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It was nightfall before Inspector MacDonald and White Mason came back from their expedition, and they arrived exultant, reporting a great advance in our investigation.
黄昏时分，警官麦克唐纳和怀特·梅森调查回来了，他们兴高采烈，说是调查有了很大进展。
"Man, I'll admeet that I had my doubts if there was ever an outsider," said MacDonald; "but that's all past now.
"伙计，我承认我曾经怀疑过是否果真有个外来人，"麦克唐纳说道，"不过现在一切都过去了。
We've had the bicycle identified, and we have a description of our man; so that's a long step on our journey."
我们已经认出了自行车，并且还查访到车主的外貌特征，所以，这一趟可是收获不小。"
"It sounds to me like the beginning of the end," said Holmes. "I'm sure I congratulate you both with all my heart."
"你们这么说，好象这案子就要了结了，"福尔摩斯说道，"我衷心地向你们二位道喜。"
"Well, I started from the fact that Mr. Douglas had seemed disturbed since the day before, when he had been at Tunbridge Wells.
"好，我是从这个事实入手的：道格拉斯先生曾经到过滕布里奇韦尔斯市，从那一天起，他就显得神情不安了。
It was at Tunbridge Wells then that he had become conscious of some danger.
那么，正是在滕布里奇韦尔斯市，他意识到了有某种危险。
It was clear, therefore, that if a man had come over with a bicycle it was from Tunbridge Wells that he might be expected to have come.
很明显，如果一个人是骑自行车来的话，那就可以料想是从滕布里奇韦尔斯市来的了。
We took the bicycle over with us and showed it at the hotels.
我们把自行车随身带上，把它给各旅馆看。
It was identified atonce by the manager of the Eagle Commercial as belonging to a man named Hargrave, who had taken a room there two days before.
车马上被伊格尔商业旅馆的经理认出来了，说车主是一个叫哈格雷夫的人，他两天前在那里开过房间。
This bicycle and a small valise were his whole belongings. He had registered his name as coming from London, but had given no address.
这辆自行车和一个小手提箱，就是他的全部家当。他登记是从伦敦来的，可是没有写地址。
The valise was London made, and the contents were British; but the man himself was undoubtedly an American."
手提箱是伦敦出品，里面的东西也是英国货，不过那人本身却无疑是美国人。"
"Well, well," said Holmes gleefully, "you have indeed done some solid work while I have been sitting spinning theories with my friend!
"很好，很好，"福尔摩斯高兴地说道，"你们确实做了一件扎实的工作，而我却和我的朋友坐在这里编造各种推论。
It's a lesson in being practical, Mr. Mac."
麦克先生，这的确是一次教训呢。是得多做些实际的工作。"
"Ay, it's just that, Mr. Holmes," said the inspector with satisfaction.
"当然，这话不错，福尔摩斯先生，"警官麦克唐纳满意地说道。
"But this may all fit in with your theories," I remarked.
"可是这也完全符合你的推论啊，"我提醒说。
"That may or may not be. But let us hear the end, Mr. Mac. Was there nothing to identify this man?"
"那也说不定。不过，让我们听听结果如何吧，麦克先生。没有什么线索可以查清这个人吗？"
"So little that it was evident that he had carefully guarded himself against identification.
"很明显，他非常小心谨慎提防着，不放别人认出他来。
There were no papers or letters, and no marking upon the clothes. A cycle map of the county lay on his bedroom table.
既没有文件也没有书信，衣服上也没有特记。他卧室桌上有一张本郡的自行车路线图。
He had left the hotel after breakfast yesterday morning on his bicycle, and no more was heard of him until our inquiries."
昨天早晨，他吃过早饭，骑上自行车离开旅馆，直到我们去查问为止，也没有再听到他的情况。"
"That's what puzzles me, Mr. Holmes," said White Mason.
"福尔摩斯先生，这正是使我迷惑不解的，"怀特·梅森说道。
"If the fellow did not want the hue and cry raised over him, one would imagine that he would have returned and remained at the hotel as an inoffensive tourist.
“如果这个人不想叫人怀疑他，他就应当想到，他必须返回旅馆，并且像一个与事无关的游客那样呆在那里。
As it is, he must know that he will be reported to the police by the hotel manager and that his disappearance will be connected with the murder."
像现在这样，他应当知道，旅馆主人会去向警察报告的，必然要把他的失踪和凶杀案联系起来。"
"So one would imagine. Still, he has been justified of his wisdom up to date, at any rate, since he has not been taken. But his description -- what of that?"
"人家是要这样想的。既然还没有捉到他，至少直到现在证明他还是机智的。不过他的外貌特征到底是什么样的呢？"
MacDonald referred to his notebook. "Here we have it so far as they could give it.
麦克唐纳查看了一下笔记本。"这里我们已经把他们所说的完全记下来了。
They don't seem to have taken any very particular stock of him; but still the porter, the clerk, and the chambermaid are all agreed that this about covers the points.
他们似乎说得不太详细，不过那些茶房、管事的和女侍者们所说的大致相同。
He was a man about five foot nine in height, fifty or so years of age, his hair slightly grizzled, a grayish moustache, a curved nose, and a face which all of them described as fierce and forbidding."
那人身高五英尺九英寸，五十岁左右，有点儿头发灰白，淡灰色的胡子，鹰钩鼻子和一张凶残无比、令人生畏的面孔。"
"Well, bar the expression, that might almost be a description of Douglas himself," said Holmes.
"好，别说了，这几乎是道格拉斯本人的写照了，"福尔摩斯说道。
"He is just over fifty, with grizzled hair and moustache, and about the same height. Did you get anything else?"
"道格拉斯正好是五十多岁，须发灰白，身高也是这样。你还得到什么情况了？"
"He was dressed in a heavy gray suit with a reefer jacket, and he wore a short yellow overcoat and a soft cap."
"他穿一身厚的灰衣服和一件双排扣夹克，披一件黄色短大衣，戴一顶便帽。"
"What about the shotgun?"
"关于那支火枪有什么情况？"
"It is less than two feet long. It could very well have fitted into his valise. He could have carried it inside his overcoat without difficulty."
"这支火枪不到二英尺长，完全可以放到他的手提箱里。他也可以毫不费力地把它放在大衣里，带在身上。"
