福尔摩斯探案集·血字的研究 第27期:广告引来了不速之客(3)

I went to my bedroom and followed his advice.

我回到卧室，照他的话去做了准备。

When I returned with the pistol, the table had been cleared,

当我拿着手枪出来的时候，只见餐桌已经收拾干净，

and Holmes was engaged in his favourite occupation of scraping upon his violin.

福尔摩斯正在摆弄着他心爱的玩意儿---信手拨弄着他的提琴。

"The plot thickens," he said, as I entered;

我进来时，福尔摩斯说："案情越来越有眉目了。

"I have just had an answer to my American telegram.

我发往美国的电报，刚刚得到了回电，

My view of the case is the correct one."

证明我对这个案子的看法是正确的。"

"And that is– –?" I asked eagerly.

我急忙问道："是那样吗？"

"My fiddle would be the better for new strings," he remarked.

"我的提琴换上新弦就更好了，"福尔摩斯说，

"Put your pistol in your pocket. When the fellow comes, speak to him in an ordinary way.

"你把手枪放在衣袋里。那个家伙进来的时候，你要用平常的语起跟他谈话，

Leave the rest to me. Don't frighten him by looking at him too hard."

别的我来应付。不要大惊小怪，以免打草惊蛇。"

"It is eight o'clock now," I said, glancing at my watch.

我看了一下我的表说："现在八点了。"

"Yes. He will probably be here in a few minutes.

"是啊，或许几分钟之内他就要到了。

Open the door slightly. That will do. Now put the key on the inside. Thank you!

把门稍开一些。行了。把钥匙插在门里边。谢谢你！

This is a queer old book I picked up at a stall yesterday

这是我昨天在书摊子上偶然买到的一本珍奇的古书。

De Jure inter Gentes,published in Latin at Liege in the Lowlands, in 1642.

书名叫' 论各民族的法律' ，是用拉丁文写的，一六四二年在比利时列日出版的。

Charles's head was still firm on his shoulders when this little brown-backed volume was struck off."

当这本棕色封面的小书出版的时候，查理的脑袋还牢靠地长在他的脖子上呢。"

"Who is the printer?"

"印刷人是谁？"

"Philippe de Croy, whoever he may have been.

"是菲利普·德克罗伊，不知道是个什么样的人物。

On the flyleaf, in very faded ink, is written 'Ex libris Guliolmi Whyte.'

书前扉页上写着'古列米·怀特藏书' ，墨水早已褪了色。

I wonder who William Whyte was. Some pragmatical seventeenth-century lawyer, I suppose.

也不知道威廉·怀特是谁，大概是一位十七世纪实证主义的法律家，

His writing has a legal twist about it.

连他的书法都带着一种法律家的风格呢。

Here comes our man, I think."

我想，那个人来了。"

As he spoke there was a sharp ring at the bell.

他说到这里，忽听门上铃声大震。

Sherlock Holmes rose softly and moved his chair in the direction of the door.

福尔摩斯轻轻地站了起来，把他的椅子向房门口移动了一下。

We heard the servant pass along the hall, and the sharp click of the latch as she opened it.

我们听到女仆走过门廊，听到她打开门闩的声音。

"Does Dr. Watson live here?" asked a clear but rather harsh voice.

"华生医生住在这儿吗？"一个语调粗鲁但很清晰的人问道。

We could not hear the servant's reply,

我们没有听到仆人的回答，

but the door closed, and someone began to ascend the stairs.

只听见大门又关上了，有人上楼来了。

The footfall was an uncertain and shuffling one.

脚步声慢吞吞地，象是拖着步子在走。

A look of surprise passed over the face of my companion as he listened to it.

我的朋友侧耳听着，脸上显出惊奇的样子。

It came slowly along the passage, and there was a feeble tap at the door.

脚步声缓慢地沿着过道走了过来，接着就听见轻微的叩门声。

"Come in," I cried.

"请进。"我高声说道。

At my summons, instead of the man of violence whom we expected,

应声进来的并不是我们预料中的那个凶神恶煞，

a very old and wrinkled woman hobbled into the apartment.

而是一位皱纹满面的老太婆，她蹒跚地走进房来。

She appeared to be dazzled by the sudden blaze of light,

她进来以后，被灯光骤然一照，好象照花了眼。

and after dropping a curtsey, she stood blinking at us with her bleared eyes

她行过礼后，站在那儿，老眼昏花地瞧着我们，

and fumbling in her pocket with nervous, shaky fingers.

她那痉挛颤抖的手指不停地在衣袋里摸索着。