海军协定（25）

“I've heard of your methods before now, Mr. Holmes,” said he, tartly¹. “You are ready enough to use all the information that the police can lay at your disposal, and then you try to finish the case yourself and bring discredit² on them.”

“On the contrary,” said Holmes, “out of my last fifty-three cases my name has only appeared in four, and the police have had all the credit in forty-nine. I don't blame you for not knowing this, for you are young and inexperienced, but if you wish to get on in your new duties you will work with me and not against me.”

“I'd be very glad of a hint or two,” said the detective, changing his manner. “I've certainly had no credit from the case so far.”

“What steps have you taken?”

“Tangey, the commissionaire, has been shadowed. He left the Guards with a good character and we can find nothing against him. His wife is a bad lot, though. I fancy she knows more about this than appears.”

“Have you shadowed her?”

“We have set one of our women on to her. Mrs. Tangey drinks, and our woman has been with her twice when she was well on, but she could get nothing out of her.”

“I understand that they have had brokers³ in the house?”

“Yes, but they were paid off.”

“Where did the money come from?”

“That was all right. His pension was due. They have not shown any sign of being in funds.”

“What explanation did she give of having answered the bell when Mr. Phelps rang for the coffee?”

“在这以前，我已经听说过你的方法，福尔摩斯先生，”他尖酸刻薄地说道，“你很乐意利用警方供给你的一切情报，然后你自己设法去结案，让警方丢脸。”

“恰恰相反，”福尔摩斯说道，“在我过去破获的五十三件案子里，只有四件案子署过我的名，而警方在四十九件案子里获得了全部荣誉。我不责怪你，因为你不了解这个情况，因为你年轻，没有经验。可是如果你想在你的新职业中求得上进，那你最好和我合作而不要反对我。”

“我非常愿意听你指点一二，”这位侦探改变了态度说道，“到目前为止我从办案中的确还没有获得过荣誉呢。”

“你采取了什么措施呢？”

“一直在盯看门人坦盖的梢，但他离开警卫队时名声很好，我们也找不到什么嫌疑。不过他妻子是一个坏家伙，我想，她对这件事知道很多，并不象她表面上装的那样。”

“你跟踪过她吗？”

“我们派了一个女侦探跟踪她。坦盖太太好饮酒，女侦探就趁她高兴陪她饮酒，可是从她身上一无所获。”

“我听说有一些旧货商到过她家？”

“是的，可是她已偿清了欠他们的债务。”

“这笔钱是从哪里来的呢？”

“一切都正常。看门人刚领到年金，但他们却不象手头宽裕的样子。”

“那天晚上费尔普斯先生按铃要咖啡，她上去应承，对这一点她怎么解释呢？”

1 tartly   

adv.辛辣地，刻薄地

参考例句：

• She finished by tartly pointing out that he owed her some money. 她最后刻薄地指出他欠她一些钱。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Kay said tartly, "And you're more Yankee than Italian. 恺酸溜溜他说：“可你哪，与其说是意大利人，还不如说是新英格兰人。 来自教父部分

2 discredit   

vt.使不可置信；n.丧失信义；不信，怀疑

参考例句：

• Their behaviour has bought discredit on English football.他们的行为败坏了英国足球运动的声誉。
• They no longer try to discredit the technology itself.他们不再试图怀疑这种技术本身。

3 brokers   

n.（股票、外币等）经纪人( broker的名词复数 )；中间人；代理商；（订合同的）中人v.做掮客（或中人等）( broker的第三人称单数 )；作为权力经纪人进行谈判；以中间人等身份安排…

参考例句：

• The firm in question was Alsbery & Co., whiskey brokers. 那家公司叫阿尔斯伯里公司，经销威士忌。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• From time to time a telephone would ring in the brokers' offices. 那两排经纪人房间里不时响着叮令的电话。 来自子夜部分