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"You look ill, Mr. Pinner!" he exclaimed.
"你脸色不好！平纳先生，"霍尔说道。
"Yes, I am not very well," answered the other, making obvious efforts to pull himself together and licking his dry lips before he spoke.
"是的，我不太舒服，"平纳答道，显然竭力恢复镇静，在说话前舐了舐干燥的双唇。
"Who are these gentlemen whom you have brought with you?"
"你带来的这两位绅士是什么人？"
"One is Mr. Harris, of Bermondsey, and the other is Mr. Price, of this town," said our clerk glibly.
"一位是伯蒙奇的哈里斯先生，另一位是本镇的普赖斯先生，"我们的委托人随机应变地说道。
"They are friends of mine and gentlemen of experience, but they have been out of a place for some little time,
"他们是我的朋友，并且是两位经验丰富的先生，不过近来他们失业了。
and they hoped that perhaps you might find an opening for them in the company's employment."
他们希望或许你可以在公司里给他们找个出路。"
"Very possibly! very possibly!" cried Mr. Pinner with a ghastly smile.
"太可能了！太可能了！"平纳先生勉强笑了笑，大声说道。
"Yes, I have no doubt that we shall be able to do something for you. What is your particular line, Mr. Harris?"
"对了，我肯定我们能为你们尽力的。哈里斯先生，你的专长是什么呢？"
"I am an accountant," said Holmes.
"我是一个会计师，"福尔摩斯说道。
"Ah, yes, we shall want something of the sort. And you, Mr. Price?"
"啊，好，我们正需要这样的人材。普赖斯先生，那么你呢？"
"A clerk," said I.
"我是一个书记员。"我说道。
"I have every hope that the company may accommodate you. I will let you know about it as soon as we come to any conclusion.
"我希望公司可以接纳你们，我们一作出决定，我马上就通知你们。
And now I beg that you will go. For God's sake leave me to myself!"
现在请你们走吧，看上帝面上，让我安静安静！"
These last words were shot out of him, as though the constraint which he was evidently setting upon himself had suddenly and utterly burst asunder.
最后几句他喊叫得声音很大，好像他再也控制不了自己了。
Holmes and I glanced at each other, and Hall Pycroft took a step towards the table.
福尔摩斯和我面面相觑，霍尔·派克罗夫特向桌前走近一步。
"You forget, Mr. Pinner, that I am here by appointment to receive some directions from you," said he.
"平纳先生，你忘了，我是应约来这里听取你的指示的，"他说道。
"Certainly, Mr. Pycroft, certainly," the other resumed in a calmer tone.
"当然了，派克罗夫特先生，当然了，"对方恢复了比较冷静的腔调说道。
"You may wait here a moment and there is no reason why your friends should not wait with you.
"你可以在这里稍等片刻，你的朋友也可以等一等，
I will be entirely at your service in three minutes, if I might trespass upon your patience so far."
如果不会使你们不耐烦的话，过三分钟我一定完全听从你们的吩咐。"
He rose with a very courteous air, and, bowing to us, he passed out through a door at the farther end of the room, which he closed behind him.
他彬彬有礼地站起来，向我们点了点头，从屋子那一头的门走了出去，随即把门关上了。
"What now?" whispered Holmes. "Is he giving us the slip?"
"现在怎么办？"福尔摩斯低语道，"他是不是逃走了？"
"Impossible," answered Pycroft.
"不可能。"派克罗夫特答道。
"Why so?"
"为什么不可能呢？"
"That door leads into an inner room."
"那扇门通往套间。"
"There is no exit?"
"没有出口吗？"
"None."
"没有。"
"Is it furnished?"
"里面有家具吗？"
"It was empty yesterday."
"昨天还是空的。"
"Then what on earth can he be doing? There is something which I don't understand in this matter.
"那么他究竟在里面能干什么呢？这件事真有些叫我摸不着头脑。
If ever a man was three parts mad with terror, that man's name is Pinner. What can have put the shivers on him?"
这个叫平纳的人是不是吓疯了？什么事能把他吓得浑身颤抖呢？"
"He suspects that we are detectives," I suggested.
"他一定怀疑我们是侦探，"我提醒说。
"That's it," cried Pycroft.
"一定是这样，"派克罗夫特大声说道。
