身份问题 A Case of Identity （一）

时间：2020-04-20 05:45:33

（单词翻译:单击）

"My dear fellow," said Sherlock Holmes as we sat on either side
of the fire in his lodgings1 at Baker2 Street, "life is infinitely3
stranger than anything which the mind of man could invent. We
would not dare to conceive the things which are really mere4
commonplaces of existence. If we could fly out of that window
hand in hand, hover5 over this great city, gently remove the
roofs, and peep in at the queer things which are going on, the
strange coincidences, the plannings, the cross-purposes, the
wonderful chains of events, working through generation, and
leading to the most outre results, it would make all fiction with
its conventionalities and foreseen conclusions most stale and
unprofitable."
 
"And yet I am not convinced of it," I answered. "The cases which
come to light in the papers are, as a rule, bald enough, and
vulgar enough. We have in our police reports realism pushed to
its extreme limits, and yet the result is, it must be confessed,
neither fascinating nor artistic6."
 
"A certain selection and discretion7 must be used in producing a
realistic effect," remarked Holmes. "This is wanting in the
police report, where more stress is laid, perhaps, upon the
platitudes8 of the magistrate9 than upon the details, which to an
observer contain the vital essence of the whole matter. Depend
upon it, there is nothing so unnatural10 as the commonplace."
 
I smiled and shook my head. "I can quite understand your thinking
so." I said. "Of course, in your position of unofficial adviser11
and helper to everybody who is absolutely puzzled, throughout
three continents, you are brought in contact with all that is
strange and bizarre. But here"--I picked up the morning paper
from the ground--"let us put it to a practical test. Here is the
first heading upon which I come. 'A husband's cruelty to his
wife.' There is half a column of print, but I know without
reading it that it is all perfectly12 familiar to me. There is, of
course, the other woman, the drink, the push, the blow, the
bruise13, the sympathetic sister or landlady14. The crudest of
writers could invent nothing more crude."
 
"Indeed, your example is an unfortunate one for your argument,"
said Holmes, taking the paper and glancing his eye down it. "This
is the Dundas separation case, and, as it happens, I was engaged
in clearing up some small points in connection with it. The
husband was a teetotaler, there was no other woman, and the
conduct complained of was that he had drifted into the habit of
winding15 up every meal by taking out his false teeth and hurling16
them at his wife, which, you will allow, is not an action likely
to occur to the imagination of the average story-teller. Take a
pinch of snuff, Doctor, and acknowledge that I have scored over
you in your example."
 
He held out his snuffbox of old gold, with a great amethyst17 in
the centre of the lid. Its splendour was in such contrast to his
homely18 ways and simple life that I could not help commenting upon
it.
 
"Ah," said he, "I forgot that I had not seen you for some weeks.
It is a little souvenir from the King of Bohemia in return for my
assistance in the case of the Irene Adler papers."
 
"And the ring?" I asked, glancing at a remarkable19 brilliant which
sparkled upon his finger.
 
"It was from the reigning20 family of Holland, though the matter in
which I served them was of such delicacy21 that I cannot confide22 it
even to you, who have been good enough to chronicle one or two of
my little problems."
 
"And have you any on hand just now?" I asked with interest.
 
"Some ten or twelve, but none which present any feature of
interest. They are important, you understand, without being
interesting. Indeed, I have found that it is usually in
unimportant matters that there is a field for the observation,
and for the quick analysis of cause and effect which gives the
charm to an investigation23. The larger crimes are apt to be the
simpler, for the bigger the crime thc more obvious, as a rule, is
the motive24. In these cases, save for one rather intricate matter
which has been referred to me from Marseilles, there is nothing
which presents any features of interest. It is possible, however,
that I may have something better before very many minutes are
over, for this is one of my clients, or I am much mistaken."
 
He had risen from his chair and was standing25 between the parted
blinds gazing down into the dull neutral-tinted London street.
Looking over his shoulder, I saw that on the pavement opposite
there stood a large woman with a heavy fur boa round her neck,
and a large curling red feather in a broad-brimmed hat which was
tilted26 in a coquettish Duchess of Devonshire fashion over her
ear. From under this great panoply27 she peeped up in a nervous,
hesitating fashion at our windows, while her body oscillated
backward and forward, and her fingers fidgeted with her glove
buttons. Suddenly, with a plunge28, as of the swimmer who leaves
the bank, she hurried across the road, and we heard the sharp
clang of the bell.
 
"I have seen those symptoms before," said Holmes, throwing his
cigarette into the fire. "Oscillation upon the pavement always
means an affaire de coeur. She would like advice, but is not sure
that the matter is not too delicate for communication. And yet
even here we may discriminate29. When a woman has been seriously
wronged by a man she no longer oscillates, and the usual symptom
is a broken bell wire. Here we may take it that there is a love
matter, but that the maiden30 is not so much angry as perplexed31, or
grieved. But here she comes in person to resolve our doubts."
 
As he spoke32 there was a tap at the door, and the boy in buttons.
entered to announce Miss Mary Sutherland, while the lady herself
loomed33 behind his small black figure like a full-sailed
merchant-man behind a tiny pilot boat. Sherlock Holmes welcomed
her with the easy courtesy for which he was remarkable, and,
having closed the door and bowed her into an armchair, he looked
her over in the minute and yet abstracted fashion which was
peculiar34 to him.
 
"Do you not find," he said, "that with your short sight it is a
little trying to do so much typewriting?"
 
"I did at first," she answered, "but now I know where the letters
are without looking." Then, suddenly realizing the full purport35
of his words, she gave a violent start and looked up, with fear
and astonishment36 upon her broad, good-humoured face. "You've
heard about me, Mr. Holmes," she cried, "else how could you know
all that?"
 
"Never mind," said Holmes, laughing; "it is my business to know
things. Perhaps I have trained myself to see what others
overlook. If not, why should you come to consult me?"
 
"I came to you, sir, because I heard of you from Mrs. Etherege,
whose husband you found so easy when the police and everyone had
given him up for dead. Oh, Mr. Holmes, I wish you would do as
much for me. I'm not rich, but still I have a hundred a year in
my own right, besides the little that I make by the machine, and
I would give it all to know what has become of Mr. Hosmer Angel."
 
"Why did you come away to consult me in such a hurry?" asked
Sherlock Holmes, with his finger-tips together and his eyes to
the ceiling.
 
Again a startled look came over the somewhat vacuous37 face of Miss
Mary Sutherland. "Yes, I did bang out of the house," she said,
"for it made me angry to see the easy way in which Mr.
Windibank--that is, my father--took it all. He would not go to
the police, and he would not go to you, and so at last, as he
would do nothing and kept on saying that there was no harm done,
it made me mad, and I just on with my things and came right away
to you."
 
"Your father," said Holmes, "your stepfather, surely, since the
name is different."
 
"Yes, my stepfather. I call him father, though it sounds funny,
too, for he is only five years and two months older than myself."
 
"And your mother is alive?"
 
"Oh, yes, mother is alive and well. I wasn't best pleased, Mr.
Holmes, when she married again so soon after father's death, and
a man who was nearly fifteen years younger than herself. Father
was a plumber38 in the Tottenham Court Road, and he left a tidy
business behind him, which mother carried on with Mr. Hardy39, the
foreman; but when Mr. Windibank came he made her sell the
business, for he was very superior, being a traveller in wines.
They got 4700 pounds for the goodwill40 and interest, which wasn't
near as much as father could have got if he had been alive."
 
I had expected to see Sherlock Holmes impatient under this
rambling41 and inconsequential narrative42, but, on the contrary he
had listened with the greatest concentration of attention.
 
"Your own little income," he asked, "does it come out of the
business?"
 
"Oh, no, sir. It is quite separate and was left me by my uncle
Ned in Auckland. It is in New Zealand stock, paying 4 1/2 per
cent. Two thousand five hundred pounds was the amount, but I can
only touch the interest."
 
"You interest me extremely," said Holmes. "And since you draw so
large a sum as a hundred a year, with what you earn into the
bargain, you no doubt travel a little and indulge yourself in
every way. I believe that a single lady can get on very nicely
upon an income of about 60 pounds."
 
"I could do with much less than that, Mr. Holmes, but you
understand that as long as I live at home I don't wish to be a
burden to them, and so they have the use of the money just while
I am staying with them. Of course, that is only just for the
time. Mr. Windibank draws my interest every quarter and pays it
over to mother, and I find that I can do pretty well with what I
earn at typewriting. It brings me twopence a sheet, and I can
often do from fifteen to twenty sheets in a-day."
 
"You have made your position very clear to me," said Holmes.
"This is my friend, Dr. Watson, before whom you can speak as
freely as before myself. Kindly43 tell us now all about your
connection with Mr. Hosmer Angel."

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1 lodgings f12f6c99e9a4f01e5e08b1197f095e6e     
n. 出租的房舍, 寄宿舍
参考例句：
  • When he reached his lodgings the sun had set. 他到达公寓房间时，太阳已下山了。
  • I'm on the hunt for lodgings. 我正在寻找住所。
2 baker wyTz62     
n.面包师
参考例句：
  • The baker bakes his bread in the bakery.面包师在面包房内烤面包。
  • The baker frosted the cake with a mixture of sugar and whites of eggs.面包师在蛋糕上撒了一层白糖和蛋清的混合料。
3 infinitely 0qhz2I     
adv.无限地，无穷地
参考例句：
  • There is an infinitely bright future ahead of us.我们有无限光明的前途。
  • The universe is infinitely large.宇宙是无限大的。
4 mere rC1xE     
adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过
参考例句：
  • That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
  • It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。
5 hover FQSzM     
vi.翱翔，盘旋；徘徊；彷徨，犹豫
参考例句：
  • You don't hover round the table.你不要围着桌子走来走去。
  • A plane is hover on our house.有一架飞机在我们的房子上盘旋。
6 artistic IeWyG     
adj.艺术(家)的，美术(家)的；善于艺术创作的
参考例句：
  • The picture on this screen is a good artistic work.这屏风上的画是件很好的艺术品。
  • These artistic handicrafts are very popular with foreign friends.外国朋友很喜欢这些美术工艺品。
7 discretion FZQzm     
n.谨慎；随意处理
参考例句：
  • You must show discretion in choosing your friend.你择友时必须慎重。
  • Please use your best discretion to handle the matter.请慎重处理此事。
8 platitudes e249aa750ccfe02339c2233267283746     
n.平常的话，老生常谈，陈词滥调( platitude的名词复数 )；滥套子
参考例句：
  • He was mouthing the usual platitudes about the need for more compassion. 他言不由衷地说了些需要更加同情之类的陈腔滥调。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He delivered a long prose full of platitudes. 他发表了一篇充满陈词滥调的文章。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
9 magistrate e8vzN     
n.地方行政官，地方法官，治安官
参考例句：
  • The magistrate committed him to prison for a month.法官判处他一个月监禁。
  • John was fined 1000 dollars by the magistrate.约翰被地方法官罚款1000美元。
10 unnatural 5f2zAc     
adj.不自然的；反常的
参考例句：
  • Did her behaviour seem unnatural in any way?她有任何反常表现吗？
  • She has an unnatural smile on her face.她脸上挂着做作的微笑。
11 adviser HznziU     
n.劝告者，顾问
参考例句：
  • They employed me as an adviser.他们聘请我当顾问。
  • Our department has engaged a foreign teacher as phonetic adviser.我们系已经聘请了一位外籍老师作为语音顾问。
12 perfectly 8Mzxb     
adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地
参考例句：
  • The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
  • Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。
13 bruise kcCyw     
n.青肿，挫伤；伤痕；vt.打青；挫伤
参考例句：
  • The bruise was caused by a kick.这伤痕是脚踢的。
  • Jack fell down yesterday and got a big bruise on his face.杰克昨天摔了一跤，脸上摔出老大一块淤斑。
14 landlady t2ZxE     
n.女房东，女地主
参考例句：
  • I heard my landlady creeping stealthily up to my door.我听到我的女房东偷偷地来到我的门前。
  • The landlady came over to serve me.女店主过来接待我。
15 winding Ue7z09     
n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈
参考例句：
  • A winding lane led down towards the river.一条弯弯曲曲的小路通向河边。
  • The winding trail caused us to lose our orientation.迂回曲折的小道使我们迷失了方向。
16 hurling bd3cda2040d4df0d320fd392f72b7dc3     
n.爱尔兰式曲棍球v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的现在分词 )；大声叫骂
参考例句：
  • The boat rocked wildly, hurling him into the water. 这艘船剧烈地晃动，把他甩到水中。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Fancy hurling away a good chance like that, the silly girl! 想想她竟然把这样一个好机会白白丢掉了，真是个傻姑娘！ 来自《简明英汉词典》
17 amethyst ee0yu     
n.紫水晶
参考例句：
  • She pinned a large amethyst brooch to her lapel.她在翻领上别了一枚大大的紫水晶饰针。
  • The exquisite flowers come alive in shades of amethyst.那些漂亮的花儿在紫水晶的映衬下显得格外夺目。
18 homely Ecdxo     
adj.家常的，简朴的；不漂亮的
参考例句：
  • We had a homely meal of bread and cheese.我们吃了一顿面包加乳酪的家常便餐。
  • Come and have a homely meal with us,will you?来和我们一起吃顿家常便饭，好吗？
19 remarkable 8Vbx6     
adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的
参考例句：
  • She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
  • These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。
20 reigning nkLzRp     
adj.统治的，起支配作用的
参考例句：
  • The sky was dark, stars were twinkling high above, night was reigning, and everything was sunk in silken silence. 天很黑，星很繁，夜阑人静。
  • Led by Huang Chao, they brought down the reigning house after 300 years' rule. 在黄巢的带领下，他们推翻了统治了三百年的王朝。
21 delicacy mxuxS     
n.精致，细微，微妙，精良；美味，佳肴
参考例句：
  • We admired the delicacy of the craftsmanship.我们佩服工艺师精巧的手艺。
  • He sensed the delicacy of the situation.他感觉到了形势的微妙。
22 confide WYbyd     
v.向某人吐露秘密
参考例句：
  • I would never readily confide in anybody.我从不轻易向人吐露秘密。
  • He is going to confide the secrets of his heart to us.他将向我们吐露他心里的秘密。
23 investigation MRKzq     
n.调查，调查研究
参考例句：
  • In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
  • He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。
24 motive GFzxz     
n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的
参考例句：
  • The police could not find a motive for the murder.警察不能找到谋杀的动机。
  • He had some motive in telling this fable.他讲这寓言故事是有用意的。
25 standing 2hCzgo     
n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的
参考例句：
  • After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
  • They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。
26 tilted 3gtzE5     
v. 倾斜的
参考例句：
  • Suddenly the boat tilted to one side. 小船突然倾向一侧。
  • She tilted her chin at him defiantly. 她向他翘起下巴表示挑衅。
27 panoply kKcxM     
n.全副甲胄，礼服
参考例句：
  • But all they had added was the trappings and panoply of applied science.但是他们所增添的一切,不过是实用科学的装饰和甲胄罢了。
  • The lakes were surrounded By a panoply of mountains.群湖为壮丽的群山所环抱。
28 plunge 228zO     
v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲
参考例句：
  • Test pool's water temperature before you plunge in.在你跳入之前你应该测试水温。
  • That would plunge them in the broil of the two countries.那将会使他们陷入这两国的争斗之中。
29 discriminate NuhxX     
v.区别，辨别，区分；有区别地对待
参考例句：
  • You must learn to discriminate between facts and opinions.你必须学会把事实和看法区分出来。
  • They can discriminate hundreds of colours.他们能分辨上百种颜色。
30 maiden yRpz7     
n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的
参考例句：
  • The prince fell in love with a fair young maiden.王子爱上了一位年轻美丽的少女。
  • The aircraft makes its maiden flight tomorrow.这架飞机明天首航。
31 perplexed A3Rz0     
adj.不知所措的
参考例句：
  • The farmer felt the cow,went away,returned,sorely perplexed,always afraid of being cheated.那农民摸摸那头牛，走了又回来，犹豫不决，总怕上当受骗。
  • The child was perplexed by the intricate plot of the story.这孩子被那头绪纷繁的故事弄得迷惑不解。
32 spoke XryyC     
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。
33 loomed 9423e616fe6b658c9a341ebc71833279     
v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的过去式和过去分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近
参考例句：
  • A dark shape loomed up ahead of us. 一个黑糊糊的影子隐隐出现在我们的前面。
  • The prospect of war loomed large in everyone's mind. 战事将起的庞大阴影占据每个人的心。 来自《简明英汉词典》
34 peculiar cinyo     
adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的
参考例句：
  • He walks in a peculiar fashion.他走路的样子很奇特。
  • He looked at me with a very peculiar expression.他用一种很奇怪的表情看着我。
35 purport etRy4     
n.意义，要旨，大要；v.意味著，做为...要旨，要领是...
参考例句：
  • Many theories purport to explain growth in terms of a single cause.许多理论都标榜以单一的原因解释生长。
  • Her letter may purport her forthcoming arrival.她的来信可能意味着她快要到了。
36 astonishment VvjzR     
n.惊奇，惊异
参考例句：
  • They heard him give a loud shout of astonishment.他们听见他惊奇地大叫一声。
  • I was filled with astonishment at her strange action.我对她的奇怪举动不胜惊异。
37 vacuous Kiuwt     
adj.空的，漫散的，无聊的，愚蠢的
参考例句：
  • Male models are not always so vacuous as they are made out to be.男模特儿并不总像人们说的那样愚蠢。
  • His eyes looked dull,almost vacuous.他看上去目光呆滞，茫然若失。
38 plumber f2qzM     
n.(装修水管的)管子工
参考例句：
  • Have you asked the plumber to come and look at the leaking pipe?你叫管道工来检查漏水的管子了吗？
  • The plumber screwed up the tap by means of a spanner.管子工用板手把龙头旋紧。
39 hardy EenxM     
adj.勇敢的，果断的，吃苦的；耐寒的
参考例句：
  • The kind of plant is a hardy annual.这种植物是耐寒的一年生植物。
  • He is a hardy person.他是一个能吃苦耐劳的人。
40 goodwill 4fuxm     
n.善意，亲善，信誉，声誉
参考例句：
  • His heart is full of goodwill to all men.他心里对所有人都充满着爱心。
  • We paid ￡10,000 for the shop,and ￡2000 for its goodwill.我们用一万英镑买下了这家商店，两千英镑买下了它的信誉。
41 rambling MTfxg     
adj.[建]凌乱的，杂乱的
参考例句：
  • We spent the summer rambling in Ireland. 我们花了一个夏天漫游爱尔兰。
  • It was easy to get lost in the rambling house. 在布局凌乱的大房子里容易迷路。
42 narrative CFmxS     
n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的
参考例句：
  • He was a writer of great narrative power.他是一位颇有记述能力的作家。
  • Neither author was very strong on narrative.两个作者都不是很善于讲故事。
43 kindly tpUzhQ     
adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地
参考例句：
  • Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
  • A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。

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