四签名 75凶手的末日（8）

We were all eager by this time, even the policemen and stokers, who had a very vague idea of what was going forward.

这时我们都很焦急，就是那几个对于我们的任务不太清楚的警长和火夫，也在那里现出跃跃欲试的神气。

"We have no right to take anything for granted," Holmes answered.

福尔摩斯答道："我们没有权利把任何事情视为理所当然。

"It is certainly ten to one that they go downstream, but we cannot be certain.

虽然十分之九他们会往下游去的，可是我们不能擅自把上游忽略了。

From this point we can see the entrance of the yard, and they can hardly see us.

从我们目前这个地方能够看见船坞的出入口，可是他们却不容易看见咱们。

It will be a clear night and plenty of light. We must stay where we are.

今晚没有云雾，月光很亮，咱们就在这儿吧。

See how the folk swarm¹ over yonder in the gaslight."

你看见那边煤气灯光的下面，来往的人够多么拥挤。"

"They are coming from work in the yard."

"那都是从船坞下工的工人们。"

"Dirty-looking rascals², but I suppose every one has some little immortal³ spark concealed⁴ about him.

"这些人的外表虽然肮脏粗俗，可是每个人的内心全有一些不灭的生气。

You would not think it, to look at them. There is no a priori probability about it. A strange enigma⁵ is man!"

只看他们的外表，你是想不到的。这并不是先天的，人生就是一个谜。"

"Someone calls him a soul concealed in an animal," I suggested.

我道："有人说：人是动物中有灵魂的。"

"Winwood Reade is good upon the subject," said Holmes.

福尔摩斯道："温伍德·瑞德对这个问题有很好的解释。

"He remarks that, while the individual man is an insoluble puzzle, in the aggregate⁶ he becomes a mathematical certainty.

他论道虽然每个人都是难解的谜，可是把人类聚合起来，就有定律了。

You can, for example, never foretell⁷ what any one man will do,

譬如说，你不能预知一个人的个性，

but you can say with precision what an average number will be up to.

可是能够确知人类的共性。

Individuals vary, but percentages remain constant. So says the statistician.

个性不同，共性却是永恒的，统计家们也是这样的说法

But do I see a handkerchief? Surely there is a white flutter over yonder."

你们看见那条手巾了吗？那边确有一个白色的东西在挥动着。"

1 swarm   

n.(昆虫)等一大群；vi.成群飞舞；蜂拥而入

参考例句：

• There is a swarm of bees in the tree.这树上有一窝蜜蜂。
• A swarm of ants are moving busily.一群蚂蚁正在忙碌地搬家。

2 rascals   

流氓( rascal的名词复数 )； 无赖； （开玩笑说法）淘气的人（尤指小孩）； 恶作剧的人

参考例句：

• "Oh, but I like rascals. "唔，不过我喜欢流氓。
• "They're all second-raters, black sheep, rascals. "他们都是二流人物，是流氓，是恶棍。

3 immortal   

adj.不朽的；永生的，不死的；神的

参考例句：

• The wild cocoa tree is effectively immortal.野生可可树实际上是不会死的。
• The heroes of the people are immortal!人民英雄永垂不朽！

4 concealed   

a.隐藏的，隐蔽的

参考例句：

• The paintings were concealed beneath a thick layer of plaster. 那些画被隐藏在厚厚的灰泥层下面。
• I think he had a gun concealed about his person. 我认为他当时身上藏有一支枪。

5 enigma   

n.谜，谜一样的人或事

参考例句：

• I've known him for many years,but he remains something of an enigma to me.我与他相识多年，他仍然难以捉摸。
• Even after all the testimonies,the murder remained a enigma.即使听完了所有的证词，这件谋杀案仍然是一个谜。

6 aggregate   

adj.总计的，集合的；n.总数；v.合计；集合

参考例句：

• The football team had a low goal aggregate last season.这支足球队上个赛季的进球总数很少。
• The money collected will aggregate a thousand dollars.进帐总额将达一千美元。

7 foretell   

v.预言，预告，预示

参考例句：

• Willow trees breaking out into buds foretell the coming of spring.柳枝绽青报春来。
• The outcome of the war is hard to foretell.战争胜负难以预卜。