The Speckled Band

斑点带子案

On glancing over my notes of the seventy odd cases in which I have during the last eight years studied the methods of my friend Sherlock Holmes,

八年来，我研究了我的朋友歇洛克·福尔摩斯的破案方法，记录了七十多个案例，我粗略地翻阅一下这些案例的记录，

I find many tragic, some comic, a large number merely strange, but none commonplace;

发现许多案例是悲剧性的，也有一些是喜剧性的，其中很大一部分仅仅是离奇古怪而已，但是却没有一例是平淡无奇的。

for, working as he did rather for the love of his art than for the acquirement of wealth,

这是因为，他做工作与其说是为了获得酬金，还不如说是出于对他那门技艺的爱好，

he refused to associate himself with any investigation which did not tend towards the unusual, and even the fantastic.

除了显得独特或甚至于是近乎荒诞无稽的案情外，他对其它案情从来是不屑一顾，拒不参与任何侦查的。

Of all these varied cases, however,

可是，在所有这些变化多端的案例中，

I cannot recall any which presented more singular features than that which was associated with the well-known Surrey family of the Roylotts of Stoke Moran.

我却回忆不起有哪一例会比萨里郡斯托克莫兰的闻名的罗伊洛特家族那一例更具有异乎寻常的特色了。

The events in question occurred in the early days of my association with Holmes,

现在谈论的这件事，发生在我和福尔摩斯交往的早期，

when we were sharing rooms as bachelors in Baker Street.

那时，我们都是单身汉，在贝克街合住一套寓所。

It is possible that I might have placed them upon record before,

本来我早就可以把这件事记录下来，

but a promise of secrecy was made at the time,

但是，当时我曾作出严守秘密的保证，

from which I have only been freed during the last month by the untimely death of the lady to whom the pledge was given.

直至上月，由于我为之作出过保证的那位女士不幸过早地逝世，方始解除了这种约束。

It is perhaps as well that the facts should now come to light,

现在，大概是使真相大白于天下的时候了，

for I have reasons to know that there are widespread rumours as to the death of Dr. Grimesby Roylott

因为我确实知道，外界对于格里姆斯比·罗伊洛特医生之死流传着各种谣言，

which tend to make the matter even more terrible than the truth.

这些谣言使得这桩事情变得比实际情况更加骇人听闻。