五个桔核 06年轻的委托人(4)

He was a singular man, fierce and quick-tempered, very foul-mouthed when he was angry, and of a most retiring disposition¹.

他是个很怪癖的人，凶狠急躁，发怒时言语粗鄙，性情极为孤僻。

During all the years that he lived at Horsham, I doubt if ever he set foot in the town.

自从他定居霍尔舍姆以来的这些年月里，他深居简出，我不知道他曾否涉足城镇。

He had a garden and two or three fields round his house,

他拥有一座花园，房子周围有两三块田地，

and there he would take his exercise, though very often for weeks on end he would never leave his room.

他可以在那里锻炼身体，可是他却往往几个星期都一直足不出户。

He drank a great deal of brandy and smoked very heavily,

他狂饮白兰地酒，而且烟瘾极大，

but he would see no society and did not want any friends, not even his own brother.

但他不喜欢社交，不要任何朋友，甚至和自己的胞弟也不相往来。

He didn't mind me; in fact, he took a fancy to me, for at the time when he saw me first I was a youngster of twelve or so.

他并不关心我；实际上，他还是喜欢我的，因为他初见我时，我不过是一个十一、二岁的小孩子。

This would be in the year 1878, after he had been eight or nine years in England.

那是一八七八年，他已回国八、九年了。

He begged my father to let me live with him, and he was very kind to me in his way.

他央求我父亲让我同他一起住，他以他自己的方式来疼爱我。

When he was sober he used to be fond of playing backgammon and draughts² with me,

当他清醒不醉时，喜欢同我一起斗双陆、玩象棋。

and he would make me his representative both with the servants and with the tradespeople,

他还让我代表他跟佣人和一些生意人打交道。

so that by the time that I was sixteen I was quite master of the house.

所以到我十六岁时，已俨然成为一个小当家的了。

I kept all the keys and could go where I liked and do what I liked, so long as I did not disturb him in his privacy.

我掌管所有的钥匙，我可以随心所欲地到我想去的任何地方，做我想做的任何事情，只要不打扰他的隐居生活即可。

There was one singular exception, however, for he had a single room, a lumber-room up among the attics³,

不过，也有一个奇特的例外，那就是，在阁楼那一层有着许多房间，而唯独其中一间堆存破旧杂物的房间，

which was invariably locked, and which he would never permit either me or anyone else to enter.

常年加锁，无论是我或其他任何人，他都严禁入内。

With a boy's curiosity I have peeped through the keyhole,

我曾经怀着一个男孩子的好奇心，从钥匙孔向屋内窥视，

but I was never able to see more than such a collection of old trunks and bundles as would be expected in such a room.

可是除了预料中在这样一间屋子里会堆存着的一大堆破旧箱笼和大小包袱之外，就别无其他了。

1 disposition   

n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署

参考例句：

• He has made a good disposition of his property.他已对财产作了妥善处理。
• He has a cheerful disposition.他性情开朗。

2 draughts   

n. <英>国际跳棋

参考例句：

• Seal (up) the window to prevent draughts. 把窗户封起来以防风。
• I will play at draughts with him. 我跟他下一盘棋吧！

3 attics   

n. 阁楼

参考例句：

• They leave unwanted objects in drawers, cupboards and attics. 他们把暂时不需要的东西放在抽屉里、壁橱中和搁楼上。
• He rummaged busily in the attics of European literature, bringing to light much of interest. 他在欧洲文学的阁楼里忙着翻箱倒笼，找到了不少有趣的东西。