身份案 07一位女性委托者(3)

I had expected to see Sherlock Holmes impatient under this rambling¹ and inconsequential narrative²,

我本以为福尔摩斯对于这样杂乱无章和没头没脑的叙述会感到厌烦，

but, on the contrary, he had listened with the greatest concentration of attention.

岂知相反，他却聚精会神地倾听着。

"Your own little income," he asked, "does it come out of the business?"

他问道：“你自己这一点儿收入是从这个企业里得来的吗？"

"Oh, no, sir. It is quite separate and was left me by my uncle Ned in Auckland.

"啊，先生，不是。那是一笔另外的收入，是在奥克兰的奈德伯父遗留给我的。

It is in New Zealand stock, paying 4.5 per cent.

是新西兰股票，利率是四分五厘。

Two thousand five hundred pounds was the amount, but I can only touch the interest."

股票金额是二千五百英镑，但是我只能动用利息。"

"You interest me extremely," said Holmes. "And since you draw so large a sum as a hundred a year,

福尔摩斯说："我对你说的深感兴趣。你既然每年提用一百英镑那样一笔巨款，

with what you earn into the bargain, you no doubt travel a little and indulge³ yourself in every way.

加上你工作所挣的钱，你可以旅行，过着舒适的生活，这不成问题。

I believe that a single lady can get on very nicely upon an income of about 60 pounds."

我相信，一位独身的女士大约有六十英镑的收入就可以生活得很好了。"

"I could do with much less than that, Mr. Holmes,

"哪怕比这个数目小得多，福尔摩斯先生，我也能过得很好。

but you understand that as long as I live at home I don't wish to be a burden to them,

不过，您可以想见，只要我住在家里，就不愿意成为他们的负担，

and so they have the use of the money just while I am staying with them.

所以当我同他们住在一起的时候，他们就用我的钱。

Of course, that is only just for the time.

当然，这只不过是暂时的。

Mr. Windibank draws my interest every quarter and pays it over to mother,

温迪班克先生每季度把我的利息提出来交给母亲，

and I find that I can do pretty well with what I earn at typewriting.

我觉得我光用打字所挣的那点钱就能过得很好。

It brings me twopence a sheet, and I can often do from fifteen to twenty sheets in a day."

每打一张挣两便士，一天往往能打十五到二十张。"

"You have made your position very clear to me," said Holmes.

福尔摩斯说："你已经把你的情况对我说清楚了。

"This is my friend, Dr. Watson, before whom you can speak as freely as before myself.

这位是我的朋友华生大夫，在他面前可以同在我面前一样，谈话不必拘束。

Kindly⁴ tell us now all about your connection with Mr. Hosmer Angel."

请你把同霍斯默·安吉尔先生的关系全部告诉我们吧。"

1 rambling   

adj.[建]凌乱的，杂乱的

参考例句：

• We spent the summer rambling in Ireland. 我们花了一个夏天漫游爱尔兰。
• It was easy to get lost in the rambling house. 在布局凌乱的大房子里容易迷路。

2 narrative   

n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的

参考例句：

• He was a writer of great narrative power.他是一位颇有记述能力的作家。
• Neither author was very strong on narrative.两个作者都不是很善于讲故事。

3 indulge   

vt.沉溺（于），纵容，迁就，肆意从事

参考例句：

• I never indulge children with plenty of pocket money.我从不放任子女，给他们大量零用钱。
• Everyone should indulge in fantasy on occasion.每个人都应偶尔沉浸在想像之中。

4 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。