福爾摩斯探案集·血字的研究 第8期:演繹法(3)

I was on the point of asking him what that work might be,

我?guī)缀蹙鸵獑査?，他的工作究竟是什么的時候，

but something in his manner showed me that the question would be an unwelcome one.

我從他的態(tài)度中看出來，這個問題也許會引其他的不高興。

I pondered over our short conversation, however, and endeavoured to draw my deductions from it.

于是我便把我們的短短談話考慮了一番，盡力想從這里邊得出一些可資推論的線索來。

He said that he would acquire no knowledge which did not bear upon his object.

他說他不愿去追求那些與他所研究的東西無關(guān)的知識，

Therefore all the knowledge which he possessed was such as would be useful to him.

因此他所具有的一切知識，當(dāng)然都是對他有用的了。

I enumerated in my own mind all the various points upon which he had shown me that he was exceptionally well informed.

我就在心中把他所了解得特別深的學(xué)科一一列舉出來，

I even took a pencil and jotted them down. I could not help smiling at the document when I had completed it.

而且用鉛筆把它寫了出來。寫完了一看，我忍不住笑了。

It ran in this way:

原來是這樣：

Sherlock Holmes–his limits

歇洛克·福爾摩斯的學(xué)識范圍

1.Knowledge of Literature--Nil.

1.文學(xué)知識--無

2.Knowledge of Philosophy-–Nil.

2.哲學(xué)知識——無。

3.Knowledge of Astronomy-–Nil.

3.天文學(xué)知識——無。

4.Knowledge of Politics-–Feeble.

4.政治學(xué)知識——淺薄。

5.Knowledge of Botany-–Variable.

5.植物學(xué)知識——不全面，

Well up in belladonna, opium,and poisons generally. Knows nothing of practical gardening.

但對于莨蓿制劑和鴉片卻知之甚詳。對毒劑有一般的了解，而對于實用園藝學(xué)卻一無所知。

6. Knowledge of Geology.–-Practical, but limited.

6.地質(zhì)學(xué)知識--偏于實用，但也有限。

Tells at a glance different soils from each other.

但他一眼就能分辨出不同的土質(zhì)。

After walks has shown me splashes upon his trousers,

他在散步回來后，曾把濺在他的褲子上的泥點給我看，

and told me by their colour and consistence in what part of London he had received them.

并且能根據(jù)泥點的顏色和堅實程度說明是在倫敦什么地方濺上的。

7.Knowledge of Chemistry--Profound.

7.化學(xué)知識--精深。

8.Knowledge of Anatomy--Accurate, but unsystematic.

8.解剖學(xué)知識--準(zhǔn)確，但無系統(tǒng)。

9.Knowledge of Sensational Literature--Immense.

9.驚險文學(xué)——很廣博，

He appears toknow every detail of every horror perpetrated in the century.

他似乎對近一世紀(jì)中發(fā)生的一切恐怖事件都深知底細。

10.Plays the violin well.

10.提琴拉得很好。

11.Is an expert singlestick player, boxer, and swordsman.

11.善使棍棒，也精于刀劍拳術(shù)。

12.Has a good practical knowledge of British law.

12.關(guān)于英國法律方面，他具有充分實用的知識。

When I had got so far in my list I threw it into the fire in despair.

我寫了這些條，很覺失望。我把它扔在火里，

“If I can only find what the fellow is driving at by reconciling all these accomplishments,

自言自語地說："如果我把這些本領(lǐng)一一聯(lián)系起來，

and discovering a calling which needs them all,” I said to myself,

以求找出一種需要所有這些本領(lǐng)的行業(yè)來，

“I may as well give up the attempt at once.”

那我還不如馬上放棄這種企圖為妙。"

I see that I have alluded above to his powers upon the violin.

我記得在前面曾提到過他拉提琴的本事。

These were very remarkable, but as eccentric as all his other accomplishments.

他提琴拉得很出色，但也象他的其他本領(lǐng)一樣，有些古怪出奇之處。

That he could play pieces, and difficult pieces, I knew well,

我深知他能拉出一些曲子，而且還是一些很難拉的曲子。

because at my request he has played me some of Mendelssohn’s Lieder, and other favourites.

因為在我的請求之下，他曾經(jīng)為我拉過幾支門德爾松的短歌和一些他所喜愛的曲子。

When left to himself, however, he would seldom produce any music or attempt any recognized air.

可是當(dāng)他獨自一人的時候，他就難得會拉出什么象樣的樂曲或是大家所熟悉的調(diào)子了。

Leaning back in his armchair of an evening, he would close his eyes and scrape carelessly at the fiddle which was thrown across his knee.

黃昏時，他靠在扶手椅上，閉上眼睛，信手彈弄著平放在膝上的提琴。

Sometimes the chords were sonorous and melancholy.

有時琴聲高亢而憂郁，

Occasionally they were fantastic and cheerful.

有時又古怪而歡暢。

Clearly they reflected the thoughts which possessed him, but whether the music aided those thoughts,

顯然，這些琴聲反映了當(dāng)時支配著他的某種思潮，不過這些曲調(diào)是否助長了他的這種思潮，

or whether the playing was simply the result of a whim or fancy, was more than I could determine.

或者僅僅是一時興之所至，我就無法斷言了。

I might have rebelled against these exasperating solos had it not been that he usually terminated them

對于他的那些刺耳的獨奏，我感到十分不耐煩；

by playing in quick succession a whole series of my favourite airs as a slight compensation for the trial upon my patience.

如果不是他常常在這些曲子之后，接連拉上幾支我喜愛的曲子，作為對我耐心的小小補償，我真要暴跳起來。