歪唇男人 17圣克莱尔的故事(6)

I have watched the fellow more than once before ever I thought of making his professional acquaintance,

在我想到必须对他的以乞讨为生的情况进行了解以前，我也曾不止一次地观察过这个家伙，

and I have been surprised at the harvest which he has reaped in a short time.

但只有在了解他的乞讨情况之后，我才对他在一会儿工夫收获之多深感吃惊。

His appearance, you see, is so remarkable¹ that no one can pass him without observing him.

你知道他的形象是那么异常，没有一个由他面前路过的人能不看他一眼的。

A shock of orange hair, a pale face disfigured by a horrible scar,

一头蓬松的红头发；一张苍白的面孔被一块可怕的伤疤弄的更加难看，

which, by its contraction², has turned up the outer edge of his upper lip,

这块伤疤，一经收缩就把上唇的外部边缘翻卷上去了；

a bulldog chin, and a pair of very penetrating³ dark eyes,

一副叭儿狗似的下巴；一双目光锐利的黑眼睛，

which present a singular contrast to the colour of his hair,

这两只眼睛和他的头发的颜色形成鲜明的对照；

all mark him out from amid the common crowd of mendicants,

这一切都显示出他和一般乞丐不同。

and so, too, does his wit, for he is ever ready with a reply to any piece of chaff⁴ which may be thrown at him by the passers-by.

而且，他的智力也显然是超群的，因为过路人投给他无论是什么破烂东西时，他都有话可说。

This is the man whom we now learn to have been the lodger⁵ at the opium⁶ den⁷,

现在我们知道他就是那个在烟馆里寄宿的人，

and to have been the last man to see the gentleman of whom we are in quest."

并且也正是最后目睹我们想寻找的那个绅士的人。"

1 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。

2 contraction   

n.缩略词，缩写式，害病

参考例句：

• The contraction of this muscle raises the lower arm.肌肉的收缩使前臂抬起。
• The forces of expansion are balanced by forces of contraction.扩张力和收缩力相互平衡。

3 penetrating   

adj.（声音）响亮的，尖锐的adj.（气味）刺激的adj.（思想）敏锐的，有洞察力的

参考例句：

• He had an extraordinarily penetrating gaze. 他的目光有股异乎寻常的洞察力。
• He examined the man with a penetrating gaze. 他以锐利的目光仔细观察了那个人。

4 chaff   

v.取笑，嘲笑；n.谷壳

参考例句：

• I didn't mind their chaff.我不在乎他们的玩笑。
• Old birds are not caught with chaff.谷糠难诱老雀。

5 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。

6 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。

7 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。