"No, indeed," I answered brusquely.

我毫不客气地回答道："我不要试。

"My constitution has not got over the Afghan campaign yet.

阿富汗的战役害得我的体质至今没有恢复。

I cannot afford to throw any extra strain upon it."

我再不能摧残它了。"

He smiled at my vehemence. "Perhaps you are right, Watson," he said.

他对我的恼怒，含笑答道："华生，也许你是对的。

"I suppose that its influence is physically a bad one.

我也知道这对于身体是有害的，

I find it, however, so transcendently stimulating and clarifying to the mind

不过我感觉它既有这样强烈的兴奋和醒脑的能力，

that its secondary action is a matter of small moment."

它的副作用也就没有什么重要了。"

"But consider!" I said earnestly. "Count the cost!

我诚恳地说道："可是你也考虑考虑利害得失吧！

Your brain may, as you say, be roused and excited,

你的脑筋也许象你所说的那样，能够因刺激而兴奋起来，

but it is a pathological and morbid process which involves increased tissue-change

然而这究竟是戕害自身的作法。它会引起不断加剧的器官组织变质，

and may at least leave a permanent weakness.

否则至少也会导致长期衰弱，

You know, too, what a black reaction comes upon you.

你也知道这种药所能引起的不良反应，

Surely the game is hardly worth the candle.

实在是得不偿失。

Why should you, for a mere passing pleasure,

你为什么只顾一时的快感，

risk the loss of those great powers with which you have been endowed?

戕害你那天赋的卓越过人的精力呢？

Remember that I speak not only as one comrade to another

你应当知道，我这不仅是从朋友的立场出发，

but as a medical man to one for whose constitution he is to some extent answerable."

而且还是作为一个对你的健康负责的医生而说的话。"

He did not seem offended.

看来，他听了不仅没有生气，

On the contrary, he put his finger-tips together,

反而把十指对顶在一起，

and leaned his elbows on the arms of his chair, like one who has a relish for conversation.

把两肘安放在椅子的扶手上，象是对谈话颇感兴趣的样子。

"My mind," he said, "rebels at stagnation.

他道："我好动不好静

Give me problems, give me work, give me the most abstruse cryptogram,

给我难题，给我工作，给我最深奥的密码，

or the most intricate analysis, and I am in my own proper atmosphere.

这样我才觉得最舒适，给我最复杂的分析工作，

I can dispense then with artificial stimulants.

才不需要人为的刺激。

But I abhor the dull routine of existence.

我非常憎恶平淡的生活，

I crave for mental exaltation.

我追求精神上的兴奋，

That is why I have chosen my own particular profession,

因此我选择了我自己的特殊职业

or rather created it, for I am the only one in the world."

也可以说是我创造了这个职业，因为我是世界上唯一从事这种职业的人。"