四签名 43木桶的插曲（5）

There was a scuffling of feet, and the lantern began to come steadily¹ down the side of the wall.

一阵窸窸窣窣的脚的声音，那灯光顺着墙边稳稳当当地降了下来，

Then with a light spring he came on to the barrel, and from there to the earth.

然后他轻轻一跳就落在桶上了，随后又跳到了地上。

"It was easy to follow him," he said, drawing on his stockings and boots.

他一边穿着靴袜一边说道："追寻这个人的足迹还算容易。

"Tiles were loosened the whole way along, and in his hurry he had dropped this.

一路上的瓦全都被他踩松了。他在急忙之中，遗漏下这个东西。

It confirms my diagnosis², as you doctors express it."

按你们医生的说法就是：它证实了我的诊断没有错。"

The object which he held up to me was a small pocket or pouch³ woven out of coloured grasses

他拿给我看的东西是一个用有颜色的草编成的，

and with a few tawdry beads⁴ strung round it.

外面装着几颗不值钱的小珠子，

In shape and size it was not unlike a cigarette-case.

同纸烟盒一般大小的口袋，

Inside were half a dozen spines⁵ of dark wood,

里边装着六个黑色的木刺，

sharp at one end and rounded at the other, like that which had struck Bartholomew Sholto.

一头是尖的，一头是圆的，和刺到巴索洛谬·舒尔托头上的一样。

"They are hellish things," said he. "Look out that you don't prick⁶ yourself.

他道："这是危险的凶器，当心不要刺着你。

I'm delighted to have them, for the chances are that they are all he has.

我得到这个高兴极了，因为这可能是他全部的凶器。

There is the less fear of you or me finding one in our skin before long.

咱们两人这才可能免除被刺的危险。

I would sooner face a Martini bullet, myself.

我宁愿叫枪打我也不愿中这个刺的毒。

Are you game for a six- mile trudge⁷, Watson?"

华生，你还有勇气跑六英里的路吗？"

"Certainly," I answered.

我答道："没有问题。"

"Your leg will stand it?"

"你的腿受得住吗？"

"Oh, yes."

"受得住。"

"Here you are, doggy! Good old Toby! Smell it, Toby, smell it!"

"喂，透比！好透比！闻一闻这个，透比，闻一闻！"

He pushed the creosote handkerchief under the dog's nose,

他把浸过木馏油的手巾放在透比的鼻子上说

while the creature stood with its fluffy⁸ legs separated, and with a most comical cock to its head,

透比叉开多毛的腿站着子向上翘着，

like a connoisseur⁹ sniffing¹⁰ the bouquet¹¹ of a famous vintage.

好象酿酒家在品佳酿一般。

Holmes then threw the handkerchief to a distance,

福尔摩斯把手巾丢开了，

fastened a stout¹² cord to the mongrel's collar, and led him to the foot of the water-barrel.

在狗脖子上系了一根坚实的绳子，牵着它到木桶下面。

The creature instantly broke into a succession of high, tremulous yelps¹³

这只狗立刻就不断地发出高而颤抖的狂叫，

and, with his nose on the ground and his tail in the air,

把鼻子在地上嗅着，尾巴高耸着，

pattered off upon the trail at a pace which strained his leash¹⁴ and kept us at the top of our speed.

跟踪气味一直往前奔去。我们拉着绳子，紧随在后面。

The east had been gradually whitening, and we could now see some distance in the cold gray light.

这时，东方已渐发白，在灰色的寒光里已能向远处了望。

The square, massive house, with its black, empty windows and high, bare walls, towered up, sad and forlorn, behind us.

我的背后是那所四方的大房子，窗里黯然无光，光秃秃的高墙，惨淡孤独地耸立在我们的身后。

Our course led right across the grounds, in and out among the trenches¹⁵ and pits with which they were scarred and intersected.

院里散乱地堆着垃圾，灌木丛生，这凄惨的景况正好象征着昨夜的惨案。

1 steadily   

adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地

参考例句：

• The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
• Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。

2 diagnosis   

n.诊断，诊断结果，调查分析，判断

参考例句：

• His symptoms gave no obvious pointer to a possible diagnosis.他的症状无法作出明确的诊断。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做一次彻底的调查分析。

3 pouch   

n.小袋，小包，囊状袋；vt.装...入袋中，用袋运输；vi.用袋送信件

参考例句：

• He was going to make a tobacco pouch out of them. 他要用它们缝制一个烟草袋。
• The old man is always carrying a tobacco pouch with him.这老汉总是随身带着烟袋。

4 beads   

n.（空心）小珠子( bead的名词复数 )；水珠；珠子项链

参考例句：

• a necklace of wooden beads 一条木珠项链
• Beads of perspiration stood out on his forehead. 他的前额上挂着汗珠。

5 spines   

n.脊柱( spine的名词复数 )；脊椎；（动植物的）刺；书脊

参考例句：

• Porcupines use their spines to protect themselves. 豪猪用身上的刺毛来自卫。
• The cactus has spines. 仙人掌有刺。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

6 prick   

v.刺伤，刺痛，刺孔；n.刺伤，刺痛

参考例句：

• He felt a sharp prick when he stepped on an upturned nail.当他踩在一个尖朝上的钉子上时，他感到剧烈的疼痛。
• He burst the balloon with a prick of the pin.他用针一戳，气球就爆了。

7 trudge   

v.步履艰难地走；n.跋涉，费力艰难的步行

参考例句：

• It was a hard trudge up the hill.这趟上山是一次艰难的跋涉。
• The trudge through the forest will be tiresome.长途跋涉穿越森林会令人疲惫不堪。

8 fluffy   

adj.有绒毛的，空洞的

参考例句：

• Newly hatched chicks are like fluffy balls.刚孵出的小鸡像绒毛球。
• The steamed bread is very fluffy.馒头很暄。

9 connoisseur   

n.鉴赏家，行家，内行

参考例句：

• Only the real connoisseur could tell the difference between these two wines.只有真正的内行才能指出这两种酒的区别。
• We are looking for a connoisseur of French champagne.我们想找一位法国香槟酒品酒专家。

10 sniffing   

n.探查法v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的现在分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说

参考例句：

• We all had colds and couldn't stop sniffing and sneezing. 我们都感冒了，一个劲地抽鼻子，打喷嚏。
• They all had colds and were sniffing and sneezing. 他们都伤风了，呼呼喘气而且打喷嚏。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

11 bouquet   

n.花束，酒香

参考例句：

• This wine has a rich bouquet.这种葡萄酒有浓郁的香气。
• Her wedding bouquet consisted of roses and ivy.她的婚礼花篮包括玫瑰和长春藤。

12 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。

13 yelps   

n.（因痛苦、气愤、兴奋等的）短而尖的叫声( yelp的名词复数 )v.发出短而尖的叫声( yelp的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The woman emitted queer regular little snores that sounded like yelps. 她那跟怪叫差不多的鼾声一股一股地从被里冒出来。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）
• As the moments passed the yelps grew closer and louder. 一会儿，呼叫声越来越近、越来越响了。 来自互联网

14 leash   

n.牵狗的皮带，束缚；v.用皮带系住

参考例句：

• I reached for the leash,but the dog got in between.我伸手去拿系狗绳，但被狗挡住了路。
• The dog strains at the leash,eager to be off.狗拼命地扯拉皮带，想挣脱开去。

15 trenches   

深沟，地沟( trench的名词复数 )； 战壕

参考例句：

• life in the trenches 第一次世界大战期间的战壕生活
• The troops stormed the enemy's trenches and fanned out across the fields. 部队猛攻敌人的战壕，并在田野上呈扇形散开。