Chapter 1

第一章
MR. SHERLOCK HOLMES

歇洛克·福尔摩斯先生
IN THE YEAR 1878,I took my degree of Doctor of Medicine of the University of London,
一八七八年我在伦敦大学获得医学博士学位以后，
and proceeded to Netley to go through the course prescribed for surgeons in the Army.
就到内特黎去进修军医的必修课程。
Having completed my studies there, I was duly attached to the Fifth Northumberland Fusiliers as assistant surgeon.
我在那里读完了我的课程以后，立刻就被派往诺桑伯兰第五明火枪团充当军医助理。
The regiment was stationed in India at the time, and before I could join it, the second Afghan war had broken out.
这个团当时驻扎在印度。在我还没有赶到部队以前，第二次阿富汗战役就爆发了。
On landing at Bombay, I learned that my corps had advanced through the passes, and was already deep in the enemy's country.
我在孟买上岸的时候，听说我所属的那个部队已经穿过山隘，向前挺进，深入敌境了。
I followed, however, with many other officers who were in the same situation as myself,
虽然如此，我还是跟着一群和我一样掉队的军官赶上前去，
and succeeded in reaching Candahar in safety, where I found my regiment, and at once entered upon my new duties.
平安地到达了坎达哈。我在那里找到了我的团，马上担负起我的新职务。
The campaign brought honours and promotion to many, but for me it had nothing but misfortune and disaster.
这次战役给许多人带来了升迁和荣誉，但是带给我的却只是不幸和灾难。
I was removed from my brigade and attached to the Berkshires, with whom I served at the fatal battle of Maiwand.
我在被转调到巴克州旅以后，就和这个旅一起参加了迈旺德那场决死的激战。
There I was struck on the shoulder by a Jezail bullet, which shattered the bone and grazed the subclavian artery.
在这次战役中，我的肩部中了一粒捷则尔枪弹，打碎了肩骨，擦伤了锁骨下面的动脉。
I should have fallen into the hands of the murderous Ghazis had it not been for the devotion and courage shown by Murray, my orderly,
若不是我那忠勇的勤务兵摩瑞把我抓起来扔到一匹驮马的背上，
who threw me across a pack- horse, and succeeded in bringing me safely to the British lines.
安全地把我带回英国阵地来，我就要落到那些残忍的嘎吉人的手中了。
Worn with pain, and weak from the prolonged hardships which I had undergone,
创痛使我形销骨立，再加上长期的辗转劳顿，使我更加虚弱不堪。
I was removed, with a great train of wounded sufferers, to the base hospital at Peshawar.
于是我就和一大批伤员一起，被送到了波舒尔的后方医院。
Here I rallied, and had already improved so far as to be able to walk about the wards,
在那里，我的健康状况大大好转起来，可是当我已经能够在病房中稍稍走动，
and even to bask a little upon the veranda, when I was struck down by enteric fever, that curse of our Indian possessions.
甚至还能在走廊上晒一会儿太阳的时候，我又病倒了，染上了我们印度属地的那种倒霉疫症---伤寒。
For months my life was despaired of, and when at last I came to myself and became convalescent,
有好几个月，我都是昏迷不醒，奄奄一息。最后我终于恢复了神智，逐渐痊愈起来。
I was so weak and emaciated that a medical board determined that not a day should be lost in sending me back to England.
但是病后我的身体十分虚弱、憔悴，因此经过医生会诊后，决定立即将我送回英国，一天也不许耽搁。
I was despatched, accordingly, in the troopship Orontes, and landed a month later on Portsmouth jetty, with my health irretrievably ruined,
于是，我就乘运兵船"奥仑梯兹号"被遣送回国。一个月以后，我便在普次茅斯的码头登岸了。那时我的健康几乎达到难以恢复的地步。
but with permission from a paternal government to spend the next nine months in attempting to improve it.
但是，好心的政府给了我九个月的假期，使我将养身体。
I had neither kith nor kin in England, and was therefore as free as air
我在英国无亲无友，所以就象空气一样的自由；
or as free as an income of eleven shillings and sixpence a day will permit a man to be.
或者说是象一个每天收入十一先令六便士的人那样逍遥自在。
Under such circumstances I naturally gravitated to London,
在这种情况下，我很自然地就被吸引进伦敦这个大污水坑里去，
that great cesspool into which all the loungers and idlers of the Empire are irresistibly drained.
大英帝国所有的游民懒汉也都是汇集到这里来的。
There I stayed for some time at a private hotel in the Strand, leading a comfortless, meaningless existence,
我在伦敦河滨马路上的一家公寓里住了一些时候，过着既不舒适又非常无聊的生活，
and spending such money as I had, considerably more freely than I ought.
钱一到手就花光了，大大地超过了我所能负担的开支，
So alarming did the state of my finances become,
因此我的经济情况变得非常恐慌起来。
that I soon realized that I must either leave the metropolis and rusticate somewhere in the country,
我不久就看了出来：我必须离开这个大都市移居到乡下去；
or that I must make a complete alteration in my style of living.
要不就得彻底改变我的生活方式。
Choosing the latter alternative, I began by making up my mind to leave the hotel,
我选定了后一个办法，决心离开这家公寓，
and take up my quarters in some less pretentious and less expensive domicile.
另找一个不太奢侈而又花费不大的住处。