"A most painful matter to me, as you can most readily imagine, Mr. Holmes. I have been cut to the quick.
"你很容易就能想象到这是一件对我来说十分痛苦的事,福尔摩斯先生。真叫我痛心疾首。
I understand that you have already managed several delicate cases of this sort, sir,
我知道,先生,你曾经处理过几件这类微妙的案子,
though I presume that they were hardly from the same class of society."
尽管我估计这些案子的委托人的社会地位和这件案子不可同日而语。"
"No, I am descending." "I beg pardon."
"但是,委托人的社会地位是在下降了。""对不起请再说一遍。"
"My last client of the sort was a king."
"我上次这类案子的委托人是一位国王。"
"Oh, really! I had no idea. And which king?"
"噢,真的吗?我没想到,哪位国王?"
"The King of Scandinavia." "What! Had he lost his wife?"
"斯堪的纳维亚国王。" "什么!他的妻子也失踪了吗?"
"You can understand," said Holmes suavely, "that I extend to the affairs of my other clients the same secrecy which I promise to you in yours."
"你明白,"福尔摩斯和蔼地说,"我对其他委托人的事情保守秘密,就象我答应对你的事情保守秘密一样。"
"Of course! Very right! very right! I'm sure I beg pardon.
"当然是这样,很对!很对!一定要请你原谅。
As to my own case, I am ready to give you any information which may assist you in forming an opinion."
至于我这个案子,我准备告诉你一切有助于你作出判断的情况。"
"Thank you. I have already learned all that is in the public prints, nothing more.
"谢谢,我已经看到了报纸上的全部报道,也就是这么些而已。
I presume that I may take it as correct -- this article, for example, as to the disappearance of the bride."
我想,我可以把这些报道看作是属实的,例如这篇有关新娘失踪的报道。"
Lord St. Simon glanced over it. "Yes, it is correct, as far as it goes."
圣西蒙勋爵看了看,"是的,这篇报道所说的情况完全属实。"
"But it needs a great deal of supplementing before anyone could offer an opinion.
"但是,无论是谁在提出他的看法以前,都需要大量的补充材料。
I think that I may arrive at my facts most directly by questioning you." "Pray do so."
我想我可以通过向你提问而直接得到我所要知道的事实。" "请提问吧。"