工程师大拇指案 08向福尔摩斯叙述故事(2)（在线收听）

"You must know," said he, "that I am an orphan and a bachelor, residing alone in lodgings in London.

"您二位要知道，"他说，"我是个孤儿，又是个单身汉，孤单一个人住在伦敦。

By profession I am a hydraulic engineer,

就职业来说，我是水利工程师，

and I have had considerable experience of my work

我获得了这一行相当丰富的经验，

during the seven years that I was apprenticed to Venner & Matheson, the well- known firm, of Greenwich.

在格林威治的一家著名的文纳和马西森公司的七年学徒生涯中。

Two years ago, having served my time, and having also come into a fair sum of money through my poor father's death,

两年前，我学徒期满。在可怜的爸爸去世后，我又继承了一笔相当可观的钱，

I determined to start in business for myself and took professional chambers in Victoria Street.

于是我就决心自己开业，并在维多利亚大街租到了几间办公室。

I suppose that everyone finds his first independent start in business a dreary experience.

我想，每个人都会发现，第一次独自开业是一件枯燥无味的事。

To me it has been exceptionally so.

这对我来说，尤譬如此。

During two years I have had three consultations and one small job, and that is absolutely all that my profession has brought me.

两年之间，我只受理过三次咨询和一件小活儿，而这就是我的职业带给我的全部工作。

My gross takings amount to 27 pounds 10 shiling.

我的总收入共计二十七英镑十先令。

Every day, from nine in the morning until four in the afternoon, I waited in my little den,

每天从上午九点到下午四点，我都在我的斗室里期待着，

until at last my heart began to sink, and I came to believe that I should never have any practice at all.

直到最后心灰意冷为止吗，我终于意识到，将永远不会有任何一个主顾上门了。