四签名 43木桶的插曲（5）（在线收听）

There was a scuffling of feet, and the lantern began to come steadily 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 diagnosis, 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 pouch 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 beads 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 spines 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 prick 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 trudge, 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 fluffy 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 connoisseur sniffing the bouquet 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 stout 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 yelps

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 leash 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 trenches 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。