血字的研究 41一线光明(5)

Mr. Gregson, who had listened to this address with considerable impatience¹, could contain himself no longer.

葛莱森先生听着这番议论时，一直表现得非常不耐烦，这时，他再也忍耐不住了。

"Look here, Mr. Sherlock Holmes," he said, "we are all ready to acknowledge that you are a smart man, and that you have your own methods of working.

他说："你看，福尔摩斯先生，我们都承认你是一个精明强干的人，而且你也有你自己的一套工作方法。

We want something more than mere² theory and preaching now, though. It is a case of taking the man. I have made my case out, and it seems I was wrong.

可是，我们现在要求你的不单是空谈理论和说教，而是要捉到这个凶手。我已经把我所进行的情况说出来了，看来我是错了。

Young Charpentier could not have been engaged in this second affair. Lestrade went after his man, Stangerson, and it appears that he was wrong too.

夏朋婕这个小伙子是不可能牵连到第二个谋杀案里去的。雷斯垂德一味追踪着他的那个斯坦节逊，看来，他也是错了。

You have thrown out hints here, and hints there, and seem to know more than we do, but the time has come when we feel that we have a right to ask you straight how much you do know of the business.

你东说一点，西说一点，就似乎比我们知道的多。但是现在是时候了，我们认为我们有权利要求你痛痛快快地说出，你对于这个案情究竟知道多少。

Can you name the man who did it?"

你能指出凶手的姓名吗？"

"I cannot help feeling that Gregson is right, sir," remarked Lestrade.

雷斯垂德也说道："我不能不认为葛莱森的说法是对的，先生。

"We have both tried, and we have both failed. You have remarked more than once since I have been in the room that you had all the evidence which you require.

我们两个人都试过了，并且我们也都失败了。从我到你这里来以后，你就不止一次地说，你已经获得了你所需要的一切证据。

Surely you will not withhold³ it any longer."

当然现在你不应该再把它秘而不宣了。"

"Any delay in arresting the assassin," I observed, "might give him time to perpetrate some fresh atrocity⁴."

我说："如果还迟迟不去捉拿凶手，他就可能有机会又干出新的暴行来了。"

Thus pressed by us all, Holmes showed signs of irresolution⁵.

我们大家这样一逼，福尔摩斯反而显出迟疑不决的样子。

He continued to walk up and down the room with his head sunk on his chest and his brows drawn⁶ down, as was his habit when lost in thought.

他不停地在房里走来走去，头垂在胸口上，紧皱着眉，他思索时总是这样的。

"There will be no more murders," he said at last, stopping abruptly⁷ and facing us.

"不会再有暗杀发生了，"最后，他突然站定了，对着我们说，

"You can put that consideration out of the question.

"你们可以放心，这一点已不成问题了。

You have asked me if I know the name of the assassin. I do.

你们问我是不是知道凶手的姓名。我知道。

The mere knowing of his name is a small thing, however, compared with the power of laying our hands upon him.

但是，仅仅知道凶手的名字，那算不了什么，如果把凶手捉到才算真有本领呢。

This I expect very shortly to do. I have good hopes of managing it through my own arrangements;

我预料很快我就能把他捉住了。对于这件工作，我很愿意亲自安排，亲自下手。

but it is a thing which needs delicate handling, for we have a shrewd and desperate man to deal with, who is supported, as I have had occasion to prove, by another who is as clever as himself.

但是办法要细致周到，因为咱们要对付的是一个非常凶恶而又狡猾的人。而且曾有事实证明，他还有一个和他一样机警的人在帮助他。

As long as this man has no idea that anyone can have a clue there is some chance of securing him;

只要这个凶手感觉不出有人能够获得线索的话，那就有机会可以捉住他。

but if he had the slightest suspicion, he would change his name, and vanish in an instant among the four million inhabitants of this great city.

但是，只要他稍有怀疑，他就会更名改姓，立即消逝在这个大城市的四百万居民之中了。

Without meaning to hurt either of your feelings, I am bound to say that I consider these men to be more than a match for the official force, and that is why I have not asked your assistance.

我决无意伤害你们两位的感情，但是，我必须说明，我认为官方侦探绝不是他们的对手，这就是我为什么没有请求你们协助的原因。

If I fail, I shall, of course, incur⁸ all the blame due to this omission⁹; but that I am prepared for.

如果我失败了，当然，没请求你们协助这一层我不能辞其咎。但是，我准备承当这个责任。

At present I am ready to promise that the instant that I can communicate with you without endangering my own combinations, I shall do so."

现在我愿保证，只要对于我全盘筹划没有危害，到时候，我就一定立刻告诉你们。"

1 impatience   

n.不耐烦，急躁

参考例句：

• He expressed impatience at the slow rate of progress.进展缓慢，他显得不耐烦。
• He gave a stamp of impatience.他不耐烦地跺脚。

2 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。

3 withhold   

v.拒绝，不给；使停止，阻挡

参考例句：

• It was unscrupulous of their lawyer to withhold evidence.他们的律师隐瞒证据是不道德的。
• I couldn't withhold giving some loose to my indignation.我忍不住要发泄一点我的愤怒。

4 atrocity   

n.残暴，暴行

参考例句：

• These people are guilty of acts of great atrocity.这些人犯有令人发指的暴行。
• I am shocked by the atrocity of this man's crimes.这个人行凶手段残忍狠毒使我震惊。

5 irresolution   

n.不决断，优柔寡断，犹豫不定

参考例句：

• A lack of certainty that often leads to irresolution. 疑惑缺少肯定而导致犹豫不决。 来自互联网
• Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction? 我们迟疑不决、无所作为就能积聚力量吗？ 来自互联网

6 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。

7 abruptly   

adv.突然地，出其不意地

参考例句：

• He gestured abruptly for Virginia to get in the car.他粗鲁地示意弗吉尼亚上车。
• I was abruptly notified that a half-hour speech was expected of me.我突然被通知要讲半个小时的话。

8 incur   

vt.招致，蒙受，遭遇

参考例句：

• Any costs that you incur will be reimbursed in full.你的所有花费都将全额付还。
• An enterprise has to incur certain costs and expenses in order to stay in business.一个企业为了维持营业,就不得不承担一定的费用和开支。

9 omission   

n.省略，删节；遗漏或省略的事物，冗长

参考例句：

• The omission of the girls was unfair.把女孩排除在外是不公平的。
• The omission of this chapter from the third edition was a gross oversight.第三版漏印这一章是个大疏忽。