血字的研究 80案情回顾（2）

We were ushered¹ into a small chamber²,

我们被引进了一间小屋，

where a police inspector³ noted⁴ down our prisoner's name and the names of the men with whose murder he had been charged.

那里有一个警官把我们罪犯的姓名以及他被控杀死的两个人的姓名都记录了下来。

The official was a white-faced, unemotional man, who went through his duties in a dull, mechanical way.

这个警官是个面色白皙、神情冷淡的人，他机械而呆板地履行了他的职务。

"The prisoner will be put before the magistrates⁵ in the course of the week," he said;

他说："犯人将在本周内提交法庭审讯。

"in the meantime, Mr. Jefferson Hope, have you anything that you wish to say?

杰弗逊·侯波先生，你在审讯之前，还有什么话要说吗？

I must warn you that your words will be taken down, and may be used against you."

但是我必须事先告诉你，你所说的话都要记录下来，并且可能用来作为定罪的根据的。"

"I've got a good deal to say," our prisoner said slowly.

我们的罪犯慢慢地说道："诸位先生，我有许多话要说，

"I want to tell you gentlemen all about it."

我愿意把它原原本本地都告诉你们。"

"Hadn't you better reserve that for your trial?" asked the inspector.

这个警官问道："你等到审讯时再说不更好吗？"

"I may never be tried," he answered.

他回答说："我也许永远不会受到审讯了呢，

"You needn't look startled. It isn't suicide I am thinking of. Are you a doctor?"

你们不要大惊小怪，我并不是想要自杀。你是一位医生么？"

He turned his fierce dark eyes upon me as he asked this last question.

他说这句话时，一面把他的凶悍而黧黑的眼睛转过来瞧着我。

"Yes, I am," I answered.

我说："是的，我是医生。"

"Then put your hand here," he said, with a smile, motioning with his manacled wrists towards his chest.

"那么，请你用手按一个这里。"他说时微笑了一下，一面用他被铐着的手，指了一下胸口。

I did so; and became at once conscious of an extraordinary throbbing⁶ and commotion⁷ which was going on inside.

我用手按按他的胸部，立刻觉察到里边有一种不同寻常的跳动。

The walls of his chest seemed to thrill and quiver as a frail⁸ building would do inside when some powerful engine was at work.

他的胸腔微微震动，就象在一座不坚固的建筑中，开动了一架强力的机平时的情形一样。

In the silence of the room I could hear a dull humming and buzzing noise which proceeded from the same source.

在这静静的屋中，我能够听到他的胸膛里面有一阵轻微的噪杂声音。

"Why," I cried, "you have an aortic⁹ aneurism!"

我叫道："怎么，你得了动脉血瘤症！"

"That's what they call it," he said, placidly¹⁰.

他平静地说："他们都这样说。

"I went to a doctor last week about it, and he told me that it is bound to burst before many days passed.

上个星期，我找了一位医生瞧过，他对我说，过不了多少天，血瘤就要破裂。

It has been getting worse for years. I got it from overexposure and under-feeding among the Salt Lake Mountains.

这个病已经好多年了，一年比一年坏起来。这个病，是我在盐湖城大山之中，过度操劳，而且又吃不饱的缘故所引起的，

I've done my work now, and I don't care how soon I go,

现在我已经完成了我的工作，什么时候死，我都不在乎了。

but I should like to leave some account of the business behind me.

但是，我愿意在死以前，把这件事交代明白，死后好有个记载。

I don't want to be remembered as a common cut-throat."

我不愿在我死后让别人把我看成是一个寻常的杀人犯。"

The inspector and the two detectives had a hurried discussion as to the advisability of allowing him to tell his story.

警官和两个侦探匆忙地商量了一下，考虑准许他说出他的经历来是否适当。

"Do you consider, Doctor, that there is immediate¹¹ danger?" the former asked.

警官问道："医生，你认为他的病情确实有突然变化的危险吗？"

"Most certainly there is," I answered.

我回答说："确是这样。"

"In that case it is clearly our duty, in the interests of justice, to take his statement," said the inspector.

这位警官于是说道："如果是这样的话，为了维护法律起见，显然，我们的职责是首先取得他的口供。

"You are at liberty, sir, to give your account, which I again warn you will be taken down."

先生，你现在可以自由交代了。不过，我再一次告诉你，你所交代的都要记录下来的。"

1 ushered   

v.引，领，陪同( usher的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The secretary ushered me into his office. 秘书把我领进他的办公室。
• A round of parties ushered in the New Year. 一系列的晚会迎来了新年。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

3 inspector   

n.检查员，监察员，视察员

参考例句：

• The inspector was interested in everything pertaining to the school.视察员对有关学校的一切都感兴趣。
• The inspector was shining a flashlight onto the tickets.查票员打着手电筒查看车票。

4 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

5 magistrates   

地方法官，治安官( magistrate的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• to come up before the magistrates 在地方法院出庭
• He was summoned to appear before the magistrates. 他被传唤在地方法院出庭。

6 throbbing   

a. 跳动的,悸动的

参考例句：

• My heart is throbbing and I'm shaking. 我的心在猛烈跳动，身子在不住颤抖。
• There was a throbbing in her temples. 她的太阳穴直跳。

7 commotion   

n.骚动，动乱

参考例句：

• They made a commotion by yelling at each other in the theatre.他们在剧院里相互争吵，引起了一阵骚乱。
• Suddenly the whole street was in commotion.突然间，整条街道变得一片混乱。

8 frail   

adj.身体虚弱的；易损坏的

参考例句：

• Mrs. Warner is already 96 and too frail to live by herself.华纳太太已经九十六岁了，身体虚弱，不便独居。
• She lay in bed looking particularly frail.她躺在床上，看上去特别虚弱。

9 aortic   

adj.大动脉的

参考例句：

• The arterial pulse pressure in aortic insufficiency is widened. 主动脉瓣闭锁不全时脉搏压变宽。 来自辞典例句
• Valvular heart disease, usually aortic and mitral insufficiency, can complicate a variety of systemic diseases. 瓣膜性心脏病，以主动脉瓣及二尖瓣闭锁不全为最常见，可使各种全身性疾病变得复杂。 来自辞典例句

10 placidly   

adv.平稳地，平静地

参考例句：

• Hurstwood stood placidly by, while the car rolled back into the yard. 当车子开回场地时，赫斯渥沉着地站在一边。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• The water chestnut floated placidly there, where it would grow. 那棵菱角就又安安稳稳浮在水面上生长去了。 来自汉英文学 - 中国现代小说

11 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。