福尔摩斯探案集·血字的研究 第15期:劳瑞斯顿花园街的惨案(3)

Number 3, Lauriston Gardens wore an ill-omened and minatory look.

劳瑞斯顿花园街3号，从外表看来就象是一座凶宅。

It was one of four which stood back some little way from the street, two being occupied and two empty.

这里一连有四幢房子，离街稍远，两幢有人居住，两幢空着，3号就是空着的一处。

The latter looked out with three tiers of vacant melancholy windows, which were blank and dreary,

空房的临街一面有三排窗子，因为无人居住，景况极为凄凉。

save that here and there a "To Let" card had developed like a cataract upon the bleared panes.

尘封的玻璃上到处贴着"招租"的帖子，好象眼睛上的白翳一样。

A small garden sprinkled over with a scattered eruption of sickly plants separated each of these houses from the street,

每座房前都有一小块草木丛生的花园，把这几所房子和街道隔开。

and was traversed by a narrow pathway, yellowish in colour, and consisting apparently of a mixture of clay and of gravel.

小花园中有一条用黏土和石子铺成的黄色小径；

The whole place was very sloppy from the rain which had fallen through the night.

一夜大雨，到处泥泞不堪。

The garden was bounded by a three-foot brick wall with a fringe of wood rails upon the top,

花园围有矮墙，高约三英尺，墙头上装有木栅。

and against this wall was leaning a stalwart police constable,

一个身材高大的警察倚墙站着，

surrounded by a small knot of loafers,

周围有几个闲人，

who craned their necks and strained their eyes in the vain hope of catching some glimpse of the proceedings within.

引颈翘首地往里张望着，希望能瞧一眼屋中的情景，但是什么也瞧不见。

I had imagined that Sherlock Holmes would at once have hurried into the house and plunged into a study of the mystery.

我当时猜想，福尔摩斯一定会立刻奔进屋去，马上动手研究这个神秘的案件。

Nothing appeared to be further from his intention.

可是他似乎并不着急。

With an air of nonchalance which, under the circumstances, seemed to me to border upon affectation,

他显出一种漫不经心的样子，在目前这种情况下，我认为这未免有点儿装腔作势。

he lounged up and down the pavement,

他在人行道上走来走去，

and gazed vacantly at the ground, the sky, the opposite houses and the line of railings.

茫然地注视着地面，一会儿又凝视天空和对面的房子以及墙头上的木栅。

Having finished his scrutiny, he proceeded slowly down the path,

他这样仔细地察看以后，就慢慢地走上小径，

or rather down the fringe of grass which flanked the path, keeping his eyes riveted upon the ground.

或者应该说，他是从路边的草地上走过去的，目不转睛地观察着小径的地面。

Twice he stopped, and once I saw him smile, and heard him utter an exclamation of satisfaction.

他有两次停下脚步，有一次我看见他还露出笑容，并且听到他满意地欢呼了一声。

There were many marks of footsteps upon the wet clayey soil;

在这潮湿而泥泞的黏土地面上，有许多脚印；

but since the police had been coming and going over it,

但是由于警察来来往往地从上面踩过，

I was unable to see how my companion could hope to learn anything from it.

我真不明白我的同伴怎能指望从这上面辨认出什么来。

Still I had had such extraordinary evidence of the quickness of his perceptive faculties,

然而至今我还没有忘记，那次他如何出奇地证明了他对事物的敏锐的观察力，

that I had no doubt that he could see a great deal which was hidden from me.

因此我相信他定能看出许多我所瞧不见的东西。

At the door of the house we were met by a tall, white-faced, flaxen-haired man,

在这所房子的门口，有一个头发浅黄脸色白皙的高个的人过来迎接我们，

with a notebook in his hand, who rushed forward and wrung my companion's hand with effusion.

他的手里拿着笔记本。他跑上前来，热情地握住我同伴的手说：

"It is indeed kind of you to come," he said, "I have had everything left untouched."

"你来了，实在太好了。我把一切都保持原状未动。"

"Except that!" my friend answered, pointing at the pathway.

"可是那个除外！"我的朋友指着那条小路说，

"If a herd of buffaloes had passed along, there could not be a greater mess.

"即使有一群水牛从这里走过，也不会弄得比这更糟了。

No doubt, however, you had drawn your own conclusions, Gregson, before you permitted this."

没问题，葛莱森，你准自以为已得出了结论，所以才允许别人这样做的吧。"

"I have had so much to do inside the house," the detective said evasively.

这个侦探躲躲闪闪地说："我在屋里忙着，

"My colleague, Mr. Lestrade, is here. I had relied upon him to look after this."

我的同事雷斯垂德先生也在这儿，我把外边的事都托付他了。"

Holmes glanced at me and raised his eyebrows sardonically.

福尔摩斯看了我一眼，嘲弄似地把眉毛扬了一扬，

"With two such men as yourself and Lestrade upon the ground, there will not be much for a third party to find out," he said.

他说："有了你和雷斯垂德这样两位人物在场，第三个人当然就不会再发现什么了。"

Gregson rubbed his hands in a self-satisfied way.

葛莱森搓着两只手很得意地说：

"I think we have done all that can be done," he answered;

"我认为我们已经竭尽全力了。

"it's a queer case, though, and I knew your taste for such things."

这个案子的确很离奇，我知道这正适合你的胃口。"

"You did not come here in a cab?" asked Sherlock Holmes.

"你没有坐马车来吗？"福尔摩斯问道。

"No, sir."

"没有，先生。"

"Nor Lestrade?"

"雷斯垂德也没有吗？"

"No, sir."

"他也没有，先生。"

"Then let us go and look at the room."

"那么，咱们到屋子里去瞧瞧。"

With which inconsequent remark he strode on into the house followed by Gregson,

福尔摩斯问完这些前后不连贯的话以后，便大踏步走进房中。

whose features expressed his astonishment.

葛莱森跟在后面，脸上露出惊讶的神色。