巴斯克维尔的猎犬 华生医生的第一份报告（6）

 

　　One other neighbour I have met since I wrote last. This is Mr. Frankland, of Lafter Hall, wholives some four miles to the south of us. He is an elderly man, red-faced, white-haired, andcholeric. His passion is for the British law, and he has spent a large fortune in litigation. He fightsfor the mere¹ pleasure of fighting and is equally ready to take up either side of a question, so that itis no wonder that he has found it a costly² amusement. Sometimes he will shut up a right of wayand defy the parish to make him open it. At others he will with his own hands tear down someother man's gate and declare that a path has existed there from time immemorial, defying theowner to prosecute³ him for trespass⁴. He is learned in old manorial⁵ and communal⁶ rights, and heapplies his knowledge sometimes in favour of the villagers of Fernworthy and sometimes againstthem, so that he is periodically either carried in triumph down the village street or else burned ineffigy, according to his latest exploit. He is said to have about seven lawsuits⁷ upon his hands atpresent, which will probably swallow up the remainder of his fortune and so draw his sting andleave him harmless for the future. Apart from the law he seems a kindly⁹, good-natured person, andI only mention him because you were particular that I should send some description of the peoplewho surround us. He is curiously¹⁰ employed at present, for, being an amateur astronomer¹¹, he has anexcellent telescope, with which he lies upon the roof of his own house and sweeps the moor¹² allday in the hope of catching¹³ a glimpse of the escaped convict. If he would confine his energies tothis all would be well, but there are rumours¹⁴ that he intends to prosecute Dr. Mortimer for openinga grave without the consent of the next of kin⁸ because he dug up the neolithic¹⁵ skull¹⁶ in the barrowon Long Down. He helps to keep our lives from being monotonous¹⁷ and gives a little comic reliefwhere it is badly needed.

　　从上次给你写信以后， 我又遇到了另一个邻人， 就是赖福特庄园的弗兰克兰先生， 他住在我们南面约四英里远的地方。 他是一位长者， 面色红润， 头发银白， 性情暴躁。 他对英国的法律有着癖好， 并为诉讼而花掉了大量的财产。 他所以与人争讼， 不过是为了 获得争讼的快感， 至于说站在问题的哪一面， 则全都一样， 无怪乎他要感到这真是个费钱的玩艺儿呢。

　　有时他竟隔断一条路并公然反抗教区让他开放的命令； 有时竟又亲手拆毁别人的大门， 并声言很久很久以前这里早是一条通路， 反驳原主对他提出的侵害诉讼。 他精通旧采邑权法和公共权法， 他有时利用他的知识维护弗恩沃西村居民的利益， 但有时又用来反对他们。 因此，根据他所做的事， 他就时而被人胜利地抬起来走过村中的大街， 时而被人做成草人烧掉。 据说目前他手中还有七宗未了的讼案， 说不定这些讼案就会吞光他仅余的财产呢。 到那时候，他就会象一只被拔掉毒刺的黄蜂那样再也不能为害于人了 。 如果把法律问题放开不谈， 他倒象是个和蔼可亲的人。 我不过只是提一提他而已， 因为你特意嘱咐过我， 应该寄给你一些对周围人们情况的描述。 他现在正在莫名其妙地忙着， 他是个业余天文学家， 有一架绝佳的望远镜， 他就一天到晚地伏在自己的屋顶上， 用它向沼地上了望， 希望能发现那个逃犯。 如果他能把精力都花费在这件事上， 那么一切也就都能太平无事了， 可是据谣传， 他现在正想以未得死者近亲的同意而私掘坟墓的罪名控靠摩梯末医生。因为摩梯末从长岗地方的古墓里掘出了一具新石器时代人的颅骨。 这位弗兰克兰先生确实有助于打破我们生活的单调， 并在迫切需要的时候使我们得到一些娱人心怀的小趣味。

1 mere   

adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过

参考例句：

• That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
• It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。

2 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

3 prosecute   

vt.告发；进行；vi.告发，起诉，作检察官

参考例句：

• I am trying my best to prosecute my duties.我正在尽力履行我的职责。
• Is there enough evidence to prosecute?有没有起诉的足够证据？

4 trespass   

n./v.侵犯，闯入私人领地

参考例句：

• The fishing boat was seized for its trespass into restricted waters.渔船因非法侵入受限制水域而被扣押。
• The court sentenced him to a fine for trespass.法庭以侵害罪对他判以罚款。

5 manorial   

adj.庄园的

参考例句：

• In time the manorial court was regarded as having two natures. 当时，采邑法庭被认为具有两种类型。 来自辞典例句
• Traditional manorial organization provided scant encouragement for economic growth. 传统的庄园组织没有为经济发展提供足够的激励。 来自互联网

6 communal   

adj.公有的，公共的，公社的，公社制的

参考例句：

• There was a communal toilet on the landing for the four flats.在楼梯平台上有一处公共卫生间供4套公寓使用。
• The toilets and other communal facilities were in a shocking state.厕所及其他公共设施的状况极其糟糕。

7 lawsuits   

n.诉讼( lawsuit的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Lawsuits involving property rights and farming and grazing rights increased markedly. 涉及财产权，耕作与放牧权的诉讼案件显著地增加。 来自辞典例句
• I've lost and won more lawsuits than any man in England. 全英国的人算我官司打得最多，赢的也多，输的也多。 来自辞典例句

8 kin   

n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的

参考例句：

• He comes of good kin.他出身好。
• She has gone to live with her husband's kin.她住到丈夫的亲戚家里去了。

9 kindly   

adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地

参考例句：

• Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
• A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。

10 curiously   

adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地

参考例句：

• He looked curiously at the people.他好奇地看着那些人。
• He took long stealthy strides. His hands were curiously cold.他迈着悄没声息的大步。他的双手出奇地冷。

11 astronomer   

n.天文学家

参考例句：

• A new star attracted the notice of the astronomer.新发现的一颗星引起了那位天文学家的注意。
• He is reputed to have been a good astronomer.他以一个优秀的天文学者闻名于世。

12 moor   

n.荒野，沼泽；vt.(使)停泊；vi.停泊

参考例句：

• I decided to moor near some tourist boats.我决定在一些观光船附近停泊。
• There were hundreds of the old huts on the moor.沼地上有成百上千的古老的石屋。

13 catching   

adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住

参考例句：

• There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
• Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。

14 rumours   

n.传闻( rumour的名词复数 )；风闻；谣言；谣传

参考例句：

• The rumours were completely baseless. 那些谣传毫无根据。
• Rumours of job losses were later confirmed. 裁员的传言后来得到了证实。

15 neolithic   

adj.新石器时代的

参考例句：

• Cattle were first domesticated in Neolithic times.新石器时代有人开始驯养牛。
• The monument was Stone Age or Neolithic.该纪念碑是属于石器时代或新石器时代的。

16 skull   

n.头骨；颅骨

参考例句：

• The skull bones fuse between the ages of fifteen and twenty-five.头骨在15至25岁之间长合。
• He fell out of the window and cracked his skull.他从窗子摔了出去，跌裂了颅骨。

17 monotonous   

adj.单调的，一成不变的，使人厌倦的

参考例句：

• She thought life in the small town was monotonous.她觉得小镇上的生活单调而乏味。
• His articles are fixed in form and monotonous in content.他的文章千篇一律，一个调调儿。