身份案 26玩弄感情的骗子(7)

Our visitor had recovered something of his assurance while Holmes had been talking,

在福尔摩斯叙说的时候，我们的客人恢复了一点自信，

and he rose from his chair now with a cold sneer¹ upon his pale face.

他从椅子上站了起来，苍白的脸露出讥诮的神态。

"It may be so, or it may not, Mr. Holmes," said he,

"也许是真，也许是假，福尔摩斯先生，"他说道，

"but if you are so very sharp you ought to be sharp enough to know that it is you who are breaking the law now, and not me.

"你聪明过人啊，你应该更加聪明一点才好，这样你就会看到是你在侵犯法律，而不是我。

I have done nothing actionable from the first,

我始终没有干下什么足以构成起诉的事情，

but as long as you keep that door locked you lay yourself open to an action for assault and illegal constraint²."

但是你把门锁上，只这件事就足够使你因'攻击人身和非法拘留'而受到起诉。"

"The law cannot, as you say, touch you," said Holmes, unlocking and throwing open the door,

"就算象你所说的，法律奈何不得你，"福尔摩斯说着打开锁，推开门，

"yet there never was a man who deserved punishment more.

"可是再没有谁应该比你受到更大惩罚的了。

If the young lady has a brother or a friend, he ought to lay a whip across your shoulders. By Jove!"

假如这位年轻姑娘有兄弟或朋友的话，他们应当用鞭子抽你的脊梁！真该打！"

he continued, flushing up at the sight of the bitter sneer upon the man's face,

看到那男人脸上刻薄的冷笑，他愤怒得涨红了脸接着说：

"it is not part of my duties to my client, but here's a hunting crop handy, and I think I shall just treat myself to..."

"这不是我对我的委托人所要承担的责任，但是手边正好有条猎鞭，我想我还是好好地抽..."

He took two swift steps to the whip, but before he could grasp it there was a wild clatter³ of steps upon the stairs,

他快步走去取鞭子，但是鞭子还未到手，楼梯上就没命地响起了乒乒乓乓的脚步声，

the heavy hall door banged, and from the window we could see Mr. James Windibank running at the top of his speed down the road.

沉重的大厅门嘭地响了一声，我们从窗子里看见詹姆斯·温迪班克先生拼命地在马路上飞跑。

1 sneer   

v.轻蔑；嘲笑；n.嘲笑，讥讽的言语

参考例句：

• He said with a sneer.他的话中带有嘲笑之意。
• You may sneer,but a lot of people like this kind of music.你可以嗤之以鼻，但很多人喜欢这种音乐。

2 constraint   

n.(on)约束，限制；限制(或约束)性的事物

参考例句：

• The boy felt constraint in her presence.那男孩在她面前感到局促不安。
• The lack of capital is major constraint on activities in the informal sector.资本短缺也是影响非正规部门生产经营的一个重要制约因素。

3 clatter   

v./n.(使)发出连续而清脆的撞击声

参考例句：

• The dishes and bowls slid together with a clatter.碟子碗碰得丁丁当当的。
• Don't clatter your knives and forks.别把刀叉碰得咔哒响。