血字的研究 26广告引来了不速之客(2)（在线收听）

"I can understand. There is a mystery about this which stimulates the imagination;

"这一点我能够理解。这件案子有一些神秘莫测的地方，因而才引起了想象。

where there is no imagination there is no horror. Have you seen the evening paper?"

如果没有想象，恐惧也就不存在了。你看过晚报了吗？"

"No."

"没有。"

"It gives a fairly good account of the affair.

"晚报把这个案子叙述得相当详尽。

It does not mention the fact that when the man was raised up a woman's wedding ring fell upon the floor.

但是却没有提到抬尸时，有一个女人的结婚戒指掉在地板上。

It is just as well it does not."

没有提到这一点倒是更好。"

"Why?"

"为什么？"

"Look at this advertisement," he answered.

"你看看这个广告，"福尔摩斯说，

"I had one sent to every paper this morning immediately after the affair."

"今天上午，这个案子发生后，我立刻就在各家报纸上登了一则广告。"

He threw the paper across to me and I glanced at the place indicated.

他把报纸递给我，我看了一眼他所指的地方。

It was the first announcement in the "Found" column.

这是"失物招领栏"的头一则广告。

"In Brixton Road, this morning," it ran,

广告内容是：

"a plain gold wedding ring, found in the roadway between the White Hart Tavern and Holland Grove.

"今晨在布瑞克斯顿路、白鹿酒馆和荷兰树林之间拾得结婚金戒指一枚。

Apply Dr. Watson, 221B, Baker Street, between eight and nine this evening."

失者请于今晚八时至九时向贝克街221号乙华生医生处洽领。"

"Excuse my using your name," he said.

"请你不要见怪，"福尔摩斯说，"广告上用了你的名字。

"If I used my own, some of these dunderheads would recognize it, and want to meddle in the affair."

如果用我自己的名字，这些笨蛋侦探中有些人也许就会识破，他们就要从中插手了。"

"That is all right," I answered.

"这倒没有什么，"我回答说，

"But supposing anyone applies, I have no ring."

"不过，假如有人前来领取的话，我可没有戒指呀。"

"Oh, yes, you have," said he, handing me one.

"哦，有的，"他说着就交给了我一只戒指，

"This will do very well. It is almost a facsimile."

"这一个满能对付过去。几乎和原来的一模一样。"

"And who do you expect will answer this advertisement?"

"那么你预料谁会来领取这项失物呢？"

"Why, the man in the brown coat–our florid friend with the square toes.

"唔，就是那个穿棕色外衣的男人，咱们那位穿方头靴子的红脸朋友。

If he does not come himself, he will send an accomplice."

如果他自己不来，他也会打发一个同党来的。"

"Would he not consider it as too dangerous?"

"难道他不会觉得这样做太危险吗？"

"Not at all. If my view of the case is correct,

"决不会。如果我对这个案子的看法不错的话

and I have every reason to believe that it is,

我有种种理由可以自信我没有看错。

this man would rather risk anything than lose the ring.

这个人宁愿冒任何危险，也不愿失去这个戒指。

According to my notion he dropped it while stooping over Drebber's body,

我认为，戒指是在他俯身察看锥伯尸体的时候掉下来的，

and did not miss it at the time.

可是当时他没有察觉。

After leaving the house he discovered his loss and hurried back,

离开这座房子以后，他才发觉他把戒指丢了，于是又急忙回去。

but found the police already in possession, owing to his own folly in leaving the candle burning.

但是，这时他发现，由于他自己粗心大意，没有把蜡烛熄掉，警察已经到了屋里。

He had to pretend to be drunk in order to allay the suspicions which might have been aroused by his appearance at the gate.

在这种时候，他在这座房了的门口出现，很可能受到嫌疑，因此，他不得不装作酩酊大醉的样子。

Now put yourself in that man's place.

你无妨设身处地想一想：

On thinking the matter over,

他把这件事仔细地思索一遍以后，

it must have occurred to him that it was possible that he had lost the ring in the road after leaving the house.

他一定会想到，也可能是他在离开那所房子以后，把戒指掉在路上了。

What would he do then?

那么怎么办呢？

He would eagerly look out for the evening papers in the hope of seeing it among the articles found.

他自然要急忙地在晚报上寻找一番，希望在招领栏中能够有所发现。

His eye, of course, would light upon this.

他看到这个广告后一定会非常高兴，

He would be overjoyed. Why should he fear a trap?

简直要喜出望外哩，怎么还会害怕这是一个圈套呢？

There would be no reason in his eyes why the finding of the ring should be connected with the murder.

在他看来，寻找戒指为什么就一定要和暗杀这件事有关系呢，这是没有道理的。

He would come. He will come. You shall see him within an hour."

他会来的，他一定要来的。一小时之内你就能够见到他了。"

"And then?" I asked.

"他来了以后又怎么办呢？"我问道。

"Oh, you can leave me to deal with him then. Have you any arms?"

"啊，到时候你让我来对付他。你有什么武器吗？"

"I have my old service revolver and a few cartridges."

"我有一支旧的军用左轮手枪，还有一些子弹。"

"You had better clean it and load it.

"你最好把它擦干净，装上子弹。

He will be a desperate man;

这家伙准是一个亡命徒。

and though I shall take him unawares, it is as well to be ready for anything."

虽然我可以出其不意地捉住他，但是还是准备一下，以防万一的好。"