uncle, and that this is the only one which remains. You must assert 断言 that in such words as will carry conviction 定罪 with them. Having done this, you must at once put the box out upon the sun‧dial 太阳‧拨号, as directed. Do you understand?”

“Entirely.”

“Do not think of revenge 报仇, or anything of the sort, at present. I think that we may gain that by means of the law; but we have our web 网 to weave 编, while theirs is already woven. The first consideration 考虑 is to remove 去掉 the pressing danger which threatens you. The second is to clear up the mystery and to punish 处罚 the guilty 有罪的；内疚的 parties.”

“I thank you,” said the young man, rising and pulling on his over‧coat 之上‧上衣. “You have given me fresh life and hope. I shall certainly do as you advise.”

“Do not lose an instant. And, above all, take care of your‧self 你自己 in the mean‧while 同时, for I do not think that there can be a doubt that you are threatened by a very real and imminent 即将来临 danger. How do you go back?”

“By train from Waterloo.”

“It is not yet nine 九. The streets will be crowded, so I trust that you may be in safety 安全. And yet you cannot guard your‧self 你自己 too closely.”

“I am armed.”

“That is well. To-morrow I shall set to work upon your case.”

“I shall see you at Horsham, then?”

“No, your secret lies in London. It is there that I shall seek 寻求 it.”

“Then I shall call upon you in a day, or in two days, with news as to the box and the papers. I shall take your advice in every particular.” He shook hands with us and took his leave. Outside the wind still screamed and the rain splashed 溅 and pattered against the windows. This strange, wild story seemed to have come to us from amid 际 the mad elements 元件—blown blow in upon us like a sheet of sea-weed 杂草 in a gale 大风—and now to have been reabsorbed by them once more.

Sherlock Holmes sat for some time in silence, with his head sunk forward and his eyes bent upon the red glow 辉光 of the fire. Then he lit his pipe, and leaning back in his chair he watched the blue smoke-rings as they chased 追 each other up to the ceiling 天花板.

“I think, Watson,” he remarked at last, “that of all our cases we have had none more fantastic 奇妙 than this.”

“Save, perhaps, the Sign of Four.”

“Well, yes. Save, perhaps, that. And yet this John Openshaw seems to me to be walking amid 际 even greater perils 岌 than did the Sholtos.”

“But have you,” I asked, “formed any definite 定 concept‧ion 概念 as to what these perils 岌 are?”

“There can be no question as to their nature,” he answered.

“Then what are they? Who is this K. K. K., and why does he pursue 追求 this unhappy 不快乐 family?”

Sherlock Holmes closed his eyes and placed his elbows 弯头 upon the arms of his chair, with his finger-tips together. “The ideal reasoner,” he remarked, “would, when he had once been shown a single fact in all its bearings, deduce 推断 from it not only all the chain of events which led up to it but also all the results which would follow from it. As Cuvier could correctly describe a whole animal by the contemplation of a single bone, so the observer who has thoroughly understood understand one link 链接 in a series 系列 of incidents 事件 should be able to accurately 准确的；精确的；正确的 state all the other ones, both before and after. We have not yet grasped 把握 the results which the reason alone can attain 达到 to. Problems may be solved in the study which have baffled 障 all those who have sought a solution by the aid 援助 of their senses. To carry the art, however, to its highest pitch 沥青, it is necessary that the reasoner should be able to utilise all the facts which have come to his knowledge; and this in itself 本身 implies 意味着, as you will readily see, a possession 所有物 of all knowledge, which, even in these days of free education and encyclopaedias, is a some‧what 有些 rare accomplishment 成就. It is not so impossible, however, that a man should possess 拥有 all knowledge which is likely to be useful 有用 to him in his work, and this I have endeavoured in my case to do. If I remember rightly, you on one occasion, in the early days of our friend‧ship 友情, defined 确定 my limits in a very precise 精确 fashion.”

“Yes,” I answered, laughing. “It was a singular 单数 document 文件. Philosophy 哲学, astronomy 天文学, and politics were marked at zero 零, I remember. Botany variable 变量, geology 地质学 profound 深刻 as regards the mud 泥-stains from any region 地区 within fifty 五十 miles of town, chemistry 化学 eccentric 偏心, anatomy 解剖学 unsystematic, sensational 轰动的 literature and crime records unique 独特, violin 小提琴-player, boxer, swordsman, lawyer, and self-poisoner 毒药 by cocaine 可卡因 and tobacco 3. Those, I think, were the main points of my analysis 分析.”

Holmes grinned 微笑 at the last item 项目. “Well,” he said, “I say now, as I said then, that a man should keep his little brain-attic 阁楼 stocked with all the furniture 家具 that he is likely to use, and the rest he can put away in the lumber 木料-room of his library, where he can get it if he wants it. Now, for such a case as the one which has been submitted to us to-night, we need certainly to muster all our resources 资源. Kindly hand me down the letter K of the American Encyclopaedia which stands upon the shelf 架子 beside you. Thank you. Now let us consider the situation and see what may be deduced 推断 from it. In the first place, we may start with a strong presumption 假定 that Colonel Openshaw had some very strong reason for leaving America. Men at his time of life do not change all their habits and exchange willingly 甘心 the charming climate 气候 of Florida for the lonely 孤独的 life of an English provincial 省级 town. His extreme love of solitude 孤独 in England suggests the idea that he was in fear of someone or something, so we may assume 承担 as a working hypothesis 假设 that it was fear of someone or something which drove him from America. As to what it was he feared, we can only deduce 推断 that by considering the formidable 强大 letters which were received by himself and his successors 接班人. Did you remark the postmarks of those letters?”

“The first was from Pondicherry, the second from Dundee, and the third from London.”

“From East London. What do you deduce 推断 from that?”

“They are all seaports. That the writer was on board of a ship.”

“Excellent. We have already a clue 线索. There can be no doubt that the probability 可能性—the strong probability 可能性—is that the writer was on board of a ship. And now let us consider another point. In the case of Pondicherry, seven 七 weeks elapsed 过去 between the threat 威胁 and its fulfilment, in Dundee it was only some three or four days. Does that suggest anything?”

“A greater distance to travel.”

“But the letter had also a greater distance to come.”

“Then I do not see the point.”

“There is at least a presumption 假定 that the vessel 容器 in which the man or men are is a sailing 航行；帆-ship. It looks as if they always send their singular 单数 warning or token 代币 before them when starting upon their mission 任务. You see how quickly the deed 行为 followed the sign when it came from Dundee. If they had come from Pondicherry in a steamer 蒸汽 they would have arrived almost as soon as their letter. But, as a matter of fact, seven 七 weeks elapsed 过去. I think that those seven 七 weeks represented the difference between the mail-boat which brought the letter and the sailing vessel 容器 which brought the writer.”

“It is possible.”

“More than that. It is probable. And now you see the deadly urgency 急 of this new case, and why I urged young Openshaw to caution 小心. The blow has always fallen at the end of the time which it would take the senders to travel the distance. But this one comes from London, and therefore we cannot count upon delay 延迟.”

“Good God!” I cried. “What can it mean, this relentless 狠 persecution 迫害?”

“The papers which Openshaw carried are obviously 明显 of vital 重要的 importance to the person or persons in the sailing-ship. I think that it is quite clear that there must be more than one of them. A single man could not have carried out two deaths in such a way as to deceive 欺诈 a coroner 验尸官’s jury 陪审团. There must have been several in it, and they must have been men of resource 资源 and determination 决心. Their papers they mean to have, be the holder of them who it may. In this way you see K. K. K. ceases 停止 to be the initials 初始 of an individual and becomes the badge 徽章 of a society.”

“But of what society?”

“Have you never—” said Sherlock Holmes, bending forward and sinking his voice—“have you never heard of the Ku Klux Klan?”

“I never have.”

Holmes turned over the leaves of the book upon his knee. “Here it is,” said he presently:

“ ‘Ku Klux Klan. A name derived 派生 from the fanciful resemblance 相似 to the sound produced by cocking 公鸡 a rifle 步枪. This terrible secret society was formed by some ex 前-Confederate soldiers in the Southern 南部的 states after the Civil 国内 War, and it rapidly formed local branches in different parts of the country, not‧able 特别是 in Tennessee, Louisiana, the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida. Its power was used for political purposes, principally 原则上 for the terrorising of the negro voters 选民 and the murdering and driving from the country of those who were opposed to its views. Its out‧rage 暴行 were usually preceded 优于 by a warning sent to the marked man in some fantastic 奇妙 but generally recognised shape—a sprig of oak 橡木-leaves in some parts, melon 瓜 seeds or orange pips in others. On receiving this the victim 受害者 might either openly abjure his former ways, or might fly from the country. If he braved the matter out, death would unfailingly come upon him, and usually in some strange and unforeseen manner. So perfect was the organisation of the society, and so systematic 系统的 its methods 方法, that there is hardly a case upon record where any man succeeded in braving 勇敢的 it with impunity, or in which any of its out‧rage 暴行 were traced 跟踪 home to the perpetrators 肇事者. For some years the organisation flourished 繁荣 in spite of the efforts of the United States government and of the better classes of the community in the South. Eventually 终于, in the year 1869, the movement 运动 rather suddenly collapsed 坍方, although there have been sporadic 零星的 out‧break 暴发 of the same sort since that date.’

“You will observe,” said Holmes, laying down the volume 卷, “that the sudden breaking up of the society was coincident with the disappearance 消失 of Openshaw from America with their papers. It may well have been cause and effect. It is no wonder that he and his family have some of the more implacable spirits upon their track. You can understand that this register 寄存器 and diary 日记 may implicate 连累 some of the first men in the South, and that there may be many who will not sleep easy at night until it is recovered 恢复.”

“Then the page we have seen—”

“Is such as we might expect. It ran, if I remember right, ‘sent the pips to A, B, and C’—that is, sent the society’s warning to them. Then there are successive 连续 entries 条目 that A and B cleared, or left the country, and finally that C was visited, with, I fear, a sinister 险恶 result for C. Well, I think, Doctor, that we may let some light into this dark place, and I believe that the only chance young Openshaw has in the mean‧time 其时 is to do what I have told him. There is nothing more to be said or to be done to-night, so hand me over my violin 小提琴 and let us try to forget for half an hour the miserable 悲惨的 weather and the still more miserable ways of our fellow men.”

It had cleared in the morning, and the sun was shining with a subdued 征服 brightness 亮度 through the dim 暗淡 veil 面纱 which hangs over the great city. Sherlock Holmes was already at breakfast when I came down.

“You will excuse me for not waiting for you,” said he; “I have, I fore‧see 预料, a very busy day before me in looking into this case of young Openshaw’s.”

“What steps will you take?” I asked.

“It will very much depend upon the results of my first inquiries. I may have to go down to Horsham, after all.”

“You will not go there first?”

“No, I shall commence 开始 with the City. Just ring the bell and the maid 女佣 will bring up your coffee.”

As I waited, I lifted the unopened newspaper from the table and glanced 一瞥 my eye over it. It rested upon a heading which sent a chill 寒意 to my heart.

“Holmes,” I cried, “you are too late.”

“Ah!” said he, laying down his cup, “I feared as much. How was it done?” He spoke calmly, but I could see that he was deeply moved.

“My eye caught the name of Openshaw, and the heading ‘Tragedy Near Waterloo Bridge.’ Here is the account:

“ ‘Between nine 九 and ten 十 last night Police-Constable Cook, of the H Division, on duty near Waterloo Bridge, heard a cry for help and a splash 溅 in the water. The night, however, was extremely dark and stormy 暴风雨, so that, in spite of the help of several passers-by, it was quite impossible to effect a rescue 营救. The alarm 4, however, was given, and, by the aid 援助 of the water-police, the body was eventually 终于 recovered 恢复. It proved to be that of a young gentleman whose name, as it appears from an envelope which was found in his pocket, was John Openshaw, and whose residence 住宅 is near Horsham. It is conjectured 推测 that he may have been hurrying down to catch the last train from Waterloo Station, and that in his haste 匆忙 and the extreme darkness 黑暗 he missed his path and walked over the edge of one of the small landing-places for river steamboats. The body exhibited 展示 no traces 跟踪 of violence, and there can be no doubt that the deceased 死亡 had been the victim 受害者 of an unfortunate 不幸的 accident 意外事件, which should have the effect of calling the attention of the authorities 权威 to the condition of the river‧side 河‧边；面 landing-stages.’ ”

We sat in silence for some minutes, Holmes more depressed 压抑 and shaken shake than I had ever seen him.

“That hurts 损害 my pride 自尊, Watson,” he said at last. “It is a petty 小气 feeling, no doubt, but it hurts my pride. It becomes a personal 个人 matter with me now, and, if God sends me health, I shall set my hand upon this gang 结伙. That he should come to me for help, and that I should send him away to his death—!” He sprang from his chair and paced about the room in uncontrollable agitation 搅动, with a flush 红晕 upon his sallow cheeks 脸颊 and a nervous 担心的 clasping 钩 and unclasping of his long thin hands.

“They must be cunning 狡猾 devils 魔鬼,” he exclaimed 喊叫 at last. “How could they have decoyed him down there? The Embankment is not on the direct line to the station. The bridge, no doubt, was too crowded, even on such a night, for their purpose. Well, Watson, we shall see who will win in the long run. I am going out now!”

“To the police?”

“No; I shall be my own police. When I have spun the web 网 they may take the flies, but not before.”

All day I was engaged 从事 in my professional 专业的 work, and it was late in the evening before I returned to Baker Street. Sherlock Holmes had not come back yet. It was nearly ten 十 o’clock before he entered, looking pale and worn. He walked up to the side‧board 边；面‧板，上船, and tearing a piece from the loaf 面包条 he devoured 吞食 it voraciously, washing it down with a long draught of water.

“You are hungry 饥饿,” I remarked.

“Starving. It had escaped my memory. I have had nothing since breakfast.”

“Nothing?”

“Not a bite 咬. I had no time to think of it.”

“And how have you succeeded?”

“Well.”

“You have a clue 线索?”

“I have them in the hollow 空的 of my hand. Young Openshaw shall not long remain unavenged. Why, Watson, let us put their own devilish trade-mark upon them. It is well thought of!”

“What do you mean?”

He took an orange from the cup‧board 橱柜, and tearing it to pieces he squeezed 挤 out the pips upon the table. Of these he took five and thrust 推力 them into an envelope. On the inside of the flap 拍打 he wrote “S. H. for J. O.” Then he sealed it and addressed it to “Captain James Calhoun, Barque Lone Star, Savannah, Georgia.”

“That will await 等待 him when he enters port 港口,” said he, chuckling 暗笑. “It may give him a sleep‧less 睡‧少 night. He will find it as sure a precursor 先导 of his fate as Openshaw did before him.”

“And who is this Captain Calhoun?”

“The leader of the gang 结伙. I shall have the others, but he first.”

“How did you trace 跟踪 it, then?”

He took a large sheet of paper from his pocket, all covered with dates and names.

“I have spent the whole day,” said he, “over Lloyd’s registers 寄存器 and files 文件 of the old papers, following the future career of every vessel 容器 which touched at Pondicherry in January and February in ’83. There were thirty 三十-six ships of fair tonnage which were reported there during those months. Of these, one, the Lone Star, instantly attracted my attention, since, although it was reported as having cleared from London, the name is that which is given to one of the states of the Union.”

“Texas, I think.”

“I was not and am not sure which; but I knew that the ship must have an American origin.”

“What then?”

“I searched the Dundee records, and when I found that the barque Lone Star was there in January, ’85, my suspicion 怀疑 became a certainty 确定性. I then inquired as to the vessels 容器 which lay at present in the port 港口 of London.”

“Yes?”

“The Lone Star had arrived here last week. I went down to the Albert Dock and found that she had been taken down the river by the early tide 潮汐 this morning, home‧ward 家‧病房 bound 3 to Savannah. I wired to Gravesend and learned that she had passed some time ago, and as the wind is easterly I have no doubt that she is now past the Goodwins and not very far from the Isle of Wight.”

“What will you do, then?”

“Oh, I have my hand upon him. He and the two mates 伴，友, are as I learn, the only native 本土的-born bear Americans in the ship. The others are Finns and Germans. I know, also, that they were all three away from the ship last night. I had it from the stevedore who has been loading their cargo 货物. By the time that their sailing-ship reaches Savannah the mail-boat will have carried this letter, and the cable 电线 will have informed the police of Savannah that these three gentlemen are badly 很糟地 wanted here upon a charge of murder.”

There is ever a flaw 缺陷, however, in the best laid of human plans, and the murderers 凶手 of John Openshaw were never to receive the orange pips which would show them that another, as cunning 狡猾 and as resolute as themselves, was upon their track. Very long and very severe 严峻的 were the equinoctial gales 大风 that year. We waited long for news of the Lone Star of Savannah, but none ever reached us. We did at last hear that somewhere far out in the Atlantic a shattered 打碎 stern 严肃-post of a boat was seen swinging in the trough 槽 of a wave, with the letters “L. S.” carved 雕刻 upon it, and that is all which we shall ever know of the fate of the Lone Star.