绿玉皇冠案 36失而复得(7)

"There was a double line of tracks of a booted man, and a second double line which I saw with delight belonged to a man with naked feet.

"那里有两条穿靴子的人的脚印，另外还有两条，我很高兴地看到这是一个打赤脚的人的脚印。

I was at once convinced from what you had told me that the latter was your son.

我立刻根据你曾经告诉过我的话证明后两条脚印是你儿子留下的。

The first had walked both ways, but the other had run swiftly, and as his tread was marked in places over the depression of the boot,

头两条脚印是来回走的，而另两条则是跑得很快的脚印，而且他的脚印在有些地方盖在那穿靴的脚印上，

it was obvious that he had passed after the other.

显然他是在后头走过去的。

I followed them up and found they led to the hall window, where Boots had worn all the snow away while waiting.

我随着这些脚印走，发现它们通向大厅的窗户，那穿起靴的人在这里等候时将周围所有的雪都踩得溶化了。

Then I walked to the other end, which was a hundred yards or more down the lane.

随后我到另外一边，这里从那小道走下去约有一百多码。

I saw where Boots had faced round, where the snow was cut up as though there had been a struggle,

此外，我看出那穿起靴的人曾转过身来，地上的雪被踩得纵横交错，狼藉不堪，好象在那里发生过一场搏斗，

and, finally, where a few drops of blood had fallen, to show me that I was not mistaken.

并且最后我还发现那里有溅下的几滴血，这说明我没弄错。

Boots had then run down the lane, and another little smudge of blood showed that it was he who had been hurt.

这时，那穿皮靴人又沿着小道跑了，在那里又有一小滩血说明他受了伤。

When he came to the highroad at the other end, I found that the pavement had been cleared, so there was an end to that clue.

当他来到大路上另一头时，我看见人行道边已经清扫过，所以线索就此中断。

On entering the house, however, I examined, as you remember, the sill and framework of the hall window with my lens,

在进屋子时，你记得，我曾经用我的放大镜验视大厅的窗台和窗框，

and I could at once see that someone had passed out.

我马上看出有人从这里进出过。

I could distinguish the outline of an instep where the wet foot had been placed in coming in.

我能够分辨出脚的轮廓，因为一只湿脚跨进来时曾在这里踩过。

I was then beginning to be able to form an opinion as to what had occurred.

那时我对于这里出过什么事就形成了初步的看法。

A man had waited outside the window; someone had brought the gems¹; the deed had been overseen² by your son;

也就是说，一个人曾在窗外守候过；一个人将绿玉皇冠带到那里；这情况被你的儿子看见了。

he had pursued the thief; had struggled with him; they had each tugged³ at the coronet,

他去追那个贼，并和他格斗；他们两个人一起抓住那皇冠，

their united strength causing injuries which neither alone could have effected.

一迫使劲争夺，才造成并非任何单独一个人所能造成的那种损坏。

He had returned with the prize, but had left a fragment in the grasp of his opponent. So far I was clear.

他夺得了战利品回来，但却留下一小部分在他对手的手中。我当时所能弄清的就是这些。

The question now was, who was the man and who was it brought him the coronet?"

现在的问题是，那个人是谁？又是谁将皇冠拿给他的？"

1 gems   

growth； economy； management； and customer satisfaction 增长

参考例句：

• a crown studded with gems 镶有宝石的皇冠
• The apt citations and poetic gems have adorned his speeches. 贴切的引语和珠玑般的诗句为他的演说词增添文采。

2 overseen   

v.监督，监视( oversee的过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He was overseen stealing the letters. 他被人撞见在偷信件。 来自辞典例句
• It will be overseen by ThomasLi, director of IBM China Research Laboratory. 该实验室由IBM中国研究院院长李实恭(ThomasLi)引导。 来自互联网

3 tugged   

v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She tugged at his sleeve to get his attention. 她拽了拽他的袖子引起他的注意。
• A wry smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. 他的嘴角带一丝苦笑。 来自《简明英汉词典》