蓝宝石案 29追踪大鹅的来历(9)

"Ha! this may save us a visit to Brixton Road," whispered Holmes.

"哈哈，这就省得我们到布里克斯顿路去了。"福尔摩斯低声对我说。

"Come with me, and we will see what is to be made of this fellow."

"跟我来，我们要看看从这个家伙身上能查出些什么来。"

Striding through the scattered¹ knots of people who lounged round the flaring² stalls,

我们穿过三五成群在灯火辉煌的店铺四周闲逛的人丛，

my companion speedily overtook the little man and touched him upon the shoulder.

我的同伴抢前几步赶上那个矮个子，拍了一下他的肩膀。

He sprang round, and I could see in the gas-light that every vestige³ of colour had been driven from his face.

那个人猛然转过身来，我在气灯下可以看见这个人面色泛白，毫无血气。

"Who are you, then? What do you want?" he asked in a quavering voice.

"你是谁？你想干什么？"他颤声问道。

"You will excuse me," said Holmes blandly⁴,

"对不起，"福尔摩斯温和地说，

"but I could not help overhearing the questions which you put to the salesman just now.

"我刚才无意中听见了你对那个商贩提出的问题。

I think that I could be of assistance to you."

我想我也许能够帮你一点忙。"

"You? Who are you? How could you know anything of the matter?"

"你？你是谁？你怎么会知道这件事的。"

"My name is Sherlock Holmes. It is my business to know what otherpeople don't know."

"我的名字是歇洛克·福尔摩斯。知道别人不知道的事是我份内的事。"

"But you can know nothing of this?"

"但是你对这件事能知道些什么？"

"Excuse me, I know everything of it.

"对不起，这件事我全知道了。

You are endeavouring to trace some geese which were sold by Mrs. Oakshott, of Brixton Road,

你拼命想寻找那几只鹅。那几只鹅是布里克斯顿路的奥克肖特太太

to a salesman named Breckinridge, by him in turn to Mr. Windigate, of the Alpha,

卖给名叫布莱肯里奇的那个商贩的，通过他的手又转到阿尔法酒店温迪盖特先生那里。

and by him to his club, of which Mr. Henry Baker⁵ is a member."

由他又转到他的俱乐部，而亨利·贝克先生是俱乐部的会员。"

"Oh, sir, you are the very man whom I have longed to meet," cried the little fellow with outstretched hands and quivering fingers.

"哎呀！先生，你正是我渴望要见的人，"这个身材矮小的人哆里哆嗦地伸出双手喊着。

"I can hardly explain to you how interested I am in this matter."

"我难以向你解释我对这件事是何等地感兴趣。"

1 scattered   

adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的

参考例句：

• Gathering up his scattered papers,he pushed them into his case.他把散乱的文件收拾起来，塞进文件夹里。

2 flaring   

a.火焰摇曳的，过份艳丽的

参考例句：

• A vulgar flaring paper adorned the walls. 墙壁上装饰着廉价的花纸。
• Goebbels was flaring up at me. 戈塔尔当时已对我面呈愠色。

3 vestige   

n.痕迹，遗迹，残余

参考例句：

• Some upright stones in wild places are the vestige of ancient religions.荒原上一些直立的石块是古老宗教的遗迹。
• Every vestige has been swept away.一切痕迹都被一扫而光。

4 blandly   

adv.温和地，殷勤地

参考例句：

• There is a class of men in Bristol monstrously prejudiced against Blandly. 布里斯托尔有那么一帮人为此恨透了布兰德利。 来自英汉文学 - 金银岛
• \"Maybe you could get something in the stage line?\" he blandly suggested. “也许你能在戏剧这一行里找些事做，\"他和蔼地提议道。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

5 baker   

n.面包师

参考例句：

• The baker bakes his bread in the bakery.面包师在面包房内烤面包。
• The baker frosted the cake with a mixture of sugar and whites of eggs.面包师在蛋糕上撒了一层白糖和蛋清的混合料。