巴斯克维尔的猎犬 回忆（7）

 

"It was very essential for Stapleton to get some article of Sir Henry's attire so that, in case hewas driven to use the dog, he might always have the means of setting him upon his track. Withcharacteristic promptness and audacity he set about this at once, and we cannot doubt that theboots or chamber-maid of the hotel was well bribed to help him in his design. By chance, however,the first boot which was procured for him was a new one and, therefore, useless for his purpose.

He then had it returned and obtained another -- a most instructive incident, since it provedconclusively to my mind that we were dealing with a real hound, as no other supposition couldexplain this anxiety to obtain an old boot and this indifference to a new one. The more outre andgrotesque an incident is the more carefully it deserves to be examined, and the very point whichappears to complicate a case is, when duly considered and scientifically handled, the one which ismost likely to elucidate it.

“弄一件亨利爵士的衣物对斯台普吞说来是非常重要的， 因为他一旦到了不得不用狗的时候， 他就能有使狗闻味追踪的东西了， 他马上以特有的机敏和大胆动起手来， 我们可以肯定， 旅馆的男女仆人一定都接受过不少的贿赂才来帮助他达到目的。 可是碰巧， 第一只弄到的皮鞋竟是新的， 对他毫无用处， 后来他就把它送还， 并窃取了 另一只——这件事对我们最有帮助了， 因为他在我心里肯定地证实了 和我们打交道的是一只真正的猎狗， 因为没有别的假设能够解释， 为什么要急于弄到一只旧鞋， 而对一只新鞋竟这样不感兴趣。 越是稀奇古怪的事情就越值得仔细地加以检查， 那看来似乎会使全案复杂化的一点， 如果给以适当的考虑，并加以科学的处理， 往往却正是最能说明问题之处。

"Then we had the visit from our friends next morning, shadowed always by Stapleton in thecab. From his knowledge of our rooms and of my appearance, as well as from his general conduct,I am inclined to think that Stapleton's career of crime has been by no means limited to this singleBaskerville affair. It is suggestive that during the last three years there have been four considerableburglaries in the west country, for none of which was any criminal ever arrested. The last of these,at Folkestone Court, in May, was remarkable for the cold-blooded pistolling of the page, whosurprised the masked and solitary burglar. I cannot doubt that Stapleton recruited his waningresources in this fashion, and that for years he has been a desperate and dangerous man.

“后来， 第二天早晨， 咱们的朋友又来拜访了咱们， 他们一直都受着坐在马车里的斯台普吞的跟踪。 从他对咱们的房子和我的面貌知道得那样清楚和他一般的行为来看， 我感觉，斯台普吞的罪恶历史决非仅仅限于巴斯克维尔庄园案这一件事。 据说在过去三年里， 西部曾发生过四次大盗窃案， 可是没有一件捉到了罪犯。 最后一件是五月间在弗克斯吞场发生的，其特殊之处是： 一个僮仆因为想要袭擒那带着面具的单身盗贼而被残酷地枪击致死。 我相信斯台普吞就是这样地补充了他那日 渐减少的财产， 而且这些年来他一直就是个危险的亡命之徒。