四签名 12案情的陈述（4）

"That is exactly what I want to ask you."

"这正是我要和您商量的呀。"

"Then we shall most certainly go, you and I and–yes, why Dr. Watson is the very man.

"咱们一定得去。您和我，还有，不错，华生医师还是咱们所需要的人。

Your correspondent says two friends. He and I have worked together before."

信上说，两位朋友，他和我一直是在一起工作的。"

"But would he come?" she asked with something appealing in her voice and expression.

她用请求的表情看着我，向福尔摩斯道："可是他肯去吗？"

"I shall be proud and happy," said I fervently¹, "if I can be of any service."

我热情地说："只要我能效力，真是荣幸极了。"

"You are both very kind," she answered.

她道："两位这样的仗义，我很感激。

"I have led a retired² life and have no friends whom I could appeal to.

我很孤独，没有朋友可以相托。

If I am here at six it will do, I suppose?"

我六点钟到这里来，大约可以吧？"

"You must not be later," said Holmes. "There is one other point, however.

福尔摩斯道："可是不能再晚了。还有一点，

Is this handwriting the same as that upon the pearl-box addresses?"

这封信和寄珠子的小盒上的笔迹相同吗？"

"I have them here," she answered, producing half a dozen pieces of paper.

她拿出六张纸来说道："全在这里。"

"You are certainly a model client. You have the correct intuition. Let us see, now."

"您考虑得很周密，在我的委托人里，您确实是模范了。现在咱们看一看吧。"

He spread out the papers upon the table and gave little darting³ glances from one to the other.

他把信纸全铺在桌上，一张一张地对比着继续说道：

"They are disguised hands, except the letter," he said presently;

"除了这封信以外，笔迹全是伪装的，

"but there can be no question as to the authorship.

但是都出于一个人的手笔，这一点是毫无疑问的。

See how the irrepressible Greek e will break out, and see the twirl of the final s. They are undoubtedly⁴ by the same person.

您看这个希腊字母e多么突出，再看字末的s字母的弯法。

I should not like to suggest false hopes, Miss Morstan,

摩斯坦小姐，我不愿给您无谓的希望，

but is there any resemblance between this hand and that of your father?"

可是我倒愿知道，这些笔迹和您父亲的，有相似之点没有？"

"Nothing could be more unlike."

"绝不相同。"

"I expected to hear you say so. We shall look out for you, then, at six.

"我想也是如此。那么我们在六点钟等您。

Pray allow me to keep the papers. I may look into the matter before then.

请您把这些信留下，我也许要先研究一下，

It is only half-past three. Au revoir, then."

现在只有三点半钟，再会吧。"

"Au revoir," said our visitor; and with a bright, kindly⁵ glance from one to the other of us,

我们的客人答道："再会。"她又用和蔼的眼光看了看我们两人，

she replaced her pearl-box in her bosom⁶ and hurried away.

就把盛珠子的盒子放在胸前，匆匆地走了出去。

Standing⁷ at the window, I watched her walking briskly down the street until the gray turban and white feather were but a speck⁸ in the sombre crowd.

我站在窗前看着她轻快地走向街头，直到她的灰帽和白翎毛消失在人群当中。

1 fervently   

adv.热烈地，热情地，强烈地

参考例句：

• "Oh, I am glad!'she said fervently. “哦，我真高兴！”她热烈地说道。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• O my dear, my dear, will you bless me as fervently to-morrow?' 啊，我亲爱的，亲爱的，你明天也愿这样热烈地为我祝福么？” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

2 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

3 darting   

v.投掷，投射( dart的现在分词 )；向前冲，飞奔

参考例句：

• Swallows were darting through the clouds. 燕子穿云急飞。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Swallows were darting through the air. 燕子在空中掠过。 来自辞典例句

4 undoubtedly   

adv.确实地，无疑地

参考例句：

• It is undoubtedly she who has said that.这话明明是她说的。
• He is undoubtedly the pride of China.毫无疑问他是中国的骄傲。

5 kindly   

adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地

参考例句：

• Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
• A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。

6 bosom   

n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的

参考例句：

• She drew a little book from her bosom.她从怀里取出一本小册子。
• A dark jealousy stirred in his bosom.他内心生出一阵恶毒的嫉妒。

7 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

8 speck   

n.微粒，小污点，小斑点

参考例句：

• I have not a speck of interest in it.我对它没有任何兴趣。
• The sky is clear and bright without a speck of cloud.天空晴朗，一星星云彩也没有。