PART1 Chapter1 夏洛克·福尔摩斯先生-双语名著无障碍阅读丛书——《福尔摩斯探案经典之血字的研究A Study in Scarlet》

PART 1 BEING A REPRINT FROM THE REMINISCENCES OF JOHN H.WATSON,M.D.. LATE OF THE ARMY MEDICAL DEPARTMENT 第一部 医学博士、前陆军军医约翰·H华生回忆录 Chapter 1 Mr.Sherlock Holmes In the year 1878 I took my degree of Doctor of Medicine of the University of London,and proceeded to Netley to go through the course prescribed for surgeons in the Army.Having completed my studies there,I was duly attached to the Fifth Northumberland Fusiliers as assistant surgeon.The regiment was stationed in India at the time,and before I could join it,the second Afghan war had broken out.On landing at Bombay,I learned that my corps had advanced through the passes,and was already deep in the enemy's country.I followed,however,with many other officers who were in the same situation as myself,and succeeded in reaching Candahar in safety,where I found my regiment,and at once entered upon my new duties. The campaign brought honours and promotion to many,but for me it had nothing but misfortune and disaster.I was removed from my brigade and attached to the Berkshires,with whom I served at the fatal battle of Maiwand. There I was struck on the shoulder by a Jezail bullet,which shattered the bone and grazed the subclavian artery.I should have fallen into the hands of the murderous Ghazis had it not been for the devotion and courage shown by Murray, my orderly,who threw me across a pack-horse,and succeeded in bringing me safely to the British lines. Worn with pain,and weak from the prolonged hardships which I had undergone,I was removed,with a great train of wounded sufferers,to the base ·002· 第一章夏洛克·福尔摩斯先生 1878年，我获得了伦敦大学的医学博士学位，接 ①proceed [pra'sid继续 做，接着做 着又到内特雷进修了为军队外科医生开设的课程。完 ②surgeon【'sa:d3onn.外科 成了在内特雷的进修之后，我立刻就被派往诺森伯兰 医生 ③fusilier [fju:z'lia】n.燧发 第五燧发枪团担任助理军医。该燧发枪团当时驻扎在 枪手 regiment ['red3imant]n. 印度，我还没有到达部队的驻地，第二次阿富汗战争 (军队的)团 就爆发了。我刚在孟买上岸，便就得知，自己所属的 那个团已经向前推进，跨过了重重关口，深入到了敌 人的腹地。然而，我和许多别的军官一道跟随了上去， 因为他们的处境也和我一样。最后我安全抵达了坎大 哈，找到了自己所属的团，于是立刻开始履行自己的 职责。 此次战争给许多人带来了荣誉和升迁，但给我带来 ⑤brigade[bri'geid]n.(军 队的)旅 的却是灾难和不幸。我被调离了所属部队，转到了伯克 ⑥fatal['feital]a.重大的 那步兵旅，跟随该旅参加了迈万德那场惨烈的战役。战 斗中，我的肩膀被一颗阿富汗长滑膛枪子弹击中，击碎 subclavian [sAb'kleivian] 了肩胛骨，擦破了锁骨下动脉。我的勤务兵默里忠诚热 a.锁骨下的 ⑧artery[a:tori]n.动脉 心，勇气可嘉，把我抬到驮马的背上，安全地送到了英 @orderly「's:doli]n.传令 兵；勤务兵 军阵地。要不是有他相救，我恐怕已经落人那些凶残狠 毒的伊斯兰圣战者手里了。 我因伤痛而面容憔悴，因经受长时间的艰难困苦 而体质虚弱，于是，随同一大批伤病员，转移到了位于 ·003· Chapter 1 Mr.Sherlock Holmes hospital at Peshawar.Here I rallied,and had already improved so far as to be able to walk about the wards②，and even to bask a little upon the verandah③， when I was struck down by enteric fever,that curse of our Indian possessions. For months my life was despaired of,and when at last I came to myself and became convalescent,I was so weak and emaciated that a medical board determined that not a day should be lost in sending me back to England.I was dispatched,accordingly,in the troopship Orontes,and landed a month later on Portsmouth jetty,with my health irretrievably ruined,but with permission from a paternal government to spend the next nine months in attempting to improve it. I had neither kith nor kin in England,and was therefore as free as air-or as free as an income of eleven shillings and sixpence a day will permit a man to be.Under such circumstances,I naturally gravitated to London,that great cesspool into which all the loungers and idlers of the Empire are irresistibly drained.There I stayed for some time at a private hotel in the Strand,leading a comfortless,meaningless existence,and spending such money as I had, considerably more freely than I ought.So alarming did the state of my finances become,that I soon realized that I must either leave the metropolis and rusticate somewhere in the country,or that I must make a complete alteration in my style of living.Choosing the latter alternative,I began by making up my mind to leave the hotel,and to take up my quarters in some less pretentious and less expensive domicile On the very day that I had come to this conclusion,I was standing at the Criterion Bar,when some one tapped me on the shoulder,and turning round I recognized young Stamford,who had been a dresser under me at Barts. The sight of a friendly face in the great wilderness of London is a pleasant thing indeed to a lonely man.In old days Stamford had never been a particular crony s of mine,but now I hailed him with enthusiasm,and he,in his turn, appeared to be delighted to see me.In the exuberance of my joy,I asked him to lunch with me at the Holborn,and we started off together in a hansom ·004· 第一章夏洛克·福尔摩斯先生 ①rally['reli精神振作， 白沙瓦的后方医院。我在医院里恢复了元气，身体已经 身体恢复 ②ward [wo:dn.病房 大有改善，能够在病房里四处走动了，甚至可以到阳台 ③verandah [vo'rando]n.阳 台 上晒晒太阳，但就在这个时候，我又染上了伤寒，这可 ④enteric fever伤寒 是印度特有的恶疾。几个月的时间里，我挣扎在死亡线 convalescent [.konva'les 上。最后，恢复了神志，身体慢慢痊愈，这时候，我 nta.渐愈的 6 emaciated li'meisieitid]a. 体质虚弱，形容枯槁，医疗委员会决定，把我送回英 憔悴的 国，一天都不能耽搁。因此，我搭乘“奥龙特斯”号运 兵船回国。一个月后，在朴次茅斯码头上了岸。我的健 ⑦paternal [pa'ta:nala.仁慈 康受到了无法逆转的摧残，不过，充满了慈爱之心的政 的 府允许我享受九个月的假期，设法让我的身体状况得到 改善。 我在英格兰举目无亲，因此，就像空气一样自由自 在—或者说，就像一个每天拥有十一先令六便士固定 ©gravitate['gravi,,teil被 收入的人一样，活得逍遥自在。在这种状况下，我自然 吸引到 @cesspool['sespu:ln.污秽 而然地选择了伦敦，因为这是个巨大的藏污纳垢之所， 之所 大英帝国的所有游手好闲之徒都对它趋之若鹜，蜂拥而 至。我在伦敦斯特兰德大街的一家私人旅馆里待了一段 时间，生活索然寡味，百无聊赖，花钱大手大脚，大大 rusticate ['rAsti.keit]v. 超出了自己承受能力。我在经济上变得很拮据了，于 农村定居 是，很快就意识到了，自己必须做出抉择，要么离开伦 敦，搬到乡下的某个地方去，要么彻底改变生活方式。 我选择了后者，决定搬离那家旅馆，寻找一个不那么奢 domicile['domisail]n.住 华、不那么昂贵的住处。 处 我做出了决定的当天，伫立在克莱蒂伦酒吧门口 突然感觉有人轻轻地拍了拍我的肩膀。回头一看，原来 dresser ['dres】n.外科手 是小斯坦福德，他是我在巴茨医院时的助手。偌大的伦 术助手 敦城，人海茫茫，能够见到一张亲切的面孔，对一个孤 独寂寞的人来说，确实是件倍感喜悦的事情。昔日，我 crony['krauni]n.朋友 exuberance [ig'zju:barans] 和斯坦福德并没有什么特别的交情，但这时候，我却热 m.热情洋溢 情洋溢地同他寒暄了起来，而他似乎也很高兴见到我。 5 hansom[haensaml n.二轮 双座小马车 兴奋之中，我邀请他和我一道到霍尔本餐厅共进午餐， ·005· Chapter 1 Mr.Sherlock Holmes "Whatever have you been doing with yourself,Watson?"he asked in undisguised wonder,as we rattled through the crowded London streets. “You are as thin as a lath and as brown as a nut..” I gave him a short sketch of my adventures,and had hardly concluded it by the time that we reached our destination. "Poor devil!"he said,commiseratingly,after he had listened to my misfortunes..“What are you up to now?” “Looking for lodgings.”I answered.“Trying to solve the problem as to whether it is possible to get comfortable rooms at a reasonable price." “That's a strange thing,”remarked my companion;“you are the second man to-day that has used that expression to me." “And who was the first??”I asked.. "A fellow who is working at the chemical laboratory up at the hospital.He was bemoaning himself this morning because he could not get someone to go halves with him in some nice rooms which he had found,and which were too much for his purse.” “By Jove!”I cried,.“if he really wants someone to share the rooms and the expense,I am the very man for him.I should prefer having a partner to being alone.” Young Stamford looked rather strangely at me over his wine-glass."You don't know Sherlock Holmes yet,"he said;"perhaps you would not care for him as a constant⑥companion.” "Why,what is there against him?" "Oh,I didn't say there was anything against him.He is a little queer in his ideas-an enthusiast in some branches of science.As far as I know he is a decent fellow enough." "A medical student,I suppose?"said I. "No-I have no idea what he intends to go in for.I believe he is well up in ·006· 第一章夏洛克·福尔摩斯先生「 于是我们便乘坐马车出发了。 D undisguised [Andis'qaizd] a.不加掩饰的 “你一直在忙些什么呢，华生？”我们乘坐的马 ②rattle['ret,格嗒格嗒 车辘辘驶过熙熙镶攘的伦敦街头时，他问了一声，惊 地行进 异之情溢于言表，“看你骨瘦如柴、面黄肌瘦的样 子。” 3 commiseratingly [ko'mizo. 我简略地向他叙述自己的遭遇，还没有叙述完，目 reitinli]ad.同情地 的地就到了。 “倒霉透顶啊！”他听了我的不幸遭遇之后，满怀 同情地说，“你现在在干什么呢？” “在寻找住处呢，”我回答说，“看看能不能找到价 格合理同时又舒适的房子。” “真是不可思议啊，”我的同伴说，“你是今天第二 个对我说同样的话的人。” “那第一个是什么人啊？”我问。 “是一个在医院实验室工作的人。他今天上午还 ④bemoan [bi'moun]v.抱怨 在唉声叹气，说他找到了一处寓所，可惜自己的经 济实力有限，付不起租金，正愁找不到合租的人呢。” “天哪，”我大声说，“如果他真想要找个人合租寓 ⑤by Jove天哪 所，分摊房租，我就是他最合适的人选。我正想要有个 伴儿，不喜欢一个人独居。” 小斯坦福德手里端着酒杯，表情怪异地看着我。 “你还不了解夏洛克·福尔摩斯那个人，”他说，“说不 定，你不会乐意同他长期共处呢。” ⑥constant[konstant]a.不 “啊，他品行有什么问题吗？” 变的 “噢，倒不是说他品行有问题。他只是想法有点怪 异—热衷于某些科学领域。就我所知道的情况来看， 他是个挺正派的人。” “我看他是研究医学的吧？”我问 “不是一我不知道他具体研究什么的。我认为， 他很熟悉解剖学，还是个一流的药剂师。但是，据我所 ⑦go in for从事，致力于 ⑧be well up in对…很精通 知，他从未接受过系统的医学教育，研究涉及的领域很 ·007· Chapter 1 Mr.Sherlock Holmes anatomy,and he is a first-class chemist;but,as far as I know,he has never taken out any systematic medical classes.His studies are very desultoryand eccentric③，but he has amassed③a lot of out-of-the-way⑤knowledge which would astonish his professors." "Did you never ask him what he was going in for?"I asked. "No;he is not a man that it is easy to draw out,though he can be communicative enough when the fancy seizes him." “I should like to meet him,”I said.“If I am to lodge with anyone, I should prefer a man of studious and quiet habits.I am not strong enough yet to stand much noise or excitement.I had enough of both in Afghanistan to last me for the remainder of my natural existence.How could I meet this friend of yours?" “He is sure to be at the laboratory,”returned my companion.“He either avoids the place for weeks,or else he works there from morning to night.If you like,we shall drive round together after luncheon." "Certainly,"I answered,and the conversation drifted away into other channels. As we made our way to the hospital after leaving the Holborn,Stamford gave me a few more particulars about the gentleman whom I proposed to take as a fellow-lodger. "You mustn't blame me if you don't get on with him,"he said;"I know nothing more of him than I have learned from meeting him occasionally in the laboratory.You proposed this arrangement,so you must not hold me responsible.” "If we don't get on it will be easy to part company,"I answered."It seems to me,Stamford,"I added,looking hard at my companion,"that you have some reason for washing your hands of the matter.Is this fellow's temper so formidable⑦，or what is it?Don't be mealy-mouthed③about it..” "It is not easy to express the inexpressible,"he answered with a laugh. "Holmes is a little too scientific for my tastes-it approaches to cold- ·008· 第一章夏洛克·福尔摩斯先生 ①anatomy [a'natomi]n.解 庞杂怪异。不过，倒是积累了大量偏僻冷门的知识，令 剖学 @desultory ['desal,to:ri]a. 教授们都大为惊讶。” 杂乱的 ③eccentric lik'sentrik]a.怪 “你就没有问过他，到底在研究什么东西吗？”我问。 异的 ④amass [o'maes],积累 “没有，他不是那种能轻易被人把心里话套出来的 ⑤out-of-thc-way【autav 人，不过兴致上来了，也还是挺健谈的。” 3'weil a.冷僻的，奇特 的 “我想见见他，”我说，“如果要找个人合住的话， @draw out引出：引.畅 谈 我倒是想找个勤奋刻苦、喜欢安静的人。我身体还不是 很好，受不了太多的吵闹或者刺激。我在阿富汗时，这 两种情形都受够了，一辈子都不想再受那个罪了。我怎 样才能见到你那位朋友呢？” “他肯定在实验室里，”我的同伴回答说，“他要么 几个星期都不去那儿，要么一天到晚泡在那儿。如果你 愿意，我们午餐后一道乘车过去。” “没问题！”我回答说，然后话题就转到别的方面 去了。 在我们离开霍尔本餐厅前往医院的途中，斯坦福 德又向我介绍了一些关于我想要与其合租的那位先生的 情况。 “如果你同他相处得不融洽，可不要责怪我啊，”他 说，“我只是偶尔在实验室里碰到他，对他的情况略微 知道一点点而已。合租寓所的事情是你自己提出来的， 所以，有什么事情我可不负责任。” “如果我们合不来，分开也很容易啊，”我回答说。 “我觉得吧，斯坦福德，”我接着又说，眼睛盯着我的同 伴，“你想要撇清自己与此事的关系，这其中一定有原 因吧？那家伙是脾气暴躁呢，还是别的什么？你就别藏 着掖着的啦。” formidable ['fo:midobl]a. “对于无法说得清楚的情况，当然不好怎么说啦，” 可怕的 mealy-mouthed ['mi:li.m 他回答说，哈哈笑了起来，“按照我的标准来判断，福 auod]a.说话拐弯抹角的 尔摩斯有点科学过了头一近乎于冷血。我可以想象得 到，他会拿一小撮新配制的生物碱给他的某个朋友尝， ·009· Chapter 1 Mr.Sherlock Holmes bloodedness.I could imagine his giving a friend a little pinch of the latest vegetable alkaloid,not out of malevolence,you understand,but simply out of a spirit of inquiry in order to have an accurate idea of the effects.To do him justice,I think that he would take it himself with the same readiness.He appears to have a passion for definite and exact knowledge." Very right too.” "Yes,but it may be pushed to excess.When it comes to beating the subjects in the dissecting-rooms with a stick,it is certainly taking rather a bizarre shape.” “Beating the subjects！' "Yes,to verify how far bruises may be produced after death.I saw him at it with my own eyes.” "And yet you say he is not a medical student?" "No.Heaven knows what the objects of his studies are.But here we are, and you must form your own impressions about him."As he spoke,we turned down a narrow lane and passed through a small side-door,which opened into a wing of the great hospital.It was familiar ground to me,and I needed no guiding as we ascended the bleak stone staircase and made our way down the long corridor with its vista of whitewashed wall and dun-coloured doors. Near the further end a low arched passage branched away from it and led to the chemical laboratory. This was a lofty chamber,lined and littered with countless bottles.Broad, low tables were scattered about,which bristled with retorts,test-tubes,and little Bunsen lamps,with their blue flickering flames.There was only one student in the room,who was bending over a distant table absorbed in his work. At the sound of our steps he glanced round and sprang to his feet with a cry of pleasure."I've found it!I've found it,"he shouted to my companion,running towards us with a test-tube in his hand."I have found a re-agent which is precipitated by haemoglobin,and by nothing else."Had he discovered a gold mine,greater delight could not have shone upon his features. ·010·