巴斯克维尔的猎犬 回忆（6）

 

"So much for the death of Sir Charles Baskerville. You perceive the devilish cunning of it, forreally it would be almost impossible to make a case against the real murderer. His only accomplicewas one who could never give him away, and the grotesque, inconceivable nature of the deviceonly served to make it more effective. Both of the women concerned in the case, Mrs. Stapletonand Mrs. Laura Lyons, were left with a strong suspicion against Stapleton. Mrs. Stapleton knewthat he had designs upon the old man, and also of the existence of the hound. Mrs. Lyons knewneither of these things, but had been impressed by the death occurring at the time of anuncancelled appointment which was only known to him. However, both of them were under hisinfluence, and he had nothing to fear from them. The first half of his task was successfullyaccomplished but the more difficult still remained.

“关于查尔兹· 巴斯克维尔爵士的死就说到这里为止吧。 你们能看得出来， 这里面的手段用得狡猾之至， 确实， 几乎无法向真正的凶手提出控诉。 他那唯一的同谋永远也不会泄露他的秘密， 那古怪而难以想象的手法使得他那阴谋进行得更加顺利。与此案有关的两个女人，斯台普吞太太和劳拉·莱昂丝太太都对斯台普吞极为怀疑。 斯台普吞太太知道他在暗算着老头儿， 也知道有那只猎狗； 莱昂丝太太对这两件事都不知道， 可是她记得， 暴死发生的时间正是并没有取消的约会的时间， 而这个约会只有他知道， 因此她也不无怀疑。 但是， 她俩都是在他的控制之下， 而他对她们则一无所惧。 全部阴谋的前一半是成功地实现了 ， 可是剩下的还有更困难的呢。

"It is possible that Stapleton did not know of the existence of an heir in Canada. In any casehe would very soon learn it from his friend Dr. Mortimer, and he was told by the latter all detailsabout the arrival of Henry Baskerville. Stapleton's first idea was that this young stranger fromCanada might possibly be done to death in London without coming down to Devonshire at all. Hedistrusted his wife ever since she had refused to help him in laying a trap for the old man, and hedared not leave her long out of his sight for fear he should lose his influence over her. It was forthis reason that he took her to London with him. They lodged, I find, at the Mexborough PrivateHotel, in Craven Street, which was actually one of those called upon by my agent in search ofevidence. Here he kept his wife imprisoned in her room while he, disguised in a beard, followedDr. Mortimer to Baker Street and afterwards to the station and to the Northumberland Hotel. Hiswife had some inkling of his plans; but she had such a fear of her husband -- a fear founded uponbrutal ill-treatment -- that she dare not write to warn the man whom she knew to be in danger. Ifthe letter should fall into Stapleton's hands her own life would not be safe. Eventually, as we know,she adopted the expedient of cutting out the words which would form the message, and addressingthe letter in a disguised hand. It reached the baronet, and gave him the first warning of his danger.

“可能斯台普吞并不知道在加拿大还有一个继承人。 可是不管怎样， 他很快就能从他的朋友摩梯末医生那里知道了 。 摩梯末医生后来就详细地告诉了他关于亨利·巴斯克维尔到来的消息。 斯台普吞的第一个念头就是： 也许根本就不用等这个来自加拿大的陌生青年到德文郡来， 在伦敦就可以把他弄死。 自从他太太拒绝帮他设阱陷害老头儿以后， 他已不再信任他的妻子了， 他甚至不敢使她长时间离开自己， 因为他怕这样会失去左右她的力量， 正因为如此， 他才带着她一起到伦敦去。 我发现他们住在克瑞文街的梅克司波柔私人旅馆里， 我曾派人到那旅馆去搜集证据。 在那里， 他就把太太关在房间里， 而他就装上假胡须， 跟踪着摩梯末医生， 先到贝克街， 后去车站， 还到过诺桑勃兰旅馆。 他太太对他的阴谋计划多少知道一些， 可是她对丈夫怕得厉害——一种由于遭受过残暴的虐待而产生的恐惧——因此她不敢写信去警告那个她知道正处在危险之中的人， 因为如果那封信落入斯台普吞之手的话， 她的性命就会发生危险了。 最后， 我们都已知道了， 她采取了权宜之计， 她用从报纸上剪下来的字凑成了那封信， 用伪装的笔迹在信封上写了收信人的地址。 那封信到了准男爵的手里， 对他发出了第一次危险警告。