五个桔核 31展开复仇计划(3)

"What then?" "I searched the Dundee records,

"以后又怎样呢？""我查阅了敦提的记录。

and when I found that the bark Lone¹ Star was there in January, '85, my suspicion became a certainty.

当我看到一八八五年一月三桅帆船'孤星号'抵达那里的记录时，我心里的猜想就变为确信无疑的了。

I then inquired as to the vessels² which lay at present in the port of London." "Yes?"

我接着就对目前停泊在伦敦港内的船只的情况进行了查询。""结果呢？"

"The Lone Star had arrived here last week.

"那'孤星号'上星期到达这里。

I went down to the Albert Dock and found that she had been taken down the river by the early tide this morning, homeward bound to Savannah.

我跑到艾伯特船坞，查明这船今天早晨已趁着早潮顺流而下，返航萨瓦纳港去了。

I wired to Gravesend and learned that she had passed some time ago,

我发电报给格雷夫森德，得知这船已经在不久前驶过去了。

and as the wind is easterly I have no doubt that she is now past the Goodwins and not very far from the Isle³ of Wight."

由于风向是朝东的，我确信：这船此刻已开过古德温斯，离怀特岛不远。"

"What will you do, then?" "Oh, I have my hand upon him.

"那么，你想干什么呢？""我要去逮住他！

He and the two mates, are, as I learn, the only native-born Americans in the ship. The others are Finns and Germans.

他和那两个副手，据我所知，是那船上仅有的美国人。其余的是芬兰人和德国人。

I know, also, that they were all three away from the ship last night.

我还了解到他们三人昨晚曾离船上岸。

I had it from the stevedore⁴ who has been loading their cargo⁵.

这消息是当时正在给他们装货的码头工人说的。

By the time that their sailing-ship reaches Savannah the mail-boat will have carried this letter,

等到他们的这艘帆船到达萨瓦纳时，邮船也已经把这封信带到那地方了，

and the cable will have informed the police of Savannah that these three gentlemen are badly wanted here upon a charge of murder."

同时海底电报则已经通知了萨瓦纳的警察，说明这三位先生是这里正在通缉中的被控犯有谋杀罪的人犯。"

There is ever a flaw, however, in the best laid of human plans,

然而，人谋布下的罗网纵极工巧，终不能没有丝毫漏洞。

and the murderers of John Openshaw were never to receive the orange pips which would show them that another,

谋杀约翰·奥彭肖的凶手竟然再也收不到那几个桔核了，而那几个桔核是会使他们知道

as cunning and as resolute⁶ as themselves, was upon their track.

世界上另外还有一个和他们同样狡猾、同样坚决的人正在追捕着他们。

Very long and very severe were the equinoctial gales⁷ that year.

那年秋分时的暴风刮得久，刮得猛。

We waited long for news of the Lone Star of Savannah, but none ever reached us.

我们等了很长时间，想得到萨瓦纳"孤星号"的消息，却一直杳无音信。

We did at last hear that somewhere far out in the Atlantic

终于我们听说：在远远的大西洋某处，

a shattered stern-post of the boat was seen swinging in the trough of a wave,

有人看到在一次海浪的退潮中漂泊着一块破碎的船尾柱，

with the letters "L. S." carved upon it, and that is all which we shall ever know of the fate of the Lone Star.

1 lone   

adj.孤寂的，单独的；唯一的

参考例句：

• A lone sea gull flew across the sky.一只孤独的海鸥在空中飞过。
• She could see a lone figure on the deserted beach.她在空旷的海滩上能看到一个孤独的身影。

2 vessels   

n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人

参考例句：

• The river is navigable by vessels of up to 90 tons. 90 吨以下的船只可以从这条河通过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All modern vessels of any size are fitted with radar installations. 所有现代化船只都有雷达装置。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 isle   

n.小岛，岛

参考例句：

• He is from the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea.他来自爱尔兰海的马恩岛。
• The boat left for the paradise isle of Bali.小船驶向天堂一般的巴厘岛。

4 stevedore   

n.码头工人；v.装载货物

参考例句：

• The stevedores'work is to load and unload ships.装卸工人的工作是装卸船只。
• The stevedores are reluctant to be ordered around by the employers.装卸工人们不愿被雇主们差来遣去地随便使唤。

5 cargo   

n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物

参考例句：

• The ship has a cargo of about 200 ton.这条船大约有200吨的货物。
• A lot of people discharged the cargo from a ship.许多人从船上卸下货物。

6 resolute   

adj.坚决的，果敢的

参考例句：

• He was resolute in carrying out his plan.他坚决地实行他的计划。
• The Egyptians offered resolute resistance to the aggressors.埃及人对侵略者作出坚决的反抗。

7 gales   

龙猫

参考例句：

• I could hear gales of laughter coming from downstairs. 我能听到来自楼下的阵阵笑声。
• This was greeted with gales of laughter from the audience. 观众对此报以阵阵笑声。