四签名 01演绎法的研究（1）

Chapter 1 The science of deduction¹

第一章 演绎法的研究

SHERLOCK HOLMES took his bottle from the corner of the mantelpiece,

歇洛克·福尔摩斯从壁炉台的角上拿下一瓶药水，

and his hypodermic syringe from its neat morocco case.

再从一只整洁的山羊皮皮匣里取出皮下注射器来。

With his long, white, nervous fingers he adjusted the delicate needle and rolled back his left shirtcuff.

他用白而有劲的长手指装好了精细的针头，卷起了他左臂的衬衫袖口。

For some little time his eyes rested thoughtfully upon the sinewy² forearm and wrist,

他沉思地对自己的肌肉发达、

all dotted and scarred with innumerable puncture-marks.

留有很多针孔痕迹的胳臂注视了一会儿，

Finally, he thrust the sharp point home, pressed down the tiny piston³,

终于把针尖刺入肉中，推动小小的针心，

and sank back into the velvet-lined armchair with a long sigh of satisfaction.

然后躺在绒面的安乐椅里，满足地喘了一大口气。

Three times a day for many months I had witnessed this performance,

他这样的动作每天三次，几个月来我已经看惯了，

but custom had not reconciled my mind to it.

但是心中总是不以为然。

On the contrary, from day to day I had become more irritable⁴ at the sight,

一天一天地过去，这个情况给我的刺激日渐增加。

and my conscience swelled⁵ nightly within me at the thought that I had lacked the courage to protest.

因为我没有勇气阻止他，每到夜深人静，想起此事，就感觉良心不安。

Again and again I had registered a vow⁶ that I should deliver my soul upon the subject;

我不止一次地想把心里的话向他说，

but there was that in the cool,

但是由于我的朋友性情冷漠、孤僻，

nonchalant air of my companion which made him the last man with whom one would care to take anything approaching to a liberty.

而且不肯接受意见，使我觉得要想向他无拘无束地进一忠告，不是一件容易的事。

His great powers, his masterly manner,

他的毅力，他自以为是的态度

and the experience which I had had of his many extraordinary qualities,

和我所体验过的他那许多非常的性格，

all made me diffident and backward in crossing him.

都使我胆怯而不愿惹他不高兴。

Yet upon that afternoon,

但是，这一天下午，

whether it was the Beaune which I had taken with my lunch or the additional exasperation⁷ produced by the extreme deliberation of his manner,

也许是我在午饭时喝了葡萄酒，也许是因为他那满不在乎的态度激怒了我，

I suddenly felt that I could hold out no longer.

我觉得再不能容忍下去了。

"Which is it today," I asked, "morphine or cocaine⁸?"

我问他道："今天注射的是什么？吗啡，还是可卡因？"

He raised his eyes languidly from the old black-letter volume which he had opened.

他刚打开一本旧书，无力地抬起头来说道：

"It is cocaine," he said, "a seven-per-cent solution. Would you care to try it?"

"这是可卡因，百分之七的溶液。你要试试吗？"

1 deduction   

n.减除，扣除，减除额；推论，推理，演绎

参考例句：

• No deduction in pay is made for absence due to illness.因病请假不扣工资。
• His deduction led him to the correct conclusion.他的推断使他得出正确的结论。

2 sinewy   

adj.多腱的，强壮有力的

参考例句：

• When muscles are exercised often and properly,they keep the arms firm and sinewy.如果能经常正确地锻炼肌肉的话，双臂就会一直结实而强健。
• His hard hands and sinewy sunburned limbs told of labor and endurance.他粗糙的双手，被太阳哂得发黑的健壮四肢,均表明他十分辛勤，非常耐劳。

3 piston   

n.活塞

参考例句：

• They use a piston engine instead.他们改用活塞发动机。
• The piston moves by steam pressure.活塞在蒸汽压力下运动。

4 irritable   

adj.急躁的；过敏的；易怒的

参考例句：

• He gets irritable when he's got toothache.他牙一疼就很容易发脾气。
• Our teacher is an irritable old lady.She gets angry easily.我们的老师是位脾气急躁的老太太。她很容易生气。

5 swelled   

增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 )； 肿胀； （使）凸出； 充满（激情）

参考例句：

• The infection swelled his hand. 由于感染，他的手肿了起来。
• After the heavy rain the river swelled. 大雨过后，河水猛涨。

6 vow   

n.誓(言)，誓约；v.起誓，立誓

参考例句：

• My parents are under a vow to go to church every Sunday.我父母许愿，每星期日都去做礼拜。
• I am under a vow to drink no wine.我已立誓戒酒。

7 exasperation   

n.愤慨

参考例句：

• He snorted with exasperation.他愤怒地哼了一声。
• She rolled her eyes in sheer exasperation.她气急败坏地转动着眼珠。

8 cocaine   

n.可卡因，古柯碱（用作局部麻醉剂）

参考例句：

• That young man is a cocaine addict.那个年轻人吸食可卡因成瘾。
• Don't have cocaine abusively.不可滥服古柯碱。