《福尔摩斯探案集·铜山毛榉案》第35节
“Excellent! We shall then look thoroughly into the affair. Of course there is only one feasible explanation. You have been brought there to personate someone, and the real person is imprisoned in this chamber. That is obvious. As to who this prisoner is, I have no doubt that it is the daughter, Miss Alice Rucastle, if I remember right, who was said to have gone to America. You were chosen, doubtless, as resembling her in height, figure, and the colour of your hair. Hers had been cut off, very possibly in some illness through which she has passed, and so, of course, yours had to be sacrificed also. By a curious chance you came upon her tresses. The man in the road was undoubtedly some friend of hers—possibly her fiancé—and no doubt, as you wore the girl’s dress and were so like her, he was convinced from your laughter, whenever he saw you, and afterwards from your gesture, that Miss Rucastle was perfectly happy, and that she no longer desired his attentions. The dog is let loose at night to prevent him from endeavouring to communicate with her. So much is fairly clear. The most serious point in the case is the disposition of the child.” “What on earth has that to do with it?” I ejaculated.
注释摘要
福尔摩斯这一整段推理，是他在听完整桩离奇经历之后，第一次正式提出一个成形假说。他安慰薇奥莱特·亨特——也几乎是夸赞她——说你从头到尾都表现得非常勇敢、明智，然后再向她交代今晚七点的行动方案。行动方案的落脚点就在那个从里面上了锁、外面又用床架横杠加固的房间。他说你要先把女管家托勒太太支进酒窖锁起来，我们才好去把那一排空房间仔细搜个遍。说完这些，他才转向推理本…