博斯科姆比溪谷秘案 34水落石出(1)

"Mr. John Turner," cried the hotel waiter, opening the door of our sitting-room¹, and ushering² in a visitor.

"约翰·特纳先生来访。"旅馆侍者一面打开我们起居室的房门，把来客引进来，一面说道。

The man who entered was a strange and impressive figure.

进来的这个人看上去很陌生，相貌不凡。

His slow, limping step and bowed shoulders gave the appearance of decrepitude³,

他步履缓慢，一瘸一拐，肩部下垂，显得老态龙钟，

and yet his hard, deep-lined, craggy features, and his enormous limbs showed that he was possessed⁴ of unusual strength of body and of character.

但是他那皱纹深陷、坚定严峻的脸和粗壮的四肢，使人感到他具有异常的体力和个性。

His tangled⁵ beard, grizzled hair, and outstanding, drooping⁶ eyebrows⁷ combined to give an air of dignity and power to his appearance,

他的弯曲的胡须、银灰的头发和很有特色的下垂的眉毛结合在一起赋予了他尊贵和权威的风度和仪表，

but his face was of an ashen⁸ white, while his lips and the corners of his nostrils⁹ were tinged¹⁰ with a shade of blue.

但是他脸色灰白，嘴唇和鼻端呈深紫蓝色。

It was clear to me at a glance that he was in the grip of some deadly and chronic¹¹ disease.

我一眼就能看出，他患有不治之症。

"Pray sit down on the sofa," said Holmes gently. "You had my note?"

福尔摩斯彬彬有礼地说："请坐在沙发上。你已收到我的便条了？"

"Yes, the lodge-keeper brought it up. You said that you wished to see me here to avoid scandal."

"是的，看门人把你的便条交给我了。你说，你想在这里和我见面以避免流言蜚语。"

"I thought people would talk if I went to the Hall."

"我想如果我到你的庄园里去，人们是会纷纷议论的。"

"And why did you wish to see me?"

"你为什么想要见我呢？"

He looked across at my companion with despair in his weary eyes, as though his question was already answered.

他以疲倦、绝望的眼光打量我的同伴，仿佛他的问题已得到回答似的。

"Yes," said Holmes, answering the look rather than the words. "It is so. I know all about McCarthy."

福尔摩斯说："是的。"这是回答他的眼色，而不是回答他的话。"是这样的。我了解麦卡锡的一切。"

1 sitting-room   

n.（BrE）客厅，起居室

参考例句：

• The sitting-room is clean.起居室很清洁。
• Each villa has a separate sitting-room.每栋别墅都有一间独立的起居室。

2 ushering   

v.引，领，陪同( usher的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• They were right where the coach-caller was swinging open a coach-door and ushering in two ladies. "他们走到外面时，叫马车的服务员正打开车门，请两位小姐上车。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• Immediately the two of them approached others, thanking them, ushering them out one by one. 他们俩马上走到其他人面前，向他们道谢，一个个送走了他们。 来自辞典例句

3 decrepitude   

n.衰老；破旧

参考例句：

• Staying youth can be likened to climbing steep hill,while negligence will lead to decrepitude overnight. 保持青春已如爬坡，任由衰老会一泻千里。
• The building had a general air of decrepitude and neglect.这座建筑看上去破旧失修，无人照管。

4 possessed   

adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的

参考例句：

• He flew out of the room like a man possessed.他像着了魔似地猛然冲出房门。
• He behaved like someone possessed.他行为举止像是魔怔了。

5 tangled   

adj. 纠缠的，紊乱的 动词tangle的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• Your hair's so tangled that I can't comb it. 你的头发太乱了，我梳不动。
• A movement caught his eye in the tangled undergrowth. 乱灌木丛里的晃动引起了他的注意。

6 drooping   

adj. 下垂的，无力的 动词droop的现在分词

参考例句：

• The drooping willows are waving gently in the morning breeze. 晨风中垂柳袅袅。
• The branches of the drooping willows were swaying lightly. 垂柳轻飘飘地摆动。

7 eyebrows   

眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Eyebrows stop sweat from coming down into the eyes. 眉毛挡住汗水使其不能流进眼睛。
• His eyebrows project noticeably. 他的眉毛特别突出。

8 ashen   

adj.灰的

参考例句：

• His face was ashen and wet with sweat.他面如土色，汗如雨下。
• Her ashen face showed how much the news had shocked her.她灰白的脸显示出那消息使她多么震惊。

9 nostrils   

鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Her nostrils flared with anger. 她气得两个鼻孔都鼓了起来。
• The horse dilated its nostrils. 马张大鼻孔。

10 tinged   

v.（使）发丁丁声( ting的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• memories tinged with sadness 略带悲伤的往事
• white petals tinged with blue 略带蓝色的白花瓣

11 chronic   

adj.(疾病)长期未愈的，慢性的；极坏的

参考例句：

• Famine differs from chronic malnutrition.饥荒不同于慢性营养不良。
• Chronic poisoning may lead to death from inanition.慢性中毒也可能由虚弱导致死亡。