工程师大拇指案 16被砍掉的大拇指(2)

"One horse?" interjected Holmes. "Yes, only one."

"只有一匹马吗？"福尔摩斯突然插话问道。"对，只有一匹。"

"Did you observe the colour?"

"您注意到它的颜色了吗？"

"Yes, I saw it by the side-lights when I was stepping into the carriage. It was a chestnut¹."

"是的，当我跨进车厢时，借着边灯我瞧了一下。是匹栗色的马。"

"Tired-looking or fresh?" "Oh, fresh and glossy²."

"看上去很蔫还是生气勃勃的？""唷，生气勃勃，毛色非常光润。"

"Thank you. I am sorry to have interrupted you. Pray continue your most interesting statement."

"谢谢，对不起，打断了您的话，您的叙述很有趣，请您接着往下讲。"

"Away we went then, and we drove for at least an hour.

"就这样，我们上了路，马车行驶了至少有一个小时。

Colonel Lysander Stark³ had said that it was only seven miles, but I should think,

莱桑德·斯塔克上校说过只有七英里远，但是我总觉得，

from the rate that we seemed to go, and from the time that we took, that it must have been nearer twelve.

从我们行进的速度和所花的时间来看，肯定将近有十二英里的路程。

He sat at my side in silence all the time,

整个行程中，他一直默默地坐在我的旁边，

and I was aware, more than once when I glanced in his direction, that he was looking at me with great intensity⁴.

有几次我朝他那个方向瞟过去，觉察到他一直在紧张地盯着我。

The country roads seem to be not very good in that part of the world, for we lurched and jolted⁵ terribly.

那个地方的乡间道路看来不太好，因为车子颠簸得很厉害，弄得我们东倒西歪。

I tried to look out of the windows to see something of where we were,

我尽力向窗外看去，想看看我们是到了什么地方，

but they were made of frosted glass, and I could make out nothing save the occasional bright blur⁶ of a passing light.

但是窗子是毛玻璃的，除了偶尔经过有灯的地方时看到一片模模糊糊的亮光以外，我什么也看不清。

Now and then I hazarded some remark to break the monotony of the journey,

我不时地找几句话来打破旅途的沉闷，

but the colonel answered only in monosyllables, and the conversation soon flagged.

但是上校只是用只言片语来回答我，这样，话也就谈不下去了。

At last, however, the bumping of the road was exchanged for the crisp smoothness of a gravel-drive, and the carriage came to a stand.

最后，马车由在崎岖不平的路上颠簸向前变成在砾石路上平稳行驶，接着就停了下来。

Colonel Lysander Stark sprang out, and, as I followed after him,

莱桑德上校跳下马车，我跟随在后面，

pulled me swiftly into a porch which gaped⁷ in front of us.

他突然一把将我拉进了就在我们面前敞开着的大门。

We stepped, as it were, right out of the carriage and into the hall,

我们仿佛是一跨出马车便进入了大厅，

so that I failed to catch the most fleeting⁸ glance of the front of the house.

以致我连粗略地扫视一下房子正面的机会都没有。

The instant that I had crossed the threshold the door slammed heavily behind us,

我一跨进门槛，门就在我的身后砰的一声重重地关上了，

and I heard faintly the rattle⁹ of the wheels as the carriage drove away."

我隐隐约约地听到了马车离开时吱吱嘎嘎的车轮声。"

1 chestnut   

n.栗树，栗子

参考例句：

• We have a chestnut tree in the bottom of our garden.我们的花园尽头有一棵栗树。
• In summer we had tea outdoors,under the chestnut tree.夏天我们在室外栗树下喝茶。

2 glossy   

adj.平滑的；有光泽的

参考例句：

• I like these glossy spots.我喜欢这些闪闪发光的花点。
• She had glossy black hair.她长着乌黑发亮的头发。

3 stark   

adj.荒凉的；严酷的；完全的；adv.完全地

参考例句：

• The young man is faced with a stark choice.这位年轻人面临严峻的抉择。
• He gave a stark denial to the rumor.他对谣言加以完全的否认。

4 intensity   

n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度

参考例句：

• I didn't realize the intensity of people's feelings on this issue.我没有意识到这一问题能引起群情激奋。
• The strike is growing in intensity.罢工日益加剧。

5 jolted   

（使）摇动， （使）震惊( jolt的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The truck jolted and rattled over the rough ground. 卡车嘎吱嘎吱地在凹凸不平的地面上颠簸而行。
• She was jolted out of her reverie as the door opened. 门一开就把她从幻想中惊醒。

6 blur   

n.模糊不清的事物；vt.使模糊，使看不清楚

参考例句：

• The houses appeared as a blur in the mist.房子在薄雾中隐隐约约看不清。
• If you move your eyes and your head,the picture will blur.如果你的眼睛或头动了，图像就会变得模糊不清。

7 gaped   

v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的过去式和过去分词 )；张开，张大

参考例句：

• A huge chasm gaped before them. 他们面前有个巨大的裂痕。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The front door was missing. A hole gaped in the roof. 前门不翼而飞，屋顶豁开了一个洞。 来自辞典例句

8 fleeting   

adj.短暂的，飞逝的

参考例句：

• The girls caught only a fleeting glimpse of the driver.女孩们只匆匆瞥了一眼司机。
• Knowing the life fleeting,she set herself to enjoy if as best as she could.她知道这种日子转瞬即逝，于是让自已尽情地享受。

9 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。