Mr. Windibank sprang out of his chair and picked up his hat.
温迪班克先生从椅上跳了起来,捡起帽子。
"I cannot waste time over this sort of fantastic talk, Mr. Holmes," he said.
他说:"福尔摩斯先生,我不能浪费时间听这类无稽之谈。
"If you can catch the man, catch him, and let me know when you have done it."
假如你能抓到那个人,就抓住他好了,抓到他时,请告诉我一声。"
"Certainly," said Holmes, stepping over and turning the key in the door. "I let you know, then, that I have caught him!"
福尔摩斯跨步上前,把门锁锁上,说:"那么我就告诉你,我现在已经抓到他了。"
"What! where?" shouted Mr. Windibank, turning white to his lips and glancing about him like a rat in a trap.
"什么,在哪里?"温迪班克先生喊道,吓得连嘴唇都发白了,眨巴着眼睛看着他,像掉进了捕鼠笼里的老鼠那样。
"Oh, it won't do–really it won't," said Holmes suavely. "There is no possible getting out of it, Mr. Windibank.
"啊,你嚷嚷有什么用,一点用处也没有,"福尔摩斯温和地说,"温迪班克先生,那是根本不可能赖掉的。
It is quite too transparent, and it was a very bad compliment when you said that it was impossible for me to solve so simple a question.
事情再清楚不过了。你说我解决不了如此简单的问题,实在是太不客气了。
That's right! Sit down and let us talk it over."
那确是个简单的问题!请坐下,我们来谈谈吧。"
Our visitor collapsed into a chair, with a ghastly face and a glitter of moisture on his brow.
客人整个瘫在椅子上,脸色苍白,额上汗水涔涔,
"It...it's not actionable," he stammered.
结结巴巴地说着:"这...这还不到提出诉讼的程度。"
"I am very much afraid that it is not. But between ourselves, Windibank,
"确实,恐怕是还不到这程度。但是,温迪班克先生,
it was as cruel and selfish and heartless a trick in a petty way as ever came before me.
就你我二人来说,这是我从未见过的最自私、最残酷、最丧心病狂不过的鬼把戏了。
Now, let me just run over the course of events, and you will contradict me if I go wrong."
让我先把事情从头到尾叙说一遍,说得不对你可以反驳。"
The man sat huddled up in his chair, with his head sunk upon his breast, like one who is utterly crushed.
这个人缩成一团坐在椅子中,脑袋耷拉到胸前,是副彻底被打垮了的模样。