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"Hullo!" said he suddenly. "What's this?"
"哈！这是什么？"福尔摩斯突然喊道。
It was a wax vesta, half burned, which was so coated with mud that it looked at first like a little chip of wood.
这是一根烧了一半的蜡火柴，这根蜡火柴上面裹着泥，猛然一看，好象是一根小小的木棍。
"I cannot think how I came to overlook it," said the inspector with an expression of annoyance.
"不能想象，我怎么会把它忽略了。"警长神情懊恼地说道。
"It was invisible, buried in the mud. I only saw it because I was looking for it."
"它埋在泥土里，是不容易发现的，我所以能看到它，是因为我正在有意找它。"
"What! You expected to find it?"
"怎么！你本来就料到可能找到这个吗？"
"I thought it not unlikely." He took the boots from the bag and compared the impressions of each of them with marks upon the ground.
"我想这不是不可能的。"福尔摩斯从袋子里拿出长统靴和地上的脚印一一比较。
Then he clambered up to the rim of the hollow and crawled about among the ferns and bushes.
然后爬到坑边，慢慢匍匐前进到羊齿草和金雀花丛间。
"I am afraid that there are no more tracks," said the inspector. "I have examined the ground very carefully for a hundred yards in each direction."
"恐怕这里不会有更多的痕迹了，"警长说道，"我在周围一百码之内都仔细检查过了。"
"Indeed!" said Holmes, rising. "I should not have the impertinence to do it again after what you say.
"的确！"福尔摩斯站起来说道，"你既然这样说，我就不必再多此一举了。
But I should like to take a little walk over the moor before it grows dark that I may know my ground to-morrow,
可是我倒愿意在天黑以前，在荒原上略微走一走，明天对这里的地形就可以熟悉一些，
and I think that I shall put this horseshoe into my pocket for luck."
我想，为了讨个吉利，我把这块马蹄铁装在我衣袋里。"
Colonel Ross, who had shown some signs of impatience at my companion's quiet and systematic method of work, glanced at his watch.
罗斯上校对我的伙伴这样从容不迫、有条不紊的工作方法，感到非常不耐烦，看了看他的表。
"I wish you would come back with me, Inspector," said he.
"我希望你和我一起回去，警长，"罗斯上校说道。
"There are several points on which I should like your advice,
"有几件事，我想听一听你的意见，
and especially as to whether we do not owe it to the public to remove our horse's name from the entries for the cup."
特别是，我们要不要向公众声明，把我们的那骑马的名字从参加赛马的名单中取消。"
"Certainly not," cried Holmes with decision. "I should let the name stand."
"当然不必了，"福尔摩斯果断地高声说道，"我一定能让它参加比赛。"
The colonel bowed. "I am very glad to have had your opinion, sir," said he.
上校点了点头。"听到你的意见，我很高兴，先生，"罗斯上校说道。
"You will find us at poor Straker's house when you have finished your walk, and we can drive together into Tavistock."
"请你在荒原上走一走之后，到可怜的斯特雷克家找我们，然后我们一起乘车到塔维斯托克镇去。"
