《福尔摩斯探案集·斑点带子案》第29节
“Only once, some years ago. I remember that it was full of papers.” “There isn’t a cat in it, for example?” “No. What a strange idea!” “Well, look at this!” He took up a small saucer of milk which stood on the top of it. “No; we don’t keep a cat. But there is a cheetah and a baboon.” “Ah, yes, of course! Well, a cheetah is just a big cat, and yet a saucer of milk does not go very far in satisfying its wants, I daresay. There is one point which I should wish to determine.” He squatted down in front of the wooden chair and examined the seat of it with the greatest attention. “Thank you. That is quite settled,” said he, rising and putting his lens in his pocket. “Hullo! Here is something interesting!” The object which had caught his eye was a small dog lash hung on one corner of the bed. The lash, however, was curled upon itself and tied so as to make a loop of whipcord. “What do you make of that, Watson?” “It’s a common enough lash. But I don’t know why it should be tied.” “That is not quite so common, is it? Ah, me! it’s a wicked world, and when a clever man turns his brains to crime it is the worst of all. I think that I have seen enough now, Miss Stoner, and with your permission we shall walk out upon the lawn.”
注释摘要
在医生房间的搜查中，福尔摩斯的注意力被几样看似不相干的物件依次牵引。他先问保险柜里装了什么，海伦·斯托纳回答只见过是些文件，这话给她带来一个古怪的反问——里面有没有一只猫。她显然摸不着头脑。随即福尔摩斯发现了搁在柜顶的一小碟牛奶，海伦解释家里确实不养猫，可养着一只猎豹和一只狒狒。福尔摩斯顺着话头，用一句看似随口的打趣把猎豹比作大猫，接着说一碟牛奶大概不够它…