福爾摩斯探案經典:《恐怖谷》第3章Part5
The dead man's right arm was thrust out from his dressing gown, and exposed as high as the elbow. About halfway up the forearm was a curious brown design, a triangle inside a circle, standing out in vivid relief upon the lard-coloured skin.
"It's not tattooed," said the doctor, peering through his glasses. "I never saw anything like it. The man has been branded at some time as they brand cattle. What is the meaning of this?"
"I don't profess to know the meaning of it," said Cecil Barker; "but I have seen the mark on Douglas many times this last ten years."
"And so have I," said the butler. "Many a time when the master has rolled up his sleeves I have noticed that very mark. I've often wondered what it could be."
"Then it has nothing to do with the crime, anyhow," said the sergeant. "But it's a rum thing all the same. Everything about this case is rum. Well, what is it now?"
The butler had given an exclamation of astonishment and was pointing at the dead man's outstretched hand. "They've taken his wedding ring!" he gasped.
"What!"
死屍的右臂露在外面，直露到臂肘。大約在前臂中間的地方，有一個奇特的褐色標記——一個圓圈，裏面有一個三角形，每一條痕跡都是凸起的——在灰白的皮膚上顯得異常醒目。
“這不是針刺的花紋，"伍德醫生的目光透過眼鏡緊盯着標記說道，“我從來沒見過象這樣的標記。這個人曾經烙過烙印呢，就象牲口身上的烙印一樣。這是怎麼回事？”
“我不知道這是什麼意思，不過近十年間我曾多次看到他臂上的這個標記。"塞西爾·巴克說道。
“我也看到過，"管家說道，“有很多次主人挽起衣袖，我就看到那個標記。我一直不明白那究竟是怎麼回事？”
“那麼，這和案情沒有什麼關係了，"警官說道，“但這是一件怪事。牽涉到這一案子的每樁事都這麼怪。喂，這到底是怎麼回事？”
管家指着死者伸出的手，驚呼起來：“他們把他的結婚戒指拿走了！"他氣喘吁吁地說。
“什麼？！”
