歪唇男人 16圣克莱尔的故事(5)（在线收听）

And now as to the villains who seemed to be immediately implicated in the matter.

再说说看来直接与本案有牵连的歹徒们吧。

The lascar was known to be a man of the vilest antecedents, but as, by Mrs. St. Clair's story,

那个印度阿三是个出名的劣迹昭彰的人。不过，根据圣克莱尔太太的说法，

he was known to have been at the foot of the stair within a very few seconds of her husband's appearance at the window,

她的丈夫出现在窗口以后仅仅几秒钟，他就已经在楼梯脚那里了。

he could hardly have been more than an accessory to the crime.

这人至多不过是这桩罪案的一个帮凶而已。

His defense was one of absolute ignorance, and he protested that he had no knowledge as to the doings of Hugh Boone, his lodger,

他分辩说他什么也不知道，他申明他对楼上租户休·布恩的一切行动都一无所知。

and that he could not account in any way for the presence of the missing gentleman's clothes.

他对于那位下落不明的先生的衣物出现在那屋子里的原因也说不出个所以然来。

So much for the lascar manager.

印度阿三老板的情况就是这些。

Now for the sinister cripple who lives upon the second floor of the opium den,

那个阴险的瘸子住在三层楼上，

and who was certainly the last human being whose eyes rested upon Neville St. Clair.

一定是最后亲眼看见圣克莱尔先生的人。

His name is Hugh Boone, and his hideous face is one which is familiar to every man who goes much to the City.

他名叫休·布恩，他的丑恶的面孔，素为常到伦敦旧城区来的人们所熟知。

He is a professional beggar, though in order to avoid the police regulations he pretends to a small trade in wax vestas.

他以乞讨为生，由于要避免警察的管制，他装作卖蜡火柴的小贩。

Some little distance down Threadneedle Street, upon the left-hand side, there is,

就在针线街往下走不远，靠左手一边，

as you may have remarked, a small angle in the wall.

可能你已注意到有一个小墙角。

Here it is that this creature takes his daily seat, cross-legged, with his tiny stock of matches on his lap,

他每天就坐在那里，盘着腿儿，把少得可怜的几盒火柴放在膝上，

and as he is a piteous spectacle a small rain of charity descends into the greasy leather cap which lies upon the pavement beside him.

由于他有着一副令人哀怜的样子，布施给他的小钱就犹如雨点般地落进放在人行道上他身边的一顶油腻的皮革帽子里。