The next day we went to Irene Norton's house, with the King. An old servant opened the door. 'Mr Sherlock Holmes?' she asked, and smiled.
第二天我們和國王一起去了艾琳·諾頓的家。一個老仆人開了門。“夏洛克·福爾摩斯先生?”她問,笑了笑。
Yes,' said my friend. He looked very surprised.
“是的。”我的朋友說。他看起來很吃驚。
Mrs Irene Norton and her husband left England this morning. They will never come back to this country.'
“艾琳·諾頓夫人和她的丈夫今天早上離開了英國。他們再也不會回這個國家了。”
What?' cried Holmes, his face white and angry.
“什么?”福爾摩斯喊道,他的臉氣得發(fā)白。
And what about the photograph?' cried the King.
“那么照片呢?”國王大叫起來。
We all hurried into the sitting-room. Holmes ran to the cupboard and opened it. Inside was a photograph, not of Irene Adler and the King, but of the beautiful Irene alone. There was also a letter for Sherlock Holmes. We all read it together.
我們?nèi)紱_進(jìn)客廳。福爾摩斯奔向壁櫥,拉開門。里面有一張照片。不是艾琳·阿德勒和國王的合影,而是美麗的艾琳的獨照。還有一封給夏洛克·福爾摩斯的信。我們一起讀了這封信。
My dear Mr Sherlock Holmes,
親愛的夏洛克·福爾摩斯先生:
You did it very well. I thought that it was a real fire, and that you were just a kind old man. But after I opened the cupboard, I began to think. I knew about the famous Sherlock Holmes. I knew your address, and I knew that the King asked you to find the photograph. So I quickly dressed as a young man and followed you home to Baker Street. I wanted to find out if you really were Sherlock Holmes. I said 'good night' to you outside your door!
你做得很好。我還以為那是場真的火災(zāi),而你只是位好心的老人。但是我打開壁櫥之后開始思考。我知道大名鼎鼎的夏洛克·福爾摩斯。我知道你的地址,而且我也知道國王讓你尋找照片。所以我很快化裝成一個年輕人,跟蹤你回到貝克街。我想知道你究竟是不是夏洛克·福爾摩斯。我在你家門外跟你說了“晚安”!
My husband and I have decided to leave England. Please tell the King that I shall not show the photograph to anybody. I love my husband and he loves me. And he is a better man than the King. But here is a different photograph. And the King can keep this photograph, if he likes.
我丈夫和我決定離開英國。請告訴國王我不會將照片給任何人看。我愛我的丈夫,他也愛我。他是個比國王更好的男人。不過這里有另外一張照片。如果國王愿意,他可以保留這張照片。
Irene Norton
艾琳·諾頓
What a woman!' cried the King. 'Why didn't I marry her? What a woman!'
“多厲害的女人啊!”國王大聲感嘆,“我為什么沒娶她呢?多厲害的女人啊!”
A very, very clever woman,' said Sherlock Holmes coldly. 'I am sorry, Your Majesty, that this business has not finished well.'
“一個非常聰明的女人,”夏洛克·福爾摩斯冷淡地說,“很抱歉,陛下,這件事沒有辦好。”
No, no,' said the King. 'She writes that she will never show the photograph to anybody. I need nothing more than her word. There is no danger for me now. How can I thank you, dear Mr Holmes?'
“不,不,”國王說,“她說她不會給任何人看照片的。我只要有她這句話就夠了?,F(xiàn)在我沒有要擔(dān)心的事了。我該怎么感謝你呢,親愛的福爾摩斯先生?”
I would like just one thing, Your Majesty.'
“我只想要一件東西,陛下。”
Tell me at once what it is,' said the King.
“馬上告訴我你要什么。”國王說。
This photograph.'
“這張照片。”
The King looked at him in surprise. 'Irene's photograph?' he cried. 'But of course. It is yours.'
國王吃驚地看著他。“艾琳的照片?”他叫道,“當(dāng)然可以。這是你的了。”
And so there was no terrible scandal in the royal families of Europe. And Sherlock Holmes still has the photograph of the woman who was cleverer than he was.
就這樣,歐洲皇室沒有出現(xiàn)可怕的丑聞。而夏洛克·福爾摩斯仍然保存著這個比他還聰明的女人的照片。