四签名 38福尔摩斯作出判断（7）

"Is a rather curious person," said Sherlock Holmes, turning upon his heel.

歇洛克·福尔摩斯转过身来，答道："是个很古怪的人，

"I hope before very long to be able to introduce you to the pair of them. A word with you, Watson."

我希望不久就可以把这两个人介绍给您。华生，请到这边来，我和你说句话。"

He led me out to the head of the stair. "This unexpected occurrence," he said,

他引我到楼梯口，说道："这件意外的事

"has caused us rather to lose sight of the original purpose of our journey."

几乎弄得咱们把到这里来的原意都忘记了。"

"I have just been thinking so," I answered;

我答道："我也想到了，

"it is not right that Miss Morstan should remain in this stricken house."

摩斯坦小姐留在这个恐怖的地方是不合适的。"

"No. You must escort her home. She lives with Mrs. Cecil Forrester in Lower Camberwell, so it is not very far.

"你现在就送她回去。她住在下坎伯韦尔，西色尔·弗里斯特夫人的家里，离这儿不远。

I will wait for you here if you will drive out again. Or perhaps you are too tired?"

假使你愿意再来，我可以在这里等你。可是你太累了吧？"

"By no means. I don't think I could rest until I know more of this fantastic business.

"一点儿也不累，我得不到这回事的真相是不能休息的。

I have seen something of the rough side of life,

我也曾经历过危难，

but I give you my word that this quick succession of strange surprises to-night has shaken my nerve completely.

可是说实话，今天晚上这一系列的怪事，把我的神经都搅乱了。

I should like, however, to see the matter through with you, now that I have got so far."

已经到了这个阶段，我愿意帮助你结案。"

"Your presence will be of great service to me," he answered.

他答道："你在这里对我帮助很大，

"We shall work the case out independently and leave this fellow Jones to exult¹ over any mare's-nest which he may choose to construct.

咱们要单独进行，让这个琼斯愿意怎样干就干他的去吧。

When you have dropped Miss Morstan, I wish you to go on to No. 3 Pinchin Lane, down near the water's edge at Lambeth.

你送摩斯坦小姐回去以后，请你到河边莱姆贝斯区品琴里三号

The third house on the right-hand side is a bird-stuffer's; Sherman is the name.

一个做鸟类标本的瓶子右边的第三个门，去找一个叫做谢尔曼的人。

You will see a weasel holding a young rabbit in the window.

他的窗上画着一只鼬鼠抓着一只小兔。

Knock old Sherman up and tell him, with my compliments, that I want Toby at once.

把这个老头儿叫起来，告诉他我向他借透比用一用，

You will bring Toby back in the cab with you."

请你把透比坐车带回来。"

"A dog, I suppose."

"透比是一只狗吗？"

"Yes, a queer mongrel with a most amazing power of scent².

"是一只奇特的混血狗，嗅觉极灵。

I would rather have Toby's help than that of the whole detective force of London."

我宁愿要这只狗的帮忙，它比全伦敦的警察还要得力得多呢。"

"I shall bring him then," said I. "It is one now. I ought to be back before three if I can get a fresh horse."

我道："我一定把它带回来。现在已经一点钟了，如果能换一匹新马，三点钟以前我一准返回。"

"And I," said Holmes, "shall see what I can learn from Mrs. Bernstone and from the Indian servant,

福尔摩斯道："我同时还要从女管家博恩斯通太太和印度仆人那里弄些新材料。

who, Mr. Thaddeus tells me, sleeps in the next garret.

塞笛厄斯先生曾告诉过我，那个仆人住在旁边那间屋顶室。

Then I shall study the great Jones's methods and listen to his not too delicate sarcasms³.

回来再研究这伟大琼斯的工作方法，再听听他的挖苦吧。

"'Wir sind gewohnt das die Menschen verhoehnen was sie nicht verstehen' "Goethe is always pithy⁴."

'我们已经习惯，有些人对于他们所不了解的事物偏要挖苦。'歌德的话总是这样简洁有力。"

1 exult   

v.狂喜，欢腾；欢欣鼓舞

参考例句：

• Few people would not exult at the abolition of slavery.奴隶制被废除了，人们无不为之欢乐鼓舞。
• Let's exult with the children at the drawing near of Children's Day.六一儿童节到了，让我们陪着小朋友们一起欢腾。

2 scent   

n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉

参考例句：

• The air was filled with the scent of lilac.空气中弥漫着丁香花的芬芳。
• The flowers give off a heady scent at night.这些花晚上散发出醉人的芳香。

3 sarcasms   

n.讥讽，讽刺，挖苦( sarcasm的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Bertha frowned, finding it difficult to repress the sarcasms that rose to her lips. 伯莎皱起眉头，她觉得要把溜到嘴边的挖苦话咽下去是件难事。 来自辞典例句
• But as a general rule Bertha checked the sarcasms that constantly rose to her tongue. 然而总的说来，伯莎堵住不断涌到她嘴边的冷嘲热讽。 来自辞典例句

4 pithy   

adj.(讲话或文章)简练的

参考例句：

• Many of them made a point of praising the film's pithy dialogue.他们中很多人特别赞扬了影片精炼的对白。
• His pithy comments knocked the bottom out of my argument.他精辟的评论驳倒了我的论点。