“‘十分正确。’
"'Quite right.'

“‘你曾经和一个人交往得非常密切，那个人姓名的缩写字母是Ｊ．Ａ．，可是后来，你却极力想把他彻底忘掉。’
"'You used to be very close to a person whose initials were J.A., but then you tried to forget him completely.'

“这时老特雷佛先生慢慢地站起身来，把那双蓝色的大眼睛瞪得圆圆的，用奇怪而疯狂的眼神死盯着我，然后一头向前栽去，他的脸撞在桌布上的硬果壳堆里，昏迷不省人事。
"At this moment, old Mr. Trevor stood up slowly, got his big blue eyes round, stared at me with strange and crazy eyes, and then plunged forward, his face hit the hard shell pile on the tablecloth and he was unconscious.

“华生，你可想而知，当时我和他儿子两人是多么震惊了。
"Watson, you can imagine how shocked my son and I were at that time.

可是，他失去知觉的时间并不长，因为正当我们给他解开衣领，把洗指杯中的冷水浇到他脸上时，他喘了一口气就坐起来了。
However, he didn't lose consciousness for a long time, because just as we untied his collar and poured cold water from the finger washing cup on his face, he gasped and sat up.

“‘啊，孩子们，’他强作笑脸说道，‘但愿没有吓着你们。
"'Oh, children,' he said, trying to smile,' I hope I didn't scare you.
我的外貌看起来很强壮，可是心脏很弱，毫不费力就可使我昏倒。
My appearance looks strong, but my heart is weak, so I can faint easily.
福尔摩斯先生，我不知道你是怎么推断出来的，不过我觉得，那些实际存在的侦探也好，虚构出来的侦探也好，在你手下，都只不过象一些小孩子罢了。
Mr. Holmes, I don't know how you deduced it, but I think that the real detectives, fictional detectives, are just like some children in your hands.
先生，你可以把它做为你一生的职业。
Sir, you can make it your life's career.
你可以记住我这个饱经世事的人所说的话。’
You can remember what I, a man who has experienced the world, said. "

“华生，请你相信这点。
"Watson, please believe this.
当时，搞推断仅仅是我的业余爱好，首先促使我想到这种爱好可以作为终生职业的，就是他的劝告以及对我的能力的言过其实的评价。
At that time, making inferences was just my hobby, first of all, it prompted me to think that this hobby could be a lifelong career, which was his advice and exaggerated evaluation of my ability.
然而，当时，我对东道主突然生病感到非常不安，顾不得去想别的事。
However, at that time, I felt so uneasy about the sudden illness of my host that I couldn't think about anything else.

“‘我希望我没有说什么使你痛苦的话。’我说道。
"'I hope I didn't say anything to make you miserable.' I said.

“‘啊，你当真触到了我的痛处。
"'Ah, you really touched my sore spot.
但我想问一下，你是怎样知道的，你知道了多少情况？’
But I want to ask, how do you know and how much do you know?'
现在他半开玩笑地说道，可是双眼依然残留着惊骇的神情。
Now he says half jokingly, but his eyes still look horrified.

“‘这是很简单的，’我说道，‘那天我们在小艇中，你卷起袖子去捉鱼，我见你胳臂弯上刺着Ｊ．Ａ．二字，字形仍然清晰可辨，但笔划已弄得模糊了。
"'It's very simple,' I said.' When we were in the boat that day, you rolled up your sleeves to catch fish, I saw the word J.A. tattooed on your arm, he glyph was still legible, but the strokes were blurred.
字的四周又染着墨迹，分明后来你曾设法要把那字迹抹去。
There is ink around the words, and it is obvious that you tried to erase the words later.
由此可见这两个缩写字母，你本来十分熟悉，后来却想忘掉它。’
It can be seen from this that you were very familiar with these two abbreviations, but then you wanted to forget them. "

“‘你的眼力好厉害啊！’他放心地松了一口气，说道，‘这事正象你所说的那样。
"'What a great eyesight you have!' He breathed a sigh of relief and said,' It's just like you said.
不过我们不必去谈论它了。
But we don't have to talk about it.
一切鬼魂之中，我们旧相知的阴魂是最 xiong e的。
Among all ghosts, the ghost of our old acquaintance is the most ferocious.
我们到弹子房去安静地吸一支烟吧。’
Let's go to the billiard room and have a quiet cigarette.'

“从那天以后，虽然老特雷佛对我的态度仍然非常亲切，但亲切中总带有几分疑虑。
"From that day on, although old Trevor's attitude towards me is still very cordial, there is always some doubt in his kindness.
这一点连他的儿子也觉察出来了。
Even his son noticed this.

‘你可把爸爸吓了一跳，’小特雷佛说道，‘他再也弄不清，什么事你知道，什么事你不知道了。’
You scared dad,' said little Trevor.' He can't figure out what you know and what you don't.'
依我看，老特雷佛虽然不愿流露出他的疑虑，但他心里的疑虑却非常强烈，一举一动都隐约流露出来。
In my opinion, although old Trevor doesn't want to reveal his doubts, his doubts are very strong and his every move is faintly revealed.
我终于确信是我引起了他的不安，便决定向他们告辞。
I was finally convinced that I had caused his uneasiness, so I decided to say goodbye to them.
可是就在我离开的前一天，发生了一件小事，这事后来证明是非常重要的。
But just the day before I left, a little thing happened, which turned out to be very important.

“那时我们三个人坐在花园草坪的椅子上晒太阳，欣赏布罗德的景色，一个女仆走过来说有一个人在门外求见老特雷佛先生。
"At that time, the three of us were sitting in the chairs on the garden lawn basking in the sun and enjoying the view of Broad, a maid came up and said that there was a man outside the door asking for an audience with old Mr. Trevor.

“‘他叫什么名字？’我的东道主问道。
"'What's his name?' My host asked.