巴斯克威尔的猎犬 巴斯克维尔的诅咒（1）

Chapter 2 - The Curse of the Baskervilles

第二章 巴斯克维尔的灾祸

"I have in my pocket a manuscript," said Dr. James Mortimer.

“我口袋里有一篇手稿， ” 杰姆士· 摩梯末医生说道。

"I observed it as you entered the room," said Holmes.

“在您进屋时我就看出来了 ， ” 福尔摩斯说。

"It is an old manuscript."

“是一张旧手稿。”

"Early eighteenth century, unless it is a forgery¹."

“是十八世纪初期的， 否则就是假造的了。”

"How can you say that, sir?"

“您怎么知道的呢， 先生？ ”

"You have presented an inch or two of it to my examination all the time that you have been

talking. It would be a poor expert who could not give the date of a document within a decade or so.

You may possibly have read my little monograph² upon the subject. I put that at 1730."

“在您说话的时候， 我看到那手稿一直露着一两英寸的光景。 如果一位专家不能把一份

文件的时期估计得相差不出十年左右的话， 那他就真是一位差劲儿的蹩脚专家了 。 可能您已

经读过了我写的那篇关于这问题的小论吧。 据我判断， 这篇手稿是在一七三○年写成的。”

"The exact date is 1742." Dr. Mortimer drew it from his breast-pocket. "This family paper

was committed to my care by Sir Charles Baskerville, whose sudden and tragic³ death some three

months ago created so much excitement in Devonshire. I may say that I was his personal friend as

well as his medical attendant. He was a strong-minded man, sir, shrewd, practical, and as

unimaginative as I am myself. Yet he took this document very seriously, and his mind was

prepared for just such an end as did eventually overtake him."

“确切的年代是一七四二年。” 摩梯末医生从胸前的口袋里把它掏了出来，“这份祖传的

家书， 是查尔兹· 巴斯克维尔爵士交托给我的， 三个月前他忽遭惨死， 在德文郡引起了很大

的惊恐。 可以说， 我是他的朋友， 同时又是他的医生。 他是个意志坚强的人， 先生， 很敏锐，

经验丰富， 并和我一样地讲求实际。 他把这份文件看得很认真， 他心里早已准备接受这样的

结局了； 而结果， 他竟真的得到了 这样的结局。”

Holmes stretched out his hand for the manuscript and flattened⁴ it upon his knee.

福尔摩斯接过了手稿， 把它平铺在膝头上。

1 forgery   

n.伪造的文件等，赝品，伪造（行为）

参考例句：

• The painting was a forgery.这张画是赝品。
• He was sent to prison for forgery.他因伪造罪而被关进监狱。

2 monograph   

n.专题文章，专题著作

参考例句：

• This monograph belongs to the category of serious popular books.这本专著是一本较高深的普及读物。
• It's a monograph you wrote six years ago.这是你六年前写的的专论。

3 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

4 flattened   

[医]（水）平扁的，弄平的

参考例句：

• She flattened her nose and lips against the window. 她把鼻子和嘴唇紧贴着窗户。
• I flattened myself against the wall to let them pass. 我身体紧靠着墙让他们通过。