单身贵族案 29真相大白(6)

"When I got back I told my maid, who had known him in California, and had always been his friend.

"回到寓所，我告诉了我的女佣人。她在加利福尼亚时就认识他，并且一直和他很友好。

I ordered her to say nothing, but to get a few things packed and my ulster ready.

我嘱咐她什么也不要说，只要收拾一些东西，准备好我的长外套。

I know I ought to have spoken to Lord St. Simon, but it was dreadful¹ hard before his mother and all those great people.

我知道我应该向圣西蒙勋爵说明一下，但是在他母亲和那些大人物面前难以张口。

I just made up my mind to run away and explain afterwards.

我只好下决心不辞而别，以后再作解释。

I hadn't been at the table ten minutes before I saw Frank out of the window at the other side of the road.

我到餐桌就座还不到十分钟，就看见弗兰克站在窗外马路的另一边。

He beckoned² to me and then began walking into the Park.

他向我招了招手，随即走进了公园。

I slipped out, put on my things, and followed him.

我穿戴好溜了出来，跟上他。

Some woman came talking something or other about Lord St. Simon to me

这时有一个女人过来跟我谈了些圣西蒙勋爵的闲话，

seemed to me from the little I heard as if he had a little secret of his own before marriage also

从她的只言片语中透露，似乎他在结婚前也有他自己的一点儿秘密，

but I managed to get away from her and soon overtook Frank.

但是我设法摆脱了她，很快就赶上了弗兰克。

We got into a cab together, and away we drove to some lodgings³ he had taken in Gordon Square,

我们一起坐上了一辆出租马车，驶往他在戈登广场租下的寓所，

and that was my true wedding after all those years of waiting.

在盼了那么些岁月之后，这次我才真的算是结婚了。

Frank had been a prisoner among the Apaches, had escaped, came on to 'Frisco,

弗兰克在亚利桑那被印地安人囚禁过，后来他越狱逃跑，长途跋涉来到旧金山，

found that I had given him up for dead and had gone to England, followed me there,

他发现我以为他死了，并且已经到英国去了，他追踪到了这里，

and had come upon me at last on the very morning of my second wedding."

终于在我举行第二次婚礼的当天早上找到了我。"

"I saw it in a paper," explained the American. "It gave the name and the church but not where the lady lived."

"我是在一张报纸上看到的，"这位美国人补充说。"报纸上登着教堂的名字，但没有提到女方的住处。"

1 dreadful   

adj.糟透了的，极端的，可怕的，令人畏惧的

参考例句：

• I cannot imagine what to do in this dreadful situation.我不能想像在这么糟的情况下该怎么办。
• I must apologize for the dreadful mistake I made.我为我所犯的严重错误深表歉意。

2 beckoned   

v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He beckoned to the waiter to bring the bill. 他招手示意服务生把账单送过来。
• The seated figure in the corner beckoned me over. 那个坐在角落里的人向我招手让我过去。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 lodgings   

n. 出租的房舍, 寄宿舍

参考例句：

• When he reached his lodgings the sun had set. 他到达公寓房间时，太阳已下山了。
• I'm on the hunt for lodgings. 我正在寻找住所。