五个桔核 10神秘来信(4)

"Well, to come to an end of the matter, Mr. Holmes, and not to abuse your patience,

"噢，福尔摩斯先生，现在说说此事的结局吧，不能再辜负您的耐性了。

there came a night when he made one of those drunken sallies from which he never came back.

有一夜，他又撒了一回那样的酒疯，突然跑出去，可是这一回，却永远一去不复返了。

We found him, when we went to search for him, face downward in a little green-scummed pool, which lay at the foot of the garden.

我们去寻找他时，发现他面朝下摔跌在花园一端的一个泛着绿色的污水坑里。

There was no sign of any violence, and the water was but two feet deep,

并未发现施行任何暴力的迹象，坑水也不过两英尺深，

so that the jury, having regard to his known eccentricity¹, brought in a verdict of 'suicide.'

因此，陪审团鉴于他平日的古怪行径，断定为'自杀'事件。

But I, who knew how he winced² from the very thought of death,

可是我素来知道他是个怕死的人，

had much ado to persuade myself that he had gone out of his way to meet it.

总觉得难于相信他竟会跑出去自寻短见。

The matter passed, however, and my father entered into possession of the estate,

尽管如此，事过境迁。我父亲继承了他的地产，

and of some 14,000 pounds, which lay to his credit at the bank."

以及他存放在银行的大约一万四千镑存款。"

"One moment," Holmes interposed, "your statement is, I foresee, one of the most remarkable³ to which I have ever listened.

"等一等，"福尔摩斯插言道，“我预料您所说的这案情将是我所听到的一件最出奇的案子。

Let me have the date of the reception by your uncle of the letter, and the date of his supposed suicide."

请把您的伯父接到那封信的日期和他的被信以为真的自杀日期告诉我。"

1 eccentricity   

n.古怪，反常，怪癖

参考例句：

• I can't understand the eccentricity of Henry's behavior.我不理解亨利的古怪举止。
• His eccentricity had become legendary long before he died.在他去世之前他的古怪脾气就早已闻名遐尔了。

2 winced   

赶紧避开，畏缩( wince的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He winced as the dog nipped his ankle. 狗咬了他的脚腕子，疼得他龇牙咧嘴。
• He winced as a sharp pain shot through his left leg. 他左腿一阵剧痛疼得他直龇牙咧嘴。

3 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。