4 The Wild Goose Chase

Chapter 4 The Wild Goose Chase It was a bitterly cold night, so we put on our overcoats and scarves before stepping out. The stars shone like icy diamonds from a cloudless sky, and the breath of passersby blew out like the smoke of pistol shots. Our footsteps rang out loudly on the pavement as we walked from Baker Street to Bloomsbury. In a quarter of an hour, we arrived at the Alpha Inn. Behind the bar stood the inn's ruddy-faced, white-aproned landlord, Mr. Windigate. "How can I help you, sirs?" he asked. While we waited for Windigate to pour us our drinks, Holmes said: "I've heard your geese are excellent." "My geese?" said Windigate, surprised.

这是一个寒冷的夜晚，所以我们穿上大衣，戴上围巾再出门。 在万里无云的天空中，星星像冰冷的钻石一样闪闪发光，行人的呼吸像手枪射击的烟雾一样吹出来。 当我们从贝克街走到布卢姆斯伯里时，人行道上传来了响亮的脚步声。 一刻钟后，我们到了阿尔法客栈。 酒吧后面站着旅馆老板温迪加特先生，他脸色红润，系着白围裙。 “先生们，我能为你们效劳吗？”他问道。 在等温迪盖特给我们倒酒的时候，福尔摩斯说：“我听说你们家的鹅很好吃。” “我的鹅？”温迪加特惊讶地说。

"Yes, I was speaking only half an hour ago to Mr. Henry Baker, who was a member of your Goose Club." "Ah yes," said Windigate, "but you see, sir, them's not my geese." "Indeed? Then whose are they?" "Well I got two dozen from a man in Covent Garden by the name of Breckinridge. He has a shop there." We finished our drinks, buttoned up our coats, and headed out once more into the frosty air. "To Mr. Breckinridge then," I smiled. We passed through Holborn and then plunged into a maze of slums that led to Covent Garden Market. One of the larger shops at the edge of the market had a sign outside bearing the name Breckinridge. The owner had a

“是的，半小时前我还跟亨利·贝克先生谈过，他是你们鹅俱乐部的会员。” “啊，是的，”温迪加特说，“但你看，先生，它们不是我的鹅。” “真的吗?那么它们是谁的呢？”“嗯，我从考文特花园一个叫布雷肯里奇的人那里得到了二十几张。 他在那儿开了一家商店。”我们喝完酒，扣上外套的扣子，又一次走到寒冷的空气中。 “那就给布雷肯里奇先生吧，”我微笑着说。 我们穿过霍尔本，然后进入迷宫般的贫民窟，通往考文特花园市场。 市场边上的一家大商店外面挂着一块牌子，上面写着布雷肯里奇的名字。 老板有一个

long, sharp face and side whiskers. He was closing up for the night when we arrived. "Good evening to you," said Holmes. "Sold out of geese, I see." He pointed to the bare slabs of marble where the shopkeeper normally displayed his wares. "There are some stalls still open where you might find some," said Breckinridge. "Ah, but I was recommended to you." "Who by?" "The landlord of the Alpha Inn." "Oh yes, I sent him a couple of dozen." "Fine birds they were, too," said Holmes. "Out of interest, where did you get them?" To my surprise, Breckinridge seemed angered by the question. "Now then, mister, what's all this about?" he said,

长而锋利的脸和侧须。 我们到达时，他正在打烊。 “晚上好，”福尔摩斯说道。 “鹅卖完了，我看。” 他指了指店主通常展示商品的光秃秃的大理石板。 布雷肯里奇说：“有一些摊位还开着，你可能会找到一些。” “啊，但我是被推荐给你的。” “谁的?”“阿尔法客栈的老板。” “哦，是的，我给他寄了两三打。” 福尔摩斯说："它们也是很好的鸟。 “出于兴趣，你从哪儿弄来的？”令我吃惊的是，布雷肯里奇似乎被这个问题激怒了。 “那么，先生，这是怎么回事？”他说，

cocking his head and putting his hands on his hips. "Why are you asking?" "My reason is simple enough," said Holmes, unflustered by the man's surliness. "I wish to know who sold you the geese that you supplied to the Alpha." "Well, I'm not telling you!" snapped Breckinridge. "Please yourself," said Holmes. "It is a matter of little importance. I have no idea why you should get so worked up about it." "Worked up?" cried Breckinridge. "You'd be worked up if you'd been pestered with as many questions as I have about those geese. Where are they? Who did you sell them to? How can I get hold of them? You'd think they were the only geese in the world to hear all the fuss that's being made over them." "Well I know nothing about any of that," said Holmes. "I'm simply curious to know if the bird I ate was country bred. I bet my friend here five pounds that it was, for I'm sure that no town-bred bird could be so delicious." "Then you lost yourself a fiver," said Breckinridge, "because all those birds that went to the Alpha were town bred." "I refuse to believe it," said Holmes. "In fact, I'm willing to bet you a sovereign that you are wrong, sir." The shopkeeper chuckled. "You've got yourself a bet then, mister." He turned to his assistant. "Bring me the accounts book, Bill. We've got a right one here! Seems like he wants to give his money away."

他歪着头，双手叉腰。 “你问这个干什么？”“我的理由很简单，”福尔摩斯说道，他对那人的粗暴态度并不感到慌张。 “我想知道你供应给阿尔法的鹅是谁卖给你的。” “我不会告诉你的！”布莱金里奇厉声说。 “请自便吧，”福尔摩斯说道。 “这是一件无关紧要的事。 我不明白你为什么要为这件事这么激动。” “激动？”布莱金里奇叫道。 “如果你像我一样被那些鹅的问题纠缠，你一定会生气的。 他们在哪里？你卖给谁了？ 我怎样才能找到他们？ 你会认为它们是世界上唯一听到人们对它们大惊小怪的鹅。” 福尔摩斯说："这些事我一点也不知道。 “我只是想知道我吃的这只鸟是不是乡下养的。 我跟我的朋友赌五镑，因为我敢肯定，城里养的鸟是不会这么好吃的。” “那么你就损失了五镑，”布雷肯里奇说，“因为所有那些飞到阿尔法河的鸟都是在城里养的。” “我不相信，”福尔摩斯说道。 “事实上，我愿意用一个金币跟你打赌，你错了，先生。” 店主咯咯地笑了。“那你就赌一把了，先生。” 他转向他的助手。 “把账本拿来给我，比尔。 我们找到了一个正确的人！他似乎想把钱捐出去。”

The assistant brought out a large, black, leatherbound book and laid it beneath the hanging lamp. "Now then, mister," said Breckinridge, licking a finger and leafing through the pages. "I thought I was all out of geese, but you're about to discover there's one still left in my shop. This book contains a list of all my purchases and all my sales. Now then, what's the last entry? Here we are. December 22nd. Twenty-four geese at 7 shillings and sixpence, bought from Mrs. Oakshott of 117 Brixton Road— a town supplier, please note! And underneath? Sold to Mr. Windigate of the Alpha Inn at 12 shillings. What do you say to that then, mister?" He beamed at Holmes in triumph.

店员拿出一本黑色皮面的大书，放在吊灯下。 “好了，先生，”布雷肯里奇说着，舔了舔手指，翻了翻书。 “我以为我的鹅都卖光了，但你马上就会发现我店里还有一只。 这本书里有我所有的采购和销售清单。 那么，最后一项是什么？ 我们到了。12月22日。 24只鹅，7先令6便士，从布里克斯顿路117号的奥克肖特太太那里买的——一个镇上的供应商，请注意！和下面吗? 以12先令的价格卖给了阿尔法旅馆的温迪加特先生。 先生，你对此有什么看法？”他得意地向福尔摩斯微笑。

Holmes wore an expression of deep frustration. He took a sovereign from his pocket and threw it down on the counter, then turned and stormed out of the shop. Once we were out of sight, Holmes stopped beneath a lamppost and his face broke into a giant grin. "I had a feeling that man was the type who enjoyed a bet," he said. "If I'd offered him a hundred pounds, I doubt I'd have got more information out of him than he willingly gave me just to win his wager.

福尔摩斯脸上带着极度沮丧的表情。 他从口袋里掏出一镑扔在柜台上，然后转身冲出了商店。 一离开我们的视线，福尔摩斯就在一根灯柱下停了下来，脸上露出一个大大的笑容。 “我有一种感觉，他是那种喜欢打赌的人，”他说。 “如果我给他一百英镑，我怀疑我能从他那里得到比他为了赢得赌注而愿意告诉我的更多的信息。