完全可以说，这八年来各种公办的疑难著名案件，没有一件不请教福尔摩斯的。
It can be said that in the past eight years, there have been all kinds of difficult and famous public cases, all of which have not been consulted by Holmes.
还有千百件私人 案件，其中许多是十分错综复杂并具有特色的，福尔摩斯也在其中起了重要作用。
There are also thousands of private cases, many of which are very complicated and distinctive, and Holmes also played an important role in them
许多惊人的成就和一些不可避免的失败是这一漫长时期连续工作的结果。
Many amazing achievements and some inevitable failures are the result of this long period of continuous work.
由于我对 这些案件有闻必录，其中的许多案件我自己也亲身参加过，可以想象，要弄清我应该选择哪些来公之于众，这不是一件容易的事。
As I know all about these cases, and I have participated in many of them myself, it is not easy to figure out which ones I should choose to make public.
然而，我可以按照我从前的作法， 优先选择那些不是以犯罪的凶残著称，而是以结案的巧妙和戏剧性而引人入胜的案件。
However, according to my previous practice, I can give priority to those cases that are not famous for the ferocity of crimes, but fascinating for their clever and dramatic closing.
由于这个原因，我就选择了有关维奥莱特·史密斯小姐，查林顿的孤身骑车人 一事，以及我们调查到的奇异结局，这个结局以出人意料的悲剧而告终。
For this reason, I chose the story about Miss violette Smith, the lone cyclist in Charrington, and the strange ending we investigated, which ended in an unexpected tragedy.
现在我就把情况介绍给读者。
I'll introduce the situation to readers now.
诚然，这些事对我朋友那因以扬名的才能并没有增添什么异 彩，可是这件案子却有几点非常突出，不同于我从中收集资料写成了这些小故事的那些长期犯罪记录。
Admittedly, these things didn't add any color to my friend's famous talent, but there are several outstanding points in this case, which are different from the long-term criminal records from which I collected information and wrote these short stories.

我翻阅了一八九五年的笔记，查出是四月二十三日，星期六，我们第一次听维奥莱特·史密斯谈自己的事。
I looked through the notes of 1895, and found out that it was Saturday, April 23rd, when we first heard violette Smith talk about himself.
我记得福尔摩斯对她的来访极不欢迎，因为那时他正全神贯注于一件十分难解的错综复杂的问题，这个问题涉及著名的烟草大王约翰·文森特·哈登所遭遇的特殊难题。
I remember that Holmes was extremely unwelcome to her visit, because at that time he was absorbed in a very complicated problem, which involved a special problem encountered by the famous tobacco king John Vincent Harden.
我的朋友最喜欢的事就是准确和思想集中，在办手头的事情时，最厌烦别的事来打扰他。
My friend's favorite thing is accuracy and concentration, and when he is doing what he is doing, he is most tired of other things disturbing him.

尽管如此，但他生性并不固执生硬，不可能拒绝那位身材苗条、仪态万方、神色庄重的美貌姑娘来讲述她的遭遇，何况她又是在这么晚的晚上亲自来贝克街恳请他帮助和指点的。
Nevertheless, he is not stubborn and stiff by nature, and he can't refuse the slim, graceful and solemn beautiful girl to tell her story. Besides, she personally came to Baker Street at this late night to ask him for help and advice.
尽管福尔摩斯声明时间已经排满，但也无济于事，因为那姑娘下定决心非讲不可。
Although Holmes declared that the time was full, it didn't help, because the girl was determined to speak.
很明显，她不达到目的，要想使她离开除非动武。
Obviously, she didn't achieve her goal, and if she wanted to leave, she had to use force.
福尔摩斯显出无可奈何的神色，勉强地笑了笑，请那位美丽的不速之客坐下，把她遇到的麻烦事如实地讲给我们听。
Holmes looked helpless, smiled reluctantly, and asked the beautiful uninvited guest to sit down and tell us the truth about her troubles.

“至少不会是一件有碍你身体健康的事，"福尔摩斯用那双敏锐的眼睛把她周身打量了一番说道，“象你这样爱骑车的人，一定是精力充沛的。”
"At least it won't be an obstacle to your health," Holmes said, looking around her with his keen eyes, "a cyclist like you must be full of energy."

“是的，我经常骑自行车，福尔摩斯先生，我今天来拜访你，正是和骑车的事情有关系呢。”
"Yes, I often ride a bike, Mr. Holmes, I'm here to visit you today, it's related to cycling."
我的朋友拿起这姑娘没戴手套的那只手，象科学家看标本那样，全神贯注而不动声色地检查着。
My friend picked up the girl's glove-free hand, and examined it with the same concentration as a scientist's specimen.

“我相信，你会原谅我的。
"I believe that you will forgive me.
这是我的业务，"福尔摩斯把姑娘的手放下，说道，"我几乎错把你当成打字员了。
This is my business, "Holmes said, putting down the girl's hand" I almost mistook you for a typist.
显而易见，你当然是一位音乐家。
Obviously, of course you are a musician.
华生，你注意到那两种职业所共有的勺形指端吗？
Watson, have you noticed the spoon-shaped finger tips shared by those two professions?
不过，她脸上有一种风采，"那女子平静地把脸转向亮处，"那是打字员所不具备的。
However, there is a grace in her face, "the woman calmly turned her face to the light," which typists do not have.
所以，这位女士是音乐家。”
So, this lady is a musician. "

是的，福尔摩斯先生，我教音乐。”
Yes, Mr Holmes, I teach music. "
“从你的脸色来看，我想你是在乡下教音乐。”
"From your face, I think you are teaching music in the country."
“是的，先生，靠近法纳姆，在萨里边界。”
"Yes, sir, near Farnham, on the Surrey border."

“是一个好地方，可以使人联想到许多有趣的事情。
"is a good place, can make people think of many interesting things.
华生，你一定记得我们就是在那附近拿获了伪造货币犯阿尔奇·斯坦福德。
Watson, you must remember that we got Archie Stamford, a counterfeiter, near there.
嗯，维奥莱特小姐，靠近法纳姆，在萨里边界，你遇到什么事了？”
Well, Miss violette, near Farnham, on the Surrey border, what happened to you? "

那位姑娘十分清楚明白、镇静自若地说出下面这一段古怪离奇的事情来： “福尔摩斯先生，我父亲已经去世了。
The girl said the following strange thing clearly and calmly: "Mr Holmes, my father has passed away.
他叫詹姆斯·史密斯，是老帝国剧院的乐队指挥。
His name is james smith, and he is the bandleader of the Old Imperial Theatre.
我和母亲在世上举目无亲，我只有一个叔父，他名叫拉尔夫·史密斯，于二十五年前到非洲去了，从那时期音信全无。
My mother and I have no friends in the world. I only have one uncle, Ralph Smith, who went to Africa twenty-five years ago. I haven't heard from him since then.
父亲死后，我们一譬如洗，可是有一天人家告诉我们，《泰晤士报》登了一则广告，询问我们的下落。
After my father's death, we were washed, but one day, we were told that the Times published an advertisement asking about our whereabouts.

你可以想象我们是多么激动啊，因为我们想这是有人给我们留下遗产了。
You can imagine how excited we are, because we think someone has left us a legacy.
我们立即按报上登的姓名去找那位律师，在那里又遇到了两位先生，卡拉瑟斯和伍德利，他们是从南非回来探家的。
We immediately went to the lawyer according to the name in the newspaper, where we met two gentlemen, carruthers and Woodley, who came back from South Africa to visit their families.
他们说我叔父是他们的朋友，几个月以前在十分贫困中死于约翰内斯堡。
They said that my uncle was their friend and died in Johannesburg a few months ago in extreme poverty.
我叔父临终之前，请他们去找他的亲属，并务必使他的亲属不至穷困潦倒。
Before my uncle died, he asked them to look for his relatives, and made sure that their relatives were not down and out.
这似乎使我们很奇怪，我叔父拉尔夫活着的时候，并不关心我们，而在他死时却那么精心关照我们。
It seems strange to us that my uncle Ralph didn't care about us when he was alive, but took care of us so carefully when he died
可是卡拉瑟斯先生解释说，因为我叔父刚刚听到他哥哥的死讯，所以感到对我们的命运负有重大责任。”
. But Mr. carruthers explained that because my uncle had just heard the news of his brother's death, he felt a great responsibility for our fate. "

“请原谅，"福尔摩斯说道，"你们是什么时候见面的？”
"Excuse me," Holmes said, "when did you meet?"
“去年十二月，已有四个月了。”
"Last December, it has been four months."
“请继续讲下去吧。”
"Please go on."

“我看伍德利先生讨厌得很，他是一个面孔虚胖、一脸红胡子的粗暴的青年，头发披散在额头两边，总是向我挤眉弄眼。
"I think Mr. Woodley is very annoying, he is a rough young man with a puffy face and a red beard, his hair hangs freely on both sides of his forehead and he always winks at me.
我认为他十分可憎，我相信西里尔一定不乐意我认识这个人。”
I think he is very disgusting, and I'm sure Cyril wouldn't like me to know this man. "

“噢，西里尔是他的名字！"福尔摩斯笑容满面地说道。
"Oh, Cyril is his name! "Holmes said with a big smile.
那姑娘满面通红，笑了笑。
The girl blushed and smiled.

“是的，福尔摩斯先生，西里尔·莫顿，是一个电气工程师，我们希望在夏末结婚。
"Yes, Mr. Holmes, Cyril Morton, is an electrical engineer, we hope to get married at the end of summer.
哎呀，我怎么扯其他来了呢？
Oh, why did I bring anything else?
我想说伍德利先生十分讨厌，而那位年纪老些的卡拉瑟斯先生可比较有礼貌。
I want to say that Mr. Woodley is very annoying, while the older Mr. carruthers is more polite.
虽然他脸色土黄，脸刮得光光的，沉默寡言，但举止文雅，笑容可掬。
Although his face is sallow, his face is shaven and he is silent, he is elegant and smiles.
他询问了我们的境况，发现我们很穷困，便要我到他那里教他那十岁的独生女儿。
He inquired about our situation and found that we were very poor, so he asked me to teach his only daughter, who is ten years old.
我说我不愿离开母亲，他说我可以在每周末回家去看她。
I said I didn't want to leave my mother, and he said I could go home to see her every weekend.
他答应给我每年一百镑，这当然是十分优厚的酬金了。
He promised me 100 pounds a year, which is of course a very generous reward.
所以最后我答应了，来到离法纳姆六英里左右的奇尔特恩农庄。
So I finally agreed and came to Chiltern Farm, about six miles from Farnham. Mr. carruthers lost his wife and was widowed.
卡拉瑟斯先生丧妻鳏居，他雇用了一个叫狄克逊太太的女管家来照料家事，这位老妇人老成持重，令人品敬。
He hired a housekeeper named Mrs. Dixon to take care of the family affairs. This old woman is self-serious and admirable.
那个孩子也很可爱，一切也都如意。
That child is also very cute, and everything goes well.
卡拉瑟斯先生十分和善，热衷于音乐，我们晚上在一起过得很高兴，每逢周末我回城里家中看望母亲。
Mr. carruthers is very kind and keen on music. We have a good time together in the evening. Every weekend, I go back to my home in the city to visit my mother.