博斯科姆比溪谷秘案 40水落石出(7)

"Well, it is not for me to judge you," said Holmes as the old man signed the statement which had been drawn¹ out.

那老人在写好了的那份自白书上签了字。福尔摩斯当即说："好啦，我无权审判你。

"I pray that we may never be exposed to such a temptation."

但愿我们永远不会受到这样一种诱惑而无法控制自己。"

"I pray not, sir. And what do you intend to do?"

"先生，我也很愿如此。你打算怎么办呢？"

"In view of your health, nothing.

"考虑到你的身体情况，不打算做什么。

You are yourself aware that you will soon have to answer for your deed at a higher court than the Assizes.

你自己也知道，你不久就要为你干过的事在比巡回审判法庭更高一级的法院受审讯。

I will keep your confession², and if McCarthy is condemned³ I shall be forced to use it.

我一定能把你的自白书保存好。如果麦卡锡被定罪我就不得不用它。

If not, it shall never be seen by mortal eye; and your secret, whether you be alive or dead, shall be safe with us."

如果麦卡锡不被定罪，它就永远不会为任何人所见。不管你是活着还是死去，我保证为你保密。"

"Farewell, then," said the old man solemnly.

那老人庄严地说："那么，再见了。

"Your own deathbeds, when they come, will be the easier for the thought of the peace which you have given to mine."

当你自己临终之际，想到曾经让我安然死去，你会感到更加安宁的。"

Tottering⁴ and shaking in all his giant frame, he stumbled slowly from the room.

这个身躯庞大的人摇摇晃晃地慢步从房间里走了出去。

"God help us!" said Holmes after a long silence.

福尔摩斯沉默了很久，然后说：“上帝保佑我们！

"Why does fate play such tricks with poor, helpless worms?

为什么命运老是对贫困穷苦而又孤立无援的芸芸众生那么恶作剧呢？

I never hear of such a case as this that I do not think of Baxter's words, and say,

我每当听到这一类的案件时，我都想起巴克斯特的话，并说，

'There, but for the grace of God, goes Sherlock Holmes.'"

'歇洛克·福尔摩斯之所以能破案还是靠上帝保佑。'”

James McCarthy was acquitted⁵ at the Assizes

詹姆斯·麦卡锡在巡回法庭上被宣告无罪释放，

on the strength of a number of objections which had been drawn out by Holmes and submitted to the defending counsel.

因为福尔摩斯写了若干有力的申诉意见，这些意见提供给了辩护律师。

Old Turner lived for seven months after our interview, but he is now dead; and there is every prospect⁶ that

在和我们谈话以后，老特纳还活了七个月，现在已经去世了；很可能会出现这样的前景：

the son and daughter may come to live happily together in ignorance of the black cloud which rests upon their past.

那个儿子和那个女儿终于共同过着幸福的生活，他们根本不知道，在过去的岁月里，他们的上空曾经出现过不祥的乌云。

1 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

2 confession   

n.自白，供认，承认

参考例句：

• Her confession was simply tantamount to a casual explanation.她的自白简直等于一篇即席说明。
• The police used torture to extort a confession from him.警察对他用刑逼供。

3 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

4 tottering   

adj.蹒跚的，动摇的v.走得或动得不稳( totter的现在分词 )；踉跄；蹒跚；摇摇欲坠

参考例句：

• the tottering walls of the castle 古城堡摇摇欲坠的墙壁
• With power and to spare we must pursue the tottering foe. 宜将剩勇追穷寇。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5 acquitted   

宣判…无罪( acquit的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（自己）作出某种表现

参考例句：

• The jury acquitted him of murder. 陪审团裁决他谋杀罪不成立。
• Five months ago she was acquitted on a shoplifting charge. 五个月前她被宣判未犯入店行窃罪。

6 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。