巴斯克威尔的猎犬 巴斯克维尔的诅咒（8）（在线收听）

"The recent sudden death of Sir Charles Baskerville, whose name has been mentioned as the probable Liberal candidate for Mid-Devon at the next election, has cast a gloom over the county.Though Sir Charles had resided at Baskerville Hall for a comparatively short period his amiability of character and extreme generosity had won the affection and respect of all who had been brought into contact with him. In these days of nouveaux riches it is refreshing to find a case where the scion of an old county family which has fallen upon evil days is able to make his own fortune and to bring it back with him to restore the fallen grandeur of his line. Sir Charles, as is well known, made large sums of money in South African speculation. More wise than those who go on until the wheel turns against them, he realized his gains and returned to England with them. It is only two years since he took up his residence at Baskerville Hall, and it is common talk how large were those schemes of reconstruction and improvement which have been interrupted by his death. Being himself childless, it was his openly expressed desire that the whole countryside should, within his own lifetime, profit by his good fortune, and many will have personal reasons for bewailing his untimely end. His generous donations to local and county charities have been frequently chronicled in these columns.

“最近， 查尔兹· 巴斯克维尔爵士之暴卒， 使本郡不胜哀悼。 据云， 在下届选举中， 此人可能被选为中部德文郡自由党候选人。 虽然查尔兹爵士在巴斯克维尔庄园居住不久， 但其厚道与慷慨已深得周围群众之敬爱。 值此暴发户充斥之时， 如查尔兹这样一支名门之后， 竟能致富还乡 ， 重振因厄运而中衰之家声， 诚为可喜之事。 众所周知之查尔兹爵士曾在南非投机致富。 但他较之一直于到倒霉为止的人们聪明， 他带着变卖了的资财返回英伦。 他来到巴斯克维尔庄园不过两年， 人们普遍在谈论着他那庞大的重建和修幕的计划， 然此计划已因其本人逝世而中断。 因他并无子嗣， 他曾公开表示， 在他有生之日整个乡 区将得到他的资助，因此， 有很多人都悲悼他的暴亡。 至于他对本地及郡慈善机关的慷慨捐输， 本栏曾常有登载。

"The circumstances connected with the death of Sir Charles cannot be said to have been entirely cleared up by the inquest, but at least enough has been done to dispose of those rumours to which local superstition has given rise. There is no reason whatever to suspect foul play, or to imagine that death could be from any but natural causes. Sir Charles was a widower, and a man who may be said to have been in some ways of an eccentric habit of mind. In spite of his considerable wealth he was simple in his personal tastes, and bis indoor servants at Baskerville Hall consisted of a married couple named Barrymore, the husband acting as butler and the wife as housekeeper. Their evidence, corroborated by that of several friends, tends to show that Sir Charles's health has for some time been impaired, and points especially to some affection of the heart, manifesting itself in changes of colour, breathlessness, and acute attacks of nervous depression. Dr. James Mortimer, the friend and medical attendant of the deceased, has given evidence to the same effect.

“验尸之结果尚未能将与查尔兹爵士之死亡相关之诸情况弄清， 至少尚未能消除由于当地之迷信所引起之诸种谣传。毫无理由怀疑有任何犯罪成分， 或想象死亡并非由于自然原因。查尔兹爵士为鳏夫， 据说他在某些方面表现精神状态有些反常。 他虽有如许财产， 但个人所好却很简单。 巴斯克维尔庄园中之仆人只有白瑞摩夫妇二人， 丈夫是总管， 妻子当管家妇。他们的已被几个朋友证实了的证词说明： 查尔兹爵士曾有健康情况不良之征象， 尤其是几点心脏症状； 表现在面色改变、 呼吸困难和严重的神经衰弱。 死者的朋友和私人医生杰姆士·摩梯未也提供了同样的证明。