福尔摩斯探案集·血字的研究 第81期:案情回顾(3)
"I'll sit down, with your leave," the prisoner said, suiting the action to the word.
"请允许我坐下来讲吧。"犯人一面说，一面就不客气地坐了下来，
"This aneurism of mine makes me easily tired, and the tussle we had half an hour ago has not mended matters.
"我的这个血瘤症很容易使我感到疲乏，何况半个钟头以前，我们斗争了一番，这绝不会使病情有所改进。
I'm on the brink of the grave, and I am not likely to lie to you.
我已经是坟墓边上的人了，所以我是不会对你们说谎的。
Every word I say is the absolute truth, and how you use it is a matter of no consequence to me."
我所说的每一句话，都是千真万确的。至于你们究竟如何处置，这对我来说，就无关紧要了。"
With these words, Jefferson Hope leaned back in his chair and began the following remarkable statement.
杰弗逊·侯波说完这些话以后，就靠在椅背上，开始说出了下面这篇惊人的供词。
He spoke in a calm and methodical manner, as though the events which he narrated were commonplace enough.
他叙述时的态度从容不迫，并且讲得有条有理，好象他所说的事情十分平淡无奇。
I can vouch for the accuracy of the subjoined account,
我可以保证，这个补充供词完全正确无误，
for I have had access to Lestrade's notebook,
因为这是我乘机从雷斯垂德的笔记本上抄录下来的。
in which the prisoner's words were taken down exactly as they were uttered.
他是在他的笔记本中，把这个罪犯的供词按照他原来的说法，逐字逐句地记录了下来的。
"It don't much matter to you why I hated these men," he said;
他说："我为什么要恨这两个人，这一点对于你们说来，是无关紧要的。
"it's enough that they were guilty of the death of two human beings,a father and daughter
他们恶贯满盈，他们犯了罪，害死过两个人——一个父亲和一个女儿，
and that they had, therefore, forfeited their own lives.
因此他们付出了他们自己的性命，这也是罪有应得的。
After the lapse of time that has passed since their crime,
从他们犯罪以来，时间已经隔了这么久，
it was impossible for me to secure a conviction against them in any court.
我也不可能提出什么罪证，到任何一个法庭上去控告他们了。
I knew of their guilt though, and I determined that I should be judge, jury,
可是，我知道他们有罪，我打定主意，我要把法官、陪审员
and executioner all rolled into one.
和行刑的刽子手的任务全部由我一个人担当票来。
You'd have done the same, if you have any manhood in you, if you had been in my place.
如果你们是男子汉大丈夫，如果你们站在我的地位上，你们一定也会象我这样干的。
"That girl that I spoke of was to have married me twenty years ago.
"我刚才说到的那个姑娘，二十年前她本来是要嫁给我的，
She was forced into marrying that same Drebber, and broke her heart over it.
可是她却被迫嫁给了这个锥伯，以致使她含恨而死。
I took the marriage ring from her dead finger,
我从她遗体的手指上把这个结婚指环取了下来，
and I vowed that his dying eyes should rest upon that very ring,
当时我就发过誓，我一定要让锥伯瞧着这只指环毙命；
and that his last thoughts should be of the crime for which he was punished.
还要在他临死的时刻，让他认识到，是由于自己所干的罪恶，才受到了惩罚。
I have carried it about with me, and have followed him and his accomplice over two continents until I caught them.
我万里迢迢地踏遍了两大洲，追踪着锥伯和他的帮凶，一直到我追上了他们为止，这只戒指都一直带在身边。
They thought to tire me out, but they could not do it.
他们打算东奔西跑，把我拖垮；但是，他们是枉费心机。
If I die tomorrow, as is likely enough,
即使我明天就死——这是很有可能的，
I die knowing that my work in this world is done, and well done.
但是在我临死的时候，我总算知道了：我在这个世界上的工作已经完成了，而且是出色地完成了。
They have perished, and by my hand.
他们两个人已经死了，而且都是被我亲手杀死的，
There is nothing left for me to hope for, or to desire.
此外，我就再也没有什么别的希望和要求了。
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