《福尔摩斯探案集·斑点带子案》第37节
“You see it, Watson?” he yelled. “You see it?” But I saw nothing. At the moment when Holmes struck the light I heard a low, clear whistle, but the sudden glare flashing into my weary eyes made it impossible for me to tell what it was at which my friend lashed so savagely. I could, however, see that his face was deadly pale and filled with horror and loathing. He had ceased to strike and was gazing up at the ventilator when suddenly there broke from the silence of the night the most horrible cry to which I have ever listened. It swelled up louder and louder, a hoarse yell of pain and fear and anger all mingled in the one dreadful shriek. They say that away down in the village, and even in the distant parsonage, that cry raised the sleepers from their beds. It struck cold to our hearts, and I stood gazing at Holmes, and he at me, until the last echoes of it had died away into the silence from which it rose. “What can it mean?” I gasped. “It means that it is all over,” Holmes answered. “And perhaps, after all, it is for the best. Take your pistol, and we will enter Dr. Roylott’s room.”
注释摘要
这一段是《斑点带子案》全篇真正的至暗时刻，也是华生作为叙述者最典型的「目睹却看不见」的时刻。他在漆黑中等了半夜，神经绷到极致，然后突然被一道火柴的光晃花了眼——福尔摩斯在喊他看到什么，但华生什么都没看见。他只听到了一个细节：在火柴燃起的同一瞬间，一声低低的、清晰的口哨。这说明口哨声并非来自他处，就发生在这个房间里，而且在福尔摩斯发起攻击的前一刹那出现，二者…