血字的研究 65逃命（4）

Twenty had changed to fifteen, and fifteen to ten, but there was no news of the absentee.

二十天变成了十五天，十五天又变成了十天，远方人还是沓无音讯。

One by one the numbers dwindled¹ down, and still there came no sign of him.

限期一天天在减少，可是仍然不见他的踪影。

Whenever a horseman clattered² down the road, or a driver shouted at his team, the old farmer hurried to the gate, thinking that help had arrived at last.

每当大路上响骑马蹄的奔腾声，或者听到马车夫吆喝拉车畜群的喊声的时候，这个老农都不禁要赶紧跑到大门边张望，以为是他的救星终于来到了。

At last, when he saw five give way to four and that again to three, he lost heart, and abandoned all hope of escape.

最后，眼看期限从五天变成了四天，又从四天变成了三天，因此他就失去了信心，而且完全放弃了逃走的希望。

Singlehanded, and with his limited knowledge of the mountains which surrounded the settlement, he knew that he was powerless.

他一个人孤掌难鸣，再加上对于环绕着这个移民区四周的大山的情况又不熟悉，他知道自己是无力逃跑的了。

The more frequented roads were strictly³ watched and guarded, and none could pass along them without an order from the Council.

通行大道都已经有人严密地把守起来，没有"四圣会"的命令，任何人都不能通过。

Turn which way he would, there appeared to be no avoiding the blow which hung over him.

他又有什么办法呢，看来是走投无路了，他的这场临头大祸，眼看是无法避免了。

Yet the old man never wavered in his resolution to part with life itself before he consented to what he regarded as his daughter's dishonour⁴.

但是，这位老人的决心绝没有动摇，他宁愿拼着一死，也不会忍受对他女儿的这场污辱。

He was sitting alone one evening pondering deeply over his troubles, and searching vainly for some way out of them.

一天晚上，他独自一个人坐着，千思万虑地盘算着他的心事；但是左思右想，总想不出什么办法可以逃脱这场灾难。

That morning had shown the figure 2 upon the wall of his house, and the next day would be the last of the allotted⁵ time.

这天早晨，房屋的墙上已经出现了一个"２"字，明天就是一月期限的最后一天了。

What was to happen then? All manner of vague and terrible fancies filled his imagination.

到时究竟会发生什么样的事情呢？他想象到各种各样模糊不清而又令人可怕的情景。

And his daughter–what was to become of her after he was gone?

在他死后，他女儿的结局又将如何？

Was there no escape from the invisible network which was drawn⁶ all round them?

难道他们真的就逃不出周围撒下的这道无形的天罗地网么？

He sank his head upon the table and sobbed⁷ at the thought of his own impotence.

他想到自己无能为力的时候，不禁伏在桌上哭起来。

What was that? In the silence he heard a gentle scratching sound–low, but very distinct in the quiet of the night.

这是什么？万籁俱寂中，他听到一阵轻微的爬抓声。声音虽然很轻，但是在更深夜静的时候，却听得非常清晰。

It came from the door of the house. Ferrier crept into the hall and listened intently.

这个声响是由大门那边传来的。费瑞厄于是蹑手蹑脚地走进了客厅，他在那里平声静气，凝神倾听着。

There was a pause for a few moments, and then the low, insidious⁸ sound was repeated.

停了一会，这个轻微的、令人毛骨悚然的声音又响了。

Someone was evidently tapping very gently upon one of the panels of the door.

显然有人轻轻地在门上叩击着。

Was it some midnight assassin who had come to carry out the murderous orders of the secret tribunal?

难道这就是夜半刺客前来执行秘密法庭暗杀的使命吗？

Or was it some agent who was marking up that the last day of grace had arrived?

或者，这就是那个狗腿子，正在写着限期的最后一天已经到了呢？

1 dwindled   

v.逐渐变少或变小( dwindle的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Support for the party has dwindled away to nothing. 支持这个党派的人渐渐化为乌有。
• His wealth dwindled to nothingness. 他的钱财化为乌有。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 clattered   

发出咔哒声（clatter的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He dropped the knife and it clattered on the stone floor. 他一失手，刀子当啷一声掉到石头地面上。
• His hand went limp and the knife clattered to the ground. 他的手一软，刀子当啷一声掉到地上。

3 strictly   

adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地

参考例句：

• His doctor is dieting him strictly.他的医生严格规定他的饮食。
• The guests were seated strictly in order of precedence.客人严格按照地位高低就座。

4 dishonour   

n./vt.拒付（支票、汇票、票据等）；vt.凌辱，使丢脸；n.不名誉，耻辱，不光彩

参考例句：

• There's no dishonour in losing.失败并不是耻辱。
• He would rather die than live in dishonour.他宁死不愿忍辱偷生。

5 allotted   

分配，拨给，摊派( allot的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• I completed the test within the time allotted . 我在限定的时间内完成了试验。
• Each passenger slept on the berth allotted to him. 每个旅客都睡在分配给他的铺位上。

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 sobbed   

哭泣，啜泣( sob的过去式和过去分词 )； 哭诉，呜咽地说

参考例句：

• She sobbed out the story of her son's death. 她哭诉着她儿子的死。
• She sobbed out the sad story of her son's death. 她哽咽着诉说她儿子死去的悲惨经过。

8 insidious   

adj.阴险的，隐匿的，暗中为害的，（疾病）不知不觉之间加剧

参考例句：

• That insidious man bad-mouthed me to almost everyone else.那个阴险的家伙几乎见人便说我的坏话。
• Organized crime has an insidious influence on all who come into contact with it.所有和集团犯罪有关的人都会不知不觉地受坏影响。