"On that evening the horses had been exercised and watered as usual, and the stables were locked up at nine o'clock.
"这天晚上，象平常一样，这些马匹经过驯练，刷洗，马厩在九点钟上了锁。
Two of the lads walked up to the trainer's house, where they had supper in the kitchen, while the third, Ned Hunter, remained on guard.
两个小马倌到斯特雷克家去，在厨房里用过晚饭。第三个小马倌内德·亨特留下看守。
At a few minutes after nine the maid, Edith Baxter, carried down to the stables his supper, which consisted of a dish of curried mutton.
九点过几分以后，女仆伊迪丝·巴克斯特把内德的晚饭送到马厩来，这是一盘咖喱羊肉。
She took no liquid, as there was a water-tap in the stables, and it was the rule that the lad on duty should drink nothing else.
她没有带饮料，因为马厩里有自来水，按规定，看马房的人在值班时，不能喝别的饮料。
The maid carried a lantern with her, as it was very dark and the path ran across the open moor.
因为天很黑，这条小路又穿过荒野，所以这个女仆带着一盏提灯。

Edith Baxter was within thirty yards of the stables when a man appeared out of the darkness and called to her to stop.
伊迪丝·巴克斯特走到离马厩不到三十码时，一个人从暗处走出来，叫她站住。
As she stepped into the circle of yellow light thrown by the lantern she saw that he was a person of gentlemanly bearing,
在提灯的黄色灯光下，她看到这个人穿戴得象个上流社会的人，
dressed in a gray suit of tweeds, with a cloth cap. He wore gaiters and carried a heavy stick with a knob to it.
身穿一套灰色花呢衣服，头戴一顶呢帽，脚登一双带绑腿的高统靴子，手拿一根沉重的圆头手杖。
She was most impressed, however, by the extreme pallor of his face and by the nervousness of his manner.
然而给她印象最深的是，他的脸色过分苍白，神情紧张不安。
His age, she thought, would be rather over thirty than under it. "
她想，这个人的年龄恐怕要在三十岁以上。"