It was indeed our visitor of the afternoon who came bustling in,
确实是我们上午来过的客人，他急急忙忙地走了进来，
dangling his glasses more vigorously than ever, and with a very perturbed expression upon his aristocratic features.
更起劲地晃动着他的眼镜，在他那贵族气派的面容上，显出非常不安的表情。
"My messenger reached you, then?" asked Holmes.
"那么说我的信差到你那里去过了？"福尔摩斯问道。
"Yes, and I confess that the contents startled me beyond measure. Have you good authority for what you say?"
"是的，我承认信的内容使我感到无比的震惊。你有充分的根据证明你的话吗？"
"The best possible."
"最充分的根据。"
Lord St. Simon sank into a chair and passed his hand over his forehead.
圣西蒙勋爵一屁股坐在椅子上，一只手按着前额。
"What will the Duke say," he murmured, "when he hears that one of the family has been subjected to such humiliation?"
"如果公爵听说他的家庭成员之中有人受到这般的羞辱，他会怎么说呢？"他小声地嘟哝着。
"It is the purest accident. I cannot allow that there is any humiliation."
"这纯粹是一场误会，我不认为这是一种羞辱。"

"Ah, you look on these things from another standpoint."
"啊？你是从另外一个观点看待这些问题的。"
"I fail to see that anyone is to blame. I can hardly see how the lady could have acted otherwise,
"我看不出有谁该受到责备，我难以想象这位小姐除此之外还有别的什么办法，
though her abrupt method of doing it was undoubtedly to be regretted.
虽然她处理这件事的方法有点突然，无疑这是令人感到遗憾的。
Having no mother, she had no one to advise her at such a crisis."
在这样的关键时刻，没有母亲在跟前，是没有别人给她出主意的。"
"It was a slight, sir, a public slight," said Lord St. Simon, tapping his fingers upon the table.
"这是一种蔑视，先生，公然的蔑视。"圣西蒙勋爵用手指敲着桌子说。
"You must make allowance for this poor girl, placed in so unprecedented a position."
"你一定要原谅这位可怜的姑娘，她的处境是谁也没有经历过的。"
"I will make no allowance. I am very angry indeed, and I have been shamefully used."
"我决不能原谅她，我被可耻地玩弄了，我确实非常生气。"
"I think that I heard a ring," said Holmes. "Yes, there are steps on the landing.
"我好象听到门铃响，"福尔摩斯说，"对，楼梯口有脚步声。
If I cannot persuade you to take a lenient view of the matter, Lord St. Simon,
如果我劝说不了你对这件事要宽大为怀的话，圣西蒙勋爵，
I have brought an advocate here who may be more successful."
我请来了一位支持我的见解的人，这个人也许更能胜任。"