評(píng)論
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"Before they come," said Holmes, "just put your hand here on this poor fellow's arm, and here on his leg. What do you feel?"
福爾摩斯道："乘他們還沒(méi)有上來(lái)的時(shí)候，你用手摸一摸尸身的胳臂，還有他的兩條腿。你有什么感覺(jué)？"
"The muscles are as hard as a board," I answered.
我答道："肌肉堅(jiān)硬得象木頭一樣。"
"Quite so. They are in a state of extreme contraction, far exceeding the usual rigor mortis.
"正是。是極端強(qiáng)烈的'收縮' ，比普通的'死后強(qiáng)直'還要厲害，
Coupled with this distortion of the face, this Hippocratic smile,
再加上臉部的歪斜和希波克拉底式的微笑,
or 'risus sardonicus,' as the old writers called it, what conclusion would it suggest to your mind?"
或者是像以前作家寫(xiě)的'慘笑'，你作何結(jié)論呢？"
"Death from some powerful vegetable alkaloid," I answered,
我答道："中了植物性生物鹼的劇毒
"some strychnine-like substance which would produce tetanus."
一種類(lèi)似番木鱉鹼，能造成破傷風(fēng)性癥狀的毒物而致死的。"
"That was the idea which occurred to me the instant I saw the drawn muscles of the face.
"我一發(fā)現(xiàn)他那面部肌肉收縮的情形，就想到是中劇毒的現(xiàn)象。
On getting into the room I at once looked for the means by which the poison had entered the system.
進(jìn)屋以后我就馬上設(shè)法弄清這毒物是如何進(jìn)入體內(nèi)的。
As you saw, I discovered a thorn which had been driven or shot with no great force into the scalp.
你也看見(jiàn)我發(fā)現(xiàn)了那根不費(fèi)力就能扎進(jìn)或者射入他頭部的荊刺。
You observe that the part struck was that which would be turned towards the hole in the ceiling if the man were erect in his chair.
似乎死者當(dāng)時(shí)是直坐在椅上，你看那刺入的地方正對(duì)著那天花板的洞。
Now examine this thorn."
你再仔細(xì)看看這根荊刺。"
I took it up gingerly and held it in the light of the lantern.
我小心地把它拿在手里對(duì)著燈光細(xì)看。
It was long, sharp, and black, with a glazed look near the point as though some gummy substance had dried upon it.
是一個(gè)長(zhǎng)而尖的木餾油黑刺，尖端上有一層發(fā)亮的好象是一種干了的膠質(zhì)的東西。
The blunt end had been trimmed and rounded off with a knife.
較鈍的那一頭，是被刀削過(guò)的。
"Is that an English thorn?" he asked.
他問(wèn)道："是生長(zhǎng)在英國(guó)的荊刺嗎？"
"No, it certainly is not."
"絕對(duì)不是的。"
"With all these data you should be able to draw some just inference.
"有了這些資料，你就應(yīng)當(dāng)能作出合理的結(jié)論來(lái)。
But here are the regulars, so the auxiliary forces may beat a retreat."
這是主要之點(diǎn)，其余的更容易解決了。"
As he spoke, the steps which had been coming nearer sounded loudly on the passage,
他說(shuō)話的時(shí)節(jié)，腳步聲已經(jīng)來(lái)到甬道。
and a very stout, portly man in a gray suit strode heavily into the room.
一個(gè)穿灰衣的胖子走進(jìn)屋內(nèi)。
He was red-faced, burly, and plethoric,
他的面色發(fā)紅，身材魁偉，多血的體質(zhì)，
with a pair of very small twinkling eyes which looked keenly out from between swollen and puffy pouches.
從腫脹的凸眼泡中間露出了一對(duì)小小的閃爍的眼睛。
He was closely followed by an inspector in uniform and by the still palpitating Thaddeus Sholto.
后面緊隨著一個(gè)穿制服的警長(zhǎng)和還在那里發(fā)抖的塞笛厄斯·舒爾托。
"Here's a business!" he cried in a muffled, husky voice. "Here's a pretty business!
他喊道："這成什么樣子！這成什么樣子！
But who are all these? Why, the house seems to be as full as a rabbit-warren!"
這些人都是誰(shuí)？這屋子里簡(jiǎn)直熱鬧得都象養(yǎng)兔場(chǎng)了。"
"I think you must recollect me, Mr. Athelney Jones," said Holmes quietly.
福爾摩斯靜靜地說(shuō)道："埃瑟爾尼·瓊斯先生，我想您一定還記得我吧？"
"Why, of course I do!" he wheezed. "It's Mr. Sherlock Holmes, the theorist. Remember you!
他喘息未定地說(shuō)道："當(dāng)然還記得的！你是大理論家歇洛克·福爾摩斯先生。記得您，記得您的！
I'll never forget how you lectured us all on causes and inferences and effects in the Bishopgate jewel case.
我忘不了那次您怎么向我們演說(shuō)關(guān)于主教門(mén)珍寶案的起因和推論結(jié)果。
It's true you set us on the right track; but you'll own now that it was more by good luck than good guidance."
您確實(shí)把我們引入了正軌，但是您也應(yīng)當(dāng)承認(rèn)，那次主要還是靠了運(yùn)氣好，而不是因?yàn)橛辛苏_的指導(dǎo)才破的案。"
"It was a piece of very simple reasoning."
"那是一個(gè)很簡(jiǎn)單很容易理解的案子。"
