"Well, your own good sense will suggest what measures I took next.
"好啦,憑你自己良好的辨別力就能聯想到我采取的第二個步驟是什么。
I went in the shape of a loafer to Sir George's house,
我打扮成流浪漢的樣子到喬治爵士住處,
managed to pick up an acquaintance with his valet, learned that his master had cut his head the night before,
結識了他的貼身仆人,知道了他的主人前天晚上劃破了頭,
and, finally, at the expense of six shillings, made all sure by buying a pair of his cast-off shoes.
最后我花了六個先令買了一雙肯定是他主人扔掉的舊鞋。
With these I journeyed down to Streatham and saw that they exactly fitted the tracks."
我帶著那雙鞋來到斯特里特哈姆,并核對出它和那腳印完全相符,一絲不差。"
"I saw an ill-dressed vagabond in the lane yesterday evening," said Mr. Holder.
"昨天晚上,我在那條小道上見到了一個衣衫襤褸的流浪漢,"霍爾德先生說。
"Precisely. It was I. I found that I had my man, so I came home and changed my clothes.
"一點不錯,那就是我。我感到我已經查到了我所要查的人,所以我就回家更換衣服。
It was a delicate part which I had to play then, for I saw that a prosecution must be avoided to avert scandal,
這里有一個微妙的角色要我扮演,因為我感到必須避免起訴才不致出現丑聞,
and I knew that so astute a villain would see that our hands were tied in the matter.
而且我明白如此狡猾的一個惡棍一定會看出在這件事上我們的雙手是受到束縛的。
I went and saw him. At first, of course, he denied everything.
我登門找他。開始的時候,自然,他矢口否認一切。
But when I gave him every particular that had occurred, he tried to bluster and took down a life-preserver from the wall.
但是,當我向他指出發生的每一具體情況以后,他從墻上拿下一根護身棒企圖威嚇我。
I knew my man, however, and I clapped a pistol to his head before he could strike.
然而,我懂得我要對付的是什么人,我在他舉棒打擊以前,迅即將手槍對著他的腦袋。
Then he became a little more reasonable."
這時他才開始有點理性。"