血字的研究 86案情回顾(8)

"There was not a soul to be seen, nor a sound to be heard, except the dripping of the rain.

"到处看不见一个人影，除了淅沥的雨声之外听不到一点声音。

When I looked in at the window, I found Drebber all huddled¹ together in a drunken sleep.

我从车窗向车里一瞧，只见锥伯蜷缩成一团，因酒醉而沉入梦乡。

I shook him by the arm, 'It's time to get out,' I said. "

我摇撼着他的臂膀说：'该下车了。'"

'All right, cabby,' said he.

他说：'好的，车夫。'

"I suppose he thought we had come to the hotel that he had mentioned,

"我想，他以为已经到了他刚才提到的那个旅馆，

for he got out without another word, and followed me down the garden.

因为他别的什么话也没有说，就走下车来，跟着我走进了空屋前的花园。

I had to walk beside him to keep him steady, for he was still a little top- heavy.

这时，他还有点头重脚轻，站立不稳。我不得不扶着他走，以免跌倒。

When we came to the door, I opened it and led him into the front room.

我们走到门口时，我开了门，引着他走进了前屋。

I give you my word that all the way, the father and the daughter were walking in front of us.

我敢向你们保证说，一路上，费瑞厄父女一直是在我们前面走着的。

"'It's infernally dark,' said he, stamping about.

"'黑得要命。'他一面说，一面乱跺着脚。

"'We'll soon have a light,' I said,

"'咱们马上就有亮了，'

striking a match and putting it to a wax candle which I had brought with me.

我说着便擦燃了一根火柴，把我带来的一支蜡烛点亮。

'Now, Enoch Drebber,' I continued, turning to him, and holding the light to my own face, 'who am I?'

我一面把脸转向他，一面把蜡烛举近了我的脸。我继续说：'好啦，伊瑙克·锥伯，你现在看看我是谁！'

"He gazed at me with bleared, drunken eyes for a moment,

"他醉眼惺忪地盯着我瞧了半天。

and then I saw a horror spring up in them,

然后，我看见他的脸上突然出现了恐怖的神色，

and convulse his whole features, which showed me that he knew me.

整个脸都痉挛起来，这说明他已认出我来了。

He staggered back with a livid face,

他登时吓得面如土色，晃晃荡荡地后退着。

and I saw the perspiration² break out upon his brow, while his teeth chattered³ in his head.

我还看见大颗的汗珠，从他的额头滚落到眉毛之上，他的牙齿也在上下相击，格格作响。

At the sight I leaned my back against the door and laughed loud and long.

我看见了这副模样，不禁靠在门上大笑不止。

I had always known that vengeance⁴ would be sweet,

我早就知道，报仇是一件最痛快的事，

but I had never hoped for the contentment of soul which now possessed⁵ me.

可是，我从来没有想到竟会有这样的滋味。

"'You dog!' I said;

"我说：'你这个狗东西！

'I have hunted you from Salt Lake City to St. Petersburg, and you have always escaped me.

我把你一直从盐湖城追到圣彼得堡，可是总是让你逃脱了。

Now, at last your wanderings have come to an end,

现在你游荡的日子终于到头了。

for either you or I shall never see tomorrow's sun rise.'

因为，不是你就是我，再也见不到明天的太阳了。'

He shrunk still farther away as I spoke⁶, and I could see on his face that he thought I was mad.

我说话的时候，他又向后退了几步。我从他的脸上可以看出，他以为我是发狂了。

So I was for the time.

那时，我确是和疯子一样，

The pulses in my temples beat like sledge-hammers,

太阳穴上的血管象铁匠挥舞着铁锤似地跳动不止。

and I believe I would have had a fit of some sort if the blood had not gushed⁷ from my nose and relieved me.

我深信，当时若不是血从我的鼻孔中涌了出来，使我轻松一下的话，我的病也许就会发作出来了。

"'What do you think of Lucy Ferrier now?' I cried, locking the door, and shaking the key in his face.

"'你说露茜·费瑞厄现在怎么样了？'我一面叫着，一面锁上门，并且把钥匙举在他的眼前晃上几晃，

'Punishment has been slow in coming, but it has overtaken you at last.'

'惩罚确实是来得太慢了，可是现在总算是让你落网了。'

I saw his coward lips tremble as I spoke.

我看到在我说话的时候，他那两片怯懦的嘴唇战抖着，

He would have begged for his life, but he knew well that it was useless.

他还想要求饶命。但是，他看得很清楚，这是毫无用处的了。

"'Would you murder me?' he stammered⁸.

"他结结巴巴地说：'你要谋杀我吗？'

"'There is no murder,' I answered.

"我回答说：'谈不上什么谋杀不谋杀。

'Who talks of murdering a mad dog?

杀死一只疯狗，能说是谋杀吗？

What mercy had you upon my poor darling, when you dragged her from her slaughtered⁹ father,

当你把我那可怜的爱人从她那被残杀的父亲身旁拖走的时候，

and bore her away to your accursed and shameless harem?'

当你把她抢到你的那个该死的、无耻的新房中去的时候，你可曾对她有过丝毫的怜悯？'"

1 huddled   

挤在一起（huddle的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• We huddled together for warmth. 我们挤在一块取暖。
• We huddled together to keep warm. 我们挤在一起来保暖。

2 perspiration   

n.汗水；出汗

参考例句：

• It is so hot that my clothes are wet with perspiration.天太热了，我的衣服被汗水湿透了。
• The perspiration was running down my back.汗从我背上淌下来。

3 chattered   

（人）喋喋不休( chatter的过去式 )； 唠叨； （牙齿）打战； （机器）震颤

参考例句：

• They chattered away happily for a while. 他们高兴地闲扯了一会儿。
• We chattered like two teenagers. 我们聊着天，像两个十多岁的孩子。

4 vengeance   

n.报复，报仇，复仇

参考例句：

• He swore vengeance against the men who murdered his father.他发誓要向那些杀害他父亲的人报仇。
• For years he brooded vengeance.多年来他一直在盘算报仇。

5 possessed   

adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的

参考例句：

• He flew out of the room like a man possessed.他像着了魔似地猛然冲出房门。
• He behaved like someone possessed.他行为举止像是魔怔了。

6 spoke   

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。

7 gushed   

v.喷，涌( gush的过去式和过去分词 )；滔滔不绝地说话

参考例句：

• Oil gushed from the well. 石油从井口喷了出来。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Clear water gushed into the irrigational channel. 清澈的水涌进了灌溉渠道。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

8 stammered   

v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He stammered most when he was nervous. 他一紧张往往口吃。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Barsad leaned back in his chair, and stammered, \"What do you mean?\" 巴萨往椅背上一靠，结结巴巴地说，“你是什么意思？” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

9 slaughtered   

v.屠杀，杀戮，屠宰( slaughter的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The invading army slaughtered a lot of people. 侵略军杀了许多人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Hundreds of innocent civilians were cruelly slaughtered. 数百名无辜平民遭残杀。 来自《简明英汉词典》