一词多义/熟词多义
1. [ passage ]
在文中是指“通路，走廊”的意思。常见意思是“（一段）文章”。
原句：A short passage led to the kitchen and offices.
2. [ solid ]
在文中是指“纯金的”，理解为十分坚固，纯度很高，我们一般理解的是作名词，表示“固体”的意思。
原句： A gold Albert chain, very heavy and solid.
一条金色的怀表链条，很有质感而且是纯金的。
3. [ call for ]
“call for” 常见意思为：“要求；需要”；在文中却是“取；去取”的意思。
原句：“American Exchange, Strand—to be left till called for.
句子解析
1. It was a large square room, looking all the larger from the absence of all furniture.
房间因为没有家具显得更大。all the larger起到强调作用，类似的用法还有all the better/easier.
2. I have seen death in many forms, but never has it appeared to me in a more terrifying shape than in that dark apartment.
我见过很多死状，但在这个昏暗的房间里死去的男人死状比此前任何死相都恐怖。后面半句话正常语序应该是：it (此处指代death) has never appeared to me in a more terrifying shape than (it did) in that dark apartment. in a…shape，指“以……的状态”。
3. “You are sure that there is no wound?” he asked, pointing to numerous splashes of blood which lay all round. “Positive!” cried both detectives.
本案疑点1：死者全身上下没有伤痕，但周围却有很多血液喷溅的痕迹。关于这一点我想到现在还有专门通过研究血液喷溅痕迹从而重现案发经过的技术，有一部美剧叫Dexter，里面的男主便是做这个工作的，但他自己同时还是一个serial killer（连环杀手），这部片子非常精彩，尤其前三季，大家有兴趣可以去找来看。
4. This blood belongs to a second individual—probably the murderer, if murder has been committed.
由此Sherlock判断血液属于其他人，有可能是杀手的，如果这真是一起谋杀案的话。从if murder has been committed可以看出Sherlock的严谨，因为现在还没有排除自杀和意外的可能。commit这个动词常常搭配和犯罪有关的词汇，表示“犯下……的罪行”或者“实施……行为”，比如commit murder（谋杀），commit suicide（自杀），commit violent crimes（暴力犯罪）。
5. “This case will make a stir, sir,” he remarked. “It beats anything I have seen, and I’ve seen a lot in my time.”
make a stir 引起轰动。it代指本案，我所见过的其他案子和它相比都逊爆了。beat表示比其他东西更好。
6. As he spoke, his fingers were flying here, there, and everywhere, feeling, pressing, examining.
他说话的时候，手指这里摸摸那里按按。flying, feeling, pressing, examining是一连串的动作。fly做动词一个意思是to move somewhere quickly and suddenly（来自朗文辞典）。
7. “At what address?”
“American Exchange, Strand—to be left till called for.
They are both from the Guion Steamship Company, and are about the sailing{*5*} times of their boats from Liverpool.”
“地址是什么呢？”
“美国交易所，Strand大街。保留至本人来取。
这两封信都来自Guion航运公司，都在提醒（收信人）轮船从利物浦起航的时间。”
上文中提到，收信人是Drebber。所以这个地址应该是收信地址。美国和英国都有Strand的地名，而在英国，这条街叫Strand Street（河岸街）。而1880年起，就有了美国交易所。这条街靠近Strand大街。所以柯南·道尔写作的年代，确有“Strand大街的美国交易所”这一地址。不过从地图上我们可以知道，这一交易所已经永久关门啦。
而这个不幸的人为什么要从利物浦离开呢？另一封信的收件人Stangerson又是谁？
8. So quickly was the examination made that one would hardly have guessed the small details with which it was conducted.
it代指examination。定语从句中的which代指details。So位于句首句子到装，正常语序为 the examination was made so quickly that...
9. Mean? It means that the writer was going to put the female name Rachel, but was disturbed before he or she had time to finish. Remember my words, when this case comes to be cleared up you will find that a woman named Rachel has something to do with it.
Lestrade非常肯定地猜测这五个字母是未写完的女性名字Rachel，据此他推断一个叫Rachel的女人和此案有关。好像很有道理的样子，但事情真这么简单？反正Sherlock听他这样说是笑到不行，给他一个表情包他应该会用：
10. Gregson had a stretcher and four men at hand.
at hand 在附近，手边。Gregson手边有担架和四个人。
今日短语
Make a stir 引起轰动
An expression of 一种....的表情
Kneel down 跪下
For the purpose of 为了......
Be about to do sth. 将要做.......
Make an inquiry about sth. 询问某事
Strike a match 划一根火柴
Clear up 解决
Have sth. to do with 与.....有关
here and there 到处
spread out 摊开
peel off 剥落
trickle down 滴下
burst into laughter放声大笑; 突然大笑