The Adventure of the Copper Beeches 铜山毛榉案（5）

时间：2020-05-19 06:51:35

（单词翻译:单击）

 
"And now I have a very strange experience to tell you. I had, as
you know, cut off my hair in London, and I had placed it in a
great coil at the bottom of my trunk. One evening, after the
child was in bed, I began to amuse myself by examining the
furniture of my room and by rearranging my own little things.
There was an old chest of drawers in the room, the two upper ones
empty and open, the lower one locked. I had filled the first two
with my linen1. and as I had still much to pack away I was
naturally annoyed at not having the use of the third drawer. It
struck me that it might have been fastened by a mere2 oversight3,
so I took out my bunch of keys and tried to open it. The very
first key fitted to perfection, and I drew the drawer open. There
was only one thing in it, but I am sure that you would never
guess what it was. It was my coil of hair.
 
"I took it up and examined it. It was of the same peculiar4 tint5,
and the same thickness. But then the impossibility of the thing
obtruded6 itself upon me. How could my hair have been locked in
the drawer? With trembling hands I undid7 my trunk, turned out the
contents, and drew from the bonom my own hair. I laid the two
tresses together, and I assure you that they were identical. Was
it not extraordinary? Puzzle as I would, I could make nothing at
all of what it meant. I returned the strange hair to the drawer,
and I said nothing of the matter to the Rucastles as I felt that
I had put myself in the wrong by opening a drawer which they had
locked.
 
"I am naturally observant, as you may have remarked, Mr. Holmes,
and I soon had a pretty good plan of the whole house in my head.
There was one wing, however, which appeared not to be inhabited
at all. A door which faced that which led into the quarters of
the Tollers opened into this suite8, but it was invariably locked.
One day, however, as I ascended9 the stair, I met Mr. Rucastle
coming out through this door, his keys in his hand, and a look on
his face which made him a very different person to the round,
jovial10 man to whom I was accustomed. His cheeks were red, his
brow was all crinkled with anger, and the veins11 stood out at his
temples with passion. He locked the door and hurried past me
without a word or a look.
 
"This aroused my curiosity, so when I went out for a walk in the
grounds with my charge, I strolled round to the side from which I
could see the windows of this part of the house. There were four
of them in a row, three of which were simply dirty, while the
fourth was shuttered up. They were evidently all deserted12. As I
strolled up and down, glancing at them occasionally, Mr. Rucastle
came out to me, looking as merry and jovial as ever.
 
"'Ah!' said he, 'you must not think me rude if I passed you
without a word, my dear young lady. I was preoccupied13 with
business matters.'
 
"I assured him that I was not offended. 'By the way,' said I,
'you seem to have quite a suite of spare rooms up there, and one
of them has the shutters14 up.'
 
"He looked surprised and, as it seemed to me, a little startled
at my remark.
 
"'Photography is one of my hobbies,' said he. 'I have made my
dark room up there. But, dear me! what an observant young lady we
have come upon. Who would have believed it? Who would have ever
believed it?' He spoke15 in a jesting tone, but there was no jest
in his eyes as he looked at me. I read suspicion there and
annoyance16, but no jest.
 
"Well, Mr. Holmes, from the moment that I understood that there
was something about that suite of rooms which I was not to know,
I was all on fire to go over them. It was not mere curiosity,
though I have my share of that. It was more a feeling of duty--a
feeling that some good might come from my penetrating17 to this
place. They talk of woman's instinct; perhaps it was woman's
instinct which gave me that feeling. At any rate, it was there,
and I was keenly on the lookout18 for any chance to pass the
forbidden door.
 
"It was only yesterday that the chance came. I may tell you that,
besides Mr. Rucastle, both Toller and his wife find something to
do in these deserted rooms, and I once saw him carrying a large
black linen bag with him through the door. Recently he has been
drinking hard, and yesterday evening he was very drunk; and when
I came upstairs there was the key in the door. I have no doubt at
all that he had left it there. Mr. and Mrs. Rucastle were both
downstairs, and the child was with them, so that I had an
admirable opportunity. I turned the key gently in the lock,
opened the door, and slipped through.
 
"There was a little passage in front of me, unpapered and
uncarpeted, which turned at a right angle at the farther end.
Round this corner were three doors in a line, the first and third
of which were open. They each led into an empty room, dusty and
cheerless, with two windows in the one and one in the other, so
thick with dirt that the evening light glimmered20 dimly through
them. The centre door was closed, and across the outside of it
had been fastened one of the broad bars of an iron bed, padlocked
at one end to a ring in the wall, and fastened at the other with
stout21 cord. The door itself was locked as well, and the key was
not there. This barricaded22 door corresponded clearly with the
shuttered window outside, and yet I could see by the glimmer19 from
beneath it that the room was not in darkness. Evidently there was
a skylight which let in light from above. As I stood in the
passage gazing at the sinister23 door and wondering what secret it
might veil, I suddenly heard the sound of steps within the room
and saw a shadow pass backward and forward against the little
slit24 of dim light which shone out from under the door. A mad,
unreasoning terror rose up in me at the sight, Mr. Holmes. My
overstrung nerves failed me suddenly, and I turned and ran--ran
as though some dreadful hand were behind me clutching at the
skirt of my dress. I rushed down the passage, through the door,
and straight into the arms of Mr. Rucastle, who was waiting
outside.
 
"'So,' said he, smiling, 'it was you, then. I thought that it
must be when I saw the door open.'
 
"'Oh, I am so frightened!' I panted.
 
"'My dear young lady! my dear young lady!'--you cannot think how
caressing25 and soothing26 his manner was--'and what has frightened
you, my dear young lady?'
 
"But his voice was just a little too coaxing27. He overdid28 it. I
was keenly on my guard against him.
 
"'I was foolish enough to go into the empty wing,' I answered.
'But it is so lonely and eerie29 in this dim light that I was
frightened and ran out again. Oh, it is so dreadfully still in
there!'
 
"'Only that?' said he, looking at me keenly.
 
"'Why, what did you think?' I asked.
 
"'Why do you think that I lock this door?'
 
"'I am sure that I do not know.'
 
"'It is to keep people out who have no business there. Do you
see?' He was still smiling in the most amiable30 manner.
 
"'I am sure if I had known--'
 
"'Well, then, you know now. And if you ever put your foot over
that threshold again'--here in an instant the smile hardened into
a grin of rage, and he glared down at me with the face of a
demon--'I'll throw you to the mastiff.'
 

分享到：


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 linen W3LyK     
n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的
参考例句：
  • The worker is starching the linen.这名工人正在给亚麻布上浆。
  • Fine linen and cotton fabrics were known as well as wool.精细的亚麻织品和棉织品像羊毛一样闻名遐迩。
2 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。
3 oversight WvgyJ     
n.勘漏，失察，疏忽
参考例句：
  • I consider this a gross oversight on your part.我把这件事看作是你的一大疏忽。
  • Your essay was not marked through an oversight on my part.由于我的疏忽你的文章没有打分。
4 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。
5 tint ZJSzu     
n.淡色，浅色；染发剂；vt.着以淡淡的颜色
参考例句：
  • You can't get up that naturalness and artless rosy tint in after days.你今后不再会有这种自然和朴实无华的红润脸色。
  • She gave me instructions on how to apply the tint.她告诉我如何使用染发剂。
6 obtruded 3b39e9567a6652c61d62f8ef66704510     
v.强行向前，强行，强迫( obtrude的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • Music from the next room obtruded upon his thoughts. 隔壁的音乐声打扰了他的思绪。
  • Not a leaf stirred; not a sound obtruded upon great Nature's meditation. 树叶儿一动也不动，没有任何声音打扰大自然的酣眠。 来自英汉文学 - 汤姆历险
7 Undid 596b2322b213e046510e91f0af6a64ad     
v. 解开, 复原
参考例句：
  • The officer undid the flap of his holster and drew his gun. 军官打开枪套盖拔出了手枪。
  • He did wrong, and in the end his wrongs undid him. 行恶者终以其恶毁其身。
8 suite MsMwB     
n.一套(家具)；套房；随从人员
参考例句：
  • She has a suite of rooms in the hotel.她在那家旅馆有一套房间。
  • That is a nice suite of furniture.那套家具很不错。
9 ascended ea3eb8c332a31fe6393293199b82c425     
v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • He has ascended into heaven. 他已经升入了天堂。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The climbers slowly ascended the mountain. 爬山运动员慢慢地登上了这座山。 来自《简明英汉词典》
10 jovial TabzG     
adj.快乐的，好交际的
参考例句：
  • He seemed jovial,but his eyes avoided ours.他显得很高兴，但他的眼光却避开了我们的眼光。
  • Grandma was plump and jovial.祖母身材圆胖，整天乐呵呵的。
11 veins 65827206226d9e2d78ea2bfe697c6329     
n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理
参考例句：
  • The blood flows from the capillaries back into the veins. 血从毛细血管流回静脉。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • I felt a pleasant glow in all my veins from the wine. 喝过酒后我浑身的血都热烘烘的，感到很舒服。 来自《简明英汉词典》
12 deserted GukzoL     
adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的
参考例句：
  • The deserted village was filled with a deathly silence.这个荒废的村庄死一般的寂静。
  • The enemy chieftain was opposed and deserted by his followers.敌人头目众叛亲离。
13 preoccupied TPBxZ     
adj.全神贯注的，入神的；被抢先占有的；心事重重的v.占据（某人）思想，使对…全神贯注，使专心于( preoccupy的过去式)
参考例句：
  • He was too preoccupied with his own thoughts to notice anything wrong. 他只顾想着心事，没注意到有什么不对。
  • The question of going to the Mount Tai preoccupied his mind. 去游泰山的问题盘踞在他心头。 来自《简明英汉词典》
14 shutters 74d48a88b636ca064333022eb3458e1f     
百叶窗( shutter的名词复数 )； （照相机的）快门
参考例句：
  • The shop-front is fitted with rolling shutters. 那商店的店门装有卷门。
  • The shutters thumped the wall in the wind. 在风中百叶窗砰砰地碰在墙上。
15 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。
16 annoyance Bw4zE     
n.恼怒，生气，烦恼
参考例句：
  • Why do you always take your annoyance out on me?为什么你不高兴时总是对我出气？
  • I felt annoyance at being teased.我恼恨别人取笑我。
17 penetrating ImTzZS     
adj.（声音）响亮的，尖锐的adj.（气味）刺激的adj.（思想）敏锐的，有洞察力的
参考例句：
  • He had an extraordinarily penetrating gaze. 他的目光有股异乎寻常的洞察力。
  • He examined the man with a penetrating gaze. 他以锐利的目光仔细观察了那个人。
18 lookout w0sxT     
n.注意，前途，瞭望台
参考例句：
  • You can see everything around from the lookout.从了望台上你可以看清周围的一切。
  • It's a bad lookout for the company if interest rates don't come down.如果利率降不下来，公司的前景可就不妙了。
19 glimmer 5gTxU     
v.发出闪烁的微光；n.微光，微弱的闪光
参考例句：
  • I looked at her and felt a glimmer of hope.我注视她，感到了一线希望。
  • A glimmer of amusement showed in her eyes.她的眼中露出一丝笑意。
20 glimmered 8dea896181075b2b225f0bf960cf3afd     
v.发闪光，发微光( glimmer的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • "There glimmered the embroidered letter, with comfort in its unearthly ray." 她胸前绣着的字母闪着的非凡的光辉，将温暖舒适带给他人。 来自英汉 - 翻译样例 - 文学
  • The moon glimmered faintly through the mists. 月亮透过薄雾洒下微光。 来自辞典例句
21 stout PGuzF     
adj.强壮的，粗大的，结实的，勇猛的，矮胖的
参考例句：
  • He cut a stout stick to help him walk.他砍了一根结实的枝条用来拄着走路。
  • The stout old man waddled across the road.那肥胖的老人一跩一跩地穿过马路。
22 barricaded 2eb8797bffe7ab940a3055d2ef7cec71     
设路障于，以障碍物阻塞( barricade的过去式和过去分词 )； 设路障[防御工事]保卫或固守
参考例句：
  • The police barricaded the entrance. 警方在入口处设置了路障。
  • The doors had been barricaded. 门都被堵住了。
23 sinister 6ETz6     
adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的
参考例句：
  • There is something sinister at the back of that series of crimes.在这一系列罪行背后有险恶的阴谋。
  • Their proposals are all worthless and designed out of sinister motives.他们的建议不仅一钱不值，而且包藏祸心。
24 slit tE0yW     
n.狭长的切口；裂缝；vt.切开，撕裂
参考例句：
  • The coat has been slit in two places.这件外衣有两处裂开了。
  • He began to slit open each envelope.他开始裁开每个信封。
25 caressing 00dd0b56b758fda4fac8b5d136d391f3     
爱抚的，表现爱情的，亲切的
参考例句：
  • The spring wind is gentle and caressing. 春风和畅。
  • He sat silent still caressing Tartar, who slobbered with exceeding affection. 他不声不响地坐在那里，不断抚摸着鞑靼，它由于获得超常的爱抚而不淌口水。
26 soothing soothing     
adj.慰藉的；使人宽心的；镇静的
参考例句：
  • Put on some nice soothing music.播放一些柔和舒缓的音乐。
  • His casual, relaxed manner was very soothing.他随意而放松的举动让人很快便平静下来。
27 coaxing 444e70224820a50b0202cb5bb05f1c2e     
v.哄，用好话劝说( coax的现在分词 )；巧言骗取；哄劝，劝诱；“锻炼”效应
参考例句：
  • No amount of coaxing will make me change my mind. 任你费尽口舌也不会说服我改变主意。
  • It took a lot of coaxing before he agreed. 劝说了很久他才同意。 来自辞典例句
28 overdid 13d94caed9267780ee7ce0b54a5fcae4     
v.做得过分( overdo的过去式 )；太夸张；把…煮得太久；（工作等）过度
参考例句：
  • We overdid the meat and it didn't taste good. 我们把肉煮得太久，结果味道不好了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He overdid and became extremely tired. 他用力过猛，感到筋疲力尽。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
29 eerie N8gy0     
adj.怪诞的；奇异的；可怕的；胆怯的
参考例句：
  • It's eerie to walk through a dark wood at night.夜晚在漆黑的森林中行走很是恐怖。
  • I walked down the eerie dark path.我走在那条漆黑恐怖的小路上。
30 amiable hxAzZ     
adj.和蔼可亲的，友善的，亲切的
参考例句：
  • She was a very kind and amiable old woman.她是个善良和气的老太太。
  • We have a very amiable companionship.我们之间存在一种友好的关系。

©2005-2010英文阅读网