斑点带子案 40提前准备(4)（在线收听）

About nine o'clock the light among the trees was extinguished, and all was dark in the direction of the Manor House.

大约九点钟的时候，树丛中透过来的灯光熄灭了，庄园邸宅那边一片漆黑。

Two hours passed slowly away, and then, suddenly, just at the stroke of eleven,

两个小时缓慢地过去了，突然刚好时钟在打十一点的时候，

a single bright light shone out right in front of us.

我们的正前方出现了一盏孤灯，照射出明亮的灯火。

"That is our signal," said Holmes, springing to his feet; "it comes from the middle window."

"那是我们的信号，"福尔摩斯跳了起来说，"是从当中那个房间照出来的。"

As we passed out he exchanged a few words with the landlord,

我们向外走的时候，他和旅店老板交谈了几句话，

explaining that we were going on a late visit to an acquaintance,

解释说我们要连夜去访问一个熟友，

and that it was possible that we might spend the night there.

可能会在那里过夜。

A moment later we were out on the dark road, a chill wind blowing in our faces,

一会儿，我们就来到了漆黑的路上，凉飕飕的冷风吹在脸上，

and one yellow light twinkling in front of us through the gloom to guide us on our sombre errand.

在朦胧的夜色中，昏黄的灯光在我们的前方闪烁，引导我们去完成阴郁的使命。

There was little difficulty in entering the grounds, for unrepaired breaches gaped in the old park wall.

由于山墙年久失修，到处是残墙断垣，我们轻而易举地进入了庭院。

Making our way among the trees, we reached the lawn, crossed it, and were about to enter through the window

我们穿过树丛，又越过草坪，正待通过窗子进屋时，

when out from a clump of laurel bushes there darted what seemed to be a hideous and distorted child,

突然从一丛月桂树中，窜出了一个状若丑陋畸形的孩子的东西，

who threw itself upon the grass with writhing limbs and then ran swiftly across the lawn into the darkness.

它扭动着四肢纵身跳到草坪上，随即飞快地跑过草坪，消失在黑暗中。

"My God!" I whispered; "did you see it?"

"天哪！"我低低地叫了一声，"你看到了吗？"

Holmes was for the moment as startled as I.

此刻，福尔摩斯和我一样，也吓了一大跳。

His hand closed like a vise upon my wrist in his agitation.

他在激动中用象老虎钳似的手攥住了我的手腕。

Then he broke into a low laugh and put his lips to my ear.

接着，他低声地笑了起来，把嘴唇凑到了我的耳朵上。

"It is a nice household," he murmured. "That is the baboon."

"真是不错的一家子！"他低声地说，"这就是那只狒狒。"