評(píng)論
打印
"The main thing with people of that sort," said Holmes as we sat in the sheets of the wherry,
坐到船上以后，福爾摩斯道：“和這種人講話，
"is never to let them think that their information can be of the slightest importance to you.
最要緊的是不要叫他們知道他們所說的消息是與你有關(guān)的，
If you do they will instantly shut up like an oyster.
否則他們馬上就會(huì)絕口不言。
If you listen to them under protest, as it were, you are very likely to get what you want."
假若你用話逗引著，你就會(huì)得到你所要知道的事了。"
"Our course now seems pretty clear," said I.
我道：“咱們應(yīng)當(dāng)采取的步驟已經(jīng)很清楚了。"
"What would you do, then?"
"你想應(yīng)當(dāng)采取什么步驟呢？"
"I would engage a launch and go down the river on the track of the Aurora."
"雇一只汽船到下游去尋找'曙光'號(hào)。"
"My dear fellow, it would be a colossal task.
"我的好伙計(jì)，你這個(gè)辦法太費(fèi)事啦。
She may have touched at any wharf on either side of the stream between here and Greenwich.
這只船可能靠在從這里到格林威治的兩岸任何一個(gè)碼頭上。
Below the bridge there is a perfect labyrinth of landing-places for miles.
橋那邊幾十里內(nèi)全是停泊的地方。
It would take you days and days to exhaust them if you set about it alone."
如果你一個(gè)一個(gè)地去找，不知要用多少日子呢？"
"Employ the police, then."
"那么請(qǐng)警察協(xié)助？"
"No. I shall probably call Athelney Jones in at the last moment.
"不，在最后的緊要的關(guān)頭我也許會(huì)把埃瑟爾尼·瓊斯叫來。
He is not a bad fellow, and I should not like to do anything which would injure him professionally.
他這個(gè)人還不錯(cuò)，我也不愿意影響他的職務(wù)。
But I have a fancy for working it out myself, now that we have gone so far."
咱們已經(jīng)偵察到這個(gè)地步，我很想自己單獨(dú)干下去。"
"Could we advertise, then, asking for information from wharfingers?"
"咱們可不可以在報(bào)紙上登廣告，以便從碼頭主人那里得到'曙光'號(hào)的消息呢？"
"Worse and worse!
"那更糟了！
Our men would know that the chase was hot at their heels, and they would be off out of the country.
這樣一來匪徒們就會(huì)知道咱們正在追尋他們，他們就要趕快離開英國了，
As it is, they are likely enough to leave,
就是現(xiàn)在他們也未嘗不想離境遠(yuǎn)走呢。
but as long as they think they are perfectly safe they will be in no hurry.
可是在他們還以為是安全的時(shí)候，他們就不急于快走。
Jones's energy will be of use to us there,
瓊斯的行動(dòng)對(duì)于咱們?cè)谶@方面是有利的。
for his view of the case is sure to push itself into the daily press,
因?yàn)樗囊庖娫趫?bào)紙上每天全可以看見，
and the runaways will think that everyone is off on the wrong scent."
這些匪徒會(huì)認(rèn)為大家都在向錯(cuò)誤方向偵察，他們可以茍安一時(shí)呢。"
"What are we to do, then?" I asked as we landed near Millbank Penitentiary.
當(dāng)我們?cè)诿軤柊嗫吮O(jiān)獄門前下船時(shí)，我問道：“究竟咱們?cè)趺崔k呢？"
"Take this hansom, drive home, have some breakfast, and get an hour's sleep.
"現(xiàn)在咱們坐這部車子回去，吃些早餐，睡一個(gè)鐘頭，
It is quite on the cards that we may be afoot to-night again.
說不定今晚咱們還得跑路呢。
Stop at a telegraph office, cabby! We will keep Toby, for he may be of use to us yet."
車夫，請(qǐng)?jiān)陔妶?bào)局停一停。我們暫時(shí)留一留透比，以后或者還要用它。"
