巴斯克威尔的猎犬 梅利琵宅邸的主人斯台普吞（6）

 

　　"Of course you know the legend of the fiend dog which haunts the family?"“您一定听说过关于缠着这一族人的魔鬼似的猎狗的那件传说吧？ ”

　　"I have heard it."

　　“我听说过了 。”

　　"It is extraordinary how credulous¹ the peasants are about here! Any number of them are readyto swear that they have seen such a creature upon the moor²." He spoke³ with a smile, but I seemedto read in his eyes that he took the matter more seriously. "The story took a great hold upon theimagination of Sir Charles, and I have no doubt that it led to his tragic⁴ end."“这里的农民们真是太容易轻信传闻了！ 他们每个人都能发誓说， 在这片沼地里曾经见到过这样一只畜生。” 他说话时带着微笑， 可是我好象从他的眼里看得出来， 他对这件事情的态度很认真呢。“这事在查尔兹爵士的心理上产生了很大的影响。 我肯定地相信， 就因为这件事才使得他落得这样悲惨的结局。”

　　"But how?"

　　“怎么会呢？ ”

　　"His nerves were so worked up that the appearance of any dog might have had a fatal effectupon his diseased heart. I fancy that he really did see something of the kind upon that last night inthe yew⁵ alley⁶. I feared that some disaster might occur, for I was very fond of the old man, and Iknew that his heart was weak."

　　“他的神经已紧张到一看见狗就会对他那有病的心脏发生致命影响的程度。我估计他临死的那天晚上， 在水松夹道里， 他真的看到了什么类似的东西。 过去我常担心会发生什么灾难， 因为我很喜欢那位老人， 而且我也知道他的心脏很弱。”

　　"How did you know that?"

　　“您怎么会知道这一点呢？ ”

　　"My friend Mortimer told me."

　　“我的朋友摩梯末告诉我的。”

　　"You think, then, that some dog pursued Sir Charles, and that he died of fright inconsequence?"

　　“那么， 您认为是有一只狗追着查尔兹爵士， 结果他就被吓死了吗？ ”

　　"Have you any better explanation?"

　　“除此以外您还有什么更好的解释吗？ ”

 

1 credulous   

adj.轻信的，易信的

参考例句：

• You must be credulous if she fooled you with that story.连她那种话都能把你骗倒，你一定是太容易相信别人了。
• Credulous attitude will only make you take anything for granted.轻信的态度只会使你想当然。

2 moor   

n.荒野，沼泽；vt.(使)停泊；vi.停泊

参考例句：

• I decided to moor near some tourist boats.我决定在一些观光船附近停泊。
• There were hundreds of the old huts on the moor.沼地上有成百上千的古老的石屋。

3 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

4 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

5 yew   

n.紫杉属树木

参考例句：

• The leaves of yew trees are poisonous to cattle.紫杉树叶会令牛中毒。
• All parts of the yew tree are poisonous,including the berries.紫杉的各个部分都有毒，包括浆果。

6 alley   

n.小巷，胡同；小径，小路

参考例句：

• We live in the same alley.我们住在同一条小巷里。
• The blind alley ended in a brick wall.这条死胡同的尽头是砖墙。