Chapter 1 The science of deduction
第一章 演绎法的研究
SHERLOCK HOLMES took his bottle from the corner of the mantelpiece,
歇洛克·福尔摩斯从壁炉台的角上拿下一瓶药水,
and his hypodermic syringe from its neat morocco case.
再从一只整洁的山羊皮皮匣里取出皮下注射器来。
With his long, white, nervous fingers he adjusted the delicate needle and rolled back his left shirtcuff.
他用白而有劲的长手指装好了精细的针头,卷起了他左臂的衬衫袖口。
For some little time his eyes rested thoughtfully upon the sinewy forearm and wrist,
他沉思地对自己的肌肉发达、
all dotted and scarred with innumerable puncture-marks.
留有很多针孔痕迹的胳臂注视了一会儿,
Finally, he thrust the sharp point home, pressed down the tiny piston,
终于把针尖刺入肉中,推动小小的针心,
and sank back into the velvet-lined armchair with a long sigh of satisfaction.
然后躺在绒面的安乐椅里,满足地喘了一大口气。
Three times a day for many months I had witnessed this performance,
他这样的动作每天三次,几个月来我已经看惯了,
but custom had not reconciled my mind to it.
但是心中总是不以为然。
On the contrary, from day to day I had become more irritable at the sight,
一天一天地过去,这个情况给我的刺激日渐增加。
and my conscience swelled nightly within me at the thought that I had lacked the courage to protest.
因为我没有勇气阻止他,每到夜深人静,想起此事,就感觉良心不安。
Again and again I had registered a vow that I should deliver my soul upon the subject;
我不止一次地想把心里的话向他说,
but there was that in the cool,
但是由于我的朋友性情冷漠、孤僻,
nonchalant air of my companion which made him the last man with whom one would care to take anything approaching to a liberty.
而且不肯接受意见,使我觉得要想向他无拘无束地进一忠告,不是一件容易的事。
His great powers, his masterly manner,
他的毅力,他自以为是的态度
and the experience which I had had of his many extraordinary qualities,
和我所体验过的他那许多非常的性格,
all made me diffident and backward in crossing him.
都使我胆怯而不愿惹他不高兴。
Yet upon that afternoon,
但是,这一天下午,
whether it was the Beaune which I had taken with my lunch or the additional exasperation produced by the extreme deliberation of his manner,
也许是我在午饭时喝了葡萄酒,也许是因为他那满不在乎的态度激怒了我,
I suddenly felt that I could hold out no longer.
我觉得再不能容忍下去了。
"Which is it today," I asked, "morphine or cocaine?"
我问他道:"今天注射的是什么?吗啡,还是可卡因?"
He raised his eyes languidly from the old black-letter volume which he had opened.
他刚打开一本旧书,无力地抬起头来说道:
"It is cocaine," he said, "a seven-per-cent solution. Would you care to try it?"
"这是可卡因,百分之七的溶液。你要试试吗?"