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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
“‘Have you the slate1, Harold?’ cried the older man, as this strange being fell rather than sat down into a chair. ‘Are his hands loose? Now, then, give him the pencil. You are to ask the questions, Mr. Melas, and he will write the answers. Ask him first of all whether he is prepared to sign the papers?’
“The man's eyes flashed fire.
“‘Never!’ he wrote in Greek upon the slate.
“‘On no condition?’ I asked, at the bidding of our tyrant2.
“‘Only if I see her married in my presence by a Greek priest whom I know.’
“The man giggled3 in his venomous way.
“‘You know what awaits you, then?’
“‘I care nothing for myself.’
“These are samples of the questions and answers which made up our strange half-spoken, half-written conversation. Again and again I had to ask him whether he would give in and sign the documents. Again and again I had the same indignant reply. But soon a happy thought came to me. I took to adding on little sentences of my own to each question, innocent ones at first, to test whether either of our companions knew anything of the matter, and then, as I found that they showed no signs I played a more dangerous game. Our conversation ran something like this:
“‘You can do no good by this obstinacy4. Who are you?’
“‘I care not. I am a stranger in London.’
“‘Your fate will be upon your own head. How long have you been here?’
“‘Let it be so. Three weeks.’
“‘The property can never be yours. What ails5 you?’
“‘It shall not go to villains6. They are starving me.’
“‘You shall go free if you sign. What house is this?’
“‘I will never sign. I do not know.’
“‘You are not doing her any service. What is your name?’
“‘Let me hear her say so. Kratides.’
“‘You shall see her if you sign. Where are you from?’
“‘Then I shall never see her. Athens.’
“Another five minutes, Mr. Holmes, and I should have wormed out the whole story under their very noses. My very next question might have cleared the matter up, but at that instant the door opened and a woman stepped into the room. I could not see her clearly enough to know more than that she was tall and graceful7, with black hair, and clad in some sort of loose white gown.
“‘石板拿来了吗，哈罗德？’在那个怪人颓然倒在椅子中时，年纪大的人喊道：‘把他的手松开了吗？好，那么．给他一支笔。梅拉斯先生，请你向他发问，让他把回答写下来。首先问他，他是否准备在文件上签字？’
“那个人双眼冒出怒火。”
‘不！’他在石板上用希腊文写道。
“‘没有商量的余地吗？’我按照那恶棍的吩咐问道。
“‘除非我亲眼看见她在我认识的希腊牧师作证下结婚，别无商量余地。’
“那个年长地家伙恶毒地狞笑着说道：‘那么，你知道你会得到什么结果吗？’
“‘我什么都不在乎。’“上述问答只不过是我们这场连说带写的奇怪谈话的一些片断，我不得不再三再四地问他是否妥协让步，在文件上签字；而一次又一次得到同样愤怒的回答。我很快就产生了一种奇妙的想法。我在每次发问时加上自己要问的话，一开始问一些无关紧要的话，试一试在座的那两个是不是能听懂。后来，我发现他们毫无反应，便更大胆地探问起来。我们的谈话大致是这样的：
“‘你这样固执是没有好处的。你是谁？’
“‘我不在乎。我在伦敦人生地疏。’
“‘你的命运全靠你自己决定。你在这里多久了？’
“‘一爱一怎样就怎样吧。三个星期’
“‘这产业永远不会归你所有了。他们怎样折磨你’
“‘它决不会落到恶棍手里。他们不给我饭吃’
“‘如果你签字，你就能获得自一由。这是一所什么宅邸？’
“‘我决不签字。我不知道。’
“‘你一点也不为她着想么？你叫什么名字？’
“‘我听她亲自这样说才相信。克莱蒂特。’
“‘如果你签字，你就可以见到她。你从何处来？’
“‘那我只好不见她。雅典。’
“再有五分钟，福尔摩斯先生，我就能当着他们的面把全部事情探听清楚。再问一个问题就有可能把这件事查清，不料此时房门突然打开，走进一个女人。我看不清她的容貌，只觉她身材颀长，体态窈窈，乌黑的头发，穿着肥一大的白色睡衣。
收听单词发音 |
1
slate
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| n.板岩，石板，石片，石板色，候选人名单；adj.暗蓝灰色的，含板岩的；vt.用石板覆盖，痛打，提名，预订 | |
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2
tyrant
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| n.暴君，专制的君主，残暴的人 | |
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3
giggled
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| v.咯咯地笑( giggle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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4
obstinacy
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| n.顽固；（病痛等）难治 | |
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5
ails
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| v.生病( ail的第三人称单数 )；感到不舒服；处境困难；境况不佳 | |
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6
villains
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| n.恶棍( villain的名词复数 )；罪犯；（小说、戏剧等中的）反面人物；淘气鬼 | |
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7
graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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