蓝宝石案 22追踪大鹅的来历(2)

Holmes pushed open the door of the private bar and ordered two glasses of beer from the ruddy-faced, white-aproned landlord.

福尔摩斯推开这家私人酒店的门，从红光满面、系着白围裙的老板那里要了两杯啤酒。

"Your beer should be excellent if it is as good as your geese," said he.

"如果你的啤酒能象你的鹅一样出色，那将是最上等的啤酒了。"他说道。

"My geese!" The man seemed surprised.

"我的鹅！"这个人好象很吃惊。

"Yes. I was speaking only half an hour ago to Mr. Henry Baker¹, who was a member of your goose club."

"是的，仅在半小时以前我刚和你们俱乐部的会员亨利·贝克先生谈过。"

"Ah! yes, I see. But you see, sir, them's not our geese." "Indeed! Whose, then?"

"啊，我明白了。可是你知道吗，先生，那些鹅不是我们的！""真的！那么，是谁的呢？"

"Well, I got the two dozen from a salesman in Covent Garden."

"噢，我从考文特园一个推销员那里买了二十四只。"

"Indeed? I know some of them. Which was it?" "Breckinridge is his name."

"真的？我认识他们当中几个人，是哪一个呢？""他的名字叫布莱肯里奇。"

"Ah! I don't know him. Well, here's your good health, landlord, and prosperity to your house. Good-night."

"噢，我不认识他，好吧，老板，祝你身体健康，生意兴隆。再见。"

"Now for Mr. Breckinridge," he continued, buttoning up his coat as we came out into the frosty air.

"现在去找布莱肯里奇，"我们离开酒店走进寒冷的空气中。他一边扣着外衣，一边继续往下说，

"Remember, Watson, that though we have so homely² a thing as a goose at one end of this chain,

"记住，华生，虽然在这条锁链的一端，我们现在只找到象鹅这样家常的东西，

we have at the other a man who will certainly get seven years' penal³ servitude unless we can establish his innocence⁴.

但在另一端，我们却会找到一个肯定将被判处七年徒刑的人，除非我们能够证明他是无罪的；

It is possible that our inquiry⁵ may but confirm his guilt⁶;

可是，很可能我们的调查也许只能证明他有罪；

but, in any case, we have a line of investigation⁷ which has been missed by the police,

无论如何，有一条被警察忽略了的调查线索

and which a singular chance has placed in our hands.

由于一种特别机缘落入我们的手中。

Let us follow it out to the bitter end. Faces to the south, then, and quick march!"

让我们顺着这条线索追查下去。现在朝南快步前进！"

1 baker   

n.面包师

参考例句：

• The baker bakes his bread in the bakery.面包师在面包房内烤面包。
• The baker frosted the cake with a mixture of sugar and whites of eggs.面包师在蛋糕上撒了一层白糖和蛋清的混合料。

2 homely   

adj.家常的，简朴的；不漂亮的

参考例句：

• We had a homely meal of bread and cheese.我们吃了一顿面包加乳酪的家常便餐。
• Come and have a homely meal with us,will you?来和我们一起吃顿家常便饭，好吗？

3 penal   

adj.刑罚的；刑法上的

参考例句：

• I hope you're familiar with penal code.我希望你们熟悉本州法律规则。
• He underwent nineteen years of penal servitude for theft.他因犯了大窃案受过十九年的苦刑。

4 innocence   

n.无罪；天真；无害

参考例句：

• There was a touching air of innocence about the boy.这个男孩有一种令人感动的天真神情。
• The accused man proved his innocence of the crime.被告人经证实无罪。

5 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。

6 guilt   

n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责

参考例句：

• She tried to cover up her guilt by lying.她企图用谎言掩饰自己的罪行。
• Don't lay a guilt trip on your child about schoolwork.别因为功课责备孩子而使他觉得很内疚。

7 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。