四签名 70凶手的末日（3）

"Well, I gave my mind a thorough rest by plunging¹ into a chemical analysis.

"我利用作化学分析试验的办法使我的脑筋得到了彻底的休息。

One of our greatest statesmen has said that a change of work is the best rest. So it is.

咱们的一位大政治家曾经说过：'改变工作，是最好的休息。'这句话一点儿也不错。

When I had succeeded in dissolving the hydrocarbon² which I was at work at,

当我把溶解碳氢化合物的实验作成功以后，

I came back to our problem of the Sholtos, and thought the whole matter out again.

我就回到舒尔托的问题上面，把这问题重新考虑了一遍。

My boys had been up the river and down the river without result.

我所派遣的孩子们在上下游都搜遍了，也没有结果。

The launch was not at any landing-stage or wharf³, nor had it returned.

这只汽船既没有停泊在任何码头上又没有回转，

Yet it could hardly have been scuttled⁴ to hide their traces, though that always remained as a possible hypothesis if all else failed.

也不太象为了灭迹而自沉——如果实在找不着，当然这还算是个可能的假设。

I knew that this man Small had a certain degree of low cunning,

我知道斯茂多少有些狡猾的伎俩，

but I did not think him capable of anything in the nature of delicate finesse⁵.

可是我认为他不可能有那样周密的手段。

That is usually a product of higher education.

他没有受过多少教育

I then reflected that since he had certainly been in London some time

他既然在伦郭居住过相当久

as we had evidence that he maintained a continual watch over Pondicherry Lodge⁶

这一点由他对樱沼别墅侦伺了很久的事实就可以证明，

he could hardly leave at a moment's notice, but would need some little time, if it were only a day, to arrange his affairs.

他不可能不需要一个短时间——哪怕是一天——作些准备，方能离开他的巢穴远行。

That was the balance of probability, at any rate."

无论如何，这是一个可能性。"

"It seems to me to be a little weak," said I;

我道："我看这个可能性不太大，

"it is more probable that he had arranged his affairs before ever he set out upon his expedition."

恐怕他在行动以前早已作了远行的准备。"

1 plunging   

adj.跳进的，突进的v.颠簸( plunge的现在分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降

参考例句：

• War broke out again, plunging the people into misery and suffering. 战祸复发，生灵涂炭。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• He is plunging into an abyss of despair. 他陷入了绝望的深渊。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 hydrocarbon   

n.烃，碳氢化合物

参考例句：

• During incomplete combustion some of the hydrocarbon fuel is cracked.在不完全的燃烧中，一些烃燃料裂解。
• The hydrocarbon must be an alkene.这个碳氢化合物必定是烯烃。

3 wharf   

n.码头，停泊处

参考例句：

• We fetch up at the wharf exactly on time.我们准时到达码头。
• We reached the wharf gasping for breath.我们气喘吁吁地抵达了码头。

4 scuttled   

v.使船沉没( scuttle的过去式和过去分词 )；快跑，急走

参考例句：

• She scuttled off when she heard the sound of his voice. 听到他的说话声，她赶紧跑开了。
• The thief scuttled off when he saw the policeman. 小偷看见警察来了便急忙跑掉。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 finesse   

n.精密技巧，灵巧，手腕

参考例句：

• It was a disappointing performance which lacked finesse.那场演出缺乏技巧，令人失望。
• Lillian Hellman's plays are marked by insight and finesse.莉莲.赫尔曼的巨作以富有洞察力和写作技巧著称。

6 lodge   

v.临时住宿，寄宿，寄存，容纳；n.传达室，小旅馆

参考例句：

• Is there anywhere that I can lodge in the village tonight?村里有我今晚过夜的地方吗？
• I shall lodge at the inn for two nights.我要在这家小店住两个晚上。