福尔摩斯探案：工程师的大拇指历险记 👍🔪（通过短篇故事学英语）[973]

就在今天早上，我还在听一位德国电影导演韦纳·赫尔佐格的访谈。

And I was listening only this morning, I was listening to an interview with, the German film director, Werner Herzog.

你认识韦纳·赫尔佐格吗？

Do you know Werner Herzog?

韦纳·赫尔佐格说话的方式非常独特，他的嗓音很有特色，听他为所有纪录片做的旁白简直令人着迷，他就是这么说话的。

Werner Herzog, who has this incredibly characteristic way of speaking and he speaks in this kind of voice and it is incredibly compelling to listen to him with his voiceovers on all his documentaries, and he speaks in this kind of way.

我当时在想，也许我可以把斯塔克上校的声音模仿得像韦纳·赫尔佐格那样。

And I was thinking maybe I can make colonel Stark something like something like Werner Herzog.

所以这就是我脑海中的设想。

So that's what I've got in my mind.

口音可能会有些起伏变化，但大致就是这种感觉。

It might be a little bit the accent might go this way and that way, but it's something like that.

我就是要追求这种效果。

That's what I'm going for.

明白吗？

Alright?

于是他说，哈瑟利先生，带着一丝德国口音问道。

So he says, mister Hatherley, he asked with a slight German accent.

我听说您不仅在专业领域技艺高超，而且为人谨慎，善于保守秘密。

I have been told that you are not only skilled in your profession, but also discreet and good at keeping secrets.

我鞠了一躬，对这番夸奖感到颇为高兴。

I bowed, feeling rather pleased by the compliment.

我可以问一下，是谁推荐我的吗？

May I ask who recommended me?

我说，或许现在还不宜告诉您是谁，他回答道。

I said, perhaps it is better if I don't tell you that just now, he replied.

我还听说您未婚，没有家人，独自一人住在伦敦。

I've also heard that you are unmarried without family and that you live alone in London.

没错，我说，但我不清楚这和我作为工程师的工作有什么关系。

That's true, I said, but I'm not sure how that relates to my work as an engineer.

我以为这是一件专业事务。

I was under the impression this was a professional matter.

哦，确实是，他向我保证。

Oh, it is, he assured me.

但你会明白，我所说的每一件事都有关联。

But you'll see that everything I say is relevant.

我确实有一份工作要交给你，但绝对保密是必不可少的。

I do have a job for you, but absolute secrecy is essential.

在工作之前、期间和之后都要保持完全沉默。

Total silence before, during, and after the work.

而对于一个独居的人来说，做到这一点比有家人在身边的人更容易。

And that's easier to expect from a man who lives alone than from someone with family around.

嗯，如果我向你保证保守秘密，”我告诉他，“那你完全可以信任我。

Well, if I give you my word to keep something secret, I told him, you can trust me completely.

他用那双奇怪而多疑的眼睛紧紧地盯着我，持续了一瞬间。

He stared at me intensely for a moment with his strange suspicious eyes.

那么你答应了？

So you promise?

他说，是的。

He said, yes.

我保证。

I promise.

绝对保密。

Absolute silence.

无论口头还是书面，都不得向任何人提及此事。

No mention of it to anyone by word or writing.

我以我的信誉担保。

You have my word.

他突然跳起来，冲过房间，猛地拉开门。

He suddenly leapt up, darted across the room, and flung open the door.

外面的走廊空无一人。

The corridor outside was empty.

只是确认一下，”他说着，回到了座位上。

Just checking, he said, returning to his seat.

有时候，职员会很好奇。

Sometimes, clerks get curious.

现在我们可以自由交谈了。

Now we can speak freely.

他把椅子拉到我旁边，用那种令人不安的目光盯着我。

He pulled his chair close to mine and gave me that same unsettling stare.

我开始感到不安。

I started to feel uneasy.

这个人有些奇怪，我甚至开始有点害怕。

There was something odd about the man, and I even began to feel a little afraid.

但我并不想失去一个难得的客户，所以努力保持冷静。

Still, I didn't want to lose a rare client, so I I tried to stay calm.

先生，请直说吧，我说。

Please get to the point, sir, I said.

我的时间有限。

My time is limited.

事后看来，这话真蠢。

A foolish thing to say in hindsight.

你觉得为一晚的工作赚五十几尼怎么样？

How would you feel about earning 50 guineas for a night's work?

他问。

He asked.

嗯，这正好合我心意。

Well, that would suit me perfectly.

实际上，用不了整晚，一个小时左右就够了。

Actually, it won't take the whole night, just an hour or so.

我只需要你对一台故障的液压冲压机给出你的看法。

All I need is your opinion on a hydraulic stamping press that is not working properly.

只要你告诉我们问题所在，我们自己就会处理维修。

Once you tell us the problem, we'll handle the repairs ourselves.

你觉得如何？

What do you say?

听起来很简单，报酬也相当丰厚。

Sounds easy, and the pay is more than generous.

很好。

Good.

我们需要你今晚搭最后一班火车来。

We need you to come tonight on the last train.

去哪儿？

Where to?

一个叫艾福德的小村庄，位于伯克郡。

A little village called Eyford in Berkshire.

它离雷丁大约七英里。

It is about seven miles from Reading.

你可以乘坐从帕丁顿站开出的11:15列车到达那里。

You can get there on the 11:15 train from Paddington.

抱歉我的德语口音。

Sorry about my German accent.

德国听众当然会觉得这很可疑。

German listeners, obviously, this is very dodgy.

明白吗？

Okay?

而且说实话，我这德国口音根本谈不上准确。

And I don't you know, it's not an accurate German accent by any stretch of the imagination.

但你知道的，我们就当玩玩这个古怪的角色吧。

But, you know, let's just have some fun with a a weird character.

好吗？

Alright?

你觉得这个角色怎么样？

What do you think of this character?

他有点怪，对吧？

He's a bit strange, isn't he?

你可以乘坐晚上11点15分从帕丁顿出发的火车到达那里。

You can get there on the 11:15 train from Paddington.

好的。

Alright.

我会在车站等你，派一辆马车接你。

I will meet you at the station with a carriage.

哦，所以还要坐车一段路。

Oh, so there's a drive involved.

是的。

Yes.

我们的家在乡下，离车站大约七英里。

Our house is in the countryside about seven miles from the station.

那我们得半夜才能到。

Then we won't get there until midnight.

我想我得在那里过夜了。

I suppose I'll have to stay the night.

是的。

Yes.

我们能提供的住宿并不豪华，但我相信足以满足您的需求。

We can put you up nothing fancy, but it will be sufficient for your needs, I am sure.

嗯，这并不理想。

Well, that's not ideal.

我能不能选个更好的时间来？

Couldn't I come at a better time?

我们更希望您晚上来。

We'd prefer night.

为了弥补不便，我们提供的酬金甚至足以让顶尖专业人士接受。

And to make up for the inconvenience, we are offering you a fee that even top professionals would accept.

不过，如果您宁愿不去——哦，我想到了那五十几尼，还有我有多需要这笔钱。

Still, if you'd rather not oh, I I thought of the 50 guineas, mister Holmes, and how much I needed it.

不用了。

No.

我会来，我说过，但我希望能更清楚地了解这份工作具体涉及什么。

I'll come, I said, but I'd like a better understanding of what the job involves.

当然。

Of course.

我明白，要求保密会让你感到好奇。

I understand that asking for secrecy makes you curious.

让我为你解释一切。

Let me explain everything.

但首先，我们这里真的完全没人吗？

But first, are we definitely alone here?

是的。

Yes.

完全没人。

Completely.

很好。

Good.

你大概听说过富勒土。

You have probably heard of Fuller's Earth.

它是一种有价值的材料，在英格兰相当稀有。

It is a valuable material and quite rare in England.

是的。

Yes.

白垩土。

Fuller's earth.

是的。

Yes.

我听说过。

I've heard that.

最近，我在雷丁附近买了一处小地产。

Recently, I bought a small property near Reading.

我在我的土地上发现了一小片白垩土，但面积很小。

I discovered a patch of fuller's earth on my land, but it was quite small.

它位于两个更大相邻农场的矿床之间。

It lay between two much larger deposits on neighboring farms.

那些土地的主人根本不知道他们拥有什么，完全一无所知。

The owners of those lands had no idea what they had, no idea at all.

自然，我想在他们发现真相之前买下他们的田地，但我没有足够的钱。

Naturally, I wanted to buy their fields before they discovered the truth, but I did not have the money.

于是，我告诉了几位值得信赖的朋友，我们决定悄悄开采我们那小片土地，然后用赚来的利润最终买下其他地块。

So I told a few trusted friends, and we decided to quietly work our little patch and then use the profits to eventually buy the other properties.

为此，我们安装了一台液压机。

To do this, we installed a hydraulic press.

这台机器现在出了故障，我们需要你的专业意见。

That press is now malfunctioning, and we need your expert opinion.

但我们一直对此严格保密，你明白的。

But we are keeping all this extremely quiet, you understand.

如果有人发现我们有工程师来访，他们可能会开始问问题，那就不妙了。

If anyone found out that we had an engineer visiting, they might start asking questions and that would not be acceptable.

这会毁掉一切。

It would ruin everything.

这就是我要求你绝对保密的原因。

That is why I asked for your complete silence.

我相信你现在明白了。

And I trust you understand now.

你明白吧，哈瑟利先生？

You do understand, mister Hatherley, don't you?

是的。

Yes.

我说了，我明白。

I said, I do.

但我很好奇。

But I'm curious.

你们怎么用液压机来挖土呢？

How do you use a hydraulic press to dig full as earth?

挖土不通常是用铲子从坑里挖出来吗？

Isn't it usually just scooped out of a pit?

现在，听众们，你们可能在想，等一下。

Now listeners, you're probably thinking, wait a minute.

什么是full as earth？

What is full as earth?

这个怪人和他的古怪口音到底怎么回事？

And what is going on with this weird guy and his dodgy accent?

不过，不管怎样，什么是full as earth？

Well, anyway, what is full as earth?

full as earth是一种你可能在地下发现的物质。

Full as earth is a kind of stuff that you might find in the ground.

它是一种土壤，就像从地下挖出来的泥土。

It's a form of soil, like earth that is dug out of the ground.

它有点像黏土。

It's like a kind of clay.

黏土是一种非常厚重、致密的泥土，可以用来制作砖块或陶器。

Clay is a kind of very thick, dense kind of earth that could be used to make bricks maybe or used to make pottery.

但 Fuller 土是一种特定类型的黏土，在各种工业过程中非常有用，可用于吸收物体中的油或水分。

But Fuller's earth is a specific type of clay which can be very useful in various industrial processes, and it's used to absorb oil or moisture from things.

在工业时代，Fuller 土是一种非常有用且值钱的东西，可以卖很高的价格。

And in the kind of industrial period, full as earth was just a very useful and valuable thing which could be sold for a lot of money.

对吧？

Right?

它不像煤、石油或黄金那样值钱，但它是一种可以从地下挖出来然后出售的土壤形式。

It's not as it's not as valuable as coal or oil or gold or something like that, but it's a it's a sort of form of earth that could be dug out of the ground and then sold.

所以，这个家伙显然在他购买的这块土地上发现了一些 Fuller 土。

And so this guy apparently has found some fuller's earth in the on the land of this property he's bought.

他知道地下还有更多 Fuller 土，但那些部分位于两个相邻地产的地下。

He knows that there's more Fuller's earth, but it's it's under the it's part of the land owned by two neighboring properties.

他真正想要的是也得到那些 Fuller 土，但他目前还没有足够的钱去买下那两块地。

And he what he really wants is to get that full as earth as well, but he doesn't have enough money to buy that land yet.

所以他的计划是，先挖出自己拥有的 Fuller 土，卖掉它，然后用这些钱。

So he's the the plan is he's decided to start digging out the Fuller's earth that he's got, selling it, and then using the money.

他打算用这笔钱去买附近那块地，然后就能挖出更多高岭土，靠卖它赚大钱。

He's gonna use the money to buy the other land nearby, and then he can he can dig out the rest of the fuller's earth, the much more of it, and he can get rich selling that.

这就是他的故事。

This is his story.

对吧？

Right?

哈西利并没有多加怀疑。

And Hathily's Hathily is not very suspicious.

他本该对这个人的异常行为多加留意。

Maybe he should be considering the strange behavior of this person.

但他却说，好。

But he says, yes.

我明白，但我很好奇。

I understand, but I'm curious.

液压机是怎么使用的？

How do you use a hydraulic press?

液压机是一种用来挤压或压缩物体的装置，会使东西被压扁或压紧。

So a hydraulic press would be something that would squash or compress something, and it sort of makes something crushed or pressed.

液压机的一个例子是在废车场，那里会处理旧汽车。

An example of a hydraulic press might be in a in a scrapyard where old cars are taken.

对吧？

Right?

你见过这个。

You've seen this.

你可能在现实生活中见过它们。

You might have seen them in real life.

你可能在电视或电影里见过它们。

You might have seen them in on TV or in movies.

想象有个人有一辆想处理掉的旧车。

Imagine someone's got an old car that they want to, get rid of.

他们会把车开到废车场，然后把车放进液压机里。

They would take it to the scrap yard, and the car would be put inside a hydraulic press.

然后它被压碎、压扁，压成一个相对较小的立方体，这样就很容易处理或熔化了。

And then it was it's crushed and squashed and pressed down into a into, like, a relatively small cube, and then it can be easily disposed of or melted down or something like that.

对吧？

Right?

所以这就是液压机。

So that's a hydraulic press.

所以，斯塔克上校不知为何用液压机来试图把富勒土从地下挖出来，哈弗利不明白。

So, colonel Stark is using a hydraulic press for some reason, in in his attempts to get this fuller's earth out of the ground, and Havelry doesn't understand.

于是他问：你怎么用液压机来挖富勒土？

So he says, how do you use a hydraulic press to dig Fuller's earth?

它不通常是用铲子从坑里挖出来的吗？

Isn't it usually just scooped out of a pit?

它不通常是直接从地里的洞里挖出来的吗？

Isn't it usually just dug out of a hole in the ground?

他随意地说：我们把泥土压成砖块，以便更隐蔽地运输。

Well, he said casually, we compress the earth into bricks to move it more discreetly.

但这只是一个细节。

But that is just a mere detail.

重要的是，我已经对你完全坦诚了，正如你所见，我希望你能遵守我们的协议。

The important thing is that I've been completely open with you as you can see, and I hope you will honor our agreement.

他站了起来。

He stood up.

今晚11点15分，我在艾福德等你。

I will see you at Eyford at 11:15 tonight.

我会到的。

I'll be there.

记住，对谁都不许说。

And remember, not a word to anyone.

他最后深深地看了我一眼，用他冰冷潮湿的手握了握我的手，然后匆匆离开了房间。

He gave me one last intense stare, shook my hand with his cold damp fingers, and hurried out of the room.

所以，我又有了一个总结。

So I've got another summary.

基本上，哈索韦是个处境艰难的工程师。

Basically, Hathaway is a struggling engineer.

他 barely 赚到一点生活费。

He's he's he's barely barely earning a living.

他需要钱。

He needs money.

他开了自己的公司，但经营得并不好。

He set up his own business, but he's not doing very well.

他需要钱。

He needs money.

一天晚上，一位潜在客户造访了他，这位自称是莱桑德·斯塔克上校的神秘男子。

One evening, he's visited by a potential client, this mysterious man calling himself colonel Lysander Stark.

斯塔克带着一点德国口音，身材极其瘦削，举止紧张而隐秘。

Stark speaks with a slight German accent, is extremely thin, and behaves nervously and secretly.

所以他是有点可疑的人物。

So he's a bit of a suspicious character.

我是说，德国口音，在这部剧播出的时代，当阿瑟·柯南·道尔创作这些故事时，外国口音可能让人产生怀疑。

The German accent I mean, in the days of the show, you know, when Arthur Conan Doyle was writing these stories, a foreign accent might have been something to be suspicious of.

因此，在这些故事里，只要角色带有外国口音，通常就意味着我们得对这个人保持一点警惕。

And so this character having a German accent always in these stories, when a character's got a foreign accent, it normally signifies that we need to be a bit suspicious of this character.

显然，这种认为外国事物就一定可疑的想法已经过时了。

Obviously, that's an old fashioned concept that for something foreign, oh, must be suspicious.

这其实就是时代背景的体现。

That's just a sign of the times, really.

如果你是德国人，希望你不要介意。

If you're German, I hope you don't mind.

斯塔克向哈瑟利提供50几尼，这是一笔巨款，相当于今天的约一万英镑、一万两千欧元左右。

Stark offers Hatherley 50 guineas, which is a large amount of money, maybe about £10,000, €12,000, something like that in today's money.

所以，只干一晚的活就能拿到这么多钱，真是相当可观。

So that's a lot of money for a single night's work.

这份工作是去伯克郡艾福德附近的一座乡间别墅，检查一台液压机。

And the job is to inspect a hydraulic press in a country house near Eyford in Berkshire.

对吧？

Right?

就在伦敦郊外，大概离伦敦一两个小时车程。

Somewhere just outside London, probably an hour or two outside of London.

斯塔克坚持要绝对保密，深夜出行，并且哈瑟利必须独自前往。

Stark insists on total secrecy, traveling late at night, and that Hathily must come alone.

斯塔克上校声称这台机器用于加工富勒土，一种有价值的矿物。

Colonel Stark claims that the machine is used to process Fuller's Earth, a value a valuable mineral.

他说他需要保密自己土地上存在富勒土的事实。

He says that he needs to keep the existence of the Fuller's Earth on his land a secret.

这就是他之所以保密的原因，据他所说。

This is why he's being secretive according to him.

他必须保密这种物质的存在，不希望邻居注意到有工程师来访，因为这会引起他们提问。

He needs to keep the the the existence of this stuff secret and doesn't want his neighbors to notice that there is an engineer visiting because this would cause them to start asking questions.

这就是他需要绝对保密的原因。

And this is why he needs total secrecy.

他不希望邻居们发现他正在自己的土地上挖掘富勒土，因为这可能会让他们意识到自己的土地下也有富勒土，然后就会去挖掘并出售，从而赚一大笔钱。

He doesn't want his neighbors to work out that he's digging fuller's earth out of his land because that might cause them to realize they've got fuller's earth under their land, and then they will dig it out and sell it, and they will make a fortune from it.

正如我们所知，斯塔克计划在他们不知情的情况下购买他们的土地，因为这些土地富含这种有价值的矿物。

Stark, as we know, is planning to to buy their land without them realizing that it's full of this valuable mineral.

尽管情况相当可疑，哈索利仍然接受了这份工作。

Hathorley continues to accept the job even though things are pretty suspicious.

你会看到，这是故事中一贯的模式：随着事情变得越来越可疑和危险，各种警示信号层出不穷。

And this is you'll see this is a pattern throughout the story that as things get more and more suspicious and dangerous, there are loads of red flags.

到处都是警示信号。

There are red flags everywhere.

但哈弗利却说：不。

But Haverly's like, no.

我会继续做下去。

I'm gonna keep doing this.

尽管所有警示信号都在提醒他，我还是相信一切都会没事的。

I'm sure it's gonna be fine despite all of the red flags that warn him.

到这个时候，夏洛克·福尔摩斯建议我喝点水，因为该喝水了。

At this point, Sherlock Holmes is advising me to drink some some water, because it's time.

所以我先喝点水，然后我们继续第三部分。

So let me drink some water, and then we'll continue with part three.

我们会继续第三部分。

We will continue with part three.

当我对着瓶子说话时，听起来很奇怪，就像个机器人一样。

That sounds strange when I talk into the bottle as I'm like a robot.

卢克。

Luke.

卢克。

Luke.

相信你的直觉。

Trust your feelings.

现在这是欧比旺·克诺比说的话。

Now that's that's Obi Wan Kenobi.

卢克，卢克，我是你的父亲。

Luke, Luke, I am your father.

他们一定把偷来的计划藏在了逃生舱里。

They must have hidden the stolen plans in the escape pod.

这是我的达斯·维达。

It's my Darth Vader.

他们一定把偷来的计划藏在了逃生舱里。

They must have hidden the stolen plans in the escape pod.

指挥官，派一支部队下去。

Commander, send a detachment down.

亲自去处理。

See to it personally.

这次你可别让我失望。

You will not disappoint me this time.

这是我的达斯·维达模仿。

It's my Darth Vader impression.

你只需要半瓶酒，就能变成达斯·维达。

All you need is a half empty bottle of of something, and you can become Darth Vader.

这太简单了。

It's so simple.

Anyway，这可不是《星球大战》。

Anyway, this is not Star Wars.

这是《福尔摩斯》。

This is Sherlock Holmes.

让我们继续第三部分。

Let's continue with part three.

所以在他离开后，斯塔克离开后，我坐下来仔细想了想。

So after he left, after Stark left, I sat and thought about it all.

我越琢磨，就越觉得奇怪。

The more I considered it, the stranger it seemed.

一方面，我非常兴奋，终于有了工作，而且还是这么高薪的职位。

On the one hand, I was thrilled to finally have some work and such a well paid job too.

一晚的工作就赚五十几尼。

50 guineas for a single night's work.

这至少是我平时要价的十倍。

It was at least 10 times what I would normally ask.

也许这会带来今后更多的生意。

Maybe it would lead to more business down the line.

但另一方面，上校古怪的态度、保密的做法，以及关于‘最满的大地’那番奇怪的解释，都让我感到不安。

But on the other hand, the colonel's strange manner, the secrecy, and the odd explanation about the fullest earth didn't quite sit right with me.

为什么选在这么晚的时间？

Why the late hour?

为什么非要绝对安静？

Why the insistence on total silence?

不过，我还是把疑虑抛到脑后，好好吃了一顿晚饭，前往帕丁顿车站，并严格遵照上校的指示行事。

Still, I pushed my doubts aside, ate a good dinner, went to Paddington Station, and took care to follow the colonel's instructions to the letter.

我一个字都没向任何人提起。

I didn't breathe a word to anyone.

在雷丁，我不但要换火车，还要换车站。

At Reading, I had to switch not just trains, but stations as well.

我赶上了开往艾福德的末班车，大约11点后抵达了这个昏暗的小站。

I managed to catch the last train to Eyford and arrived at the tiny dimly lit station shortly after 11:00.

我是唯一下车的乘客，月台上空无一人，只有一个人提着灯笼、昏昏欲睡的站员。

I was the only passenger to get off, and the platform was empty except for one sleepy porter with a lantern.

站员就是那种基本站在车站里的人，铁路工作人员，为铁路公司工作的人。

The porter is like the person who basically stands on the station, the the member of station staff, Somebody works for the railway.

对吧？

Right?

他提着灯笼站在那里。

Standing there with the lantern.

我穿过检票口时，看见上校正站在阴影里等我。

As I passed through the gate, I saw the colonel waiting in the shadows.

他一句话也没说，只是抓住我的胳膊，把我拽上了一辆早已等候、车门大开的马车。

He didn't say a word, just grabbed my arm and rushed me to a carriage, which was already waiting with the door open.

我们一进去，他就拉下了车窗的帘子，敲了敲木板。

Once we were both inside, he pulled down the blinds over the windows and tapped on the wooden panel.

马车立刻启动，以马能跑出的最快速度前进。

The carriage started moving immediately as fast as the horse could manage.

一匹马，福尔摩斯打断道。

One horse, Holmes interrupted.

是的。

Yes.

只有一匹。

Just one.

你看到它是什么颜色了吗？

Did you see what color it was?

是的。

Yes.

我从侧灯中瞥见了一眼。

I caught a glimpse of it in the in the sidelights.

它是栗色的。

It was chestnut.

那就是马的颜色。

That's the color of the horse.

它看起来是疲惫还是精神饱满？

Did it look tired or fresh?

精神饱满。

Fresh.

毛发有光泽。

Glossy coat.

它的毛发有光泽。

It had a glossy coat.

它看起来精神饱满。

It it looked fresh.

谢谢。

Thank you.

抱歉打断了。

Sorry for the interruption.

请继续。

Please continue.

于是我们出发了，在乡间小路上以相当快的速度颠簸前行。

So off we went, bumping along the country roads at quite a speed.

斯塔克上校说那栋房子离这里有七英里。

Colonel Stark had said the house was seven miles away.

但考虑到我们行驶了这么久，路况又这么颠簸，我猜实际距离应该接近十二英里。

But given how long we traveled and how rough the ride was, I'd guess it was closer to 12.

一路上他都安静地坐在我旁边，我好几次注意到他用那种同样专注的目光盯着我。

He sat beside me in silence the entire way, and more than once I noticed him studying me with that same intense stare.

我试着望向窗外，但车窗结了霜，只能偶尔看到掠过的灯光微光。

I tried looking out of the window, but the glass was frosted, so all I could make out were occasional glows of passing lights.

我时不时试图搭话打破这尴尬的沉默，但他只用一两个词回应。

Now and then I tried to make conversation to break the awkward silence, but he only responded with one word answers.

最后，我放弃了。

Eventually, I gave up.

终于，大约一小时后，我感觉到车下路面变得平坦了，从泥土路变成了碎石路，马车停了下来。

Finally, after about an hour, I felt the road smooth out beneath us, gravel instead of dirt, and the carriage came to a stop.

上校跳了出去。

The colonel jumped out.

当我跟上去时，他催促我快步走进正门前的昏暗门廊。

And as I followed, he hurried me into a dark porch right in front of the entrance.

我还没来得及环顾四周，门就在我们身后砰地关上了。

I barely had time to glance around before the door slammed shut behind us.

我听到马车缓缓驶离，车轮声渐渐消失在夜色中。

I heard the faint rattle of wheels as the carriage drove off into the night.

它就这么开走了。

Off off it went.

所以，这是第三部分的总结：前往那栋房子的奇异旅程。

So here's a summary of part three, the strange journey to the house.

所以哈弗利在深夜乘火车前往伊福德。

So Haverly travels by train to Iford late at night.

他换了好几趟火车。

He takes several trains.

他需要换乘，前往不同的车站。

He has to change trains, change to different stations.

他最终在深夜抵达了伊福德。

He ends up at Iford late at night.

斯塔克接了他。

Stark meets him.

车站里除了站台上的站务员，就只有他们两人，站务员手里提着灯笼站着或坐着。

They are alone in the station except for the station porter who stands or sits with his lantern on the station platform.

但斯塔克立刻带他上了由一匹马拖着的马车。

But Stark meets him and immediately rushes him into a carriage pulled by a single horse.

福尔摩斯问起那匹马的情况。

Holmes asked about the condition of the horse.

他问，那马看起来是疲惫的，还是精神饱满的？

He was like, did it look tired or was it fresh?

哈瑟利说，那马看起来像是刚休息好的。

Hatherley said that it seemed to be fresh.

它看起来不累。

It didn't look tired.

然后马车拉着他们行驶了大约一个小时，窗帘放下来，窗户是磨砂的。

The carriage then rides for about an hour with the blinds down and frosted windows.

如果窗户是磨砂的，就意味着你几乎看不清外面。

If windows are frosted, it means you can't really see through them.

光线能透进来，但你无法透过窗户看清外面。

They let light through, but you can't see through them through them.

磨砂不是因为结冰，而是设计成这样，就是为了让你看不清外面。

Frosted, not by not by ice, but just they're designed that way so you can't see through.

所以窗帘是放下的。

So the blinds were down.

窗户是磨砂的。

The windows were frosted.

他看不到外面。

He couldn't see outside.

最终，他们到达了一座孤立的大型乡村别墅。

Eventually, they arrived at a large isolated country house.

现在我们继续第四部分。

And now we continue with part four.

里面一片漆黑。

It was pitch black inside.

上校在黑暗中摸索着火柴，嘴里嘟囔着。

The colonel fumbled around for matches, muttering under his breath.

突然，走廊尽头的一扇门打开了，一束金色的光线洒向我们。

Then suddenly, a door at the far end of the hallway opened, and a beam of golden light spilled out towards us.

一位女士出现了，头顶着一盏灯。

A woman appeared holding a lamp above her head.

她向前倾身，眯着眼睛打量我们。

She leaned forward, squinting to see us.

她年轻漂亮，灯光照在她深色的裙子上，让我意识到那布料很昂贵。

She was young and pretty, and the way the light reflected off her dark dress told me the fabric was expensive.

她用一种外语说了些什么，听起来像是在问问题。

She said something in a foreign language sounding like she was asking a question.

当上校用粗哑的声音回应时，她猛地一惊，差点把灯掉在地上。

When the colonel replied with a gruff word, she jumped so suddenly that she nearly dropped the lamp.

他赶紧走到她身边，在她耳边低语了几句，然后轻轻把她推回她出来的房间。

He hurried to her, whispered something in her ear, then gently pushed her back into the room she'd come from.

接着，他拿着灯回来，转向我。

Then he returned with the lamp and turned to me.

你介意在这里等几分钟吗？

Would you mind waiting in here for a few minutes?

他说着，打开了另一扇门。

He said, opening another door.

我走进了一个小房间，陈设简单，中间放着一张圆桌，桌上散落着几本德语书籍。

I stepped into a small, simply furnished room with a round table in the middle and some German books scattered across it.

他把灯放在门边的簧风琴上，说：‘我不会耽搁太久’，然后便消失在黑暗的走廊里。

He placed the lamp on a harmonium next to the door, and he said, I will not be long before vanishing into the dark hallway.

我瞥了一眼那些书。

I glanced at the books.

其中有两本看起来像是科学著作。

Two looked like scientific texts.

其他的则是德语诗歌。

The others were German poetry.

我走到窗边，想弄清楚自己身在何处，但窗户被一扇厚重的橡木窗板遮住了，而且从里面上了锁。

I went over to the window hoping to get a sense of where I was, but it was blocked by a heavy oak shutter, and it was bolted closed.

厚重的橡木窗板。

Heavy oak shutter.

这是安装在窗户前面的木制遮板。

These are wooden covers that go over the front of a window.

所以那些百叶窗是关着的，窗户还用金属栓牢牢锁住了。

So they were the shutters were closed, and the the the window was bolted with metal bolts.

所以他打不开窗户，也看不到外面。

So he couldn't open the window and couldn't see outside.

那所房子里的寂静令人毛骨悚然。

The silence in that house was eerie.

我能听到 somewhere 有一座老钟在滴答作响，但再无其他声音。

I could hear an old clock ticking somewhere, but nothing else.

这种安静如此彻底，让人不安。

The quiet was so complete, it was unsettling.

我开始感到越来越不安。

I started to feel increasingly uneasy.

这些人究竟是谁？

Who were these people?

他们到底为什么在这片荒无人烟的地方？

What were they really doing here in the middle of nowhere?

我到底在哪里？

And where was I exactly?

我知道自己是从伊福德出发走了大约十英里，但具体是哪个方向？

I knew I'd come about 10 miles from Eyford, but in which direction?

是北边，还是南边？

North, south?

我完全不知道。

I had no idea.

阅读镇和其他大城市可能就在附近，但仅凭这寂静，我就确信我们身处乡下。

Reading and other large towns might have been nearby, but from the silence alone, I was sure we were in the countryside.

我来回在房间里走动，轻声哼着曲子，好让自己振作起来。

I walked back and forth across the room humming a tune softly to keep my spirits up.

那时，我觉得自己这五十几尼的酬金真是每一分钱都赚得值。

At that point, I felt like I was earning every penny of my 50 guinea fee.

突然间，门无声无息地缓缓打开了。

Suddenly, without a sound, the door opened slowly.

我之前见过的那个女人站在门口。

The woman I'd seen earlier stood in the doorway.

她身后是走廊的黑暗，灯光映照出她焦虑而美丽的面容。

The darkness of the hall behind her, the lamp's light illuminating her anxious, beautiful face.

她非常害怕。

She was terrified.

我立刻就看出来了。

I could see it instantly.

她表情中的恐惧让我脊背发凉。

The fear in her expression sent a chill down my spine.

她抬起颤抖的手指放在唇边，示意我安静。

She raised a trembling finger to her lips to signal silence.

然后她用断断续续的英语低声说，眼睛像受惊的动物一样紧张地瞥向身后。

Then she whispered in broken English, her eyes darting nervously behind her like a frightened animal.

她说，我会走的。

I would go, she said softly.

我不会留下。

I would not stay.

这对你没好处。

It is no good for you.

但夫人，我回答说，我还没完成我来这里的任务。

But, madam, I replied, I haven't done what I came here to do.

我没见到那台机器就不能走。

I can't leave without seeing the machine.

不值得，她急切地说。

It is not worth it, she said urgently.

现在就走。

Go now.

你可以从那扇门出去。

You can go through the door.

没人会拦你。

No one will stop you.

我微笑着摇了摇头，她似乎变得绝望了。

I smiled and shook my head, and she seemed to become desperate.

她向前迈了一步，搓着双手。

She stepped forward, wringing her hands.

这就像她因为太过焦虑而不停地搓手。

That's like rubbing her hands together because she feels so anxious.

她低声说：看在上天的份上，趁还来得及赶紧走吧。

For the love of heaven, she whispered, leave before it is too late.

但我的天性相当固执，越是有人警告我不要做某事，我就越下定决心要做。

But I can be quite stubborn by nature, and the more someone warns me off something, the more determined I become.

我想起了我长途跋涉而来，承诺给我的报酬，以及如果不完成工作就离开该有多愚蠢。

I thought of the long journey I'd made, the money I'd been promised, and how foolish it would be to leave without finishing the job.

这位女士可能只是身体不适，或者太过激动了。

This woman might just be unwell or maybe overexcited.

所以，尽管心中不安，我还是坚持站着，并说我会留下来。

So despite my unease, I stood my ground and said I would stay.

她正要再次恳求时，楼上突然传来一声门响，我们听到上方有脚步声靠近。

She was about to plead again when a door slammed upstairs, and we heard footsteps approaching from above.

她听了一秒，绝望地举起双手，一言不发地消失在黑暗中。

She listened for a second, threw up her hands in despair, and vanished into the darkness without another word.

这是对那一部分的简要总结。

Here's a quick summary of that part.

这是那个女人的警告。

This is the woman's warning.

于是，在房子里，哈蒂莉被斯塔克独自留在了一个房间里。

So inside the house, Hathily is left in a room by Stark.

他把她关在这个房间里，然后她短暂地看到了之前在门口出现过的那个女人。

He keep puts him in this room, and then he briefly sees the woman that had appeared at the doorway earlier.

显然，这个女人和斯塔克是一起的。

Apparently, this woman is with Stark.

她认识他之类的，但她看起来非常害怕。

She knows him or whatever, but she seems very scared.

她显得非常焦虑、恐惧和害怕。

She seems very anxious and terrified and frightened.

当斯塔克让哈瑟利独自一人时，她偷偷回到房间，恳求他立即离开。

And when Stark leaves Hatherley alone, she secretly comes back to him in the room and begs him to leave immediately.

你必须走，她说。

You must go, she says.

她说他的生命有危险。

And she says his life is in danger.

现在，任何正常人在这种情况下，我想你和我都会觉得，没错。

Now any normal person in this situation, I think you and I would probably, at this point, be like, right.

我已经受够了。

I've had enough of this.

我要走了。

I'm out of here.

这才是正常人该做的事。

That would be the normal thing to do.

但不，这是一个充满悬念和刺激的故事。

But, no, this is this is a suspenseful, thrilling story.

正如我们所知，在这类故事中，就像恐怖电影一样，恐怖电影里的所有角色从来不会做正确的事。

And as we know, in this kind of story, just like in horror films, All characters in horror films, they never do the right thing.

面对明显而直接的危险，他们总是径直走向危险。

And in the face of clear obvious danger, they will always just walk straight into it.

对吧？

Right?

如果你在森林里的一间小木屋里，听到奇怪而可怕的声响，你应该怎么做？

If, you know, you're in a you're you're you're in a cabin in the forest and you hear strange frightening noises, what should you do?

锁上门，待在里面？

Lock the door and stay inside?

不。

No.

我们出去到森林里去看看吧。

Let's go outside into the forest, investigate.

同样地，哈弗利虽然被告知生命有危险，也看到了所有其他警示信号，但他仍执意继续前行。

In a in a similar way, Haverly here, despite being told his life is in danger and despite all the other red flags, he he's determined to just keep going.

所以他无视警告，因为他想要钱，也想完成这项工作。

So he ignores the warning because he wants his money, and he wants to finish the job.

那么，不管怎样，我们现在继续第五部分。

So, anyway, let's continue now with part five.

好的，各位。

Okay, everyone.

我们开始吧。

Here we go.

过了一会儿，上校回来了，这次带着一个矮胖、满脸浓密胡须的男人，胡须遮住了他圆润的脸。

A moment later, the colonel returned, this time accompanied by a short, thick set man with a bushy beard that covered his round face.

这就像一个身材矮小但看起来很强壮的人，也许个子不高但体格健硕，脸上长满了浓密的胡须。

This is like a short sort of strong looking, maybe large large but short man, with a bushy beard all over his face.

上校向他做了介绍。

The colonel introduced him.

这位是弗格森先生，我的秘书兼经理，”他用一种很可疑的口音说道。

This is mister Ferguson, my secretary and manager, he said in a very dodgy accent.

顺便说一句，我以为我之前已经把门关上了。

By the way, I thought I'd closed this door earlier.

你一定是打开的。

You must have opened it.

你大概感觉到有风了。

You probably felt a draft.

没错，我说。

Exactly, I said.

是的。

Yeah.

是我自己打开的，因为房间感觉闷得慌。

I opened it myself because the the room felt stuffy.

他又给了我一个怀疑的眼神。

He gave me one of those suspicious looks again.

那么，我们开始谈正事吧？

Well, shall we get down to business?

他说。

He said.

弗格森先生和我将带你去看看那台机器。

Mister Ferguson and I will take you to see the machine.

让我先拿一下我的帽子，我说。

Let me just get my hat first, I said.

不用。

No.

没必要戴帽子。

There is no need for that.

那台机器就在房子里。

The machine is located inside the house.

什么？

What?

你在室内挖得像大地一样深？

You dig full as earth indoors?

不。

No.

不。

No.

这里是我们压缩的地方。

This is where we compress it.

来，过来看看。

Just come and have a look.

我们只需要你指出哪里有问题，这件事就结束了。

All we need is your opinion on what is wrong, and that will be the end of it.

我们都上了楼，斯塔克上校提着灯走在前面，弗格森先生和我跟在后面。

We all headed upstairs, colonel Stark leading the way with the lamp, mister Ferguson and I following behind.

这房子像迷宫一样。

The house was like a maze.

走廊曲折蜿蜒。

The corridors twisted and turned.

楼梯狭窄而盘旋，门也很小，门槛已被磨平。

The stairs were narrow and winding, and the doors were small with worn down thresholds.

楼上没有地毯，也没有家具，墙壁多处剥落，绿色的潮气渗出。

There was no carpet, no furniture above the Ground Floor, and the walls were crumbling in places with green patches of damp seeping through.

所以这是一栋非常古老、结构松散、状况糟糕的屋子，相当阴森。

So this is a very old kind of rambling house, in bad condition, quite a creepy place.

我努力保持冷静，装作这一切都无关紧要，但我记起了那位女士的警告，仔细观察着我的两位向导。

I tried to stay calm and act like none of this bothered me, but I remembered the woman's warning and watched my two guides carefully.

弗格森话不多。

Ferguson didn't say much.

尽管他显得脾气暴躁、孤僻，但说他脾气暴躁其实也谈不上特别不友好。

And though he seemed surly and withdrawn so surly is, like, not particularly, pleasant in his behavior.

他看起来有点粗鲁、孤僻，基本上不太说话，有点内向。

He seemed a bit sort of, like, rude maybe and withdrawn, basically not talking very much, sort of introverted.

粗鲁、内向、安静，不太会讨好别人。

Rude, introverted, quiet, not particularly ingratiating.

所以，尽管他看起来脾气暴躁又孤僻，但我从他的口音判断，他可能是英国人。

So even though he seemed surly and withdrawn, I could tell from his accent, he was probably English.

在这个故事里，这本该让你想：哦，那他可能还不错。

Now in the story, that supposed to make you go, oh, he's probably alright then.

所以，尽管他看起来有点凶，不怎么友善，但他有英国口音。

So although he looks kind of, like, mean and not very nice and not friendly, he's got an English accent.

所以，嗯，这大概让人松了口气。

So, well, that's prob what a relief.

最终，斯塔克上校在一道矮门前停了下来，用口袋里的钥匙打开了门。

Eventually, colonel Stark stopped at a low door, which he unlocked with a key from his pocket.

里面是一个小小的方形房间， barely 够我们三个人站下。

Inside was a tiny square room, barely big enough for the three of us.

费格森留在外面，而上校带我进了房间。

Ferguson stayed outside while the colonel led me in.

我们现在，上校说道，实际上就在液压机内部。

We are now, said the colonel, actually inside the hydraulic press.

这个腔室就在活塞的正下方。

This chamber is directly beneath the piston.

如果有人在我们还在里面时启动机器，我们就会被压得像煎饼一样扁。

If someone were to start the machine while we were in here, it would crush us flat like a pancake.

天花板就是活塞的底部。

The the ceiling is the bottom of the piston.

它以巨大的力量压向金属地板。

It comes down with enormous force onto the metal floor.

压力通过气缸内的水进行传导。

The pressure is channeled through water inside cylinders.

你当然应该熟悉液压工艺。

You will, of course, be familiar with the hydraulic process.

我很喜欢斯塔克向液压工程师解释液压机工作原理的方式。

I love the way Stark is explaining how a hydraulic press works to the hydraulic engineer.

显然，他这么做是为了让我们理解这个系统的工作原理。

Obviously, he's doing that so that we understand how the system works.

但基本上，他们就在这个房间里。

But, basically, they're in the room.

他们实际上就在液压机内部。

They're actually inside the hydraulic press.

天花板就是活塞，那个往下压的部分。

The ceiling is the the piston, the part that comes down.

这正是这个房间的真正天花板，它会往下压，撞上金属地板，把下面的东西压扁。

That is the actual ceiling of this room, and it comes down, and onto the metal floor and squashes whatever is underneath it.

据称，他们用这个来把膨润土压成砖块，以便后续包装和运输。

This is apparently what they use to make bricks out of the fuller's earth so that they can then package it and transport it.

对。

Right.

他说压力是通过气缸内的水来传递的。

He says the pressure is channeled through water inside cylinders.

当然，您对液压过程很熟悉。

You will, of course, be familiar with the hydraulic process.

这个机制是有效的，但存在一些僵硬，我们注意到压力有所下降。

The mechanism works, but there is a stiffness in it, and we've noticed a drop in pressure.

我们希望您检查一下，告诉我们哪里出了问题。

We want you to have a look and tell us what is wrong.

就是这样。

That is all.

我从他手里接过灯，仔细检查了机器。

I took the lamp from him and inspected the machinery closely.

它非常庞大，显然是为了产生巨大的力量而建造的。

It was enormous and clearly built to exert a tremendous amount of force.

在检查了内部结构后，我走到外面，测试了杠杆和控制装置。

After examining the inner workings, I stepped outside and tested the levers, the controls.

我立刻听到了水从某处泄漏的轻微嘶嘶声。

I could immediately hear the soft whish of water leaking somewhere.

这意味着压力正在泄漏。

It meant pressure was escaping.

所以当他尝试操作并检查时，他能听到机器某处有水泄漏的声音，这表明压力正在泄漏。

So when he tries the when he tries it to he investigates it, he tries to make it work and he can hear the sound of water leaking from part of the machine, which meant that there was pressure escaping.

他继续说。

He continues.

我把问题追溯到其中一个橡胶垫圈，也就是活塞里的那个小橡胶部件。

I traced the problem to one of the rubber washers, the little rubber part in the in in one of the pistons.

垫圈是一种帮助零件紧密配合的部件。

A washer is something that helps the parts fit together.

这个垫圈是橡胶做的。

This one was made of rubber.

他说，它已经收缩到不足以紧密密封其安装位置，导致水渗漏。

He said, it had shrunk just enough that no longer properly sealed its socket, letting the water leak through.

这显然是问题所在。

That was clearly the issue.

有个小泄漏。

There's little leak.

我向上校和弗格森详细解释了情况，他们认真倾听，并提出了关于如何修复的精明技术问题。

I explained everything to the colonel and Ferguson, and they both listened attentively, asking smart technical questions about how to fix it.

对。

Right.

我们继续吧。

Let's carry on.

在向他们提完建议后，我回到车间，满足自己的好奇心。

After I finished advising them, I went back into the chamber to satisfy my own curiosity.

这台机器又大又强劲。

The machine was so large and powerful.

我很难相信它只是用来压缩膨润土的。

I found it hard to believe it was being used just to compress fuller's earth.

墙壁是木制的，但地板是一整条坚固的铁槽。

The walls were wooden, but the floor was made of a solid iron trough.

一个实心的铁制东西。

A solid iron thing.

也许那里有什么东西可以运送某些东西。

Maybe there's a that might carry something.

总之，地板是由一个实心的铁槽制成的。

Anyway, the the floor was made of a solid iron trough.

当我仔细检查时，发现上面布满了一层金属残留物。

And when I inspected it closely, I noticed a crust of metallic residue all over it.

所以，像一些金属碎片，可能是残留物，就是金属制品加工后留下的那种金属残留。

So, like, bits of metal, maybe residue, like metal that's left after something has been made with metal or something.

所以地上有某种金属物质的残余。

So the remains of something metallic on the ground.

我弯下腰去刮开那层硬壳，想看得更清楚些，就在这时，突然听到身后有人用德语低声说了句话。

I bent down to scrape at the crust and get a better look when I suddenly heard a muttered word in German behind me.

我抬头一看，只见斯塔克上校苍白而凹陷的脸正冷冷地盯着我。

I looked up to see colonel Stark's pale, hollow face glaring down at me.

你在干什么？

What are you doing?

他严厉地问道。

He asked sharply.

我感到一股怒火涌上心头。

I felt a surge of anger.

我竟然被这个关于满是泥土的荒唐故事骗了。

I'd been taken in by this ridiculous story about full as earth.

我只是在欣赏你的满是泥土，我冷冷地说。

I was just admiring your full as earth, I said coldly.

如果我能明白这台机器真正的用途，就能给你更好的建议。

I can give you better advice if I understand what the machine's really used for.

我说出那些话的瞬间，就后悔了。

The moment I said those words, I regretted it.

他的脸瞬间僵硬，眼中闪过一丝凶光。

His face turned to stone, and a nasty glint appeared in his in his eyes.

很好，他说。

Very well, he said.

你会知道它到底用来做什么的。

You'll find out exactly what it is used for.

说完，他退后一步，砰地一声在我身后关上小门，咔哒一声锁上了。

With that, he stepped back, slammed the little door behind me, and locked it with a snap.

我冲向门，摇晃把手，踢打推搡，但门很坚固，纹丝不动。

I lunged at the door, rattling the handle, kicking and shoving it, but it was solid and didn't budge.

嘿，我喊道。

Hey, I shouted.

上校，放我出去。

Colonel, let me out.

接着，在突如其来的寂静中，我听到了一种令我毛骨悚然、喉头哽咽的声音。

Then in the sudden silence, I heard something that froze my blood and put a lump in my throat.

气瓶泄漏的嘶嘶声，以及机器启动时沉重的咔哒声。

The hiss of the leaking cylinder, and the heavy clank of the machine starting up.