他实际上只有两点可疑：一点是他走得晚，另一点是他的法国姓名。
Actually, there are only two things suspicious about him: one is that he left late, and the other is his French name.
可是，事实是，在他走以前，我还没有开始抄那份协定；他的祖先是胡格诺派教徒血统，但他在习惯和感情上，象你我一样，是英国人的。
However, the fact is that before he left, I hadn't started to copy the agreement; his ancestor is of Huguenot descent, but he is British in habits and feelings, like you and me.
无论怎么说，也找不出什么确实的根据把他牵连进去。
No matter how you say it, you can't find any definite basis to implicate him.
于是这件案子到此就停下来。
So the case stopped here.
福尔摩斯先生，我把最后的希望完全寄托在你身上了。
Mr. Holmes, I'm pinning my last hope on you.
如果你使我失望的话，那么我的荣誉和地位都将永远断送了。”
If you disappoint me, my honor and status will be ruined forever. "

由于谈话过久，感到疲乏，病人便斜靠在垫子上，这时护士给他倒了一杯镇静剂。
Feeling tired after talking for a long time, the patient leaned back on the mat, when the nurse poured him a cup of sedative.
福尔摩斯头向后仰，双目微闭，坐在那里默默不语，在一个陌生的人看来，似乎是无精打彩的样子，不过我知道这表示他正在非常紧张地思索着。
Holmes's head tilted back, his eyes slightly closed, and he sat there in silence, to a stranger, he seemed to be listless, but I knew it meant that he was thinking very nervously.

你讲得很明白，”他终于说道，“我需要问的问题已经不多了。
You made it very clear, "he finally said." there are not many questions I need to ask.
但是，有一个最重要的问题还要弄明白。
However, there is one of the most important issues to be understood.
你告诉过什么人你要执行这一项特殊任务吗？”
Have you told anyone that you are going to perform this special task? "
“一个人也没告诉过。”
"I haven't told anyone."
“比方说，这里的哈里森小姐你也没有告诉吗？”
"For example, didn't you tell Miss Harrison here?"
“没有。 在我接受命令和执行任务这段时间里，我没有回沃金来。”
"No. I didn't come back to Woking during my orders and missions. "
“你的亲友里没有一个人碰巧去看你吗？”
"Didn't any of your relatives and friends happen to visit you?"
“没有。”
"No."

你的亲友中有人知道你办公室的路径吗？”
Do any of your relatives and friends know the way to your office? "
“啊，是的，那里的路径我都告诉过他们。”
"Ah, yes, I told them all the paths there."
“当然，如果你没有对任何人讲过有关协定的事，那么这些询问就没有必要了。”
"Of course, if you haven't told anyone about the agreement, then these inquiries are unnecessary."
“我什么也没讲过。”
"I haven't said anything."
“你对看门人了解吗？”
"Do you know anything about janitors?"
“我只知道他原来是一个老兵。”
"All I know is that he turned out to be a veteran."
“是哪一团的？”
"Which regiment is it?"
“啊，我听说，是科尔斯特里姆警卫队的。”
"Ah, I heard, it's Coles Triem Guard."

“谢谢你。我相信，我能从福布斯那里得知详情。
"thank you. I believe I can get the details from Forbes.
官方非常善于搜集事实，可是他们却不是经常能利用这些事实。
Officials are very good at collecting facts, but they don't always make use of them.
啊，玫瑰花这东西多么可爱啊！”
Ah, how lovely roses are! "
他走过长沙发，到开着的窗前，伸手扶起一根低垂着的玫瑰花枝，欣赏着娇绿艳红的花团。
He walked past the couch to the open window, stretched out his hand and lifted up a drooping rose branch, admiring the brilliant red flowers in green and tender.
在我看来，这还是他性格中一个新的方面，因为我以前还从未见过他对自然物表现出强烈的爱好。
In my opinion, this is a new aspect of his character, because I have never seen him show a strong interest in natural objects before.

“天下事没有比宗教更需要推理法的了。”
"Nothing in the world needs reasoning more than religion."
他把背斜靠着百叶窗，说道，“推理法可能被推理学者们逐步树立为一门精密的学科。
He leaned his back against the blinds and said, " reasoning may be gradually established as a precise discipline by reasoning scholars.
按照推理法，据我看来，我们对上帝仁慈的最高信仰，就是寄托于鲜花之中。
According to the reasoning law, in my opinion, our highest belief in God's mercy lies in flowers.
因为一切其它的东西：我们的本领，我们的愿望，我们的食物，这一切首先都是为了生存的需要。
Because of everything else: our abilities, our wishes, our food, all of which are above all for the need of survival.
而这种花朵就迥然不同了。
And this kind of flower is quite different.
它的香气和它的色泽都是生命的点缀，而不是生存的条件。
Its fragrance and color are the ornament of life, not the condition of existence.
只有仁慈才能产生这些不凡的品格。
Only kindness can produce these extraordinary qualities.
所以我再说一遍，人类在鲜花中寄托着巨大的希望。”
So I repeat, human beings have great hopes in flowers. "

珀西-费尔普斯和他的护理人在福尔摩斯论证时望着他，脸上流露出惊奇和极度失望的神色。
Percy phelps and his caregiver looked at Holmes during his argument, their faces showing surprise and extreme disappointment.
福尔摩斯手中拿着玫瑰花陷入沉思，这样过了几分钟，那位年轻的女子打破了沉寂。
Holmes was deep in thought with a rose in his hand, after a few minutes, the young woman broke the silence.
“你看出解决这一疑团的希望了吗？福尔摩斯先生，”她用有点刺耳的声音问道。
"Do you see the hope of solving this puzzle? Mr Holmes, "she asked in a somewhat harsh voice.

“啊，这个疑团！”福尔摩斯一愣，才又回到现实生活中来，回答道，“嗯，如果否认这件案子复杂而又难解，那是愚蠢的。
"Ah, this puzzle!" Holmes was stunned before returning to real life and replied, " well, it would be foolish to deny that this case is complicated and difficult to solve.
不过我可以答应你们，我要深入调查这件事，并把我所了解的一切情况告诉你们。”
But I can promise you that I will investigate this matter in depth and tell you everything I know. "

“对，我们已经有几个线索了，不过只有经过进一步调查，才能检验它的价值。
"Yes, we already have several clues, but only after further investigation can we test its value.
没有犯罪动机的案件是最难查办的。
Cases without criminal motives are the most difficult to investigate.
但这件案子并非没有犯罪动机。
But this case is not without criminal motive.
什么人能从中得到好处呢？
Who can benefit from it?
法国大使、俄国大使、那位可以把该协定出卖给其中一个大使的人、还有霍尔德赫斯特勋爵。”
The ambassador of France, the ambassador of Russia, the man who could sell the agreement to one of the ambassadors, and Lord Holdhurst. "

“霍尔德赫斯特勋爵！”
"Lord Holdhurst!"
“对，可以想象一个政治家出于需要，可以毫不后悔地借机销毁这样一份文件。”
"Yes, it is conceivable that a politician can take the opportunity to destroy such a document out of necessity without regret."
“霍尔德赫斯特勋爵不是一个有光荣履历的内阁大臣吗？”
"Isn't Lord Holdhurst a cabinet minister with a glorious resume?"
“这是可能的，我们也不能忽视这一点。
"It's possible, and we can't ignore it.
我们今天就去拜访这位高贵的勋爵，看看他能不能告诉我们一些情况，同时，我已经在进行调查了。”
Let's visit this noble Lord today to see if he can tell us something, meanwhile, I'm already conducting an investigation. "

“已经进行了？”
"Has it already been done?"
“对，我从沃金车站给伦敦各家晚报都发了一份电报。
"Yes, I sent a telegram from Woking Station to all London evening newspapers.
每家晚报都将刊登这样一份广告。”
Every evening newspaper will publish such an advertisement. "
福尔摩斯交给我一张纸，这纸是从日记本上撕下来的，上面用铅笔写着：
Holmes gave me a piece of paper, which was torn from the diary and written with a pencil:
五月二十三日晚九点三刻，在查尔斯街外交部门口或附近，从一辆马车上下来一位乘客，知者请将马车号码告知贝克街２２１号乙，赏金十镑。
At 9: 35 p.m. on May 23rd, a passenger alighted from a carriage at or near the entrance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Charles Street. If you know, please tell the carriage number to No.221B Baker Street, and the reward is 10 pounds.

你确信那个盗贼是乘马车来的吗？”
Are you sure that the thief came by carriage? "
“即使不是也无妨。
"Even if it's not just as well.
假使费尔普斯说得不错，无论办公室或走廊都没有藏身之地，那么，那个人一定是从外面进来的。
If phelps is right that there is no hiding place in the office or corridor, then that person must have come in from the outside.
而如果他在这样阴雨的夜晚从外面进来，走后几分钟就进行检查，也没有发现漆布上留有湿漉漉的脚印，那么，他非常可能是乘车来的。
And if he came in from the outside on such a rainy night, and checked a few minutes after he left, and found no wet footprints on the lacquered cloth, then he probably came by car.
对，我想我们可以十分肯定地推断，他是乘马车来的。”
Yes, I think we can safely infer that he came by carriage. "

“这听起来似乎有道理。”
"That sounds reasonable."
“这是我说的一个线索。
"This is a clue I said.
它可以使我们得出某种结论。
It can lead us to a certain conclusion.
当然，还有那铃声，这是本案最特殊的一点。
Of course, there is the bell, which is the most special point of this case.
为什么要按铃呢？
Why do you ring the bell?
是不是那个盗贼出于虚张声势？
Is the thief bluffing?
要不就是有人和盗贼一起进来，故意按铃以防止盗贼行窃。
Or someone came in with the thieves and rang the bell on purpose to prevent the thieves from stealing.
或者是出于无意的？
Or was it unintentional?
或者是……”他重新陷入方才那种紧张的思索之中，我对他的心情是颇为了解的，他一定是突然又想到了一些新的可能性。
Or ...... " he fell back into the nervous thinking just now, and I know his mood quite well, he must have suddenly thought of some new possibilities.

我们到达终点站时，已经三点二十分了，在小饭馆匆忙吃过午餐，立即赶往苏格兰场。
When we arrived at the terminal, it was already 3: 20, we had lunch in a small restaurant and immediately rushed to Scotland Yard.
因为福尔摩斯已经给福布斯打过电报，所以他正迎候我们。
Holmes is waiting for us because he has sent a telegram to Forbes.
这人五短身材，獐头鼠目，态度尖酸刻薄，毫不友好。
This man is short-build, with a sly look, a bitter attitude and no friendliness.
特别是他听说了我们的来意以后，对我们更加冷淡。
Especially after he heard about our purpose, he was even more indifferent to us.

“在这以前，我已经听说过你的方法，福尔摩斯先生，”他尖酸刻薄地说道，“你很乐意利用警方供给你的一切情报，然后你自己设法去结案，让警方丢脸。”
"Before this, I've heard of your methods, Mr. Holmes," he said bitterly, " you're happy to use all the information provided by the police, and then you can try to close the case yourself and embarrass the police."
“恰恰相反，”福尔摩斯说道，“在我过去破获的五十三件案子里，只有四件案子署过我的名，而警方在四十九件案子里获得了全部荣誉。
"On the contrary," Holmes said, "of the 53 cases I have solved in the past, only four cases have been signed in my name, and the police have won all the honors in 49 cases.
我不责怪你，因为你不了解这个情况，因为你年轻，没有经验。
I don't blame you, because you don't know the situation, because you are young and inexperienced.
可是如果你想在你的新职业中求得上进，那你最好和我合作而不要反对我。”
But if you want to make progress in your new career, you'd better cooperate with me rather than oppose me. "