2 The Mysterious Death

Chapter 2 The Mysterious Death Sherlock Holmes had been leaning back in his chair with his eyes closed, listening to the lady's story. Now he half opened his lids and glanced at his visitor. "Please be precise in the details of her death, Miss Stoner." "That won't be difficult because every moment of that dreadful event is burned into my memory," she answered. "First I should explain the layout of our bedrooms. They are all next to each other on the ground floor. The first is Dr. Roylott's, the second my sister's, and the third my own. There are no doors between them, but they all open onto the same corridor. The windows of all three rooms open onto the lawn. "On the fatal night, Dr. Roylott retired to his room early, not to sleep but to smoke. To escape the foul smell of his cigars, my sister came into my room, where she remained for some time, chatting about her approaching wedding. At

夏洛克·福尔摩斯一直靠在椅子上，闭着眼睛，听着那位女士的故事。 这时他半睁开眼睛，瞥了客人一眼。 “请把她死亡的细节讲清楚，斯通纳小姐。” “这不难，因为那件可怕的事情的每一刻都烙在我的记忆里，”她回答。 “首先，我应该解释一下我们卧室的布局。 它们都在一楼彼此相邻。 第一个是罗伊洛特医生的，第二个是我妹妹的，第三个是我自己的。 它们之间没有门，但它们都通向同一条走廊。 三个房间的窗户都对着草坪。 在那个致命的夜晚，罗伊洛特医生很早就回到自己的房间，不是去睡觉，而是去抽烟。 为了躲避他雪茄的臭味，我妹妹来到我的房间，她在那里呆了一会儿，聊着她即将到来的婚礼。 在

eleven o'clock, she rose to leave, but then paused. 'Tell me, Helen,' said she, 'have you ever heard anyone whistle in the dead of night?' "'No,' I replied. 'Why do you ask?' "'Because,' she said, 'during the last few nights, always at about three in the morning, I hear a low whistle. I cannot tell where it comes from—perhaps from next door, perhaps from the lawn.' "'It might be the gypsies,' I suggested. "'But if it came from outside, I wonder why you didn't hear it also.' "'Because I sleep more heavily than you?' I smiled.

十一点钟，她起身要走，但又停了下来。 “告诉我，海伦，”她说，“你在夜深人静的时候听到过有人吹口哨吗？’”‘不，’我回答。 “你为什么这么问？”’”‘因为，’她说，‘在过去的几个晚上，总是在凌晨三点左右，我听到一声低沉的口哨声。 我不知道它是从哪里来的——也许是从隔壁来的，也许是从草坪上来的。“可能是吉普赛人干的，”我暗示道。 “‘如果是从外面来的，我奇怪你们为什么没有听见呢？‘因为我比你睡得沉吗？’我笑了笑。

"She shrugged and said it probably wasn't important. Then she left and a moment later I heard the key turn in her lock." "Do you always lock yourselves in at night?" asked Holmes. "Always. I told you the doctor keeps a cheetah and baboon. I suppose we just felt safer with our doors locked." Holmes nodded. "Please continue." "I couldn't sleep that night. Outside, the wind howled and the rain beat against my window. Suddenly, the noise of the storm was pierced by a terrified scream. Realizing it was my sister, I

她耸耸肩，说这可能不重要。 然后她离开了，不一会儿我就听到钥匙在她的锁里转动的声音。” “你们晚上总是把自己锁在屋里吗？”福尔摩斯问道。 “总是如此。我告诉过你医生养了一只猎豹和一只狒狒。 我想我们只是觉得把门锁上更安全。” 福尔摩斯点点头。“请继续。” “那天晚上我睡不着。 外面，狂风怒号，雨水打在我的窗户上。 突然，一声惊恐的尖叫划破了暴风雨的喧嚣。 意识到那是我妹妹，我

sprang out of bed and rushed into the corridor. As I did so, I heard a low whistle, just as my sister had described, followed by a metallic clanging sound. "I found my sister swaying in the doorway of her room. I threw my arms around her as her knees gave way and she fell to the ground. She writhed like someone in terrible pain. As I bent over her, she suddenly shrieked in a voice I shall never forget: 'Oh my god! Helen! It was the band! The speckled band!'

从床上跳起来，冲进走廊。 就在我这么做的时候，我听到一声低沉的口哨声，正如我姐姐所描述的那样，接着是金属的叮当声。 “我发现我妹妹在她房间的门口摇摇晃晃。 我伸出双臂搂住她，她的膝盖一软，倒在地上。 她像一个极度痛苦的人一样扭动着。 当我俯身向她时，她突然用一种我永远不会忘记的声音尖叫起来：“哦，我的上帝！海伦!是乐队！斑点带！”

"I called to my stepfather for help, and he rushed out in his dressing gown. When he reached my sister's side, she was unconscious. Though he did what he could for her and sent for medical aid from the village, all efforts were in vain. She died without ever regaining consciousness." "Are you sure that you heard the whistle and the metallic sound?" asked Holmes. "I have a strong feeling I heard it, although with the noise of the storm and the creaking house, I may have been mistaken." "Was your sister dressed?" "No, she was in her night dress. In her right hand I found the charred stump of a match, and in her left a matchbox."

“我叫我的继父来帮忙，他穿着晨衣就冲了出来。 当他来到我妹妹身边时，她已经不省人事了。 尽管他为她做了他所能做的，并从村里叫来医疗援助，但所有的努力都是徒劳的。 她没有恢复意识就死了。” 福尔摩斯问道：“你肯定听到了汽笛和金属声吗？” “我有一种强烈的感觉，我听到了，虽然从暴风雨的声音和房子的吱吱嘎嘎声来看，我可能弄错了。” “你妹妹穿好衣服了吗？”“不，她穿着睡衣。 我在她的右手里发现了一根烧焦的火柴，在她的左手里发现了一个火柴盒。”

"So she had time to strike a light and look around her," said Holmes. "Could anyone have got into her room?" Miss Stoner shook her head. "The door had been locked on the inside and the window shutters were latched and barred, as they were every night. The chimney has iron bars across it, and the walls and flooring were checked and found to be solid all round. My sister was quite alone when whatever killed her struck."

福尔摩斯说："所以她有时间点上一盏灯，环顾四周。 “会不会有人进过她的房间？”斯托纳小姐摇了摇头。 门从里面锁上了，百叶窗上了锁，上了闩，就像每天晚上一样。 烟囱上有铁条，墙壁和地板都检查过了，四周都是结实的。 我妹妹独自一人的时候，什么东西杀死了她。”