福爾摩斯探案集·血字的研究 第17期:勞瑞斯頓花園街的慘案(5)

Sherlock Holmes approached the body, and, kneeling down, examined it intently.

福爾摩斯走到尸體跟前，跪下來全神貫注地檢查著。

"You are sure that there is no wound?" he asked, pointing to numerous gouts and splashes of blood which lay all round.

"你們肯定沒有傷痕么？"他一面問，一面指著四周的血跡。

"Positive!" cried both detectives.

兩個偵探異口同聲回答說："確實沒有。"

"Then, of course, this blood belongs to a second individual–presumably the murderer, if murder has been committed.

"那么，這些血跡一定是另一個人的嘍，也許是兇手的。如果這是一件兇殺案的話，

It reminds me of the circumstances attendant on the death of Van Jansen, in Utrecht, in the year '34.

這就使我想起了一八三四年攸垂克特地方的范·堅森死時的情況。

Do you remember the case, Gregson?"

葛萊森，你還記得那個案件嗎？"

"No, sir."

"不記得了，先生。"

"Read it up–you really should.

"你真應(yīng)該把這個舊案重讀一下。

There is nothing new under the sun. It has all been done before."

世界上本來就沒有什么新鮮事，都是前人作過的。"

As he spoke, his nimble fingers were flying here, there, and everywhere,

他說話的時候，靈敏的手指這里摸摸，那里按按，

feeling, pressing, unbuttoning, examining, while his eyes wore the same far-away expression which I have already remarked upon.

一會兒又解開死人的衣扣檢查一番；他的眼里又現(xiàn)出前面我談到的那種茫然的神情。

So swiftly was the examination made, that one would hardly have guessed the minuteness with which it was conducted.

他檢查得非常迅速，而且是出我意料地細致和認(rèn)真。

Finally, he sniffed the dead man's lips, and then glanced at the soles of his patent leather boots.

最后，他嗅了嗅死者的嘴唇，又瞧了一眼死者皮靴子的靴底。

"He has not been moved at all?" he asked.

他問道："尸體一直沒有動過么？"

"No more than was necessary for the purpose of our examination."

"除了進行我們必要的檢查以外，再沒有動過。"

"You can take him to the mortuary now," he said.

"現(xiàn)在可以把他送去埋葬了，"他說，

"There is nothing more to be learned."

"沒有什么再需要檢查的了。"

Gregson had a stretcher and four men at hand.

葛萊森已經(jīng)準(zhǔn)備了一副擔(dān)架和四個抬擔(dān)架的人。

At his call they entered the room, and the stranger was lifted and carried out.

他一招呼，他們就走進來把死者抬了出去。

As they raised him, a ring tinkled down and rolled across the floor.

當(dāng)他們抬起死尸時，有一只戒指滾落在地板上了。

Lestrade grabbed it up and stared at it with mystified eyes.

雷斯垂德連忙把它拾了起來，莫名其妙地瞧著。

"There's been a woman here," he cried. "It's a woman's wedding ring."

他叫道："一定有個女人來過。這是一只女人的結(jié)婚指環(huán)。"

He held it out, as he spoke, upon the palm of his hand.

他一邊說著，一邊把托著戒指的手伸過來給大家看。

We all gathered round him and gazed at it.

我們圍上去看了。

There could be no doubt that that circlet of plain gold had once adorned the finger of a bride.

這只樸素的金戒指無疑地是新娘戴用的。

"This complicates matters," said Gregson.

葛萊森說："這樣一來，更加使案件復(fù)雜化了，

"Heaven knows, they were complicated enough before."

天曉得，這個案子本來就夠復(fù)雜的了。"

"You're sure it doesn't simplify them?" observed Holmes.

福爾摩斯說："你怎么知道這只指環(huán)就不能使這個案子更清楚一些呢？

"There's nothing to be learned by staring at it. What did you find in his pockets?"

這樣呆呆地瞧著它是沒有用處的。你在衣袋里檢查出什么來了？"

"We have it all here," said Gregson, pointing to a litter of objects upon one of the bottom steps of the stairs.

"都在這兒，"葛萊森指著樓梯最后一級上的一小堆東西說，

"A gold watch, No. 97163, by Barraud, of London. Gold Albert chain, very heavy and solid.

"一只金表,97163號，倫敦巴羅德公司制。一根又重又結(jié)實的愛爾伯特金鏈。

Gold ring, with masonic device. Gold pin–bull-dog's head, with rubies as eyes.

一枚金戒指，上面刻著共濟會的會徽。一枚金別針，上邊有個虎頭狗的腦袋，狗眼是兩顆紅寶石。

Russian leather cardcase, with cards of Enoch J. Drebber of Cleveland, corresponding with the E. J. D. upon the linen.

俄國制的名片夾，里面有印著克利夫蘭，伊瑙克·錐伯的名片，Ｊ字首和襯衣上的EJD三個縮寫字母相符。

No purse, but loose money to the extent of seven pounds thirteen.

沒有錢包，只有些零錢，一共七英鎊十三先令。

Pocket edition of Boccaccio's 'Decameron,' with name of Joseph Stangerson upon the flyleaf.

一本袖珍版的卜迦丘的小說《十日談》，扉頁上寫著約瑟夫·斯坦節(jié)遜的名字。

Two letters--one addressed to E. J. Drebber and one to Joseph Stangerson."

此外還有兩封信--一封是寄給錐伯的，一封是給約瑟夫·斯坦節(jié)遜的。"

"At what address?"

"是寄到什么地方的？"

"American Exchange, Strand–to be left till called for.

"河濱路美國交易所留交本人自取。

They are both from the Guion Steamship Company, and refer to the sailing of their boats from Liverpool.

兩封信都是從蓋恩輪船公司寄來的，內(nèi)容是通知他們輪船從利物浦開行的日期。

It is clear that this unfortunate man was about to return to New York."

可見這個倒霉的家伙是正要回紐約去的。"

"Have you made any inquiries as to this man Stangerson?"

"你們可曾調(diào)查過斯坦節(jié)遜這個人嗎？"

"I did it at once, sir," said Gregson.

"先生，我當(dāng)時立刻就調(diào)查了。"葛萊森說，

"I have had advertisements sent to all the newspapers,

"我已經(jīng)把廣告稿送到各家報館去刊登，

and one of my men has gone to the American Exchange,

另外又派人到美國交易所去打聽，

but he has not returned yet."

現(xiàn)在還沒有回來呢。"

"Have you sent to Cleveland?"

"你們跟克利夫蘭方面聯(lián)系了嗎？"

"We telegraphed this morning."

"今天早晨我們就拍出電報去了。"

"How did you word your inquiries?"

"你們是怎么詢問的？"

"We simply detailed the circumstances, and said that we should be glad of any information which could help us."

"我們只是把這件事的情況詳細說明一下，并且告訴他們說，希望他們告訴我們對我們有幫助的任何情報。"

"You did not ask for particulars on any point which appeared to you to be crucial?"

"你沒有提到你認(rèn)為是關(guān)鍵性問題的細節(jié)嗎？"

"I asked about Stangerson."

"我問到了斯坦節(jié)遜這個人。"

"Nothing else? Is there no circumstance on which this whole case appears to hinge?

"沒有問到別的？難道整個案子里就沒有一個關(guān)鍵性的問題？

Will you not telegraph again?"

你不能再拍個電報嗎？"

"I have said all I have to say," said Gregson, in an offended voice.

葛萊森生氣地說："我在電報上把我要說的都說了。"