評論
打印
We were all eager by this time, even the policemen and stokers, who had a very vague idea of what was going forward.
這時我們都很焦急，就是那幾個對于我們的任務不太清楚的警長和火夫，也在那里現出躍躍欲試的神氣。
"We have no right to take anything for granted," Holmes answered.
福爾摩斯答道："我們沒有權利把任何事情視為理所當然。
"It is certainly ten to one that they go downstream, but we cannot be certain.
雖然十分之九他們會往下游去的，可是我們不能擅自把上游忽略了。
From this point we can see the entrance of the yard, and they can hardly see us.
從我們目前這個地方能夠看見船塢的出入口，可是他們卻不容易看見咱們。
It will be a clear night and plenty of light. We must stay where we are.
今晚沒有云霧，月光很亮，咱們就在這兒吧。
See how the folk swarm over yonder in the gaslight."
你看見那邊煤氣燈光的下面，來往的人夠多么擁擠。"
"They are coming from work in the yard."
"那都是從船塢下工的工人們。"
"Dirty-looking rascals, but I suppose every one has some little immortal spark concealed about him.
"這些人的外表雖然骯臟粗俗，可是每個人的內心全有一些不滅的生氣。
You would not think it, to look at them. There is no a priori probability about it. A strange enigma is man!"
只看他們的外表，你是想不到的。這并不是先天的，人生就是一個謎。"
"Someone calls him a soul concealed in an animal," I suggested.
我道："有人說：人是動物中有靈魂的。"
"Winwood Reade is good upon the subject," said Holmes.
福爾摩斯道："溫伍德·瑞德對這個問題有很好的解釋。
"He remarks that, while the individual man is an insoluble puzzle, in the aggregate he becomes a mathematical certainty.
他論道雖然每個人都是難解的謎，可是把人類聚合起來，就有定律了。
You can, for example, never foretell what any one man will do,
譬如說，你不能預知一個人的個性，
but you can say with precision what an average number will be up to.
可是能夠確知人類的共性。
Individuals vary, but percentages remain constant. So says the statistician.
個性不同，共性卻是永恒的，統計家們也是這樣的說法
But do I see a handkerchief? Surely there is a white flutter over yonder."
你們看見那條手巾了嗎？那邊確有一個白色的東西在揮動著。"
