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1、【国外英文文学】The Adventure of the Dying DetectiveMrs. Hudson, the landlady of Sherlock Holmes, was a long-sufferingwoman. Not only was her first-floor flat invaded at all hours bythrongs of singular and often undesirable characters but her remarkablelodger showed an eccentricity and irregularity in his l
2、ife which musthave sorely tried her patience. His incredible untidiness, hisaddiction to music at strange hours, his occasional revolver practicewithin doors, his weird and often malodorous scientific experiments,and the atmosphere of violence and danger which hung around him madehim the very worst
3、tenant in London. On the other hand, his paymentswere princely. I have no doubt that the house might have been purchasedat the price which Holmes paid for his rooms during the years that Iwas with him.The landlady stood in the deepest awe of him and never dared tointerfere with him, however outrageo
4、us his proceedings might seem. Shewas fond of him, too, for he had a remarkable gentleness and courtesyin his dealings with women. He disliked and distrusted the sex, but hewas always a chivalrous opponent. Knowing how genuine was her regardfor him, I listened earnestly to her story when she came to
5、 my rooms inthe second year of my married life and told me of the sad condition towhich my poor friend was reduced.Hes dying, Dr. Watson, said she. For three days he has beensinking, and I doubt if he will last the day. He would not let me geta doctor. This morning when I saw his bones sticking out
6、of his faceand his great bright eyes looking at me I could stand no more of it.With your leave or without it, Mr. Holmes, I am going for a doctorthis very hour, said I. Let it be Watson, then, said he. Iwouldnt waste an hour in coming to him, sir, or you may not see himalive.I was horrified for I ha
7、d heard nothing of his illness. I need not saythat I rushed for my coat and my hat. As we drove back I asked for thedetails.There is little I can tell you, sir. He has been working at a casedown at Rotherhithe, in an alley near the river, and he has broughtthis illness back with him. He took to his
8、bed on Wednesday afternoonand has never moved since. For these three days neither food nor drinkhas passed his lips.Good God! Why did you not call in a doctor?He wouldnt have it, sir. You know how masterful he is. I didntdare to disobey him. But hes not long for this world, as youll seefor yourself
9、the moment that you set eyes on him.He was indeed a deplorable spectacle. In the dim light of a foggyNovember day the sick room was a gloomy spot, but it was that gaunt,wasted face staring at me from the bed which sent a chill to my heart.His eyes had the brightness of fever, there was a hectic flus
10、h uponeither cheek, and dark crusts clung to his lips; the thin hands uponthe coverlet twitched incessantly, his voice was croaking andspasmodic. He lay listlessly as I entered the room, but the sight ofme brought a gleam of recognition to his eyes.Well, Watson, we seem to have fallen upon evil days
11、, said he in afeeble voice, but with something of his old carelessness of manner.My dear fellow! I cried, approaching him.Stand back! Stand right back! said he with the sharp imperiousnesswhich I had associated only with moments of crisis. If you approachme, Watson, I shall order you out of the hous
12、e.But why?Because it is my desire. Is that not enough?Yes, Mrs. Hudson was right. He was more masterful than ever. It waspitiful, however, to see his exhaustion.I only wished to help, I explained.Exactly! You will help best by doing what you are told.Certainly, Holmes.He relaxed the austerity of his
13、 manner.You are not angry? he asked, gasping for breath.Poor devil, how could I be angry when I saw him lying in such a plightbefore me?Its for your own sake, Watson, he croaked.For MY sake?I know what is the matter with me. It is a coolie disease fromSumatra-a thing that the Dutch know more about t
14、han we, though theyhave made little of it up to date. One thing only is certain. It isinfallibly deadly, and it is horribly contagious.He spoke now with a feverish energy, the long hands twitching andjerking as he motioned me away.Contagious by touch, Watson-thats it, by touch. Keep your distanceand
15、 all is well.Good heavens, Holmes! Do you suppose that such a consideration weighswith me of an instant? It would not affect me in the case of astranger. Do you imagine it would prevent me from doing my duty to soold a friend?Again I advanced, but he repulsed me with a look of furious anger.If you w
16、ill stand there I will talk. If you do not you must leave theroom.I have so deep a respect for the extraordinary qualities of Holmes thatI have always deferred to his wishes, even when I least understoodthem. But now all my professional instincts were aroused. Let him bemy master elsewhere, I at lea
17、st was his in a sick room.Holmes, said I, you are not yourself. A sick man is but a child,and so I will treat you. Whether you like it or not, I will examineyour symptoms and treat you for them.He looked at me with venomous eyes.If I am to have a doctor whether I will or not, let me at least havesom
18、eone in whom I have confidence, said he.Then you have none in me?In your friendship, certainly. But facts are facts, Watson, and,after all, you are only a general practitioner with very limitedexperience and mediocre qualifications. It is painful to have to saythese things, but you leave me no choic
19、e.I was bitterly hurt.Such a remark is unworthy of you, Holmes. It shows me very clearlythe state of your own nerves. But if you have no confidence in me Iwould not intrude my services. Let me bring Sir Jasper Meek or PenroseFisher, or any of the best men in London. But someone you MUST have,and tha
20、t is final. If you think that I am going to stand here and seeyou die without either helping you myself or bringing anyone else tohelp you, then you have mistaken your man.You mean well, Watson, said the sick man with something between a soband a groan. Shall I demonstrate your own ignorance? What d
21、o youknow, pray, of Tapanuli fever? What do you know of the black Formosacorruption?I have never heard of either.There are many problems of disease, many strange pathologicalpossibilities, in the East, Watson. He paused after each sentence tocollect his failing strength. I have learned so much durin
22、g somerecent researches which have a medico-criminal aspect. It was in thecourse of them that I contracted this complaint. You can do nothing.Possibly not. But I happen to know that Dr. Ainstree, the greatestliving authority upon tropical disease, is now in London. Allremonstrance is useless, Holmes
23、, I am going this instant to fetch him.I turned resolutely to the door.Never have I had such a shock! In an instant, with a tiger-spring, thedying man had intercepted me. I heard the sharp snap of a twisted key.The next moment he had staggered back to his bed, exhausted and pantingafter his one trem
24、endous outflame of energy.You wont take the key from be by force, Watson, Ive got you, myfriend. Here you are, and here you will stay until I will otherwise.But Ill humour you. (All this in little gasps, with terriblestruggles for breath between.) Youve only my own good at heart. Ofcourse I know tha
25、t very well. You shall have your way, but give metime to get my strength. Not now, Watson, not now. Its four oclock.At six you can go.This is insanity, Holmes.Only two hours, Watson. I promise you will go at six. Are youcontent to wait?I seem to have no choice.None in the world, Watson. Thank you, I
26、 need no help in arranging theclothes. You will please keep your distance. Now, Watson, there isone other condition that I would make. You will seek help, not fromthe man you mention, but from the one that I choose.By all means.The first three sensible words that you have uttered since you enteredth
27、is room, Watson. You will find some books over there. I am somewhatexhausted; I wonder how a battery feels when it pours electricity intoa non-conductor? At six, Watson, we resume our conversation.But it was destined to be resumed long before that hour, and incircumstances which gave me a shock hard
28、ly second to that caused by hisspring to the door. I had stood for some minutes looking at the silentfigure in the bed. His face was almost covered by the clothes and heappeared to be asleep. Then, unable to settle down to reading, Iwalked slowly round the room, examining the pictures of celebratedc
29、riminals with which every wall was adorned. Finally, in my aimlessperambulation, I came to the mantelpiece. A litter of pipes,tobacco-pouches, syringes, penknives, revolver-cartridges, and otherdebris was scattered over it. In the midst of these was a small blackand white ivory box with a sliding li
30、d. It was a neat little thing,and I had stretched out my hand to examine it more closely, when-It was a dreadful cry that he gave-a yell which might have been hearddown the street. My skin went cold and my hair bristled at thathorrible scream. As I turned I caught a glimpse of a convulsed faceand fr
31、antic eyes. I stood paralyzed, with the little box in my hand.Put it down! Down, this instant, Watson-this instant, I say! Hishead sank back upon the pillow and he gave a deep sigh of relief as Ireplaced the box upon the mantelpiece. I hate to have my thingstouched, Watson. You know that I hate it.
32、You fidget me beyondendurance. You, a doctor-you are enough to drive a patient into anasylum. Sit down, man, and let me have my rest!The incident left a most unpleasant impression upon my mind. Theviolent and causeless excitement, followed by this brutality of speech,so far removed from his usual su
33、avity, showed me how deep was thedisorganization of his mind. Of all ruins, that of a noble mind is themost deplorable. I sat in silent dejection until the stipulated timehad passed. He seemed to have been watching the clock as well as I,for it was hardly six before he began to talk with the same fe
34、verishanimation as before.Now, Watson, said he. Have you any change in your pocket?Yes.Any silver?A good deal.How many half-crowns?I have five.Ah, too few! Too few! How very unfortunate, Watson! However, suchas they are you can put them in your watchpocket. And all the rest ofyour money in your left
35、 trouser pocket. Thank you. It will balance youso much better like that.This was raving insanity. He shuddered, and again made a sound betweena cough and a sob.You will now light the gas, Watson, but you will be very careful thatnot for one instant shall it be more than half on. I implore you to bec
36、areful, Watson. Thank you, that is excellent. No, you need not drawthe blind. Now you will have the kindness to place some letters andpapers upon this table within my reach. Thank you. Now some of thatlitter from the mantelpiece. Excellent, Watson! There is a sugar-tongsthere. Kindly raise that smal
37、l ivory box with its assistance. Placeit here among the papers. Good! You can now go and fetch Mr.Culverton Smith, of 13 Lower Burke Street.To tell the truth, my desire to fetch a doctor had somewhat weakened,for poor Holmes was so obviously delirious that it seemed dangerous toleave him. However, h
38、e was as eager now to consult the person named ashe had been obstinate in refusing.I never heard the name, said I.Possibly not, my good Watson. It may surprise you to know that theman upon earth who is best versed in this disease is not a medical man,but a planter. Mr. Culverton Smith is a well-know
39、n resident ofSumatra, now visiting London. An outbreak of the disease upon hisplantation, which was distant from medical aid, caused him to study ithimself, with some rather far-reaching consequences. He is a verymethodical person, and I did not desire you to start before six,because I was well awar
40、e that you would not find him in his study. Ifyou could persuade him to come here and give us the benefit of hisunique experience of this disease, the investigation of which has beenhis dearest hobby, I cannot doubt that he could help me.I gave Holmess remarks as a consecutive whole and will not att
41、empt toindicate how they were interrupted by gaspings for breath and thoseclutchings of his hands which indicated the pain from which he wassuffering. His appearance had changed for the worse during the fewhours that I had been with him. Those hectic spots were morepronounced, the eyes shone more br
42、ightly out of darker hollows, and acold sweat glimmered upon his brow. He still retained, however, thejaunty gallantry of his speech. To the last gasp he would always be themaster.You will tell him exactly how you have left me, said he. You willconvey the very impression which is in your own mind-a
43、dying man-adying and delirious man. Indeed, I cannot think why the whole bed ofthe ocean is not one solid mass of oysters, so prolific the creaturesseem. Ah, I am wondering! Strange how the brain controls the brain!What was I saying, Watson?My directions for Mr. Culverton Smith.Ah, yes, I remember.
44、My life depends upon it. Plead with him,Watson. There is no good feeling between us. His nephew, Watson-Ihad suspicions of foul play and I allowed him to see it. The boy diedhorribly. He has a grudge against me. You will soften him, Watson.Beg him, pray him, get him here by any means. He can save me
45、-only he!I will bring him in a cab, if I have to carry him down to it.You will do nothing of the sort. You will persuade him to come. Andthen you will return in front of him. Make any excuse so as not tocome with him. Dont forget, Watson. You wont fail me. You never didfail me. No doubt there are na
46、tural enemies which limit the increaseof the creatures. You and I, Watson, we have done our part. Shall theworld, then, be overrun by oysters? No, no; horrible! Youll conveyall that is in your mind.I left him full of the image of this magnificent intellect babblinglike a foolish child. He had handed me the key, and with a happythought I took it with me lest he should lock himself in. Mrs. Hudsonwas waiting, trembling and weeping, in the passage. Behind me as Ipassed from the flat I heard Holmess high, thin voice in somedelirious chant. Below, as I stood whistling for