工程师大拇指案 13向福尔摩斯叙述故事(7)（在线收听）

'Then the matter stands thus.

'那么，事情是这样的。

You are probably aware that fuller's- earth is a valuable product, and that it is only found in one or two places in England?'

您可能知道，漂白土是一种非常贵重的矿产，在英国，只有一两处发现有这种矿藏？'

'I have heard so.'

'我听说过。'

'Some little time ago I bought a small place -- a very small place -- within ten miles of Reading.

'不久以前，我在距离雷丁不到十英里的地方买了一小块地--非常小的一块地，

I was fortunate enough to discover that there was a deposit of fuller's-earth in one of my fields.

我非常幸运地发现，其中一块地里有漂白土矿床。

On examining it, however, I found that this deposit was a comparatively small one,

然而，经过探查之后，我发现这个矿床是比较小的，

and that it formed a link between two very much larger ones upon the right and left–both of them, however, in the grounds of my neighbours.

但它却连接了左右两个大得多的矿床--可是，这两处全在我的邻居的地里。

These good people were absolutely ignorant that their land contained that which was quite as valuable as a gold-mine.

这些善良的人们，对于在他们的土地里蕴藏着和金矿同样贵重的矿藏却一点儿也不知道。

Naturally, it was to my interest to buy their land before they discovered its true value,

自然，在他们发现他们土地的真正价值之前把他们的地买下来是很上算的。

but unfortunately I had no capital by which I could do this.

但是，不幸我缺乏购买土地的资金。

I took a few of my friends into the secret, however,

为此，我找了几个朋友秘密商量。

and they suggested that we should quietly and secretly work our own little deposit,

他们提议我们应该悄悄地、秘密地开采我们自己那小块矿床，

and that in this way we should earn the money which would enable us to buy the neighbouring fields.

用这种方法来筹集购买邻居土地的资金。

This we have now been doing for some time, and in order to help us in our operations we erected a hydraulic press.

到目前为止，我们已经这么干了一段时间了。为了便于操作，我们安装了一台水压机。

This press, as I have already explained, has got out of order, and we wish your advice upon the subject.

正像我先前已经说过的那样，这台机器出了毛病，我们希望能得到你的指点。

We guard our secret very jealously,

我们小心翼翼地保守着秘密，

however, and if it once became known that we had hydraulic engineers coming to our little house, it would soon rouse inquiry,

可是，一旦有人知道我们曾请过水利工程师到我们的小房子来，很快就会引仆人们的好奇，

and then, if the facts came out, it would be good-bye to any chance of getting these fields and carrying out our plans.

那时，如果真相泄露出去，那么获得这些土地和实行我们的计划的机会就全完了。

That is why I have made you promise me that you will not tell a human being that you are going to Eyford to-night.

这就是我要您保证不对任何人透露您今天晚上要到艾津去的缘故。

I hope that I make it all plain?'

我希望我已经把一切都讲清楚了。'