波希米亚丑闻 08高贵的委托者（6）

As he spoke¹ there was the sharp sound of horses' hoofs² and grating wheels against the curb³, followed by a sharp pull at the bell.

就在他说话的时候，响起了一阵清脆的马蹄声和马车轮子摩擦路边镶边石的轧轧声，接着有人猛烈地拉着门铃。

Holmes whistled. "A pair, by the sound," said he.

福尔摩斯吹了一下口哨。"听声响是两骑马，"他说。

"Yes," he continued, glancing out of the window.

"不错，"他接着说，眼睛朝窗外瞧了一眼，

"A nice little brougham and a pair of beauties. A hundred and fifty guineas apiece.

"一辆可爱的小马车和一对漂亮的马，每匹值一百五十畿尼。

There's money in this case, Watson, if there is nothing else."

华生，要是没有什么别的话，这个案子可有的是钱。"

"I think that I had better go, Holmes."

"我想我该走了，福尔摩斯。"

"Not a bit, Doctor. Stay where you are. I am lost without my Boswell.

"哪儿的话，医生，你就呆在这里。要是没有我自己的包斯威尔，我将不知所措。

And this promises to be interesting. It would be a pity to miss it."

这个案子看来很有趣，错过它那就太遗憾了。"

"But your client..."

"可是你的委托人..."

"Never mind him. I may want your help, and so may he. Here he comes.

"甭管他。我可能需要你的帮助，他也许同样如此。他来啦。

Sit down in that armchair, Doctor, and give us your best attention."

你就坐在那张扶手椅子里，医生，好好地端详着我们吧。"

A slow and heavy step, which had been heard upon the stairs and in the passage, paused immediately outside the door.

我们听到一阵缓慢而沉重的脚步声。先是在楼梯上，然后在过道上，到了门口骤然停止。

Then there was a loud and authoritative⁴ tap. "Come in!" said Holmes.

接着是声音响亮和神气活现的叩门声。"请进来！"福尔摩斯说。

A man entered who could hardly have been less than six feet six inches in height, with the chest and limbs of a Hercules.

一个人走了进来，他的身材不下于六英尺六英寸，胸部宽阔，四肢有力。

His dress was rich with a richness which would, in England, be looked upon as akin⁵ to bad taste.

他的衣着华丽。但那那富丽堂皇的装束，在英国这地方显得有点近乎庸俗。

Heavy bands of astrakhan were slashed⁶ across the sleeves and fronts of his double-breasted coat,

他的袖子和双排纽扣的上衣前襟的开叉处都镶着宽阔的羔皮镶边，

while the deep blue cloak which was thrown over his shoulders was lined with flame-coloured silk

肩上披的深蓝色大氅用腥红色的丝绸作衬里，

and secured at the neck with a brooch which consisted of a single flaming beryl.

领口别着一只用单颗火焰形的绿宝石镶嵌的饰针。

Boots which extended halfway⁷ up his calves⁸, and which were trimmed at the tops with rich brown fur,

加上脚上穿着一双高到小腿肚的皮靴，靴口上镶着深棕色毛皮，

completed the impression of barbaric opulence⁹ which was suggested by his whole appearance.

这就使得人们对于他整个外表粗野奢华的印象，更加深刻。

1 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

2 hoofs   

n.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的名词复数 )v.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The stamp of the horse's hoofs on the wooden floor was loud. 马蹄踏在木头地板上的声音很响。 来自辞典例句
• The noise of hoofs called him back to the other window. 马蹄声把他又唤回那扇窗子口。 来自辞典例句

3 curb   

n.场外证券市场，场外交易；vt.制止，抑制

参考例句：

• I could not curb my anger.我按捺不住我的愤怒。
• You must curb your daughter when you are in church.你在教堂时必须管住你的女儿。

4 authoritative   

adj.有权威的，可相信的；命令式的；官方的

参考例句：

• David speaks in an authoritative tone.大卫以命令的口吻说话。
• Her smile was warm but authoritative.她的笑容很和蔼，同时又透着威严。

5 akin   

adj.同族的，类似的

参考例句：

• She painted flowers and birds pictures akin to those of earlier feminine painters.她画一些同早期女画家类似的花鸟画。
• Listening to his life story is akin to reading a good adventure novel.听他的人生故事犹如阅读一本精彩的冒险小说。

6 slashed   

v.挥砍( slash的过去式和过去分词 )；鞭打；割破；削减

参考例句：

• Someone had slashed the tyres on my car. 有人把我的汽车轮胎割破了。
• He slashed the bark off the tree with his knife. 他用刀把树皮从树上砍下。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 halfway   

adj.中途的，不彻底的，部分的；adv.半路地，在中途，在半途

参考例句：

• We had got only halfway when it began to get dark.走到半路，天就黑了。
• In study the worst danger is give up halfway.在学习上，最忌讳的是有始无终。

8 calves   

n.(calf的复数)笨拙的男子，腓；腿肚子( calf的名词复数 )；牛犊；腓；小腿肚v.生小牛( calve的第三人称单数 )；（冰川）崩解；生（小牛等），产（犊）；使（冰川）崩解

参考例句：

• a cow suckling her calves 给小牛吃奶的母牛
• The calves are grazed intensively during their first season. 小牛在生长的第一季里集中喂养。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 opulence   

n.财富，富裕

参考例句：

• His eyes had never beheld such opulence.他从未见过这样的财富。
• He owes his opulence to work hard.他的财富乃辛勤工作得来。