×

Nós usamos os cookies para ajudar a melhorar o LingQ. Ao visitar o site, você concorda com a nossa política de cookies.

image

The Sign of the Four By Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Chapter VII The Episode of the Barrel

Chapter VII The Episode of the Barrel

The police had brought a cab with them, and in this I escorted Miss Morstan back to her home. After the angelic fashion of women, she had borne trouble with a calm face as long as there was some one weaker than herself to support, and I had found her bright and placid by the side of the frightened housekeeper. In the cab, however, she first turned faint, and then burst into a passion of weeping,—so sorely had she been tried by the adventures of the night. She has told me since that she thought me cold and distant upon that journey. She little guessed the struggle within my breast, or the effort of self-restraint which held me back. My sympathies and my love went out to her, even as my hand had in the garden. I felt that years of the conventionalities of life could not teach me to know her sweet, brave nature as had this one day of strange experiences. Yet there were two thoughts which sealed the words of affection upon my lips. She was weak and helpless, shaken in mind and nerve. It was to take her at a disadvantage to obtrude love upon her at such a time. Worse still, she was rich. If Holmes's researches were successful, she would be an heiress. Was it fair, was it honourable, that a half-pay surgeon should take such advantage of an intimacy which chance had brought about? Might she not look upon me as a mere vulgar fortune-seeker? I could not bear to risk that such a thought should cross her mind. This Agra treasure intervened like an impassable barrier between us.

It was nearly two o'clock when we reached Mrs. Cecil Forrester's. The servants had retired hours ago, but Mrs. Forrester had been so interested by the strange message which Miss Morstan had received that she had sat up in the hope of her return. She opened the door herself, a middle-aged, graceful woman, and it gave me joy to see how tenderly her arm stole round the other's waist and how motherly was the voice in which she greeted her. She was clearly no mere paid dependant, but an honoured friend. I was introduced, and Mrs. Forrester earnestly begged me to step in and tell her our adventures. I explained, however, the importance of my errand, and promised faithfully to call and report any progress which we might make with the case. As we drove away I stole a glance back, and I still seem to see that little group on the step, the two graceful, clinging figures, the half-opened door, the hall-light shining through stained glass, the barometer, and the bright stair-rods. It was soothing to catch even that passing glimpse of a tranquil English home in the midst of the wild, dark business which had absorbed us.

And the more I thought of what had happened, the wilder and darker it grew. I reviewed the whole extraordinary sequence of events as I rattled on through the silent gas-lit streets. There was the original problem: that at least was pretty clear now. The death of Captain Morstan, the sending of the pearls, the advertisement, the letter,—we had had light upon all those events. They had only led us, however, to a deeper and far more tragic mystery. The Indian treasure, the curious plan found among Morstan's baggage, the strange scene at Major Sholto's death, the rediscovery of the treasure immediately followed by the murder of the discoverer, the very singular accompaniments to the crime, the footsteps, the remarkable weapons, the words upon the card, corresponding with those upon Captain Morstan's chart,—here was indeed a labyrinth in which a man less singularly endowed than my fellow-lodger might well despair of ever finding the clue.

Pinchin Lane was a row of shabby two-storied brick houses in the lower quarter of Lambeth. I had to knock for some time at No. 3 before I could make my impression. At last, however, there was the glint of a candle behind the blind, and a face looked out at the upper window.

“Go on, you drunken vagabone,” said the face. “If you kick up any more row I'll open the kennels and let out forty-three dogs upon you.”

“If you'll let one out it's just what I have come for,” said I.

“Go on!” yelled the voice. “So help me gracious, I have a wiper in the bag, an' I'll drop it on your 'ead if you don't hook it.”

“But I want a dog,” I cried.

“I won't be argued with!” shouted Mr. Sherman. “Now stand clear, for when I say ‘three,' down goes the wiper.”

“Mr. Sherlock Holmes—” I began, but the words had a most magical effect, for the window instantly slammed down, and within a minute the door was unbarred and open. Mr. Sherman was a lanky, lean old man, with stooping shoulders, a stringy neck, and blue-tinted glasses.

“A friend of Mr. Sherlock is always welcome,” said he. “Step in, sir. Keep clear of the badger; for he bites. Ah, naughty, naughty, would you take a nip at the gentleman?” This to a stoat which thrust its wicked head and red eyes between the bars of its cage. “Don't mind that, sir: it's only a slow-worm. It hain't got no fangs, so I gives it the run o' the room, for it keeps the beetles down. You must not mind my bein' just a little short wi' you at first, for I'm guyed at by the children, and there's many a one just comes down this lane to knock me up. What was it that Mr. Sherlock Holmes wanted, sir?”

“He wanted a dog of yours.”

“Ah! that would be Toby.”

“Yes, Toby was the name.”

“Toby lives at No. 7 on the left here.” He moved slowly forward with his candle among the queer animal family which he had gathered round him. In the uncertain, shadowy light I could see dimly that there were glancing, glimmering eyes peeping down at us from every cranny and corner. Even the rafters above our heads were lined by solemn fowls, who lazily shifted their weight from one leg to the other as our voices disturbed their slumbers.

Toby proved to be an ugly, long-haired, lop-eared creature, half spaniel and half lurcher, brown-and-white in colour, with a very clumsy waddling gait. It accepted after some hesitation a lump of sugar which the old naturalist handed to me, and, having thus sealed an alliance, it followed me to the cab, and made no difficulties about accompanying me. It had just struck three on the Palace clock when I found myself back once more at Pondicherry Lodge. The ex-prize-fighter McMurdo had, I found, been arrested as an accessory, and both he and Mr. Sholto had been marched off to the station. Two constables guarded the narrow gate, but they allowed me to pass with the dog on my mentioning the detective's name.

Holmes was standing on the door-step, with his hands in his pockets, smoking his pipe.

“Ah, you have him there!” said he. “Good dog, then! Atheney Jones has gone. We have had an immense display of energy since you left. He has arrested not only friend Thaddeus, but the gatekeeper, the housekeeper, and the Indian servant. We have the place to ourselves, but for a sergeant upstairs. Leave the dog here, and come up.”

We tied Toby to the hall table, and re-ascended the stairs. The room was as he had left it, save that a sheet had been draped over the central figure. A weary-looking police-sergeant reclined in the corner.

“Lend me your bull's-eye, sergeant,” said my companion. “Now tie this bit of card round my neck, so as to hang it in front of me. Thank you. Now I must kick off my boots and stockings.—Just you carry them down with you, Watson. I am going to do a little climbing. And dip my handkerchief into the creasote. That will do. Now come up into the garret with me for a moment.”

We clambered up through the hole. Holmes turned his light once more upon the footsteps in the dust.

“I wish you particularly to notice these footmarks,” he said. “Do you observe anything noteworthy about them?”

“They belong,” I said, “to a child or a small woman.”

“Apart from their size, though. Is there nothing else?”

“They appear to be much as other footmarks.”

“Not at all. Look here! This is the print of a right foot in the dust. Now I make one with my naked foot beside it. What is the chief difference?”

“Your toes are all cramped together. The other print has each toe distinctly divided.”

“Quite so. That is the point. Bear that in mind. Now, would you kindly step over to that flap-window and smell the edge of the wood-work? I shall stay here, as I have this handkerchief in my hand.”

I did as he directed, and was instantly conscious of a strong tarry smell.

“That is where he put his foot in getting out. If you can trace him, I should think that Toby will have no difficulty. Now run downstairs, loose the dog, and look out for Blondin.”

By the time that I got out into the grounds Sherlock Holmes was on the roof, and I could see him like an enormous glow-worm crawling very slowly along the ridge. I lost sight of him behind a stack of chimneys, but he presently reappeared, and then vanished once more upon the opposite side. When I made my way round there I found him seated at one of the corner eaves.

“That you, Watson?” he cried.

“Yes.”

“This is the place. What is that black thing down there?”

“A water-barrel.”

“Top on it?”

“Yes.”

“No sign of a ladder?”

“No.”

“Confound the fellow! It's a most break-neck place. I ought to be able to come down where he could climb up. The water-pipe feels pretty firm. Here goes, anyhow.”

There was a scuffling of feet, and the lantern began to come steadily down the side of the wall. Then with a light spring he came on to the barrel, and from there to the earth.

“It was easy to follow him,” he said, drawing on his stockings and boots. “Tiles were loosened the whole way along, and in his hurry he had dropped this. It confirms my diagnosis, as you doctors express it.”

The object which he held up to me was a small pocket or pouch woven out of coloured grasses and with a few tawdry beads strung round it. In shape and size it was not unlike a cigarette-case. Inside were half a dozen spines of dark wood, sharp at one end and rounded at the other, like that which had struck Bartholomew Sholto.

“They are hellish things,” said he. “Look out that you don't prick yourself. I'm delighted to have them, for the chances are that they are all he has. There is the less fear of you or me finding one in our skin before long. I would sooner face a Martini bullet, myself. Are you game for a six-mile trudge, Watson?”

“Certainly,” I answered.

“Your leg will stand it?”

“Oh, yes.”

“Here you are, doggy! Good old Toby! Smell it, Toby, smell it!” He pushed the creasote handkerchief under the dog's nose, while the creature stood with its fluffy legs separated, and with a most comical cock to its head, like a connoisseur sniffing the bouquet of a famous vintage. Holmes then threw the handkerchief to a distance, fastened a stout cord to the mongrel's collar, and led him to the foot of the water-barrel. The creature instantly broke into a succession of high, tremulous yelps, and, with his nose on the ground, and his tail in the air, pattered off upon the trail at a pace which strained his leash and kept us at the top of our speed.

The east had been gradually whitening, and we could now see some distance in the cold grey light. The square, massive house, with its black, empty windows and high, bare walls, towered up, sad and forlorn, behind us. Our course led right across the grounds, in and out among the trenches and pits with which they were scarred and intersected. The whole place, with its scattered dirt-heaps and ill-grown shrubs, had a blighted, ill-omened look which harmonized with the black tragedy which hung over it.

On reaching the boundary wall Toby ran along, whining eagerly, underneath its shadow, and stopped finally in a corner screened by a young beech. Where the two walls joined, several bricks had been loosened, and the crevices left were worn down and rounded upon the lower side, as though they had frequently been used as a ladder. Holmes clambered up, and, taking the dog from me, he dropped it over upon the other side.

“There's the print of wooden-leg's hand,” he remarked, as I mounted up beside him. “You see the slight smudge of blood upon the white plaster. What a lucky thing it is that we have had no very heavy rain since yesterday! The scent will lie upon the road in spite of their eight-and-twenty hours' start.”

I confess that I had my doubts myself when I reflected upon the great traffic which had passed along the London road in the interval. My fears were soon appeased, however. Toby never hesitated or swerved, but waddled on in his peculiar rolling fashion. Clearly, the pungent smell of the creasote rose high above all other contending scents.

“Do not imagine,” said Holmes, “that I depend for my success in this case upon the mere chance of one of these fellows having put his foot in the chemical. I have knowledge now which would enable me to trace them in many different ways. This, however, is the readiest and, since fortune has put it into our hands, I should be culpable if I neglected it. It has, however, prevented the case from becoming the pretty little intellectual problem which it at one time promised to be. There might have been some credit to be gained out of it, but for this too palpable clue.”

“There is credit, and to spare,” said I. “I assure you, Holmes, that I marvel at the means by which you obtain your results in this case, even more than I did in the Jefferson Hope Murder. The thing seems to me to be deeper and more inexplicable. How, for example, could you describe with such confidence the wooden-legged man?”

“Pshaw, my dear boy! it was simplicity itself. I don't wish to be theatrical. It is all patent and above-board. Two officers who are in command of a convict-guard learn an important secret as to buried treasure. A map is drawn for them by an Englishman named Jonathan Small. You remember that we saw the name upon the chart in Captain Morstan's possession. He had signed it in behalf of himself and his associates,—the sign of the four, as he somewhat dramatically called it. Aided by this chart, the officers—or one of them—gets the treasure and brings it to England, leaving, we will suppose, some condition under which he received it unfulfilled. Now, then, why did not Jonathan Small get the treasure himself? The answer is obvious. The chart is dated at a time when Morstan was brought into close association with convicts. Jonathan Small did not get the treasure because he and his associates were themselves convicts and could not get away.”

“But that is mere speculation,” said I.

“It is more than that. It is the only hypothesis which covers the facts. Let us see how it fits in with the sequel. Major Sholto remains at peace for some years, happy in the possession of his treasure. Then he receives a letter from India which gives him a great fright. What was that?”

“A letter to say that the men whom he had wronged had been set free.”

“Or had escaped. That is much more likely, for he would have known what their term of imprisonment was. It would not have been a surprise to him. What does he do then? He guards himself against a wooden-legged man,—a white man, mark you, for he mistakes a white tradesman for him, and actually fires a pistol at him. Now, only one white man's name is on the chart. The others are Hindoos or Mohammedans. There is no other white man. Therefore we may say with confidence that the wooden-legged man is identical with Jonathan Small. Does the reasoning strike you as being faulty?”

“No: it is clear and concise.”

“Well, now, let us put ourselves in the place of Jonathan Small. Let us look at it from his point of view. He comes to England with the double idea of regaining what he would consider to be his rights and of having his revenge upon the man who had wronged him. He found out where Sholto lived, and very possibly he established communications with some one inside the house. There is this butler, Lal Rao, whom we have not seen. Mrs. Bernstone gives him far from a good character. Small could not find out, however, where the treasure was hid, for no one ever knew, save the major and one faithful servant who had died. Suddenly Small learns that the major is on his death-bed. In a frenzy lest the secret of the treasure die with him, he runs the gauntlet of the guards, makes his way to the dying man's window, and is only deterred from entering by the presence of his two sons. Mad with hate, however, against the dead man, he enters the room that night, searches his private papers in the hope of discovering some memorandum relating to the treasure, and finally leaves a momento of his visit in the short inscription upon the card. He had doubtless planned beforehand that should he slay the major he would leave some such record upon the body as a sign that it was not a common murder, but, from the point of view of the four associates, something in the nature of an act of justice. Whimsical and bizarre conceits of this kind are common enough in the annals of crime, and usually afford valuable indications as to the criminal. Do you follow all this?”

“Very clearly.”

“Now, what could Jonathan Small do? He could only continue to keep a secret watch upon the efforts made to find the treasure. Possibly he leaves England and only comes back at intervals. Then comes the discovery of the garret, and he is instantly informed of it. We again trace the presence of some confederate in the household. Jonathan, with his wooden leg, is utterly unable to reach the lofty room of Bartholomew Sholto. He takes with him, however, a rather curious associate, who gets over this difficulty, but dips his naked foot into creasote, whence comes Toby, and a six-mile limp for a half-pay officer with a damaged tendo Achillis.”

“But it was the associate, and not Jonathan, who committed the crime.”

“Quite so. And rather to Jonathan's disgust, to judge by the way he stamped about when he got into the room. He bore no grudge against Bartholomew Sholto, and would have preferred if he could have been simply bound and gagged. He did not wish to put his head in a halter. There was no help for it, however: the savage instincts of his companion had broken out, and the poison had done its work: so Jonathan Small left his record, lowered the treasure-box to the ground, and followed it himself. That was the train of events as far as I can decipher them. Of course as to his personal appearance he must be middle-aged, and must be sunburned after serving his time in such an oven as the Andamans. His height is readily calculated from the length of his stride, and we know that he was bearded. His hairiness was the one point which impressed itself upon Thaddeus Sholto when he saw him at the window. I don't know that there is anything else.”

“The associate?”

“Ah, well, there is no great mystery in that. But you will know all about it soon enough. How sweet the morning air is! See how that one little cloud floats like a pink feather from some gigantic flamingo. Now the red rim of the sun pushes itself over the London cloud-bank. It shines on a good many folk, but on none, I dare bet, who are on a stranger errand than you and I. How small we feel with our petty ambitions and strivings in the presence of the great elemental forces of nature! Are you well up in your Jean Paul?”

“Fairly so. I worked back to him through Carlyle.”

“That was like following the brook to the parent lake. He makes one curious but profound remark. It is that the chief proof of man's real greatness lies in his perception of his own smallness. It argues, you see, a power of comparison and of appreciation which is in itself a proof of nobility. There is much food for thought in Richter. You have not a pistol, have you?”

“I have my stick.”

“It is just possible that we may need something of the sort if we get to their lair. Jonathan I shall leave to you, but if the other turns nasty I shall shoot him dead.” He took out his revolver as he spoke, and, having loaded two of the chambers, he put it back into the right-hand pocket of his jacket.

We had during this time been following the guidance of Toby down the half-rural villa-lined roads which lead to the metropolis. Now, however, we were beginning to come among continuous streets, where labourers and dockmen were already astir, and slatternly women were taking down shutters and brushing door-steps. At the square-topped corner public houses business was just beginning, and rough-looking men were emerging, rubbing their sleeves across their beards after their morning wet. Strange dogs sauntered up and stared wonderingly at us as we passed, but our inimitable Toby looked neither to the right nor to the left, but trotted onwards with his nose to the ground and an occasional eager whine which spoke of a hot scent.

We had traversed Streatham, Brixton, Camberwell, and now found ourselves in Kennington Lane, having borne away through the side-streets to the east of the Oval. The men whom we pursued seemed to have taken a curiously zigzag road, with the idea probably of escaping observation. They had never kept to the main road if a parallel side-street would serve their turn. At the foot of Kennington Lane they had edged away to the left through Bond Street and Miles Street. Where the latter street turns into Knight's Place, Toby ceased to advance, but began to run backwards and forwards with one ear cocked and the other drooping, the very picture of canine indecision. Then he waddled round in circles, looking up to us from time to time, as if to ask for sympathy in his embarrassment.

“What the deuce is the matter with the dog?” growled Holmes. “They surely would not take a cab, or go off in a balloon.”

“Perhaps they stood here for some time,” I suggested.

“Ah! it's all right. He's off again,” said my companion, in a tone of relief.

He was indeed off, for after sniffing round again he suddenly made up his mind, and darted away with an energy and determination such as he had not yet shown. The scent appeared to be much hotter than before, for he had not even to put his nose on the ground, but tugged at his leash and tried to break into a run. I cold see by the gleam in Holmes's eyes that he thought we were nearing the end of our journey.

Our course now ran down Nine Elms until we came to Broderick and Nelson's large timber-yard, just past the White Eagle tavern. Here the dog, frantic with excitement, turned down through the side-gate into the enclosure, where the sawyers were already at work. On the dog raced through sawdust and shavings, down an alley, round a passage, between two wood-piles, and finally, with a triumphant yelp, sprang upon a large barrel which still stood upon the hand-trolley on which it had been brought. With lolling tongue and blinking eyes, Toby stood upon the cask, looking from one to the other of us for some sign of appreciation. The staves of the barrel and the wheels of the trolley were smeared with a dark liquid, and the whole air was heavy with the smell of creasote.

Sherlock Holmes and I looked blankly at each other, and then burst simultaneously into an uncontrollable fit of laughter.

Learn languages from TV shows, movies, news, articles and more! Try LingQ for FREE

Chapter VII The Episode of the Barrel ||||||桶

The police had brought a cab with them, and in this I escorted Miss Morstan back to her home. After the angelic fashion of women, she had borne trouble with a calm face as long as there was some one weaker than herself to support, and I had found her bright and placid by the side of the frightened housekeeper. In the cab, however, she first turned faint, and then burst into a passion of weeping,—so sorely had she been tried by the adventures of the night. She has told me since that she thought me cold and distant upon that journey. She little guessed the struggle within my breast, or the effort of self-restraint which held me back. My sympathies and my love went out to her, even as my hand had in the garden. I felt that years of the conventionalities of life could not teach me to know her sweet, brave nature as had this one day of strange experiences. Yet there were two thoughts which sealed the words of affection upon my lips. She was weak and helpless, shaken in mind and nerve. It was to take her at a disadvantage to obtrude love upon her at such a time. Worse still, she was rich. If Holmes's researches were successful, she would be an heiress. Was it fair, was it honourable, that a half-pay surgeon should take such advantage of an intimacy which chance had brought about? Might she not look upon me as a mere vulgar fortune-seeker? I could not bear to risk that such a thought should cross her mind. This Agra treasure intervened like an impassable barrier between us. |||||||||||||||||||||天使般的|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||平靜的|||||||||||||||暈倒||||||||||痛苦地|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||同情心||||||||||||||||||||||世俗礼节||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||強加於|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||外科醫生||||||||||||||||||||||庸俗的||||||||||||||||||||介入|||||| |||||||||||||||||||||engelschen||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||jedoch||||||||||||weeping|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||Ruhigkeit||||||Sympathien||||||||||||||||||||||Konventionalitäten||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||obtrudete|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||vulgär||Suche|||||||||||||||||||||unpassierbar|||

It was nearly two o'clock when we reached Mrs. Cecil Forrester's. The servants had retired hours ago, but Mrs. Forrester had been so interested by the strange message which Miss Morstan had received that she had sat up in the hope of her return. She opened the door herself, a middle-aged, graceful woman, and it gave me joy to see how tenderly her arm stole round the other's waist and how motherly was the voice in which she greeted her. She was clearly no mere paid dependant, but an honoured friend. I was introduced, and Mrs. Forrester earnestly begged me to step in and tell her our adventures. I explained, however, the importance of my errand, and promised faithfully to call and report any progress which we might make with the case. As we drove away I stole a glance back, and I still seem to see that little group on the step, the two graceful, clinging figures, the half-opened door, the hall-light shining through stained glass, the barometer, and the bright stair-rods. It was soothing to catch even that passing glimpse of a tranquil English home in the midst of the wild, dark business which had absorbed us. |||||||||塞西爾|福雷斯特夫人||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||溫柔地|||||||||||||||||||||||||受僱者|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||彩繪玻璃|||氣壓計|||||樓梯桿|||||||||||||||||||||||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||zärtlich||||||||||mütterlich|||||||||||||nur||abhängig||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| It was nearly two o'clock when we reached Mrs. Cecil Forrester's. The servants had retired hours ago, but Mrs. Forrester had been so interested by the strange message which Miss Morstan had received that she had sat up in the hope of her return. She opened the door herself, a middle-aged, graceful woman, and it gave me joy to see how tenderly her arm stole round the other's waist and how motherly was the voice in which she greeted her. She was clearly no mere paid dependant, but an honoured friend. I was introduced, and Mrs. Forrester earnestly begged me to step in and tell her our adventures. I explained, however, the importance of my errand, and promised faithfully to call and report any progress which we might make with the case. As we drove away I stole a glance back, and I still seem to see that little group on the step, the two graceful, clinging figures, the half-opened door, the hall-light shining through stained glass, the barometer, and the bright stair-rods. It was soothing to catch even that passi 我们到达塞西尔-福雷斯特太太家时已近两点。仆人们几个小时前就已经退下了,但福雷斯特太太对莫尔斯坦小姐收到的奇怪信息非常感兴趣,一直坐着盼着她回来。她亲自开了门,一个优雅的中年女人,让我欣喜地看到她的手臂是多么温柔地搂着对方的腰,问候的声音是多么慈祥。很显然,她不是单纯的受薪家属,而是一位尊贵的朋友。我被介绍给她,福雷斯特女士恳切地请求我介入,告诉她我们的冒险经历。不过,我向她解释了我的任务的重要性,并保证会忠实地打电话向她报告案件的进展情况。当我们驱车离开时,我偷偷地回头看了一眼,我似乎还能看到台阶上的那一小群人,那两个婀娜多姿、依偎在一起的身影,那扇半开的门,大厅里透过彩色玻璃照进来的灯光,那只气压计,还有那明亮的楼梯扶手。在这荒凉、黑暗的商业环境中,能瞥见一个宁静的英国家庭,我感到非常欣慰。

And the more I thought of what had happened, the wilder and darker it grew. I reviewed the whole extraordinary sequence of events as I rattled on through the silent gas-lit streets. There was the original problem: that at least was pretty clear now. The death of Captain Morstan, the sending of the pearls, the advertisement, the letter,—we had had light upon all those events. They had only led us, however, to a deeper and far more tragic mystery. The Indian treasure, the curious plan found among Morstan's baggage, the strange scene at Major Sholto's death, the rediscovery of the treasure immediately followed by the murder of the discoverer, the very singular accompaniments to the crime, the footsteps, the remarkable weapons, the words upon the card, corresponding with those upon Captain Morstan's chart,—here was indeed a labyrinth in which a man less singularly endowed than my fellow-lodger might well despair of ever finding the clue. |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||重新發現||||||||||||||獨特|||||||||||||||||||||地圖||||||||||||天賦異稟|||||||||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||Begleiterscheinungen||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||Mieter||||||||

Pinchin Lane was a row of shabby two-storied brick houses in the lower quarter of Lambeth. I had to knock for some time at No. 3 before I could make my impression. At last, however, there was the glint of a candle behind the blind, and a face looked out at the upper window. ||||||||||||||區域||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ||||||schäbigen||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Пінчін Лейн - це ряд обшарпаних двоповерхових цегляних будинків у нижньому кварталі Ламбета. Мені довелося довго стукати в будинок №3, перш ніж я зміг скласти про нього враження. Нарешті, однак, з'явився відблиск свічки за жалюзі, і з верхнього вікна визирнуло обличчя.

“Go on, you drunken vagabone,” said the face. “If you kick up any more row I'll open the kennels and let out forty-three dogs upon you.” ||||流浪漢|||||||||||||||||||||| ||||Vagabund||||||||||||||Hundehütten|||||||| "Давай, п'яний волоцюга", - сказало обличчя. "Якщо ти ще раз здіймеш галас, я відчиню псарню і спущу на тебе сорок три собаки".

“If you'll let one out it's just what I have come for,” said I.

“Go on!” yelled the voice. “So help me gracious, I have a wiper in the bag, an' I'll drop it on your 'ead if you don't hook it.” ||||||||||||雨刷器||||||||||||||| ||||||||||||Wischer||||||||||Kopf||||| "Давай!" - крикнув голос. "Допоможи мені, милостивий, у мене в сумці є двірник, і я впущу його тобі на голову, якщо ти не зачепишся".

“But I want a dog,” I cried.

“I won't be argued with!” shouted Mr. Sherman. “Now stand clear, for when I say ‘three,' down goes the wiper.” |||||||||||||||||||Scheibenwischer "Зі мною не сперечаються!" - вигукнув пан Шерман. "А тепер відійдіть, бо коли я скажу "три", двірник полетить вниз".

“Mr. Sherlock Holmes—” I began, but the words had a most magical effect, for the window instantly slammed down, and within a minute the door was unbarred and open. Mr. Sherman was a lanky, lean old man, with stooping shoulders, a stringy neck, and blue-tinted glasses. ||||||||||||||||||||||||||打開門閂|||||||瘦高的||||||||瘦長的||||藍色鏡片| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||unverschlossen|||||||dünner||||||||||||| "Містере Шерлоку Холмсе", - почала я, але ці слова мали магічний ефект, бо вікно миттєво захлопнулося, а за хвилину двері були відчинені і відчинені. Містер Шерман був довгов'язим, худорлявим дідуганом з похилими плечима, тонкою шиєю та окулярами в синій оправі.

“A friend of Mr. Sherlock is always welcome,” said he. “Step in, sir. Keep clear of the badger; for he bites. Ah, naughty, naughty, would you take a nip at the gentleman?” This to a stoat which thrust its wicked head and red eyes between the bars of its cage. “Don't mind that, sir: it's only a slow-worm. It hain't got no fangs, so I gives it the run o' the room, for it keeps the beetles down. You must not mind my bein' just a little short wi' you at first, for I'm guyed at by the children, and there's many a one just comes down this lane to knock me up. What was it that Mr. Sherlock Holmes wanted, sir?” |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||白鼬||||邪惡的||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||Wiesel|||||||||||||||||||||||||hain't|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||guyed||||||||||||||||||||||||||| "Другові містера Шерлока завжди раді", - сказав він. "Зaходьтe, cep. Тримайтеся подалі від борсука, бо він кусається. Ах, неслухняний, неслухняний, чи не хочеш ти вкусити джентльмена?" Це до горностая, який просунув свою злу голову і червоні очі між прутами клітки. "Не зважайте на це, сер: це лише повільний черв'як. У нього немає іклів, тому я дозволяю йому бігати по кімнаті, щоб він не давав жуків. Ви, мабуть, не заперечуватимете, що я спершу буду недовго з вами, бо до мене чіпляються діти, і багато хто з них приходить сюди, щоб обрюхати мене. Чого хотiв мicтep Шepлок Холмc, cep?"

“He wanted a dog of yours.”

“Ah! that would be Toby.”

“Yes, Toby was the name.”

“Toby lives at No. 7 on the left here.” He moved slowly forward with his candle among the queer animal family which he had gathered round him. In the uncertain, shadowy light I could see dimly that there were glancing, glimmering eyes peeping down at us from every cranny and corner. Even the rafters above our heads were lined by solemn fowls, who lazily shifted their weight from one leg to the other as our voices disturbed their slumbers. |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||schimmernden||||||||Ecke|||||||||||||Vögel|||||||||||||||||

Toby proved to be an ugly, long-haired, lop-eared creature, half spaniel and half lurcher, brown-and-white in colour, with a very clumsy waddling gait. It accepted after some hesitation a lump of sugar which the old naturalist handed to me, and, having thus sealed an alliance, it followed me to the cab, and made no difficulties about accompanying me. It had just struck three on the Palace clock when I found myself back once more at Pondicherry Lodge. The ex-prize-fighter McMurdo had, I found, been arrested as an accessory, and both he and Mr. Sholto had been marched off to the station. Two constables guarded the narrow gate, but they allowed me to pass with the dog on my mentioning the detective's name. ||||||||垂耳||||獵鷹犬|||獵犬|||||||||笨拙的|搖搖擺擺|步態|||||||||||||博物學家|||||||建立了|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||共犯|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ||||||||langohrig|||||||Lurcher||||||||||watschelndem||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||

Holmes was standing on the door-step, with his hands in his pockets, smoking his pipe.

“Ah, you have him there!” said he. “Good dog, then! Atheney Jones has gone. We have had an immense display of energy since you left. He has arrested not only friend Thaddeus, but the gatekeeper, the housekeeper, and the Indian servant. We have the place to ourselves, but for a sergeant upstairs. Leave the dog here, and come up.” ||||||||||Atheney||||||||||||||||||||||||Torwächter||||||||||||||||||||||||

We tied Toby to the hall table, and re-ascended the stairs. The room was as he had left it, save that a sheet had been draped over the central figure. A weary-looking police-sergeant reclined in the corner. |||||||||||||||||||||||床單|||||||||||||斜躺着||| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||lag|||

“Lend me your bull's-eye, sergeant,” said my companion. “Now tie this bit of card round my neck, so as to hang it in front of me. Thank you. Now I must kick off my boots and stockings.—Just you carry them down with you, Watson. I am going to do a little climbing. And dip my handkerchief into the creasote. That will do. Now come up into the garret with me for a moment.” |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||長襪|||||||||||||||||||||||煤焦油|||||||||||||| |||Stier|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||Kreosot|||||||||||||| "Дайте мені вашу карту в яблучко, сержанте, - сказав мій супутник. "А тепер прив'яжіть цей шматочок карти до моєї шиї, щоб вона висіла переді мною. Дякую, сержанте. Тепер мені треба скинути чоботи і панчохи... Просто візьміть їх з собою, Ватсоне. А я трохи полізу. І вмочіть мій носовичок у креазот. Цe будe дoсить. А тепер піднімітьcя зі мною нa гaрaж нa хвилинку". "把你的靶心借给我,中士,"我的同伴说。"现在把这张卡绑在我脖子上,挂在我面前。谢谢。现在我得把靴子和长袜脱下来。我要爬一会儿山。把我的手帕浸到火碱里去这样就行了现在跟我到阁楼上去一下"

We clambered up through the hole. Holmes turned his light once more upon the footsteps in the dust. Ми вилізли нагору через отвір. Холмс ще раз посвітив ліхтарем на сліди в пилюці.

“I wish you particularly to notice these footmarks,” he said. “Do you observe anything noteworthy about them?” ||||||||||||||bemerkenswert|| "Я хочу, щоб ви особливо звернули увагу на ці сліди, - сказав він. "Чи помічаєте ви в них щось варте уваги?"

“They belong,” I said, “to a child or a small woman.”

“Apart from their size, though. Is there nothing else?” "Окрім їхнього розміру. Більше нічого?"

“They appear to be much as other footmarks.” "Вони виглядають так само, як і інші сліди".

“Not at all. Look here! This is the print of a right foot in the dust. Now I make one with my naked foot beside it. What is the chief difference?” "Зовсім ні. Погляньте сюди! Це відбиток правої ноги в пилюці. А тепер я зроблю такий самий відбиток босою ногою поруч. У чому головна відмінність?"

“Your toes are all cramped together. The other print has each toe distinctly divided.” ||||擠在一起||||||||| "Твої пальці стиснуті разом. На іншому відбитку кожен палець чітко розділений".

“Quite so. That is the point. Bear that in mind. Now, would you kindly step over to that flap-window and smell the edge of the wood-work? I shall stay here, as I have this handkerchief in my hand.” "Саме так. У цьому вся суть. Майте це на увазі. А тепер, будьте ласкаві, підійдіть до тієї кватирки і понюхайте край дерев'яної столярки. Я залишуся тут, бо маю в руці цю хустинку". "没错。这就是问题所在。请记住这一点。现在,请你走到那扇窗前,闻一闻木制品的边缘,好吗?我就呆在这儿,因为我手里有这块手帕。"

I did as he directed, and was instantly conscious of a strong tarry smell. ||||||||||||焦油味| ||||||||||||Teer| 我按照他的指示做了,立刻感觉到一股强烈的焦油味。

“That is where he put his foot in getting out. If you can trace him, I should think that Toby will have no difficulty. Now run downstairs, loose the dog, and look out for Blondin.” ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||Blondin

By the time that I got out into the grounds Sherlock Holmes was on the roof, and I could see him like an enormous glow-worm crawling very slowly along the ridge. I lost sight of him behind a stack of chimneys, but he presently reappeared, and then vanished once more upon the opposite side. When I made my way round there I found him seated at one of the corner eaves. |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||煙囪堆|||不久后|||||||||||||||||||||||||||屋簷角落 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||Dachkante 当我走到院子里的时候,夏洛克-福尔摩斯已经在屋顶上了,我看到他像一只巨大的萤火虫,正沿着屋脊慢慢地爬行。我在一堆烟囱后面失去了他的踪影,但他很快又出现了,然后又消失在对面的烟囱上。当我绕到那里时,我发现他就坐在墙角的一个屋檐下。

“That you, Watson?” he cried.

“Yes.”

“This is the place. What is that black thing down there?” "Це те місце. Що це за чорна штука там внизу?"

“A water-barrel.” "Бочка з водою". "一个水桶"

“Top on it?” "Зверху?" "上面?"

“Yes.”

“No sign of a ladder?” "Ніяких ознак драбини?" "没看到梯子吗?"

“No.”

“Confound the fellow! It's a most break-neck place. I ought to be able to come down where he could climb up. The water-pipe feels pretty firm. Here goes, anyhow.” verdammt|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| "Я должен спуститься туда, куда он смог забраться. Водопроводная труба кажется довольно прочной. Так или иначе, она идет". "Збийте його з пантелику! Це найнебезпечніше місце. Я зможу спуститися туди, куди він зможе залізти. Водопровідна труба здається досить міцною. Так чи інакше, поїхали." "该死的家伙!这是个最难爬的地方。他能爬上来的地方,我应该也能下来。水管感觉很结实。不管怎么说,来吧。"

There was a scuffling of feet, and the lantern began to come steadily down the side of the wall. Then with a light spring he came on to the barrel, and from there to the earth. |||腳步聲|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| |||Scharren|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Почувся тупіт ніг, і ліхтар почав повільно спускатися вниз по стіні. Потім з легкою пружиною він перекинувся на бочку, а звідти на землю. 一阵脚步声传来,灯笼开始稳稳地从墙边落下。然后,他轻轻一弹,来到了木桶上,又从那里来到了地上。

“It was easy to follow him,” he said, drawing on his stockings and boots. “Tiles were loosened the whole way along, and in his hurry he had dropped this. It confirms my diagnosis, as you doctors express it.” ||||||||||||||瓦片||||||||||||||||||||||| "За ним було легко йти, - сказав він, показуючи на свої панчохи і черевики. "Плитка була розхитана на всьому шляху, і в поспіху він впустив це. Це підтверджує мій діагноз, як ви, лікарі, висловлюєтеся".

The object which he held up to me was a small pocket or pouch woven out of coloured grasses and with a few tawdry beads strung round it. In shape and size it was not unlike a cigarette-case. Inside were half a dozen spines of dark wood, sharp at one end and rounded at the other, like that which had struck Bartholomew Sholto. |||||||||||||小袋子|編織而成|||||||||俗氣的|珠子|串起來的||||||||||||||||||半打|刺木针||||||||||||||||||| |||||||||||||||||||||||schäbigen|Perlen|aufgefädelt|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Предмет, який він простягнув мені, був маленькою кишенькою чи мішечком, сплетеним з різнокольорових трав і з кількома безбарвними намистинками, нанизаними на нього. За формою і розміром вона не відрізнялася від портсигара. Всередині було півдюжини колючок з темного дерева, гострих з одного кінця і закруглених з іншого, як та, що вразила Бартоломео Шолто.

“They are hellish things,” said he. “Look out that you don't prick yourself. I'm delighted to have them, for the chances are that they are all he has. There is the less fear of you or me finding one in our skin before long. I would sooner face a Martini bullet, myself. Are you game for a six-mile trudge, Watson?” |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||馬提尼子彈|||||願意冒險|||||| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||Martini||||||||||trudeln| "Это адские штуки, - сказал он, - смотрите, чтобы не уколоться. Я рад, что они у меня, потому что есть шанс, что это все, что у него есть. Меньше опасений, что вы или я найдем одну в нашей коже в ближайшее время. Я бы сам скорее столкнулся с пулей Мартини. Вы готовы пройти шесть миль, Ватсон?" "Це пекельні речі, - сказав він. "Обережно, щоб не вколотися. Я радий, що вони в мене є, бо, швидше за все, це все, що в нього є. Тим менше страху, що ми з тобою незабаром знайдемо одну з них на своїй шкірі. Я б скоріше зловив кулю від "Мартіні". Ви готові до шестимильної прогулянки, Ватсоне?" "它们是地狱之物,"他说。"小心别扎到自己。我很高兴拥有它们,因为它们很可能就是他的全部家当。你我也不用担心过不了多久就会被它们刺伤。我更愿意面对马提尼子弹你愿意走六英里的路吗 华生"

“Certainly,” I answered.

“Your leg will stand it?” "Твоя нога витримає?"

“Oh, yes.”

“Here you are, doggy! Good old Toby! Smell it, Toby, smell it!” He pushed the creasote handkerchief under the dog's nose, while the creature stood with its fluffy legs separated, and with a most comical cock to its head, like a connoisseur sniffing the bouquet of a famous vintage. Holmes then threw the handkerchief to a distance, fastened a stout cord to the mongrel's collar, and led him to the foot of the water-barrel. The creature instantly broke into a succession of high, tremulous yelps, and, with his nose on the ground, and his tail in the air, pattered off upon the trail at a pace which strained his leash and kept us at the top of our speed. |||||||||||||||煤焦油||||||||||||毛茸茸的|||||||滑稽的|歪斜||||||鑑賞家||||||||||||||||||粗壯的||||雜種狗||||||||||||||||||連串|||顫抖的|尖叫声||||||||||||||輕快地跑|||||||||拉緊了||||||||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||komischen|Hahn|||||||||||||alten|||||||||||||||Mischlings|||||||||||||||||||||tremulösen|yelps||||||||||||||patterte|||||||||||Leine||||||||| "Ось ти де, песику! Старий добрий Тобі! Нюхай, Тобі, нюхай!" Він тицьнув крезотову хустинку під ніс собаці, а той стояв, розставивши пухнасті лапки і притуливши до голови найкумеднішого півня, наче знавець, що нюхає букет відомого сорту. Тоді Холмс відкинув хустинку подалі, прив'язав міцний шнур до нашийника дворняги і підвів його до підніжжя бочки з водою. Тварина миттєво вибухнула низкою високих, тремтливих вересків і, припавши носом до землі і піднявши хвіст, побігла стежкою з такою швидкістю, що повідець натягувався, а ми не встигали за нею.

The east had been gradually whitening, and we could now see some distance in the cold grey light. The square, massive house, with its black, empty windows and high, bare walls, towered up, sad and forlorn, behind us. Our course led right across the grounds, in and out among the trenches and pits with which they were scarred and intersected. The whole place, with its scattered dirt-heaps and ill-grown shrubs, had a blighted, ill-omened look which harmonized with the black tragedy which hung over it. ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||枯萎的||||||||||||| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||ragte||||verlassen||||||||||||||||||||||||schnitt|||||||||||||||verfallen||omened||||||||||| Схід поступово білів, і тепер ми могли бачити якусь далечінь у холодному сірому світлі. Квадратний масивний будинок з чорними порожніми вікнами і високими голими стінами височів позаду нас, сумний і занедбаний. Наш шлях пролягав прямо через територію, входив і виходив серед окопів і ям, якими вона була порізана і пересічена. Все це місце, з розкиданими купами бруду і погано зарослими чагарниками, мало занедбаний, похмурий вигляд, який гармоніював з чорною трагедією, що нависала над ним.

On reaching the boundary wall Toby ran along, whining eagerly, underneath its shadow, and stopped finally in a corner screened by a young beech. Where the two walls joined, several bricks had been loosened, and the crevices left were worn down and rounded upon the lower side, as though they had frequently been used as a ladder. Holmes clambered up, and, taking the dog from me, he dropped it over upon the other side. |||||||||||||||||||遮蔽||||山毛櫸树|||||||||||||裂縫||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| |||||||||||||||||||geschützt||||Buche|||||||||||||Ritzen||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Добігши до паркану, Тобі побіг уздовж нього, жадібно скиглячи під його тінню, і нарешті зупинився в кутку, затіненому молодим буком. Там, де дві стіни з'єднувалися, кілька цеглин було розхитано, а щілини, що залишилися, були стерті й заокруглені з нижнього боку, наче їх часто використовували як драбину. Холмс видерся нагору і, забравши в мене собаку, перекинув її на інший бік.

“There's the print of wooden-leg's hand,” he remarked, as I mounted up beside him. “You see the slight smudge of blood upon the white plaster. What a lucky thing it is that we have had no very heavy rain since yesterday! The scent will lie upon the road in spite of their eight-and-twenty hours' start.” |||||||||||||||||||污跡|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| "Це відбиток руки дерев'яноногого", - зауважив він, коли я піднявся поруч із ним. "Бачиш, на білій штукатурці ледь помітна пляма крові. Яке щастя, що після вчорашнього дня не було дуже сильного дощу! Запах буде стояти на дорозі, незважаючи на те, що вони виїжджають о восьмій двадцять годин".

I confess that I had my doubts myself when I reflected upon the great traffic which had passed along the London road in the interval. My fears were soon appeased, however. Toby never hesitated or swerved, but waddled on in his peculiar rolling fashion. Clearly, the pungent smell of the creasote rose high above all other contending scents. |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||搖搖擺擺|||||||||||||||||||競爭的| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||beruhigt||||||te||watschelte|||||||||||||||||||contendieren|Gerüche Зізнаюся, у мене самого виникли сумніви, коли я замислився над тим, який великий потік машин пройшов по лондонській дорозі в цей проміжок часу. Однак мої побоювання незабаром розвіялися. Тобі ніколи не вагався і не звертав убік, а шкандибав далі у своїй особливій манері. Очевидно, що різкий запах креазоту переважав усі інші запахи, що конкурували з ним.

“Do not imagine,” said Holmes, “that I depend for my success in this case upon the mere chance of one of these fellows having put his foot in the chemical. I have knowledge now which would enable me to trace them in many different ways. This, however, is the readiest and, since fortune has put it into our hands, I should be culpable if I neglected it. It has, however, prevented the case from becoming the pretty little intellectual problem which it at one time promised to be. There might have been some credit to be gained out of it, but for this too palpable clue.” ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||明顯的| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||bereitesten|||||||||||||schuldig|||vernachlässigt|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||greifbar| "Не думайте, - сказал Холмс, - что мой успех в этом деле зависит от случайности, что кто-то из этих парней сунул ногу в химикат. У меня есть знания, которые позволят мне отследить их разными способами. Однако этот - самый быстрый, и, раз уж судьба дала его нам в руки, я буду виноват, если пренебрегу им. Он, однако, не позволил делу стать той милой интеллектуальной проблемой, которой оно в свое время обещало быть. Можно было бы извлечь из него некоторую пользу, если бы не эта слишком очевидная зацепка". "Не думайте, - сказав Холмс, - що мій успіх у цій справі залежить від випадковості, що хтось із цих хлопців опустив ногу в хімічну речовину. Тепер я маю знання, які дозволять мені відстежити їх багатьма різними способами. Цей, однак, є найпростішим, і, оскільки фортуна дала його нам у руки, я був би винним, якби знехтував ним. Це, однак, завадило справі перетворитися на маленьку милу інтелектуальну проблему, якою вона колись обіцяла бути. Можливо, з цього можна було б отримати певну вигоду, якби не ця надто відчутна підказка".

“There is credit, and to spare,” said I. “I assure you, Holmes, that I marvel at the means by which you obtain your results in this case, even more than I did in the Jefferson Hope Murder. The thing seems to me to be deeper and more inexplicable. How, for example, could you describe with such confidence the wooden-legged man?” "Уверяю вас, Холмс, я восхищен тем, как вы добиваетесь результатов в этом деле, даже больше, чем в деле об убийстве Джефферсона Хоупа. Дело кажется мне более глубоким и необъяснимым. Как, например, вы могли с такой уверенностью описать деревянноногого человека?" "У цьому є заслуга, і навіть більше, - сказав я. - Запевняю вас, Холмсе, я дивуюся засобам, за допомогою яких ви досягли результатів у цій справі, навіть більше, ніж у справі про вбивство Джефферсона Хоупа. Мені здається, що ця справа глибша і незрозуміліша. Як, наприклад, ви могли з такою впевненістю описати дерев'яноногу людину?"

“Pshaw, my dear boy! it was simplicity itself. I don't wish to be theatrical. It is all patent and above-board. Two officers who are in command of a convict-guard learn an important secret as to buried treasure. A map is drawn for them by an Englishman named Jonathan Small. You remember that we saw the name upon the chart in Captain Morstan's possession. He had signed it in behalf of himself and his associates,—the sign of the four, as he somewhat dramatically called it. Aided by this chart, the officers—or one of them—gets the treasure and brings it to England, leaving, we will suppose, some condition under which he received it unfulfilled. Now, then, why did not Jonathan Small get the treasure himself? The answer is obvious. The chart is dated at a time when Morstan was brought into close association with convicts. Jonathan Small did not get the treasure because he and his associates were themselves convicts and could not get away.” |||||||||||||||||顯而易見|||||||||||||囚犯看守|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||夥伴们||||||||||||協助|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||未履行的|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||囚犯|||||||||||||||||||| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||Sträflinge|||||||||||||||||||| “Pshaw, my dear boy! it was simplicity itself. I don't wish to be theatrical. It is all patent and above-board. Two officers who are in command of a convict-guard learn an important secret as to buried treasure. A map is drawn for them by an Englishman named Jonathan Small. You remember that we saw the name upon the chart in Captain Morstan's possession. He had signed it in behalf of himself and his associates,—the sign of the four, as he somewhat dramatically called it. Aided by this chart, the officers—or one of them—gets the treasure and brings it to England, leaving, we will suppose, some condition under which he received it unfulfilled. Now, then, why did not Jonathan Small get the treasure himself? The answer is obvious. The chart is dated at a time when Morstan was brought into close association with convicts. Jonathan Small did not get the treasure because he and his associates were themselves convicts and could not get away.” "Пшо, мій любий хлопчику! Це була сама простота. Я не хочу бути театральним. Це все банально і зрозуміло. Два офіцери, які командують охороною каторжників, дізнаються важливу таємницю про закопаний скарб. Мапу їм малює англієць на ім'я Джонатан Смолл. Ви пам'ятаєте, що ми бачили це ім'я на карті у капітана Морстена. Він підписав її від свого імені та від імені своїх товаришів - знак чотирьох, як він дещо драматично це називав. Користуючись цією картою, офіцери - або один з них - отримують скарб і привозять його в Англію, залишаючи, припустимо, невиконаною умову, на якій він його отримав. Чому ж тоді Джонатан Смолл не отримав скарб сам? Відповідь очевидна. Діаграма датована тим часом, коли Морстен тісно спілкувався з ув'язненими. Джонатан Смолл не отримав скарб, тому що він і його спільники самі були ув'язненими і не могли втекти".

“But that is mere speculation,” said I.

“It is more than that. It is the only hypothesis which covers the facts. Let us see how it fits in with the sequel. Major Sholto remains at peace for some years, happy in the possession of his treasure. Then he receives a letter from India which gives him a great fright. What was that?”

“A letter to say that the men whom he had wronged had been set free.”

“Or had escaped. That is much more likely, for he would have known what their term of imprisonment was. It would not have been a surprise to him. What does he do then? He guards himself against a wooden-legged man,—a white man, mark you, for he mistakes a white tradesman for him, and actually fires a pistol at him. Now, only one white man's name is on the chart. The others are Hindoos or Mohammedans. There is no other white man. Therefore we may say with confidence that the wooden-legged man is identical with Jonathan Small. Does the reasoning strike you as being faulty?” |||||||||||||||||監禁|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||手槍||||||||||||||||||穆斯林|||||||||||||||||||相同的||||||推理||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||Mohammedaner||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||fehlerhaft "Или сбежал. Это гораздо более вероятно, потому что он знал, какой срок они отбывают в тюрьме. Это не было бы для него неожиданностью. Что же он делает? Он защищается от деревянноногого человека - белого, заметьте, потому что он принимает за него белого торговца и фактически стреляет в него из пистолета. Итак, на карте есть имя только одного белого человека. Остальные - индусы или магометане. Другого белого человека нет. Поэтому мы можем с уверенностью сказать, что деревянноногий человек идентичен Джонатану Смолу. Вам не кажется это рассуждение ошибочным?"

“No: it is clear and concise.” |||||prägnant "Нет: он ясен и лаконичен".

“Well, now, let us put ourselves in the place of Jonathan Small. Let us look at it from his point of view. He comes to England with the double idea of regaining what he would consider to be his rights and of having his revenge upon the man who had wronged him. He found out where Sholto lived, and very possibly he established communications with some one inside the house. There is this butler, Lal Rao, whom we have not seen. Mrs. Bernstone gives him far from a good character. Small could not find out, however, where the treasure was hid, for no one ever knew, save the major and one faithful servant who had died. Suddenly Small learns that the major is on his death-bed. In a frenzy lest the secret of the treasure die with him, he runs the gauntlet of the guards, makes his way to the dying man's window, and is only deterred from entering by the presence of his two sons. Mad with hate, however, against the dead man, he enters the room that night, searches his private papers in the hope of discovering some memorandum relating to the treasure, and finally leaves a momento of his visit in the short inscription upon the card. He had doubtless planned beforehand that should he slay the major he would leave some such record upon the body as a sign that it was not a common murder, but, from the point of view of the four associates, something in the nature of an act of justice. Whimsical and bizarre conceits of this kind are common enough in the annals of crime, and usually afford valuable indications as to the criminal. Do you follow all this?” |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||拉奧||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||狂亂之中|以免||||||||||||闯过重围|||||||||||||||阻止|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||紀念物|||||||||||||毫無疑問|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||夥伴们||||||||||異想天開|||奇特想法|||||||||犯罪史|||||||||||||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||Rechte|||||||||||||||abgeschreckt|||||||||Sohn||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||Recht|||||||||||||||||||slay||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||Rechte||||||||||||||||||||||||| “Well, now, let us put ourselves in the place of Jonathan Small. Let us look at it from his point of view. He comes to England with the double idea of regaining what he would consider to be his rights and of having his revenge upon the man who had wronged him. He found out where Sholto lived, and very possibly he established communications with some one inside the house. There is this butler, Lal Rao, whom we have not seen. Mrs. Bernstone gives him far from a good character. Small could not find out, however, where the treasure was hid, for no one ever knew, save the major and one faithful servant who had died. Suddenly Small learns that the major is on his death-bed. In a frenzy lest the secret of the treasure die with him, he runs the gauntlet of the guards, makes his way to the dying man's window, and is only deterred from entering by the presence of his two sons. Mad with hate, however, against the dead man, he enters the room that night, searches his private papers in the hope of discovering some memor "А тепер давайте поставимо себе на місце Джонатана Смолла. Погляньмо на це з його точки зору. Він приїжджає до Англії з подвійною метою: відновити те, що він вважав своїми правами, і помститися людині, яка його скривдила. Він дізнався, де живе Шолто, і, цілком можливо, встановив зв'язок з кимось із мешканців будинку. Є такий дворецький, Лал Рао, якого ми не бачили. Місіс Бернстоун дає йому далеко не найкращу характеристику. Однак Смолл не зміг з'ясувати, де захований скарб, бо ніхто ніколи не знав, окрім майора і одного вірного слуги, який помер. Раптом Смолл дізнається, що майор на смертному одрі. У нестямі, щоб таємниця скарбу не померла разом з ним, він перехитрив охоронців, пробирається до вікна вмираючого, і лише присутність двох його синів стримує його від входу. Однак, збожеволівши від ненависті до небіжчика, він проникає в кімнату тієї ночі, обшукує його особисті папери в надії знайти якийсь меморандум, що стосується скарбу, і, нарешті, залишає згадку про свій візит у короткому написі на картці. Він, безсумнівно, заздалегідь планував, що, вбивши майора, залишить на його тілі якийсь такий запис на знак того, що це було не звичайне вбивство, а, з точки зору чотирьох спільників, щось на кшталт акту правосуддя. Примхливі і химерні задуми такого роду досить поширені в анналах злочинів, і зазвичай дають цінні вказівки щодо злочинця. Ви все це розумієте?"

“Very clearly.”

“Now, what could Jonathan Small do? He could only continue to keep a secret watch upon the efforts made to find the treasure. Possibly he leaves England and only comes back at intervals. Then comes the discovery of the garret, and he is instantly informed of it. We again trace the presence of some confederate in the household. Jonathan, with his wooden leg, is utterly unable to reach the lofty room of Bartholomew Sholto. He takes with him, however, a rather curious associate, who gets over this difficulty, but dips his naked foot into creasote, whence comes Toby, and a six-mile limp for a half-pay officer with a damaged tendo Achillis.” ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||間隔時間||||||||||||||||||||||同夥|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||由此而来|||||||跛行|||||||||跟腱|跟腱 ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||vertraute|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||tut|Achilles "Що міг робити Джонатан Смолл? Він міг лише продовжувати таємно спостерігати за зусиллями, спрямованими на пошук скарбу. Можливо, він виїжджає з Англії і повертається лише через певні проміжки часу. Потім відбувається відкриття горища, і йому миттєво повідомляють про це. Ми знову простежуємо присутність якогось спільника в домі. Джонатан зі своєю дерев'яною ногою абсолютно не в змозі дістатися до високої кімнати Бартоломео Шолто. Він бере з собою, однак, досить цікавого помічника, який долає цю трудність, але занурює босу ногу в креазот, звідки з'являється Тобі, і шестимильний кульгавий офіцер з пошкодженим ахілловим сухожиллям, який отримує половинну платню".

“But it was the associate, and not Jonathan, who committed the crime.”

“Quite so. And rather to Jonathan's disgust, to judge by the way he stamped about when he got into the room. He bore no grudge against Bartholomew Sholto, and would have preferred if he could have been simply bound and gagged. He did not wish to put his head in a halter. There was no help for it, however: the savage instincts of his companion had broken out, and the poison had done its work: so Jonathan Small left his record, lowered the treasure-box to the ground, and followed it himself. That was the train of events as far as I can decipher them. Of course as to his personal appearance he must be middle-aged, and must be sunburned after serving his time in such an oven as the Andamans. His height is readily calculated from the length of his stride, and we know that he was bearded. His hairiness was the one point which impressed itself upon Thaddeus Sholto when he saw him at the window. I don't know that there is anything else.” |||||強納森的||||||||跺腳|||||||||||怨恨||||||||||||||||綁住嘴巴|||||||||||絞索||||||||||本能||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||解讀||||||||||||||||||||||||||||安達曼群島||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| |||||Jonathans|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||gagged|||||||||||Halter||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||Andamanen||||||||||||||||||||Haarigkeit||||||||||||||||||||||||| "Саме так. І радше на огиду Джонатанові, судячи з того, як він тупцював, коли увійшов до кімнати. Він не тримав зла на Бартоломео Шолто і волів би, щоб його просто зв'язали і заткнули йому рота. Він не бажав засовувати голову в зашморг. Але нічого не вдієш: дикунські інстинкти його супутника прорвалися назовні, а отрута зробила свою справу: Джонатан Смолл залишив свою платівку, опустив скриньку зі скарбами на землю і пішов за нею сам. Наскільки я можу розшифрувати події, саме так вони і відбувалися. Звісно, за зовнішнім виглядом він має бути середнього віку і, мабуть, засмаглий після того, як відсидів у такій пекельній печі, як Андаманські острови. Його зріст легко вирахувати за довжиною кроку, і ми знаємо, що він був бородатим. Його волосатість була єдиною рисою, яка вразила Таддея Шолто, коли він побачив його у вікні. Я не знаю, чи є щось ще".

“The associate?”

“Ah, well, there is no great mystery in that. But you will know all about it soon enough. How sweet the morning air is! See how that one little cloud floats like a pink feather from some gigantic flamingo. Now the red rim of the sun pushes itself over the London cloud-bank. It shines on a good many folk, but on none, I dare bet, who are on a stranger errand than you and I. How small we feel with our petty ambitions and strivings in the presence of the great elemental forces of nature! Are you well up in your Jean Paul?” |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||巨大的|火烈鳥||||邊緣|||||||||||||||||人們||||||||||||||||||||||||||奮鬥|||||||基本的力量||||||||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||ingo|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||Ambitionen|||||||||||||||||||| "А, ну, в цьому немає ніякої великої таємниці. Але незабаром ти дізнаєшся про це все. Яке солодке ранкове повітря! Подивіться, як ця маленька хмаринка пливе, наче рожеве перо якогось велетенського фламінго. Зараз червоний обідок сонця просувається над лондонським хмарним берегом. Воно світить багатьом людям, але не світить жодному з тих, хто виконує більш дивну місію, ніж ми з вами. Якими малими ми почуваємося з нашими дрібними амбіціями і прагненнями перед великими стихійними силами природи! Чи добре тобі у твоєму Жан-Полі?"

“Fairly so. I worked back to him through Carlyle.” ||||||||Carlyle "Справедливо. Я працював з ним через Карлайла."

“That was like following the brook to the parent lake. He makes one curious but profound remark. It is that the chief proof of man's real greatness lies in his perception of his own smallness. It argues, you see, a power of comparison and of appreciation which is in itself a proof of nobility. There is much food for thought in Richter. You have not a pistol, have you?” |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||高貴||||||||里希特||||||| |||||Bach|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||Kleinheit|||||||||||||||||||Adel||||||||Richter||||||| Це було схоже на те, як слідувати за струмком до материнського озера". Він робить одне цікаве, але глибоке зауваження. Він стверджує, що головним доказом справжньої величі людини є усвідомлення нею власної малості. Він стверджує, що здатність порівнювати і цінувати себе сама по собі є доказом шляхетності. У Ріхтера є багато їжі для роздумів. У вас немає пістолета, чи не так?"

“I have my stick.”

“It is just possible that we may need something of the sort if we get to their lair. Jonathan I shall leave to you, but if the other turns nasty I shall shoot him dead.” He took out his revolver as he spoke, and, having loaded two of the chambers, he put it back into the right-hand pocket of his jacket. |||||||||||||||||Höhle|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| "Цілком можливо, що нам може знадобитися щось подібне, коли ми дістанемося до їхнього лігва. Джонатана я залишу тобі, але якщо інший буде поводитися погано, я застрелю його". Говорячи це, він дістав револьвер і, зарядивши два набої, поклав його назад у праву кишеню піджака.

We had during this time been following the guidance of Toby down the half-rural villa-lined roads which lead to the metropolis. Now, however, we were beginning to come among continuous streets, where labourers and dockmen were already astir, and slatternly women were taking down shutters and brushing door-steps. At the square-topped corner public houses business was just beginning, and rough-looking men were emerging, rubbing their sleeves across their beards after their morning wet. Strange dogs sauntered up and stared wonderingly at us as we passed, but our inimitable Toby looked neither to the right nor to the left, but trotted onwards with his nose to the ground and an occasional eager whine which spoke of a hot scent. ||||||||||||||||||||||大都市||||||||||||||碼頭工人|||活動著||邋遢的|||||百葉窗||||||||平頂的|||酒館|||||||||||||袖子||||||||||閒逛著||||好奇地||||||||無可比擬的|||||||||||||向前走|||||||||||哀鳴声|||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||Dockarbeiter|||beginnen||slatternly|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||wundernd||||||||unvergleichliche||||||||||||trotte||||||||||||whine|||||| До цього часу ми йшли під керівництвом Тобі напівсільськими, забудованими віллами дорогами, що ведуть до мегаполісу. Однак тепер ми починали виходити на суцільні вулиці, де вже прокидалися робітники та докери, а охайні жінки знімали віконниці та чистили пороги будинків. На розі вулиці з квадратною вершиною тільки-но починалася робота корчм, і з них виходили чоловіки грубого вигляду, витираючи рукавами бороди після ранкової проливи. Незнайомі собаки підбігали і здивовано витріщалися на нас, коли ми проходили повз, але наш неповторний Тобі не дивився ні направо, ні наліво, а йшов вперед, притиснувши носа до землі і час від часу нетерпляче скавучачи, що свідчило про гарячий запах.

We had traversed Streatham, Brixton, Camberwell, and now found ourselves in Kennington Lane, having borne away through the side-streets to the east of the Oval. The men whom we pursued seemed to have taken a curiously zigzag road, with the idea probably of escaping observation. They had never kept to the main road if a parallel side-street would serve their turn. At the foot of Kennington Lane they had edged away to the left through Bond Street and Miles Street. Where the latter street turns into Knight's Place, Toby ceased to advance, but began to run backwards and forwards with one ear cocked and the other drooping, the very picture of canine indecision. Then he waddled round in circles, looking up to us from time to time, as if to ask for sympathy in his embarrassment. |||史特咸|||||||||肯寧頓巷||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||肯寧頓巷|||偏向||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||犬類的|犬隻猶豫||||||||||||||||||||||| |||Streatham|Brixton|||||||Kennington||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||

“What the deuce is the matter with the dog?” growled Holmes. “They surely would not take a cab, or go off in a balloon.” "Що, в біса, сталося з собакою?" - прогарчав Холмс. "Вони точно не візьмуть таксі чи полетять на повітряній кулі".

“Perhaps they stood here for some time,” I suggested.

“Ah! it's all right. He's off again,” said my companion, in a tone of relief. "А! Все гаразд. Він знову пішов", - з полегшенням сказав мій супутник.

He was indeed off, for after sniffing round again he suddenly made up his mind, and darted away with an energy and determination such as he had not yet shown. The scent appeared to be much hotter than before, for he had not even to put his nose on the ground, but tugged at his leash and tried to break into a run. I cold see by the gleam in Holmes's eyes that he thought we were nearing the end of our journey. |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||牽繩||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ||||||||||||||||dartete||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||gezogen||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||

Our course now ran down Nine Elms until we came to Broderick and Nelson's large timber-yard, just past the White Eagle tavern. Here the dog, frantic with excitement, turned down through the side-gate into the enclosure, where the sawyers were already at work. On the dog raced through sawdust and shavings, down an alley, round a passage, between two wood-piles, and finally, with a triumphant yelp, sprang upon a large barrel which still stood upon the hand-trolley on which it had been brought. With lolling tongue and blinking eyes, Toby stood upon the cask, looking from one to the other of us for some sign of appreciation. The staves of the barrel and the wheels of the trolley were smeared with a dark liquid, and the whole air was heavy with the smell of creasote. ||||||九榆樹|||||布羅德里克||||||||||||||||||||||||||圍欄|||||||||||||鋸屑||刨花||||||||||||||||吠叫||||||||||||手推車|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ||||||Elms|||||Broderick||Nelsons|||||||||||||||||||||||||||sägereien||||||||||||Späne|||||||||||||||triunfante|yelp||||||||||||||||||||lollend|||||||||Fass|||||||||||||||Bretter||||||||||||||||||||||||||Kreosot

Sherlock Holmes and I looked blankly at each other, and then burst simultaneously into an uncontrollable fit of laughter. |||||verwirrt|||||||||||||