A man was striding up the path which led to the door. (一人の男が扉に向かう道を大股で歩いてきた) He was a tall, (彼は背が高く) handsome, (整った顔立ちで) swarthy fellow, (浅黒い人物だった) clad in a suit of gray flannel, (灰色のフランネルのスーツを着て) with a Panama hat, (パナマ帽を被り) a bristling black beard, (逆立った黒い顎鬚) and a great, aggressive hooked nose, (大きく攻撃的な鷲鼻) and flourishing a cane as he walked. (そして歩きながら杖を振り回していた) He swaggered up the path as if the place belonged to him, (彼は自分の敷地のように威張って道を歩いてきて) and we heard his loud, confident peal at the bell. (彼が大きく、自信たっぷりにベルを鳴らすのが聞こえた)

“I think, gentlemen,” (「僕の考えでは」) said Holmes, quietly, (ホームズは静かに言った) “that we had best take up our position behind the door. (「扉の後ろに陣取るのが一番いいだろう) Every precaution is necessary when dealing with such a fellow. (あんな男と事を構えるにはどんな事前の注意も必要になる) You will need your handcuffs, Inspector. (手錠は必要になるでしょう、警部) You can leave the talking to me.” (話をするのは僕に任せてくれ」)

We waited in silence for a minute (我々は黙って一分待った) - one of those minutes which one can never forget. (決して忘れる事のできない一分だった) Then the door opened and the man stepped in. (その後扉が開いて男が入ってきた) In an instant (その瞬間) Holmes clapped a pistol to his head, (ホームズがさっと拳銃を頭に押し付け) and Martin slipped the handcuffs over his wrists. (マーティンが彼の手首に手錠を掛けた) It was all done so swiftly and deftly that (全ては非常に素早く、手際よくなされたので) the fellow was helpless before he knew that he was attacked. (この人物は自分が襲われたと分かるまで無防備だった) He glared from one to the other of us (彼は私たちを順に睨みつけた) with a pair of blazing black eyes. (怒りに燃えた黒い瞳で) Then he burst into a bitter laugh. (その後、苦々しく笑い出した)

“Well, gentlemen, you have the drop on me this time. (「今回は、完全に出し抜かれたようだな) I seem to have knocked up against something hard. (堅いものにぶつかったみたいだ) But I came here in answer to a letter from Mrs. Hilton Cubitt. (しかし俺はヒルトン・キュービット夫人の手紙に答えてここに来た) Don’t tell me that she is in this? (彼女がこれに関係していると言わないだろうな？) Don’t tell me that she helped to set a trap for me?” (彼女が俺を罠にはめる手伝いをしたと言わないだろうな？」)