PART1 Chapter7 黑暗中的光明-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》

Chapter 7 Light in the Darkness The intelligence with which Lestrade greeted us was so momentous and so unexpected,that we were all three fairly dumfoundered.Gregson sprang out of his chair and upset the remainder of his whiskey and water.I stared in silence at Sherlock Holmes,whose lips were compressed and his brows drawn down over his eyes. “Stangerson too!"he muttered..“The plot thickens.” "It was quite thick enough before,"grumbled Lestrade,taking a chair."I seem to have dropped into a sort of council of war." "Are you-are you sure of this piece of intelligence?"stammered Gregson. "I have just come from his room,"said Lestrade."I was the first to discover what had occurred..” "We have been hearing Gregson's view of the matter,"Holmes observed. "Would you mind letting us know what you have seen and done?" "I have no objection,"Lestrade answered,seating himself."I freely confess that I was of the opinion that Stangerson was concerned in the death of Drebber.This fresh development has shown me that I was completely mistaken. Full of the one idea,I set myself to find out what had become of the secretary. They had been seen together at Euston Station about half-past eight on the evening of the 3rd.At two in the morning Drebber had been found in the Brixton ·118: 第七章黑暗中的光明 D intelligence [in'telid3ons] 莱斯特雷德进门告诉我们的这个消息，非常重大， n.消息 2 momentous [mou'mentas] 而且出人意料，我们三个人惊得目瞪口呆。格雷格森从 a重大的 ③dumfounder'dam,fau 坐着的椅子上一跃而起，把还没有喝完的威士忌加水都 nda]v=dumbfounder,使 给打翻了。我一声没吭地盯着福尔摩斯看，只见他双唇 惊讶 compresser [kam'prest]a. 紧闭，双眉紧锁。 紧闭的 “斯坦格森也遇害了，”他喃喃地说，“案情更复杂 了。” “先前就够复杂了，”菜斯特雷德抱怨着说，在椅子 上坐了下来，“我好像参加了一个军事会议啊。” 5 council ['kaunsal]n.会议 “你这个一你这个消息可靠吗？”格雷格森结结 巴巴地问。 “我刚从他的住处过来，”莱斯特雷德说，“我是第 一个到现场的。” “我们刚才在听格雷格森谈他对案件的看法呢，”福 尔摩斯说，“能请您谈谈自己的看法和做法吗？” objection [ab'dsekfon]n “没有问题，”莱斯特雷德说，坐正了身子，“坦白 反对 地说，我先前以为，斯坦格森与德雷伯的死有关系，但 出现这个新情况后，我明白，自己完全弄错了。我满脑 子是这个想法，于是着手去寻找秘书的下落。3日晚上 八点半钟左右，有人看见他们两个一同出现在尤斯顿火 车站。凌晨两点，德雷伯的尸体在布里克斯顿大街被发 ·119· Chapter 7 Light in the Darkness Road.The question which confronted me was to find out how Stangerson had been employed between 8:30 and the time of the crime,and what had become of him afterwards.I telegraphed to Liverpool,giving a description of the man, and warning them to keep a watch upon the American boats.I then set to work calling upon all the hotels and lodging-houses in the vicinity of Euston.You see,I argued that if Drebber and his companion had become separated,the natural course for the latter would be to put up somewhere in the vicinity for the night,and then to hang about the station again next morning." "They would be likely to agree on some meeting-place beforehand," remarked Holmes. "So it proved.I spent the whole of yesterday evening in making inquiries entirely without avail.This morning I began very early,and at eight o'clock I reached Halliday's Private Hotel,in Little George Street.On my inquiry as to whether a Mr. Stangerson was living there,they at once answered me in the affirmative. "No doubt you are the gentleman whom he was expecting,'they said.He has been waiting for a gentleman for two days.' ""Where is he now?'I asked. "He is upstairs in bed.He wished to be called at nine.' "I will go up and see him at once,'I said. "It seemed to me that my sudden appearance might shake his nerves and lead him to say something unguarded.The boots volunteered to show me the room:it was on the second floor,and there was a small corridor leading up to it.The boots pointed out the door to me,and was about to go downstairs again when I saw something that made me feel sickish,in spite of my twenty years' experience.From under the door there curled a little red ribbon of blood, which had meandered across the passage and formed a little pool along the skirting at the other side.I gave a cry,which brought the boots back.He nearly fainted when he saw it.The door was locked on the inside,but we put our shoulders to it,and knocked it in.The window of the room was open,and beside the window,all huddled up,lay the body of a man in his nightdress. ·120· 第七章黑暗中的光明 confront[kan'frAnt]v.遭 现。我要弄明白的问题是，八点半到谋杀案发生这段时 多 间里，斯坦格森是怎么度过的，随后又干什么去了。我 给利物浦发了封电报，描述了斯坦格森的外貌特征，要 他们密切关注美国船只。我随后就去走访尤斯顿火车站 附近所有的旅馆和公寓。你们知道吧，我认为，如果德 ②vicinity [vi'siniti].附近 雷伯和他的同伴分开了，后者自然会在附近找个地方过 夜，以便次日再去火车站乘车。” “他们可能事先约好了会面的地点呢。”福尔摩 斯说。 “事实果然如此，我昨天整个傍晚都在寻访，但毫 无结果。今天一大早，我就又开始了，八点钟时，寻访 ③avail【o'veil训n.效益，收 到小乔治街的哈利德私人旅馆，我问是否有一位叫斯坦 获 格森的先生住在那儿时，他们立刻回答说有。” “·您肯定就是他一直在等的那位先生了吧！’他们 affirmative [a'fa:mativ]a. 肯定的 说，‘他都等您两天了。’ “‘他在哪儿？’我问。 “·在楼上，还没起床。他吩咐过，九点时叫醒他。’ “·我这就上楼去找他，’我说 “我当时想，自己突然出现，可能会令他措手不 及，使他在猝不及防之下吐露出点实情来。旅馆里的 擦鞋工主动领着我去那个房间，房间在三楼，一条狭 ⑤boots [bu:ts]n.擦鞋人 窄的走廊直通到房门口。擦鞋工把房间的门指给了我 之后，正要转身下楼，突然，我看到了让人非常恶心 的景象，自已尽管有二十年的办案经历，但那景象还 是让我感到恶心。一道由鲜血组成的细小的红线从门 ⑥ribbon['riban]n.带子 底下延伸出来，弯弯曲曲地流过过道，在对面的墙脚 ⑦meander【mi'End】y蜿 下形成了一个小小的血泊。我不禁大叫了一声，引得 蜒而流 擦鞋工返回了。他看见血之后几乎要晕过去了。那房 门反锁了，我们用肩撞开了门。房间的窗户敞开着， 旁边躺着一具身穿睡衣的男尸，蜷缩成一团。他早就 ⑧huddle[hd训蜷缩 死了，因为四肢已经僵硬冰凉。我们给他翻了个身， ·121· Chapter 7 Light in the Darkness He was quite dead,and had been for some time,for his limbs were rigid and cold.When we turned him over,the boots recognized him at once as being the same gentleman who had engaged the room under the name of Joseph Stangerson.The cause of death was a deep stab in the left side,which must have penetrated the heart.And now comes the strangest part of the affair. What do you suppose was above the murdered man?" I felt a creeping of the flesh,and a presentiment of coming horror,even before Sherlock Holmes answered. "The word RACHE,written in letters of blood,"he said. "That was it,"said Lestrade,in an awe-struck voice;and we were all silent for a while. There was something so methodical and so incomprehensible about the deeds of this unknown assassin,that it imparted a fresh ghastliness to his crimes.My nerves,which were steady enough on the field of battle tingled as I thought of it. "The man was seen,"continued Lestrade."A milk boy,passing on his way to the dairy,happened to walk down the lane which leads from the mews at the back of the hotel.He noticed that a ladder,which usually lay there,was raised against one of the windows of the second floor,which was wide open.After passing,he looked back and saw a man descend the ladder.He came down so quietly and openly that the boy imagined him to be some carpenter or joiner at work in the hotel.He took no particular notice of him,beyond thinking in his own mind that it was early for him to be at work.He has an impression that the man was tall,had a reddish face,and was dressed in a long,brownish coat.He must have stayed in the room some little time after the murder,for we found blood- stained water in the basin,where he had washed his hands,and marks on the sheets where he had deliberately wiped his knife." I glanced at Holmes on hearing the description of the murderer,which tallied so exactly with his own.There was,however,no trace of exultation or satisfaction upon his face. ·122· 第七章黑暗中的光明 擦鞋工立刻就认出，他就是这房间的住客，名叫约瑟 ①rigid['ridsid].僵硬的 夫·斯坦格森。他是被人用匕首刺入左侧致死的，一 定刺到心脏了。接着便出现了最不可思议的一幕。你 ②stab [stacb]刺入 们猜猜看，遇害者的上方有什么？” ③penetrate[penitreit)v.穿 福尔摩斯还没来得及回答，我就感觉全身肌肉发 透：刺入 抖，预感到恐怖的情况要发生。 “‘RACHE’一词，是用血写的。”他说 ④creeping'kri:pigln.蠕 动，这里指麻木，战栗 “就是这样。”菜斯特雷德说，语气中充满了恐惧。 5presentiment [pri'zenti nt]n.对不详事物的预 一时间，我们全都沉默不语。 感 那个不明身份的杀人凶手行动起来有条不紊，而且 令人费解，这就使他犯下的罪行显得更加恐怖。我在战 6methodical [mi'0odikall a. 场上能够做到临危不惧，但一想到这一点，心里还是不 有条不素的 ⑦assassin [a'saesin]n.行刺 禁发颤。 者，暗杀者 “有人见到过凶手，”莱斯特雷德接着说，“有个送 ⑧tingle'tingl]v.有刺痛 感：震颠 牛奶的小伙子去牛奶店取奶，途中正好路过旅馆后面 那条通往马厩的小巷。他注意到，有张梯子平常是倒 着放在那儿的，这时却被支起来了，靠在三楼一个敞 ⑨mews【mju:zn.马厩 开着的窗户口。他走过之后，回头看了一眼，结果看 到有个人从梯子上下来，从从容容，大大方方，小伙 子认为他是在旅馆做事的木匠或者细木工什么的，所 以便没有特别注意他，心里面只是嘀咕着，那人来干 joiner['d3oin)n细木工 活儿也够早的。在他的印象中，那人个头挺高，红脸 庞，穿了件很长的棕褐色外套。他杀了人之后一定还 在房里逗留了一阵，因为我们发现脸盆里面有血水 他在盆里洗过手了。床单上有血迹，说明他从从容容 地擦过刀。” 我听到对凶手相貌特征的描述与福尔摩斯所说的很 相吻合之后，便瞥了他一眼。然而，他的脸上没有流露 出半点兴奋或满意的神色。 tally ['taeli]v.吻合 “你们就没有在那房间里发现什么可以追寻凶手的 线索吗？”他问。 ·123· Chapter 7 Light in the Darkness "Did you find nothing in the room which could furnish a clue to the murderer?"he asked. "Nothing.Stangerson had Drebber's purse in his pocket,but it seems that this was usual,as he did all the paying.There was eighty odd pounds in it,but nothing had been taken.Whatever the motives of these extraordinary crimes,robbery is certainly not one of them.There were no papers or memoranda in the murdered man's pocket,except a single telegram,dated from Cleveland about a month ago, and containing the words,J.H.is in Europe.'There was no name appended to this message.” "And there was nothing else?"Holmes asked. "Nothing of any importance.The man's novel,with which he had read himself to sleep was lying upon the bed,and his pipe was on a chair beside him. There was a glass of water on the table,and on the window-sill a small chip ointment box containing a couple of pills." Sherlock Holmes sprang from his chair with an exclamation of delight. "The last link,.”he cried,exultantly.“My case is complete.” The two detectives stared at him in amazement. "I have now in my hands,"my companion said,confidently,"all the threads which have formed such a tangle.There are,of course,details to be filled in, but I am as certain of all the main facts,from the time that Drebber parted from Stangerson at the station,up to the discovery of the body of the latter,as if I had seen them with my own eyes.I will give you a proof of my knowledge.Could you lay your hand upon those pills?" "I have them,"said Lestrade,producing a small white box;"I took them and the purse and the telegram,intending to have them put in a place of safety at the Police Station.It was the merest chance my taking these pills,for I am bound to say that I do not attach any importance to them." “Give them here,”said Holmes..Now,Doctor,,”turning to me,.“are those ordinary pills'?” They certainly were not.They were of a pearly grey colour,small, ·124· 第七章黑暗中的光明 “什么也没有发现。斯坦格森的衣服口袋里也放着 德雷伯的钱包呢，这看起来很正常，因为付钱的事情都 是他负责的。钱包里面有八十多英镑，分文不少。不管 ①odd [od]a,零头的 这两桩谋杀案的动机如何，但肯定不是为了谋财而害命 的。被害人的衣服口袋里没有什么文件或日记本，只有 2 memorandum [,mema'rae 一份电报，是一个月前从克利夫兰城发过来的，电文的 ndm](复数memoran da)n.备忘录；便笺 内容是JH在欧洲’，没有落款。” “就没有别的什么了吗？”福尔摩斯问。 ③append ['pend]v附加： “没什么重要东西了。死者有本小说放在床上，是 签（名） 他临睡前看的。其烟斗放在他旁边的一把椅子上。桌子 上有一杯水。窗台上有个小药膏盒，里面装着两粒药 丸。” window-sill ['windau,sil] 夏洛克·福尔摩斯从坐着的椅子一跃站起身，高兴 n.窗台 ⑤ointment[sintm3ntln.软 得大喊了起来。 膏 “这是最后的一个环节，”他大声说着，心情激动， “我对案情的分析完整了。” 两位警探眼睁睁地看着他，惊愕不已。 “缠绕在一起的线索，”我的同伴说，信心满满， “我现在全都掌握在手上了。当然，还需要补充一些细 节，但是，我相信，主要的事实都已经全部弄清楚了， 从德雷伯同斯坦格森在火车站分别，到发现后者的尸 体，我就像是亲眼看见似的。我会把这些情况证明给你 们看的。那两颗药丸您带来了吗？” “带来了，”莱斯特雷德说着，随即拿出一个白色的 小盒，“药丸、钱包和电报我都随身带着，准备放到警 局去妥善保管。拿着药丸纯属巧合，因为说实在的，我 并不觉得药丸有什么重要的。” “请把药丸放在这儿吧，”福尔摩斯说。“对啦，医 生，”他转身对着我说，“这两颗药丸是普通的那种 吗？ ⑥pearly['pa:lla.珍珠似的 肯定不是普通药丸，就像是珍珠，呈灰白色，又小 125· Chapter 7 Light in the Darkness round,and almost transparent against the light."From their lightness and transparency,I should imagine that they are soluble in water,"I remarked. “Precisely so,”answered Holmes.“Now would you mind going down and fetching that poor little devil of a terrier which has been bad so long,and which the landlady wanted you to put out of its pain yesterday." I went downstairs and carried the dog upstair in my arms.It's laboured breathing and glazing eye showed that it was not far from its end.Indeed,its snow-white muzzle proclaimed that it had already exceeded the usual term of canine existence.I placed it upon a cushion on the rug. "I will now cut one of these pills in two,"said Holmes,and drawing his penknife he suited the action to the word."One half we return into the box for future purposes.The other half I will place in this wine glass,in which is a teaspoonful of water.You perceive that our friend,the Doctor,is right,and that it readily dissolves⑦.” "This may be very interesting,"said Lestrade,in the injured tone of one who suspects that he is being laughed at,"I cannot see,however,what it has to do with the death of Mr.Joseph Stangerson." "Patience,my friend,patience!You will find in time that it has everything to do with it.I shall now add a little milk to make the mixture palatable,and on presenting it to the dog we find that he laps it up readily enough." As he spoke he turned the contents of the wine glass into a saucer and placed it in front of the terrier,who speedily licked it dry.Sherlock Holmes's earnest demeanour had so far convinced us that we all sat in silence,watching the animal intently,and expecting some startling effect.None such appeared, however.The dog continued to lie stretched upon the cushion,breathing in a laboured way,but apparently neither the better nor the worse for its draught Holmes had taken out his watch,and as minute followed minute without result,an expression of the utmost chagrin and disappointment appeared ·126· 第七章 黑暗中的光明 O transparent [traens peoront] 又圆，在光线下几乎是透明的。“分量轻，透明，根据 a.透明的 ②soluble's3 ljubl]a.可溶 这个情况，应该是可以溶于水的。”我说。 的 “一点没错，是这样的，”福尔摩斯回答说，“现在 ③terrier ['terio]m.小猎犬 麻烦你下楼去把那只小猎狗抱上来好吗？可怜的小东西 已经病了很久了，房东太太昨天还求你让它结束痛苦 呢。” 我下楼把小狗抱上了楼。只见它呼吸困难，目光呆 滞，离死不远了。确实，从它雪白的鼻翼就可以看出， ④muzzle'mAzl].鼻口部 其年龄已经超过了犬类通常的寿限。我把它放在地毯上 ⑤canine['keinain]a.犬类 的 的一个靠垫上。 ⑥cushion[kufon]n.垫子 “我现在把其中的一颗药丸切开，”福尔摩斯说着， 用小刀把药丸切成两半，“半颗放回盒子，以备日后使 用。另外半颗放进这个酒杯里，杯里有一茶匙水。你们 看看，我的朋友华生医生说得没错，它在水里可以轻易 ⑦dissolve [di'zolW溶解 溶解。” “这可能很有趣，”莱斯特雷德说着，听他的语气， 就好像是觉得有人在嘲笑他，自尊心倍受伤害一样， “然而，我看不出，这同约瑟夫·斯坦格森先生的死有 什么关系。” “耐心点，我的朋友啊，耐心点！您到时就会发现， palatable ['paelatabl]a. 关系可密切着呢。我这就往里面加点牛奶，味道就好 味的 了，端到这条狗面前，它马上就会舔个精光。” 说着，他就把酒杯里的液体倒进一个托盘，放在 小猎狗的面前。小狗迅速就把盘子舔干了。福尔摩斯严 肃的样子，早已使我们深信不疑。我们全都沉默不语地 坐着，专注地盯着那条狗，看看会有什么惊人的事情 发生。然而，什么事情也没有发生，小狗仍然趴在垫子 上，呼吸急促。很显然，药丸既对它没有什么好处，也 draught (dra:fti.剂量 对它没有什么坏处。 福尔摩斯先前已经掏出了自己的怀表，看着时间一 网chagrin[e'grin]m.懊恼 分一秒地过去，但毫无结果，他满脸懊恼沮丧，咬着嘴 ·127·