歪唇男人 09烟馆巧遇福尔摩斯(3)

"What! You do not mean bodies?"

"什么！你莫非说的是些尸体？"

"Ay, bodies, Watson. We should be rich men if we had 1000 pounds for every poor devil who has been done to death in that den¹.

"唉，是尸体，华生。如果我们能够从每一个在那个烟馆里被搞死的倒霉蛋身上得到一千镑，我们就成为财主啦。

It is the vilest² murder-trap on the whole riverside,

这是沿河一带最险恶的图财害命的地方，

and I fear that Neville St. Clair has entered it never to leave it more. But our trap should be here."

我担心内维尔·圣克莱尔进得去，出不来。可是我们的圈套应当就设在这儿。"

He put his two forefingers³ between his teeth and whistled shrilly⁴

他把两个食指放在上下唇之间，吹出尖锐的哨声，

a signal which was answered by a similar whistle from the distance,

远处也回响起同样信号的哨声，

followed shortly by the rattle⁵ of wheels and the clink of horses' hoofs⁶.

不久就听到一阵辘辘的车轮声和得得的马蹄声。

"Now, Watson," said Holmes, as a tall dog-cart dashed up through the gloom,

"现在，华生，"福尔摩斯说。这时一辆高轩的双轮单马车从暗中驶出，

throwing out two golden tunnels of yellow light from its side lanterns.

两旁吊灯射出两道黄色的灯光。

"You'll come with me, won't you?" "If I can be of use."

"你愿意跟我一块去吗？" "如果我对你有所帮助的话。"

"Oh, a trusty comrade is always of use; and a chronicler still more so.

"噢，靠得住的伙伴总是有用的；记事的人更没有说的了。

My room at The Cedars⁷ is a double-bedded one."

我在杉园的房间里有两张床铺。"

"The Cedars?" "Yes; that is Mr. St. Clair's house. I am staying there while I conduct the inquiry⁸."

"杉园？""是的，那是圣克莱尔先生的房子。我进行侦查时就住在那里。"

"Where is it, then?" "Near Lee, in Kent. We have a seven-mile drive before us."

"那么，它在什么地方？""在肯特郡，离李镇不远。我们要跑二十来里路。"

"But I am all in the dark." "Of course you are. You'll know all about it presently.

"我可是一无所知啊。""当然是喽，所有的情况，不久你就会明白的。

Jump up here. All right, John; we shall not need you. Here's half a crown.

跳上来吧！好了，约翰，不麻烦你了，这是半克朗。

Look out for me to-morrow, about eleven. Give her her head. So long, then!"

明天等着我，大约十一点钟。放开马缰绳吧，再见。"

1 den   

n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室

参考例句：

• There is a big fox den on the back hill.后山有一个很大的狐狸窝。
• The only way to catch tiger cubs is to go into tiger's den.不入虎穴焉得虎子。

2 vilest   

adj.卑鄙的( vile的最高级 )；可耻的；极坏的；非常讨厌的

参考例句：

3 forefingers   

n.食指( forefinger的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• When her eyes were withdrawn, he secretly crossed his two forefingers. 一等她的眼睛转过去，他便偷偷用两个食指交叠成一个十字架。 来自辞典例句
• The ornithologists made Vs with their thumbs and forefingers, measuring angles. 鸟类学家们用大拇指和食指构成V形量测角度。 来自互联网

4 shrilly   

尖声的； 光亮的，耀眼的

参考例句：

• The librarian threw back his head and laughed shrilly. 图书管理员把头往后面一仰，尖着嗓子哈哈大笑。
• He half rose in his seat, whistling shrilly between his teeth, waving his hand. 他从车座上半欠起身子，低声打了一个尖锐的唿哨，一面挥挥手。

5 rattle   

v.飞奔，碰响；激怒；n.碰撞声；拨浪鼓

参考例句：

• The baby only shook the rattle and laughed and crowed.孩子只是摇着拨浪鼓，笑着叫着。
• She could hear the rattle of the teacups.她听见茶具叮当响。

6 hoofs   

n.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的名词复数 )v.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The stamp of the horse's hoofs on the wooden floor was loud. 马蹄踏在木头地板上的声音很响。 来自辞典例句
• The noise of hoofs called him back to the other window. 马蹄声把他又唤回那扇窗子口。 来自辞典例句

7 cedars   

雪松，西洋杉( cedar的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The old cedars were badly damaged in the storm. 风暴严重损害了古老的雪松。
• Open thy doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour thy cedars. 1黎巴嫩哪，开开你的门，任火烧灭你的香柏树。

8 inquiry   

n.打听，询问，调查，查问

参考例句：

• Many parents have been pressing for an inquiry into the problem.许多家长迫切要求调查这个问题。
• The field of inquiry has narrowed down to five persons.调查的范围已经缩小到只剩5个人了。