四签名 39木桶的插曲（1）

Chapter 7 The Episode Of The Barrel

第七章 木桶的插曲

The police had brought a cab with them, and in this I escorted Miss Morstan back to her home.

我坐着警察坐来的马车送摩斯坦小姐回家。

After the angelic fashion of women,

她是个天使一样可爱的妇女，

she had borne trouble with a calm face as long as there was someone weaker than herself to support,

在危难之中，只要旁边有比她更脆弱的人，她总是能够保持镇定的。

and I had found her bright and placid¹ by the side of the frightened housekeeper².

当我去接她回去的时候，她还精神地安坐在惊恐的女管家身旁。

In the cab, however, she first turned faint and then burst into a passion of weeping

可是她坐进车里以后，先是晕倒，后来又嘤嘤地哭泣。

so sorely had she been tried by the adventures of the night.

经过了这一夜的离奇惊险，就再也忍耐不住了。

She has told me since that she thought me cold and distant upon that journey.

事后她曾责备我说，那晚一路上我的态度未免太冷淡无情。

She little guessed the struggle within my breast, or the effort of self-restraint which held me back.

可是她哪里知道我当时内心的斗争和强自抑制的痛苦呢。

My sympathies and my love went out to her, even as my hand had in the garden.

正象我们在院中手握手的时节，我对她的同情和爱已经流露出来。

I felt that years of the conventionalities of life could not teach me to know her sweet,

我虽然饱经世故，若是没有经过象这一晚的遭遇，

brave nature as had this one day of strange experiences.

我也难以认识到她那温柔和勇敢的天性。

Yet there were two thoughts which sealed the words of affection upon my lips.

在当时，有两桩事使我难以开口：

She was weak and helpless, shaken in mind and nerve.

一是因为她正在遭受困难，孤苦伶仃无依无靠，

It was to take her at a disadvantage to obtrude³ love upon her at such a time.

倘若冒昧向她求爱，未免是乘人之危；

Worse still, she was rich. If Holmes's researches were successful, she would be an heiress.

再说更使我为难的就是，如果福尔摩斯真能破案，她得到宝物，就要变成巨富，

Was it fair, was it honourable⁴, that a half-pay surgeon should take such advantage of an intimacy⁵ which chance had brought about?

我这个半俸的医师乘着这个和她亲近的方便机会而向她求爱，这还能够算是正大光明的事吗？

Might she not look upon me as a mere⁶ vulgar fortune- seeker?

她会不会把我看成了一个粗鄙的淘金者？

I could not bear to risk that such a thought should cross her mind.

我不能叫她心里产生这种不良的印象，

This Agra treasure intervened like an impassable barrier between us.

这批阿格拉宝物实在是我们二人中间的障碍物啊。

It was nearly two o'clock when we reached Mrs. Cecil Forrester's.

差不多深夜两点钟我们才到达西色尔·弗里斯特夫人的家中。

The servants had retired⁷ hours ago,

仆役们早已入睡，

but Mrs. Forrester had been so interested by the strange message which Miss Morstan had received that she had sat up in the hope of her return.

可是弗里斯特夫人对摩斯坦小姐接到怪信这件事非常关心，所以她还坐在灯下等候着摩斯坦小姐。

She opened the door herself, a middle-aged⁸, graceful⁹ woman,

是她亲自给我们开的门。她是一位中年妇人，举止大方。

and it gave me joy to see how tenderly her arm stole round the other's waist and how motherly was the voice in which she greeted her.

她用胳臂亲切地搂着摩斯坦小姐的腰，还象慈母般地温言慰问着，真给我心中无限的快慰。

1 placid   

adj.安静的，平和的

参考例句：

• He had been leading a placid life for the past eight years.八年来他一直过着平静的生活。
• You should be in a placid mood and have a heart-to- heart talk with her.你应该心平气和的好好和她谈谈心。

2 housekeeper   

n.管理家务的主妇，女管家

参考例句：

• A spotless stove told us that his mother is a diligent housekeeper.炉子清洁无瑕就表明他母亲是个勤劳的主妇。
• She is an economical housekeeper and feeds her family cheaply.她节约持家，一家人吃得很省。

3 obtrude   

v.闯入；侵入；打扰

参考例句：

• I'm sorry to obtrude on you at such a time.我很抱歉在这个时候打扰你。
• You had better not obtrude your opinions on others.你最好不要强迫别人接受你的意见。

4 honourable   

adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的

参考例句：

• I don't think I am worthy of such an honourable title.这样的光荣称号，我可担当不起。
• I hope to find an honourable way of settling difficulties.我希望设法找到一个体面的办法以摆脱困境。

5 intimacy   

n.熟悉，亲密，密切关系，亲昵的言行

参考例句：

• His claims to an intimacy with the President are somewhat exaggerated.他声称自己与总统关系密切，这有点言过其实。
• I wish there were a rule book for intimacy.我希望能有个关于亲密的规则。

6 mere   

adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过

参考例句：

• That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
• It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。

7 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

8 middle-aged   

adj.中年的

参考例句：

• I noticed two middle-aged passengers.我注意到两个中年乘客。
• The new skin balm was welcome by middle-aged women.这种新护肤香膏受到了中年妇女的欢迎。

9 graceful   

adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的

参考例句：

• His movements on the parallel bars were very graceful.他的双杠动作可帅了!
• The ballet dancer is so graceful.芭蕾舞演员的姿态是如此的优美。