《福尔摩斯探案集·歪唇男人》第31节
“He’s a beauty, isn’t he?” said the inspector. “He certainly needs a wash,” remarked Holmes. “I had an idea that he might, and I took the liberty of bringing the tools with me.” He opened the Gladstone bag as he spoke, and took out, to my astonishment, a very large bath-sponge. “He! he! You are a funny one,” chuckled the inspector. “Now, if you will have the great goodness to open that door very quietly, we will soon make him cut a much more respectable figure.” “Well, I don’t know why not,” said the inspector. “He doesn’t look a credit to the Bow Street cells, does he?” He slipped his key into the lock, and we all very quietly entered the cell. The sleeper half turned, and then settled down once more into a deep slumber. Holmes stooped to the water-jug, moistened his sponge, and then rubbed it twice vigorously across and down the prisoner’s face. “Let me introduce you,” he shouted, “to Mr. Neville St. Clair, of Lee, in the county of Kent.” Never in my life have I seen such a sight. The man’s face peeled off under the sponge like the bark from a tree. Gone was the coarse brown tint! Gone, too, was the horrid scar which had seamed it across, and the twisted lip which had given the repulsive sneer to the face! A twitch brought away the tangled red hair, and there, sitting up in his bed, was a pale, sad-faced, refined-looking man, black-haired and smooth-skinned, rubbing his eyes and staring about him with sleepy bewilderment. Then suddenly realising the exposure, he broke into a scream and threw himself down with his face to the pillow.
注释摘要
督察那句“他可真是个美男子，不是吗”是一句反讽，既指囚犯的丑陋，也指他那一身极端的肮脏。福尔摩斯接过话头，说此人“确实需要洗一洗”，随后以一个让华生目瞪口呆的举动把对话推进到一个完全出人意料的转折——他从格拉德斯通旅行包里掏出一大块浴用海绵。这个物件在监狱牢房里出现，制造了一种强烈的荒谬感，而福尔摩斯那种平静而肯定的语气又让荒谬底下透出极度的精确。督察的反…