博斯科姆比溪谷秘案 12整理线索(6)

"The Coroner: Did your father make any statement to you before he died?

"验尸官："你父亲临终前对你说过什么没有？"

Witness: He mumbled¹ a few words, but I could only catch some allusion² to a rat.

证人："他含糊不清地说了几句话，但我只听到他好象提到一个'拉特'。

The Coroner: What did you understand by that?

"验尸官："你认为这话是什么意思？"

Witness: It conveyed no meaning to me. I thought that he was delirious³.

证人："我不懂它是什么意思，我认为他当时已经神志昏迷。"

The Coroner: What was the point upon which you and your father had this final quarrel?

验尸官："你和你父亲最后一次争吵的原因是什么？"

Witness: I should prefer not to answer.

证人："我不想回答这个问题。"

The Coroner: I am afraid that I must press it.

验尸官："看来我必须坚持要你回答。"

Witness: It is really impossible for me to tell you. I can assure you that it has nothing to do with the sad tragedy which followed.

证人："我真的不可能告诉你。我可以向你保证，这和随后发生的惨案毫无关系。"

The Coroner: That is for the court to decide.

验尸官："这要由法庭来裁决。

I need not point out to you that your refusal to answer will prejudice your case considerably⁴ in any future proceedings⁵ which may arise.

我无须向你指出你也该明白，拒绝回答问题，在将来可能提出起诉时，对于你的案情将相当不利的。"

Witness: I must still refuse.

证人："我仍然要坚持拒绝回答。"

The Coroner: I understand that the cry of "Cooee" was a common signal between you and your father?

验尸官："据我了解，'库伊'的喊声是你们父子之间常用的信号。"

Witness: It was.

证人："是的。"

The Coroner: How was it, then, that he uttered it before he saw you, and before he even knew that you had returned from Bristol?

验尸官："那么，他还没有见到你，甚至还不知道你已从布里斯托尔回来就喊这个信号，那是怎么回事呢？"

Witness (with considerable confusion): I do not know.

证人（显得相当慌乱）："这个，我可不知道。"

1 mumbled   

含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He mumbled something to me which I did not quite catch. 他对我叽咕了几句话，可我没太听清楚。
• George mumbled incoherently to himself. 乔治语无伦次地喃喃自语。

2 allusion   

n.暗示，间接提示

参考例句：

• He made an allusion to a secret plan in his speech.在讲话中他暗示有一项秘密计划。
• She made no allusion to the incident.她没有提及那个事件。

3 delirious   

adj.不省人事的，神智昏迷的

参考例句：

• He was delirious,murmuring about that matter.他精神恍惚，低声叨念着那件事。
• She knew that he had become delirious,and tried to pacify him.她知道他已经神志昏迷起来了，极力想使他镇静下来。

4 considerably   

adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上

参考例句：

• The economic situation has changed considerably.经济形势已发生了相当大的变化。
• The gap has narrowed considerably.分歧大大缩小了。

5 proceedings   

n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• to initiate legal proceedings against sb 对某人提起诉讼