5 The Vigil

Chapter 5 The Vigil "If there's no point in searching for this cyclist, what do you recommend we do next, Mr. Holmes?" asked Mason. "Whatever you like," said Holmes. "I hear the views from Birlstone Ridge are quite lovely, if you fancy a walk." "I was speaking about the case," said Mason. "Ah, well in that case, may I recommend a book in the village library about the history of Birlstone Manor. I was reading it last night. Did you know that King Charles I spent time here during the English Civil War? He had to hide for several days when the house was searched by parliamentary soldiers." "Fascinating, Mr. Holmes, but hardly relevant," said MacDonald.

“如果找这个骑自行车的人已经没有意义了，那你建议我们下一步怎么办呢，福尔摩斯先生？”梅森问道。 “随你便，”福尔摩斯说。 “我听说伯尔斯通岭的景色很美，如果你喜欢散步的话。” “我说的是那个案子，”梅森说。 “啊，既然这样，我可以向你推荐村里图书馆里一本关于伯尔斯通庄园历史的书吗？ 我昨晚看的。 你知道英国内战期间查理一世曾在这里待过吗？ 议会士兵搜查了他的房子，他不得不躲藏了好几天。” “很有意思，福尔摩斯先生，但这与本案毫无关系，”麦克唐纳说道。

"Are you sure? Sometimes it helps to take a broader view, Mr. Mac. It's amazing how often odd bits of information prove useful in the solving of a crime." Holmes began buttoning up his coat. "We must go now, gentlemen. Please be sure to meet us back here before dusk this evening for the conclusion of this case. Oh, and before we part, please could you write a note to Mr. Barker, as follows..." Mason grabbed a paper and pen as Holmes began to dictate...

“你确定吗？”麦克先生，有时候眼界开阔一点会有所帮助。 奇怪的信息在破案中经常被证明是有用的，这令人惊讶。” 福尔摩斯开始扣上外套的扣子。 “我们得走了，先生们。 请务必在今晚黄昏前回到这里与我们会合，以便结案。 哦，在我们分手之前，请你给巴克先生写个便条，内容如下……” 梅森抓起纸和笔，福尔摩斯开始口述。

"Dear Sir, As part of our investigation, we have decided it will be necessary to drain the moat. Work will begin early tomorrow." "We can't drain the moat!" declared MacDonald. "Of course we can't," agreed Holmes. "Please sign that, Mr. Mason, and deliver it to Mr. Barker at around four o'clock. Then come and meet us here. And be sure to wear your warmest coats."

"亲爱的先生，作为我们调查的一部分，我们决定有必要排空护城河。 明天一早就开始工作。” “我们不能排干护城河的水！"麦克唐纳宣布。 “当然不能，”福尔摩斯同意道。 “梅森先生，请在上面签字，四点钟左右把它交给巴克先生。 那就来这里和我们见面。 一定要穿上最暖和的衣服。”

It was a chilly evening as we followed Holmes to Birlstone Manor. Instead of entering via the gates, we slipped through a gap in the railings and hid in a shrubbery opposite the main door and the drawbridge. "What now?" asked MacDonald gruffly. "We wait for events to take their course," answered Holmes. Our vigil was long and uncomfortable. A cold, damp reek from the moat chilled us to the bones. "How long is this to last?" asked MacDonald finally.

这是一个寒冷的夜晚，我们跟着福尔摩斯来到伯尔斯通庄园。 我们没有从大门进去，而是从栏杆的缝隙里溜进去，躲在正门和吊桥对面的灌木丛里。 “现在怎么办？"麦克唐纳粗暴地问。 福尔摩斯回答说："我们等待着事态的发展。 我们守夜的时间很长，很不舒服。 从护城河传来的一股又冷又湿的臭气使我们感到寒气刺骨。 “这种情况要持续多久？"麦克唐纳最后问道。

"Who can say?" answered Holmes. "If only criminals timetabled their movements like railway trains, it would—wait. Over there! See!" As he spoke, a bright yellow light came on in the study, and the window was thrown open. A man's head poked out and he peered from side to side as if checking to ensure he was unobserved. The man leaned forward and dipped a stick in the moat, stirring the water with it. Suddenly, he lifted the stick, hauling up a heavy object like a fisherman landing a fish, and pulled it into the room. "Now!" cried Holmes, and we all leapt to our feet and ran across the drawbridge. Holmes rang the bell and an astonished Ames opened it. Barging past him, we rushed to the study. Cecil Barker was in there, staring defiantly at us. "What do you want?" he cried. Holmes glanced around the room, then pounced on a wet bundle tied with a cord, which had been thrust under the desk. "This," he said. "This bundle, weighed down by a dumbbell, which you've just raised from the bottom of the moat."

“谁知道呢？”福尔摩斯回答说。 “只要罪犯像火车一样安排他们的行动时间，它就会等待。 在那里!看!”他说话的时候，书房里亮起了一盏黄色的灯，窗户被打开了。 一个男人的头探了出来，他从一边向另一边张望，好像在检查以确保没有人注意到他。 那人倾身向前，用一根棍子蘸了蘸壕沟里的水，搅动着河水。 突然，他举起棍子，拖起一个沉重的东西，就像渔夫抓鱼一样，把它拖进了房间。 “现在！”福尔摩斯喊道，我们都跳起来，跑过吊桥。 福尔摩斯按响了门铃，吃惊的艾姆斯打开了门。 我们从他身边冲过去，冲向书房。 塞西尔·巴克在里面，挑衅地盯着我们。 “你想干什么？”他叫道。 福尔摩斯环视了一下房间，然后突然抓住了塞在桌子下面的一个用绳子捆着的湿包。 “这个，”他说。“这个包袱，被你刚从护城河底举起来的哑铃压着。”

"How did you know?" cried Barker, astonished. "Because I found it in there yesterday," said Holmes. "You'll remember, Mr. Mac, how puzzled I was by the missing dumbbell. When water is near and a weight is missing, it's not too far-fetched to suppose that something's been sunk in the water. Last night I fished it out. In order to prove who placed it there, I had to tempt the same person to retrieve it, which I did with our threat to drain the moat." Holmes placed the sodden bundle on the table and undid the cord. Inside was the dumbbell, a pair of boots, a dark suit, and a yellow overcoat.

“你怎么知道的？”巴克吃惊地叫道。 福尔摩斯说：“因为我昨天在那儿发现的。” “麦克先生，你记得吧，那个哑铃不见了，我是多么困惑。 当水在附近，而一个重物不见了，这并不太牵强的假设是有东西沉没在水里。 昨晚我把它捞出来了。 为了证明是谁把它放在那里的，我不得不诱使同一个人把它找回来，我们威胁要把护城河放干。” 福尔摩斯把湿透了的包裹放在桌上，解开了绳子。 里面是哑铃、一双靴子、一套深色西装和一件黄色大衣。