四签名 26樱沼别墅的惨案（1）

Chapter 5 The Tragedy Of Pondicherry Lodge¹

第五章 樱沼别墅的惨案

It was nearly eleven o'clock when we reached this final stage of our night's adventures.

我们达到今晚冒险历程的最后阶段的时候，已经将近十一点钟了。

We had left the damp fog of the great city behind us, and the night was fairly fine.

伦敦的雾气已经消失，夜景清幽，

A warm wind blew from the westward², and heavy clouds moved slowly across the sky,

和暖的西风吹开了乌云，

with half a moon peeping occasionally through the rifts³.

半圆的月亮时常从云际透露出来。

It was clear enough to see for some distance,

已经能够往远处看得很清楚了，

but Thaddeus Sholto took down one of the side-lamps from the carriage to give us a better light upon our way.

可是塞笛厄斯·舒尔托还是拿下了一只车灯，为的是把我们的路照得更亮一些。

Pondicherry Lodge stood in its own grounds and was girt round with a very high stone wall topped with broken glass.

樱沼别墅建筑在一个广场上面，四周围绕着很高的石墙，墙头上面插着破碎的玻璃片。

A single narrow iron-clamped door formed the only means of entrance.

一个窄窄的钉有铁夹板的小门是唯一的出入口。

On this our guide knocked with a peculiar⁴ postman-like rat-tat.

我们的向导在门上砰砰地敲了两下。

"Who is there?" cried a gruff voice from within.

里边一个粗暴的声音问道："谁？"

"It is I, McMurdo. You surely know my knock by this time."

"是我呀，麦克默多。这时候到这里来的还有哪个？"

There was a grumbling⁵ sound and a clanking and jarring of keys.

里边透出了很抱怨的声音，接着有钥匙的响声。

The door swung heavily back, and a short, deep-chested man stood in the opening,

门向后敞开，走出个矮小而健壮的人，提着灯笼，站在门内。

with the yellow light of the lantern shining upon his protruded⁶ face and twinkling, distrustful eyes.

黄色的灯光照着他向外探出的脸和两只闪闪多疑的眼睛。

"That you, Mr. Thaddeus? But who are the others? I had no orders about them from the master."

"塞笛厄斯先生，是您吗？可是他们是谁？我没有得到主人的命令不能请他们进来。"

"No, McMurdo? You surprise me! I told my brother last night that I should bring some friends."

"不能请他们进来？麦克默多，岂有此理！昨天晚上我就告诉了我哥哥今天要陪几位朋友来。"

"He hain't been out o' his rooms to-day, Mr. Thaddeus, and I have no orders.

"塞笛厄斯先生，他今天一天也没有出屋子，我也没有听到吩咐。

You know very well that I must stick to regulations.

主人的规矩您是知道的，

I can let you in, but your friends they must just stop where they are."

我可以让您进来，您的朋友暂时等在门外吧。"

This was an unexpected obstacle. Thaddeus Sholto looked about him in a perplexed⁷ and helpless manner.

这是没有想到的一着！塞笛厄斯·舒尔托瞪着他，似乎很窘。

"This is too bad of you, McMurdo!" he said. "If I guarantee them, that is enough for you.

他喊道："你太不象话啦！我保证他们还不行吗？

There is the young lady, too. She cannot wait on the public road at this hour."

这里还有一位小姐，她总不能深夜里等在街上啊。"

"Very sorry, Mr. Thaddeus," said the porter inexorably.

守门的仍然坚持地说道："塞笛厄斯先生，实在对您不起，

"Folk may be friends o' yours, and yet no friend o' the master's.

这几位或许是您的朋友，可不是主人的朋友。

He pays me well to do my duty, and my duty I'll do. I don't know none o' your friends."

主人给我工钱就为的是让我尽到守卫的责任，是我的职责，我就应当尽到。您的朋友我一个也不认得。"

"Oh, yes you do, McMurdo," cried Sherlock Holmes genially⁸. "I don't think you can have forgotten me.

福尔摩斯和蔼地喊道："麦克默多，你总该认得我呀！我想你不会把我忘记的。

Don't you remember that amateur who fought three rounds with you at Alison's rooms on the night of your benefit four years back?"

你不记得四年以前在爱里森场子里为你举行拳赛，和你打过三个回合的那个业余拳赛员吗？"

"Not Mr. Sherlock Holmes!" roared the prize-fighter.

这拳击手嚷道："是不是歇洛克·福尔摩斯先生？

"God's truth! how could I have mistook you?

我的老天！我怎么会认不出来呢？

If instead o' standin' there so quiet you had just stepped up and given me that cross-hit of yours under the jaw⁹,

与其站在那里一言不发，您干脆给我下颏底下来上您那拿手的一拳，

I'd ha' known you without a question.

那我早就认得您是谁啦！

Ah, you're one that has wasted your gifts, you have! You might have aimed high, if you had joined the fancy."

啊，您是个有天才然而是自暴自弃的人，您真是那样的人！如果您继续练下去，您的造诣是不可限量的呀！"

"You see, Watson, if all else fails me, I have still one of the scientific professions open to me," said Holmes, laughing.

福尔摩斯向我笑道："华生，你看，即使我一事无成，至少我还能找到一种职业呢。

"Our friend won't keep us out in the cold now, I am sure."

咱们的朋友一定不会让咱们在外边受冻了。"

"In you come, sir, in you come–you and your friends," he answered.

他答道："先生，请进来吧！连您的朋友全请进来吧！

"Very sorry, Mr. Thaddeus, but orders are very strict.

塞笛厄斯先生，实在是对不起，主人命令很严，

Had to be certain of your friends before I let them in."

必须知道您的朋友是谁，我才敢请他们进来。"

1 lodge   

v.临时住宿，寄宿，寄存，容纳；n.传达室，小旅馆

参考例句：

• Is there anywhere that I can lodge in the village tonight?村里有我今晚过夜的地方吗？
• I shall lodge at the inn for two nights.我要在这家小店住两个晚上。

2 westward   

n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西

参考例句：

• We live on the westward slope of the hill.我们住在这座山的西山坡。
• Explore westward or wherever.向西或到什么别的地方去勘探。

3 rifts   

n.裂缝( rift的名词复数 )；裂隙；分裂；不和

参考例句：

• After that, through the rifts in the inky clouds sparkled redder and yet more luminous particles. 然后在几条墨蓝色云霞的隙缝里闪出几个更红更亮的小片。 来自汉英文学 - 现代散文
• The Destinies mend rifts in time as man etches fate. 当人类想要再次亵渎命运的时候，命运及时修正了这些裂痕。 来自互联网

4 peculiar   

adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的

参考例句：

• He walks in a peculiar fashion.他走路的样子很奇特。
• He looked at me with a very peculiar expression.他用一种很奇怪的表情看着我。

5 grumbling   

adj. 喃喃鸣不平的, 出怨言的

参考例句：

• She's always grumbling to me about how badly she's treated at work. 她总是向我抱怨她在工作中如何受亏待。
• We didn't hear any grumbling about the food. 我们没听到过对食物的抱怨。

6 protruded   

v.（使某物）伸出，（使某物）突出( protrude的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The child protruded his tongue. 那小孩伸出舌头。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The creature's face seemed to be protruded, because of its bent carriage. 那人的脑袋似乎向前突出，那是因为身子佝偻的缘故。 来自英汉文学

7 perplexed   

adj.不知所措的

参考例句：

• The farmer felt the cow,went away,returned,sorely perplexed,always afraid of being cheated.那农民摸摸那头牛，走了又回来，犹豫不决，总怕上当受骗。
• The child was perplexed by the intricate plot of the story.这孩子被那头绪纷繁的故事弄得迷惑不解。

8 genially   

adv.亲切地，和蔼地；快活地

参考例句：

• The white church peeps out genially from behind the huts scattered on the river bank. 一座白色教堂从散布在岸上的那些小木房后面殷勤地探出头来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• "Well, It'seems strange to see you way up here,'said Mr. Kenny genially. “咳，真没想到会在这么远的地方见到你，"肯尼先生亲切地说。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

9 jaw   

n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训

参考例句：

• He delivered a right hook to his opponent's jaw.他给了对方下巴一记右钩拳。
• A strong square jaw is a sign of firm character.强健的方下巴是刚毅性格的标志。