《福尔摩斯探案集·蓝宝石案》第25节
“Who are you, then? What do you want?” he asked in a quavering voice. “You will excuse me,” said Holmes blandly, “but I could not help overhearing the questions which you put to the salesman just now. I think that I could be of assistance to you.” “You? Who are you? How could you know anything of the matter?” “My name is Sherlock Holmes. It is my business to know what other people don’t know.” “But you can know nothing of this?” “Excuse me, I know everything of it. You are endeavouring to trace some geese which were sold by Mrs. Oakshott, of Brixton Road, to a salesman named Breckinridge, by him in turn to Mr. Windigate, of the Alpha, and by him to his club, of which Mr. Henry Baker is a member.” “Oh, sir, you are the very man whom I have longed to meet,” cried the little fellow with outstretched hands and quivering fingers. “I can hardly explain to you how interested I am in this matter.” Sherlock Holmes hailed a four-wheeler which was passing. “In that case we had better discuss it in a cosy room rather than in this wind-swept market-place,” said he. “But pray tell me, before we go farther, who it is that I have the pleasure of assisting.”
注释摘要
这一幕发生在考文特花园市场的寒夜里，那个因追问鹅的来历而被商贩布雷肯里奇粗暴赶走的小个子男人，正惊慌失措地站在煤气灯下。福尔摩斯追上了他。 那人被触碰肩膀时猛然转身，脸上血色尽失，声音发颤地问来者是谁、想干什么。这一笔写得很细——不是普通的紧张，而是一个心里有鬼的人被突然截住时那种濒临崩溃的恐惧。福尔摩斯的回应则完全是另一种调子：平和的、礼貌的，几乎带着漫…