《福尔摩斯探案集·红发会》第4节
Mr. Jabez Wilson started up in his chair, with his forefinger upon the paper, but his eyes upon my companion. “How, in the name of good-fortune, did you know all that, Mr. Holmes?” he asked. “How did you know, for example, that I did manual labour. It’s as true as gospel, for I began as a ship’s carpenter.” “Your hands, my dear sir. Your right hand is quite a size larger than your left. You have worked with it, and the muscles are more developed.” “Well, the snuff, then, and the Freemasonry?” “I won’t insult your intelligence by telling you how I read that, especially as, rather against the strict rules of your order, you use an arc-and-compass breastpin.” “Ah, of course, I forgot that. But the writing?” “What else can be indicated by that right cuff so very shiny for five inches, and the left one with the smooth patch near the elbow where you rest it upon the desk?” “Well, but China?” “The fish that you have tattooed immediately above your right wrist could only have been done in China. I have made a small study of tattoo marks and have even contributed to the literature of the subject. That trick of staining the fishes’ scales of a delicate pink is quite peculiar to China. When, in addition, I see a Chinese coin hanging from your watch-chain, the matter becomes even more simple.”
注释摘要
杰贝兹·威尔逊从椅子上弹起来的动作，是一个绝妙的戏剧性瞬间。他的食指还压在报纸广告上，眼睛却已经直直盯着福尔摩斯。这个姿势泄露了他的双重焦虑：他原本以为这桩怪事的起点是那张广告，现在却突然发现，眼前这个陌生人竟然比他更了解他自己。他的惊叹里带着一丝近乎惊恐的敬畏——"how, in the name of good-fortune"——运气之名都被搬出来了…