铜山毛榉案 29离奇事件接连出现(6)

"I was so terrified that I do not know what I did.

"我当时吓得不知道做了些什么。

I suppose that I must have rushed past him into my room.

我想我大概是飞快地从他的身边一直奔进了我的房间。

I remember nothing until I found myself lying on my bed trembling all over.

我什么也记不起来了，直到发觉自己躺在床上，浑身颤抖不已。

Then I thought of you, Mr. Holmes. I could not live there longer without some advice.

这时我想到了你，福尔摩斯先生。如果没有人给我出主意的话，我就再也不能在那里呆下去了。

I was frightened of the house, of the man, of the woman, of the servants, even of the child.

我害怕那所房子、那个男人、那个女人、那些仆人、甚至那个孩子。

They were all horrible to me. If I could only bring you down all would be well.

他们一个个都使我感到害怕。我若是能够领你们到那里去，那就好了。

Of course I might have fled from the house, but my curiosity¹ was almost as strong as my fears.

当然，我本来可以逃离那所房子，不过我的好奇心同我的恐惧心一样强烈。

My mind was soon made up. I would send you a wire.

我很快下了决心。我要打一份电报给你。

I put on my hat and cloak², went down to the office, which is about half a mile from the house, and then returned, feeling very much easier.

我戴上帽子，穿上外衣，走到约半英里外的电报局；回去时，心里觉得安稳多了。

A horrible doubt came into my mind as I approached the door lest³ the dog might be loose,

我走近大门时不觉心里又惊慌不安起来，唯恐那只狗已经被放出来了，

but I remembered that Toller had drunk⁴ himself into a state of insensibility that evening,

但是我想起托勒那天晚上喝得烂醉以至不省人事，

and I knew that he was the only one in the household who had any influence with the savage⁵ creature, or who would venture⁶ to set him free.

而且我还知道在这家里只有他能对付这只野性的畜牲，所以不会有别人敢冒险把它放出来。

I slipped in in safety and lay awake half the night in my joy at the thought of seeing you.

我偷偷地溜了进去，平安无事，晚上，我想到不久就要见到你们，开心得躺在床上大半夜没有合眼。

I had no difficulty in getting leave to come into Winchester this morning,

今天早上我毫无困难地请了假到温切斯特来，

but I must be back before three o'clock, for Mr. and Mrs. Rucastle are going on a visit,

但是三点钟以前我必须赶回去，因为鲁卡斯尔先生和太太准备出去作客，

and will be away all the evening, so that I must look after the child.

今天晚上都不在家，所以我必须照看孩子。

Now I have told you all my adventures, Mr. Holmes,

现在，我已经把我的全部历险经过都告诉你了，福尔摩斯先生，

and I should be very glad if you could tell me what it all means, and, above all, what I should do."

要是你能告诉我这一切意味着什么，我将非常高兴，并且，最要紧的是，我应该怎么办？"

1 curiosity   

n.好奇心，新奇的事物，珍品

参考例句：

• He gave in to curiosity and opened my letter.他抑制不住好奇心，拆开了我的信。
• The children are dying of curiosity to see what's in the parcel.孩子们出于好奇，迫不及待地想看看包裹中是什么东西。

2 cloak   

n.斗蓬，披风，掩饰，幌子；vt.掩盖，掩饰

参考例句：

• The snow covered up the fields with a white cloak.积雪给田野盖上了一件白色的外衣。
• She threw a heavy woollen cloak over her shoulders.她把一件厚重的羊毛斗篷披在肩上。

3 lest   

conj.唯恐，以免

参考例句：

• Let me put down your telephone number lest I forget it.让我先记下你的电话号码，以免忘了。
• Be careful lest you fall from that tree.要当心，以免从树上摔下来。

4 drunk   

adj.醉酒的；(喻)陶醉的；n.酗酒者，醉汉

参考例句：

• People who drives when they are drunk should be heavily penalised.醉酒驾车的人应受重罚。
• She found him drunk when she came home at night.她晚上回家时，经常发现他醉醺醺的。

5 savage   

adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人

参考例句：

• The poor man received a savage beating from the thugs.那可怜的人遭到暴徒的痛打。
• He has a savage temper.他脾气粗暴。

6 venture   

v.敢于，大胆表示；冒险，拼，闯；n.冒险

参考例句：

• He is too timid to venture upon an undertaking.他太胆小，不敢从事任何事业。
• Don't venture into the jungle without a guide.没有向导，不要冒险到丛林里去。