《福尔摩斯探案集·红发会》第2节
“Your cases have indeed been of the greatest interest to me,” I observed. “You will remember that I remarked the other day, just before we went into the very simple problem presented by Miss Mary Sutherland, that for strange effects and extraordinary combinations we must go to life itself, which is always far more daring than any effort of the imagination.” “A proposition which I took the liberty of doubting.” “You did, Doctor, but none the less you must come round to my view, for otherwise I shall keep on piling fact upon fact on you until your reason breaks down under them and acknowledges me to be right. Now, Mr. Jabez Wilson here has been good enough to call upon me this morning, and to begin a narrative which promises to be one of the most singular which I have listened to for some time. You have heard me remark that the strangest and most unique things are very often connected not with the larger but with the smaller crimes, and occasionally, indeed, where there is room for doubt whether any positive crime has been committed. As far as I have heard, it is impossible for me to say whether the present case is an instance of crime or not, but the course of events is certainly among the most singular that I have ever listened to. Perhaps, Mr. Wilson, you would have the great kindness to recommence your narrative. I ask you not merely because my friend Dr. Watson has not heard the opening part but also because the peculiar nature of the story makes me anxious to have every possible detail from your lips. As a rule, when I have heard some slight indication of the course of events, I am able to guide myself by the thousands of other similar cases which occur to my memory. In the present instance I am forced to admit that the facts are, to the best of my belief, unique.”
注释摘要
华生这一番话看似只是在客套，实际上却悄悄完成了两件事。他先承认自己对福尔摩斯的案件极感兴趣，等于在威尔逊先生面前为他的朋友做了一次信用的背书。紧接着他提起玛丽·萨瑟兰小姐那一案——这在福尔摩斯的记录中已有前例，对读者而言是暗示华生所记录的冒险中有一桩“非常简单的问题”，也正因此，他才在此时重提福尔摩斯那条著名的论点：生活本身就比任何想象力都大胆，真正离奇的…