歪唇男人 08烟馆巧遇福尔摩斯(2)

In a few minutes I had written my note, paid Whitney's bill, led him out to the cab, and seen him driven through the darkness.

我用了几分钟时间写好便条，代惠特尼付清了帐，领他出去上车，目送他在黑夜中乘车辚辚而去。

In a very short time a decrepit¹ figure had emerged from the opium² den³,

不久，一个衰老的人从那鸦片烟馆里出来，

and I was walking down the street with Sherlock Holmes.

这样我就同歇洛克·福尔摩斯一起走到街上来了。

For two streets he shuffled⁴ along with a bent⁵ back and an uncertain foot.

大约走了两条街的路程，他总是驼着背，东摇西晃，蹒跚而行。

Then, glancing quickly round, he straightened himself out and burst into a hearty⁶ fit of laughter.

然后，他向四周迅速地打量了一下，站直了身体，爆发出一阵尽情的欢笑。

"I suppose, Watson," said he, "that you imagine that I have added opium-smoking to cocaine⁷ injections,

"华生，我估计，"他说，"你想象我在注射可卡因

and all the other little weaknesses on which you have favoured me with your medical views."

和其它一些你从医学观点来看也并不反对的小毛病之外，又添了一个阿芙蓉癖吧。"

"I was certainly surprised to find you there."

"我当然很感惊奇会在那里看到你。"

"But not more so than I to find you."

"不过不会比我在那里发现你惊奇得更厉害。"

"I came to find a friend." "And I to find an enemy." "An enemy?"

"我来找一位朋友。""而我是来找一个敌人的。""敌人？"

"Yes; one of my natural enemies, or, shall I say, my natural prey⁸.

"是的，是我的一个天然的敌人，或者，我将称之为我的一个当然的捕获物。

Briefly⁹, Watson, I am in the midst of a very remarkable¹⁰ inquiry¹¹,

简单地说，华生，我正在进行一场很不平凡的侦查。

and I have hoped to find a clue in the incoherent ramblings of these sots, as I have done before now.

我打算从这些烟鬼的胡言乱语中找到一条线索，正如我从前干过的一样。

Had I been recognized in that den my life would not have been worth an hour's purchase;

倘若在那烟馆里有人认出我来，那么，顷刻之间，我的性命就会断送掉了。

for I have used it before now for my own purposes, and the rascally¹² lascar who runs it has sworn to have vengeance¹³ upon me.

以前我曾为自己的目的到那里去侦查过。那个开烟馆的无赖印度阿三就曾发誓要找我报仇。

There is a trap-door at the back of that building, near the corner of Paul's Wharf¹⁴,

在保罗码头附近拐角处那房子的后面有一个活板门，

which could tell some strange tales of what has passed through it upon the moonless nights."

它能说得出一些奇怪的、在月黑风高之夜在那里经过的东西的故事。"

1 decrepit   

adj.衰老的，破旧的

参考例句：

• The film had been shot in a decrepit old police station.该影片是在一所破旧不堪的警察局里拍摄的。
• A decrepit old man sat on a park bench.一个衰弱的老人坐在公园的长凳上。

2 opium   

n.鸦片；adj.鸦片的

参考例句：

• That man gave her a dose of opium.那男人给了她一剂鸦片。
• Opium is classed under the head of narcotic.鸦片是归入麻醉剂一类的东西。

3 den   

n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室

参考例句：

• There is a big fox den on the back hill.后山有一个很大的狐狸窝。
• The only way to catch tiger cubs is to go into tiger's den.不入虎穴焉得虎子。

4 shuffled   

v.洗（纸牌）( shuffle的过去式和过去分词 )；拖着脚步走；粗心地做；摆脱尘世的烦恼

参考例句：

• He shuffled across the room to the window. 他拖着脚走到房间那头的窗户跟前。
• Simon shuffled awkwardly towards them. 西蒙笨拙地拖着脚朝他们走去。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 bent   

n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的

参考例句：

• He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
• We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

6 hearty   

adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的

参考例句：

• After work they made a hearty meal in the worker's canteen.工作完了，他们在工人食堂饱餐了一顿。
• We accorded him a hearty welcome.我们给他热忱的欢迎。

7 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。

8 prey   

n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨

参考例句：

• Stronger animals prey on weaker ones.弱肉强食。
• The lion was hunting for its prey.狮子在寻找猎物。

9 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

10 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

11 inquiry   

n.打听，询问，调查，查问

参考例句：

• Many parents have been pressing for an inquiry into the problem.许多家长迫切要求调查这个问题。
• The field of inquiry has narrowed down to five persons.调查的范围已经缩小到只剩5个人了。

12 rascally   

adj. 无赖的，恶棍的 adv. 无赖地，卑鄙地

参考例句：

• They said Kelso got some rascally adventurer, some Belgian brute, to insult his son-in-law in public. 他们说是凯尔索指使某个下贱的冒险家，一个比利时恶棍，来当众侮辱他的女婿。
• Ms Taiwan: Can't work at all, but still brag and quibble rascally. 台湾小姐：明明不行，还要硬拗、赖皮逞强。

13 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。

14 wharf   

n.码头，停泊处

参考例句：

• We fetch up at the wharf exactly on time.我们准时到达码头。
• We reached the wharf gasping for breath.我们气喘吁吁地抵达了码头。