Page 30 - 血字的研究·四签名(外研社双语读库) (福尔摩斯探案全集)

He was not studying medicine. He had himself, in reply
to a question, confirmed Stamford's opinion upon that point.

Neither did he appear to have pursued any course of
reading which might fit him for a degree in science or any
other recognized portal which would give him an entrance
into the learned world. Yet his zeal for certain studies was
remarkable, and within eccentric limits his knowledge was

so extraordinarily ample and minute that his observations
have fairly astounded me. Surely no man would work so
hard or attain such precise information unless he had some

definite end in view. Desultory readers are seldom
remarkable for the exactness of their learning. No man
burdens his mind with small matters unless he has some
very good reason for doing so.

他并不是在研究医学。在回答我的一个问题时，他亲自确认了斯
坦福德在这一点上的说法是正确的。他也不像在攻读任何能使他获得

科学学位的课程，或争取其他任何已知的能让他进入学术界的途径。
但他对某些知识领域有着极大的热情，在某些稀奇古怪的领域内，他

的学识异常渊博、精准，以至于常常语出惊人。我能肯定，没有人会
去如此辛勤地工作或者去获取如此精确的知识，除非他有一个特定的

目的。漫无目的的读书者很少能以他们知识的精确性而著称。没有人
愿意在细枝末节上耗费精力，除非他有某种充分的理由去这样做。

His ignorance was as remarkable as his knowledge. Of
contemporary literature, philosophy and politics he
appeared to know next to nothing. Upon my quoting
Thomas Carlyle, he inquired in the naivest way who he

might be and what he had done. My surprise reached a
climax, however, when I found incidentally that he was
ignorant of the Copernican Theory and of the composition of
the Solar System. That any civilized human being in this

nineteenth century should not be aware that the earth
travelled round the sun appeared to be to me such an
extraordinary fact that I could hardly realize it.