波希米亚丑闻 19乔装打扮(5)

This was quite too good to lose, Watson. I was just balancing whether I should run for it,

华生，这是不可错过的好机会。我正权衡是应当赶上去呢，

or whether I should perch¹ behind her landau when a cab came through the street.

还是应当攀在车后时，恰好一辆出租马车从这街上经过。

The driver looked twice at such a shabby fare, but I jumped in before he could object.

赶车人对那菲薄的车费瞧了又瞧。但我在他可能表示不干之前就跳进车里。

'The Church of St. Monica,' said I, 'and half a sovereign if you reach it in twenty minutes.'

'圣莫尼卡教堂，'我说，'给你半镑金币，要是你在二十分钟之内赶到那里的话。'

It was twenty-five minutes to twelve, and of course it was clear enough what was in the wind.

那时是十一点三十五分，将要发生什么事情，那当然是很清楚的。

My cabby drove fast. I don't think I ever drove faster, but the others were there before us.

我的马车夫赶得飞快。我觉得我从未赶得这么快过，但那两辆马车已经比我们先行到达。

The cab and the landau with their steaming horses were in front of the door when I arrived.

在我赶到的时候，那辆出租马车和那辆四轮马车早已停在门前了，两骑马正气喘吁吁冒着热气。

I paid the man and hurried into the church.

我付了车钱，急忙走进教堂。

There was not a soul there save the two whom I had followed and a surpliced clergyman, who seemed to be expostulating with them.

在那里除了我所追踪的两个人和一个身穿白色法衣、好象正在劝告他们什么似的牧师外，别无他人。

They were all three standing² in a knot in front of the altar.

他们三个人围在一起站在圣坛前。

I lounged up the side aisle³ like any other idler who has dropped into a church.

我就象偶尔浪荡到教堂里来的其他游手好闲的人一样，信步顺着两旁的通道往前走。

Suddenly, to my surprise, the three at the altar faced round to me, and Godfrey Norton came running as hard as he could towards me.

使我感到惊异的是，忽然间在圣坛前的这三个人的脸都转过来朝着我。戈弗雷·诺顿拚命向我跑来。

'Thank God,' he cried. 'You'll do. Come! Come!'

"'谢天谢地！'他喊道，'有了你就行了。来！来！'"

1 perch   

n.栖木，高位，杆；v.栖息，就位，位于

参考例句：

• The bird took its perch.鸟停歇在栖木上。
• Little birds perch themselves on the branches.小鸟儿栖歇在树枝上。

2 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

3 aisle   

n.（教堂、教室、戏院等里的）过道，通道

参考例句：

• The aisle was crammed with people.过道上挤满了人。
• The girl ushered me along the aisle to my seat.引座小姐带领我沿着通道到我的座位上去。