福爾摩斯探案集·血字的研究 第86期:案情回顧(8)

"There was not a soul to be seen, nor a sound to be heard, except the dripping of the rain.

"到處看不見一個人影，除了淅瀝的雨聲之外聽不到一點聲音。

When I looked in at the window, I found Drebber all huddled together in a drunken sleep.

我從車窗向車里一瞧，只見錐伯蜷縮成一團，因酒醉而沉入夢鄉(xiāng)。

I shook him by the arm, 'It's time to get out,' I said. "

我搖撼著他的臂膀說：'該下車了。'"

'All right, cabby,' said he.

他說：'好的，車夫。'

"I suppose he thought we had come to the hotel that he had mentioned,

"我想，他以為已經(jīng)到了他剛才提到的那個旅館，

for he got out without another word, and followed me down the garden.

因為他別的什么話也沒有說，就走下車來，跟著我走進了空屋前的花園。

I had to walk beside him to keep him steady, for he was still a little top- heavy.

這時，他還有點頭重腳輕，站立不穩(wěn)。我不得不扶著他走，以免跌倒。

When we came to the door, I opened it and led him into the front room.

我們走到門口時，我開了門，引著他走進了前屋。

I give you my word that all the way, the father and the daughter were walking in front of us.

我敢向你們保證說，一路上，費瑞厄父女一直是在我們前面走著的。

"'It's infernally dark,' said he, stamping about.

"'黑得要命。'他一面說，一面亂跺著腳。

"'We'll soon have a light,' I said,

"'咱們馬上就有亮了，'

striking a match and putting it to a wax candle which I had brought with me.

我說著便擦燃了一根火柴，把我?guī)淼囊恢灎T點亮。

'Now, Enoch Drebber,' I continued, turning to him, and holding the light to my own face, 'who am I?'

我一面把臉轉向他，一面把蠟燭舉近了我的臉。我繼續(xù)說：'好啦，伊瑙克·錐伯，你現(xiàn)在看看我是誰！'

"He gazed at me with bleared, drunken eyes for a moment,

"他醉眼惺忪地盯著我瞧了半天。

and then I saw a horror spring up in them,

然后，我看見他的臉上突然出現(xiàn)了恐怖的神色，

and convulse his whole features, which showed me that he knew me.

整個臉都痙攣起來，這說明他已認出我來了。

He staggered back with a livid face,

他登時嚇得面如土色，晃晃蕩蕩地后退著。

and I saw the perspiration break out upon his brow, while his teeth chattered in his head.

我還看見大顆的汗珠，從他的額頭滾落到眉毛之上，他的牙齒也在上下相擊，格格作響。

At the sight I leaned my back against the door and laughed loud and long.

我看見了這副模樣，不禁靠在門上大笑不止。

I had always known that vengeance would be sweet,

我早就知道，報仇是一件最痛快的事，

but I had never hoped for the contentment of soul which now possessed me.

可是，我從來沒有想到竟會有這樣的滋味。

"'You dog!' I said;

"我說：'你這個狗東西！

'I have hunted you from Salt Lake City to St. Petersburg, and you have always escaped me.

我把你一直從鹽湖城追到圣彼得堡，可是總是讓你逃脫了。

Now, at last your wanderings have come to an end,

現(xiàn)在你游蕩的日子終于到頭了。

for either you or I shall never see tomorrow's sun rise.'

因為，不是你就是我，再也見不到明天的太陽了。'

He shrunk still farther away as I spoke, and I could see on his face that he thought I was mad.

我說話的時候，他又向后退了幾步。我從他的臉上可以看出，他以為我是發(fā)狂了。

So I was for the time.

那時，我確是和瘋子一樣，

The pulses in my temples beat like sledge-hammers,

太陽穴上的血管象鐵匠揮舞著鐵錘似地跳動不止。

and I believe I would have had a fit of some sort if the blood had not gushed from my nose and relieved me.

我深信，當時若不是血從我的鼻孔中涌了出來，使我輕松一下的話，我的病也許就會發(fā)作出來了。

"'What do you think of Lucy Ferrier now?' I cried, locking the door, and shaking the key in his face.

"'你說露茜·費瑞厄現(xiàn)在怎么樣了？'我一面叫著，一面鎖上門，并且把鑰匙舉在他的眼前晃上幾晃，

'Punishment has been slow in coming, but it has overtaken you at last.'

'懲罰確實是來得太慢了，可是現(xiàn)在總算是讓你落網(wǎng)了。'

I saw his coward lips tremble as I spoke.

我看到在我說話的時候，他那兩片怯懦的嘴唇戰(zhàn)抖著，

He would have begged for his life, but he knew well that it was useless.

他還想要求饒命。但是，他看得很清楚，這是毫無用處的了。

"'Would you murder me?' he stammered.

"他結結巴巴地說：'你要謀殺我嗎？'

"'There is no murder,' I answered.

"我回答說：'談不上什么謀殺不謀殺。

'Who talks of murdering a mad dog?

殺死一只瘋狗，能說是謀殺嗎？

What mercy had you upon my poor darling, when you dragged her from her slaughtered father,

當你把我那可憐的愛人從她那被殘殺的父親身旁拖走的時候，

and bore her away to your accursed and shameless harem?'

當你把她搶到你的那個該死的、無恥的新房中去的時候，你可曾對她有過絲毫的憐憫？'"