斑点带子案 37提前准备(1)

Sherlock Holmes and I had no difficulty in engaging a bedroom and sitting-room¹ at the Crown Inn.

歇洛克·福尔摩斯和我没费什么事就在克朗旅店订了一间卧室和一间起居室。

They were on the upper floor, and from our window

房间在二层楼，通过窗子

we could command a view of the avenue gate, and of the inhabited wing of Stoke Moran Manor² House.

我们可以俯瞰斯托克莫兰庄园林荫道旁的大门和主人的边房。

At dusk we saw Dr. Grimesby Roylott drive past,

黄昏时刻，我们看到格里姆斯比·罗伊洛特医生驱车过去，

his huge form looming³ up beside the little figure of the lad who drove him.

他那硕大的躯体出现在给他赶车的瘦小的少年身旁，显得格外突出。

The boy had some slight difficulty in undoing⁴ the heavy iron gates,

那男仆在打开沉重的大铁门时，稍稍费了点事，

and we heard the hoarse⁵ roar of the doctor's voice and saw the fury with which he shook his clinched⁶ fists at him.

我们听到医生嘶哑的咆哮声，并且看到他由于激怒而对那男仆挥舞着拳头。

The trap drove on, and a few minutes later we saw a sudden light spring up among the trees as the lamp was lit in one of the sitting-rooms.

马车继续前进，过一会儿，我们看到树丛里突然照耀出一道灯光，原来这是有一间起居室点上了灯。

"Do you know, Watson," said Holmes as we sat together in the gathering⁷ darkness,

"你知道吗，华生？"福尔摩斯说。这时，夜幕逐渐降临。

"I have really some scruples⁸ as to taking you to-night. There is a distinct element of danger."

我们正坐在一起谈话，"今天晚上你同我一起来，我的确不无顾虑，因为确实存在着明显的危险因素。"

"Can I be of assistance?"

"我能助一臂之力吗？"

"Your presence might be invaluable⁹."

"你在场可能会起很重要的作用。"

"Then I shall certainly come."

"那么，我当然应该来。"

"It is very kind of you."

"非常感谢！"

1 sitting-room   

n.（BrE）客厅，起居室

参考例句：

• The sitting-room is clean.起居室很清洁。
• Each villa has a separate sitting-room.每栋别墅都有一间独立的起居室。

2 manor   

n.庄园，领地

参考例句：

• The builder of the manor house is a direct ancestor of the present owner.建造这幢庄园的人就是它现在主人的一个直系祖先。
• I am not lord of the manor,but its lady.我并非此地的领主，而是这儿的女主人。

3 looming   

n.上现蜃景（光通过低层大气发生异常折射形成的一种海市蜃楼）v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的现在分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近

参考例句：

• The foothills were looming ahead through the haze. 丘陵地带透过薄雾朦胧地出现在眼前。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Then they looked up. Looming above them was Mount Proteome. 接着他们往上看，在其上隐约看到的是蛋白质组山。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 回顾与展望

4 undoing   

n.毁灭的原因，祸根；破坏，毁灭

参考例句：

• That one mistake was his undoing. 他一失足即成千古恨。
• This hard attitude may have led to his undoing. 可能就是这种强硬的态度导致了他的垮台。

5 hoarse   

adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的

参考例句：

• He asked me a question in a hoarse voice.他用嘶哑的声音问了我一个问题。
• He was too excited and roared himself hoarse.他过于激动，嗓子都喊哑了。

6 clinched   

v.（尤指两人）互相紧紧抱[扭]住( clinch的过去式和过去分词 )；解决（争端、交易），达成（协议）

参考例句：

• The two businessmen clinched the deal quickly. 两位生意人很快达成了协议。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Evidently this information clinched the matter. 显然，这一消息使问题得以最终解决。 来自辞典例句

7 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

8 scruples   

n.良心上的不安( scruple的名词复数 )；顾虑，顾忌v.感到于心不安，有顾忌( scruple的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• I overcame my moral scruples. 我抛开了道德方面的顾虑。
• I'm not ashamed of my scruples about your family. They were natural. 我并未因为对你家人的顾虑而感到羞耻。这种感觉是自然而然的。 来自疯狂英语突破英语语调

9 invaluable   

adj.无价的，非常宝贵的，极为贵重的

参考例句：

• A computer would have been invaluable for this job.一台计算机对这个工作的作用会是无法估计的。
• This information was invaluable to him.这个消息对他来说是非常宝贵的。