博斯科姆比溪谷秘案 19来到目的地(5)

I walked down to the station with them, and then wandered through the streets of the little town,

我和他们一道步行到火车站，然后在这个小城镇的街头闲逛了一会儿，

finally returning to the hotel, where I lay upon the sofa and tried to interest myself in a yellow-backed novel.

最后还是回到了旅馆，我躺在旅馆的沙发上，拿起一本黄封面的廉价的通俗小说，希望从中得到一些趣味，以资消遣。

The puny¹ plot of the story was so thin, however, when compared to the deep mystery through which we were groping,

但是那微不足道的小说情节同我们正在侦查的深奥莫测的案情相比显得十分肤浅。

and I found my attention wander so continually from the fiction to the fact,

因此，我的注意力不断地从小说虚构的情节转移到当前的现实上来，

that I at last flung it across the room and gave myself up entirely² to a consideration of the events of the day.

最后我终于把那本小说扔得远远的，全神贯注地去考虑当天所发生的事件。

Supposing that this unhappy young man's story were absolutely true,

假定说这个不幸的青年人所说的事情经过完全属实，

then what hellish thing, what absolutely unforeseen and extraordinary calamity³ could have occurred

那么，究竟发生了什么怪事，有什么完全意想不到和异乎寻常的灾难，

between the time when he parted from his father, and the moment when, drawn⁴ back by his screams, he rushed into the glade⁵?

发生在了从他离开他父亲，到听到他父亲的尖声叫喊而急忙赶回到那林间空地的刹那之间呢？

It was something terrible and deadly. What could it be?

这是某种骇人听闻的突然事故。但是这可能是什么样的事故呢？

Might not the nature of the injuries reveal something to my medical instincts?

难道我不能用我医生的直觉从死者的伤痕上看出点问题吗？

I rang the bell and called for the weekly county paper, which contained a verbatim account of the inquest.

我拉铃叫人把县里出版的周报送来。周报上载有逐字逐句的审讯记录。

In the surgeon's deposition⁶ it was stated that

在法医的验尸证明书上写道：

the posterior third of the left parietal bone and the left half of the occipital bone had been shattered by a heavy blow from a blunt weapon.

死者脑后的第三个左顶骨和枕骨的左半部因受到笨重武器的一下猛击而破裂。

I marked the spot upon my own head. Clearly such a blow must have been struck from behind.

我在自己头部比划那被猛击的位置，显而易见，这一猛击是来自死者背后的。

That was to some extent in favour of the accused, as when seen quarrelling he was face to face with his father.

这一情况在某种程度上对被告有利，因为有人看见他是和他父亲面对面争吵的。

Still, it did not go for very much, for the older man might have turned his back before the blow fell.

不过，这一点到底说明不了多大问题，因为死者也可能是在他转过身去以后被打死的。

Still, it might be worth while to call Holmes's attention to it.

不管怎么样，提醒福尔摩斯注意这一点也许还是值得的。

1 puny   

adj.微不足道的，弱小的

参考例句：

• The resources at the central banks' disposal are simply too puny.中央银行掌握的资金实在太少了。
• Antonio was a puny lad,and not strong enough to work.安东尼奥是个瘦小的小家伙，身体还不壮，还不能干活。

2 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

3 calamity   

n.灾害，祸患，不幸事件

参考例句：

• Even a greater natural calamity cannot daunt us. 再大的自然灾害也压不垮我们。
• The attack on Pearl Harbor was a crushing calamity.偷袭珍珠港(对美军来说)是一场毁灭性的灾难。

4 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

5 glade   

n.林间空地，一片表面有草的沼泽低地

参考例句：

• In the midst of a glade were several huts.林中的空地中间有几间小木屋。
• The family had their lunch in the glade.全家在林中的空地上吃了午饭。

6 deposition   

n.免职，罢官；作证；沉淀；沉淀物

参考例句：

• It was this issue which led to the deposition of the king.正是这件事导致了国王被废黜。
• This leads to calcium deposition in the blood-vessels.这导致钙在血管中沉积。