故事为冒险史中的小说
海伦·史东纳小姐在家中晚上听到口哨声，而她的姐姐茱莉亚在家中死前亦曾表示听到口哨声，还声称自己看到带有花斑的带子，所以海伦小姐感到十分害怕，故向福尔摩斯求助。福尔摩斯连同华生到海伦小姐居住的地方调查，福尔摩斯发现海伦小姐所住的地方有很多奇怪的装修，例如不通风的通风口、没有连接到仆人的房铃等，他已经大约推理到事件的情况，于是晚上躲在海伦小姐的房间等疑凶出现。最后终于发现海伦小姐的继父詹姆斯·罗伊洛特博士为了谋取家产，而设计以毒蛇杀害海伦两姊妹。

环境描写

这部小说中为了渲染恐怖、惊险的氛围，大片段运用环境描写来衬托人物心理，渲染气氛，并推动情节进一步发展。
例如，在海伦叙述她姐姐暴死的夜晚时：

It was a wild night. The wind was howling outside, and the rain was beating and splashing against the windows. Suddenly, amid all the hubbub of the gale, there burst forth the wild scream of a terrified woman.

  • howl
    因惊恐而喊叫，等同于roar。
  • splash
    指雨水飞溅。

    splash against the windows

雨水在窗户上飞溅。

各种“喊”

roar

怒吼。

the wind was roaring.

狂风大作。

scream

惊喊

Suddenly, there burst forth the wild scream of a terrified woman.

突然间，爆出一个女人惊恐的叫喊。

cry

哭喊

He looked inside the envelope. ‘So it is,’ he cried.

他看了看信封里边，“看来是了！”他哭喊着。

yell

狂喊

“You see it, Watson?” he yelled. “You see it?”

”看见了没，华生？“他狂喊。

短语

His smile broadened.他笑得更开心了。
the sweet promise of spring春日甜美的景色。

神态描写

My companion sat in the front of the trap, his arms folded, his hat pulled down over his eyes, and his chin sunk upon his breast, buried in the deepest thought.

我的朋友坐在车前，叉着胳膊，帽子遮在眼前，而头埋在胸前，陷入沉思。