福爾摩斯探案集·血字的研究 第22期:警察欒斯的敘述(3)

This conversation had occurred while our cab had been threading its way through a long succession of dingy streets and dreary byways.

在我們談話的時候，車子不斷地穿過昏暗的大街和凄涼的小巷。

In the dingiest and dreariest of them our driver suddenly came to a stand.

到了一條最骯臟、最荒涼的巷口，車夫突然把車停了下來。

"That's Audley Court in there," he said, pointing to a narrow slit in the line of dead-coloured brick.

"那邊就是奧德利大院，"他指著一漆黑色磚墻之間的狹窄胡同說，

"You'll find me here when you come back."

"你們回來時到這里找我。"

Audley Court was not an attractive locality.

奧德利大院并不是一個雅觀的所在。

The narrow passage led us into a quadrangle paved with flags and lined by sordid dwellings.

我們走過一條狹窄的小胡同，便來到一個方形大院，院內(nèi)地面是用石板鋪成的，四面有一些骯臟簡陋的住房。

We picked our way among groups of dirty children,

我們穿過一群一群衣著骯臟的孩子，

and through lines of discoloured linen,

鉆過一行行曬得褪了色的衣服，

until we came to Number 46, the door of which was decorated with a small slip of brass on which the name Rance was engraved.

最后來到46號。46號的門上釘著一個小銅牌，上面刻著“欒斯”字樣。

On inquiry we found that the constable was in bed,

我們上前一問，才知道這位警察正在睡覺。

and we were shown into a little front parlour to await his coming.

我們便走進了前邊一間小客廳里等他出來。

He appeared presently, looking a little irritable at being disturbed in his slumbers.

這位警察很快就出來了。由于被我們打攪了好夢，他有些不高興。

"I made my report at the office," he said.

他說："我已經(jīng)在局里報告過了。"

Holmes took a half-sovereign from his pocket and played with it pensively.

福爾摩斯從衣袋里掏出一個半鎊金幣，若有所思地在手中玩弄著。

"We thought that we should like to hear it all from your own lips," he said.

他說："我們想要請你從頭到尾再親口說一遍。"

"I shall be most happy to tell you anything I can," the constable answered, with his eyes upon the little golden disc.

這位警察兩眼望著那個小金幣回答說："我很愿意把我所知道的一切奉告。"

"Just let us hear it all in your own way as it occurred."

"那么讓我聽一聽事情發(fā)生的經(jīng)過吧。你愿意怎樣講都可以。"

Rance sat down on the horsehair sofa, and knitted his brows,

欒斯在馬毛呢的沙發(fā)上坐了下來，他皺起眉頭，

as though determined not to omit anything in his narrative.

好象下定決心不使他的敘述中有任何遺漏。

"I'll tell it ye from the beginning," he said.

他說："我把這事從頭說起。

"My time is from ten at night to six in the morning.

我當班的時間是從晚上十點起到第二天早上六點。

At eleven there was a fight at the White Hart; but bar that all was quiet enough on the beat.

夜間十一點鐘時，曾有人在白哈特街打架，除此以外，我巡邏的地區(qū)都很平靜。

At one o'clock it began to rain,

夜里一點鐘的時候，開始下起雨來。

and I met Harry Murcher–him who has the Holland Grove beat

這時我遇見了亥瑞·摩契，他是在荷蘭樹林區(qū)一帶巡邏的。

and we stood together at the corner of Henrietta Street a-talkin'.

我們兩個人就站在亨瑞埃塔街轉(zhuǎn)角的地方聊天。

Presently–maybe about two or a little after

不久，大約在兩點或兩點稍過一點的時候，

I thought I would take a look round and see that all was right down the Brixton Road.

我想該轉(zhuǎn)一遭了，看看布瑞克斯頓路是不是平靜無事。

It was precious dirty and lonely.

這條路又泥濘又偏僻。

Not a soul did I meet all the way down, though a cab or two went past me.

一路上連個人影都沒有，只有一兩輛馬車從我身旁駛過。

I was a-strollin' down, thinkin' between ourselves how uncommon handy a four of gin hot would be,

我慢慢溜跶著，一邊尋思要有熱酒喝它一盅多美。

when suddenly the glint of a light caught my eye in the window of that same house.

這時，忽見那座房子的窗口閃閃地射出燈光。

Now, I knew that them two houses in Lauriston Gardens was empty on account of him that owns them who won't have the drains seed to,

我知道勞瑞斯頓花園街的兩所房子都是空著的，

though the very last tenant what lived in one of them died o' typhoid fever.

其中一所的最后一個房客得了傷寒病死了，可是房東還是不愿修理陰溝。

I was knocked all in a heap, therefore,

所以我一看到那個窗口有燈光，就嚇了一大跳，

at seeing a light in the window, and I suspected as something was wrong.

疑心出了什么差錯。

When I got to the door..."

等我走到屋門口..."

"You stopped, and then walked back to the garden gate," my companion interrupted.

"你就站住了，轉(zhuǎn)身又走回小花園的門口，"我的同伴突然插嘴說，

"What did you do that for?" Rance gave a violent jump,

"你為什么要那樣做呢？"欒斯嚇得跳了起來，

and stared at Sherlock Holmes with the utmost amazement upon his features.

滿臉驚訝，瞪著一雙大眼睛瞧著福爾摩斯。