前景提要：调查进行到一半，裹着床单的卷福被带走，华生也坐上了直升机，他们究竟要去哪里呢？
W：You wearing any pants?你穿裤子了吗?
S：No.没
W：OK. At Buckingham Palace. Right. Aah, aah, I am seriously fighting an impulse to steal an ashtray. What are we doing here, Sherlock, seriously, what?好吧，我们在白金汉宫啊，很好。我在努力克制偷个烟灰缸的冲动。我们到底来干什么夏洛克?
S：I don't know.我也不知道
W：Here to see the Queen?觐见女王吗?
S：Oh, apparently, yes.显然就是了。
Mycroft：Just once, can you two behave like grown-ups?拜托你们一回，别这么幼稚好吗？
W：We solve crimes, I blog about it, and he forgets his pants. I wouldn't hold out too much hope.我们破案，我用博客记录，他连裤子都忘穿了。我对此不抱太大希望。
S：I was in the middle of a case, Mycroft.我正办案呢，麦考夫。
Mycroft：What, the hiker and the backfire? I glanced at the police report, a bit obvious, surely?什么案子，驴友和发动机回火事件？我看了眼警方报告，有点平淡无奇了吧？
S：Transparent.显而易见。
Mycroft：Time to move on then.那就别操心了。
Mycroft：We are in Buckingham Palace, the very heart of the British nation. Sherlock Holmes, put your trousers on!我们身处白金汉宫，大英帝国的中心，夏洛克·福尔摩斯把裤子穿上
S：What for?为什么?
Mycroft：Your client.为你的委托人
S：And my client is...?敢问我的委托人是...?
Harry：Illustrious, in the extreme. And remaining, I have to inform you, entirely anonymous. 声名显赫，无人不知，并且我必须说明，客户身份绝对保密。
Harry：Mycroft.麦克罗夫特
Mycroft：Harry. May I just apologise for the state of my little brother.哈瑞，舍弟礼数不周，请允许我代他道歉。
Harry：A full-time occupation, I imagine. And this must be Dr John Watson, formerly of the Fifth Northumberland Fusiliers?因为工作全天无休吧。这想必就是约翰·华生医生，前诺森伯兰第五军团成员?
W：Hello, yes.你好，正是我。
Harry：My employer is a tremendous fan of your blog.我的老板是你博客的忠实读者。
W：Your employer?你的雇主?
Harry：Particularly enjoyed the one about the aluminium crutch.对铝制拐杖一篇尤为喜爱。
W：Thank you. Ahem...谢谢
Harry：And Mr Holmes the Younger. You look taller in your photographs.年轻的福尔摩斯先生，你没有照片上那么高。
S：I take the precaution of a good coat and a short friend.多亏那件修身外套和这位矮个子朋友。
S：Mycroft, I don't do anonymous clients. I'm used to mystery at one end of my cases, both ends is too much work. Good morning.麦克罗夫特，我不接匿名委托人，我习惯案件一端是谜题，两端都是谜题太麻烦了，再见。
Mycroft：This is a matter of national importance. Grow up!此案事关国家，别闹了。
S：Get off my sheet!放开我的床单。
Mycroft：Or what?不然呢?
S：Or I'll just walk away.不然我就这样走出去。
Mycroft：I'll let you.那我成全你。
W：Boys, please... Not here.两位，注意场合。
S：Who is my client?我的委托人是谁?
Mycroft：Take a look at where you're standing, and make a deduction.You are to be engaged by the highest in the land, now, for God's sake! Put your clothes on!看看你站的地方，然后动脑筋想想。雇你的是全国最有权势的人，还要点明吗？给我把衣服穿上。
Mycroft：I'll be mother.我负责招呼。
S：And there is a whole childhood in a nutshell.一句话概括了我们整个童年。
Harry：My employer has a problem.我老板遇到个麻烦。
Mycroft：A matter has come to light of an extremely delicate and potentially criminal nature, and in this hour of need, dear brother, your name has arisen.出了一件极为敏感，可能引发犯罪的事件。在此紧急关头，亲爱的弟弟，我们想起了你。
S：Why? We have a police force of sorts, even a marginally secret service. Why come to me?为什么?我们有各种各样的警力，还有无孔不入的军情六处。找我干什么?
Harry：People come to you for help, don't they, Mr Holmes?不是有很多人找你帮忙吗？福尔摩斯先生?
S：Not to date anyone with a navy.但名下有海军的人可没找过我。
Mycroft：This is a matter of the highest security, and therefore of trust.事关最高机密，必须找可信的人。
W：You don't trust your own secret service?你连你自己的特工局都信不过?
Mycroft：Naturally not. They all spy on people for money.当然信不过。他们都为了钱监视别人。
Harry：I do think we have a timetable.我们时间有限。
Mycroft：Yes, of course. Erm...对当然呃...
Mycroft：What do you know about this woman?关于这个女人，你知道什么?
S：Nothing whatsoever.一无所知
Mycroft：Then you should be paying more attention. She's been at the centre of two political scandals in the last year, and recently ended the marriage of a prominent novelist by having an affair with both participants separately.那你就要多加注意了，她去年成为两起政党丑闻的焦点，最近又与某著名作家离婚。因为她不仅给老公戴绿帽子，还脚踏两条船。
S：You know I don't concern myself with trivia. Who is she?你知道我不关心这些花边。她是谁?
Mycroft：Irene Adler. Professionally known as "The Woman".艾琳·艾德勒，业内称呼为"那位女人"。
W：Professionally?业内称呼?
Mycroft：There are many names for what she does. She prefers "dominatrix".她有很多外号，她最喜欢“施虐女王”。
S：Dominatrix. "施虐女王"。
Mycroft：Don't be alarmed. It's to do with sex.不必惊慌，是指性关系里的。
S：Sex doesn't alarm me.性才不会使我惊慌
Mycroft：How would you know? She provides, shall we say, recreational scolding for those who enjoy that sort of thing and are prepared to pay for it. These are all from her website.你怎么知道?她提供所谓的...愉悦的惩罚，给那些有这种癖好并愿意支付报酬的人。这都是她网站的截图。
S：And I assume this Adler woman has some compromising photographs.那么我估计这位艾德勒女士有些不雅照片。
Harry：You're very quick, Mr Holmes.你反应真快，福尔摩斯先生。
S：Hardly a difficult deduction. Photographs of whom?不难推断，到底是谁的照片？
Harry：A person of significance to my employer. We'd prefer not to say any more at this time.一个对我老板至关重要的人。眼下我们宁愿少说为妙
W：You can't tell us anything?你什么也不能告诉我们?
Mycroft：I can tell you it's a young person. A young female person.我能告诉你们是个年轻人。一位年轻女士。
S：How many photographs?多少照片?
Mycroft：A considerable number, apparently.显然为数不少。
S：Do Miss Adler and this young female person appear in these photographs together?艾德勒小姐和这位年轻女士一同在照片上吗?
Mycroft：Yes. They do.对。
S：I assume in a number of compromising scenarios?想必是在一系列不雅场景之中?
Mycroft：An imaginative range, we are assured.照我们的想象，这是肯定的。
S：John, you might want to put that cup back in your saucer now.约翰，你还是把茶杯放到托盘上吧。
Harry：Can you help us, Mr Holmes?你能帮我们吗？福尔摩斯先生?
S：How?怎么帮?
Harry：Will you take the case?你接这起案子吗?
S：What case? Pay her, now and in full. As Miss Adler remarks in her masthead, know when you are beaten.什么案子？马上给她钱，要多少给多少，艾德勒小姐网页上说了，人要知道认栽。
Mycroft：She doesn't want anything. She got in touch. She informed us that the photographs existed. She indicated that she had no intention to use them to extort either money or favour.她什么也不想要。她联系了我们，她告诉我们这些照片的存在并表示她无意使用这些照片敲诈钱财或是别的什么。
S：Oh, a power play. A power play with the most powerful family in Britain. Now that is a dominatrix. Ooh, this is getting rather fun, isn't it.哦，炫耀力量。与全英国最有权势家族的掌控权角力，不愧是施虐女王啊。这么一来就有趣多了，不是吗？
W：Sherlock...夏洛克...
S：Hmm. Where is she?嗯。她在哪?
Mycroft：In London, currently. She's staying...伦敦眼下她住在...
S：Text me the details, I'll be in touch by the end of the day.细节短信我，晚上我再联系你。
Harry：Do you really think you'll have news by then?你觉得那时你能得到消息吗?
S：No, I think I'll have the photographs.不，我觉得我能拿到照片。
Harry：One can only hope you're as good as you seem to think.但愿你真像说的那么神奇。
S：I'll need some equipment, of course.当然，我需要些设备。
Mycroft：IAnything you require, I'll have it sent...要什么尽管说，我会送到...
S：Can I have a box of matches?能给我盒火柴吗?
Harry：I'm sorry?抱歉，什么?
S：Or your cigarette lighter, either will do.点烟的，打火机也行。
Harry：I don't smoke.我不吸烟
S：No, I know you don't, but your employer does.我知道你不吸，可你的老板吸烟。
Harry：We have kept a lot of people successfully in the dark about this little fact, Mr Holmes.这件小事我们一直对外隐瞒着，大多数人都不知道，福尔摩斯先生。
S：I'm not the Commonwealth.我不是大多数。
W：And that's as modest as he gets. Pleasure to meet you.这是他最谦虚的话了，很高兴见到你们。
S：Laters!回头见。
W：OK, the smoking, how did you know?好吧，吸烟的事你怎么知道?
S：The evidence was right under your nose, John, as ever you see, but do not observe.证据就在你鼻子底下，约翰。你又是只看不观察。
W：Observe what?观察什么?
S：The ashtray.烟灰缸