四签名 35福尔摩斯作出判断（4）

"Before they come," said Holmes, "just put your hand here on this poor fellow's arm, and here on his leg. What do you feel?"

福尔摩斯道："乘他们还没有上来的时候，你用手摸一摸尸身的胳臂，还有他的两条腿。你有什么感觉？"

"The muscles are as hard as a board," I answered.

我答道："肌肉坚硬得象木头一样。"

"Quite so. They are in a state of extreme contraction¹, far exceeding the usual rigor² mortis.

"正是。是极端强烈的'收缩' ，比普通的'死后强直'还要厉害，

Coupled with this distortion of the face, this Hippocratic smile,

再加上脸部的歪斜和希波克拉底式的微笑,

or 'risus sardonicus,' as the old writers called it, what conclusion would it suggest to your mind?"

或者是像以前作家写的'惨笑'，你作何结论呢？"

"Death from some powerful vegetable alkaloid," I answered,

我答道："中了植物性生物硷的剧毒

"some strychnine-like substance which would produce tetanus."

一种类似番木鳖硷，能造成破伤风性症状的毒物而致死的。"

"That was the idea which occurred to me the instant I saw the drawn³ muscles of the face.

"我一发现他那面部肌肉收缩的情形，就想到是中剧毒的现象。

On getting into the room I at once looked for the means by which the poison had entered the system.

进屋以后我就马上设法弄清这毒物是如何进入体内的。

As you saw, I discovered a thorn which had been driven or shot with no great force into the scalp.

你也看见我发现了那根不费力就能扎进或者射入他头部的荆刺。

You observe that the part struck was that which would be turned towards the hole in the ceiling if the man were erect⁴ in his chair.

似乎死者当时是直坐在椅上，你看那刺入的地方正对着那天花板的洞。

Now examine this thorn."

你再仔细看看这根荆刺。"

I took it up gingerly and held it in the light of the lantern.

我小心地把它拿在手里对着灯光细看。

It was long, sharp, and black, with a glazed⁵ look near the point as though some gummy substance had dried upon it.

是一个长而尖的木馏油黑刺，尖端上有一层发亮的好象是一种干了的胶质的东西。

The blunt end had been trimmed and rounded off with a knife.

较钝的那一头，是被刀削过的。

"Is that an English thorn?" he asked.

他问道："是生长在英国的荆刺吗？"

"No, it certainly is not."

"绝对不是的。"

"With all these data you should be able to draw some just inference.

"有了这些资料，你就应当能作出合理的结论来。

But here are the regulars, so the auxiliary⁶ forces may beat a retreat."

这是主要之点，其余的更容易解决了。"

As he spoke⁷, the steps which had been coming nearer sounded loudly on the passage,

他说话的时节，脚步声已经来到甬道。

and a very stout⁸, portly man in a gray suit strode heavily into the room.

一个穿灰衣的胖子走进屋内。

He was red-faced, burly, and plethoric⁹,

他的面色发红，身材魁伟，多血的体质，

with a pair of very small twinkling eyes which looked keenly out from between swollen¹⁰ and puffy pouches¹¹.

从肿胀的凸眼泡中间露出了一对小小的闪烁的眼睛。

He was closely followed by an inspector¹² in uniform and by the still palpitating Thaddeus Sholto.

后面紧随着一个穿制服的警长和还在那里发抖的塞笛厄斯·舒尔托。

"Here's a business!" he cried in a muffled¹³, husky voice. "Here's a pretty business!

他喊道："这成什么样子！这成什么样子！

But who are all these? Why, the house seems to be as full as a rabbit-warren!"

这些人都是谁？这屋子里简直热闹得都象养兔场了。"

"I think you must recollect¹⁴ me, Mr. Athelney Jones," said Holmes quietly.

福尔摩斯静静地说道："埃瑟尔尼·琼斯先生，我想您一定还记得我吧？"

"Why, of course I do!" he wheezed¹⁵. "It's Mr. Sherlock Holmes, the theorist. Remember you!

他喘息未定地说道："当然还记得的！你是大理论家歇洛克·福尔摩斯先生。记得您，记得您的！

I'll never forget how you lectured us all on causes and inferences and effects in the Bishopgate jewel case.

我忘不了那次您怎么向我们演说关于主教门珍宝案的起因和推论结果。

It's true you set us on the right track; but you'll own now that it was more by good luck than good guidance."

您确实把我们引入了正轨，但是您也应当承认，那次主要还是靠了运气好，而不是因为有了正确的指导才破的案。"

"It was a piece of very simple reasoning."

"那是一个很简单很容易理解的案子。"

1 contraction   

n.缩略词，缩写式，害病

参考例句：

• The contraction of this muscle raises the lower arm.肌肉的收缩使前臂抬起。
• The forces of expansion are balanced by forces of contraction.扩张力和收缩力相互平衡。

2 rigor   

n.严酷，严格，严厉

参考例句：

• Their analysis lacks rigor.他们的分析缺乏严谨性。||The crime will be treated with the full rigor of the law.这一罪行会严格依法审理。

3 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

4 erect   

n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的

参考例句：

• She held her head erect and her back straight.她昂着头，把背挺得笔直。
• Soldiers are trained to stand erect.士兵们训练站得笔直。

5 glazed   

adj.光滑的，像玻璃的；上过釉的；呆滞无神的v.装玻璃( glaze的过去式)；上釉于，上光；（目光）变得呆滞无神

参考例句：

• eyes glazed with boredom 厌倦无神的眼睛
• His eyes glazed over at the sight of her. 看到她时，他的目光就变得呆滞。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 auxiliary   

adj.辅助的，备用的

参考例句：

• I work in an auxiliary unit.我在一家附属单位工作。
• The hospital has an auxiliary power system in case of blackout.这家医院装有备用发电系统以防灯火管制。

7 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

8 stout   

adj.强壮的，粗大的，结实的，勇猛的，矮胖的

参考例句：

• He cut a stout stick to help him walk.他砍了一根结实的枝条用来拄着走路。
• The stout old man waddled across the road.那肥胖的老人一跩一跩地穿过马路。

9 plethoric   

adj.过多的，多血症的

参考例句：

10 swollen   

adj.肿大的，水涨的；v.使变大，肿胀

参考例句：

• Her legs had got swollen from standing up all day.因为整天站着，她的双腿已经肿了。
• A mosquito had bitten her and her arm had swollen up.蚊子叮了她，她的手臂肿起来了。

11 pouches   

n.（放在衣袋里或连在腰带上的）小袋( pouch的名词复数 )；（袋鼠等的）育儿袋；邮袋；（某些动物贮存食物的）颊袋

参考例句：

• Pouches are a peculiarity of marsupials. 腹袋是有袋动物的特色。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Under my eyes the pouches were heavy. 我眼睛下的眼袋很深。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 inspector   

n.检查员，监察员，视察员

参考例句：

• The inspector was interested in everything pertaining to the school.视察员对有关学校的一切都感兴趣。
• The inspector was shining a flashlight onto the tickets.查票员打着手电筒查看车票。

13 muffled   

adj.（声音）被隔的；听不太清的；（衣服）裹严的；蒙住的v.压抑，捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己）

参考例句：

• muffled voices from the next room 从隔壁房间里传来的沉闷声音
• There was a muffled explosion somewhere on their right. 在他们的右面什么地方有一声沉闷的爆炸声。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 recollect   

v.回忆，想起，记起，忆起，记得

参考例句：

• He tried to recollect things and drown himself in them.他极力回想过去的事情而沉浸于回忆之中。
• She could not recollect being there.她回想不起曾经到过那儿。

15 wheezed   

v.喘息，发出呼哧呼哧的喘息声( wheeze的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The old organ wheezed out a tune. 那架老风琴呜呜地奏出曲子。 来自辞典例句
• He wheezed out a curse. 他喘着气诅咒。 来自辞典例句