“Have you read Gaboriau’s works?” I asked.
我问道："你读过加波利奥的作品吗？
“Does Lecoq come up to your idea of a detective?”
你对勒高克这个人物的评价如何，他可算得上一个侦探么？"
Sherlock Holmes sniffed sardonically. “Lecoq was amiserable bungler,” he said, in an angry voice;
福尔摩斯轻蔑地哼了一声。他恶声恶气地说道："勒高克是个不中用的笨蛋。
“he had only one thing to recommend him, and that was his energy.
他只有一件事还值得提一提，就是他的精力。
That book made me positively ill. The question was how to identify an unknown prisoner.
那本书简直使我腻透了。书中的主题只是谈到怎样去辨识不知名的罪犯。
I could have done it in twenty-four hours. Lecoq took six months or so.
我能在二十四小时之内解决这样的问题。可是勒高克却费了六个月左右的工夫。
It might be made a textbook for detectives to teach them what to avoid.”
有这么长的时间，真可以给侦探们写出一本教科书了，教导教导他们应当避免些什么。"
I felt rather indignant at having two characters whom I had admired treated in this cavalierstyle.
我听到他把我所钦佩的两个人物说成这样一文不值，心中感到非常恼怒。
I walked over to the window and stood looking out into the busy street.
我便走到窗口，望着热闹的街道。
“This fellow may be very clever,” I said to myself,
我自言自语地说："这个人也许非常聪明，
“but he is certainly very conceited.”
但是他却太骄傲自负了。"
“There are no crimes and no criminals in these days,” he said, querulously.
他不满地抱怨着说："这些天来一直没有罪案发生，也没有发现什么罪犯，
“What is the use of having brains in our profession?
干我们这行的人，头脑真是没用了。
I know well that I have it in me to make my name famous.
我深知我的才能足以使我成名。
No man lives or has ever lived who has brought the same amount of study and of natural talentto the detection of crime which I have done.
从古到今，从来没有人象我这样，在侦查罪行上既有天赋又有这样精湛的研究。
And what is the result?
可是结果怎样呢？
There is no crime to detect,
竟没有罪案可以侦查，
or, at most, some bungling villainy with a motive so transparent that even a Scotland Yardofficial can see through it.”
顶多也不过是些简单幼稚的罪案，犯罪动机浅显易见，就连苏格兰场的人员也能一眼识破。"
I was still annoyed at his bumptious style of conversation.
我对他这种大言不惭的谈话，余怒未息。
I thought it best to change the topic.
我想最好还是换个话题。
“I wonder what that fellow is looking for?” I asked,
"我不知道这个人在找什么？"
pointing to a stalwart, plainly dressed individual who was walking slowly down the other sideof the street,
我指着一个体格魁伟、衣着朴素的人说。他正在街那边慢慢地走着，
looking anxiously at the numbers.
焦急地寻找着门牌号码。
He had a large blue envelope in his hand, and was evidently the bearer of a message.
他的手中拿着一个蓝色大信封，分明是个送信的人。
“You mean the retired sergeant of Marines,” said Sherlock Holmes.
福尔摩斯说："你是说那个退伍的海军陆战队的军曹吗？"
“Brag and bounce!” thought I to myself.
我心中暗暗想道："又在吹牛说大话了。
“He knows that I cannot verify his guess.”
他明知我没法证实他的猜测是否正确。"
The thought had hardly passed through my mind when the man whom we were watchingcaught sight of the number on our door,
这个念头还没有从我的脑中消逝，只见我们所观察的那个人看到了我们的门牌号码以后，
and ran rapidly across the roadway.
就从街对面飞快地跑了过来。
We heard a loud knock, a deep voice below, and heavy steps ascending the stair.
只听见一阵急促的敲门声，楼下有人用低沉的声音讲着话，接着楼梯上便响起了沉重的脚步声。
“For Mr. Sherlock Holmes,” he said, stepping into the room and handing my friend the letter.
这个人一走进房来，便把那封信交给了我的朋友。他说："这是给福尔摩斯先生的信。"
Here was an opportunity of taking the conceit out of him.
这正是把福尔摩斯的傲气挫折一下的好机会。
He little thought of this when he made that random shot.
他方才信口胡说，决没想到会有目前这一步。
“May I ask, my lad,” I said, in the blandest voice,
我尽量用温和的声音说道：
“what your trade may be?”
"小伙子，请问你的职业是什么？"
“Commissionaire, sir,” he said, gruffly.
"我是当差的，先生，"那人粗声粗平地回答说，
“Uniform away for repairs.”
"我的制服修补去了。"
“And you were?” I asked, with a slightly malicious glance at my companion.
"你过去是干什么的？"我一面问他，一面略带恶意地瞟了我同伴一眼。
“A sergeant, sir, Royal Marine Light Infantry, sir. No answer? Right, sir.”
"军曹，先生，我在皇家海军陆战轻步兵队中服务过。先生，没有回信吗？好吧，先生。"
He clicked his heels together, raised his hand in salute, and was gone.
他碰了一下脚跟，举手敬礼，然后走了出去。