血字的研究 81案情回顾（3）

"I'll sit down, with your leave," the prisoner said, suiting the action to the word.

"请允许我坐下来讲吧。"犯人一面说，一面就不客气地坐了下来，

"This aneurism of mine makes me easily tired, and the tussle¹ we had half an hour ago has not mended matters.

"我的这个血瘤症很容易使我感到疲乏，何况半个钟头以前，我们斗争了一番，这绝不会使病情有所改进。

I'm on the brink² of the grave, and I am not likely to lie to you.

我已经是坟墓边上的人了，所以我是不会对你们说谎的。

Every word I say is the absolute truth, and how you use it is a matter of no consequence to me."

我所说的每一句话，都是千真万确的。至于你们究竟如何处置，这对我来说，就无关紧要了。"

With these words, Jefferson Hope leaned back in his chair and began the following remarkable³ statement.

杰弗逊·侯波说完这些话以后，就靠在椅背上，开始说出了下面这篇惊人的供词。

He spoke⁴ in a calm and methodical manner, as though the events which he narrated⁵ were commonplace enough.

他叙述时的态度从容不迫，并且讲得有条有理，好象他所说的事情十分平淡无奇。

I can vouch⁶ for the accuracy of the subjoined account,

我可以保证，这个补充供词完全正确无误，

for I have had access to Lestrade's notebook,

因为这是我乘机从雷斯垂德的笔记本上抄录下来的。

in which the prisoner's words were taken down exactly as they were uttered.

他是在他的笔记本中，把这个罪犯的供词按照他原来的说法，逐字逐句地记录了下来的。

"It don't much matter to you why I hated these men," he said;

他说："我为什么要恨这两个人，这一点对于你们说来，是无关紧要的。

"it's enough that they were guilty of the death of two human beings,a father and daughter

他们恶贯满盈，他们犯了罪，害死过两个人——一个父亲和一个女儿，

and that they had, therefore, forfeited⁸ their own lives.

因此他们付出了他们自己的性命，这也是罪有应得的。

After the lapse⁹ of time that has passed since their crime,

从他们犯罪以来，时间已经隔了这么久，

it was impossible for me to secure a conviction against them in any court.

我也不可能提出什么罪证，到任何一个法庭上去控告他们了。

I knew of their guilt⁷ though, and I determined¹⁰ that I should be judge, jury,

可是，我知道他们有罪，我打定主意，我要把法官、陪审员

and executioner all rolled into one.

和行刑的刽子手的任务全部由我一个人担当票来。

You'd have done the same, if you have any manhood in you, if you had been in my place.

如果你们是男子汉大丈夫，如果你们站在我的地位上，你们一定也会象我这样干的。

"That girl that I spoke of was to have married me twenty years ago.

"我刚才说到的那个姑娘，二十年前她本来是要嫁给我的，

She was forced into marrying that same Drebber, and broke her heart over it.

可是她却被迫嫁给了这个锥伯，以致使她含恨而死。

I took the marriage ring from her dead finger,

我从她遗体的手指上把这个结婚指环取了下来，

and I vowed¹¹ that his dying eyes should rest upon that very ring,

当时我就发过誓，我一定要让锥伯瞧着这只指环毙命；

and that his last thoughts should be of the crime for which he was punished.

还要在他临死的时刻，让他认识到，是由于自己所干的罪恶，才受到了惩罚。

I have carried it about with me, and have followed him and his accomplice¹² over two continents until I caught them.

我万里迢迢地踏遍了两大洲，追踪着锥伯和他的帮凶，一直到我追上了他们为止，这只戒指都一直带在身边。

They thought to tire me out, but they could not do it.

他们打算东奔西跑，把我拖垮；但是，他们是枉费心机。

If I die tomorrow, as is likely enough,

即使我明天就死——这是很有可能的，

I die knowing that my work in this world is done, and well done.

但是在我临死的时候，我总算知道了：我在这个世界上的工作已经完成了，而且是出色地完成了。

They have perished, and by my hand.

他们两个人已经死了，而且都是被我亲手杀死的，

There is nothing left for me to hope for, or to desire.

此外，我就再也没有什么别的希望和要求了。

1 tussle   

n.&v.扭打，搏斗，争辩

参考例句：

• They began to tussle with each other for the handgun.他们互相扭打起来，抢夺那支手枪。
• We are engaged in a legal tussle with a large pharmaceutical company.我们正同一家大制药公司闹法律纠纷。

2 brink   

n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿

参考例句：

• The tree grew on the brink of the cliff.那棵树生长在峭壁的边缘。
• The two countries were poised on the brink of war.这两个国家处于交战的边缘。

3 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

4 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

5 narrated   

v.故事( narrate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Some of the story was narrated in the film. 该电影叙述了这个故事的部分情节。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Defoe skilfully narrated the adventures of Robinson Crusoe on his desert island. 笛福生动地叙述了鲁滨逊·克鲁索在荒岛上的冒险故事。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

6 vouch   

v.担保；断定；n.被担保者

参考例句：

• They asked whether I was prepared to vouch for him.他们问我是否愿意为他作担保。
• I can vouch for the fact that he is a good worker.我保证他是好员工。

7 guilt   

n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责

参考例句：

• She tried to cover up her guilt by lying.她企图用谎言掩饰自己的罪行。
• Don't lay a guilt trip on your child about schoolwork.别因为功课责备孩子而使他觉得很内疚。

8 forfeited   

（因违反协议、犯规、受罚等）丧失，失去( forfeit的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Because he broke the rules, he forfeited his winnings. 他犯规，所以丧失了奖金。
• He has forfeited the right to be the leader of this nation. 他丧失了作为这个国家领导的权利。

9 lapse   

n.过失，流逝，失效，抛弃信仰，间隔；vi.堕落，停止，失效，流逝；vt.使失效

参考例句：

• The incident was being seen as a serious security lapse.这一事故被看作是一次严重的安全疏忽。
• I had a lapse of memory.我记错了。

10 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

11 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

12 accomplice   

n.从犯，帮凶，同谋

参考例句：

• She was her husband's accomplice in murdering a rich old man.她是她丈夫谋杀一个老富翁的帮凶。
• He is suspected as an accomplice of the murder.他涉嫌为这次凶杀案的同谋。