歪唇男人 16圣克莱尔的故事(5)

And now as to the villains¹ who seemed to be immediately implicated² in the matter.

再说说看来直接与本案有牵连的歹徒们吧。

The lascar was known to be a man of the vilest³ antecedents, but as, by Mrs. St. Clair's story,

那个印度阿三是个出名的劣迹昭彰的人。不过，根据圣克莱尔太太的说法，

he was known to have been at the foot of the stair within a very few seconds of her husband's appearance at the window,

她的丈夫出现在窗口以后仅仅几秒钟，他就已经在楼梯脚那里了。

he could hardly have been more than an accessory to the crime.

这人至多不过是这桩罪案的一个帮凶而已。

His defense⁵ was one of absolute ignorance, and he protested that he had no knowledge as to the doings of Hugh Boone, his lodger⁶,

他分辩说他什么也不知道，他申明他对楼上租户休·布恩的一切行动都一无所知。

and that he could not account in any way for the presence of the missing gentleman's clothes.

他对于那位下落不明的先生的衣物出现在那屋子里的原因也说不出个所以然来。

So much for the lascar manager.

印度阿三老板的情况就是这些。

Now for the sinister⁷ cripple who lives upon the second floor of the opium⁸ den⁴,

那个阴险的瘸子住在三层楼上，

and who was certainly the last human being whose eyes rested upon Neville St. Clair.

一定是最后亲眼看见圣克莱尔先生的人。

His name is Hugh Boone, and his hideous⁹ face is one which is familiar to every man who goes much to the City.

他名叫休·布恩，他的丑恶的面孔，素为常到伦敦旧城区来的人们所熟知。

He is a professional beggar, though in order to avoid the police regulations he pretends to a small trade in wax vestas.

他以乞讨为生，由于要避免警察的管制，他装作卖蜡火柴的小贩。

Some little distance down Threadneedle Street, upon the left-hand side, there is,

就在针线街往下走不远，靠左手一边，

as you may have remarked, a small angle in the wall.

可能你已注意到有一个小墙角。

Here it is that this creature takes his daily seat, cross-legged, with his tiny stock of matches on his lap,

他每天就坐在那里，盘着腿儿，把少得可怜的几盒火柴放在膝上，

and as he is a piteous spectacle a small rain of charity descends¹⁰ into the greasy¹¹ leather cap which lies upon the pavement beside him.

由于他有着一副令人哀怜的样子，布施给他的小钱就犹如雨点般地落进放在人行道上他身边的一顶油腻的皮革帽子里。

1 villains   

n.恶棍( villain的名词复数 )；罪犯；（小说、戏剧等中的）反面人物；淘气鬼

参考例句：

• The impression of villains was inescapable. 留下恶棍的印象是不可避免的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Some villains robbed the widow of the savings. 有几个歹徒将寡妇的积蓄劫走了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

2 implicated   

adj.密切关联的；牵涉其中的

参考例句：

• These groups are very strongly implicated in the violence. 这些组织与这起暴力事件有着极大的关联。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Having the stolen goods in his possession implicated him in the robbery. 因藏有赃物使他涉有偷盗的嫌疑。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 vilest   

adj.卑鄙的( vile的最高级 )；可耻的；极坏的；非常讨厌的

参考例句：

4 den   

n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室

参考例句：

• There is a big fox den on the back hill.后山有一个很大的狐狸窝。
• The only way to catch tiger cubs is to go into tiger's den.不入虎穴焉得虎子。

5 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

6 lodger   

n.寄宿人，房客

参考例句：

• My friend is a lodger in my uncle's house.我朋友是我叔叔家的房客。
• Jill and Sue are at variance over their lodger.吉尔和休在对待房客的问题上意见不和。

7 sinister   

adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的

参考例句：

• There is something sinister at the back of that series of crimes.在这一系列罪行背后有险恶的阴谋。
• Their proposals are all worthless and designed out of sinister motives.他们的建议不仅一钱不值，而且包藏祸心。

8 opium   

n.鸦片；adj.鸦片的

参考例句：

• That man gave her a dose of opium.那男人给了她一剂鸦片。
• Opium is classed under the head of narcotic.鸦片是归入麻醉剂一类的东西。

9 hideous   

adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的

参考例句：

• The whole experience had been like some hideous nightmare.整个经历就像一场可怕的噩梦。
• They're not like dogs,they're hideous brutes.它们不像狗，是丑陋的畜牲。

10 descends   

v.下来( descend的第三人称单数 )；下去；下降；下斜

参考例句：

• This festival descends from a religious rite. 这个节日起源于宗教仪式。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The path descends steeply to the village. 小路陡直而下直到村子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 greasy   

adj. 多脂的，油脂的

参考例句：

• He bought a heavy-duty cleanser to clean his greasy oven.昨天他买了强力清洁剂来清洗油污的炉子。
• You loathe the smell of greasy food when you are seasick.当你晕船时，你会厌恶油腻的气味。