绿玉皇冠案 29外出跟踪(3)

I waited until midnight, but there was no sign of his return, so I retired¹ to my room.

我一直等到半夜，还是没见他回来，我就回房休息去了。

It was no uncommon² thing for him to be away for days and nights on end when he was hot upon a scent³, so that his lateness caused me no surprise.

他连续几天几夜外出跟踪紧追一个线索是常有的事，因而他今天迟迟不归并不使我奇怪。

I do not know at what hour he came in,

我不知道他是什么时候回来的，

but when I came down to breakfast in the morning there he was with a cup of coffee in one hand and the paper in the other, as fresh and trim as possible.

但是当我早晨下楼进早餐时，只见他已经坐在那里了，一只手端着一杯咖啡，另一只手拿着一份报纸，精神饱满，雍容整洁。

"You will excuse my beginning without you, Watson," said he, "but you remember that our client has rather an early appointment this morning."

"对不起，华生，我没等你便先吃起来了。"他说，"但是你不要忘记我们的委托人今天上午和我们的约会。"

"Why, it is after nine now," I answered. "I should not be surprised if that were he. I thought I heard a ring."

"怎么，现在已过九点钟了，"我回答说，"我想一定是他在叫门。我听到了门铃响。"

It was, indeed, our friend the financier.

果然，来的正是我们这位金融家朋友。

I was shocked by the change which had come over him, for his face which was naturally of a broad and massive mould,

他身上发生的变化，使我感到非常震惊，因为他天生又宽阔又结实的脸庞，

was now pinched and fallen in, while his hair seemed to me at least a shade whiter.

现在消瘦并瘪了下去，他的头发好象也比以前更灰白了。

He entered with a weariness and lethargy which was even more painful than his violence of the morning before,

他带着萎靡困顿的倦容走了进来，显得比前一天早晨那种狂暴的样子更加痛苦，

and he dropped heavily into the armchair which I pushed forward for him.

他沉重地跌坐在我推给他的扶手椅上。

1 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

2 uncommon   

adj.罕见的，非凡的，不平常的

参考例句：

• Such attitudes were not at all uncommon thirty years ago.这些看法在30年前很常见。
• Phil has uncommon intelligence.菲尔智力超群。

3 scent   

n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉

参考例句：

• The air was filled with the scent of lilac.空气中弥漫着丁香花的芬芳。
• The flowers give off a heady scent at night.这些花晚上散发出醉人的芳香。