斑点带子案 24启程出发(1)

It was nearly one o'clock when Sherlock Holmes returned from his excursion.

歇洛克·福尔摩斯回来时已快要一点了。

He held in his hand a sheet of blue paper, scrawled¹ over with notes and figures.

他手中拿着一张蓝纸，上面潦草地写着一些笔记和数字。

"I have seen the will of the deceased wife," said he.

"我看到了那位已故的妻子的遗嘱，"他说，

"To determine its exact meaning I have been obliged to work out the present prices of the investments with which it is concerned.

"为了确定它确切的意义，我不得不计算出遗嘱中所列的那些投资有多大进项。

The total income, which at the time of the wife's death was little short of 1100 pounds,

其全部收入在那位女人去世的时候略少于一千一百英镑，

is now, through the fall in agricultural prices, not more than 750 pounds.

现在，由于农产评价格下跌，至多不超过七百五十英镑。

Each daughter can claim an income of 250 pounds, in case of marriage.

可是每个女儿一结婚就有权索取二百五十英镑的收入。

It is evident, therefore, that if both girls had married, this beauty would have had a mere² pittance³,

因此，很明显，假如两个小姐都结了婚，这位'妙人儿'就会只剩下菲薄的收入，

while even one of them would cripple him to a very serious extent.

甚至即使一个结了婚也会弄得他很狼狈。

My morning's work has not been wasted,

我早上的工作没有白费，

since it has proved that he has the very strongest motives⁴ for standing⁵ in the way of anything of the sort.

因为它证明了他有着最强烈的动机以防止这一类事情发生。

And now, Watson, this is too serious for dawdling⁶,

华生，现在再不抓紧就太危险了，

especially as the old man is aware that we are interesting ourselves in his affairs;

特别是那老头已经知道我们对他的事很感兴趣；

so if you are ready, we shall call a cab and drive to Waterloo.

所以，如果你准备好了，我们就去雇一辆马车，前往滑铁卢车站。

I should be very much obliged if you would slip your revolver into your pocket.

假如你悄悄地把你的左轮手枪揣在口袋里，我将非常感激。

An Eley's No. 2 is an excellent argument with gentlemen who can twist steel pokers⁷ into knots.

对于能把钢火钳扭成结的先生，一把埃利二号是最能解决争端的工具了。

That and a tooth-brush are, I think, all that we need."

我想这个东西连同一把牙刷就是我们的全部需要。"

1 scrawled   

乱涂，潦草地写( scrawl的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• I tried to read his directions, scrawled on a piece of paper. 我尽量弄明白他草草写在一片纸上的指示。
• Tom scrawled on his slate, "Please take it -- I got more." 汤姆在他的写字板上写了几个字：“请你收下吧，我多得是哩。”

2 mere   

adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过

参考例句：

• That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
• It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。

3 pittance   

n.微薄的薪水，少量

参考例句：

• Her secretaries work tirelessly for a pittance.她的秘书们为一点微薄的工资不知疲倦地工作。
• The widow must live on her slender pittance.那寡妇只能靠自己微薄的收入过活。

4 motives   

n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• to impeach sb's motives 怀疑某人的动机
• His motives are unclear. 他的用意不明。

5 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

6 dawdling   

adj.闲逛的，懒散的v.混（时间）( dawdle的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Stop dawdling! We're going to be late! 别磨蹭了，咱们快迟到了！
• It was all because of your dawdling that we were late. 都是你老磨蹭，害得我们迟到了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

7 pokers   

n.拨火铁棒( poker的名词复数 )；纸牌；扑克；（通常指人）（坐或站得）直挺挺的

参考例句：

• Does excellent 54 pokers printing plate a look at the Japan AV daughter knowing several? 日本AV女优54张扑克牌版看看认识几个？ 来自互联网