四签名 31樱沼别墅的惨案（6）（在线收听）

Holmes glanced at it and then handed it to me.

福尔摩斯看了一眼，递给了我。

"You see," he said with a significant raising of the eyebrows.

他抬起眉毛来说道："你看看。"

In the light of the lantern I read with a thrill of horror, "The sign of the four."

在提灯的灯光下，我惊恐地看见上面写着"四个签名"。

"In God's name, what does it all mean?" I asked.

我问道："天哪，这，这是怎么回事呀？"

"It means murder," said he, stooping over the dead man. "Ah! I expected it. Look here!"

他正弯腰检验尸身，答道：“谋杀！啊！果然不出我所料，你看！”

He pointed to what looked like a long dark thorn stuck in the skin just above the ear.

他指着刚刚扎在尸体的耳朵上面头起里的一根黑色长刺。

"It looks like a thorn," said I.

我道："好象是一根荆刺。"

"It is a thorn. You may pick it out. But be careful, for it is poisoned."

"就是一根荆刺。你可以把它拔出来。可是小心着点，这根荆刺上有毒。"

I took it up between my finger and thumb.

我用拇指和食指把它拔了出来。

It came away from the skin so readily that hardly any mark was left behind.

荆刺刚刚取出，伤口已经合拢，很难找出任何遗留下来的痕迹。

One tiny speck of blood showed where the puncture had been.

除去一点点血痕能说明伤口所在之外。

"This is all an insoluble mystery to me," said I. "It grows darker instead of clearer."

我道："这件事对我说来完全离奇难解，不只没搞明白，反而更胡涂了。"

"On the contrary," he answered, "it clears every instant.

他答道："正相反，各个环节都清楚了，

I only require a few missing links to have an entirely connected case."

我只要再弄清几个环节，全案就可以了然了。"

We had almost forgotten our companion's presence since we entered the chamber.

我们自从进屋以后差不多已经把我们的同伴忘记了。

He was still standing in the doorway, the very picture of terror, wringing his hands and moaning to himself.

他还站在门口，还是那样地哆嗦和悲叹着。

Suddenly, however, he broke out into a sharp, querulous cry.

忽然间，他失望地尖声喊了起来。

"The treasure is gone!" he said. "They have robbed him of the treasure!

他道："宝物全部都丢了！他们把宝物全抢去了！

There is the hole through which we lowered it. I helped him to do it!

我们就是从那个洞口里把宝物拿出来的，是我帮着他拿下来的！

I was the last person who saw him! I left him here last night, and I heard him lock the door as I came downstairs."

我是最后看见他的一个人！我昨晚离开他下楼的时候，还听见他锁门呢。"

"What time was that?"

"那时是几点钟？"

"It was ten o'clock. And now he is dead, and the police will be called in, and I shall be suspected of having had a hand in it.

"是十点钟。现在他死了，警察来后必定疑心是我害死他的，

Oh, yes, I am sure I shall. But you don't think so, gentlemen?

他们一定会这样疑心的。可是你们二位不会这样地想吧？

Surely you don't think that it was I?

你们一定不会想是我把他害死的吧？

Is it likely that I would have brought you here if it were I?

如果是我把他害死的，我还会请你们来吗？

Oh, dear! oh, dear! I know that I shall go mad!"

唉呀，天哪！唉呀，天哪！我知道我要疯了！”

He jerked his arms and stamped his feet in a kind of convulsive frenzy.

他跳着脚，狂怒得痉挛起来。

"You have no reason for fear, Mr. Sholto," said Holmes kindly, putting his hand upon his shoulder;

福尔摩斯拍着他的肩，和蔼地说道："舒尔托先生，不要害怕，您没有害怕的理由。

"take my advice and drive down to the station to report the matter to the police.

姑且听我的话，坐车去警署报案，

Offer to assist them in every way. We shall wait here until your return."

您答应一切都协助他们，我们在这里等到您回来。"

The little man obeyed in a half-stupefied fashion, and we heard him stumbling down the stairs in the dark.

这矮小的人茫然地遵从了福尔摩斯的话，我们听见他蹒跚地摸着黑走下楼去。