《远大前程》第5章 匹普的姐姐被袭击(5)

We didn't stop running until we reached the forge¹．In Mrs Joe's kitchen there was a doctor，and Joe，and a group of Women.

我们马不停蹄地跑到铁匠铺。在乔夫人的厨房里有一位医生、乔和一群妇女，

And on the floor in the middle of them all was my sister，lying unconscious．She would never scold us again．

他们的中间是我姐姐—不省人事地躺在地板上，她永远不会再训斥我们了。

Joe had been at the pub² that evening，and when he arrived home just before ten，he found her on the floor．Nothing had been stolen.

那天傍晚，乔是在小酒店里，他10点之前刚到家，就发现她躺在地板上，东西没有被偷，

She had been hit violently on the back of the head with a heavy weapon．

她的后脑勺儿被重器严重击伤。

On the floor beside her was a convict's iron chain．It did not belong to the prisoners who had escaped that day．

她的旁边，在地板上是一个罪犯的铁链，这个铁链不是那天那个逃犯的。

The police spent the next week investigating the attack，but did not arrest anybody.

警察用了一周的时间调查这起暴力事件。可是，没有逮住任何人。

I felt sure the iron chain belonged to my convict，but I did not think he had attacked my sister.

我确信铁链是属于我那个囚犯的，但是，我认为不是他袭击了我姐姐。

The attacker could have been either Orlick，or the stranger who had shown me the file.

那个袭击者可能是奥立克或者是让我看到那把挫的陌生人。

But several witnesses had seen Or－lick in town all evening．

我怀疑他仅有的原因是他和我姐姐吵过架，

My only reason for suspecting him was his quarrel with my sister，but she had quarrelled with everyone in the village ten thousand times．

可是，她和村上的每一个人吵了千万次架。

And if the stranger had come to ask for his two pounds back，my sister would gladly have given it to him．

如果是那个陌生人来索要回他的两镑钱，我姐姐会愉快地给他。

So I could not imagine who her attacker was．

因此，我推断不出是谁袭击了她。

She lay ill in bed for a long time．She could not speak or understand much，and her character was greatly changed．

她伤得卧床不起很长时间，她不能说话，理解力下降，她的性格产生了巨大变化。

She had become quiet，patient，and grateful for all our care．She used to write a word or draw a picture when she wanted something，and we tried to discover what she meant．

她变得安静、有耐性了，并对我们大家的照料很感激。要什么东西时，她用笔写下来或画一张图来，我们设法搞清她的意思。

She needed someone to take care of her all the time，and luckily old Mrs Wopsle had just died，so Biddy came to live with us.

她随时需要有人来侍候，幸亏老伍甫赛夫人刚去世。所以，毕蒂和我们住在一起，

She understood my sister perfectly³ and looked after us all very well.

她完全理解我姐姐，也能很好地照料我们大家。

One day my sister drew a T，and seemed to want it very much．I brought her toast，and tea，but Biddy knew immediately.

一天，我姐姐画了一个T，好象特别想要它，我拿给她烤面包和茶，可是毕蒂马上明白了。

1 forge   

v.使形成，与...建立密切联系，伪造，假冒

参考例句：

• Everything new comes from the forge of hard and bitter struggle.一切新东西都是从艰苦斗争中锻炼出来的。
• Difficulties help to forge people into able folk.困难有助于把人们锻炼成能干的人。

2 pub   

n.[英]旅馆，小店，酒馆

参考例句：

• He is the landlord of this pub.他是这家酒店的店主。
• They saw that four large men marched into the pub.他们看到四个彪形大汉走进了酒吧。

3 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。