An instant later our door opened, and a tall young man entered the room.
过了一会儿，我们的屋门开了，一个身材高大的年轻人走进来。
He was well but quietly dressed in a dark gray suit and carried a brown wideawake in his hand.
他身穿一套讲究而素净的深灰色衣服，手中拿着一顶褐色宽檐呢帽。
I should have put him at about thirty, though he was really some years older.
我猜他的年龄在三十岁上下，可是实际上他还要大几岁。
"I beg your pardon," said he with some embarrassment, "I suppose I should have knocked. Yes, of course I should have knocked.
"请原谅，"他有些窘岂不安地说道，"我想我应当先敲一敲门。是的，我当然应该先敲门。
The fact is that I am a little upset, and you must put it all down to that."
可是事实上我有点心烦意乱，请原谅我的冒失。"
He passed his hand over his forehead like a man who is half dazed, and then fell rather than sat down upon a chair.
他把手放在额上，仿佛头昏眼花似的，一扭身倒在椅子上。
"I can see that you have not slept for a night or two," said Holmes in his easy, genial way.
"我可以看出你已经一两夜没有睡觉了，"福尔摩斯和蔼可亲地说道。
"That tries a man's nerves more than work, and more even than pleasure. May I ask how I can help you?"
“这确实比工作还要伤神，甚至比玩乐还要伤神。请问我可以帮你什么忙呢？"
"I wanted your advice, sir. I don't know what to do, and my whole life seems to have gone to pieces."
"我要请你指教，先生。我不知道怎样办才好，我的整个生活似乎已经垮了。"
"You wish to employ me as a consulting detective?"
"你是不是想请我做一个咨询侦探？"
"Not that only. I want your opinion as a judicious man -- as a man of the world.
"不单是这样。你是一个见识广博的人，一个饱经世故的人。我需要你赐教。
I want to know what I ought to do next. I hope to God you'll be able to tell me."
我需要知道下一步我该怎么办。我希望你能告诉我。"
He spoke in little, sharp, jerky outbursts, and it seemed to me that to speak at all was very painful to him, and that his will all through was overriding his inclinations.
他说得支离破碎，呼吸急促，声调颤抖，我觉得他好像连说话本身都非常痛苦，始终竭力用意志抑制着自己的感情。

"It's a very delicate thing," said he. "One does not like to speak of one's domestic affairs to strangers.
"这是一件非常棘手的事，"他说道，"哪一个人也不愿意对外人说自己的家务事。
It seems dreadful to discuss the conduct of one's wife with two men whom I have never seen before.
尤其是和两个完全陌生的人来商议自己妻子的行为，更是令人难堪。
It's horrible to have to do it. But I've got to the end of my tether, and I must have advice."
这样做简直太可怕了。可是，我已经到了智穷力尽的地步，不能不向别人求教了。"
"My dear Mr. Grant Munro..." began Holmes.
"我亲爱的格兰特·芒罗先生..."福尔摩斯开口说道。
Our visitor sprang from his chair. "What!" he cried, "you know my name?"
我们的来客从椅子上跳起身来。"怎么？"他大声说道，"你知道我的姓名？"
"If you wish to preserve your incognito," said Holmes, smiling,
"假如你想隐瞒自己的姓名身份，"福尔摩斯笑容满面地说道，
"I would suggest that you cease to write your name upon the lining of your hat, or else that you turn the crown towards the person whom you are addressing.
"我劝你以后不要再把名字写在帽里儿上，或者你拜访别人时，不要把帽里儿冲向人家。
I was about to say that my friend and I have listened to a good many strange secrets in this room,
我正想告诉你，我和我的朋友在这间屋子里已经听到过许许多多稀奇古怪、神秘莫测的事情，
and that we have had the good fortune to bring peace to many troubled souls.
而且我们有幸能够使不少惶惑不安的人得到安宁。
I trust that we may do as much for you.
我相信我们也能为你做到这一点。
Might I beg you, as time may prove to be of importance, to furnish me with the facts of your case without further delay?"
因为时间是很重要的，请你不要耽误时间，赶快把事情的原委告诉我吧。"