評論
打印
The Five Orange Pips
五個桔核
When I glance over my notes and records of the Sherlock Holmes cases between the years '82 and '90,
當我粗略地看了一遍我積存的一八八二年至一八九零年間福爾摩斯偵探案的筆記和記錄時，
I am faced by so many which present strange and interesting features
我發覺擺在我眼前離奇有趣的材料浩如煙海，實在太多了，
that it is no easy matter to know which to choose and which to leave.
竟不知如何取舍是好。
Some, however, have already gained publicity through the papers,
有些案件通過報紙已經廣為流傳，
and others have not offered a field for those peculiar qualities which my friend possessed in so high a degree,
但是也有些案件缺乏可供我的朋友盡情發揮其出類拔萃的才能的余地，
and which it is the object of these papers to illustrate.
而我的朋友的這種卓越才能正是那些報紙亟想報道的主要題材。
Some, too, have baffled his analytical skill, and would be, as narratives, beginnings without an ending,
還有些案件使得他的擅長于分析的本領無法施展，正像有些故事一樣，成為有頭無尾的了。
while others have been but partially cleared up, and have their explanations founded
又有一些案件，他僅搞清楚了一部分，對其情節的剖析只是出于推測或臆斷，
rather upon conjecture and surmise than on that absolute logical proof which was so dear to him.
而不是以我的朋友所珍視的、準確無誤的邏輯論證為依據。
There is, however, one of these last which was so remarkable in its details and so startling in its results
在上述最后一類案件中，有一個案件情節異常、結局離奇，
that I am tempted to give some account of it
使我不禁要有所敘述，
in spite of the fact that there are points in connection with it which never have been,
盡管與這樁案子有關的一些真相是從未弄明白過，
and probably never will be, entirely cleared up.
而且也許是永遠弄不明白的。
The year '87 furnished us with a long series of cases of greater or less interest, of which I retain the records.
一八八七年我們經手過一系列頗為有趣和趣味不大的案件，有關這些案件的記錄，我都保留著。
Among my headings under this one twelve months I find an account of the adventure of the Paradol Chamber,
在這一年的十二個月的記錄的標題中，有關于如下各案的記載："帕拉多爾大廈案"；
of the Amateur Mendicant Society, who held a luxurious club in the lower vault of a furniture warehouse,
"業余乞丐團案"，這個業余乞丐團在一個家具店庫房的地下室擁有一個窮奢極侈的俱樂部；
of the facts connected with the loss of the British bark Sophy Anderson,
"美國帆船'索菲·安德森'號失事真相案"；
of the singular adventures of the Grice Patersons in the island of Uffa, and finally of the Camberwell poisoning case.
"格賴斯·彼得森在烏法島上的奇案"；還有"坎伯韋爾放毒案"。
In the latter, as may be remembered, Sherlock Holmes was able, by winding up the dead man's watch,
記得在最后一案里，當歇洛克·福爾摩斯給死者的表上發條時，
to prove that it had been wound up two hours before, and that therefore the deceased had gone to bed within that time
發現該表在兩小時前曾被上緊了發條，從而證明在那段時間里死者業已上床就寢。
a deduction which was of the greatest importance in clearing up the case.
這一推論對于廓清案情至關重要。
All these I may sketch out at some future date,
所有這些案件，我有朝一日也許會略述其梗概，
but none of them present such singular features as the strange train of circumstances which I have now taken up my pen to describe.
但是其中沒有一個案件比我現在就要執筆描述的有著一連串撲朔迷離的情節的案件更加怪誕不經。
