福爾摩斯探案集·歪唇男人 第38期:揭開迷霧(11)
"I do not know that there is anything else for me to explain.
"我不知道是不是還有些什么別的需要我解釋的地方。
I was determined to preserve my disguise as long as possible, and hence my preference for a dirty face.
我當時下定決心長期保持我那化裝的樣子，所以我寧愿臉上臟一點也沒關(guān)系。
Knowing that my wife would be terribly anxious,
我曉得我的老婆一定焦急萬分，
I slipped off my ring and confided it to the lascar at a moment when no constable was watching me,
我就取下戒指，乘警察不在意的時候，托付給那印度阿三，
together with a hurried scrawl, telling her that she had no cause to fear."
還匆匆寫了幾行字，告訴我的妻子不必害怕。"
"That note only reached her yesterday," said Holmes.
"那封信昨天才寄到她的手里，"福爾摩斯說。
"Good God! What a week she must have spent!"
"我的天！這一個星期可真夠她熬的！"
"The police have watched this lascar," said Inspector Bradstreet,
"警察看住了那個印度阿三，"布雷茲特里特巡官說，
"and I can quite understand that he might find it difficult to post a letter unobserved.
"我很了解：他會覺得要想把信寄出去而不被發(fā)現(xiàn)是困難的。
Probably he handed it to some sailor customer of his, who forgot all about it for some days."
大概他把信又轉(zhuǎn)托給某個當海員的顧客，而那家伙又把它一股腦兒地忘了幾天。"
"That was it," said Holmes, nodding approvingly; "I have no doubt of it.
"就是這么一回事，"福爾摩斯說，點點頭表示同意，"我相信就是這樣。
But have you never been prosecuted for begging?"
可是你從來沒有因為行騙而被控告過嗎？"
"Many times; but what was a fine to me?"
"有過多次了，但是，一點罰款對我來說又算得了什么呢？"
"It must stop here, however," said Bradstreet.
"不過事情必須到此為止，"布雷茲特里特說，
"If the police are to hush this thing up, there must be no more of Hugh Boone."
"如果要警察局不聲張出去，必須是休·布恩不再存在了。"
"I have sworn it by the most solemn oaths which a man can take."
"我已經(jīng)最鄭重地發(fā)過誓了。"
"In that case I think that it is probable that no further steps may be taken.
"要是這樣，我想大概也就不會再深究下去了。
But if you are found again, then all must come out.
可是，你如下次再犯，那我們就要全盤托出。
I am sure, Mr. Holmes, that we are very much indebted to you for having cleared the matter up.
福爾摩斯先生，我得說我們非常感謝您幫助我們澄清這個案件！
I wish I knew how you reach your results."
我希望知道您又是怎樣得出這個答案來的呢？"
"I reached this one," said my friend, "by sitting upon five pillows and consuming an ounce of shag.
"這個答案，"福爾摩斯說，"是全靠坐在五個枕頭上，抽完一盎司板煙絲得來的。
I think, Watson, that if we drive to Baker Street we shall just be in time for breakfast."
我想，華生，如果我們坐車去貝克街，正好趕上吃早飯。"
