波希米亚丑闻 06高贵的委托者（4）

The note was undated, and without either signature or address.

这张便条没有日期，也没有签名和地址。

"There will call upon you to-night, at a quarter to eight o'clock (it said),

(便条里写道：)"某君将于今晚七时三刻趋访，

a gentleman who desires to consult you upon a matter of the very deepest moment.

其有至为重要之事拟与阁下相商。

Your recent services to one of the royal houses of Europe have shown that

阁下最近为欧洲一王室出力效劳表明，

you are one who may safely be trusted with matters which are of an importance which can hardly be exaggerated.

委托阁下承办难于言喻之大事，足可信赖。

This account of you we have from all quarters received.

此种传述，广播四方，我等知之甚稔。

Be in your chamber¹ then at that hour, and do not take it amiss if your visitor wear a mask."

届时望勿外出。来客如戴面具，请勿介意是幸。"

"This is indeed a mystery," I remarked. "What do you imagine that it means?"

"这的确是件很神秘的事，"我说，"你想这是什么意思？"

"I have no data yet. It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data.

"我还没有可以作为论据的事实。在我们得到这些事实之前就加以推测，那是最大的错误。

Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts.

有人不知不觉地以事实牵强附会地来适应理论，而不是以理论来适应事实。

But the note itself. What do you deduce² from it?"

但是现在只有这么一张便条，你看能不能从中推断出些什么来？"

I carefully examined the writing, and the paper upon which it was written.

我仔细地检查笔迹和这张写着字的纸。

"The man who wrote it was presumably³ well to do," I remarked, endeavouring to imitate my companion's processes.

"写这张条子的人大概相当有钱，"我说着，尽力模仿我伙伴的推理方法。

"Such paper could not be bought under half a crown a packet. It is peculiarly strong and stiff⁴."

"这种纸半个克朗买不到一叠。纸质特别结实和挺括。"

"Peculiar–that is the very word," said Holmes. "It is not an English paper at all. Hold it up to the light."

"特别--正是这两个字，"福尔摩斯说，"这根本不是一张英国造的纸。你举起来向亮处照照看。"

1 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

2 deduce   

vt.演绎，推论，推断

参考例句：

• We can deduce a conclusion from the premise.我们可以从这个前提推出结论。
• I imagine that you may deduce an apt moral from my tale.我觉得你也许能从我的际遇中引出恰当的教训。

3 presumably   

adv.据推测，大概，可能

参考例句：

• No reply from him yet,presumably he hasn't received my letter.他没有回信，想必没有收到我的信。
• Presumably she could be trusted to find a safe place.或许满可以相信她，找得到安全的所在。

4 stiff   

adj.严厉的，激烈的，硬的，僵直的，不灵活的

参考例句：

• There is a sheet of stiff cardboard in the drawer.在那个抽屉里有块硬纸板。
• You have to push on the handle to turn it,becanse it's very stiff.手柄很不灵活，你必须用力推才能转动它。