身份案 05一位女性委托者(1)

Sherlock Holmes welcomed her with the easy courtesy¹ for which he was remarkable²,

福尔摩斯以他落落大方而又彬彬有礼的非凡态度欢迎她，

and, having closed the door and bowed her into an armchair,

他随手推上门，微微鞠躬，请她在扶手椅上坐下，

he looked her over in the minute and yet abstracted fashion which was peculiar³ to him.

片刻之间，就以他特有的那种心不在焉的神态把她打量了一番。

"Do you not find," he said, "that with your short sight it is a little trying to do so much typewriting?"

他说道："你眼睛近视，要打那么多字，不觉得有点费劲吗？"

"I did at first," she answered, "but now I know where the letters are without looking."

她回答道："开始确实有点费劲，但是现在不用看就知道字母的位置了。"

Then, suddenly realizing the full purport⁴ of his words, she gave a violent start and looked up,

突然，她体会到他这问话的全部含义，感到十分震惊，抬起头来仰视着，

with fear and astonishment⁵ upon her broad, good-humoured face.

她的宽阔而性情和善的脸上露出害怕和惊奇之色。

"You've heard about me, Mr. Holmes," she cried, "else how could you know all that?"

她叫道："福尔摩斯先生，您听说过我吧，不然，怎能知道这一切呢？"

"Never mind," said Holmes, laughing; "it is my business to know things.

福尔摩斯笑着说道："不要紧，我的工作就是要知道一些事情。

Perhaps I have trained myself to see what others overlook⁶. If not, why should you come to consult me?"

也许我已把自己锻炼得能够了解别人所忽略的地方。不然的话，你怎么会来请教我呢？"

"I came to you, sir, because I heard of you from Mrs. Etherege,

"先生，我是从埃思里奇太太那里听说到您才来找您的。

whose husband you found so easy when the police and everyone had given him up for dead.

警察和大家都认为她的丈夫已经死了而不再去找了，而您却毫不费力就找到了。

Oh, Mr. Holmes, I wish you would do as much for me.

哦，福尔摩斯先生，我盼望您也能这样帮助我。

I'm not rich, but still I have a hundred a year in my own right,

我并不富裕，但是除了打字所得的那一点点钱之外，

besides the little that I make by the machine, and I would give it all to know what has become of Mr. Hosmer Angel."

凭我自己继承的财产，每年还有一百英镑的收入。只要能知道霍斯默·安吉尔先生的消息，我愿意全部拿出来。"

"Why did you come away to consult me in such a hurry?" asked Sherlock Holmes,

福尔摩斯问道："你为什么这样匆匆忙忙地离开家来找我呢？"

with his finger-tips together and his eyes to the ceiling.

他手指尖顶着手指尖，眼睛望着天花板。

1 courtesy   

n.谦恭有礼，礼貌的举止，好意，恩惠

参考例句：

• She called on us merely for the sake of courtesy.她来访只是为了礼貌。
• After a few words of courtesy,they got down to business.双方客气了一番，就开始谈正事。

2 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

3 peculiar   

adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的

参考例句：

• He walks in a peculiar fashion.他走路的样子很奇特。
• He looked at me with a very peculiar expression.他用一种很奇怪的表情看着我。

4 purport   

n.意义，要旨，大要；v.意味著，做为...要旨，要领是...

参考例句：

• Many theories purport to explain growth in terms of a single cause.许多理论都标榜以单一的原因解释生长。
• Her letter may purport her forthcoming arrival.她的来信可能意味着她快要到了。

5 astonishment   

n.惊奇，惊异

参考例句：

• They heard him give a loud shout of astonishment.他们听见他惊奇地大叫一声。
• I was filled with astonishment at her strange action.我对她的奇怪举动不胜惊异。

6 overlook   

v.忽视，忽略，俯瞰，眺望，宽容，宽恕

参考例句：

• How could you overlook paying the rent?你怎么会忘了付房租？
• It was a slight overlook on my part.这是我的一个小疏忽。