工程师大拇指案 11向福尔摩斯叙述故事(5)

'I beg that you will state your business, sir,' said I; 'my time is of value.'

'请您说说您的事吧，先生，' 我说，'我的时间是很宝贵的。'

Heaven forgive me for that last sentence, but the words came to my lips.

愿上帝饶恕我说的后一句话，但这句话是脱口而出的。

'How would fifty guineas for a night's work suit you?' he asked. 'Most admirably.'

'工作一个晚上五十个畿尼你感到合适吗？'他问。'可真不少。'

'I say a night's work, but an hour's would be nearer the mark.

'我说是一个晚上的工作，实际上可能只需要一个小时。

I simply want your opinion about a hydraulic¹ stamping machine which has got out of gear².

我只不过是想请教您有关一台水力冲压机齿轮脱开的事。

If you show us what is wrong we shall soon set it right ourselves.

只要您指出毛病在什么地方，我们自己很快就会把它修好的。

What do you think of such a commission³ as that?'

对于这样一桩委托，您觉得怎么样？'

'The work appears to be light and the pay munificent⁴.'

'工作看来很轻松，报酬却极为优厚。'

'Precisely⁵ so. We shall want you to come to-night by the last train.' 'Where to?'

'一点不错，我们想请您今天晚上乘坐末班车来。''到哪儿去？'

'To Eyford, in Berkshire. It is a little place near the borders of Oxfordshire, and within seven miles of Reading.

'去伯克郡的艾津。那是接近牛津郡的一个小地方，离雷丁不到七英里。

There is a train from Paddington which would bring you there at about 11:15.' 'Very good.'

帕丁顿有一班车可以在十一点十五分左右送您到那儿。''很好。'

'I shall come down in a carriage to meet you.'

'我会坐一辆马车来接您。'

'There is a drive, then?'

'那么，还得坐马车赶一段路程了？'

'Yes, our little place is quite out in the country. It is a good seven miles from Eyford Station.'

'是的，我们那小地方完全是在乡下，离艾津车站足足有七英里。'

1 hydraulic   

adj.水力的；水压的，液压的；水力学的

参考例句：

• The boat has no fewer than five hydraulic pumps.这艘船配有不少于5个液压泵。
• A group of apprentics were operating the hydraulic press.一群学徒正在开动水压机。

2 gear   

n.齿轮，传动装置，设备，衣服；vt.使适应

参考例句：

• We have to gear our lives to the new changes.我们必须使自己的生活适应新的变化。
• The teeth of the wheel gear into each other.齿轮互相啮合。

3 commission   

n.委托，授权，委员会，拥金，回扣，委任状

参考例句：

• The salesman can get commission on everything he sells.这个售货员能得到所售每件货物的佣金。
• The commission is made up of five people,including two women.委员会由五人组成，其中包括两名妇女。

4 munificent   

adj.慷慨的，大方的

参考例句：

• I am so happy to get munificent birthday presents from my friends.我很高兴跟我朋友收到大量的生日礼物。
• The old man's munificent donation to the hospital was highly appreciated.老人对医院慷慨的捐赠赢得了高度赞扬。

5 precisely   

adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地

参考例句：

• It's precisely that sort of slick sales-talk that I mistrust.我不相信的正是那种油腔滑调的推销宣传。
• The man adjusted very precisely.那个人调得很准。