单身贵族案 11勋爵驾到(3)

"When did you first meet Miss Hatty Doran?" "In San Francisco, a year ago."

"你第一次见到哈蒂·多兰小姐是在什么时候？""一年以前，在旧金山。"

"You were travelling in the States?" "Yes."

"当时你正在美国旅行？""是的。"

"Did you become engaged then?" "No."

"你们那时候订婚了吗？""没有。"

"But you were on a friendly footing?"

"但是有着友好的往来？"

"I was amused by her society, and she could see that I was amused."

"我能和她交往感到很高兴，她能够看出我很高兴。"

"Her father is very rich?"

"她的父亲很有钱？"

"He is said to be the richest man on the Pacific slope."

"据说他是太平洋彼岸最有钱的人。"

"And how did he make his money?"

"他是怎样发财的呢？"

"In mining. He had nothing a few years ago. Then he struck gold, invested¹ it, and came up by leaps and bounds²."

"开矿。几年以前，他还一无所有。有一天，他挖到了金矿，于是投资开发，从此飞黄腾达成了暴发户。"

"Now, what is your own impression as to the young lady's–your wife's character?"

"现在谈谈你对这位年轻的小姐--你的妻子的性格的印象怎么样？"

The nobleman swung his glasses a little faster and stared down into the fire.

这位贵族目不转睛地看着壁炉，系在他眼镜上的链子晃动得更快了。

"You see, Mr. Holmes," said he, "my wife was twenty before her father became a rich man.

"你知道，福尔摩斯先生，"他说，"我的妻子在她的父亲发财以前，已经是二十岁了。

During that time she ran free in a mining camp and wandered through woods or mountains,

在这时期，她在矿镇上无拘无束，整天在山上或树林里游荡，

so that her education has come from Nature rather than from the schoolmaster.

所以她所受的教育，与其说是教师传授的，还不如说是大自然赋予的。

She is what we call in England a tomboy, with a strong nature, wild and free, unfettered by any sort of traditions.

她是一个我们英国人所说的顽皮姑娘，她性格泼辣、粗野，而又任性，放荡不羁，不受任何习俗的约束。

She is impetuous–volcanic, I was about to say.

她很性急，我几乎想说是暴躁。

She is swift³ in making up her mind and fearless in carrying out her resolutions.

她轻易地作出决定，干起来天不怕、地不怕。

On the other hand, I would not have given her the name which I have the honour to bear" he gave a little stately cough

另一方面，要不是我考虑她到底是一位高贵的女人，"他庄重地咳嗽了一声，

"had not I thought her to be at bottom a noble woman.

"我是决不会让她享受我所享有的高贵称号的。

I believe that she is capable⁴ of heroic⁵ self-sacrifice and that anything dishonourable would be repugnant to her."

我相信，她是能够做出英勇的自我牺牲，任何不名誉的事情都是她所深恶痛绝的。"

1 invested   

v.投资，花费( invest的过去式和过去分词 )；授予；（把资金）投入；投入（时间、精力等）

参考例句：

• The money will be invested in managed funds. 这笔钱将投资于管理基金。
• He invested his lawyer with complete power to act for him. 他让律师全权代办。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 bounds   

n.出界；界限；在（某人允许进入的）界限以外；出格的；跳跃( bound的名词复数 )；界限；（球等的）反跳

参考例句：

• What he did went beyond the bounds of law. 他的所作所为已超出了法律允许的范围。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• This place is out of bounds to students and troops. 这个地方禁止学生和军人入内。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 swift   

n.雨燕，大滚筒；adj.迅速的，快的，敏捷的，立刻的；adv.迅速地，敏捷地

参考例句：

• He is swift to hear,but slow to speak.他听力敏锐，但不善言辞。
• He made a remarkably swift recovery.他康复得相当快。

4 capable   

adj.有能力的，有才能的

参考例句：

• The new woman secretary was extremely clever and capable.这位新来的女秘书很是精明强干。
• Jim is capable at sports.吉姆擅长运动。

5 heroic   

adj.英雄的，英勇的，崇高的

参考例句：

• Many people have heard of the man's heroic deeds.许多人都已经听说了这个人的英雄事迹。
• He received a medal for his heroic feat.他因其英雄业绩而获得一枚勋章。