四签名 91琼诺赞·斯茂的奇异故事（1）

Chapter 12 The Strange Story Of Jonathan Small

第十二章 琼诺赞·斯茂的奇异故事

A very patient man was that inspector¹ in the cab, for it was a weary time before I rejoined him.

那个警长很有耐性地在车上等候着我，我回到车上时已经很晚了。

His face clouded over when I showed him the empty box.

我给他看了空箱子，他大失所望。

"There goes the reward!" said he gloomily. "Where there is no money there is no pay.

他郁闷地说道："这一来，奖金也完了！箱子里没有宝物也就没有奖金了，

This night's work would have been worth a tenner each to Sam Brown and me if the treasure had been there."

不然今晚我和同伴山姆·布朗每人可以得到十镑奖金呢。"

"Mr. Thaddeus Sholto is a rich man," I said; "he will see that you are rewarded, treasure or no."

我道："塞笛厄斯·舒尔托先生是个有钱的人，不管宝物有没有，他会给你们酬劳的。"

The inspector shook his head despondently², however.

警长沮丧地摇着头道：

"It's a bad job," he repeated; "and so Mr. Athelney Jones will think."

"埃瑟尔尼·琼斯先生会认为这事干得很糟糕呢。"

His forecast proved to be correct, for the detective looked blank enough when I got to Baker³ Street and showed him the empty box.

这警长的预料果然不错，当我回到贝克街，把空箱给那位侦探看的时候，他面色很不好看。

They had only just arrived, Holmes, the prisoner, and he,

他们三人--福尔摩斯、琼斯和囚犯--刚刚来到贝克街；

for they had changed their plans so far as to report themselves at a station upon the way.

因为他们变更了原来的计划，在中途先到警署去作了报告。

My companion lounged in his armchair with his usual listless expression,

福尔摩斯仍象往常一样，懒洋洋地坐在他的椅子上，

while Small sat stolidly⁴ opposite to him with his wooden leg cocked over his sound one.

面对着顽强地坐在那儿的斯茂。斯茂把那条木腿搭在好腿上面。

As I exhibited the empty box he leaned back in his chair and laughed aloud.

当我把空箱子给大家看的时候，他倚着椅子放声大笑起来。

"This is your doing, Small," said Athelney Jones angrily.

琼斯发怒道："斯茂，这是你干的好事！"

1 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。

2 despondently   

adv.沮丧地，意志消沉地

参考例句：

• It had come to that, he reflected despondently. 事情已经到了这个地步了，他沉思着，感到心灰意懒。 来自辞典例句
• He shook his head despondently. 他沮丧地摇摇头。 来自辞典例句

3 baker   

n.面包师

参考例句：

• The baker bakes his bread in the bakery.面包师在面包房内烤面包。
• The baker frosted the cake with a mixture of sugar and whites of eggs.面包师在蛋糕上撒了一层白糖和蛋清的混合料。

4 stolidly   

adv.迟钝地，神经麻木地

参考例句：

• Too often people sat stolidly watching the noisy little fiddler. 人们往往不动声色地坐在那里，瞧着这位瘦小的提琴手闹腾一番。 来自辞典例句
• He dropped into a chair and sat looking stolidly at the floor. 他坐在椅子上，两眼呆呆地望着地板。 来自辞典例句