A heavy step was heard ascending the stair,
传来一阵沉重的上楼的脚步声，
with a great wheezing and rattling as from a man who was sorely put to it for breath.
喘息的声音很重，说明这个人呼吸困难；
Once or twice he stopped, as though the climb were too much for him,
中间稍停了一两次，好象他上楼梯很费起力似的。
but at last he made his way to our door and entered.
最后他走进屋来，
His appearance corresponded to the sounds which we had heard.
他的容貌和我们所听见的声音是符合的。
He was an aged man, clad in seafaring garb, with an old pea-jacket buttoned up to his throat.
一个老人，穿着一身水手的衣服，外面套着大衣，纽扣一直扣到颈间。
His back was bowed, his knees were shaky, and his breathing was painfully asthmatic.
他弯着腰，两腿颤抖，气喘得很痛苦。
As he leaned upon a thick oaken cudgel his shoulders heaved in the effort to draw the air into his lungs.
他手拄一根粗粗的木棍，两肩不断耸动，好象呼吸很吃力。
He had a coloured scarf round his chin,
他的面目，除了一双闪烁的眼睛以外，
and I could see little of his face save a pair of keen dark eyes,
只有白的眉毛和灰的髭须，
overhung by bushy white brows and long gray side-whiskers.
其余全被他的围巾遮盖住了。
Altogether he gave me the impression of a respectable master mariner who had fallen into years and poverty.
整个地看来，他象是一个年事已高、景况潦倒而令人尊敬的航海家。
"What is it, my man?" I asked.
我问道："朋友，有什么事吗？"
He looked about him in the slow methodical fashion of old age.
他用老年人所特有的习惯，慢条斯理地向四周看了看。
"Is Mr. Sherlock Holmes here?" said he.
他问道："歇洛克·福尔摩斯先生在家吗？"
"No; but I am acting for him. You can tell me any message you have for him."
"没有在家。可是我可以代表他，您有什么话全都可以告诉我。"
"It was to him himself I was to tell it," said he.
他道："我只能向他本人说。"
