Page 479 - 血字的研究·四签名(外研社双语读库) (福尔摩斯探案全集)

腿，跛着出了院，我因残废被取消了军籍，也做不了任何动作激烈的

工作。”

"I was, as you can imagine, pretty down on my luck at
this time, for I was a useless cripple, though not yet in my

twentieth year. However, my misfortune, soon proved to be
a blessing in disguise. A man named Abel White, who had
come out there as an indigo-planter, wanted an overseer to
look after his coolies and keep them up to their work. He
happened to be a friend of our colonel's, who had taken an

interest in me since the accident. To make a long story
short, the colonel recommended me strongly for the post,
and, as the work was mostly to be done on horseback, my

leg was no great obstacle, for I had enough thigh left to
keep a good grip on the saddle. What I had to do was to ride
over the plantation, to keep an eye on the men as they
worked, and to report the idlers. The pay was fair, I had
comfortable quarters, and altogether I was content to spend

the remainder of my life in indigo-planting. Mr. Abel White
was a kind man, and he would often drop into my little
shanty and smoke a pipe with me, for white folk out there

feel their hearts warm to each other as they never do here
at home."

“你们可以想象，当时我运气多么坏，还不到二十岁，就已成了无

用的瘸子。可是，不久我却因祸得福。一个叫埃布尔·怀特的人到那里
经营靛青园子，他需要一个人监督靛青园的苦力们，敦促他们工作。

这个园主碰巧是我们团长的一个朋友，自从我遭祸以后，团长就一直
很关照我。长话短说，团长竭力推荐我干这个差事，因为这个工作主

要是骑在马上，我的腿不会有什么障碍，因为我还有两条大腿，能稳
坐在马鞍上。我的工作是在庄园内巡行，监督工人工作，并把偷懒的

工人报告给园主。报酬很不错，住处也舒适，因此，我很愿意一辈子
做这靛青事业。园主埃布尔·怀特先生为人和蔼可亲，常常到我的小屋

里来吸支烟，因为在那里的白种人彼此都很亲近，不像在这里的一
样。”