五个桔核 08神秘来信(2)

I did as he ordered, and when the lawyer arrived I was asked to step up to the room.

我照他的吩咐办了。律师来到时，我被召唤到他的房间里。

The fire was burning brightly, and in the grate there was a mass of black,

炉火熊熊，在壁炉的炉栅里有一堆黑色蓬松的纸灰烬。

fluffy¹ ashes, as of burned paper, while the brass² box stood open and empty beside it.

那黄铜箱匣放在一旁，敞着盖，里面空空如也。

As I glanced at the box I noticed, with a start,

我瞧了那匣子一眼，大吃一惊，

that upon the lid was printed the treble K which I had read in the morning upon the envelope.

因为那匣子盖上印着我上午在信封上所见到的那样的三个K字。

'I wish you, John,' said my uncle, 'to witness my will.

'约翰，我希望你，'我伯父说道，'作我的遗嘱见证人。

I leave my estate, with all its advantages and all its disadvantages,

我把我的产业，连带它的一切有利和不利之处，

to my brother, your father, whence it will, no doubt, descend³ to you.

留给我的兄弟--也就是你的父亲。无疑以后从你父亲那里又会遗留给你的。

If you can enjoy it in peace, well and good!

如果你能平安无事地享有它们，自然是好；

If you find you cannot, take my advice, my boy, and leave it to your deadliest enemy.

不过，如果你发觉不能，那么，孩子，我劝你把它留给你的死敌。

I am sorry to give you such a two-edged thing, but I can't say what turn things are going to take.

我很遗憾给你留下这样一个具有双重意义的东西，但是我也真说不上事情会向哪个方向发展。

Kindly⁴ sign the paper where Mr. Fordham shows you.'

请你按照福德姆律师在遗嘱上指给你的地方签上你的名字吧。'

I signed the paper as directed, and the lawyer took it away with him.

我照律师所指之处签了名，律师就将遗嘱带走了。

1 fluffy   

adj.有绒毛的，空洞的

参考例句：

• Newly hatched chicks are like fluffy balls.刚孵出的小鸡像绒毛球。
• The steamed bread is very fluffy.馒头很暄。

2 brass   

n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器

参考例句：

• Many of the workers play in the factory's brass band.许多工人都在工厂铜管乐队中演奏。
• Brass is formed by the fusion of copper and zinc.黄铜是通过铜和锌的熔合而成的。

3 descend   

vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降

参考例句：

• I hope the grace of God would descend on me.我期望上帝的恩惠。
• We're not going to descend to such methods.我们不会沦落到使用这种手段。

4 kindly   

adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地

参考例句：

• Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
• A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。