“蒙特·詹姆士爵士那儿有什么消息吗？”
"Is there any news from Sir Monte James?"
“没有。”
"No."
“如果高夫利去蒙特·詹姆士爵士那儿，他又是为了什么呢？”
"If Godfrey went to Sir Monte James, what was his purpose?"
“头一天晚上有件事使高夫利心情不安，如果和钱有关，那可能是爵士要把遗产给他。
"There was one thing that made Govley upset the night before, if it was related to money, it might be the Jazz who wanted to give him the inheritance.
爵士的钱很多，当然就我所知，高夫利得到这笔钱的可能性很小。
The Jazz had a lot of money, of course, as far as I know, Govley was unlikely to get the money.
高夫利不喜欢这个老人。
Govley did not like the old man.
要是他能不去他那儿，他不会去的。”
If he could not go to his place, he would not go."

“那么，我们现在可以这样假设吗？
"So, can we assume that now?
如果你的朋友高夫利是到他的亲属蒙特·詹姆士爵士那儿去，你就可以解释那个衣着简陋的人为什么那么晚来，为什么他的来临使得高夫利焦虑不安。”
If your friend Godfrey went to his relative Sir Monte James, you can explain why the poorly dressed man came so late and why his arrival made Godfrey anxious."
西锐利·欧沃顿困惑地说：“我解释不了。”
"I can't explain it," said Cyril Orwaton confusedly

福尔摩斯说：“好吧！今天天气很好，这件事我愿意去侦查一下。
Holmes said, " well, the weather is fine today, and I would like to investigate this matter.
我主张不管这个青年情况怎样，你还是要准备参加比赛，正象你所说的，他这样突然离开，一定是有极要紧的事，而且也正是这件要紧的事使他至今不能回来。
I believe that no matter what the situation of the young man is, you should still be ready to participate in the competition, as you said, his sudden departure must be a matter of great importance, and it is this important thing that has kept him from coming back.
我们一起步行去旅馆，看看服务员是否能够提供新的情况。”
Let's walk to the hotel together to see if the waiter can provide new information."

歇洛克·福尔摩斯是那样循循善诱，使得当事人心情很快就平静了下来。
Sherlock Holmes was so persuasive that the mood of the client soon calmed down.
过不多久，我们来到了旅馆，走进斯道顿住过的单人房间。
After a while, we arrived at the hotel and entered the single room that Staunton had stayed in.
在这里福尔摩斯打听到了服务员所知道的一切。
Here Holmes inquired about everything the waiter knew.
头一天晚上来的客人既不是一位绅士，也不是一个仆人，而是一个象服务员所说的"穿着不怎么样的家伙"，年纪大约五十岁左右，胡子稀疏，脸色苍白，穿着很朴素。
The guest who came the first night was neither a gentleman nor a servant, but what the waiter said was "a guy who is not well dressed", he was about 50 years old, with sparse beard, pale face and plain clothes.
他似乎很激动，拿着信的手在不停地抖动。
He seemed very excited, and his hand with the letter kept shaking.
服务员看到高夫利·斯道顿把那封信塞到口袋里。
The waiter saw Godfrey Storton put the letter in his pocket.
斯道顿在大厅里没有和这个人握手。
Storton didn't shake hands with this man in the hall.
他们交谈了几句，服务员只听到"时间"两个字。
They talked a few words, and the waiter only heard the word "time".
然后他们便急匆匆地走出去了。
Then they hurried out.
那时大厅的挂钟正好十点半。
At that time, the wall clock in the hall was exactly half past ten.

福尔摩斯坐在斯道顿的床上，说：“我想你值白班，对吗？”
Holmes sat on the bed of Storton and said, "I think you are on the day shift, right?"
“是的，先生，我十一点下班。”
"Yes, sir, I leave work at eleven."
“值夜班的服务员没有看见什么吗？”
"Didn't the night shift attendant see anything?"
“没有，先生。
"No, sir.
只有看戏的人回来晚些。
Only the people coming back later.
再没有别人了。”
There is no one else."
“你昨天一整天都在值班吗？”
"Were you on duty all day yesterday?"
“是的，先生。”
"Yes, sir."
“有没有邮件一类的东西交给斯道顿先生呢？”
"Is there anything like mail for Mr. Storton?"
“有的，先生，有一封电报。”
"Yes, sir, there is a telegram."

“啊！ 那很重要。
"Ah! That's important.
在什么时候？”
When?"
“大约六点钟。”
"About six o'clock."
“斯道顿在哪儿收到的电报？”
"Where did Storton receive the telegram?"
“就在这间房子里。”
"It's in this room."
“他拆电报的时候，你在吗？”
"Were you there when he opened the telegram?"
“是的，我在这里。
"Yes, I'm here.
我等着看他是不是要回电。”
I'll wait to see if he wants to call back."
“那么，他要回电吗？”
"So, does he want to call back?"
“是的，先生，他写了回电。”
"Yes, sir, he wrote back."

“是你去拍的回电吗？”
"Did you call back?"
“他自己去的。”
"He went there himself."
“但是，他是当你面写的回电吗？”
"But did he call back in front of you?"
“是的，先生。
"Yes, sir.
我站在门边，他转过身去，在桌子上写的。
I stood by the door. He turned and wrote on the table.

他写完后对我说：'好了，服务员。
After he finished writing, he said to me: 'oK, waiter.
我自己去拍。'”
I'll shoot it myself. '"
“他用什么笔写的？”
"With what pen did he write?"
“铅笔，先生。”
"Pencil, sir."
“是不是用了这张桌子上的电报纸？”
"Did you use the newspaper on this table?"
“是的，就是原来最上面的那一张。”
"Yes, it's the original top one."

福尔摩斯站了起来。
Holmes stood up.
他拿起现在在上面的那张电报纸走到窗户旁，仔细地检查上面的痕迹。
He picked up the newspaper on the top and went to the window to carefully check the marks on it.
他说：“很遗憾，他没有用铅笔写。"
He said, " it's a pity that he didn't write with pencil."
然后丢下这张电报纸，失望地耸了一下肩，接着说：“华生，你一定也会想到，字迹会透到第二张纸上的——曾经有人利用这种痕迹破坏了多少美满的婚姻。
Then he dropped the newspaper, shrugged his shoulders in disappointment, and said: "Watson, you must also think that the handwriting will penetrate into the second piece of paper - some people have used this kind of trace to destroy many happy marriages.
可是在这张纸上我看不到什么。
But I can't see anything on this piece of paper.
呵，有了！
Oh, yes!
我看出他是用粗尖的鹅毛笔写的，这样我们准会在吸墨纸上找到一些痕迹。
I can see that he wrote it with a thick and pointed quill pen, so we will find some traces on the blotting paper.
哈，你们瞧，一点儿不错！”
Ha, look, it's not bad!"

他撕下一条吸墨纸，并把上面的字迹给我们看。
He tore off a piece of blotting paper and showed us the handwriting on it.
字迹如下：
The handwriting is as follows:
西锐利很激动地喊：“用放大镜看！”
Sirius shouted excitedly, "look with a magnifying glass!"
福尔摩斯说：“不必，纸很薄，从反面可以看出写的是什么。"
Holmes said, "no, the paper is very thin, you can see what is written on the reverse side."
他把吸墨纸翻过来，我们读到：
He turned the blotting paper over and we read:
（译为：看在上帝的面上支持我们！）
Support us for God's sake

“这就是高夫利·斯道顿在失踪前几小时所拍的电报的最后一句。
"This is the last sentence of the telegram sent by Godfrey Storton a few hours before his disappearance.
电报上至少有六个字我们找不到了，可是剩下的这些证明这个青年看到严重的危险将要降临到他身上，并且说明有另外一个人能够保护他。
There are at least six words in the telegram that we can't find, but the rest of these prove that the young man sees that serious danger is coming to him, and that there is another person who can protect him.
请注意'我们'！
Please pay attention to 'us'!
有第三者参与了。
There is a third party involved.
除去那个面色苍白、自己也显得十分紧张的大胡子以外，还能是谁呢？
Apart from the pale beard, which also looks very nervous, it can also be Who?
那么，高夫利和这个大胡子又是什么关系呢？
So, what is the relationship between Govley and the big beard?
为了躲避起在眉睫的危险，他们二人去寻求援助的第三者又是谁呢？
In order to avoid the imminent danger, who is the third party who the two of them go to seek assistance?
我们的调查应当围绕在这些问题上。”
Our investigation should focus on these issues. "

我建议说：“我们只要弄清电报是给谁拍的就好办了。”
I suggested, " we just need to find out who sent the telegram."
“亲爱的华生，是要这样办。
"Dear Watson, this is how to do it.
你的办法是能够解决问题的，我也这样想过，可是你要知道，如果去邮局要求看别人的电报底稿，邮局的工作人员可能不会满足你。
Your solution can solve the problem, and I have thought about it, but you should know that if you go to the post office and ask to see someone else's telegram manuscript, the staff of the post office may not meet you.
办这种事需要很多手续，但是，我深信通过一些巧妙的手段可以办到。
Doing this kind of thing requires a lot of formalities, but I am convinced that it can be done by some ingenious means.
欧沃顿先生，趁着你在现场，我要看看留在桌子上的那些文件。”
Mr. Orwaton, while you are on the spot, I want to look at the documents left on the table."

桌子上有一些信件、账单和笔记本等，福尔摩斯迅速而又认真地翻阅着。
There were some letters, bills and notebooks on the table, which Holmes read quickly and carefully.
过了一会儿，他说：“这些东西没有问题。
After a while, he said, " these things are all right.
顺便说一下，你的朋友斯道顿身体健康头脑清醒，他什么东西也不会弄乱。”
By the way, your friend Staunton is healthy and clear-headed, and he will not mess up anything."

他身体十分健壮。”
He is very strong. "
“他生过病吗？”
"Has he ever been ill?"
“一天也没有病过。
"He hasn't been ill for a day.
不过他因为胫骨被踢伤躺倒过，还有因为滑倒，膝盖受过伤，可这都不能算是病。”
But he has been lying down because of a kick to his shin, and his knee has been injured because of a slip, but this is not a disease."

也许他不象你想得那样健壮。
Maybe he is not as strong as you think.
我想他可能有难以对别人说起的疾病。
I think he may have a disease that is difficult to talk about to others.
要是你同意的话，我就拿走这桌子上的一两份材料，以备将来调查时用。”
If you agree, I will take one or two materials from this table for future investigation. "
忽然我们听到有人焦急地喊：“等一下，等一下！"
Suddenly we heard someone shouting anxiously: " wait, wait! "
我们抬起头来，看见一个古怪的小老头，颤颤巍巍地站在门口。
We looked up and saw a strange little old man standing at the door trembling.
他穿着已经发白的黑色衣服，戴着宽边礼帽，系着白色宽领带——看上去很土气，就象是殡仪馆的工人。
He was wearing white black clothes, a wide-brimmed hat, and a wide white tie - he looked very rustic, like a funeral parlor worker.
尽管他衣衫褴褛，样子滑稽，但他说话的声音却很清脆，看样子他象是有急事。
Although he was shabby and funny, his voice was very clear, and it looked like he was in an emergency.
这引起了我们的注意。
This attracted our attention.