博斯科姆比溪谷秘案 08整理线索(2)

"There is nothing more deceptive¹ than an obvious fact," he answered, laughing.

他笑着回答说："没有比明显的事实更容易使你上当的了。

"Besides, we may chance to hit upon some other obvious facts which may have been by no means obvious to Mr. Lestrade.

况且我们也许碰巧可以找到其他一些在雷斯垂德看来并不明显的明显事实。

You know me too well to think that I am boasting

你对我很了解，我这样说你不会认为我在吹牛吧，

when I say that I shall either confirm or destroy his theory by means which he is quite incapable² of employing, or even of understanding.

我说，我们将用雷斯垂德根本没有能力使用甚至理解不了的方法来肯定或推翻他的那一套说法。

To take the first example to hand, I very clearly perceive that in your bedroom the window is upon the right- hand side,

随便举个例子吧，我十分清楚地看到你卧室的窗户是在右边，

and yet I question whether Mr. Lestrade would have noted³ even so self-evident a thing as that."

而我怀疑雷斯垂德先生连这样一个不言自明的事实是不是注意到了。"

"How on earth..." "My dear fellow, I know you well. I know the military neatness which characterizes you.

"那你怎么能知道...""我亲爱的伙伴，我对你很了解，我知道你有军人所特有的那种整洁的习惯。

You shave every morning, and in this season you shave by the sunlight;

你每天早上都刮胡子，在现在这个季节里，你借着阳光刮；

but since your shaving is less and less complete as we get farther back on the left side,

你刮左颊时，越往下就越刮不干净，

until it becomes positively⁴ slovenly⁵ as we get round the angle of the jaw⁶,

这样刮到下巴底下时，那就很不干净了。

it is surely very clear that that side is less illuminated⁷ than the other.

很清楚，左边的光线没有右边的好。

I could not imagine a man of your habits looking at himself in an equal light and being satisfied with such a result.

我不能想象你这样爱整洁的人，在两边光线一样的情况下，把脸刮成这个样子。

I only quote this as a trivial example of observation and inference.

我说这个小事是拿它作为观察问题和推理的例证。

Therein lies my métier, and it is just possible that it may be of some service in the investigation⁸ which lies before us.

这是我的专长，这很可能对我们当前正在进行的调查有所助益。

There are one or two minor⁹ points which were brought out in the inquest, and which are worth considering."

所以，对在传讯中提出的一两个次要问题值得加以考虑。"

1 deceptive   

adj.骗人的，造成假象的，靠不住的

参考例句：

• His appearance was deceptive.他的外表带有欺骗性。
• The storyline is deceptively simple.故事情节看似简单，其实不然。

2 incapable   

adj.无能力的，不能做某事的

参考例句：

• He would be incapable of committing such a cruel deed.他不会做出这么残忍的事。
• Computers are incapable of creative thought.计算机不会创造性地思维。

3 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

4 positively   

adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实

参考例句：

• She was positively glowing with happiness.她满脸幸福。
• The weather was positively poisonous.这天气着实讨厌。

5 slovenly   

adj.懒散的，不整齐的，邋遢的

参考例句：

• People were scandalized at the slovenly management of the company.人们对该公司草率的经营感到愤慨。
• Such slovenly work habits will never produce good products.这样马马虎虎的工作习惯决不能生产出优质产品来。

6 jaw   

n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训

参考例句：

• He delivered a right hook to his opponent's jaw.他给了对方下巴一记右钩拳。
• A strong square jaw is a sign of firm character.强健的方下巴是刚毅性格的标志。

7 illuminated   

adj.被照明的；受启迪的

参考例句：

• Floodlights illuminated the stadium. 泛光灯照亮了体育场。
• the illuminated city at night 夜幕中万家灯火的城市

8 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

9 minor   

adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修

参考例句：

• The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
• I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。