When I arrived the next day, Holmes was not there, so I waited in his room. At four o'clock the door opened, and a very strange servant came in. He wore old, dirty clothes, and I had to look very hard before I saw that it was my old friend.
我第二天去的時(shí)候,福爾摩斯不在,于是我在他房間里等。4點(diǎn)鐘,門開了,一個(gè)奇怪的仆人走進(jìn)來。他穿著又舊又臟的衣服,我很費(fèi)勁才認(rèn)出那是我的老朋友。
Holmes!' I cried. 'Where have you been?'
“福爾摩斯!”我喊道,“你去哪兒了?”
I've had a very good day,' he replied with a smile. 'I've been outside Miss Irene Adler's house. Servants are always happy to talk, and so I have heard a lot about the young woman. For example, she has a good-looking man friend called Godfrey Norton, a lawyer, who often visits her. Now why? If he's her lawyer, perhaps she's already given him the photograph. But if he loves her, she won't show him the photograph.'
“我這一天過得不錯(cuò),”他微笑著回答,“我去了艾琳·阿德勒小姐家外面。仆人們總是喜歡聊天,所以我聽到了很多關(guān)于那個(gè)年輕女人的事情。比如,她有個(gè)英俊的男性朋友叫戈弗雷·諾頓,是個(gè)律師,他經(jīng)常拜訪她。這說明什么呢?如果他是她的律師,她可能已經(jīng)把照片給他了,但是如果他愛她,她是不會(huì)給他看照片的。”
Most interesting, Holmes!' I said.
“非常有趣,福爾摩斯!”我說。
While I was there, Mr Norton himself suddenly arrived. I watched them through the windows. When he left, he jumped into a taxi. "To the church of St Monica, as fast as you can!" he shouted. Two minutes later Miss Adler ran out of her house, jumped into another taxi and called, "To the church of St Monica, quickly!" I couldn't miss this, Watson, so I jumped into a third taxi. When I arrived, I went into the church. Godfrey Norton looked round and saw me. "Thank God!" he shouted. "Come here quickly!" "Why?" I asked. "Come on, man, we need you!" And so I helped Godfrey Norton to marry Irene Adler. They needed a witness, and a servant from the street was better than nobody.'
“我在那兒的時(shí)候,諾頓先生本人突然來了。我透過窗戶看到他們。他離開的時(shí)候跳進(jìn)了一輛出租馬車。‘去圣莫妮卡教堂,越快越好!’他大聲說。兩分鐘之后,阿德勒小姐跑出來,跳進(jìn)另一輛出租馬車,喊道:‘去圣莫妮卡教堂,快點(diǎn)兒!’我可不能錯(cuò)過這個(gè)機(jī)會(huì),華生,于是我也跳進(jìn)一輛出租馬車。到了之后,我走進(jìn)教堂。戈弗雷·諾頓先生環(huán)顧四周,看到了我。‘感謝上帝!’他大聲說,‘快到這里來!’‘做什么?’我問。‘快來,伙計(jì),我們需要你!’就這樣我?guī)椭旮ダ?middot;諾頓和艾琳·阿德勒完成了婚禮。他們需要一個(gè)見證人,從街上拉個(gè)仆人總比沒有見證人好。”
So she's married him! What shall we do now?' I asked.
“那么她嫁給他了!我們現(xiàn)在該做什么?”我問。
Well, tonight, my dear Watson, I need your help. Will you do what I ask? Without questions?'
“哦,今晚,我親愛的華生,我需要你的幫助。你能不問問題,只按照我說的做嗎?”
Of course, Holmes, if you think that it's important,' I answered.
“當(dāng)然了,福爾摩斯,如果你認(rèn)為那很重要。”我回答。
Later, we'll go to Briony Lodge. Irene Adler, or Irene Norton, will arrive home at seven o'clock, and she will ask me to go into the house. You must wait outside near the sitting-room window, and when it opens, watch me inside. When I hold up my hand, throw this thing into the room and shout "Fire!"'
“稍晚一點(diǎn)兒,我們會(huì)到布里奧尼公寓去。艾琳·阿德勒,或者說艾琳·諾頓會(huì)在7點(diǎn)鐘到家,然后她會(huì)讓我到她家里去。你必須在外面等著,就在客廳的窗戶附近,當(dāng)窗戶打開的時(shí)候,要留意看著里面的我。我一舉起手,你就把這個(gè)扔進(jìn)屋子并且喊:‘著火了!’”
I took the small thing out of his hand. 'What is it, Holmes?' I asked.
我從他手里接過一個(gè)小東西。“這是什么,福爾摩斯?”我問。
It's a smoke-stick. The room will very quickly be full of smoke. After that, wait for me at the corner of the street.'
“是煙霧棒。屋子里很快會(huì)充滿煙霧。然后你在街角等著我。”
Right, I'll do what you want,' I said.
“好的,我會(huì)照你說的做。”我說。