血字的研究 22警察栾斯的叙述(3)

This conversation had occurred while our cab had been threading its way through a long succession of dingy¹ streets and dreary² byways.

在我们谈话的时候，车子不断地穿过昏暗的大街和气凉的小巷。

In the dingiest³ and dreariest⁴ of them our driver suddenly came to a stand.

到了一条最肮脏、最荒凉的巷口，车夫突然把车停了下来。

"That's Audley Court in there," he said, pointing to a narrow slit⁵ in the line of dead-coloured brick.

"那边就是奥德利大院，"他指着一漆黑色砖墙之间的狭窄胡同说，

"You'll find me here when you come back."

"你们回来时到这里找我。"

Audley Court was not an attractive locality.

奥德利大院并不是一个雅观的所在。

The narrow passage led us into a quadrangle paved with flags and lined by sordid⁶ dwellings⁷.

我们走过一条狭窄的小胡同，便来到一个方形大院，院内地面是用石板铺成的，四面有一些肮脏简陋的住房。

We picked our way among groups of dirty children,

我们穿过一群一群衣着肮脏的孩子，

and through lines of discoloured linen⁸,

钻过一行行晒得褪了色的衣服，

until we came to Number 46, the door of which was decorated with a small slip of brass⁹ on which the name Rance was engraved¹⁰.

最后来到46号。46号的门上钉着一个小铜牌，上面刻着“栾斯”字样。

On inquiry¹¹ we found that the constable¹² was in bed,

我们上前一问，才知道这位警察正在睡觉。

and we were shown into a little front parlour to await his coming.

我们便走进了前边一间小客厅里等他出来。

He appeared presently, looking a little irritable¹³ at being disturbed in his slumbers¹⁴.

这位警察很快就出来了。由于被我们打搅了好梦，他有些不高兴。

"I made my report at the office," he said.

他说："我已经在局里报告过了。"

Holmes took a half-sovereign from his pocket and played with it pensively¹⁵.

福尔摩斯从衣袋里掏出一个半镑金币，若有所思地在手中玩弄着。

"We thought that we should like to hear it all from your own lips," he said.

他说："我们想要请你从头到尾再亲口说一遍。"

"I shall be most happy to tell you anything I can," the constable answered, with his eyes upon the little golden disc.

这位警察两眼望着那个小金币回答说："我很愿意把我所知道的一切奉告。"

"Just let us hear it all in your own way as it occurred."

"那么让我听一听事情发生的经过吧。你愿意怎样讲都可以。"

Rance sat down on the horsehair sofa, and knitted his brows,

栾斯在马毛呢的沙发上坐了下来，他皱起眉头，

as though determined¹⁶ not to omit anything in his narrative¹⁷.

好象下定决心不使他的叙述中有任何遗漏。

"I'll tell it ye from the beginning," he said.

他说："我把这事从头说起。

"My time is from ten at night to six in the morning.

我当班的时间是从晚上十点起到第二天早上六点。

At eleven there was a fight at the White Hart; but bar that all was quiet enough on the beat.

夜间十一点钟时，曾有人在白哈特街打架，除此以外，我巡逻的地区都很平静。

At one o'clock it began to rain,

夜里一点钟的时候，开始下起雨来。

and I met Harry¹⁸ Murcher–him who has the Holland Grove¹⁹ beat

这时我遇见了亥瑞·摩契，他是在荷兰树林区一带巡逻的。

and we stood together at the corner of Henrietta Street a-talkin'.

我们两个人就站在亨瑞埃塔街转角的地方聊天。

Presently–maybe about two or a little after

不久，大约在两点或两点稍过一点的时候，

I thought I would take a look round and see that all was right down the Brixton Road.

我想该转一遭了，看看布瑞克斯顿路是不是平静无事。

It was precious dirty and lonely.

这条路又泥泞又偏僻。

Not a soul did I meet all the way down, though a cab or two went past me.

一路上连个人影都没有，只有一两辆马车从我身旁驶过。

I was a-strollin' down, thinkin' between ourselves how uncommon²⁰ handy a four of gin hot would be,

我慢慢溜跶着，一边寻思要有热酒喝它一盅多美。

when suddenly the glint of a light caught my eye in the window of that same house.

这时，忽见那座房子的窗口闪闪地射出灯光。

Now, I knew that them two houses in Lauriston Gardens was empty on account of him that owns them who won't have the drains seed to,

我知道劳瑞斯顿花园街的两所房子都是空着的，

though the very last tenant²¹ what lived in one of them died o' typhoid fever.

其中一所的最后一个房客得了伤寒病死了，可是房东还是不愿修理阴沟。

I was knocked all in a heap, therefore,

所以我一看到那个窗口有灯光，就吓了一大跳，

at seeing a light in the window, and I suspected as something was wrong.

疑心出了什么差错。

When I got to the door..."

等我走到屋门口..."

"You stopped, and then walked back to the garden gate," my companion interrupted.

"你就站住了，转身又走回小花园的门口，"我的同伴突然插嘴说，

"What did you do that for?" Rance gave a violent jump,

"你为什么要那样做呢？"栾斯吓得跳了起来，

and stared at Sherlock Holmes with the utmost amazement²² upon his features.

满脸惊讶，瞪着一双大眼睛瞧着福尔摩斯。

1 dingy   

adj.昏暗的，肮脏的

参考例句：

• It was a street of dingy houses huddled together. 这是一条挤满了破旧房子的街巷。
• The dingy cottage was converted into a neat tasteful residence.那间脏黑的小屋已变成一个整洁雅致的住宅。

2 dreary   

adj.令人沮丧的，沉闷的，单调乏味的

参考例句：

• They live such dreary lives.他们的生活如此乏味。
• She was tired of hearing the same dreary tale of drunkenness and violence.她听够了那些关于酗酒和暴力的乏味故事。

3 dingiest   

adj.暗淡的，乏味的( dingy的最高级 )；肮脏的

参考例句：

4 dreariest   

使人闷闷不乐或沮丧的( dreary的最高级 )； 阴沉的； 令人厌烦的； 单调的

参考例句：

• It was the dreariest job I had ever done. 那是我所做过的最沉闷的工作。

5 slit   

n.狭长的切口；裂缝；vt.切开，撕裂

参考例句：

• The coat has been slit in two places.这件外衣有两处裂开了。
• He began to slit open each envelope.他开始裁开每个信封。

6 sordid   

adj.肮脏的，不干净的，卑鄙的，暗淡的

参考例句：

• He depicts the sordid and vulgar sides of life exclusively.他只描写人生肮脏和庸俗的一面。
• They lived in a sordid apartment.他们住在肮脏的公寓房子里。

7 dwellings   

n.住处，处所( dwelling的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The development will consist of 66 dwellings and a number of offices. 新建楼区将由66栋住房和一些办公用房组成。
• The hovels which passed for dwellings are being pulled down. 过去用作住室的陋屋正在被拆除。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 linen   

n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的

参考例句：

• The worker is starching the linen.这名工人正在给亚麻布上浆。
• Fine linen and cotton fabrics were known as well as wool.精细的亚麻织品和棉织品像羊毛一样闻名遐迩。

9 brass   

n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器

参考例句：

• Many of the workers play in the factory's brass band.许多工人都在工厂铜管乐队中演奏。
• Brass is formed by the fusion of copper and zinc.黄铜是通过铜和锌的熔合而成的。

10 engraved   

v.在（硬物）上雕刻（字，画等）( engrave的过去式和过去分词 )；将某事物深深印在（记忆或头脑中）

参考例句：

• The silver cup was engraved with his name. 银杯上刻有他的名字。
• It was prettily engraved with flowers on the back. 此件雕刻精美，背面有花饰图案。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 inquiry   

n.打听，询问，调查，查问

参考例句：

• Many parents have been pressing for an inquiry into the problem.许多家长迫切要求调查这个问题。
• The field of inquiry has narrowed down to five persons.调查的范围已经缩小到只剩5个人了。

12 constable   

n.(英国)警察，警官

参考例句：

• The constable conducted the suspect to the police station.警官把嫌疑犯带到派出所。
• The constable kept his temper,and would not be provoked.那警察压制着自己的怒气，不肯冒起火来。

13 irritable   

adj.急躁的；过敏的；易怒的

参考例句：

• He gets irritable when he's got toothache.他牙一疼就很容易发脾气。
• Our teacher is an irritable old lady.She gets angry easily.我们的老师是位脾气急躁的老太太。她很容易生气。

14 slumbers   

睡眠，安眠( slumber的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His image traversed constantly her restless slumbers. 他的形象一再闯进她的脑海，弄得她不能安睡。
• My Titan brother slumbers deep inside his mountain prison. Go. 我的泰坦兄弟就被囚禁在山脉的深处。

15 pensively   

adv.沉思地，焦虑地

参考例句：

• Garton pensively stirred the hotchpotch of his hair. 加顿沉思着搅动自己的乱发。 来自辞典例句
• "Oh, me,'said Carrie, pensively. "I wish I could live in such a place." “唉，真的，"嘉莉幽幽地说，"我真想住在那种房子里。” 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

16 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

17 narrative   

n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的

参考例句：

• He was a writer of great narrative power.他是一位颇有记述能力的作家。
• Neither author was very strong on narrative.两个作者都不是很善于讲故事。

18 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

19 grove   

n.林子，小树林，园林

参考例句：

• On top of the hill was a grove of tall trees.山顶上一片高大的树林。
• The scent of lemons filled the grove.柠檬香味充满了小树林。

20 uncommon   

adj.罕见的，非凡的，不平常的

参考例句：

• Such attitudes were not at all uncommon thirty years ago.这些看法在30年前很常见。
• Phil has uncommon intelligence.菲尔智力超群。

21 tenant   

n.承租人；房客；佃户；v.租借，租用

参考例句：

• The tenant was dispossessed for not paying his rent.那名房客因未付房租而被赶走。
• The tenant is responsible for all repairs to the building.租户负责对房屋的所有修理。

22 amazement   

n.惊奇，惊讶

参考例句：

• All those around him looked at him with amazement.周围的人都对他投射出惊异的眼光。
• He looked at me in blank amazement.他带着迷茫惊诧的神情望着我。