巴斯克威尔的猎犬 梅利琵宅邸的主人斯台普吞（14）（在线收听）

　　"What are they? Sheep-pens?"

　　“是什么呢， 是羊圈吗？ ”

　　"No, they are the homes of our worthy ancestors. Prehistoric man lived thickly on the moor,and as no one in particular has lived there since, we find all his little arrangements exactly as heleft them. These are his wigwams with the roofs off. You can even see his hearth and his couch ifyou have the curiosity to go inside.

　　“不， 那是咱们可敬的祖先的住处， 在史前时期住在沼地里的人很多， 因为从那时以后再没有人在那里住过， 所以我们看到的那些安排的细微之处还和他们离开房子以前一模一样。 那些是他们的缺了房顶的小屋。 如果您竟因为好奇而到里面去走一趟的话， 您还能看到他们的炉灶和床呢。”

　　"But it is quite a town. When was it inhabited?"“真够个市镇的规模呢。 在什么时候还有人住过呢？ ”

　　"Neolithic man -- no date."

　　“大约在新石器时代——没有确实的年代可考。”

　　"What did he do?"

　　“他们那时干些什么呢？ ”

　　"He grazed his cattle on these slopes, and he learned to dig for tin when the bronze swordbegan to supersede the stone axe. Look at the great trench in the opposite hill. That is his mark.Yes, you will find some very singular points about the moor, Dr. Watson. Oh, excuse me an instant!It is surely Cyclopides."

　　“他们在这些山坡上牧放牛群， 当青铜的刀开始代替石斧的时候， 他们就学会了 开掘锡矿。 您看对面山上的壕沟， 那就是挖掘的遗迹。 是的， 华生医生， 您会发现沼地的一些很特别的地方的， 噢， 对不起， 请等一会儿！ 一定是赛克罗派德大飞蛾。”

　　A small fly or moth had fluttered across our path, and in an instant Stapleton was rushingwith extraordinary energy and speed in pursuit of it. To my dismay the creature flew straight forthe great mire, and my acquaintance never paused for an instant, bounding from tuft to tuft behindit, his green net waving in the air. His gray clothes and jerky, zigzag, irregular progress made himnot unlike some huge moth himself. I was standing watching his pursuit with a mixture ofadmiration for his extraordinary activity and fear lest he should lose his footing in the treacherousmire when I heard the sound of steps and, turning round, found a woman near me upon the path.She had come from the direction in which the plume of smoke indicated the position of MerripitHouse, but the dip of the moor had hid her until she was quite close.

　　一只不知是蝇还是蛾的东西横过了 小路， 翩翩地飞了过去， 顷刻之间斯台普吞就以少有的力量和速度扑了过去。 使我大吃一惊的是， 那只小动物竟一直向大泥潭飞了过去， 而我的朋友却挥舞着他那绿色的网兜， 一步不停地在一丛丛小树中间跳跃前进着。 他穿着灰色的衣服， 加以猛然纵跳、 曲折前进的动作， 使他本身看来就宛如一只大飞蛾。 我怀着既羡慕他那敏捷异常的动作又害怕他会在那莫测深浅的泥潭里失足的复杂心情， 站在那里望着他往前追去。 由于听到了脚步声， 我转过身来， 看到在离我不远的路边有一个女子， 她是从浮游着一抹烟雾、 说明是梅利琵所在之处的方向来的， 因为一直被沼地的洼处遮着， 所以直到她走得很近时才被我发现。