工程师大拇指案 33实地调查(4)（在线收听）

"But the twelve-mile drive?" gasped Hatherley.

"但是，那十二英里的路程呢？"哈瑟利气喘吁吁地说。

"Six out and six back. Nothing simpler. You say yourself that the horse was fresh and glossy when you got in.

"去六英里，回来六英里。没有比这再简单的了。您自己说过当您上马车的时候，那骑马精神饱满，毛色光泽。

How could it be that if it had gone twelve miles over heavy roads?"

如果它已经奔驰了十二英里那么难走的路，怎么会是那个样子呢？"

"Indeed, it is a likely ruse enough," observed Bradstreet thoughtfully.

"确实，很可能是这么一个诡计，"布雷兹特里特若有所思评论说，

"Of course there can be no doubt as to the nature of this gang."

"当然，至于这个匪帮是什么性质的也就毫无疑问了。"

"None at all," said Holmes. "They are coiners on a large scale,

"那当然是毫无疑问的罗。"福尔摩斯说，"他们是大规模伪造货币的罪犯，

and have used the machine to form the amalgam which has taken the place of silver."

他们使用那台机器铸造合金来代替白银。"

"We have known for some time that a clever gang was at work," said the inspector.

"我们发现有一伙机灵的坏家伙在干着这个行当有一段时间了。"巡官说，

"They have been turning out half-crowns by the thousand.

"他们一直在大批大批地铸造半克郎硬币。

We even traced them as far as Reading, but could get no farther,

我们甚至一直追踪他们到雷丁，但再远就没有线索了，

for they had covered their traces in a way that showed that they were very old hands.

因为他们使用了某种掩蔽他们踪迹的方法，这说明他们是精于此道的惯犯。

But now, thanks to this lucky chance, I think that we have got them right enough."

但是现在，多亏这个侥幸的机会，他们是跑不掉的了。"