“‘我住在布里克斯顿的艾维巷十六号，’他回答道，‘可是你不要使自己被假线索迷住，费尔普斯先生。
"'I live at No.16 Ivey Lane, Brixton,' he replied,' but don't make yourself fascinated by false clues, Mr. phelps.
我们到这条街的左端去看能不能打听到什么。’“
Let's go to the left end of this street and see if we can find out anything. " "
我想，照他的意见办也没有什么坏处，我们两人和警察急忙赶过去，只见街上车水马龙，人来人往，个个都想在这阴雨之夜早些回到安身之处，没有一个闲人能告诉我们谁曾经走过。
I think it doesn't hurt to follow his advice, the two of us and the police rushed to the past, only to see the traffic in the street, and people were busy, everyone wanted to return to their shelter early on this rainy night, and no one could tell us who had walked by.

“于是我们又返回外交部，把楼梯和走廊搜查一遍，可是毫无结果。
"So we went back to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and searched the stairs and corridors again, but to no avail.
通往办公室的走廊上铺着一种米色漆布，一有脚印就很容易发现。
The corridor leading to the office is covered with a beige lacquered cloth, which is easy to find when there are footprints.
我们检查得非常仔细，可是连一点脚印的痕迹也没有找到。”
We checked very carefully, but we didn't find any footprints. "

“我们也把房间检查了一遍。
"We also checked the room again.
这房间不可能有暗门，窗户离地面足有三十英尺。
There can't be a secret door in this room, the window is thirty feet above the ground.
两扇窗户都从里面插上插销了。
Both windows are bolted from the inside.
地板上铺着地毯，不可能有地道门，天花板是普通白灰刷的。
The floor is carpeted, there can be no tunnel door, and the ceiling is painted with ordinary lime.
我敢拿性命担保，无论是谁偷了我的文件，他只能从房门逃 跑。”
I swear on my life, no matter who stole my documents, he could only escape from the door. "
“壁炉的情况怎么样呢？”
"What about the fireplace?"

“那里没有壁炉，只有一个火炉。
"There is no fireplace, only a stove.
电铃正在我写字台的右首。
The bell is on the right of my desk.
谁要按铃都必须到我写字台右首去按。
Anyone who wants to ring the bell must go to the right of my desk to do so.
可是为什么罪犯要去按铃呢？
But why do criminals ring the bell?
这是一个最难解释的疑团。”
This is the most difficult puzzle to explain. "

“这件事确实非同寻常。
"It's really unusual.
你们的下一步措施是什么呢？
What's your next step?
我想，你们检查过房间，看看那位不速之客有没有留下什么痕迹，象烟蒂、失落的手套、发夹或其它什么小东西，是吗？”
I think you have checked the room to see if the unexpected guest left any traces, such as cigarette butts, lost gloves, hairpins or other small things, haven't you? "

“没有这一类东西。”
"There is no such thing."

“没有闻到什么气味吗？”
"Don't you smell anything?"
“唉，我们没有想到这一点。”
"Alas, we didn't think of that."
“啊，在调查这样的案件时，即使有一点烟草气味对我们也是很有价值的。”
"Ah, even a little smell of tobacco is valuable to us when investigating such cases."

“我一向不吸烟，我想，只要屋里有一点烟味，我就会闻出来的。可是那里一点烟味也没有。
"I've never smoked, and I think if there is any smoke in the room, I'll smell it. But there is no smell of smoke there.
唯一确凿的事实就是看门人的妻子，那个叫坦盖太太的女人，是从那地方慌忙走出来的，看门人对这件事实也无法解释，他只是说他妻子平常就是在这个时间回家。
The only conclusive fact is that the janitor's wife, the woman named Mrs. Tangai, hurried out of that place, the janitor can't explain this fact either, he just said that his wife usually goes home at this time.
警察和我一致认为，如果文件确实在那个女人手里，那我们最好趁她没把文件脱手就把她抓住。
The police and I agreed that if the document was in the hands of that woman, we'd better catch her before she got rid of it.

“这时苏格兰场已接到警报，侦探福布斯先生立即赶来，全力以赴地接过了这件案子。
"At this time, Scotland Yard has been alerted, and Mr. Forbes, the detective, came immediately and took over the case with all his strength.
我们租了一辆双轮双座马车，半小时就到了看门人告诉我们的地点。
We rented a two-wheeled two-seater carriage and arrived at the place that the doorman told us in half an hour.
一个年轻女子开了门，她是坦盖太太的长女。
A young woman opened the door, she was the eldest daughter of Mrs. Tangai.
她母亲还没回来，她把我们让进前厅等候。
Her mother hasn't come back yet. She asked us to wait in the lobby.

“十分钟以后，有人敲门。
"Ten minutes later, someone knocked at the door.
这时我们犯了一个严重的错误，对这一点我只能责怪自己。
At this time, we made a serious mistake, for which I can only blame myself.
这就是我们没有亲自开门，而是让那个姑娘去开。
That is, instead of opening the door ourselves, we let the girl open it.
我们听到她说，‘妈妈，家里来了两个人，正等着要见你。’
We heard her say,' Mom, there are two people at home, waiting to see you.'
接着我们就听到一阵脚步声急促地走进过道。
Then we heard a burst of footsteps hurrying into the aisle.
福布斯猛然把门推开，我们两个人跑进后屋也就是厨房，可是那女人抢先走了进去。
Forbes suddenly pushed the door open, and the two of us ran into the back room, that is, the kitchen, but the woman beat us to it.
她带着敌意望着我们，后来，突然认出了我，脸上浮现出一种十分诧异的表情。
She looked at us with hostility, and then suddenly recognized me, and a very surprised expression appeared on her face.

‘怎么，这不是部里的费尔普斯先生么！’她大声说道。
Why, if it isn't Mr. phelps from the Ministry!' she exclaimed.
“‘喂，喂，你把我们当作什么人了？
"'Hello, hello, who do you take us for?
为什么躲开我们？’我的同伴问道。
Why avoid us?' my companion asked.
“‘我以为你们是旧货商呢，’她说道，‘我们和一个商人有纠葛。’
"'I thought you were junk dealers,' she said,' we're in trouble with a businessman.'

“‘这理由是不十分充足的，’福布斯回答道，‘我们有根据认为你从外交部拿走了一份重要文件，然后跑到这里处理它。
"'This reason is not very sufficient,' Forbes replied,' we have reason to think that you took an important document from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and then ran here to deal with it.
你必须随我们一起到苏格兰场去接受搜查。’
You must come with us to Scotland Yard to be searched.'

“她提出抗议，进行抵抗，都徒劳无益。
"She protested and resisted in vain.
我们叫来了一辆四轮马车，三个人都坐进去。
We called a carriage, and all three of us got in.
临走以前，我们先检查了这间厨房，尤其是厨房里的炉火，看看她是否在她一个人到这儿的时候把文件扔进火里。
Before we left, we first checked the kitchen, especially the fire in the kitchen, to see if she threw the papers into the fire when she arrived here alone.
然而，没有一点碎屑或灰烬的痕迹。
However, there is no trace of debris or ashes.
我们一到苏格兰场，立即把她交给女搜查员。
As soon as we got to Scotland Yard, we handed her over to the female search officer.
我非常焦急，好不容易才等到女检查员送来了报告，可是报告说文件毫无踪影。
I was very anxious and had a hard time waiting for the female inspector to send me the report, but it said that there was no trace of the document.

“这时，我才开始意识到我的处境可怕到了极点，迄今为止，我只顾行动，根本没顾上思考。
"At this time, I began to realize that my situation was terrible to the extreme, so far, I have only taken action, and I haven't thought at all.
我一直深信可以很快找到那份协定，因此我根本不敢想如果找不到，后果如何。
I have always been convinced that I can find the agreement soon, so I can't even think about the consequences if I can't find it.
可是现在既已一筹莫展，我就有空来考虑自己的处境了。
But now that I can't do anything about it, I have time to think about my situation.
这实在太可怕了。
This is terrible.
华生可能已告诉你，我在学校时，是一个胆怯而敏感的孩子。
Watson may have told you that I was a timid and sensitive child at school.
我的性格就是这样。
This is my character.

我想到我舅父和他内阁里的同僚，想到我给他带来的耻辱，给我自己和亲友带来的耻辱，我个人成为这个非常离奇的意外事件的牺牲品，又算得了什么呢？
I think of my uncle and his colleagues in the cabinet, of the shame I brought to him, of myself and my relatives and friends, and what is it that I personally fell victim to this very bizarre accident?
重要的是外交利益事关重大，绝不允许出一点意外事故的。
What's important is that diplomatic interests are of great importance, and no accident will be allowed.
我算毁了，毫无希望地可耻地毁了。
I'm ruined, hopelessly and shamefully.
我不知道我做了些什么。
I don't know what I did.
我想我一定是当众大闹了一场。
I think I must have made a scene in public.
我只模模糊糊地记得当时有一些同事围着我，尽力安慰我。
I only vaguely remember that some colleagues were around me and tried their best to comfort me.
有一个同事陪我一起乘车到滑铁卢，把我送上去沃金的火车。我相信，当时如果不是我的邻居费里尔医生也乘这次火车同行，那么那位同事会一直把我送到家的。这位医生对我照顾得非常周到，也确实多亏他这样照顾我，因为我在车站就已昏厥过一次，在我到家之前几乎成了一个语无伦次的疯子。