評論
打印
The Problem
疑難問題
I felt a moment of fear as Mortimer spoke these words．Holmes sat forward in his excitement，and his eyes showed he was very interested indeed．
摩梯末說出這些話時我感到一陣恐懼。福爾摩斯驚異地向前探著身子坐著，他的兩眼也表明他對這件事真的很感興趣。
'Why did nobody else see these footprints？'he asked．
“為什么沒有別人看到這些爪印呢？”他問道。
'The footprints were about twenty metres from the body，and nobody thought of looking so far away，'Mortimer replied．
“這些爪印距尸體約二十米之遠，也沒有人想到要查看這么遠的地方，”摩梯末回答道。
'Are there many sheep dogs on the moor？'asked Holmes．
“沼地里有許多牧羊犬嗎？”福爾摩斯問道。
'Yes，but this was no sheep dog．The footprints were very large indeed—enormous，'Mortimer answered．
“有，但是這絕不是牧羊犬。爪印的確很大——極大。”摩梯末回答道。
'But it had not gone near the body？'
“但是它并沒有接近過尸體吧？”
'No.'
“沒有。”
'What kind of night was it？'Holmes asked．
“那是個什么樣的夜晚？”福爾摩斯問道。
'It was wet and cold，though it wasn't actually raining．'
“又潮又冷，盡管并沒真正下雨。”
'Describe the Alley to me．'
“把那個小道描述給我聽聽。”
'The Alley is a path between two long yew hedges．The hedges are small trees that were planted very close together．They are about four metres high．The distance between the two yew hedges is about seven metres．Down the middle is a path of small stones．The path is about three metres wide，with grass on each side of it．'
“那個小道是位于兩排長長的水松樹籬之間的一條小路。樹籬是種得很密的矮小的樹種。它們大約有四米高。兩排水松樹籬之間的距離大約為七米。在樹籬中間是一條由小石子鋪就的小道。這條小道大約為三米寬，兩旁都種著草。”
'I understand there is a gate through the hedge in one place，'said Holmes．
“我想樹籬的某處有一個柵門通道吧，”福爾摩斯說道。
'Yes，there is a small gate，which leads to the moor．'
“是的，有一個小門，它通向沼地。”
'Is there any other opening through the hedge？'
“樹籬之中還有其他的通道嗎？”
'No.'
“沒有。”
'So you can enter or leave the Yew Alley only from the Hall，or through the moor gate？'asked Holmes．
“因此，要想從水松小道里進出就只能經由莊園或是由開向沼地的柵門啰？”福爾摩斯問道。
'There is a way out through a summer house at the far end．'
“穿過遠處另一頭的涼亭還有一個出口。”
'Had Sir Charles reached the summer house？'
“查爾斯爵士走到那里了嗎？”
'No．He lay about fifty metres from it，'said Mortimer．
“沒有。他倒下的地方距那里約五十米，”摩梯末說道。
'Now，Dr Mortimer，this is important．You say that the footprints you saw were on the path and not on the grass？'
“我說，摩梯末醫生，這點是很重要的。您說您所看到爪印是在小道上而不是在草地上吧？”
