"Hum! Born in New Jersey in 1858," said Holmes. "La Scala, hum! Prima donna Imperial Opera of Warsaw! Retired from operatic stage, ha! Now living in London. Your Majesty and this young person became lovers. You wrote her some revealing letters, and now you wish to get those letters back."
“嗯！一八五八年生于新泽西州，”福尔摩斯说，“卡斯卡拉歌剧院，嗯！华沙帝国歌剧院首席女歌手！已退出歌剧舞台，哈！现住在伦敦。陛下和这位年轻女士成为了情人，您给她写过几封会使自己受到牵连的信，现在您想要把这些信件给弄回来。”
La Scala （意大利米兰市）卡斯卡拉歌剧院
prima donna 首席女歌手
imperial adj. 帝国的
retire v. 退休
"You're right. But how did you...?"
“没错，但是怎么才能...？”
"Was there a secret message?"
“曾经和她秘密结过婚吗？”
"None."
“没有。”
"No legal papers?"
“没有法律文书？”
legal adj. 法律的
"None."
“没有。”
"Then if this young woman were to use the letters to threaten you or for other purposes, how could she prove they are real?"
“这样的话，如果这个年轻女人想用信来讹诈您或是达到其他目的，她是怎么能够证明这些信是真的呢？”
threaten v. 讹诈
purpose n. 目的
prove v. 证明
"My handwriting."
“我的字迹。”
handwriting n. 字迹
"You can say it was copied."
“您可以说那是伪造的。”
copy v. 仿造
"My private paper."
“我私人的信笺。”
"Stolen."
“偷来的。”
"My own seal."
“我自己的印鉴。”
seal n. 印鉴
"Imitated."
“仿造的。”
imitate v. 模仿
"My photograph."
“我的照片。”
"Bought."
“买来的。”
"We were both in the photograph."
“我们两人都在这张照片里。”
"Oh, dear! Now that is very bad! You have put yourself in some serious danger."
“噢，天啊！那就糟了，您确实给自己惹下了挺严重的麻烦。”
"I was only Crown Prince then. I was young. But I am thirty now."
“当时我只不过是个王储，还很年轻，我现在也不过三十岁。”
"The photograph has to be recovered."
“那就必须把那张照片给收回来。”
recover v. 收回
"I tried to but it off her. She refused. I sent my people to steal it. They failed. I don't even know where the photograph is."
“我试过出钱买回来，她拒绝了。我派人去试着偷过，也没成功。我连照片在哪里都不知道。”
Holmes laughed.
福尔摩斯笑了。
"It might be funnt to you, but it is a very serious problem for me," said the King.
“这对你来说或许可笑，对我来说，却是个非常严重的问题。”国王说道。
"What does she plan to do with the photograph?"
“她打算用这照片干什么呢？”
"Ruin me."
“毁了我。”
ruin v. 毁掉
"How?"
“怎么个毁法？”
"I am about to be married."
“我即将结婚了。”
"I've heard the news."
“我听说了。”
"To Clotilde Lothman von Sax-Meningen. She is the second daughter of the King of Scandinavia. Her family had very strict principles. And the woman herself is very delicate."
“我将和克洛蒂尔德•洛特曼•冯•扎克斯迈宁根结婚。她是斯堪的纳维亚国王的二公主，他们家族的家规极为严格。她自己本身就是个非常敏感的人。”
strict adj. 严格的
principle n. 规矩
"And Irene Adler?"
“那么艾琳•艾德勒呢？”
"She's threatening to send them the photograph."
“她威胁要把照片送给他们。”
"You are sure that she has not sent it yer?"
“您敢肯定她还没把照片送出去吗？”
"I am sure."
“我敢肯定。”
"How do you know?"
“您怎么知道呢？”
"Because she said that she would send it on the day the marriage is officially announced. That will be next Monday."
“因为她说过，她要在婚约正式宣告的当天把照片送过去。那就是下星期一。”
officially adv. 正式地
announce v. 宣告
"That gives us three days," said Holmes with a yawn. "Your Majesty is going to stay in London for now?"
“那咱们还有三天时间，”福尔摩斯说着，打了一个呵欠。“陛下暂时就打算待在伦敦？”
yawn v. 打呵欠
for now 暂时
"Certainly. You will find me at the Langham under the name of the Count Von Kramm."
“当然了。你可以在兰厄姆旅馆找到我，用的名字是冯•克拉姆伯爵。”
"Good. What about the money?"
“很好。关于钱的事情怎么样？”
"I'll give you as much as you want."
“你想要多少，我都可以给你。”
"And for expenses?"
“那么眼前的费用呢？”
The King took a heavy leather bag from under his cloak and threw it on the table.
国王从他的大衣下拿出一个重重的皮袋，扔到了桌子上。
"That's three hundred pounds in gold and another seven hundred in notes," he said.
“这儿有三百磅金币和七百磅纸币，”他说道。
Holmes wrote up a receipt and handed it to the King.
福尔摩斯写了张收条，递给了国王。
receipt n. 收条
"And the young lady's address?" Holmes asked.
“那位小姐的地址呢？”
"Briony Lodge, Serpentine Avenue, St. John's Wood."
“圣约翰伍德，塞彭泰恩大街，布里翁尼府第。”
lodge n. 旅馆
"One other question. Was the photograph a cabinet?"
“还有一个问题，照片是六英寸的吗？”
cabinet n. 六英寸大小的照片
"Yes."
“是的。”
"Then, good night, Your Majesty. We'll soon have some good news for you."
“那么，晚安，陛下。很快我们就会给您带来好消息。”
The wheels of the royal coach rolled down the street.
皇家四轮马车轧轧驶下街道。
"And good night, Watson. Come by tomorrow afternoon at three o'clock. I would like to discuss my case with you."
“晚安，华生。明天下午三点钟再过来吧，我想跟你聊聊这个案子。”