1 Sholto’s Treasure

The Sign Of FouR

四的标志

Chapter 1 Sholto's Treasure One September morning in 1888, a visitor arrived at 221B Baker Street, the home I shared with my friend, the great detective Sherlock Holmes. Miss Mary Morstan was a young lady with dark hair and brown eyes, dressed simply yet with perfect taste. "I hope you can help me, Mr. Holmes," she said. "I can hardly imagine anything stranger than the situation I find myself in." "Please state your case," said Holmes.

第一章舒尔托的宝藏1888年9月的一个早晨，一位客人来到贝克街221B号，我和我的朋友，伟大的侦探夏洛克·福尔摩斯住在这里。 玛丽·摩斯坦小姐是一位黑发褐眼的年轻女士，衣着朴素却极具品味。 “我希望你能帮助我，福尔摩斯先生，”她说。 “我很难想象还有什么比我现在的处境更奇怪的了。” “请陈述你的情况，”福尔摩斯说道。

"The facts," she said, "are these. My father, Arthur Morstan, was an officer in the Indian army. My mother died when I was young, and my father sent me home to England, where I attended boarding school. Ten years ago, my father was granted twelve months' leave and came home. He telegraphed me on his arrival in London, asking me to meet him at the Langham Hotel. When I got there, I was told he had gone out the night before and had not returned. After waiting all day, I called the police and the next morning we advertised in the papers with no result. From that day to this, I've heard nothing from him." "Did you search his luggage?" asked Holmes. "Yes, but we found no clues as to what might have happened to him." "Did he have any friends in London?" "Only one: John Sholto, a retired major of his own regiment, living in Upper Norwood. I spoke to him, but he didn't even know my father was in England." "A curious case," remarked Holmes.

“事实是这样的，”她说。 我的父亲阿瑟·莫斯坦是印度军队的一名军官。 我母亲在我很小的时候就去世了，父亲把我送回了英国，在那里我上了寄宿学校。 十年前，我父亲获准休假12个月回家了。 他一到伦敦就打电报给我，要我在朗廷饭店见他。 当我到那里时，我被告知他前一天晚上出去了，没有回来。 等了一整天之后，我报了警。第二天早上，我们在报纸上登了广告，但没有结果。 从那天到现在，我没有收到他的任何消息。” “你搜查过他的行李吗？”福尔摩斯问道。 “是的，但是我们没有发现他可能出了什么事的线索。” “他在伦敦有朋友吗？”“只有一个人：约翰·舒尔托，他是自己兵团的一名退休少校，住在上诺伍德。 我跟他谈过，但他甚至不知道我父亲在英国。” 福尔摩斯说："这是个奇怪的案子。

"I've not yet told you the most curious part," said Mary. "Six years ago, on May 4th, 1882, I received by post a cardboard box containing a large and beautiful pearl. No message came with it. Every year since then, on that date, I'm sent a similar box containing a similar pearl. An expert informs me the pearls are rare and highly valuable. You can see them for yourselves." She opened a long, flat box and showed us six of the finest pearls I'd ever seen. "This is all very interesting," said Holmes, "but why come and see me about it now?" "Because this morning I received this." Mary handed a letter to Holmes, which he read out loud.

“我还没有告诉你最奇怪的部分呢，”玛丽说。 “六年前，1882年5月4日，我收到一个邮包，里面装着一颗又大又漂亮的珍珠。 它没有附带任何信息。从那以后，每年的那天，我都会收到一个类似的盒子，里面装着一颗类似的珍珠。 一位专家告诉我，这些珍珠很稀有，价值很高。 你们可以自己去看。” 她打开一个又长又平的盒子，给我们看了六颗我所见过的最好的珍珠。 “这一切都很有趣，”福尔摩斯说，“可是为什么现在来找我呢？”“因为今天早上我收到了这个。” 玛丽递给福尔摩斯一封信，福尔摩斯大声读了起来。

Meet me outside the Lyceum Playhouse tonight at seven o'clock. If you are distrustful, bring two friends. You are a wronged woman and shall have justice. Do not bring police. Your unknown friend. "And what do you intend to do, Miss Morstan?" asked Holmes. "What do you suggest?" "I suggest we go—the three of us—and meet your unknown friend."

今晚7点在莱西姆剧场外面等我。 如果你不相信，带上两个朋友。 你是一个受委屈的女人，应该得到公正。 不要带警察来。你不认识的朋友。 “摩斯坦小姐，你打算怎么办呢？”福尔摩斯问道。 “你有什么建议？”“我建议我们去——我们三个——见见你那位不认识的朋友。”

After Mary had departed, Holmes went out on some errands, returning at half-past five in high spirits. "I've discovered a significant fact while searching through the newspaper archives, Watson," he declared. "Major John Sholto of Upper Norwood died on April 28th, 1882." "And why is that significant?" I asked. "Because within a week of his death, Mary Morstan received the first of her pearls. Why should that be? Maybe because Sholto's heir knows something about Captain Morstan's disappearance and wishes to make amends to his daughter. The letter did say Miss Morstan was a 'wronged woman'." Before we could discuss this further, Miss Morstan's carriage arrived and we went out to join her. On the journey, Mary showed us a curious paper found in her father's desk. "I don't suppose it's important," she said, "but I thought you might like to see it."

玛丽走后，福尔摩斯出去办点事，五点半才兴高采烈地回来。 “华生，我在翻阅报纸档案时发现了一个重要的事实，”他宣称。 “上诺伍德的约翰·舒尔托少校死于1882年4月28日” “为什么这很重要？”我问。 "因为他死后不到一个星期，玛丽·摩斯坦就收到了她的第一颗珍珠。 为什么会这样呢？也许是因为舒尔托的继承人知道摩斯坦上尉失踪的事想要补偿他的女儿。 信中确实说摩斯坦小姐是个‘受委屈的女人’。” 我们还没来得及进一步讨论这件事，摩斯坦小姐的马车来了，我们就出去和她会合。 在旅途中，玛丽给我们看了在她父亲的书桌里发现的一张奇怪的纸。 “我想这并不重要，”她说，“不过我想你可能想看看。”