福爾摩斯探案集·綠玉皇冠案 第4期:幾近瘋癲的委托人(4)

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"My name," answered our visitor, "is probably familiar to your ears.

"我的名字，"我們的客人回答說(shuō)，"你們也許是熟悉的。

I am Alexander Holder, of the banking firm of Holder & Stevenson, of Threadneedle Street."

我是針線街霍爾德·史蒂文森銀行的亞歷山大·霍爾德。"

The name was indeed well known to u

這個(gè)名字我們的確很熟悉，

as belonging to the senior partner in the second largest private banking concern in the City of London.

他是倫敦城里第二家最大私人銀行的主要合伙人。

What could have happened, then, to bring one of the foremost citizens of London to this most pitiable pass?

究竟是什么事情會(huì)使倫敦一位第一流公民落到這樣可憐的境地？

We waited, all curiosity, until with another effort he braced himself to tell his story.

我們十分好奇地等待著他再振作起精神來(lái)陳述他自己的遭遇。

"I feel that time is of value," said he;

"我覺(jué)得時(shí)間很寶貴，"他說(shuō)，

"that is why I hastened here when the police inspector suggested that I should secure your cooperation.

"所以當(dāng)警廳巡官建議我取得你們的合作時(shí)，我就急速趕到這里來(lái)了。

I came to Baker Street by the Underground and hurried from there on foot, for the cabs go slowly through this snow.

我是乘坐地鐵并且急急忙忙步行來(lái)到貝克街的，因?yàn)轳R車(chē)在雪地上行駛緩慢。

That is why I was so out of breath, for I am a man who takes very little exercise.

所以我剛才氣都喘不過(guò)來(lái)，這是因?yàn)槲移綍r(shí)很少鍛煉的緣故。

I feel better now, and I will put the facts before you as shortly and yet as clearly as I can.

現(xiàn)在我感覺(jué)好一點(diǎn)了，我盡量簡(jiǎn)單明了地把事實(shí)講給你們聽(tīng)。

It is, of course, well known to you that in a successful banking business

當(dāng)然，你們都知道得很清楚，一家有成就的銀行

as much depends upon our being able to find remunerative investments for our funds

必須依靠善于為資金找到有利的投資，

as upon our increasing our connection and the number of our depositors.

同時(shí)還依靠能夠增加業(yè)務(wù)聯(lián)系和存戶(hù)的數(shù)目。

One of our most lucrative means of laying out money is in the shape of loans, where the security is unimpeachable.

我們投放資金最能獲利的方法之一是在絕對(duì)可靠的擔(dān)保之下，以貸款的方式將錢(qián)放貸出去。

We have done a good deal in this direction during the last few years,

這幾年來(lái)我們做了很多筆這種交易，

and there are many noble families to whom we have advanced large sums upon the security of their pictures, libraries, or plate."

許多名門(mén)貴族以他們珍藏的名畫(huà)，圖書(shū)或金銀餐具作為抵押起向我們借貸了大筆款項(xiàng)。"