博斯科姆比溪谷秘案 27现场调查(5)

To Holmes, as I could see by his eager face and peering eyes, very many other things were to be read upon the trampled¹ grass.

而对福尔摩斯来说，我从他脸上的热切表情和锐利的目光可以看出，在这被众人脚步践踏过的草地上他将要侦查出许许多多其他的东西来。

He ran round, like a dog who is picking up a scent², and then turned upon my companion.

他跑了一圈，就象一只已嗅出气味来的狗一样，然后转向我的同伴。

"What did you go into the pool for?" he asked.

他问道："你跑到池塘里去过，干什么来着？"

"I fished about with a rake. I thought there might be some weapon or other trace. But how on earth..."

"我用草耙在周围打捞了一下。我想也许有某种武器或其他踪迹。但是，我的天呀..."

"Oh, tut, tut! I have no time! That left foot of yours with its inward twist is all over the place.

"噢，得啦！得啦！我没有时间听你扯这个！这里到处都是你向里拐的左脚的脚印。

A mole³ could trace it, and there it vanishes among the reeds.

一只鼹鼠都能跟踪你的脚印，脚印就在芦苇那边消失了。

Oh, how simple it would all have been had I been here before they came like a herd⁴ of buffalo⁵ and wallowed all over it.

唉，要是我在他们象一群水牛那样在这池塘里乱打滚以前就已经到了这里，那么事情会是多么简单啊。

Here is where the party with the lodge-keeper came, and they have covered all tracks for six or eight feet round the body.

看门人领着那帮人就是从这里走过来的，尸体周围六到八英尺的地方都布满了他们的脚印。

But here are three separate tracks of the same feet."

但是，这里有三对与这些脚印不连在一起的、同一双脚的脚印。"

He drew out a lens and lay down upon his waterproof⁶ to have a better view, talking all the time rather to himself than to us.

他掏出个放大镜，在他的防水油布上趴下来以便看得更清楚些，在全部时间里，与其说他是同我说话，还不如说他是在自言自语。

"These are young McCarthy's feet. Twice he was walking, and once he ran swiftly,

"这些是年轻的麦卡锡的脚印。他来回走了两次，有一次他跑得很快，

so that the soles are deeply marked and the heels hardly visible. That bears out his story.

因为脚板的印迹很深，而脚后跟的印迹几乎看不清。这足以证明他讲的是实话。

He ran when he saw his father on the ground. Then here are the father's feet as he paced up and down.

他看见他父亲倒在地上就赶快跑过来。那么，这里是他父亲来回踱步的脚印。

What is this, then? It is the butt-end of the gun as the son stood listening.

那么，这是什么呢？这是儿子站着细听时枪托顶端着地的痕迹。

And this? Ha, ha! What have we here? Tiptoes! tiptoes! Square, too, quite unusual boots!

那么，这个呢？哈，哈！这又是什么东西的印迹呢？脚尖的！脚尖的！而且是方头的，这不是一般普通的靴子！

They come, they go, they come again -- of course that was for the cloak. Now where did they come from?"

这是走过来的脚印，那是走过去的，然后又是再走过来的脚印，当然这是为了回来取大衣的脚印。那么，这一路脚印是从什么地方过来的呢？"

1 trampled   

踩( trample的过去式和过去分词 )； 践踏； 无视； 侵犯

参考例句：

• He gripped his brother's arm lest he be trampled by the mob. 他紧抓着他兄弟的胳膊，怕他让暴民踩着。
• People were trampled underfoot in the rush for the exit. 有人在拼命涌向出口时被踩在脚下。

2 scent   

n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉

参考例句：

• The air was filled with the scent of lilac.空气中弥漫着丁香花的芬芳。
• The flowers give off a heady scent at night.这些花晚上散发出醉人的芳香。

3 mole   

n.胎块；痣；克分子

参考例句：

• She had a tiny mole on her cheek.她的面颊上有一颗小黑痣。
• The young girl felt very self- conscious about the large mole on her chin.那位年轻姑娘对自己下巴上的一颗大痣感到很不自在。

4 herd   

n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起

参考例句：

• She drove the herd of cattle through the wilderness.她赶着牛群穿过荒野。
• He had no opinions of his own but simply follow the herd.他从无主见，只是人云亦云。

5 buffalo   

n.(北美)野牛；(亚洲)水牛

参考例句：

• Asian buffalo isn't as wild as that of America's. 亚洲水牛比美洲水牛温顺些。
• The boots are made of buffalo hide. 这双靴子是由水牛皮制成的。

6 waterproof   

n.防水材料；adj.防水的；v.使...能防水

参考例句：

• My mother bought me a waterproof watch.我妈妈给我买了一块防水手表。
• All the electronics are housed in a waterproof box.所有电子设备都储放在一个防水盒中。