三个同姓人

THE THREE GARRIDEBS 三个同姓人 by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 1925 It may have been a comedy, or it may have been a tragedy. It cost one man his reason, it cost me a blood-letting, and it cost yet another man the penalties of the law. Yet there was certainly an element of comedy. Well, you shall judge for yourselves. 这个故事也许是喜剧，也许是悲剧。它使一个人精神失了常，使我负了伤，使另一个人受到了法律的制裁。但这里面还是有喜剧的味道。好吧，让读者自己判断吧。 I remember the date very well, for it was in the same month that Holmes refused a knighthood for services which may perhaps some day be described. I only refer to the matter in passing, for in my position of partner and confidant I am obliged to be particularly careful to avoid any indiscretion. I repeat, however, that this enables me to fix the date, which was the latter end of June, 1902, shortly after the conclusion of the South African War. Holmes had spent several days in bed, as was his habit from time to time, but he emerged that morning with a long foolscap document in his hand and a twinkle of amusement in his austere gray eyes. 这个日期我记得很清楚，因为那是在福尔摩斯拒绝了爵士封号的同一个月里发生的事，他要被封爵是因为立了功，这功劳将来也许有一天我还要写出来。我只是顺便提及封爵的事，因为做为合作者我应该谨慎从事，避免一切冒失的行为。然而这件事却使我记牢了上述的日期，那是一九○二年六月底，就在南非战争结束后不久。福尔摩斯在床上一连躺了几天，这正是他不时表现出的行为，但有一天早晨他却从床上起来了，手里提着一份大页书写纸的文件，严峻的灰眼睛里闪着讽刺的笑意。 "There is a chance for you to make some money, friend Watson," said he. "Have you ever heard the name of Garrideb?" “华生老兄，现在有一个使你发财的好机会，"他说道。“你听说过加里德布这个姓吗？” I admitted that I had not. 我承认没有听说过。 "Well, if you can lay your hand upon a Garrideb, there's money in it." “要是你能抓住一个加里德布，就能赚一笔钱。” "Why?" “为什么？” "Ah, that's a long story- rather a whimsical one, too. I don't think in all our explorations of human complexities we have ever come upon anything more singular. The fellow will be here presently for cross-examination, so I won't open the matter up till he comes. But, meanwhile, that's the name we want." “那就说来话长了——而且有点异想天开。我认为在咱们所研究过的复杂的人类问题里头，还没有过这么新鲜的事儿呢。这个家伙马上就要来接受咱们的提问了，所以在他到来之前我暂且不多谈，但这个姓氏是咱们需要查一查的。” The telephone directory lay on the table beside me, and I turned over the pages in a rather hopeless quest. But to my amazement there was this strange name in its due place. I gave a cry of triumph. 电话簿就在我旁边的桌子上。我不抱希望地打开簿子翻阅着。但使我感到诧异的是在应该排列它的位置上还真有这个奇怪的姓氏。我得意地喊了一声。 "Here you are, Holmes! Here it is!" “在这儿！福尔摩斯，就在这儿！” Holmes took the book from my hand. 他把簿子接过去。 "'Garrideb, N.,'" he read, 136 Little Ryder Street, W.' Sorry to disappoint you, my dear Watson, but this is the man himself. That is the address upon his letter. We want another to match him." “Ｎ·加里德布，"他念道，"西区小赖德街１３６号。抱歉，华生，这可能使你失望，这是写信者本人。咱们需要再找一个加里德布来配他。” Mrs. Hudson had come in with a card upon a tray. I took it up and glanced at it. 正说着，赫德森太太拿着托盘走了进来，上面有一个名片。我把片子接过来看了一眼。 "Why, here it is!" I cried in amazement. "This is a different initial. John Garrideb, Counsellor at Law, Moorville, Kansas, U.S.A." “有了，在这儿！"我惊奇地喊道，“这是一个不同名字的开头字母。约翰·加里德布，律师，美国堪萨斯州穆尔维尔。” Holmes smiled as he looked at the card. "I am afraid you must make yet another effort, Watson," said he. "This gentleman is also in the plot already, though I certainly did not expect to see him this morning. However, he is in a position to tell us a good deal which I want to know." 福尔摩斯一看名片就笑了。“我看你还得再找一个出来才行，华生，"他说道，“这位也是之内的，不过我倒没想到他今天早上会来。但不管怎么说，他能告诉咱们许多我需要知道的东西。” A moment later he was in the room. Mr. John Garrideb, Counsellor at Law, was a short, powerful man with the round, fresh, clean-shaven face characteristic of so many American men of affairs. The general effect was chubby and rather childlike, so that one received the impression of quite a young man with a broad set smile upon his face. His eyes, however, were arresting. Seldom in any human head have I seen a pair which bespoke a more intense inward life, so bright were they, so alert, so responsive to every change of thought. His accent was American, but was not accompanied by any eccentricity of speech. 不大会儿，他就进来了。律师约翰·加里德布先生是一个身材不高、强壮有力的人，一张圆圆的、气色很好的、修面整洁的脸，就象许多美国事务家所具有的特征那样。他总的形象是丰满和相当孩子气的，他给人的印象是一个笑容可掬的青年。他的眼睛是引人注目的，我很少见到过一双如此反映内心生活的眼睛，那么亮，那么机警，那么迅速地反映出每一点思想变化。他的口音是美国腔调，但并不怪。 "Mr. Holmes?" he asked, glancing from one to the other. "Ah, yes! Your pictures are not unlike you, sir, if I may say so. I believe you have had a letter from my namesake, Mr. Nathan Garrideb, have you not?" “哪位是福尔摩斯先生？"他在我们俩之间来回打量着。“不错，你的像片是很象你的，福尔摩斯先生，恕我冒昧。据我所知，我的同姓者给你写了一封信，对吗？” "Pray sit down," said Sherlock Holmes. "We shall, I fancy, have a good deal to discuss." He took up his sheets of foolscap. "You are, of course, the Mr. John Garrideb mentioned in this document. But surely you have been in England some time?" “请坐下谈，"福尔摩斯说。"我觉得跟你有不少可讨论的问题。"他拿起那叠书写纸。“你就是这份文件中提到的约翰·加里德布先生喽。但你到英国已有相当长时间了吧？” "Why do you say that, Mr. Holmes?" “你这是什么意思，福尔摩斯先生？” I seemed to read sudden suspicion in those expressive eyes. 我似乎在他那富于表情的眼中看到了突然的狐疑。 "Your whole outfit is English." “你的服装全是英国的。” Mr. Garrideb forced a laugh. "I've read of your tricks, Mr. Holmes, but I never thought I would be the subject of them. Where do you read that?" 加里德布勉强一笑。"我在书上读到过你的技巧，福尔摩斯先生，但我没料到我会成为研究的对象。你怎么看出来的？” "The shoulder cut of your coat, the toes of your boots- could anyone doubt it?" “你上衣的肩式，你靴子的足尖部——谁能看不出呢？” "Well, well, I had no idea I was so obvious a Britisher. But business brought me over where some time ago, and so, as you say, my outfit is nearly all London. However, I guess your time is of value, and we did not meet to talk about the cut of my socks. What about getting down to that paper you hold in your hand?" “噢，我倒没想到我是这么明显的英国人模样。我是好些日子以前因事务来到英国的，所以，正如你说的，装束几乎都伦敦化了。不过，我想你的时间是宝贵的吧，我们见面也不是来谈袜子式样的。谈谈你手里拿着的文件好吗？” Holmes had in some way ruffled our visitor, whose chubby face had assumed a far less amiable expression. 福尔摩斯在某方面触怒了来访者，他那孩子气的脸孔变得远没有那么随和了。 "Patience! Patience, Mr. Garrideb!" said my friend in a soothing voice. "Dr. Watson would tell you that these little digressions of mine sometimes prove in the end to have some bearing on the matter. But why did Mr. Nathan Garrideb not come with you?" “不要着急，加里德布先生！"我的朋友安慰他说，“华生医生可以告诉你，我的这些小插曲有时候是很解决问题的。不过，内森·加里德布先生怎么没同你一起来呢？” "Why did he ever drag you into it at all?" asked our visitor with a sudden outflame of anger. "What in thunder had you to do with it? Here was a bit of professional business between two gentlemen, and one of them must needs call in a detective! I saw him this morning, and he told me this fool-trick he had played me, and that's why I am here. But I feel bad about it, all the same." “我就是不明白他把你拉进来干什么！"客人突然发起火来，“这事儿与你什么相干？本来是两个绅士之间的一点事务，而其中一个人突然找来一个侦探！今早我见到他，他告诉我干了这件蠢事，所以我才来这儿了。我觉得真倒霉！” "There was no reflection upon you, Mr. Garrideb. It was simply zeal upon his part to gain your end- an end which is, I understand, equally vital for both of you. He knew that I had means of getting information, and, therefore, it was very natural that he should apply to me." “这对你并不算丢脸的事，加里德布先生。这纯粹是他过于热心地想要达到你的目的——照我理解，这个目的对你们两人同样关系重大。他知道我有获得情报的办法，因此，他很自然地找到了我。” Our visitor's angry face gradually cleared. 客人脸上的怒气这才渐渐消了。 "Well, that puts it different," said he. "When I went to see him this morning and he told me he had sent to a detective, I just asked for your address and came right away. I don't want police butting into a private matter. But if you are content just to help us find the man, there can be no harm in that." “既然这样，倒也没什么关系，"他说，“今早我一见他，他就告诉我找了侦探，我立即要了你的住址赶来。我用不着警察乱插手私人事务。但是如果你只是帮我们找出这个需要的人，那倒没有什么坏处。” "Well, that is just how it stands," said Holmes. "And now, sir, since you are here, we had best have a clear account from your own lips. My friend here knows nothing of the details." “正是这么回事，"福尔摩斯说，“先生，既然你来了，我们最好听你亲口谈谈情况。我的这位朋友对详情还不知道。” Mr. Garrideb surveyed me with not too friendly a gaze. 加里德布先生以一种并不十分友好的眼光把我上下打量了一番。 "Need he know?" be asked. “他有必要了解吗？"他问道。 "We usually work together." “我们经常合作。” "Well, there's no reason it should be kept a secret. I'll give you the facts as short as I can make them. If you came from Kansas I would not need to explain to you who Alexander Hamilton Garrideb was. He made his money in real estate, and afterwards in the wheat pit at Chicago, but he spent it in buying up as much land as would make one of your counties, lying along the Arkansas River, west of Fort Dodge. It's grazing-land and lumber-land and arable-land and mineralized land, and just every sort of land that brings dollars to the man that owns it. “好吧，也没有什么必要保守秘密。我尽量简短地把基本事实告诉你。如果你是堪萨斯人，不用说你也会晓得亚历山大·汉密尔顿·加里德布是什么人。他是真正靠庄园起家的，后来又在芝加哥搞小麦仓库发了财，但他把钱都买成了大片土地，在道奇堡以西的堪萨斯河流域，足有你们一个县那么大片儿的土地，牧场、森林、耕地、矿区，无所不包，这些都是给他赚钱的地产。 He had no kith nor kin- or, if he had, I never heard of it. But he took a kind of pride in the queerness of his name. That was what brought us together. I was in the law at Topeka, and one day I had a visit from the old man, and he was tickled to death to meet another man with his own name. It was his pet fad, and he was dead set to find out if there were any more Garridebs in the world. 'Find me another!' said he. I told him I was a busy man and could not spend my life hiking round the world in search of Garridebs. 'None the less,' said he, 'that is just what you will do if things pan out as I planned them.' I thought he was joking, but there was a powerful lot of meaning in the words, as I was soon to discover. “他没有亲属后代——至少我没有听说过有。但他对自己的稀有姓氏十分自豪。这就是使他和我相识的缘故。我在托皮卡搞法律方面的业务，有一天这个老头突然找上门来。由于又认识了一个姓加里德布的人，他乐得合不上嘴。他有一种怪癖，他想要认真地找一找，世界上还有没有别的加里德布了。'再给我找一个姓加里德布的！'他说。我对他讲，我是一个忙人，没有工夫整天到处乱跑去找加里德布们。'不管怎么说，'他说道，‘要是情况按我的布置发展，你不想找也得去找。'我当他是开玩笑，谁知不久以后我就发现，他的话是非常有分量的。 "For he died within a year of saying them, and he left a will behind him. It was the queerest will that has ever been filed in the State of Kansas. His property was divided into three parts, and I was to have one on condition that I found two Garridebs who would share the remainder. It's five million dollars for each if it is a cent, but we can't lay a finger on it until we all three stand in a row. “因为他说这话还不到一年就死了，留下一个遗嘱。这真是堪萨斯州有史以来最古怪的一张遗嘱了。他要求把财产平分三份，我可以得其中一份，条件是我再找到两个姓加里德布的人分享那两份遗产。每份遗产是不多不少五百万美元，但非得有我们三个人一起来，否则分文不得动用。 "It was so big a chance that I just let my legal practice slide and I set forth looking for Garridebs. There is not one in the United States. I went through it, sir, with a fine-toothed comb and never a Garrideb could I catch. Then I tried the old country. Sure enough there was the name in the London telephone directory. I went after him two days ago and explained the whole matter to him. But he is a lone man, like myself, with some women relations, but no men. It says three adult men in the will. So you see we still have a vacancy, and if you can help to fill it we will be very ready to pay your charges." “这是个重大的机会，我干脆就把法律业务放在一边，出发去找加里德布们。在美国一个也没有。我走遍了美国，先生，用细梳子把美国刮了一遍，但一个加里德布也没抓到。后来我就来到旧日的祖国碰运气。在伦敦电话簿上真的就有他的姓氏。两天之前我找到他，向他了情况。但他也是孤独一人，跟我一样，有几个女亲属，却没有男子。遗嘱里规定是三个成年男子。所以，你看，还缺一个人，要是你能帮我们再找出一个来，我们立刻给你报酬。” "Well, Watson," said Holmes with a smile, "I said it was rather whimsical, did I not? I should have thought, sir, that your obvious way was to advertise in the agony columns of the papers." “你瞧，华生，"福尔摩斯含笑说，“我说什么来着，不是有点胡思乱想吗？不过，先生，我觉得最简单的办法是在报纸上登启事。” "I have done that, Mr. Holmes. No replies." “我早登过了，没有人应征。” "Dear me! Well, it is certainly a most curious little problem. I may take a glance at it in my leisure. By the way, it is curious that you should have come from Topeka. I used to have a correspondent- he is dead now- old Dr. Lysander Starr, who was mayor in 1890." “哎呀！这可真是一个古怪的小问题呀。好吧，我在业余时间可以留心一下。对了，你是托皮卡人倒也凑巧，我以前有一个通讯朋友，就是已故的莱桑德·斯塔尔博士，他在一八九○年是托皮卡市长。” "Good old Dr. Starr!" said our visitor. "His name is still honoured. Well, Mr. Holmes, I suppose all we can do is to report to you and let you know how we progress. I reckon you will hear within a day or two." With this assurance our American bowed and departed. “老斯塔尔博士么！"客人说道，“他的名字至今受人敬重。好吧，福尔摩斯先生，我看我们所能做的就是向你事情的进展情况。一两天内你听我的信儿吧。"说完，这位美国人鞠了一躬就走了。 Holmes had lit his pipe, and he sat for some time with a curious smile upon his face. 福尔摩斯已经点燃烟斗，他脸上含着古怪的笑容坐了半天。 "Well?" I asked at last. “你看怎么样？"我终于问他了。 "I a wondering, Watson- just wondering!" “我感到奇怪，华生，我很奇怪！” "At what?" “奇怪什么？” Holmes took his pipe from his lips. 福尔摩斯把烟斗从嘴里拿了下来。 "I was wondering, Watson, what on earth could be the object of this man in telling us such a rigmarole of lies. I nearly asked him so- for there are times when a brutal frontal attack is the best policy- but I judged it better to let him think he had fooled us. Here is a man with an English coat frayed at the elbow and trousers bagged at the knee with a year's wear, and yet by this document and by his own account he is a provincial American lately landed in London. There have, been no advertisements in the agony columns. You know that I miss nothing there. They are my favourite covert for putting up a bird, and I would never have overlooked such a cock pheasant as that. I never knew a Dr. Lysander Starr, of Topeka. Touch him where you would he was false. I think the fellow is really an American, but he has worn his accent smooth with years of London. What is his game, then, and what motive lies behind this preposterous search for Garridebs? It's worth our attention, for, granting that the man is a rascal, he is certainly a complex and ingenious one. We must now find out if our other correspondent is a fraud also. Just ring him up, Watson." “我一直在奇怪，这个人跟咱们讲了这么一大堆谎话到底是什么目的。我差点脱口这样直接问他——因为有时候单刀直入最有效——但我还是采取了另一策略，让他自以为骗过了咱们。一个人跑来，身着穿了一年以上的磨了边儿的英国上衣和弯了膝的英国裤子，而在信上和他本人口述都说自己是一个刚到英国的美国外省人。寻人栏根本没登过他的启事，你知道我是从不放过那上面的任何东西的。那个地方是我喜欢的惊弓之鸟的隐蔽所，难道我连这样的一只野鸡都忽略了吗？我从来不知道托皮卡有个什么斯塔尔博士。到处都是破绽。我看他倒真是个美国人，只不过在伦敦多年未改变口音而已。那么他搞的到底是什么名堂，假装找加里德布的动机是什么呢？这是值得咱们注意的，因为，如果他是恶棍，那也是一个心理复杂、诡计多端的家伙。现在咱们需要搞清楚，另一位也是假的吗？给他挂个电话，华生。” I did so, and heard a thin, quavering voice at the other end of the line. 我挂了电话，听到电话另一端一个细弱发颤的声音说道： "Yes, yes, I am Mr. Nathan Garrideb. Is Mr. Holmes there? I should very much like to have a word with Mr. Holmes." “不错，不错，我是内森·加里德布先生。福尔摩斯先生在吗？我很希望跟他谈一谈。” My friend took the instrument and I heard the usual syncopated dialogue. 我的朋友把电话接过去，而我象往常那样听着他那断断续续的对话。 "Yes, he has been here. I understand that you don't know him.... How long? Only two days! Yes, yes, of course, it is a most captivating prospect. Will you be at home this evening? I suppose your namesake will not be there?...Very good, we will come then, for I would rather have a chat without him.... Dr. Watson will come with me.... I understand from your note that you did not go out often.... Well, we shall be round about six. You need not mention it to the American lawyer.... Very good. Good-bye!" “是的，他来过。我知道你不认识他……多久了？……才两天哪！……当然，这是非常吸引人的一件事。你今晚在家吗？你的同姓人今晚不会在你家吧？……那我们就来，我希望不当着他的面谈一谈。……华生医生跟我一起来……听说你是深居简出的……好，我们六点左右到你家。不用对美国律师讲……好，再见。” It was twilight of a lovely spring evening, and even Little Ryder Street, one of the smaller offshoots from the Edgware Road, within a stone-cast of old Tyburn Tree of evil memory, looked golden and wonderful in the slanting rays of the setting sun. The particular house to which we were directed was a large, old-fashioned, Early Georgian edifice, with a flat brick face broken only by two deep bay windows on the ground floor. It was on this ground floor that our client lived, and, indeed, the low windows proved to be the front of the huge room in which he spent his waking hours. Holmes pointed as we passed to the small brass plate which bore the curious name. 这是一个可爱的暮春的黄昏，连狭小的赖德街在晚霞斜照之中也呈现出金黄动人的色泽。这条街只是艾奇沃路的一个小分支，离开那个在我们记忆中不祥的泰伯恩地方只有一箭之遥。我们走访的这座房子是旧式宽敞的早期乔治朝建筑，正面是青砖墙，只在一层楼有两座凸窗。我们的主顾就住在一层，这两个窗子就在他日间活动的那间大屋的正面。福尔摩斯指了指刻有那个怪姓氏的小铜牌。 "Up some years, Watson," he remarked, indicating its discoloured surface. "It's his real name, anyhow, and that is something to note." “这牌子钉上有些年了，"他指点着褪了色的牌面说道。“至少这是他的真姓氏，这是值得注意的一点。” The house had a common stair, and there were a number of names painted in the hall, some indicating offices and some private chambers. It was not a collection of residential flats, but rather the abode of Bohemian bachelors. Our client opened the door for us himself and apologized by saying that the woman in charge left at four o'clock. Mr. Nathan Garrideb proved to be a very tall, loose-jointed, round-backed person, gaunt and bald, some sixty-odd years of age. He had a cadaverous face, with the dull dead skin of a man to whom exercise was unknown. Large round spectacles and a small projecting goat's beard combined with his stooping attitude to give him an expression of peering curiosity. The general effect, however, was amiable, though eccentric. 这座房子有一个公用的楼梯，门厅内标着一些住户的姓名，有的是办公室，有的是私人住室。这不是一座成套的居民楼，而是生活不规律的单身汉的居住之处。我们的主顾亲自出来开门，他道歉说女工役四点下班走了。内森·加里德布先生是一个身材颇高、肌肉松弛、肩背微弯的人，瘦削而秃顶，有六十出头的年纪。他脸色苍白如尸，皮肤暗无血色，正如一个从来没有运动过的人那样。大圆眼镜，山羊胡子，加上他那微弯的肩背，显出一种窥视的好奇表情。但总的印象是和蔼的，虽说有点怪癖。 The room was as curious as its occupant. It looked like a small museum. It was both broad and deep, with cupboards and cabinets all round, crowded with specimens, geological and anatomical. Cases of butterflies and moths flanked each side of the entrance. A large table in the centre was littered with all sorts of debris, while the tall brass tube of a powerful microscope bristled up among them. As I glanced round I was surprised at the universality of the man's interests. Here was a case of ancient coins. There was a cabinet of flint instruments. Behind his central table was a large cupboard of fossil bones. Above was a line of plaster skulls with such names as "Neanderthal," "Heidelberg," "Cro-Magnon" printed beneath them. It was clear that he was a student of many subjects. As he stood in front of us now, he held a piece of chamois leather in his right hand with which he was polishing a coin. 屋子也是同样的古怪，象个小博物馆。房间又深又广，四周摆满了各式柜橱，其中堆满了地质学和解剖学的标本。屋门两边排着装蝴蝶和蛾子的箱匣。屋子中间一张大桌上都是七零八碎的各种物件，一台铜制大型显微镜高高地立在中央。环顾四周，我被这个人的兴趣之广泛给惊住了。这儿是一箱古钱币。那儿是一橱古石器。房子中间的那张桌子后边是一大架的古化石，上边陈列着一排石膏头骨，刻有"尼安德特人"、“海德堡人"、“克罗玛宁人"等字样。这个人显然是多种学科的爱好者。这时他站在我们面前，手里拿着一块小羊起正在擦一枚古钱。 "Syracusan- of the best period," he explained, holding it up. "They degenerated greatly towards the end. At their best I hold them supreme, though some prefer the Alexandrian school. You will find a chair here, Mr. Holmes. Pray allow me to clear these bones. And you, sir- ah, yes, Dr. Watson- if you would have the goodness to put the japanese vase to one side. You see round me my little interests in life. My doctor lectures me about never going out, but why should I go out when I have so much to hold me here? I can assure you that the adequate cataloguing of one of those cabinets would take me three good months." “锡拉丘兹古币——属于最盛时期的，"他举起古钱解释道。“晚期大为退化了。我认为它们是其全盛时期的最佳古币，虽然有些人更推崇亚历山大钱。这儿有一把椅子，福尔摩斯先生。请允许我把骨头挪开。这位先生——对，华生医生——请你把那个日本花瓶挪开。你们瞧，这都是我的小嗜好。我的医生总是说我不出去活动，但既然这里有这么多东西吸引着我，我为什么要出去呢？我敢说，把一个柜橱的内容给搞上一个象样儿的目录也要花我整整三个月时间。” Holmes looked round him with curiosity. 福尔摩斯好奇地东张西望着。 "But do you tell me that you never go out?" he said. “你告诉我你从来都不出去的吧？"他问道。 "Now and again I drive down to Sotheby's or Christie's. Otherwise I very seldom leave my room. I am not too strong, and my researches are very absorbing. But you can imagine, Mr. Holmes, what a terrific shock- pleasant but terrific- it was for me when I heard of this unparalleled good fortune. It only needs one more Garrideb to complete the matter, and surely we can find one. I had a brother, but he is dead, and female relatives are disqualified. But there must surely be others in the world. I had heard that you handled strange cases, and that was why I sent to you. Of course, this American gentleman is quite right, and I should have taken his advice first, but I acted for the best." “有时候我乘车到撒斯比商店或克利斯蒂商店去。除此以外我极少出门。我身体不太好，而我的研究又非常占时间。但是福尔摩斯先生，你可以想象，当我听说了这个无比的好运气的时候，这对我是多么惊人——令人兴奋但是骇人听闻——的意外啊。只要再有一个加里德布就行了，我们肯定能找到一个的。我有过一个兄弟，但已去世，而女性亲属不符条件。但是世界上总会有其他姓加里德布的人。我听说你专门处理奇异案件，所以把你请来了。当然那位美国先生说得也对，我应事先征求他的意见，其实我是好意。” "I think you acted very wisely indeed," said Holmes. "But are you really anxious to acquire an estate in America?" “我认为你这样做是极其明智的，"福尔摩斯说。“不过，难道你真的想继承美国庄园吗？” "Certainly not, sir. Nothing would