評論
打印
"There was a double line of tracks of a booted man, and a second double line which I saw with delight belonged to a man with naked feet.
"那里有兩條穿靴子的人的腳印，另外還有兩條，我很高興地看到這是一個打赤腳的人的腳印。
I was at once convinced from what you had told me that the latter was your son.
我立刻根據你曾經告訴過我的話證明后兩條腳印是你兒子留下的。
The first had walked both ways, but the other had run swiftly, and as his tread was marked in places over the depression of the boot,
頭兩條腳印是來回走的，而另兩條則是跑得很快的腳印，而且他的腳印在有些地方蓋在那穿靴的腳印上，
it was obvious that he had passed after the other.
顯然他是在后頭走過去的。
I followed them up and found they led to the hall window, where Boots had worn all the snow away while waiting.
我隨著這些腳印走，發現它們通向大廳的窗戶，那穿起靴的人在這里等候時將周圍所有的雪都踩得溶化了。
Then I walked to the other end, which was a hundred yards or more down the lane.
隨后我到另外一邊，這里從那小道走下去約有一百多碼。
I saw where Boots had faced round, where the snow was cut up as though there had been a struggle,
此外，我看出那穿起靴的人曾轉過身來，地上的雪被踩得縱橫交錯，狼藉不堪，好象在那里發生過一場搏斗，
and, finally, where a few drops of blood had fallen, to show me that I was not mistaken.
并且最后我還發現那里有濺下的幾滴血，這說明我沒弄錯。
Boots had then run down the lane, and another little smudge of blood showed that it was he who had been hurt.
這時，那穿皮靴人又沿著小道跑了，在那里又有一小灘血說明他受了傷。
When he came to the highroad at the other end, I found that the pavement had been cleared, so there was an end to that clue.
當他來到大路上另一頭時，我看見人行道邊已經清掃過，所以線索就此中斷。
On entering the house, however, I examined, as you remember, the sill and framework of the hall window with my lens,
在進屋子時，你記得，我曾經用我的放大鏡驗視大廳的窗臺和窗框，
and I could at once see that someone had passed out.
我馬上看出有人從這里進出過。
I could distinguish the outline of an instep where the wet foot had been placed in coming in.
我能夠分辨出腳的輪廓，因為一只濕腳跨進來時曾在這里踩過。
I was then beginning to be able to form an opinion as to what had occurred.
那時我對于這里出過什么事就形成了初步的看法。
A man had waited outside the window; someone had brought the gems; the deed had been overseen by your son;
也就是說，一個人曾在窗外守候過；一個人將綠玉皇冠帶到那里；這情況被你的兒子看見了。
he had pursued the thief; had struggled with him; they had each tugged at the coronet,
他去追那個賊，并和他格斗；他們兩個人一起抓住那皇冠，
their united strength causing injuries which neither alone could have effected.
一迫使勁爭奪，才造成并非任何單獨一個人所能造成的那種損壞。
He had returned with the prize, but had left a fragment in the grasp of his opponent. So far I was clear.
他奪得了戰利品回來，但卻留下一小部分在他對手的手中。我當時所能弄清的就是這些。
The question now was, who was the man and who was it brought him the coronet?"
現在的問題是，那個人是誰？又是誰將皇冠拿給他的？"
