《福尔摩斯探案集·斑点带子案》第39节
“It is a swamp adder!” cried Holmes; “the deadliest snake in India. He has died within ten seconds of being bitten. Violence does, in truth, recoil upon the violent, and the schemer falls into the pit which he digs for another. Let us thrust this creature back into its den, and we can then remove Miss Stoner to some place of shelter and let the county police know what has happened.” As he spoke he drew the dog-whip swiftly from the dead man’s lap, and throwing the noose round the reptile’s neck he drew it from its horrid perch and, carrying it at arm’s length, threw it into the iron safe, which he closed upon it. Such are the true facts of the death of Dr. Grimesby Roylott, of Stoke Moran. It is not necessary that I should prolong a narrative which has already run to too great a length by telling how we broke the sad news to the terrified girl, how we conveyed her by the morning train to the care of her good aunt at Harrow, of how the slow process of official inquiry came to the conclusion that the doctor met his fate while indiscreetly playing with a dangerous pet. The little which I had yet to learn of the case was told me by Sherlock Holmes as we travelled back next day.
注释摘要
这一节是真相大白的时刻，之前所有令人不安的细节——那个不通往任何地方的拉铃绳、那个不该存在的通风口、被固定在地上的床、保险柜上的那碟牛奶——在这一刻全部汇拢，指向那个我们一直没有看见、但一直就悬在头顶的答案。 福尔摩斯在喊出"沼泽蝰蛇"之后，立刻补充了两条准确信息：死亡时间——被咬后十秒之内。蛇是爬行动物，蝰蛇的毒液主要作用于血液和神经系统，某些种类能在极…