Page 444 - 血字的研究·四签名(外研社双语读库) (福尔摩斯探案全集)

out upon his expedition."

“我看这个可能性不大，”我说，“他更有可能在行动以前早已做

了安排。”

"No, I hardly think so. This lair of his would be too
valuable a retreat in case of need for him to give it up until

he was sure that he could do without it. But a second
consideration struck me. Jonathan Small must have felt that
the peculiar appearance of his companion, however much

he may have top-coated him, would give rise to gossip, and
possibly be associated with this Norwood tragedy. He was
quite sharp enough to see that. They had started from their
headquarters under cover of darkness, and he would wish to
get back before it was broad light. Now, it was past three

o'clock, according to Mrs. Smith, when they got the boat. It
would be quite bright, and people would be about in an hour
or so. Therefore, I argued, they did not go very far. They

paid Smith well to hold his tongue, reserved his launch for
the final escape, and hurried to their lodgings with the
treasure-box. In a couple of nights, when they had time to
see what view the papers took, and whether there was any
suspicion, they would make their way under cover of

darkness to some ship at Gravesend or in the Downs, where
no doubt they had already arranged for passages to
America or the Colonies."

“不，我不这么认为。对他来说，万一有什么需要，他这个巢穴是

一个重要的隐蔽处，他绝不会轻易放弃，除非他确知这个巢穴对他已

经毫无用处。然后，我又想到了一点。乔纳森·斯莫尔一定会料想到，
他同谋的那副怪相，不管怎么装扮，都会引起别人说长道短，并且可

能会令人联系到诺伍德惨案上去。他这么聪明，能够想到这一点。他
们趁着天黑才从老巢出发，他肯定希望在天明以前赶回去。根据史密

斯太太所说，他们在史密斯码头上船的时候是三点钟。再过一个多钟
头，天就要大亮，行人也多了。所以我认为，他们不会走得太远。他

们给了史密斯不少钱，叫他不要声张，预订下他的船，以备最后逃