单身贵族案 10勋爵驾到(2)

"A most painful matter to me, as you can most readily imagine, Mr. Holmes. I have been cut to the quick.

"你很容易就能想象到这是一件对我来说十分痛苦的事，福尔摩斯先生。真叫我痛心疾首。

I understand that you have already managed several delicate cases of this sort, sir,

我知道，先生，你曾经处理过几件这类微妙的案子，

though I presume that they were hardly from the same class of society."

尽管我估计这些案子的委托人的社会地位和这件案子不可同日而语。"

"No, I am descending¹." "I beg pardon."

"但是，委托人的社会地位是在下降了。""对不起请再说一遍。"

"My last client of the sort was a king."

"我上次这类案子的委托人是一位国王。"

"Oh, really! I had no idea. And which king?"

"噢，真的吗？我没想到，哪位国王？"

"The King of Scandinavia." "What! Had he lost his wife?"

"斯堪的纳维亚国王。" "什么！他的妻子也失踪了吗？"

"You can understand," said Holmes suavely², "that I extend to the affairs of my other clients the same secrecy³ which I promise to you in yours."

"你明白，"福尔摩斯和蔼地说，"我对其他委托人的事情保守秘密，就象我答应对你的事情保守秘密一样。"

"Of course! Very right! very right! I'm sure I beg pardon.

"当然是这样，很对！很对！一定要请你原谅。

As to my own case, I am ready to give you any information which may assist you in forming an opinion."

至于我这个案子，我准备告诉你一切有助于你作出判断的情况。"

"Thank you. I have already learned all that is in the public prints, nothing more.

"谢谢，我已经看到了报纸上的全部报道，也就是这么些而已。

I presume that I may take it as correct -- this article, for example, as to the disappearance⁴ of the bride."

我想，我可以把这些报道看作是属实的，例如这篇有关新娘失踪的报道。"

Lord St. Simon glanced over it. "Yes, it is correct, as far as it goes."

圣西蒙勋爵看了看，"是的，这篇报道所说的情况完全属实。"

"But it needs a great deal of supplementing before anyone could offer an opinion.

"但是，无论是谁在提出他的看法以前，都需要大量的补充材料。

I think that I may arrive at my facts most directly by questioning you." "Pray do so."

我想我可以通过向你提问而直接得到我所要知道的事实。" "请提问吧。"

1 descending   

n. 下行 adj. 下降的

参考例句：

• The results are expressed in descending numerical order . 结果按数字降序列出。
• The climbers stopped to orient themselves before descending the mountain. 登山者先停下来确定所在的位置，然后再下山。

2 suavely   

参考例句：

• He is suavely charming and all the ladies love him. 他温文尔雅，女士们都喜欢他。 来自互联网
• Jiro: (Suavely) What do you think? What do you feel I'm like right now? 大东﹕（耍帅）你认为呢﹖我现在给你的感觉如何﹖。 来自互联网

3 secrecy   

n.秘密，保密，隐蔽

参考例句：

• All the researchers on the project are sworn to secrecy.该项目的所有研究人员都按要求起誓保守秘密。
• Complete secrecy surrounded the meeting.会议在绝对机密的环境中进行。

4 disappearance   

n.消失，消散，失踪

参考例句：

• He was hard put to it to explain her disappearance.他难以说明她为什么不见了。
• Her disappearance gave rise to the wildest rumours.她失踪一事引起了各种流言蜚语。