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It was close upon twelve before I heard the sharp sound of his latchkey.
将近十二点钟，我才听到福尔摩斯用钥匙打开大门上弹簧锁的声音。
The instant he entered I saw by his face that he had not been successful.
他一进房来，我就从他的脸色看出，他并没有成功。
Amusement and chagrin seemed to be struggling for the mastery,
是高兴还是懊恼，似乎一直在他的心里交战着。
until the former suddenly carried the day, and he burst into a hearty laugh.
顷刻之间，高兴战胜了懊恼，福尔摩斯忽然纵声大笑起来。
"I wouldn't have the Scotland Yarders know it for the world," he cried, dropping into his chair;
"这件事说什么我也不能让苏格兰场的人知道。"福尔摩斯大声说着，一面就在椅子上坐了下来，
"I have chaffed them so much that they would never have let me hear the end of it.
"我把他们嘲笑得够了，这一回他们绝不会善罢甘休的。
I can afford to laugh, because I know that I will be even with them in the long run."
可是，他们就是知道了，讥笑我，我也不在乎，迟早我会把面子找回来的。"
"What is it then?" I asked.
我问道："到底是怎么回事？"
"Oh, I don't mind telling a story against myself.
"啊，我把我失败的情况跟你谈谈吧，这倒没有什么。
That creature had gone a little way when she began to limp and show every sign of being footsore.
那个家伙走不多远，就一瘸一拐地显出脚痛的样子。
Presently she came to a halt, and hailed a four-wheeler which was passing.
她突然停下脚步，叫住了一辆过路的马车。
I managed to be close to her so as to hear the address,
我向她凑近些，想听听她雇车的地点；
but I need not have been so anxious, for she sang it out loud enough to be heard at the other side of the street,
其实我根本用不着这样急躁，因为她说话的声音很大，就是隔一条马路也能听得清楚。
'Drive to 13, Duncan Street, Houndsditch,' she cried.
她大声说：'到宏兹迪池区，邓肯街13号。'
This begins to look genuine, I thought,
我当时认为她说的是实话。
and having seen her safely inside, I perched myself behind.
我看见她上车以后，也跟着跳上了马车后部。
That's an art which every detective should be an expert at.
这是每一个侦探必精的技术。
Well, away we rattled, and never drew rein until we reached the street in question.
好啦，我们就这样向前行进。马车一路未停，一直到了目的地。
I hopped off before we came to the door, and strolled down the street in an easy,lounging way.
快到13号门前的时候，我先跳下车来，漫步在马路上闲荡着。
I saw the cab pull up.
我眼见马车停了，
The driver jumped down, and I saw him open the door and stand expectantly.
车夫跳了下来，把车门打开等候着，
Nothing came out though.
可是并没有人下来。
When I reached him, he was groping about frantically in the empty cab,
我走到车夫面前，他正在黑暗的车厢中到处摸索，
and giving vent to the finest assorted collection of oaths that ever I listened to.
嘴里不干不净，乱七八糟地骂着，骂的那话简直是我从来也没听到过的'最好听的'词了。
There was no sign or trace of his passenger, and I fear it will be some time before he gets his fare.
乘客早已踪迹全无了。我想，他要想拿到车费恐怕要俟诸他日了。
On inquiring at Number 13 we found that the house belonged to a respectable paperhanger,
我们到13号去询问了一下，那里住的却是一位起行端正的裱糊匠，
named Keswick, and that no one of the name either of Sawyer or Dennis had ever been heard of there."
叫做凯斯维克，从来没有听说有叫做什么索叶或者丹尼斯的人在那里住过。"
"You don't mean to say," I cried, in amazement,
我惊奇地大声说道："难道你是说
"that that tottering, feeble old woman was able to get out of the cab while it was in motion,
那个身体虚弱、步履蹒跚的老太婆居然能够瞒过你和车夫的眼，
without either you or the driver seeing her?"
在车走动的时候跳下去了吗？"
"Old woman be damned!" said Sherlock Holmes, sharply.
福尔摩斯厉声说道："什么老太婆，真该死！
"We were the old women to be so taken in.
咱们两个才是老太婆呢，竟受了人家这样的气。
It must have been a young man, and an active one, too, besides being an incomparable actor.
他一定是个年轻的小伙子，而且还是一个精明强干的小伙子。不仅如此，他还一定是个了不起的演员，
The get-up was inimitable.
他扮演得真是到了无可比拟的程度。
He saw that he was followed, no doubt, and used this means of giving me the slip.
显而易见，他是知道有人跟着他的，因此就用了这一着，乘我不备，溜之大吉。
It shows that the man we are after is not as lonely as I imagined he was,
这件事实说明，绝不是象我当初想象的那样，仅仅是单独一个人，
but has friends who are ready to risk something for him.
他有许多朋友，他们甘愿为他冒险。
Now, Doctor, you are looking done-up. Take my advice and turn in."
喂，大夫，看样子你象是累坏了，听我的话请去睡吧。"
I was certainly feeling very weary, so I obeyed his injunction.
我的确感到很疲乏，所以我就听从他的话回屋去睡了。
I left Holmes seated in front of the smouldering fire,
留下福尔摩斯一个人坐在微微燃烧着的火炉边。
and long into the watches of the night I heard the low melancholy wailings of his violin,
在这万籁俱寂的漫漫长夜里，我还听到他那忧郁的琴音低声回诉，
and knew that he was still pondering over the strange problem which he had set himself to unravel.
我知道他仍旧在深思着那个他认真着手解决的奇异课题。
