福爾摩斯探案集·四簽名 第5期:演繹法的研究(5)

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"Not at all," I answered earnestly.

我懇切地回答道："非但不覺得心煩，

"It is of the greatest interest to me,

并且極感興趣。

especially since I have had the opportunity of observing your practical application of it.

這是因為我曾經(jīng)親自看見過你對于這些方法的應(yīng)用。

But you spoke just now of observation and deduction.

你方才談到觀察和推斷，

Surely the one to some extent implies the other."

當(dāng)然，在一定程度上，這兩方面是彼此關(guān)聯(lián)著的。"

"Why, hardly," he answered, leaning back luxuriously in his armchair and sending up thick blue wreaths from his pipe.

他舒服地靠在椅背上，從煙斗里噴出一股濃厚的藍煙來說道："沒有什么關(guān)聯(lián)。

"For example, observation shows me that you have been to the Wigmore Street Post-Office this morning,

舉例來說：觀察的結(jié)果說明，你今早曾到韋格摩爾街郵局去過，

but deduction lets me know that when there you dispatched a telegram."

而通過推斷，卻知道了，你在那里發(fā)過一封電報。"

"Right!" said I. "Right on both points!

我道："對！完全不錯！

But I confess that I don't see how you arrived at it.

但是我真不明白，你怎么知道的。

It was a sudden impulse upon my part, and I have mentioned it to no one."

那是我一時突然的行動，并沒有告訴任何人啊。"

"It is simplicity itself," he remarked, chuckling at my surprise

他看到我的驚奇，很得意地笑道："這個太簡單了，

"so absurdly simple that an explanation is superfluous;

簡直用不著解釋，

and yet it may serve to define the limits of observation and of deduction.

但是解釋一下倒可以分清觀察和推斷的范圍。

Observation tells me that you have a little reddish mould adhering to your instep.

我觀察到在你的鞋面上沾有一小塊紅泥，

Just opposite the Wigmore Street Office they have taken up the pavement and thrown up some earth,

韋格摩爾街郵局對面正在修路，從路上掘出的泥，

which lies in such a way that it is difficult to avoid treading in it in entering.

堆積在便道上，走進郵局的人很難不踏進泥里去，

The earth is of this peculiar reddish tint which is found,

那里的泥是一種特殊紅色的，

as far as I know, nowhere else in the neighbourhood.

據(jù)我了解，附近再沒有那種顏色的泥土了。

So much is observation. The rest is deduction."

這就是從觀察上得來的，其余的就都是由推斷得來的了。"

"How, then, did you deduce the telegram?"

"那么你怎么推斷到那封電報呢？"

"Why, of course I knew that you had not written a letter, since I sat opposite to you all morning.

"今天整整一個上午我都坐在你的對面，并沒有看見你寫過一封信。

I see also in your open desk there that you have a sheet of stamps and a thick bundle of postcards.

在你的桌子上面，我也注意到有一大整張的郵票和一捆明信片，

What could you go into the post-office for, then, but to send a wire?

那么你去郵局除了發(fā)電報還會作什么呢？

Eliminate all other factors, and the one which remains must be the truth."

除去其他的因素，剩下的必是事實了。"

"In this case it certainly is so," I replied after a little thought.

我略想了一想又道："這件事確實如此，

"The thing, however, is, as you say, of the simplest.

正合你的說法，這是最簡單的一件事了。

Would you think me impertinent if I were to put your theories to a more severe test?"

我現(xiàn)在給你一個比較復(fù)雜的考驗，你不覺得我魯莽吧？"

"On the contrary," he answered, "it would prevent me from taking a second dose of cocaine.

他答道："正相反，我很歡迎，這可以使我省去第二次注射可卡因了。

I should be delighted to look into any problem which you might submit to me."

你所提出的任何問題，我都高興研究。"