通译双语文库:血字的研究Chapter 4 What John Rance Had To Tell

1

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

1

-

IT was one o'clock when we left No. 3, Lauriston Gardens. Sherlock Holmes led me to the nearest telegraph office, whence he dispatched a long telegram. He then hailed a cab, and ordered the driver to take us to the address given us by Lestrade.

2

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

2

-

"There is nothing like first hand evidence," he remarked; "as a matter of fact, my mind is entirely made up upon the case, but still we may as well learn all that is to be learned."

3

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

3

-

"You amaze me, Holmes," said I. "Surely you are not as sure as you pretend to be of all those particulars which you gave."

4

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

4

-

"There’s no room for a mistake," he answered. "The very first thing which I observed on arriving there was that a cab had made two ruts with its wheels close to the curb. Now, up to last night, we have had no rain for a week, so that those wheels which left such a deep impression must have been there during the night.

5

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

5

-

There were the marks of the horse’s hoofs, too, the outline of one of which was far more clearly cut than that of the other three, showing that that was a new shoe. Since the cab was there after the rain began, and was not there at any time during the morning -- I have Gregson’s word for that -- it follows that it must have been there during the night, and, therefore, that it brought those two individuals to the house."

6

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

6

-

"That seems simple enough," said I; "but how about the other man's height?"

7

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

7

-

"Why, the height of a man, in nine cases out of ten, can be told from the length of his stride. It is a simple calculation enough, though there is no use my boring you with figures. I had this fellow's stride both on the clay outside and on the dust within. Then I had a way of checking my calculation. When a man writes on a wall, his instinct leads him to write about the level of his own eyes. Now that writing was just over six feet from the ground. It was child's play."

8

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

8

-

"And his age?" I asked.

9

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

9

-

"Well, if a man can stride four and a-half feet without the smallest effort, he can’t be quite in the sere and yellow. That was the breadth of a puddle on the garden walk which he had evidently walked across. Patent-leather boots had gone round, and Square-toes had hopped over.

10

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

10

-

There is no mystery about it at all. I am simply applying to ordinary life a few of those precepts of observation and deduction which I advocated in that article. Is there anything else that puzzles you?"

11

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

11

-

"The finger nails and the Trichinopoly," I suggested.

12

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

12

-

"The writing on the wall was done with a man’s forefinger dipped in blood. My glass allowed me to observe that the plaster was slightly scratched in doing it, which would not have been the case if the man’s nail had been trimmed. I gathered up some scattered ash from the floor. It was dark in colour and flakey -- such an ash as is only made by a Trichinopoly.

13

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

13

-

I have made a special study of cigar ashes -- in fact, I have written a monograph upon the subject. I flatter myself that I can distinguish at a glance the ash of any known brand, either of cigar or of tobacco. It is just in such details that the skilled detective differs from the Gregson and Lestrade type."

14

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

14

-

"And the florid face?" I asked.

15

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

15

-

"Ah, that was a more daring shot, though I have no doubt that I was right. You must not ask me that at the present state of the affair."

16

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

16

-

I passed my hand over my brow. "My head is in a whirl," I remarked; "the more one thinks of it the more mysterious it grows. How came these two men -- if there were two men -- into an empty house? What has become of the cabman who drove them? How could one man compel another to take poison?

17

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

17

-

Where did the blood come from? What was the object of the murderer, since robbery had no part in it? How came the woman’s ring there? Above all, why should the second man write up the German word RACHE before decamping? I confess that I cannot see any possible way of reconciling all these facts."

18

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

18

-

My companion smiled approvingly.

19

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

19

-

"You sum up the difficulties of the situation succinctly and well," he said. "There is much that is still obscure, though I have quite made up my mind on the main facts. As to poor Lestrade’s discovery it was simply a blind intended to put the police upon a wrong track, by suggesting Socialism and secret societies.

20

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

20

-

It was not done by a German. The A, if you noticed, was printed somewhat after the German fashion. Now, a real German invariably prints in the Latin character, so that we may safely say that this was not written by one, but by a clumsy imitator who overdid his part. It was simply a ruse to divert inquiry into a wrong channel.

21

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

21

-

I’m not going to tell you much more of the case, Doctor. You know a conjuror gets no credit when once he has explained his trick, and if I show you too much of my method of working, you will come to the conclusion that I am a very ordinary individual after all."

22

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

22

-

"I shall never do that," I answered; "you have brought detection as near an exact science as it ever will be brought in this world."

23

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

23

-

My companion flushed up with pleasure at my words, and the earnest way in which I uttered them. I had already observed that he was as sensitive to flattery on the score of his art as any girl could be of her beauty.

24

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

24

-

"I’ll tell you one other thing," he said. "Patent leathers and Square-toes came in the same cab, and they walked down the pathway together as friendly as possible -- arm-in-arm, in all probability. When they got inside they walked up and down the room -- or rather, Patent-leathers stood still while Square-toes walked up and down. I could read all that in the dust; and I could read that as he walked he grew more and more excited.That is shown by the increased length of his strides.

25

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

25

-

He was talking all the while, and working himself up, no doubt, into a fury. Then the tragedy occurred. I’ve told you all I know myself now, for the rest is mere surmise and conjecture. We have a good working basis, however, on which to start. We must hurry up, for I want to go to Halle’s concert to hear Norman Neruda this afternoon."

26

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

26

-

This conversation had occurred while our cab had been threading its way through a long succession of dingy streets and dreary by-ways. In the dingiest and dreariest of them our driver suddenly came to a stand. "That's Audley Court in there," he said, pointing to a narrow slit in the line of dead-coloured brick. "You'll find me here when you come back."

27

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

27

-

Audley Court was not an attractive locality. The narrow passage led us into a quadrangle paved with flags and lined by sordid dwellings.

28

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

28

-

We picked our way among groups of dirty children, and through lines of discoloured linen, until we came to Number 46, the door of which was decorated with a small slip of brass on which the name Rance was engraved. On enquiry we found that the constable was in bed, and we were shown into a little front parlour to await his coming.

29

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

29

-

He appeared presently, looking a little irritable at being disturbed in his slumbers. "I made my report at the office," he said.

30

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

30

-

Holmes took a half-sovereign from his pocket and played with it pensively. "We thought that we should like to hear it all from your own lips," he said.

31

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

31

-

"I shall be most happy to tell you anything I can," the constable answered with his eyes upon the little golden disk.

32

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

32

-

"Just let us hear it all in your own way as it occurred."

33

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

33

-

Rance sat down on the horsehair sofa, and knitted his brows as though determined not to omit anything in his narrative.

34

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

34

-

"I’ll tell it ye from the beginning," he said. "My time is from ten at night to six in the morning. At eleven there was a fight at the `White Hart’; but bar that all was quiet enough on the beat. At one o’clock it began to rain, and I met Harry Murcher -- him who has the Holland Grove beat -- and we stood together at the corner of Henrietta Street a-talkin’.

35

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

35

-

Presently -- maybe about two or a little after -- I thought I would take a look round and see that all was right down the Brixton Road. It was precious dirty and lonely. Not a soul did I meet all the way down, though a cab or two went past me. I was a strollin’ down, thinkin’ between ourselves how uncommon handy a four of gin hot would be, when suddenly the glint of a light caught my eye in the window of that same house.

36

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

36

-

Now, I knew that them two houses in Lauriston Gardens was empty on account of him that owns them who won’t have the drains seed to, though the very last tenant what lived in one of them died o’ typhoid fever. I was knocked all in a heap therefore at seeing a light in the window, and I suspected as something was wrong. When I got to the door ----"

37

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

37

-

"You stopped, and then walked back to the garden gate," my companion interrupted. "What did you do that for?"

38

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

38

-

Rance gave a violent jump, and stared at Sherlock Holmes with the utmost amazement upon his features.

39

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

39

-

"Why, that’s true, sir," he said; "though how you come to know it, Heaven only knows. Ye see, when I got up to the door it was so still and so lonesome, that I thought I’d be none the worse for some one with me.

40

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

40

-

I ain’t afeared of anything on this side o’ the grave; but I thought that maybe it was him that died o’ the typhoid inspecting the drains what killed him. The thought gave me a kind o’ turn, and I walked back to the gate to see if I could see Murcher’s lantern, but there wasn’t no sign of him nor of anyone else."

41

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

41

-

"There was no one in the street?"

42

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

42

-

"Not a livin' soul, sir, nor as much as a dog. Then I pulled myself together and went back and pushed the door open. All was quiet inside, so I went into the room where the light was a-burnin'. There was a candle flickerin' on the mantelpiece -- a red wax one -- and by its light I saw ----"

43

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

43

-

"Yes, I know all that you saw. You walked round the room several times, and you knelt down by the body, and then you walked through and tried the kitchen door, and then ----"

44

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

44

-

John Rance sprang to his feet with a frightened face and suspicion in his eyes. "Where was you hid to see all that?" he cried. "It seems to me that you knows a deal more than you should."

45

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

45

-

Holmes laughed and threw his card across the table to the constable. "Don't get arresting me for the murder," he said. "I am one of the hounds and not the wolf; Mr. Gregson or Mr. Lestrade will answer for that. Go on, though. What did you do next?"

46

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

46

-

Rance resumed his seat, without however losing his mystified expression. "I went back to the gate and sounded my whistle. That brought Murcher and two more to the spot."

47

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

47

-

"Was the street empty then?"

48

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

48

-

"Well, it was, as far as anybody that could be of any good goes."

49

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

49

-

"What do you mean?"

50

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

①考棱班 Columbine 为一出喜剧中的女角。——译者注

50

-

The constable's features broadened into a grin. "I've seen many a drunk chap in my time," he said, "but never anyone so cryin' drunk as that cove. He was at the gate when I came out, a-leanin' up agin the railings, and a-singin' at the pitch o' his lungs about Columbine's New-fangled Banner, or some such stuff. He couldn't stand, far less help."

51

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

51

-

"What sort of a man was he?" asked Sherlock Holmes.

52

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

52

-

John Rance appeared to be somewhat irritated at this digression. "He was an uncommon drunk sort o' man," he said. "He'd ha' found hisself in the station if we hadn't been so took up."

53

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

53

-

"His face -- his dress -- didn't you notice them?" Holmes broke in impatiently.

54

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

54

-

"I should think I did notice them, seeing that I had to prop him up -- me and Murcher between us. He was a long chap, with a red face, the lower part muffled round ----"

55

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

55

-

"That will do," cried Holmes. "What became of him?"

56

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

56

-

"We'd enough to do without lookin' after him," the policeman said, in an aggrieved voice. "I'll wager he found his way home all right."

57

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

57

-

"How was he dressed?"

58

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

58

-

"A brown overcoat."

59

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

59

-

"Had he a whip in his hand?"

60

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

60

-

"A whip -- no."

61

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

61

-

Please sign in to unlock the rest

62

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

62

-

Please sign in to unlock the rest

63

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

63

-

Please sign in to unlock the rest

64

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

64

-

Please sign in to unlock the rest

65

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

65

-

Please sign in to unlock the rest

66

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

66

-

Please sign in to unlock the rest

67

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

67

-

Please sign in to unlock the rest

68

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

68

-

Please sign in to unlock the rest

69

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

69

-

Please sign in to unlock the rest

70

-

请登陆会员查看更多内容

70

-