1 The Old School Friend

ThE Naval TREatY

海军条约

Chapter 1 The Old School Friend Percy Phelps was one of my best friends at school. He was a brilliant student, winning every prize the school had to offer. Many of the other boys envied him. They called him "Tadpole" Phelps because of his small size, and he was frequently bullied. This didn't hold him back, though. He went on to win a place at Cambridge University, where he gained a first-class degree. With help from his uncle, the famous politician

第一章老同学珀西·菲尔普斯是我在学校最好的朋友之一。 他是一个聪明的学生，赢得了学校提供的所有奖项。 其他许多男孩都羡慕他。 由于他身材矮小，人们叫他“蝌蚪”菲尔普斯，而且他经常受到欺负。 不过，这并没有阻止他。 后来，他被剑桥大学录取，并获得了一等学位。 在他著名的政治家叔叔的帮助下

Lord Holdhurst, he got a good job at the Foreign Office. I lost touch with my friend at this point, so I was surprised to receive a letter from him one day in July 1889. He wrote: My dear Watson, No doubt you remember your old friend "Tadpole" Phelps. You will recall how I had an important job at the Foreign Office. All was going well until, about nine weeks ago, a horrible thing happened that has destroyed my career. It caused me a mental breakdown from which I am only just recovering. I'm still very weak and cannot travel. Do you think you could bring your friend, the detective Sherlock Holmes, to see me? He may be the only person who can help. Your old schoolmate, Percy Phelps. I was quite moved by the letter and immediately set off to visit Holmes to see if I could interest him in the case. I found him at his Baker Street home, gazing out of his window, looking bored. "Do you have a case for me, Watson?" he asked. "I desperately need a case."

霍尔德赫斯特勋爵，他在外交部找到了一份好工作。 这时我和我的朋友失去了联系，所以1889年7月的一天，我很惊讶地收到了他的一封信。 他写道：我亲爱的华生，你一定还记得你的老朋友“蝌蚪”菲尔普斯。 你应该还记得我在外交部担任过一项重要的工作。 一切都很顺利，直到大约九周前，一件可怕的事情发生了，毁了我的事业。 它使我精神崩溃，现在才刚刚恢复。 我仍然很虚弱，不能旅行。 你能带你的朋友夏洛克·福尔摩斯来见我吗？ 他可能是唯一能帮忙的人了。 你的老同学，珀西·菲尔普斯。 这封信使我深受感动，我立即动身去拜访福尔摩斯，看能否引起他对这个案子的兴趣。 我发现他在贝克街的家中，凝视着窗外，一副无聊的样子。 “华生，你有案子要给我吗？”他问道。 “我急需一个案子。”

"Maybe I do," I said, and showed him the letter. When he had read it, I saw a gleam in his eye and knew his curiosity had been pricked. He immediately began putting on his coat. "Where are you going?" I asked. "To see Mr. Phelps. There's no time like the present. Coming, Watson?" We were fortunate to catch an early train at Waterloo, and in a little over an hour we found ourselves at Briar House, Phelps's home near the Surrey town of Woking. It was a large house with a beautiful garden. The butler showed us into an elegant drawing

“也许我知道，”我说，并把信拿给他看。 他读完后，我看到他眼中的光芒，知道他的好奇心被激起了。 他立即开始穿外套。 “你要去哪儿？”我问。 “去见菲尔普斯先生。没有比现在更好的时间了。 来了,华生?”我们很幸运地在滑铁卢赶上了早班火车，一个多小时后，我们来到了布赖尔家，这是菲尔普斯在萨里郡沃金镇附近的家。 那是一栋带漂亮花园的大房子。 管家领我们走进一幅优美的图画

room. A few moments later, a plump young man entered and greeted us warmly. "I'm so glad you've come," he said. "Percy was hoping you would." "You're not a member of the family," said Holmes. The man looked surprised. "How did you know?" Holmes pointed out the initials on the locket dangling from his neck: J. H. "Oh, well spotted!" he said. "My name's Joseph Harrison. I may not be a Phelps, but Percy is due to marry my sister Annie, so I shall

房间。过了一会儿，一个胖胖的年轻人走了进来，热情地跟我们打招呼。 “我很高兴你来了，”他说。 “珀西也希望你这么做。” “你不是这个家庭的一员，”福尔摩斯说道。 那人看起来很惊讶。“你怎么知道的？”福尔摩斯指着挂在他脖子上的挂坠盒上的首字母：J。 H。“哦，真漂亮！”他说。 “我叫约瑟夫·哈里森。 我虽然不是菲尔普斯家的人，但珀西就要娶我妹妹安妮了，所以我也要

at least be related to him by marriage. I'll show you in now if you like—he's impatient to see you." The ground-floor room was large and airy, with pleasant views onto the garden. My old friend was lying on a sofa near the open window, looking very pale and worn. A woman was with him, who introduced herself as Annie Harrison. Phelps smiled weakly when he saw me. "I barely recognize you with that moustache, Watson, but I suppose I must have changed, too. And I presume this is your celebrated friend, Mr. Holmes?" I introduced them, and we sat down.

至少和他有婚姻关系。 如果你愿意，我现在就带你进去——他急着要见你呢。” 一楼的房间宽敞通风，可以看到花园的美景。 我的老朋友躺在靠窗的沙发上，脸色苍白，疲惫不堪。 一个女人和他在一起，她介绍自己是安妮·哈里森。 菲尔普斯看见我时微微一笑。 “华生，我几乎认不出你长着那小胡子，不过我想我一定也变了。 我想这就是您那位大名鼎鼎的朋友福尔摩斯先生吧？”我介绍他们认识，然后我们坐了下来。