The Adventure of the Speckled Band花斑带之谜 （五）

时间：2020-04-26 05:46:16

（单词翻译:单击）

Sherlock Holmes and I had no difficulty in engaging a bedroom and
sitting-room1 at the Crown Inn. They were on the upper floor, and
from our window we could command a view of the avenue gate, and
of the inhabited wing of Stoke Moran Manor2 House. At dusk we saw
Dr. Grimesby Roylott drive past, his huge form looming3 up beside
the little figure of the lad who drove him. The boy had some
slight difficulty in undoing4 the heavy iron gates, and we heard
the hoarse5 roar of the doctor's voice and saw the fury with which
he shook his clinched6 fists at him. The trap drove on, and a few
minutes later we saw a sudden light spring up among the trees as
the lamp was lit in one of the sitting-rooms.
 
"Do you know, Watson," said Holmes as we sat together in the
gathering7 darkness, "I have really some scruples8 as to taking you
to-night. There is a distinct element of danger."
 
"Can I be of assistance?"
 
"Your presence might be invaluable9."
 
"Then I shall certainly come."
 
"It is very kind of you."
 
"You speak of danger. You have evidently seen more in these rooms
than was visible to me."
 
"No, but I fancy that I may have deduced a little more. I imagine
that you saw all that I did."
 
"I saw nothing remarkable10 save the bell-rope, and what purpose
that could answer I confess is more than I can imagine."
 
"You saw the ventilator, too?"
 
"Yes, but I do not think that it is such a very unusual thing to
have a small opening between two rooms. It was so small that a
rat could hardly pass through."
 
"I knew that we should find a ventilator before ever we came to
Stoke Moran."
 
"My dear Holmes!"
 
"Oh, yes, I did. You remember in her statement she said that her
sister could smell Dr. Roylott's cigar. Now, of course that
suggested at once that there must be a communication between the
two rooms. It could only be a small one, or it would have been
remarked upon at the coroner's inquiry11. I deduced a ventilator."
 
"But what harm can there be in that?"
 
"Well, there is at least a curious coincidence of dates. A
ventilator is made, a cord is hung, and a lady who sleeps in the
bed dies. Does not that strike you?"
 
"I cannot as yet see any connection."
 
"Did you observe anything very peculiar12 about that bed?"
 
"No."
 
"It was clamped to the floor. Did you ever see a bed fastened
like that before?"
 
"I cannot say that I have."
 
"The lady could not move her bed. It must always be in the same
relative position to the ventilator and to the rope--or so we may
call it, since it was clearly never meant for a bell-pull."
 
"Holmes," I cried, "I seem to see dimly what you are hinting at.
We are only just in time to prevent some subtle and horrible
crime."
 
"Subtle enough and horrible enough. When a doctor does go wrong
he is the first of criminals. He has nerve and he has knowledge.
Palmer and Pritchard were among the heads of their profession.
This man strikes even deeper, but I think, Watson, that we shall
be able to strike deeper still. But we shall have horrors enough
before the night is over; for goodness' sake let us have a quiet
pipe and turn our minds for a few hours to something more
cheerful."
 

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1 sitting-room sitting-room     
n.（BrE）客厅，起居室
参考例句：
  • The sitting-room is clean.起居室很清洁。
  • Each villa has a separate sitting-room.每栋别墅都有一间独立的起居室。
2 manor d2Gy4     
n.庄园，领地
参考例句：
  • The builder of the manor house is a direct ancestor of the present owner.建造这幢庄园的人就是它现在主人的一个直系祖先。
  • I am not lord of the manor,but its lady.我并非此地的领主，而是这儿的女主人。
3 looming 1060bc05c0969cf209c57545a22ee156     
n.上现蜃景（光通过低层大气发生异常折射形成的一种海市蜃楼）v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的现在分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近
参考例句：
  • The foothills were looming ahead through the haze. 丘陵地带透过薄雾朦胧地出现在眼前。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Then they looked up. Looming above them was Mount Proteome. 接着他们往上看，在其上隐约看到的是蛋白质组山。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 回顾与展望
4 undoing Ifdz6a     
n.毁灭的原因，祸根；破坏，毁灭
参考例句：
  • That one mistake was his undoing. 他一失足即成千古恨。
  • This hard attitude may have led to his undoing. 可能就是这种强硬的态度导致了他的垮台。
5 hoarse 5dqzA     
adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的
参考例句：
  • He asked me a question in a hoarse voice.他用嘶哑的声音问了我一个问题。
  • He was too excited and roared himself hoarse.他过于激动，嗓子都喊哑了。
6 clinched 66a50317a365cdb056bd9f4f25865646     
v.（尤指两人）互相紧紧抱[扭]住( clinch的过去式和过去分词 )；解决（争端、交易），达成（协议）
参考例句：
  • The two businessmen clinched the deal quickly. 两位生意人很快达成了协议。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Evidently this information clinched the matter. 显然，这一消息使问题得以最终解决。 来自辞典例句
7 gathering ChmxZ     
n.集会，聚会，聚集
参考例句：
  • He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
  • He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。
8 scruples 14d2b6347f5953bad0a0c5eebf78068a     
n.良心上的不安( scruple的名词复数 )；顾虑，顾忌v.感到于心不安，有顾忌( scruple的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
  • I overcame my moral scruples. 我抛开了道德方面的顾虑。
  • I'm not ashamed of my scruples about your family. They were natural. 我并未因为对你家人的顾虑而感到羞耻。这种感觉是自然而然的。 来自疯狂英语突破英语语调
9 invaluable s4qxe     
adj.无价的，非常宝贵的，极为贵重的
参考例句：
  • A computer would have been invaluable for this job.一台计算机对这个工作的作用会是无法估计的。
  • This information was invaluable to him.这个消息对他来说是非常宝贵的。
10 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。
11 inquiry nbgzF     
n.打听，询问，调查，查问
参考例句：
  • Many parents have been pressing for an inquiry into the problem.许多家长迫切要求调查这个问题。
  • The field of inquiry has narrowed down to five persons.调查的范围已经缩小到只剩5个人了。
12 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。

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