福尔摩斯探案经典:《恐怖谷》第7章Part7大纲

"Perhaps I should have said 'replaced it there,'" said Holmes. "You will remember, Inspector MacDonald, that I was somewhat struck by the absence of a dumb-bell. I drew your attention to it; but with the pressure of other events you had hardly the time to give it the consideration which would have enabled you to draw deductions from it. When water is near and a weight is missing it is not a very far-fetched supposition that something has been sunk in the water. The idea was at least worth testing; so with the help of Ames, who admitted me to the room, and the crook of Dr. Watson's umbrella, I was able last night to fish up and inspect this bundle.
"It was of the first importance, however, that we should be able to prove who placed it there. This we accomplished by the very obvious device of announcing that the moat would be dried to-morrow, which had, of course, the effect that whoever had hidden the bundle would most certainly withdraw it the moment that darkness enabled him to do so. We have no less than four witnesses as to who it was who took advantage of the opportunity, and so, Mr. Barker, I think the word lies now with you."
Sherlock Holmes put the sopping bundle upon the table beside the lamp and undid the cord which bound it. From within he extracted a dumb-bell, which he tossed down to its fellow in the corner. Next he drew forth a pair of boots. "American, as you perceive," he remarked, pointing to the toes. Then he laid upon the table a long, deadly, sheathed knife. Finally he unravelled a bundle of clothing, comprising a complete set of underclothes, socks, a gray tweed suit, and a short yellow overcoat.
"The clothes are commonplace," remarked Holmes, "save only the overcoat, which is full of suggestive touches." He held it tenderly towards the light. "Here, as you perceive, is the inner pocket prolonged into the lining in such fashion as to give ample space for the truncated fowling piece. The tailor's tab is on the neck--'Neal, Outfitter, Vermissa, U.S.A.' I have spent an instructive afternoon in the rector's library, and have enlarged my knowledge by adding the fact that Vermissa is a flourishing little town at the head of one of the best known coal and iron valleys in the United States. I have some recollection, Mr. Barker, that you associated the coal districts with Mr. Douglas's first wife, and it would surely not be too far-fetched an inference that the V.V. upon the card by the dead body might stand for Vermissa Valley, or that this very valley which sends forth emissaries of murder may be that Valley of Fear of which we have heard. So much is fairly clear. And now, Mr. Barker, I seem to be standing rather in the way of your explanation."
It was a sight to see Cecil Barker's expressive face during this exposition of the great detective. Anger, amazement, consternation, and indecision swept over it in turn. Finally he took refuge in a somewhat acrid irony.
"You know such a lot, Mr. Holmes, perhaps you had better tell us some more," he sneered.
"I have no doubt that I could tell you a great deal more, Mr. Barker; but it would come with a better grace from you."
"Oh, you think so, do you? Well, all I can say is that if there's any secret here it is not my secret, and I am not the man to give it away."
"Well, if you take that line, Mr. Barker," said the inspector quietly, "we must just keep you in sight until we have the warrant and can hold you."
"You can do what you damn please about that," said Barker defiantly.

“也许我应该说'是我重新放进水里的'。"福尔摩斯说道，“麦克唐纳先生，你记得我提到过缺一只哑铃的事吧，我让你注意它，可是你却忙于别的事，几乎没有去考虑，而它本来是可以使你从中得出正确推论的。这屋子既然靠近河水，而且又失去一件有重量的东西，那么就不难想象，这是用来把什么别的东西加重使之沉到水中去了。这种推测至少是值得验证的。艾姆斯答应我可以留在这屋中，所以说，我在艾姆斯的帮助下，用华生医生雨伞的伞柄，昨晚已经把这个包袱钩出来，而且检查了一番。
“然而，最首要的是，我们应当证实是谁把它放到水中去的。于是，我们便宣布要在明天抽干护城河水，当然，这就使得那个隐匿这个包袱的人一定要取回它来，而这只有在黑夜里才能去做。我们至少有四个人亲眼见到是谁趁机抢先打捞包袱。巴克先生，我想，现在该由你讲讲了。”
歇洛克·福尔摩斯把这个湿包袱放在桌上油灯旁边，打开捆着的绳索。他从里面取出一只哑铃来，放到墙角上那一只的旁边。然后他又抽出一双长统靴子。“你们看，这是美国式的，"福尔摩斯指着鞋尖说道。他又把一柄带鞘的杀人长刀放在桌上。最后他解开一捆衣服，里面有一整套内衣裤、一双袜子、一身灰粗呢衣服，还有一件黄色短大衣。“这些衣服，"福尔摩斯指着说，“除了这件大衣以外，都是平常的衣物，这件大衣对人很有启发。”
福尔摩斯把大衣举到灯前，用他那瘦长的手指在大衣上指点着继续说道：“你们看，这件大衣衬里里面，有做成这种式样的一个口袋，好象是为了有宽敞的地方去装那支截短了的猎枪。衣领上有成衣商的签条——美国维尔米萨镇的尼尔服饰用品店。我曾在一个修道院院长的藏书室里花了一下午的时间，增长了我的知识，了解到维尔米萨是一个繁荣的小城镇，在美国一个驰名的盛产煤铁山谷的谷口。巴克先生，我记得你同我谈起道格拉斯先生第一位夫人时，曾经谈到产煤地区的事。那么就不难由此得出推论：死者身旁的卡片上的V．V．两个字，可能是代表维尔米萨山谷（Vermissa Valley），或许就是从这个山谷中，派出了刺客，这山谷可能就是我们听说的恐怖谷。这已经完全清楚了。现在，巴克先生，我好象是有点妨碍你来说明了。”
这个伟大的侦探解说时，塞西尔·巴克脸上的表情可真是怪相百出：忽而气恼无比，忽而惊奇不已，忽而惊恐万状，忽而犹疑不决。最后他用带挖苦味道的反话回避福尔摩斯的话语，冷笑着说：
“福尔摩斯先生，你既然知道得这么详细，最好再多给我们讲一点。”
“我当然能告诉你更多的情况了，巴克先生，不过还是你自己讲体面一些。”
“啊，你是这样想的吗？好，我只能告诉你，如果这里面有什么隐私的话，那也不是我的秘密，叫我说出来是找错人了。”
“好，巴克先生，假如你采取这种态度，"麦克唐纳冷冷地说，“那我们就要先拘留你，等拿到逮捕证再逮捕你了。”
“随你们的便好了，"巴克目中无人地说。