红发会 01红发的主顾(1)

The Red-headed League

红发会

I had called upon my friend, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, one day in the autumn of last year

去年秋天的一天，我去拜访我的朋友歇洛克·福尔摩斯。

and found him in deep conversation with a very stout¹, florid-faced, elderly gentleman with fiery² red hair.

我见到他时，他正在和一位身材矮胖、面色红润、头发火红的老先生深谈。

With an apology for my intrusion,I was about to withdraw when Holmes pulled me abruptly³ into the room and closed the door behind me.

我为自己的唐突表示歉意。正当我想退出来的时候，福尔摩斯出奇不意地一把将我拽住，把我拉进了房间里，随手把门关上。

"You could not possibly have come at a better time, my dear Watson," he said cordially.

他亲切地说："我亲爱的华生，你这时候来真是再好不过了。"

"I was afraid that you were engaged."

"我怕你正忙着。"

"So I am. Very much so." "Then I can wait in the next room."

"是呀，我是很忙。""那么，我到隔壁房间等你。"

"Not at all. This gentleman, Mr. Wilson, has been my partner and helper in many of my most successful cases,

"不，不，威尔逊先生，这位先生是我的伙伴和助手，他协助我卓见成效地处理过许多案件。

and I have no doubt that he will be of the utmost use to me in yours also."

我毫不怀疑在处理你的案件时，他将同样给予我最大的帮助。"

The stout gentleman half rose from his chair and gave a bob of greeting,

那位身材矮胖的先生从他坐着的椅子里半站起来欠身向我点头致意，

with a quick little questioning glance from his small, fat-encircled eyes.

从他厚厚的眼皮下的小眼睛里迅速地掠过一线将信将疑的眼光。

"Try the settee," said Holmes, relapsing into his armchair and putting his finger-tips together,

"你坐在长靠背椅子上吧。"福尔摩斯说道，重新回到他那张扶手椅坐下，两手的手指尖合拢着。

as was his custom when in judicial⁴ moods.

这是他沉浸于思考问题时的习惯。

"I know, my dear Watson, that you share my love of all that is bizarre and outside the conventions and humdrum⁵ routine of everyday life.

"亲爱的华生，我知道，你和我一样，喜欢的不是日常生活中那些普通平凡、单调无聊的老套，而是稀奇古怪的东西。

You have shown your relish⁶ for it by the enthusiasm which has prompted you to chronicle,

你那么满腔热情地把这些东西都记录下来，可见你对它们很感兴趣。

and, if you will excuse my saying so, somewhat to embellish⁷ so many of my own little adventures."

如果你不介意的话，我要说，你这样做是为我自己的许多小小的冒险事业增添光彩。"

"Your cases have indeed been of the greatest interest to me," I observed.

我回答说："我确实对你经手的案件非常感兴趣。"

1 stout   

adj.强壮的，粗大的，结实的，勇猛的，矮胖的

参考例句：

• He cut a stout stick to help him walk.他砍了一根结实的枝条用来拄着走路。
• The stout old man waddled across the road.那肥胖的老人一跩一跩地穿过马路。

2 fiery   

adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的

参考例句：

• She has fiery red hair.她有一头火红的头发。
• His fiery speech agitated the crowd.他热情洋溢的讲话激动了群众。

3 abruptly   

adv.突然地，出其不意地

参考例句：

• He gestured abruptly for Virginia to get in the car.他粗鲁地示意弗吉尼亚上车。
• I was abruptly notified that a half-hour speech was expected of me.我突然被通知要讲半个小时的话。

4 judicial   

adj.司法的，法庭的，审判的，明断的，公正的

参考例句：

• He is a man with a judicial mind.他是个公正的人。
• Tom takes judicial proceedings against his father.汤姆对他的父亲正式提出诉讼。

5 humdrum   

adj.单调的，乏味的

参考例句：

• Their lives consist of the humdrum activities of everyday existence.他们的生活由日常生存的平凡活动所构成。
• The accountant said it was the most humdrum day that she had ever passed.会计师说这是她所度过的最无聊的一天。

6 relish   

n.滋味，享受，爱好，调味品；vt.加调味料，享受，品味；vi.有滋味

参考例句：

• I have no relish for pop music.我对流行音乐不感兴趣。
• I relish the challenge of doing jobs that others turn down.我喜欢挑战别人拒绝做的工作。

7 embellish   

v.装饰，布置；给…添加细节，润饰

参考例句：

• I asked him not to embellish the truth with ideas of his own.我要他不对事实添油加醋。
• Can you embellish your refusal just a little bit?你可以对你的婉拒之辞略加修饰吗？