银色马 18（在线收听）

“We don’t want any loiterers about here,” said he.

“I only wished to ask a question,” said Holmes, with his finger and thumb in his waistcoat pocket. “Should I be too early to see your master, Mr. Silas Brown, if I were to call at five o’clock to-morrow morning?”

“Bless you, sir, if anyone is about he will be, for he is always the first stirring. But here he is, sir, to answer your questions for himself. No, sir, no, it is as much as my place is worth to let him see me touch your money. Afterwards, if you like.”

As Sherlock Holmes replaced the half-crown which he had drawn from his pocket, a fierce-looking elderly man strode out from the gate with a hunting-crop swinging in his hand.

“What’s this, Dawson!” he cried. “No gossiping! Go about your business! And you, what the devil do you want here?”

“Ten minutes’ talk with you, my good sir,” said Holmes in the sweetest of voices.

“I’ve no time to talk to every gadabout. We want no strangers here. Be off, or you may find a dog at your heels.”

Holmes leaned forward and whispered something in the trainer’s ear. He started violently and flushed to the temples.

“It’s a lie!” he shouted. “An infernal lie!”

“Very good. Shall we argue about it here in public or talk it over in your parlour?”

“Oh, come in if you wish to.”

Holmes smiled. “I shall not keep you more than a few minutes, Watson.” said he. “Now. Mr. Brown. I am quite at your disposal.”

    “我们这里不准闲人逗留，”那个人说道。

    “我只想问一个问题，”福尔摩斯把拇指和食指插到背心口袋里说道，“要是明天早晨五点钟我来拜访你的主人赛拉斯-布朗先生，是不是太早了？”

    “上帝保佑你，先生，如果那时有人来，他会接见的，因为他总是第一个起床。可是他来了，先生，你自己去问他吧。不，先生，不行，如果让他看见我拿你的钱，他就会赶走我，假如你愿意给的话，请等一会。”

    福尔摩斯刚要从口袋里拿出一块半克朗的金币，听到①这话，随即放回原处，一个面容狰狞可怕的老人从门内大踏步地走了出来，手中挥舞着一支猎鞭。

    “这是干什么，道森？！”他叫喊道，”不许闲谈！去干你的事！还有你们，你们究竟来干什么？”

    “我们要和你谈十分钟，我的好先生，”福尔摩斯和颜悦色地说道。

    “我没有时间和每个游手好闲的人谈话，我们这里不许生①半克朗：合二先令六便士——译者注人停留。走开，要不然我就放狗咬你们。”

    福尔摩斯俯身向前，在他耳旁低语了几句。他猛然跳起来，面红耳赤。

    “扯谎！”他高喊道，”无耻谎言！”

    “很好。我们是在这里当众争论好呢，还是到你的客厅里谈一谈好呢？”

    “啊，要是你愿意，请吧。”

    福尔摩斯微微一笑。

    “我不会让你等很久的。华生，”福尔摩斯说道，“现在，布朗先生，我完全听你吩咐。”