福爾摩斯探案集·四簽名 第42期:木桶的插曲(4)

Holmes was standing on the doorstep with his hands in his pockets, smoking his pipe.

福爾摩斯正站在臺階上，兩手叉在衣袋里，口里銜著煙斗。

"Ah, you have him there!" said he. "Good dog, then!

他道："啊，你帶它來了！好狗，好狗！

Athelney Jones has gone. We have had an immense display of energy since you left.

埃瑟爾尼·瓊斯已經(jīng)走了。自從你走后，我們大吵了一陣。

He has arrested not only friend Thaddeus but the gatekeeper, the housekeeper, and the Indian servant.

他不但把我們的朋友塞笛厄斯逮捕了，并且連守門的人、女管家和印度仆人全捉去了。

We have the place to ourselves but for a sergeant upstairs. Leave the dog here and come up."

除在樓上留了警長一人以外，這院子已是屬于咱們的了。請把狗留在這兒，咱們上樓去。"

We tied Toby to the hall table and reascended the stairs.

我們把狗拴在門內(nèi)的桌子腿上，就又重新上樓去了。

The room was as we had left it, save that a sheet had been draped over the central figure.

房間里的一切仍保持著以前的樣子，只是在死者身上蒙了一塊床單。

A weary-looking police-sergeant reclined in the corner.

一個疲倦的警長斜靠在屋角里。

"Lend me your bull's eye, Sergeant," said my companion.

我的伙伴道："警長，請把你的牛眼燈借給我用一用。

"Now tie this bit of card round my neck, so as to hang it in front of me. Thank you.

把這塊紙板替我系在脖子上，好讓它掛在胸前。謝謝你！

Now I must kick off my boots and stockings. Just you carry them down with you, Watson.

現(xiàn)在我還要脫下靴子和襪子。華生，請你把靴襪帶下樓去，

I am going to do a little climbing. And dip my handkerchief into the creosote.

我現(xiàn)在要試一試攀登的本事。請你把這條手巾略蘸些木餾油，

That will do. Now come up into the garret with me for a moment."

好了，蘸一點就成。請再同我到屋頂室來一趟。"

We clambered up through the hole. Holmes turned his light once more upon the footsteps in the dust.

我們從洞口爬了上去。福爾摩斯重新用燈照著灰塵上的腳印，

"I wish you particularly to notice these footmarks," he said.

說道："請你特別注意這些腳印，

"Do you observe anything noteworthy about them?"

你看出這里有什么特殊的情況沒有？"

"They belong," I said, "to a child or a small woman."

我道："這是一個孩子或者一個矮小婦人的腳印。"

"Apart from their size, though. Is there nothing else?"

"除了腳的大小以外，沒有別的了嗎？"

"They appear to be much as other footmarks."

"好象和一般的都相同。"

"Not at all. Look here! This is the print of a right foot in the dust.

"絕不相同?？催@兒！這是灰塵里的一只右腳印，

Now I make one with my naked foot beside it. What is the chief difference?"

現(xiàn)在我在他旁邊印上一個我的光著腳的右腳印，你看看主要的區(qū)別在哪里？"

"Your toes are all cramped together. The other print has each toe distinctly divided."

"你的腳趾都并攏在一起，這個小腳印的五個指頭是分開的。"

"Quite so. That is the point. Bear that in mind.

"很對，說得正對，記住這一點。

Now, would you kindly step over to that flap-window and smell the edge of the woodwork?

現(xiàn)在請你到那個吊窗前嗅一嗅窗上的木框。

I shall stay over here, as I have this handkerchief in my hand."

我站在這邊，因為我拿著這條手巾呢。"

I did as he directed and was instantly conscious of a strong tarry smell.

我依著去嗅，覺得有一股沖鼻的木餾油氣味。

"That is where he put his foot in getting out.

"這是他臨走時用腳踩過的地方，

If you can trace him, I should think that Toby will have no difficulty.

如果你能辨得出來，透比辨別這氣味就更不成問題了。

Now run downstairs, loose the dog, and look out for Blondin."

現(xiàn)在請你下樓，放開透比，等我下來。"

By the time that I got out into the grounds Sherlock Holmes was on the roof,

我下樓回到院里的時候，福爾摩斯已經(jīng)到了屋頂。

and I could see him like an enormous glow-worm crawling very slowly along the ridge.

他胸前掛著燈，好象一個大螢火蟲在屋頂上慢慢地爬行。

I lost sight of him behind a stack of chimneys,

到煙囪后面就不見了，

but he presently reappeared and then vanished once more upon the opposite side.

后來又忽隱忽現(xiàn)地繞到后面去了。

When I made my way round there I found him seated at one of the corner eaves.

我就也轉(zhuǎn)到后面去，發(fā)現(xiàn)他正坐在房檐的一角上。

"That you, Watson?" he cried.

他喊道："那兒是你么，華生？"

"Yes."

"是我。"

"This is the place. What is that black thing down there?"

"這就是那個人上下的地方，下面那個黑東西是什么？"

"A water-barrel."

"一只水桶。"

"Top on it?"

"有蓋嗎？"

"Yes."

"有。"

"No sign of a ladder?"

"附近有梯子嗎？"

"No."

"沒有。"

"Confound the fellow! It's a most breakneck place.

"好混帳的東西！從這兒下來是最危險的了。

I ought to be able to come down where he could climb up.

可是他既然能夠從這兒爬上來，我就能從這兒跳下去。

The water-pipe feels pretty firm. Here goes, anyhow."

這個水管好象很堅固，隨他去吧，我下來了！"