博斯科姆比溪谷秘案 09整理线索(3)

"What are they?" "It appears that his arrest did not take place at once, but after the return to Hatherley Farm.

"那是什么？""看来没有当场逮捕他，而是回到哈瑟利农场以后才逮捕的。

On the inspector¹ of constabulary informing him that he was a prisoner,

当巡官通知他被捕了的时候，

he remarked that he was not surprised to hear it, and that it was no more than his deserts.

他说，他对此并不奇怪，这是他罪有应得。

This observation of his had the natural effect of removing any traces of doubt which might have remained in the minds of the coroner's jury."

他的这段话自然起了消除验尸陪审团心目中还存在的任何一点怀疑的作用。"

"It was a confession," I ejaculated.

我禁不住喊道，"那是自己坦白交代。"

"No, for it was followed by a protestation of innocence²."

"不是，因为随后有人提出异议说，他是清白无辜的。"

"Coming on the top of such a damning series of events, it was at least a most suspicious remark."

"在发生了这么一系列事件之后才有人提出异议，这起码是十分使人疑心的。"

"On the contrary," said Holmes, "it is the brightest rift³ which I can at present see in the clouds.

福尔摩斯说："正相反，那是目前我在黑暗中所能看到的最清楚的一线光芒。

However innocent he might be, he could not be such an absolute imbecile as not to see that the circumstances were very black against him.

不管他是多么天真，他不可能愚蠢到连当时的情况对他十分不利这一点都茫然无知。

Had he appeared surprised at his own arrest, or feigned⁴ indignation at it, I should have looked upon it as highly suspicious,

如果他被捕时表示惊讶或假装气愤，我倒会把它当作十分可疑的行为来看待，

because such surprise or anger would not be natural under the circumstances, and yet might appear to be the best policy to a scheming man.

因为在那种情况下表示惊讶和气愤肯定是不自然的，而对一个诡计多端的人来说，这倒象是个妙计。

His frank acceptance of the situation marks him as either an innocent man, or else as a man of considerable self-restraint and firmness.

他坦然承认当时的情况，这说明他要不是清白无辜，那就是很能自我克制的坚强的人。

As to his remark about his deserts, it was also not unnatural⁵ if you consider that he stood beside the dead body of his father,

至于他说罪有应得的话，如果你考虑一下就会觉得同样并非是不自然的，那就是：他就站在他父亲的尸体旁边，

and that there is no doubt that he had that very day so far forgotten his filial duty as to bandy words with him,

而且毫无疑问恰恰在这一天他忘记了当儿子的孝道，竟然还和他父亲吵起嘴来，

and even, according to the little girl whose evidence is so important, to raise his hand as if to strike him.

甚至正如那个提供十分重要的证据的小女孩所说的，还举起手好象要打他似的。

The self-reproach and contrition⁶ which are displayed in his remark appear to me to be the signs of a healthy mind rather than of a guilty one."

我看他那段话里的自我谴责和内疚的表示是一个身心健全的人而不是犯了罪的人的表现。"

1 inspector   

n.检查员，监察员，视察员

参考例句：

• The inspector was interested in everything pertaining to the school.视察员对有关学校的一切都感兴趣。
• The inspector was shining a flashlight onto the tickets.查票员打着手电筒查看车票。

2 innocence   

n.无罪；天真；无害

参考例句：

• There was a touching air of innocence about the boy.这个男孩有一种令人感动的天真神情。
• The accused man proved his innocence of the crime.被告人经证实无罪。

3 rift   

n.裂口，隙缝，切口；v.裂开，割开，渗入

参考例句：

• He was anxious to mend the rift between the two men.他急于弥合这两个人之间的裂痕。
• The sun appeared through a rift in the clouds.太阳从云层间隙中冒出来。

4 feigned   

a.假装的，不真诚的

参考例句：

• He feigned indifference to criticism of his work. 他假装毫不在意别人批评他的作品。
• He accepted the invitation with feigned enthusiasm. 他假装热情地接受了邀请。

5 unnatural   

adj.不自然的；反常的

参考例句：

• Did her behaviour seem unnatural in any way?她有任何反常表现吗？
• She has an unnatural smile on her face.她脸上挂着做作的微笑。

6 contrition   

n.悔罪，痛悔

参考例句：

• The next day he'd be full of contrition,weeping and begging forgiveness.第二天，他就会懊悔不已，哭着乞求原谅。
• She forgave him because his contrition was real.她原谅了他是由于他的懊悔是真心的。