The man whom I found myself facing was a well-built, freshcomplexioned young fellow, with a frank, honest face and a slight, crisp, yellow moustache.
我坐在派克罗夫特先生对面，他是一个身材魁伟、气宇轩昂的年轻人，表情坦率而诚恳，有一点卷曲的小黄胡子。
He wore a very shiny top-hat and a neat suit of sober black,
他头戴一顶闪亮的大礼帽，穿了一套整洁而朴素的黑衣服，
which made him look what he was a smart young City man, of the class who have been labelled cockneys,
使我们一眼就看出他原来是那种聪明伶俐的城市青年，他们属于被称为"伦敦佬"的那一类人，
but who give us our crack volunteer regiments, and who turn out more fine athletes and sportsmen than any body of men in these islands.
最负盛名的义勇军团就是由这类人组成的；在英伦三岛上这类人中涌现的优秀体育家和运动员比其它阶层的都多。
His round, ruddy face was naturally full of cheeriness, but the corners of his mouth seemed to me to be pulled down in a half-comical distress.
他那红润的圆脸很自然地带着愉快的表情，可是他的嘴角下垂，我觉得他有一种异样的悲伤。
It was not, however, until we were in a first-class carriage and well started upon our journey to Birmingham
然而，直到我们坐在头等车厢里，动身去伯明翰的途中，
that I was able to learn what the trouble was which had driven him to Sherlock Holmes.
我才知道他碰到的那件麻烦事，他就是因为这件事才来找歇洛克·福尔摩斯的。
"We have a clear run here of seventy minutes," Holmes remarked.
"我们要坐七十分钟的火车，"福尔摩斯说道。

"I want you, Mr. Hall Pycroft, to tell my friend your very interesting experience exactly as you have told it to me, or with more detail if possible.
"霍尔·派克罗夫特先生，请你把给我谈过的那些非常有趣的经历，原原本本地讲给我的朋友听，并请你尽可能讲详细一些。
It will be of use to me to hear the succession of events again.
再听一遍这些事件的经过对我也有用。
It is a case, Watson, which may prove to have something in it, or may prove to have nothing,
华生，这件案子可能有些名堂，也可能没有。
but which, at least, presents those unusual and outre features which are as dear to you as they are to me.
不过，至少显示出你我都喜爱的那些不平常和荒诞的特征。
Now, Mr. Pycroft, I shall not interrupt you again."
现在，派克罗夫特先生，我不再打扰你了。"
Our young companion looked at me with a twinkle in his eye.
我们的年轻旅伴双眼闪光望着我。
"The worst of the story is," said he, "that I show myself up as such a confounded fool.
"这事情最糟糕的是，"他说道，"我似乎完全上当了。
Of course it may work out all right, and I don't see that I could have done otherwise;
当然，看起来好像没有上当，我也没看出来已经上当了，
but if I have lost my crib and get nothing in exchange I shall feel what a soft Johnny I have been.
不过，如果我真的把这个饭碗丢掉，换得的代价是一场空，那么我该是一个多么傻的家伙呀。
I'm not very good at telling a story, Dr. Watson, but it is like this with me:
华生先生，我不善于讲故事，可是我遇到的事情是这样的：
I used to have a billet at Coxon & Woodhouse's, of Draper Gardens,
我以前在德雷珀广场旁的考克森和伍德豪斯商行供职，
but they were let in early in the spring through the Venezuelan loan, as no doubt you remember, and came a nasty cropper.
可是今年春初商行卷入了委内瑞拉公债券案，以致一蹶不振，这你无疑还记得。
I have been with them five years, and old Coxon gave me a ripping good testimonial when the smash came, but of course we clerks were all turned adrift, the twentyseven of us.
当商行破产时，我们二十七名职员当然全被辞退了。我在那里供职五年，老考克森给了我一份评价很高的鉴定书。
I tried here and tried there, but there were lots of other chaps on the same lay as myself, and it was a perfect frost for a long time.
我东跑跑，西试试，可是很多人处境和我一样，所以很长一段时间到处碰壁。
I had been taking three pounds a week at Coxon's, and I had saved about seventy of them, but I soon worked my way through that and out at the other end.
我在考克森商行时每星期薪金三镑，我储蓄了大约七十镑，可是我就靠这一点积蓄维持生活，很快就用光了。
I was fairly at the end of my tether at last, and could hardly find the stamps to answer the advertisements or the envelopes to stick them to.
我终于到了山穷水尽的地步，几乎连应征广告的回信信封和邮票都买不起。
I had worn out my boots paddling up office stairs, and I seemed just as far from getting a billet as ever."
我找了多少公司、商店，上下楼梯都磨破了靴子，可是要找到职位仍然是音信杳然。"