As soon as our visitors had gone，Holmes changed from the talker to the man of action．
我们的客人一走，福尔摩斯就由一个言谈者变成了一个行动者。
"Quick，Watson．Your coat and hat．We must follow them．"We got ready quickly and went into the street．Our friends were not far ahead of us and we followed．We stayed about a hundred metres behind them．
“快，华生！穿戴好你的衣帽。我们得跟着他们。”我们立刻准备完毕并来到了街上。我们的朋友们在我们之前不远处，我们尾随着他们。我们保持在他们身后100米处。
Suddenly Holmes gave a cry．I saw a taxi driving along very slowly on the other side of the road from our friends．
福尔摩斯突然叫了一声。我看到有一辆出租马车在街道的另一侧、我们的朋友的对面缓缓地前进着。
"That's our man，Watson！Come along！We'll have a good look at him．"
“就是那个人，华生！来呀！我们来好好地看看他的样子。”
I saw a man with a large black beard looking out of the taxi window. He had been following and watching our friends. But when he saw us running towards him, he shouted something to the driver, and the taxi drove off quickly down the road. Holmes looked round for another taxi, but could not see one. He began to run after the first taxi, but it was soon out of sight.
我看到有个长着一大绺黑须的男子正从出租马车的窗户里往外看。他一直盯着我们的朋友的行踪。但是，当他看到我们向他跑去时，他便向车夫喊了一句什么，马车然后就顺着这条道飞奔而去了。福尔摩斯四下里张望着，想另找一辆出租马车，可是没有看到有空车。他于是开始追头一辆马车，可是它不久便不见踪影了。
"Well, I got the number of the taxi, "said Holmes. "So I can find the driver. He may be able to tell us something about his passenger. Would you recognize the man if you saw him again?"
“哼，我记下车号了，”福尔摩斯说道。“由此我可以找到车夫。他也许可以告诉我们他的乘客的一些情况。要是你再见到那人，你会认出他来吗？”
"Only his beard," I said.
“我只能认得他的胡须。”
"He wanted us to recognize the beard, "said Holmes. "I think it was a false one."
“他本来便是想叫我们认得他的胡须，”福尔摩斯说道。“我认为那是绺假胡子。”