黑暗
At three in the morning the chief Sussex detective, obeying the urgent call from Sergeant Wilson of Birlstone, arrived from headquarters in a light dog-cart behind a breathless trotter.
凌晨三点钟,苏塞克斯的侦探长接到伯尔斯通警官威尔逊的急电,乘坐一辆轻便单马车从总部赶来,马被累得上气不接下气。
By the five-forty train in the morning he had sent his message to Scotland Yard, and he was at the Birlstone station at twelve o'clock to welcome us.
他通过清早五点四十分的那趟火车,把报告送到了苏格兰场,中午十二点钟他已在伯尔斯通车站迎候我们了。
White Mason was a quiet, comfortable-looking person in a loose tweed suit, with a cleanshaved, ruddy face, a stoutish body, and powerful bandy legs adorned with gaiters,
怀特·梅森先生性情文静、面容安详,穿着一件宽大的花呢外套,红润的脸刮得净光,身体微胖,两条微向里弯的腿刚劲有力,穿着带绊扣的高筒靴子,
looking like a small farmer, a retired gamekeeper, or anything upon earth except a very favourable specimen of the provincial criminal officer.
他看起来像个矮小的庄稼汉,像个退休的猎场看守人,或是说他像个世上的什么人都行,但就是不象地方警署典型的刑事警官。
"A real downright snorter, Mr. MacDonald!" he kept repeating.
"麦克唐纳先生,真是一件极不寻常的案子。"怀特·梅森反反复复地说。
"We'll have the pressmen down like flies when they understand it.
"报界的人听到这件事就会像苍蝇一样赶来的。
I'm hoping we will get our work done before they get poking their noses into it and messing up all the trails.
我希望在他们来管这闲事并把一切手脚印迹弄乱之前,就把咱们的工作做完。
There has been nothing like this that I can remember. There are some bits that will come home to you, Mr. Holmes, or I am mistaken.
在我的记忆中,还没有遇到过象这样的案子呢。福尔摩斯先生,有某些情况是会使你感兴趣的,要不然就是我弄错了。
And you also, Dr. Watson; for the medicos will have a word to say before we finish.
华生医生,还有你,因为在我们结束工作之前,医生总要发表一些意见的。
Your room is at the Westville Arms. There's no other place; but I hear that it is clean and good.
你们的住房在韦斯特维尔阿姆兹旅店。再找不到其它地方了,不过我听说房子倒还不错,也挺干净。
The man will carry your bags. This way, gentlemen, if you please."
仆人会把你们的行李送去的。先生们,请随我来,好吗?"
He was a very bustling and genial person, this Sussex detective. In ten minutes we had all found our quarters.
这位苏塞克斯的侦探,是一个非常活跃而又和蔼的人。走了十分钟,我们就到了住所。
In ten more we were seated in the parlour of the inn and being treated to a rapid sketch of those events which have been outlined in the previous chapter.
十分钟以后,我们就坐在小旅店休息室里,议论起这件案子的概况了,这些我已在上一章叙述过了。
MacDonald made an occasional note; while Holmes sat absorbed, with the expression of surprised and reverent admiration with which the botanist surveys the rare and precious bloom.
麦克唐纳有时做些记录,福尔摩斯坐在那里,带着吃惊和衷心钦佩的样子专心倾听着,就像植物学家鉴赏珍奇的花朵一样。