The Adventure of the Copper Beeches 铜山毛榉案（7）

时间：2020-05-19 06:53:10

（单词翻译:单击）

We were as good as our word, for it was just seven when we
reached the Copper1 Beeches2, having put up our trap at a wayside
public-house. The group of trees, with their dark leaves shining
like burnished3 metal in the light of the setting sun, were
sufficient to mark the house even had Miss Hunter not been
standing4 smiling on the door-step.
 
"Have you managed it?" asked Holmes.
 
A loud thudding noise came from somewhere downstairs. "That is
Mrs. Toller in the cellar," said she. "Her husband lies snoring
on the kitchen rug. Here are his keys, which are the duplicates
of Mr. Rucastle's."
 
"You have done well indeed!" cried Holmes with enthusiasm. "Now
lead the way, and we shall soon see the end of this black
business."
 
We passed up the stair, unlocked the door, followed on down a
passage, and found ourselves in front of the barricade5 which Miss
Hunter had described. Holmes cut the cord and removed the
transverse bar. Then he tried the various keys in the lock, but
without success. No sound came from within, and at the silence
Holmes's face clouded over.
 
"I trust that we are not too late," said he. "I think, Miss
Hunter, that we had better go in without you. Now, Watson, put
your shoulder to it, and we shall see whether we cannot make our
way in."
 
It was an old rickety door and gave at once before our united
strength. Together we rushed into the room. It was empty. There
was no furniture save a little pallet bed, a small table, and a
basketful of linen6. The skylight above was open, and the prisoner
gone.
 
"There has been some villainy here," said Holmes; "this beauty
has guessed Miss Hunter's intentions and has carried his victim
off."
 
"But how?"
 
"Through the skylight. We shall soon see how he managed it." He
swung himself up onto the roof. "Ah, yes," he cried, "here's the
end of a long light ladder against the eaves. That is how he did
it."
 
"But it is impossible," said Miss Hunter; "the ladder was not
there when the Rucastles went away."
 
"He has come back and done it. I tell you that he is a clever and
dangerous man. I should not be very much surprised if this were
he whose step I hear now upon the stair. I think, Watson, that it
would be as well for you to have your pistol ready."
 
The words were hardly out of his mouth before a man appeared at
the door of the room, a very fat and burly man, with a heavy
stick in his hand. Miss Hunter screamed and shrunk against the
wall at the sight of him, but Sherlock Holmes sprang forward and
confronted him.
 
"You villain7!" said he, "where's your daughter?"
 
The fat man cast his eyes round, and then up at the open
skylight.
 
"It is for me to ask you that," he shrieked8, "you thieves! Spies
and thieves! I have caught you, have I? You are in my power. I'll
serve you!" He turned and clattered9 down the stairs as hard as he
could go.
 
"He's gone for the dog!" cried Miss Hunter.
 
"I have my revolver," said I.
 
"Better close the front door," cried Holmes, and we all rushed
down the stairs together. We had hardly reached the hall when we
heard the baying of a hound, and then a scream of agony, with a
horrible worrying sound which it was dreadful to listen to. An
elderly man with a red face and shaking limbs came staggering out
at a side door.
 
"My God!" he cried. "Someone has loosed the dog. It's not been
fed for two days. Quick, quick, or it'll be too late!"
 
Holmes and I rushed out and round the angle of the house, with
Toller hurrying behind us. There was the huge famished10 brute11, its
black muzzle12 buried in Rucastle's throat, while he writhed13 and
screamed upon the ground. Running up, I blew its brains out, and
it fell over with its keen white teeth still meeting in the great
creases14 of his neck. With much labour we separated them and
carried him, living but horribly mangled15, into the house. We laid
him upon the drawing-room sofa, and having dispatched the sobered
Toller to bear the news to his wife, I did what I could to
relieve his pain. We were all assembled round him when the door
opened, and a tall, gaunt woman entered the room.
 
"Mrs. Toller!" cried Miss Hunter.
 
"Yes, miss. Mr. Rucastle let me out when he came back before he
went up to you. Ah, miss, it is a pity you didn't let me know
what you were planning, for I would have told you that your pains
were wasted."
 
"Ha!" said Holmes, looking keenly at her. "It is clear that Mrs.
Toller knows more about this matter than anyone else."
 
"Yes, sir, I do, and I am ready enough to tell what I know."
 
"Then, pray, sit down, and let us hear it for there are several
points on which I must confess that I am still in the dark."
 
"I will soon make it clear to you," said she; "and I'd have done
so before now if I could ha' got out from the cellar. If there's
police-court business over this, you'll remember that I was the
one that stood your friend, and that I was Miss Alice's friend
too.
 
"She was never happy at home, Miss Alice wasn't, from the time
that her father married again. She was slighted like and had no
say in anything, but it never really became bad for her until
after she met Mr. Fowler at a friend's house. As well as I could
learn, Miss Alice had rights of her own by will, but she was so
quiet and patient, she was, that she never said a word about them
but just left everything in Mr. Rucastle's hands. He knew he was
safe with her; but when there was a chance of a husband coming
forward, who would ask for all that the law would give him, then
her father thought it time to put a stop on it. He wanted her to
sign a paper, so that whether she married or not, he could use
her money. When she wouldn't do it, he kept on worrying her until
she got brain-fever, and for six weeks was at death's door. Then
she got better at last, all worn to a shadow, and with her
beautiful hair cut off; but that didn't make no change in her
young man, and he stuck to her as true as man could be."
 
"Ah," said Holmes, "I think that what you have been good enough
to tell us makes the matter fairly clear, and that I can deduce
all that remains16. Mr. Rucastle then, I presume, took to this
system of imprisonment17?"
 
"Yes, sir."
 
"And brought Miss Hunter down from London in order to get rid of
the disagreeable persistence18 of Mr. Fowler."
 
"That was it, sir."
 
"But Mr. Fowler being a persevering19 man, as a good seaman20 should
be, blockaded the house, and having met you succeeded by certain
arguments, metallic21 or otherwise, in convincing you that your
interests were the same as his."
 
"Mr. Fowler was a very kind-spoken, free-handed gentleman," said
Mrs. Toller serenely22.
 
"And in this way he managed that your good man should have no
want of drink, and that a ladder should be ready at the moment
when your master had gone out."
 
"You have it, sir, just as it happened."
 
"I am sure we owe you an apology, Mrs. Toller," said Holmes, "for
you have certainly cleared up everything which puzzled us. And
here comes the country surgeon and Mrs. Rucastle, so I think.
Watson, that we had best escort Miss Hunter back to Winchester,
as it seems to me that our locus23 standi now is rather a
questionable24 one."
 
And thus was solved the mystery of the sinister25 house with the
copper beeches in front of the door. Mr. Rucastle survived, but
was always a broken man, kept alive solely26 through the care of
his devoted27 wife. They still live with their old servants, who
probably know so much of Rucastle's past life that he finds it
difficult to part from them. Mr. Fowler and Miss Rucastle were
married, by special license28, in Southampton the day after their
flight, and he is now the holder29 of a government appointment in
the island of Mauritius. As to Miss Violet Hunter, my friend
Holmes, rather to my disappointment, manifested no further
interest in her when once she had ceased to be the centre of one
of his problems, and she is now the head of a private school at
Walsall, where I believe that she has met with considerable success.

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1 copper HZXyU     
n.铜；铜币；铜器；adj.铜(制)的；(紫)铜色的
参考例句：
  • The students are asked to prove the purity of copper.要求学生们检验铜的纯度。
  • Copper is a good medium for the conduction of heat and electricity.铜是热和电的良导体。
2 beeches 7e2b71bc19a0de701aebe6f40b036385     
n.山毛榉( beech的名词复数 )；山毛榉木材
参考例句：
  • The beeches, oaks and chestnuts all belong to the same family. 山毛榉树、橡树和栗子树属于同科树种。 来自互联网
  • There are many beeches in this wood. 这片树林里有许多山毛榉。 来自互联网
3 burnished fd53130f8c1e282780d281f960e0b9ad     
adj.抛光的，光亮的v.擦亮（金属等），磨光( burnish的过去式和过去分词 )；被擦亮，磨光
参考例句：
  • The floor was spotless; the grate and fire-irons were burnished bright. 地板上没有污迹；炉栅和火炉用具擦得发亮。 来自辞典例句
  • The woods today are burnished bronze. 今天的树林是一片发亮的青铜色。 来自辞典例句
4 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。
5 barricade NufzI     
n.路障，栅栏，障碍；vt.设路障挡住
参考例句：
  • The soldiers make a barricade across the road.士兵在路上设路障。
  • It is difficult to break through a steel barricade.冲破钢铁障碍很难。
6 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。
7 villain ZL1zA     
n.反派演员，反面人物；恶棍；问题的起因
参考例句：
  • He was cast as the villain in the play.他在戏里扮演反面角色。
  • The man who played the villain acted very well.扮演恶棍的那个男演员演得很好。
8 shrieked dc12d0d25b0f5d980f524cd70c1de8fe     
v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • She shrieked in fright. 她吓得尖叫起来。
  • Li Mei-t'ing gave a shout, and Lu Tzu-hsiao shrieked, "Tell what? 李梅亭大声叫，陆子潇尖声叫：“告诉什么？ 来自汉英文学 - 围城
9 clattered 84556c54ff175194afe62f5473519d5a     
发出咔哒声（clatter的过去式与过去分词形式）
参考例句：
  • He dropped the knife and it clattered on the stone floor. 他一失手，刀子当啷一声掉到石头地面上。
  • His hand went limp and the knife clattered to the ground. 他的手一软，刀子当啷一声掉到地上。
10 famished 0laxB     
adj.饥饿的
参考例句：
  • When's lunch?I'm famished!什么时候吃午饭？我饿得要死了！
  • My feet are now killing me and I'm absolutely famished.我的脚现在筋疲力尽，我绝对是极饿了。
11 brute GSjya     
n.野兽，兽性
参考例句：
  • The aggressor troops are not many degrees removed from the brute.侵略军简直象一群野兽。
  • That dog is a dangerous brute.It bites people.那条狗是危险的畜牲，它咬人。
12 muzzle i11yN     
n.鼻口部；口套；枪(炮)口；vt.使缄默
参考例句：
  • He placed the muzzle of the pistol between his teeth.他把手枪的枪口放在牙齿中间。
  • The President wanted to muzzle the press.总统企图遏制新闻自由。
13 writhed 7985cffe92f87216940f2d01877abcf6     
（因极度痛苦而）扭动或翻滚( writhe的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • He writhed at the memory, revolted with himself for that temporary weakness. 他一想起来就痛悔不已，只恨自己当一时糊涂。
  • The insect, writhed, and lay prostrate again. 昆虫折腾了几下，重又直挺挺地倒了下去。
14 creases adfbf37b33b2c1e375b9697e49eb1ec1     
（使…）起折痕，弄皱( crease的第三人称单数 )； （皮肤）皱起，使起皱纹
参考例句：
  • She smoothed the creases out of her skirt. 她把裙子上的皱褶弄平。
  • She ironed out all the creases in the shirt. 她熨平了衬衣上的所有皱褶。
15 mangled c6ddad2d2b989a3ee0c19033d9ef021b     
vt.乱砍（mangle的过去式与过去分词形式）
参考例句：
  • His hand was mangled in the machine. 他的手卷到机器里轧烂了。
  • He was off work because he'd mangled his hand in a machine. 他没上班，因为他的手给机器严重压伤了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
16 remains 1kMzTy     
n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹
参考例句：
  • He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
  • The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。
17 imprisonment I9Uxk     
n.关押，监禁，坐牢
参考例句：
  • His sentence was commuted from death to life imprisonment.他的判决由死刑减为无期徒刑。
  • He was sentenced to one year's imprisonment for committing bigamy.他因为犯重婚罪被判入狱一年。
18 persistence hSLzh     
n.坚持，持续，存留
参考例句：
  • The persistence of a cough in his daughter puzzled him.他女儿持续的咳嗽把他难住了。
  • He achieved success through dogged persistence.他靠着坚持不懈取得了成功。
19 persevering AltztR     
a.坚忍不拔的
参考例句：
  • They will only triumph by persevering in their struggle against natural calamities. 他们只有坚持与自然灾害搏斗，才能取得胜利。
  • Success belongs to the persevering. 胜利属于不屈不挠的人。
20 seaman vDGzA     
n.海员，水手，水兵
参考例句：
  • That young man is a experienced seaman.那个年轻人是一个经验丰富的水手。
  • The Greek seaman went to the hospital five times.这位希腊海员到该医院去过五次。
21 metallic LCuxO     
adj.金属的；金属制的；含金属的；产金属的；像金属的
参考例句：
  • A sharp metallic note coming from the outside frightened me.外面传来尖锐铿锵的声音吓了我一跳。
  • He picked up a metallic ring last night.昨夜他捡了一个金属戒指。
22 serenely Bi5zpo     
adv.安详地，宁静地，平静地
参考例句：
  • The boat sailed serenely on towards the horizon.小船平稳地向着天水交接处驶去。
  • It was a serenely beautiful night.那是一个宁静美丽的夜晚。
23 locus L0zxF     
n.中心
参考例句：
  • Barcelona is the locus of Spanish industry.巴塞罗那是西班牙工业中心。
  • Thereafter,the military remained the locus of real power.自此之后，军方一直掌握着实权。
24 questionable oScxK     
adj.可疑的，有问题的
参考例句：
  • There are still a few questionable points in the case.这个案件还有几个疑点。
  • Your argument is based on a set of questionable assumptions.你的论证建立在一套有问题的假设上。
25 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。
26 solely FwGwe     
adv.仅仅，唯一地
参考例句：
  • Success should not be measured solely by educational achievement.成功与否不应只用学业成绩来衡量。
  • The town depends almost solely on the tourist trade.这座城市几乎完全靠旅游业维持。
27 devoted xu9zka     
adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的
参考例句：
  • He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
  • We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。
28 license B9TzU     
n.执照，许可证，特许；v.许可，特许
参考例句：
  • The foreign guest has a license on the person.这个外国客人随身携带执照。
  • The driver was arrested for having false license plates on his car.司机由于使用假车牌而被捕。
29 holder wc4xq     
n.持有者，占有者；(台，架等)支持物
参考例句：
  • The holder of the office of chairman is reponsible for arranging meetings.担任主席职位的人负责安排会议。
  • That runner is the holder of the world record for the hundred-yard dash.那位运动员是一百码赛跑世界纪录的保持者。

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