诺伍德的建筑师（9）

“I think I should like to have a word with you presently, Mr. Sherlock Holmes,” said he. “Now, Mr. McFarlane, two of my constables¹ are at the door and there is a four-wheeler waiting.” The wretched young man arose, and with a last beseeching² glance at us walked from the room. The officers conducted him to the cab, but Lestrade remained.

Holmes had picked up the pages which formed the rough draft of the will, and was looking at them with the keenest interest upon his face.

“There are some points about that document, Lestrade, are there not?” said he, pushing them over.

The official looked at them with a puzzled expression.

“I can read the first few lines, and these in the middle of the second page, and one or two at the end. Those are as clear as print,” said he; “but the writing in between is very bad, and there are three places where I cannot read it at all.”

“What do you make of that?” said Holmes.

“Well, what do you make of it?”

“That it was written in a train; the good writing represents stations, the bad writing movement, and the very bad writing passing over points. A scientific expert would pronounce at once that this was drawn³ up on a suburban⁴ line, since nowhere save in the immediate⁵ vicinity of a great city could there be so quick a succession of points. Granting that his whole journey was occupied in drawing up the will, then the train was an express, only stopping once between Norwood and London Bridge.”

Lestrade began to laugh.

“You are too many for me when you begin to get on your theories, Mr. Holmes,” said he. “How does this bear on the case?”

“Well, it corroborates⁶ the young man's story to the extent that the will was drawn up by Jonas Oldacre in his journey yesterday. It is curious—is it not?—that a man should draw up so important a document in so haphazard⁷ a fashion. It suggests that he did not think it was going to be of much practical importance. If a man drew up a will which he did not intend ever to be effective he might do it so.”

“过会儿我想跟你说一两句话，福尔摩斯先生，”他说，“好吧，麦克法兰先生，我的两个警士就在门口，外面还有辆四轮马车在等着。”这个可怜的年轻人站了起来，祈求地对我们看了最后一眼，从屋里走出来。警察带着他上了马车，但雷斯垂德留下了。

福尔摩斯正在看他拿在手里的那几页遗嘱草稿，脸上带着极感兴趣的样子。

“这份遗嘱的确有些特点，雷斯垂德，你看呢？”他说着便把草稿递过去。

“我能看出头几行和第二页中间几句，还有最后一两行。这些象印的一样清楚，”他说，“其余的都写得不清楚。有三个地方我一点也认不出来。”

“你怎么解释这一点？”福尔摩斯说。

“你怎么解释呢？”

“是在火车上写的。清楚的部分说明火车停在站上，不清楚的部分说明火车在行驶，最不清楚的部分说明火车正经过道岔。有经验的专家能立刻断定这是在一条郊区铁路线上写出来的，因为只有在大城市附近才能接二连三碰到道岔。假如他花了全旅程的时间来写这份遗嘱，那必定是一趟快车，在诺伍德和伦敦桥之间只停过一次。”

雷斯垂德笑了起来。

“在分析问题上你比我强，福尔摩斯先生，”他说，“你说的这一点跟案子有什么关系呢？”

“它足以证实年轻人所谈的这份遗嘱是约纳斯·奥德克昨天在旅途中拟好的。一个人竟会以这样随便的方式来写一份这么重要的文件，岂非怪事？这说明他实际上并不重视这份遗嘱。只有根本不打算让自己立的遗嘱生效的人才会这样做。”

1 constables   

n.警察( constable的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The constables made a desultory attempt to keep them away from the barn. 警察漫不经心地拦着不让他们靠近谷仓。 来自辞典例句
• There were also constables appointed to keep the peace. 城里也有被派来维持治安的基层警员。 来自互联网

2 beseeching   

adj.恳求似的v.恳求，乞求（某事物）( beseech的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• She clung to her father, beseeching him for consent. 她紧紧挨着父亲，恳求他答应。 来自辞典例句
• He casts a beseeching glance at his son. 他用恳求的眼光望着儿子。 来自辞典例句

3 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

4 suburban   

adj.城郊的，在郊区的

参考例句：

• Suburban shopping centers were springing up all over America. 效区的商业中心在美国如雨后春笋般地兴起。
• There's a lot of good things about suburban living.郊区生活是有许多优点。

5 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

6 corroborates   

v.证实，支持（某种说法、信仰、理论等）( corroborate的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• This article narrates a innovated dynamic penetration test method that mainly corroborates soil bearing capacity. 探讨了一种改进的动力触探方法，主要用于确定土的承载力。 来自互联网
• David, soon to be king of Israel, had an experience that corroborates this idea. 大卫即将成为以色列的国王之际，曾有过一次这样的经历。 来自互联网

7 haphazard   

adj.无计划的，随意的，杂乱无章的

参考例句：

• The town grew in a haphazard way.这城镇无计划地随意发展。
• He regrerted his haphazard remarks.他悔不该随口说出那些评论话。