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On the third day after the coming of the letter my father went from home to visit an old friend of his, Major Freebody,
接到來信以后的第三天，我父親離家去看望他的一位老朋友，弗里博迪少校。
who is in command of one of the forts upon Portsdown Hill.
他現在是樸次當山一處堡壘的指揮官。
I was glad that he should go, for it seemed to me that he was farther from danger when he was away from home.
我為他的出訪而感到高興，在我看來，仿佛他離開了家倒可避開危險。
In that, however, I was in error.
可是我想錯了。
Upon the second day of his absence I received a telegram from the major, imploring me to come at once.
他出門的第二天，我接到少校拍來一封電報，要我立即趕赴他那里。
My father had fallen over one of the deep chalk-pits which abound in the neighbourhood,
我父親摔在一個很深的白堊礦坑里，這種礦坑在這附近地區是很多的。
and was lying senseless, with a shattered skull.
他摔碎了頭骨，躺在里邊不省人事。
I hurried to him, but he passed away without having ever recovered his consciousness.
我急切地跑去看他，可是他再也沒有恢復知覺，從此與世長辭了。
He had, as it appears, been returning from Fareham in the twilight, and as the country was unknown to him,
顯而易見，他是在黃昏前從費爾哈姆回家，由于鄉間道路不熟，
and the chalk-pit unfenced, the jury had no hesitation in bringing in a verdict of 'death from accidental causes.'
白堊坑又無欄桿遮擋，驗尸官便毫不遲疑地作出了'由于意外致死'的判斷。
Carefully as I examined every fact connected with his death,
我審慎地檢查了每一與他死因有所關聯的事情，
I was unable to find anything which could suggest the idea of murder.
但是沒有發現任何含有謀殺意圖的事實。
There were no signs of violence, no footmarks, no robbery, no record of strangers having been seen upon the roads.
現場沒有暴力行動的跡象，沒有腳印，沒有發生搶劫，也沒有關于看見路上有陌生人出現的記錄。
And yet I need not tell you that my mind was far from at ease,
可是我不說您也知道，我的心情是非常不平靜的。
and that I was well-nigh certain that some foul plot had been woven round him.
我幾乎可以確定：一定有人在他的周圍策劃了某種卑鄙的陰謀。
