福尔摩斯探案集·四签名 第57期:线索的中断

Chapter 9 A break in the chain

第九章 线索的中断

It was late in the afternoon before I woke, strengthened and refreshed.

下午我醒来的时候，时间已经不早，我的精神也已完全恢复了。

Sherlock Holmes still sat exactly as I had left him,

福尔摩斯已把提琴放在一旁，

save that he had laid aside his violin and was deep in a book.

坐在那里拿着一本书用心细读。

He looked across at me as I stirred, and I noticed that his face was dark and troubled.

他看到我醒来，对我望了望，神色很不愉快。

"You have slept soundly," he said. "I feared that our talk would wake you."

他道："你睡得很香，我恐怕我们说话的声音要把你吵醒了。"

"I heard nothing," I answered. "Have you had fresh news, then?"

我答道："我什么也没有听到，你得到什么新的消息没有？"

"Unfortunately, no. I confess that I am surprised and disappointed.

"不幸得很，还是没有。我真没有想到，也很失望，

I expected something definite by this time. Wiggins has just been up to report.

我预计到这时候总应当有确实消息来了。维金斯刚刚来报告过，

He says that no trace can be found of the launch.

他说汽船的踪迹一点儿也没有，

It is a provoking check, for every hour is of importance."

真是叫人着急。因为时机紧迫了，每一个钟头都是要紧的。"

"Can I do anything? I am perfectly fresh now, and quite ready for another night's outing."

"我能帮忙吗？我的精神已恢复了，再出去一夜也是没有问题。"

"No; we can do nothing. We can only wait.

"不，现在咱们什么也不能做，咱们只有等候消息。

If we go ourselves the message might come in our absence and delay be caused.

如果咱们现在出去，要是有消息到来，反而误事。

You can do what you will, but I must remain on guard."

你有事可随尊便，我必须在这里守候。"

"Then I shall run over to Camberwell and call upon Mrs. Cecil Forrester. She asked me to, yesterday."

"那么我想到坎伯韦尔去访问西色尔·弗里斯特夫人，昨天她已和我约定了。"

"On Mrs. Cecil Forrester?" asked Holmes with the twinkle of a smile in his eyes.

福尔摩斯的眼睛里闪动着笑意问道："是去访西色尔·弗里斯特夫人吗？"

"Well, of course on Miss Morstan, too. They were anxious to hear what happened."

"当然还有摩斯坦小姐，她们都急于要知道这个案子的消息。"

"I would not tell them too much," said Holmes.

福尔摩斯道："不要告诉她们太多，

"Women are never to be entirely trusted–not the best of them."

即使是最好的女人，也决不能完全信赖她们。"

I did not pause to argue over this atrocious sentiment.

对他这种不讲理的话，我并没有和他争辩，

"I shall be back in an hour or two," I remarked.

我说道："我在一两个钟头内就可以回来。"

"All right! Good luck! But, I say, if you are crossing the river you may as well return Toby,

"好吧！祝你一切顺利！如果你过河去的话，不妨把透比送回去，

for I don't think it is at all likely that we shall have any use for him now."

因为我想咱们现在不会再用它了。"

I took our mongrel accordingly and left him,

我依照他的话把透比归还了它的主人，

together with a half-sovereign, at the old naturalist's in Pinchin Lane.

在品琴里酬谢了他半个英镑。

At Camberwell I found Miss Morstan a little weary after her night's adventures but very eager to hear the news.

到了坎伯韦尔，会见了摩斯坦小姐。她经过昨夜的冒险，至今还有些疲倦，可是正在盼望着消息。

Mrs. Forrester, too, was full of curiosity.

弗里斯特夫人也是好奇心胜，

I told them all that we had done, suppressing, however, the more dreadful parts of the tragedy.

我向她们述说了所有的经过，保留一些凶险的地方没有说。

Thus, although I spoke of Mr. Sholto's death,

虽然说到舒尔托先生的被害，

I said nothing of the exact manner and method of it.

可是没有描写那些可怕的情况和凶手所用的凶器。

With all my omissions, however, there was enough to startle and amaze them.

就是如此约略地讲述了一遍，还是够叫她们听着惊奇有味的。

"It is a romance!" cried Mrs. Forrester.

弗里斯特夫人道："简直是一本小说！

"An injured lady, half a million in treasure, a black cannibal, and a wooden-legged ruffian.

一个被冤的女郎，五十万镑的宝物，一个吃人的黑生番，还有一个装木腿的匪徒。

They take the place of the conventional dragon or wicked earl."

这和一般小说的情节大不相同呢。"

"And two knight-errants to the rescue," added Miss Morstan with a bright glance at me.

摩斯坦小姐愉快地眼望着我说道："还有两位侠士的拯救呢。"

"Why, Mary, your fortune depends upon the issue of this search.

"可是梅丽，你的财富全依靠着这次的搜寻了。

I don't think that you are nearly excited enough.

我看你并不觉得怎样兴奋。

Just imagine what it must be to be so rich and to have the world at your feet!"

请想一想，若是一旦变成巨富，是多么可喜的事呀。”

It sent a little thrill of joy to my heart to notice that she showed no sign of elation at the prospect.

看到她对于即将致富这件事并没有什么特别高兴的表示，使我的心里感到无限的安慰。

On the contrary, she gave a toss of her proud head, as though the matter were one in which she took small interest.

她把头摇了摇，似乎对于这件事并不怎样关心。

"It is for Mr. Thaddeus Sholto that I am anxious," she said.

她道："我所最关心的就是塞笛厄斯·舒尔托先生的安全，

"Nothing else is of any consequence; but I think that he has behaved most kindly and honourably throughout.

其余的都不足挂齿。他在全案经过中的表现是非常厚道和可敬的，

It is our duty to clear him of this dreadful and unfounded charge."

我们有责任把他从这可耻和无根据的冤枉里洗刷出来。"