月亮和六便士 第二十章(1)

 　　Chapter 21 第12章

　　Dirk Stroeve agreed to fetch me on the following evening and take me to the cafe at which Strickland was most likely to be found.  戴尔克·施特略夫答应第二天晚上来找我，带我到一家多半会找到思特里克兰德的咖啡馆去。

　　I was interested to learn that it was the same as that at which Strickland and I had drunk absinthe when I had gone over to Paris to see him.  我觉得非常有趣，因为我发现这正是上次我来巴黎看思特里克兰德时我们一起在那里饮苦艾酒的地方。

　　The fact that he had never changed suggested a sluggishness¹ of habit which seemed to me characteristic. 这么多年，他连晚上消闲的地方也没有更换，这说明他习性不易改变，据我看来，这也正是他的一种个性。

　　There he is, said Stroeve, as we reached the cafe. “他就在那里，”当我们走到这家咖啡馆的时候，施特略夫说。

　　Though it was October, the evening was warm, and the tables on the pavement were crowded.  虽然季节已是十月，晚饭后还很暖和，摆在人行道上的咖啡台子坐满了人。

　　I ran my eyes over them, but did not see Strickland. 我在人群里张望了一会儿，并没有看到思特里克兰德。

　　Look. Over there, in the corner. He's playing chess. “看哪，他就坐在那边，在一个角落里。他在同人下棋呢。”

　　I noticed a man bending over a chess-board, but could see only a large felt hat and a red beard.  我看见一个人俯身在棋盘上，我只能看到一顶大毡帽和一捧红胡须。

　　We threaded our way among the tables till we came to him. 我们从桌子中间穿过去，走到他跟前。

　　Strickland. “思特里克兰德。”

　　He looked up. 他抬头看了看。

　　Hulloa, fatty. What do you want? “哈啰，胖子。你有什么事？”

　　I've brought an old friend to see you. “我给你带来一位老朋友，他想见你。”

　　Strickland gave me a glance, and evidently did not recognise me.  思特里克兰德看了我一个眼，显然没有认出我是谁来。

　　He resumed his scrutiny² of the chess-board. 他的眼睛又回到棋盘上。

　　Sit down, and don't make a noise, he said. “坐下，别出声音，”他说。

　　He moved a piece and straightway became absorbed in the game.  他走了一步棋，马上就全神贯注到面前的一局棋上。

　　Poor Stroeve gave me a troubled look, but I was not disconcerted by so little.  可怜的施特略夫心怀焦虑地望了我一眼，但是我却没有觉得有任何不自在。

　　I ordered something to drink, and waited quietly till Strickland had finished.  我要了一点喝的东西，静静地坐在那里等着思特里克兰德下完棋。

　　I welcomed the opportunity to examine him at my ease.  对于这样一个可以从容地观察他的机会，我毋宁说是欢迎的。

　　I certainly should never have known him.  如果是我一个人来，我肯定认不出他了。

　　In the first place his red beard, ragged³ and untrimmed, hid much of his face, and his hair was long; but the most surprising change in him was his extreme thinness.  首先，我发觉他的大半张脸都遮在乱蓬蓬的胡须底下，他的头发也非常长；但是最令人吃惊的变化还是他的极度削瘦，

　　It made his great nose protrude⁴ more arrogantly⁵; it emphasized his cheekbones; it made his eyes seem larger.  这就使得他的大鼻子更加傲慢地翘起来，颧骨也更加突出，眼睛显得比从前更大了。

　　There were deep hollows at his temples. His body was cadaverous.  在他的太阳穴下面出现了两个深坑。他的身体瘦得只剩了皮包骨头，

　　He wore the same suit that I had seen him in five years before;  穿的仍然是五年前我见到的那身衣服，

　　it was torn and stained, threadbare, and it hung upon him loosely, as though it had been made for someone else.  只不过已经破破烂烂，油迹斑斑，而且穿在身上晃晃荡荡，仿佛原来是给别人做的似的。

　　I noticed his hands, dirty, with long nails; they were merely bone and sinew, large and strong; but I had forgotten that they were so shapely.  我注意到他的两只手不很干净，指甲很长，除了筋就是骨头，显得大而有力，但是我却不记得过去他的手形曾经这么完美过。

　　He gave me an extraordinary impression as he sat there, his attention riveted⁶ on his game—an impression of great strength;  他坐在那里专心致志地下棋，给我一种很奇特的印像——仿佛他身体里蕴藏着一股无比的力量。

　　and I could not understand why it was that his emaciation⁷ somehow made it more striking. 我不知道为什么，他的削瘦使这一点更加突出了。

1 sluggishness   

不振，萧条，呆滞；惰性；滞性；惯性

参考例句：

• Such estimate of viscosities do give us some concept of the sluggishness of debris flows. 这种对泥石流粘度的估计确实给我们提供了一些泥石流惰性方面的概念。 来自辞典例句
• The general appearance of sluggishness alarmed his friends. 那种呆滞的样子吓坏了他的朋友们。 来自互联网

2 scrutiny   

n.详细检查，仔细观察

参考例句：

• His work looks all right,but it will not bear scrutiny.他的工作似乎很好，但是经不起仔细检查。
• Few wives in their forties can weather such a scrutiny.很少年过四十的妻子经得起这么仔细的观察。

3 ragged   

adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的

参考例句：

• A ragged shout went up from the small crowd.这一小群人发出了刺耳的喊叫。
• Ragged clothing infers poverty.破衣烂衫意味着贫穷。

4 protrude   

v.使突出，伸出，突出

参考例句：

• The tip of her tongue was protruding slightly.她的舌尖微微伸出。
• A huge round mass of smooth rock protruding from the water.一块光滑的巨型圆石露出水面。

5 arrogantly   

adv.傲慢地

参考例句：

• The consular porter strode arrogantly ahead with his light swinging. 领事馆的门房提着摇来晃去的灯，在前面大摇大摆地走着。
• It made his great nose protrude more arrogantly. 这就使得他的大鼻子更加傲慢地翘起来。

6 riveted   

铆接( rivet的过去式和过去分词 )； 把…固定住； 吸引； 引起某人的注意

参考例句：

• I was absolutely riveted by her story. 我完全被她的故事吸引住了。
• My attention was riveted by a slight movement in the bushes. 我的注意力被灌木丛中的轻微晃动吸引住了。

7 emaciation   

n.消瘦，憔悴，衰弱

参考例句：

• His face was hollowed out to the point of emaciation. 他的脸瘦削到了憔悴的地步。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• These photographs show extremes of obesity and emaciation. 这些照片展现了肥胖与消瘦两个极端。 来自《简明英汉词典》