工程师大拇指案 33实地调查(4)

"But the twelve-mile drive?" gasped¹ Hatherley.

"但是，那十二英里的路程呢？"哈瑟利气喘吁吁地说。

"Six out and six back. Nothing simpler. You say yourself that the horse was fresh and glossy² when you got in.

"去六英里，回来六英里。没有比这再简单的了。您自己说过当您上马车的时候，那骑马精神饱满，毛色光泽。

How could it be that if it had gone twelve miles over heavy roads?"

如果它已经奔驰了十二英里那么难走的路，怎么会是那个样子呢？"

"Indeed, it is a likely ruse³ enough," observed Bradstreet thoughtfully.

"确实，很可能是这么一个诡计，"布雷兹特里特若有所思评论说，

"Of course there can be no doubt as to the nature of this gang."

"当然，至于这个匪帮是什么性质的也就毫无疑问了。"

"None at all," said Holmes. "They are coiners on a large scale,

"那当然是毫无疑问的罗。"福尔摩斯说，"他们是大规模伪造货币的罪犯，

and have used the machine to form the amalgam⁴ which has taken the place of silver."

他们使用那台机器铸造合金来代替白银。"

"We have known for some time that a clever gang was at work," said the inspector⁵.

"我们发现有一伙机灵的坏家伙在干着这个行当有一段时间了。"巡官说，

"They have been turning out half-crowns by the thousand.

"他们一直在大批大批地铸造半克郎硬币。

We even traced them as far as Reading, but could get no farther,

我们甚至一直追踪他们到雷丁，但再远就没有线索了，

for they had covered their traces in a way that showed that they were very old hands.

因为他们使用了某种掩蔽他们踪迹的方法，这说明他们是精于此道的惯犯。

But now, thanks to this lucky chance, I think that we have got them right enough."

但是现在，多亏这个侥幸的机会，他们是跑不掉的了。"

1 gasped   

v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要

参考例句：

• She gasped at the wonderful view. 如此美景使她惊讶得屏住了呼吸。
• People gasped with admiration at the superb skill of the gymnasts. 体操运动员的高超技艺令人赞叹。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

2 glossy   

adj.平滑的；有光泽的

参考例句：

• I like these glossy spots.我喜欢这些闪闪发光的花点。
• She had glossy black hair.她长着乌黑发亮的头发。

3 ruse   

n.诡计，计策；诡计

参考例句：

• The children thought of a clever ruse to get their mother to leave the house so they could get ready for her surprise.孩子们想出一个聪明的办法使妈妈离家，以便他们能准备给她一个惊喜。It is now clear that this was a ruse to divide them.现在已清楚这是一个离间他们的诡计。

4 amalgam   

n.混合物；汞合金

参考例句：

• To counter this myth,we explained that we're really an amalgam of little guys.为了打破这个神话，我们解释说，我们确实是由一群小小的老百姓所组成的混合体。
• American literature is to our eyes a curious amalgam of familiar and strange.我们认为，美国文学把我们所熟悉的和陌生的东西奇妙地结合起来了。

5 inspector   

n.检查员，监察员，视察员

参考例句：

• The inspector was interested in everything pertaining to the school.视察员对有关学校的一切都感兴趣。
• The inspector was shining a flashlight onto the tickets.查票员打着手电筒查看车票。