福尔摩斯探案全集哪个版本最好 福尔摩斯探案经典:《恐怖谷》第4章Part5

福尔摩斯探案经典:《恐怖谷》第4章Part5  

"Well
now
we can reconstruct things on those lines. Mr. Douglas enters the room. He puts down the candle. A man appears from behind the curtain. He is armed with this gun. He demands the wedding ring--Heaven only knows why
but so it must have been. Mr. Douglas gave it up. Then either in cold blood or in the course of a struggle--Douglas may have gripped the hammer that was found upon the mat--he shot Douglas in this horrible way. He dropped his gun and also it would seem this queer card--V.V. 341
whatever that may mean--and he made his escape through the window and across the moat at the very moment when Cecil Barker was discovering the crime. How's that
Mr. Holmes?" "Very interesting
but just a little unconvincing."
"Man
it would be absolute nonsense if it wasn't that anything else is even worse!" cried MacDonald. "Somebody killed the man
and whoever it was I could clearly prove to you that he should have done it some other way. What does he mean by allowing his retreat to be cut off like that? What does he mean by using a shotgun when silence was his one chance of escape? Come
Mr. Holmes
it's up to you to give us a lead
since you say Mr. White Mason's theory is unconvincing."
Holmes had sat intently observant during this long discussion
missing no word that was said
with his keen eyes darting to right and to left
and his forehead wrinkled with speculation.
"I should like a few more facts before I get so far as a theory
Mr. Mac
" said he
kneeling down beside the body. "Dear me! these injuries are really appalling. Can we have the butler in for a moment?... Ames
I understand that you have often seen this very unusual mark--a branded triangle inside a circle--upon Mr. Douglas's forearm?"
"Frequently
sir."
"You never heard any speculation as to what it meant?"
"No
sir."
"It must have caused great pain when it was inflicted. It is undoubtedly a burn. Now
I observe
Ames
that there is a small piece of plaster at the angle of Mr. Douglas's jaw. Did you observe that in life?"
"Yes
sir
he cut himself in shaving yesterday morning."
"Did you ever know him to cut himself in shaving before?"
"Not for a very long time
sir."
"Suggestive!" said Holmes. "It may
of course
be a mere coincidence
or it may point to some nervousness which would indicate that he had reason to apprehend danger. Had you noticed anything unusual in his conduct
yesterday
Ames?"
"It struck me that he was a little restless and excited
sir."
"Ha! The attack may not have been entirely unexpected. We do seem to make a little progress
do we not? Perhaps you would rather do the questioning
Mr. Mac?"
"No
Mr. Holmes
it's in better hands than mine."
"Well
then
we will pass to this card--V.V. 341. It is rough cardboard. Have you any of the sort in the house?"
"I don't think so."
Holmes walked across to the desk and dabbed a little ink from each bottle on to the blotting paper. "It was not printed in this room
" he said; "this is black ink and the other purplish. It was done by a thick pen
and these are fine. No
it was done elsewhere
I should say. Can you make anything of the inscription
Ames?"
"No
sir
nothing."
"What do you think
Mr. Mac?"
"It gives me the impression of a secret society of some sort; the same with his badge upon the forearm."
"That's my idea
too
" said White Mason.
“老兄，这简直是一派胡言，没有比这更不近情理的了。”麦克唐纳大声喊道，“有人杀害了道格拉斯，不管这个人是谁，我也可以向你们清楚地证明，他是用品它办法作的案。他让他逃跑的退路被那样地切断，那是什么意思啊？寂静无声是他逃跑的一个好条件，那么，他使用火枪作案，又是什么意思啊？喂，福尔摩斯先生，既然你说怀特·梅森先生的推论不能令人信服，那你就应该指点指点我们了。”
在整个漫长的讨论过程里，福尔摩斯都坐在那儿聚精会神地倾听着，不放过他们所说的每一个字眼儿，他那一双敏锐的眼睛东看看，西瞧瞧，双眉紧蹙，沉思不语。
“麦克先生，我想再找些事实，然后才能进行推论，"福尔摩斯跪到死尸旁边，说道，“哎呀！这伤处确实骇人啊。能不能把管家找来一下？……艾姆斯，我听说你常看到道格拉斯先生前臂上有一个奇怪的标记，一个圆圈里套着三角形的烙印，对吗？”
“先生，我经常看到。”
“你从未听说有人推测过这个烙印的意思吗？”
“没听说过，先生。”
“这一定是火烙的标记，烙的时候，一定要受很大痛苦。艾姆斯，我注意到道格拉斯先生下巴后部有一小块药膏。在他活着的时候，你注意到了吗？”
“是的，先生，他昨天早晨刮脸时刮破的。”
“以前你见过他刮破脸吗？”
“先生，很久没有见过了。”
福尔摩斯说道：“这倒值得研究！当然，这也可能是巧合，然而，这也可能说明他有点紧张，说明他预知有危险存在。艾姆斯，昨天你发现主人有反常情况吗？”
“先生，我有一种感觉，他好象有点坐立不安，情绪激动。”
“哈！看来这次袭击不是完全意料不到的。我们已经有些进展了，对吗？麦克先生，或许你还有些什么问题？”
“没有，福尔摩斯先生，你到底是个经验丰富的人。”
“好，那么我们可以研究这张写着'V．V．341'的卡片了。这是一张粗纸硬卡片。在你们庄园里有这样的卡片吗？”
“我想没有。”
福尔摩斯走到写字台前，从每一个墨水瓶里蘸些墨水洒到吸墨纸上。“这张卡岂不是在这里写的，"福尔摩斯说道，“这是黑墨水，而那张卡片上的字却略带紫色，写时用的是粗笔尖，而这些笔尖都是细的。我认为，这是在别的地方写的。艾姆斯，你能解释这上面的字义吗？”
“不能，先生，一点也不能解释。”
“麦克先生，你的意见呢？”
“我觉得象是某种祕密团体的名称，和前臂上标记的意义一样。”
“我也是这样想的，"怀特·梅森说道。