血字的研究 02福尔摩斯先生(2)

Choosing the latter alternative, I began by making up my mind to leave the hotel,

我选定了后一个办法，决心离开这家公寓，

and take up my quarters in some less pretentious¹ and less expensive domicile.

另找一个不太奢侈而又花费不大的住处。

On the very day that I had come to this conclusion, I was standing² at the Criterion Bar,

就在我决定这样做的那天，我正站在克莱梯利安酒吧门前的时候，

when someone tapped me on the shoulder, and turning round I recognized young Stamford, who had been a dresser under me at Bart's.

忽然有人拍了拍我的肩膀。我回头一看，原来是小斯坦弗。他是我在巴茨时的一个助手。

The sight of a friendly face in the great wilderness³ of London is a pleasant thing indeed to a lonely man.

在这茫茫人海的伦敦城中，居然能够碰到一个熟人，对于一个孤独的人来说，确是一件令人非常愉快的事。

In old days Stamford had never been a particular crony of mine,

斯坦弗当日并不是和我特别要好的朋友，

but now I hailed him with enthusiasm, and he, in his turn, appeared to be delighted to see me.

但现在我竟热情地向他招呼起来。他见到我，似乎也很高兴。

In the exuberance⁴ of my joy, I asked him to lunch with me at the Holborn, and we started off together in a hansom.

我在狂喜之余，立刻邀他到侯本餐厅去吃午饭；于是我们就一同乘车前往。

"Whatever have you been doing with yourself, Watson?" he asked in undisguised wonder, as we rattled⁵ through the crowded London streets.

当我们的车子辚辚地穿过伦敦热闹街道的时候，他很惊奇地问我：

"You are as thin as a lath and as brown as a nut."

"华生，你近来干些什么？看你面黄肌瘦，只剩了一把骨头了。"

I gave him a short sketch⁶ of my adventures, and had hardly concluded it by the time that we reached our destination.

我把我的危险经历简单地对他叙述了一下。我的话还没有讲完，我们就到达了目的地。

"Poor devil!" he said, commiseratingly, after he had listened to my misfortunes. "What are you up to now?"

他听完了我的不幸遭遇以后，怜悯地说："可怜的家伙！你现在作何打算呢？"

"Looking for lodgings," I answered. "Trying to solve the problem as to whether it is possible to get comfortable rooms at a reasonable price."

我回答说："我想找个住处，打算租几间价钱不高而又舒适一些的房子，不知道这个问题能不能够解决。"

"That's a strange thing," remarked my companion; "you are the second man to-day that has used that expression to me."

我的伙伴说："这真是怪事，今天你是第二个对我说这样话的人了。"

"And who was the first?" I asked. "A fellow who is working at the chemical laboratory up at the hospital.

我问道："头一个是谁？""是一个在医院化验室工作的。

He was bemoaning⁷ himself this morning because he could not get someone to go halves with him in some nice rooms which he had found,

今天早晨他还在唉声叹气，因为他找到了几间好房子，但是，租金很贵，

and which were too much for his purse."

他一个人住不起，又找不到人跟他合租。"

"By Jove!" I cried; "if he really wants someone to share the rooms and the expense, I am the very man for him.

我说："好啊，如果他真的要找个人合住的话，我倒正是他要找的人。

I should prefer having a partner to being alone."

我觉得有个伴儿比独自一个儿住要好的多。"

Young Stamford looked rather strangely at me over his wineglass.

小斯坦弗从酒杯上很惊奇地望着我，

"You don't know Sherlock Holmes yet," he said; "perhaps you would not care for him as a constant companion."

他说："你还不知道歇洛克·福尔摩斯吧，否则你也许会不愿意和他作一个长年相处的伙伴哩。"

"Why, what is there against him?"

"为什么，难道他有什么不好的地方吗？"

"Oh, I didn't say there was anything against him. He is a little queer in his ideas--an enthusiast⁸ in some branches of science.

"哦，我不是说他有什么不好的地方。他只是思想上有些古怪而已--他老是孜孜不倦地在研究一些科学。

As far as I know he is a decent fellow enough."

据我所知，他倒是个很正派的人。"

"A medical student, I suppose?" said I.

我说："也许他是一个学医的吧？"

"No.I have no idea what he intends to go in for. I believe he is well up in anatomy⁹, and he is a first-class chemist;

"不是，我一点也摸不清他在钻研些什么。我相信他精于解剖学，又是个第一流的药剂师。

but, as far as I know, he has never taken out any systematic¹⁰ medical classes.

但是，据我了解，他从来没有系统地学过医学。

His studies are very desultory¹¹ and eccentric, but he has amassed¹² a lot of out-of-the-way knowledge which would astonish his professors."

他所研究的东西非常杂乱，不成系统，并且也很离奇；但是他却积累了不少稀奇古怪的知识，足以使他的教授都感到惊讶。"

"Did you never ask him what he was going in for?" I asked.

我问道："你从来没有问过他在钻研些什么吗？"

"No; he is not a man that it is easy to draw out, though he can be communicative enough when the fancy seizes him."

"没有，他是不轻易说出心里话的，虽然在他高兴的时候，他也是滔滔不绝地很爱说话。"

"I should like to meet him," I said. "If I am to lodge¹³ with anyone, I should prefer a man of studious and quiet habits.

我说："我倒愿意见见他。如果我要和别人合住，我倒宁愿跟一个好学而又沉静的人住在一起。

I am not strong enough yet to stand much noise or excitement.

我现在身体还不大结实，受不了吵闹和刺激。

I had enough of both in Afghanistan to last me for the remainder of my natural existence. How could I meet this friend of yours?"

我在阿富汗已经尝够了那种滋味，这一辈子再也不想受了。我怎样才能见到你的这位朋友呢？"

"He is sure to be at the laboratory," returned my companion.

我的同伴回答说："他现在一定是在化验室里。

"He either avoids the place for weeks, or else he works there from morning till night.

他要么就几个星期不去，要么就从早到晚在那里工作。

If you like, we will drive round together after luncheon¹⁴."

如果你愿意的话，咱们吃完饭就坐车一块儿去。"

"Certainly," I answered, and the conversation drifted away into other channels.

"当然愿意啦！"我说，于是我们又转到别的话题上去。

1 pretentious   

adj.自命不凡的，自负的，炫耀的

参考例句：

• He is a talented but pretentious writer.他是一个有才华但自命不凡的作家。
• Speaking well of yourself would only make you appear conceited and pretentious.自夸只会使你显得自负和虚伪。

2 standing   

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。

3 wilderness   

n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠

参考例句：

• She drove the herd of cattle through the wilderness.她赶着牛群穿过荒野。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

4 exuberance   

n.丰富；繁荣

参考例句：

• Her burst of exuberance and her brightness overwhelmed me.她勃发的热情和阳光的性格征服了我。
• The sheer exuberance of the sculpture was exhilarating.那尊雕塑表现出的勃勃生机让人振奋。

5 rattled   

慌乱的，恼火的

参考例句：

• The truck jolted and rattled over the rough ground. 卡车嘎吱嘎吱地在凹凸不平的地面上颠簸而行。
• Every time a bus went past, the windows rattled. 每逢公共汽车经过这里，窗户都格格作响。

6 sketch   

n.草图；梗概；素描；v.素描；概述

参考例句：

• My sister often goes into the country to sketch. 我姐姐常到乡间去写生。
• I will send you a slight sketch of the house.我将给你寄去房屋的草图。

7 bemoaning   

v.为（某人或某事）抱怨( bemoan的现在分词 )；悲悼；为…恸哭；哀叹

参考例句：

• They sat bemoaning the fact that no one would give them a chance. 他们坐着埋怨别人不肯给他们一个机会。
• The rest were disappointed, miserable creatures in unwarm beds, tearfully bemoaning their fate. 剩下那些不幸的人，失望的人在不温暖的被窝里悲泣自己的命运。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）

8 enthusiast   

n.热心人，热衷者

参考例句：

• He is an enthusiast about politics.他是个热衷于政治的人。
• He was an enthusiast and loved to evoke enthusiasm in others.他是一个激情昂扬的人，也热中于唤起他人心中的激情。

9 anatomy   

n.解剖学，解剖；功能，结构，组织

参考例句：

• He found out a great deal about the anatomy of animals.在动物解剖学方面，他有过许多发现。
• The hurricane's anatomy was powerful and complex.对飓风的剖析是一项庞大而复杂的工作。

10 systematic   

adj.有系统的，有计划的，有方法的

参考例句：

• The way he works isn't very systematic.他的工作不是很有条理。
• The teacher made a systematic work of teaching.这个教师进行系统的教学工作。

11 desultory   

adj.散漫的，无方法的

参考例句：

• Do not let the discussion fragment into a desultory conversation with no clear direction.不要让讨论变得支离破碎，成为没有明确方向的漫谈。
• The constables made a desultory attempt to keep them away from the barn.警察漫不经心地拦着不让他们靠近谷仓。

12 amassed   

v.积累，积聚( amass的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He amassed a fortune from silver mining. 他靠开采银矿积累了一笔财富。
• They have amassed a fortune in just a few years. 他们在几年的时间里就聚集了一笔财富。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 lodge   

v.临时住宿，寄宿，寄存，容纳；n.传达室，小旅馆

参考例句：

• Is there anywhere that I can lodge in the village tonight?村里有我今晚过夜的地方吗？
• I shall lodge at the inn for two nights.我要在这家小店住两个晚上。

14 luncheon   

n.午宴，午餐，便宴

参考例句：

• We have luncheon at twelve o'clock.我们十二点钟用午餐。
• I have a luncheon engagement.我午饭有约。