《福尔摩斯探案集·斑点带子案》第9节
“She died just two years ago, and it is of her death that I wish to speak to you. You can understand that, living the life which I have described, we were little likely to see anyone of our own age and position. We had, however, an aunt, my mother’s maiden sister, Miss Honoria Westphail, who lives near Harrow, and we were occasionally allowed to pay short visits at this lady’s house. Julia went there at Christmas two years ago, and met there a half-pay major of marines, to whom she became engaged. My stepfather learned of the engagement when my sister returned and offered no objection to the marriage; but within a fortnight of the day which had been fixed for the wedding, the terrible event occurred which has deprived me of my only companion.” Sherlock Holmes had been leaning back in his chair with his eyes closed and his head sunk in a cushion, but he half opened his lids now and glanced across at his visitor. “Pray be precise as to details,” said he. “It is easy for me to be so, for every event of that dreadful time is seared into my memory. The manor-house is, as I have already said, very old, and only one wing is now inhabited. The bedrooms in this wing are on the ground floor, the sitting-rooms being in the central block of the buildings. Of these bedrooms the first is Dr. Roylott’s, the second my sister’s, and the third my own. There is no communication between them, but they all open out into the same corridor. Do I make myself plain?”
注释摘要
这段叙述里，海伦·斯托纳开始讲到全案的核心事件——她姐姐朱莉娅的死。她先从自己的生活处境讲起，这并非闲笔，而是在向福尔摩斯交代一个关键前提：在斯托克莫兰的庄园里，她和姐姐几乎与世隔绝。罗伊洛特医生在村中是人人避之唯恐不及的凶神，没有体面的邻居会上门，没有仆人留得住，两个年轻女子被封锁在这座衰败的宅邸里，与社会上同阶级同龄人正常交游的渠道几乎完全断绝。海伦提…