四签名 20秃头人的故事（3）

"For my part," said Holmes, "whatever you may choose to say will go no further."

福尔摩斯道："我个人可以保证，无论您说什么，我都不会向别人说。"

I nodded to show my agreement.

我也点头表示同意。

"That is well! That is well!" said he. "May I offer you a glass of Chianti, Miss Morstan?

他道："那好极啦！那好极啦！摩斯坦小姐，我可以不可以敬您一杯香梯酒或是透凯酒？

Or of Tokay? I keep no other wines. Shall I open a flask¹? No?

我这里没有别的酒。我开一瓶好不好？不喝？

Well, then, I trust that you have no objection to tobacco- smoke, to the balsamic odour of the Eastern tobacco.

好吧，我想你们不会反对我吸这种有柔和的东方香味的烟吧。

I am a little nervous, and I find my hookah an invaluable² sedative³."

我有些神经紧张，我觉得我的水烟是无上的镇定剂。"

He applied⁴ a taper⁵ to the great bowl, and the smoke bubbled merrily through the rose-water.

他燃上大水烟壶，烟从烟壶里的玫瑰水中徐徐地冒了出来。

We sat all three in a semicircle, with our heads advanced and our chins upon our hands,

我们三人环坐成一个半圆圈，伸着头，两手支着下巴，

while the strange, jerky little fellow, with his high, shining head, puffed⁶ uneasily in the centre.

这个奇怪而又激动的矮小的人，光光的头，坐在我们中间，局促不安地吸着烟。

"When I first determined⁷ to make this communication to you," said he, "I might have given you my address;

他道："当我决意和您联系的时候，本想把我的住址告诉您，

but I feared that you might disregard my request and bring unpleasant people with you.

可是恐怕您不了解，带了不合适的人一同来。

I took the liberty, therefore, of making an appointment in such a way that my man Williams might be able to see you first.

所以我才这样安排，叫我的仆人先和你们见面，

I have complete confidence in his discretion⁸,

我对他的临机应变的能力是十分信任的。

and he had orders, if he were dissatisfied, to proceed no further in the matter.

我嘱咐他，如果情形不对，就不要带你们同来。

You will excuse these precautions, but I am a man of somewhat retiring,

我事先的慎重布置谅可得到您的谅解，因为我不愿和人来往，

and I might even say refined, tastes, and there is nothing more unaesthetic than a policeman.

甚至可以说是个性情高傲的人，我觉得再没有比警察一类的人更不文雅的了。

I have a natural shrinking from all forms of rough materialism⁹. I seldom come in contact with the rough crowd.

我天性不喜欢任何粗俗的人，我很少同他们接触。

I live, as you see, with some little atmosphere of elegance¹⁰ around me.

我的生活，你们可以看到，周围都是文雅的气氛，

I may call myself a patron of the arts. It is my weakness.

我可以自命为艺术鉴赏家，这是我的嗜好。

The landscape is a genuine Corot, and though a connoisseur¹¹ might perhaps throw a doubt upon that Salvator Rosa,

那幅风景画确实是高罗特的真迹，有的鉴赏家也许会怀疑那幅萨尔瓦多·罗萨的作品的真伪，

there cannot be the least question about the Bouguereau.

可是那幅布盖娄的画确是真品

I am partial to the modern French school."

我对现在的法国派特别喜欢。"

"You will excuse me, Mr. Sholto," said Miss Morstan,

摩斯坦小姐道："舒尔托先生，请原谅我。

"but I am here at your request to learn something which you desire to tell me.

我被请来是因为您有话见教，

It is very late, and I should desire the interview to be as short as possible."

时间已经不早，我希望咱们的谈话愈简短愈好。"

"At the best it must take some time," he answered;

他答道："至少也要占些时候，

"for we shall certainly have to go to Norwood and see Brother Bartholomew.

因为咱们还要同到诺伍德去找我哥哥巴索洛谬去。

We shall all go and try if we can get the better of Brother Bartholomew.

咱们都要去，我希望咱们能胜过他。

He is very angry with me for taking the course which has seemed right to me.

我以为合乎情理而采取的步骤他却不以为然，因此他对我很不满意，

I had quite high words with him last night.

昨晚我和他曾经争辩了很久。

You cannot imagine what a terrible fellow he is when he is angry."

你们想象不出他忿怒的时候，是一个多么难于对付的人。"

1 flask   

n.瓶，火药筒，砂箱

参考例句：

• There is some deposit in the bottom of the flask.这只烧杯的底部有些沉淀物。
• He took out a metal flask from a canvas bag.他从帆布包里拿出一个金属瓶子。

2 invaluable   

adj.无价的，非常宝贵的，极为贵重的

参考例句：

• A computer would have been invaluable for this job.一台计算机对这个工作的作用会是无法估计的。
• This information was invaluable to him.这个消息对他来说是非常宝贵的。

3 sedative   

adj.使安静的，使镇静的；n. 镇静剂，能使安静的东西

参考例句：

• After taking a sedative she was able to get to sleep.服用了镇静剂后，她能够入睡了。
• Amber bath oil has a sedative effect.琥珀沐浴油有镇静安神效用。

4 applied   

adj.应用的；v.应用，适用

参考例句：

• She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
• This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。

5 taper   

n.小蜡烛，尖细，渐弱；adj.尖细的；v.逐渐变小

参考例句：

• You'd better taper off the amount of time given to rest.你最好逐渐地减少休息时间。
• Pulmonary arteries taper towards periphery.肺动脉向周围逐渐变细。

6 puffed   

adj.疏松的v.使喷出( puff的过去式和过去分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧

参考例句：

• He lit a cigarette and puffed at it furiously. 他点燃了一支香烟，狂吸了几口。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He felt grown-up, puffed up with self-importance. 他觉得长大了，便自以为了不起。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

8 discretion   

n.谨慎；随意处理

参考例句：

• You must show discretion in choosing your friend.你择友时必须慎重。
• Please use your best discretion to handle the matter.请慎重处理此事。

9 materialism   

n.［哲］唯物主义，唯物论；物质至上

参考例句：

• Idealism is opposite to materialism.唯心论和唯物论是对立的。
• Crass materialism causes people to forget spiritual values.极端唯物主义使人忘掉精神价值。

10 elegance   

n.优雅；优美，雅致；精致，巧妙

参考例句：

• The furnishings in the room imparted an air of elegance.这个房间的家具带给这房间一种优雅的气氛。
• John has been known for his sartorial elegance.约翰因为衣着讲究而出名。

11 connoisseur   

n.鉴赏家，行家，内行

参考例句：

• Only the real connoisseur could tell the difference between these two wines.只有真正的内行才能指出这两种酒的区别。
• We are looking for a connoisseur of French champagne.我们想找一位法国香槟酒品酒专家。