福爾摩斯探案集·四簽名 第48期:貝克街的偵探小隊
Chapter 8 The Baker Street Irregulars
第八章 貝克街的偵探小隊
"What now?" I asked. "Toby has lost his character for infallibility."
我問道：“現(xiàn)在怎么辦呢？透比也失去了它百發(fā)百中的能力了?！?/p>
"He acted according to his lights," said Holmes,
福爾摩斯說道：“透比是根據(jù)它自己的見解行動的，
lifting him down from the barrel and walking him out of the timber-yard.
他把透比從桶上抱下來，牽著它出了木場，
"If you consider how much creosote is carted about London in one day,
如果你計算一下每天在倫敦市內(nèi)木餾油的運輸量，
it is no great wonder that our trail should have been crossed.
那你就可以明白為什么咱們走錯了路。
It is much used now, especially for the seasoning of wood. Poor Toby is not to blame."
現(xiàn)在使用木餾油的地方很多，特別是用在木料的防腐上面，不應當怪罪透比?！?/p>
"We must get on the main scent again, I suppose."
我建議道：“咱們還是順原路回到油味被混雜了的地方去吧?！?/p>
"Yes. And, fortunately, we have no distance to go.
"是啊，幸虧路途不遠。
Evidently what puzzled the dog at the corner of Knight's Place was that
透比在騎士街左邊曾經(jīng)猶豫不定，
there were two different trails running in opposite directions.
顯然是油味的方向在那兒分歧了。
We took the wrong one. It only remains to follow the other."
咱們走上了錯路，現(xiàn)在只有順著另外一條路去找?！?/p>
There was no difficulty about this.
一點兒也沒有費事，
On leading Toby to the place where he had committed his fault,
我們牽著透比回到了原來發(fā)生錯誤的地點。
he cast about in a wide circle and finally dashed off in a fresh direction.
透比轉(zhuǎn)了一個大圈，就向一個新的方向奔去了。
"We must take care that he does not now bring us to the place where the creosote-barrel came from," I observed.
我說道：“要當心透比，不要讓它把咱們引到原來運出木餾油桶的地方去?！?/p>
"I had thought of that.
"這點我也想到啦。
But you notice that he keeps on the pavement, whereas the barrel passed down the roadway.
可是你看它在人行道上跑，運木桶的車應當在馬路上走，
No, we are on the true scent now."
所以這次咱們沒有走錯路?！?/p>
It tended down towards the riverside, running through Belmont Place and Prince's Street.
經(jīng)過貝爾芒特路和太子街，它奔向河濱，
At the end of Broad Street it ran right down to the water's edge, where there was a small wooden wharf.
一直到了寬街河邊的一個小的用木材修成的碼頭上。
Toby led us to the very edge of this and there stood whining, looking out on the dark current beyond.
透比把我們引到緊靠水邊的地方，站在那里看著河水，從鼻子里發(fā)出哼聲。
"We are out of luck," said Holmes. "They have taken to a boat here."
福爾摩斯道：“咱們的運氣不好，他們從這里上了船啦。”
Several small punts and skiffs were lying about in the water and on the edge of the wharf.
碼頭上系著幾只小平底船和小艇。
We took Toby round to each in turn, but though he sniffed earnestly he made no sign.
我們把透比引到各小船上，雖然它都很認真地聞了聞，可是沒做出任何表示。
Close to the rude landing-stage was a small brick house,
靠近登船的地方，有一所小磚房，
with a wooden placard slung out through the second window.
在第二個窗口上掛著一個木牌子，
"Mordecai Smith" was printed across it in large letters,
上面有幾個大字寫道：“茂迪凱·斯密司”。
and, underneath, "Boats to hire by the hour or day."
下面有小字寫著：“船只出租：按時按日計價均可?！?/p>
A second inscription above the door informed us that a steam launch was kept
在門上另外有一塊牌子，上面說這里另備有小汽船。
a statement which was confirmed by a great pile of coke upon the jetty.
碼頭上堆積著許多焦炭，可以知道就是這個汽船的燃料。
Sherlock Holmes looked slowly round, and his face assumed an ominous expression.
福爾摩斯慢慢地把四周看了一遍，臉上很不高興。
"This looks bad," said he. "These fellows are sharper than I expected.
他道：“這件事看來有些麻煩。他們的精明是出乎我意料的
They seem to have covered their tracks. There has, I fear, been preconcerted management here."
他們事先就準備把行蹤隱蔽起來。”
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