4 Going Underground

Chapter 4 Going Underground When I entered his rooms that night, I found Holmes in lively conversation with two men. One of them I recognized as the police detective Peter Jones. The other was a tall, thin, sad-faced man in a dignified hat and coat. "Ha! Our party is complete," cried Holmes, buttoning up his cape and taking his heavy hunting stick from the rack. "Watson, I think you know Mr. Jones of Scotland Yard. May I introduce Mr. Merryweather, who is joining us on tonight's adventure."

那天晚上，当我走进他的房间时，我发现福尔摩斯正在和两个人热烈地交谈。 我认出其中一个是警探彼得·琼斯。 另一个人又高又瘦，一脸愁容，戴着一顶威严的帽子，穿着一件大衣。 “哈!福尔摩斯一边叫着，一边扣上斗篷的扣子，从架子上取下那根笨重的狩猎棍。 “华生，我想你认识苏格兰场的琼斯先生吧。 请允许我介绍一下梅里韦瑟先生，他今晚要和我们一起去冒险。”

"It should be quite a chase," said Jones. "I just hope it won't be a chase of the wild goose variety," muttered Merryweather sourly. "Have more confidence in Mr. Holmes, sir," said the policeman. "He has his own methods, which are, I'm sure he won't mind me saying, a little unusual, but he has the makings of a great detective in him. Once or twice he's been even more correct in his deductions than the official police." "If you say so," said Merryweather. "Still, I'm sorry to miss my card game. It's the first Saturday in twenty-seven years that I've missed it."

琼斯说：“这应该是一场相当激烈的追逐。” “我只希望这不是一场野鹅的追逐，"梅里韦瑟酸溜溜地嘟囔着。 “对福尔摩斯先生要有信心些，先生，”警察说道。 “他有他自己的方法，我相信他不会介意我说，他的方法有点不寻常，但他有成为一个伟大侦探的素质。 有一两次，他的推论甚至比官方警察还准确。” “既然你这么说，”梅里韦瑟说。 “不过，我还是很遗憾错过了打牌的机会。 这是27年来我第一次错过星期六。”

"I think you'll find the game we'll be playing tonight far more exciting than any you've experienced at the card table, Merryweather," said Holmes. Jones nodded. "The fellow we're hoping to snag is none other than John Clay, the infamous murderer, thief, and forger. He may be young, but he's at the top of his profession with a brain as cunning as his fingers. I'd rather have my handcuffs on him than any criminal in London. I've been on his trail for years, and though I've seen signs of him at every turn, I've never yet set eyes on the man himself." "I hope to have the pleasure of introducing the two of you tonight," said Holmes. "Now, it's past ten and time we got started. We have two hansom cabs waiting outside. If you two take the first, Watson and I will follow in the second.

“我想你会发现我们今晚要玩的游戏比你在牌桌上玩过的任何游戏都有趣得多，梅里韦瑟，”福尔摩斯说。 琼斯点了点头。“我们要抓的那个家伙不是别人，正是约翰·克莱，那个臭名昭著的杀人犯、小偷和伪造者。 他也许很年轻，但他是这个行业的顶尖人物，他的头脑和他的手指一样狡猾。 我宁愿给他戴上手铐，也不愿给伦敦的罪犯戴上手铐。 我跟踪他已经好几年了，虽然到处都能看到他的踪迹，但我还从来没有亲眼见过他本人。” 福尔摩斯说道："我希望今晚能有幸把你们两位介绍给大家。 “现在已经十点多了，我们该出发了。 我们有两辆双座马车在外面等着。 如果你们两个走第一个，我和华生跟着走第二个。

As Holmes and I rattled through the labyrinth of gas-lit streets, he told me about our companions. "Merryweather is the director of a bank and has a personal interest in this matter. Jones is a little slow, but as brave as a bulldog and as steadfast as a lobster once he gets his claws into someone." At length we reached the same crowded street we had found ourselves on that morning. "Here we are," said Holmes, "and they're waiting for us."

福尔摩斯和我辚辚地走过灯火通明的迷宫般的街道时，他向我讲述了我们的同伴。 “梅里韦瑟是一家银行的董事，他个人对这件事很感兴趣。 琼斯有点迟钝，但他像斗牛犬一样勇敢，一旦他抓住了别人，就像龙虾一样坚定。” 最后，我们来到了那天早上的那条拥挤的街道。 “我们到了，”福尔摩斯说，“他们正在等着我们呢。”

After we paid the drivers of our cabs, Mr. Merryweather led us down a narrow passage between the newspaper shop and the bank, and then through a side door. The short corridor beyond ended in a massive iron gate. Merryweather took out a heavy key and opened the gate, then led us down a flight of spiral stone steps. At the bottom was another sturdy gate, which required another key to open. Merryweather stopped to light a lantern before leading us along a dark underground passage. After opening a third door, he showed us into a huge cellar, which was filled with piles of crates

我们付了车夫的钱后，梅里韦瑟先生领着我们穿过报纸店和银行之间的一条狭窄通道，然后穿过一扇侧门。 远处的短走廊尽头是一扇巨大的铁门。 梅里韦瑟拿出一把沉重的钥匙，打开大门，然后领我们走下一段螺旋形的石阶。 底部是另一扇坚固的大门，需要另一把钥匙才能打开。 梅里韦瑟停下来点了一盏灯笼，然后领我们沿着一条黑暗的地下通道走。 打开第三扇门后，他带我们走进一个巨大的地窖，里面堆满了成堆的板条箱

and massive boxes. Holmes took the lantern from Merryweather and gazed about him. Looking up at the ceiling, he remarked: "The roof looks sturdy and thick. You are not very vulnerable from above." "Nor from below," said Merryweather, striking his stick upon the stone floor. His eyebrows shot up in surprise when he heard the hollow sound. "Dear me," he said, "I had no idea there was anything under there." "Merryweather!" barked Holmes. "You have just endangered the entire mission. Now kindly take a seat on one of those boxes over there and don't do or say anything else."

还有大箱子。福尔摩斯从梅里韦瑟手里拿过灯笼，向四周打量着。 他抬头看了看天花板，说：“屋顶看起来结实厚实。 从上面看，你不是很脆弱。” “也不能从下面来，”梅里韦瑟说着，用手杖敲了敲石头地板。 当他听到空洞的声音时，他惊讶地扬起了眉毛。 “天哪，”他说，“我不知道下面有什么东西。” 福尔摩斯叫道：“梅里韦瑟！” “你刚刚危及了整个任务。 现在请你在那边的一个盒子上坐下来，不要做任何事，也不要说任何话。”