Chapter8 华生医生的第一份报告-双语名著无障碍阅读丛书——《福尔摩斯探案经典之巴斯克维尔的猎犬The Hound of the Baskervilles》

Chapter 8 Frst Rebort of Dr. Watson From this point onward I wil folow the course of vents by transcribing{} my own letters to Mr. Sherlock Holmes which lie before me on the table. One page is missing, but otherwise they are exactly as written and show my feelings and suspicions of the moment more accurately than my memory, clear as it is upon these tragic events, can possibly do Baskerville Hall. October I3th MY DEAR HOLMES My previous letters and telegrams have kept you pretty well up to date as to all that has occurred in this most God-forsaken corner of the world. The longer one stays here the more does the spirit of the moor sink into one's soul. its vastness, and also its grim charm. When you are once out upon its bosom you have left all traces of modern England behind you, but, on the other hand, you are conscious everywhere of the homes and the work of the prehistoric people. On all sides of you as you walk are the houses of these forgotten folk, with their graves and the huge monoliths②}which are supposed to have marked their temples. As you look at their gray stone huts against the scarred hillsides you leave your own age behind you, and if you were to see a skin-clad, hairy man crawl out from the low door, fitting a flint-tipped arrow on to the string of his bow, you wouid feel that his presence there was more natural than your own. The strange thing is that they should have lived so thickly on what must always .140. 第八章 华生医生的 第一份报告 ① transcribe Itraen'skraibl y 从此处起,我要转录几封自己写给夏洛克·福尔摩 转录 斯先生的信件,信件就摆在我前面的桌上,以便叙述前 前后后的事情。其中只有一页遗失了,但除此之外,其 余部分保存得和我当初写信的时候一模一样。信件如实 地记录了我当时的感受和疑惑。虽然我的记忆力也可以 清晰地做到这点,但信件无疑比回忆要准确得多 亲爱的福尔摩斯: 通过我先前的信件和电报,你已经及时知道了在世 界上的这样一个荒凉偏僻的角落里所发生的一切了。一 个人如果在此待的时间越长,荒原的气势便会更加深入 地渗透到他的心灵。这儿广裘无垠,充满了恐怖的魔 力。你一旦踏入荒原的中心地带,就丝毫看不到现代英 国的痕迹了。而恰恰相反,你在那里到处都能看到史前 人类的房舍和他们的劳动成果。你在行走的过程中,到 处都可以看见早已被人遗忘的古人们的住房,他们的坟 ②monolith I'monsuliel n. 独 块巨石 墓和巨大的石柱。那些石柱很可能是用来标明他们庙宇 所在地的。当你站在斑驳的山坡上看着那一憧撞用灰色 岩石砌成的小屋时,就会忘记自己现在所处的年代。如 果此时你看到了一个身披兽皮、满身毛发的人从低矮的 门洞里爬出来,把用蜒石做的箭头的弓箭搭在弦上,你 会感觉他的出现比你本人的要自然得多。让人感到奇怪 的是,在这片一直都非常贫痛的土地上,当时居住的人 ·141· Chapter8 First Report of Dr. Watson have been most unfruitful soil. I am no antiquarian^{}, but I could imagine that they were some unwarlike and harried race who were forced to accept that which none other would occupy. All this, however, is foreign to the mission on which you sent me and will probably be very uninteresting to your severely practical mind. I can still remember your complete indifference as to whether the sun moved round the earth or the earth round the sun. Let me, therefore, return to the facts concerning Sir Henry Baskerville. If you have not had any report within the last few days it is because up to to-day there was nothing of importance to relate. Then a very surprising circumstance occurred. which I shall tell you in due course. But. first of all.1 must keep you in touch with some of the other factors in the situation One of these, concerning which I have said little. is the escaped convict upon the moor. There is strong reason now to believe that he has got right away, which is a considerable relief to the lonely householders of this district A fortnight has passed since his flight, during which he has not been seen and nothing has been heard of him. It is surely inconceivable that he could have held out③} upon the moor during all that time. Of course, so far as his concealment goes there is no difficulty at all. Any one of these stone huts would give him a hiding-place. But there is nothing to eat unless he were to catch and slaughter one of the moor sheep. We think, therefore, that he has gone, and the outlying farmers sleep the better in consequence. We are four able-bodied men in this household, so that we could take good care of ourselves, but I confess that I have had uneasy moments when I have thought of the Stapletons. They live miles from any help. There are one maid an old manservant, the sister, and the brother, the latter not a very strong man They would be helpless in the hands of a desperate fellow like this Notting Hill criminal if he could once effect*} an entrance. Both Sir Henry and I were concerned at their situation. and it was suggested that Perkins the groom should go over to sleep there, but Stapleton would not hear of it The fact is that our friend, the baronet, begins to display a considerable interest in our fair neighbour. It is not to be wondered at, for time hangs heavily in this lonely spot to an active man like him, and she is a very .142. 第八章 华生医生的第一份报告 ① antiquarian I. aenti'kwgs 口竟然那么密集。我不是考古学家,但可以想象一下, rian儿古文物研究者 他们所属的那个种族不喜争斗,因而被人驱赶,被迫接 受了这个谁也不愿居住的地方 不过,所有这一切,与你派我来这里的使命毫无关 系,很可能让你这样一个讲究实用的人感到乏味了吧 我至今仍记得,在谈论是太阳绕着地球转还是地球绕着 太阳转的问题时,你表现出的那种漠不关心的态度。因 此,还是让我回到和享利·巴斯克维尔爵士有关的事情 上来吧。 过去几天里,你没有收到我的报告,因为直到今 天并没有什么重要的事情要报告的。后来,发生了一 ②indue course到一定的时 件令人倍感惊讶的事情,我现在就把它原原本本地告诉 侯 你。不过,首先,我得让你了解一些与此事相关的其他 情况。 其中有一件事,我之前没有怎么提到,那就是荒原 上那个逃犯。现在完全有理由相信,他已经跑掉了。本 区域内零零散散居住着的居民们倒是大大松了一口气。 在他逃出监狱的两个礼拜里,没有人看见过他,也没有 人打听到他的消息。无法想象,他在荒原上能待这么长 ③holdout继续生存,支撑 时间。当然,就藏身之处而言,这是绝对没有任何困 难的。他可以藏匿在荒原上的任何一镜石头小屋里。但 是,除非他能捕杀荒原上的绵羊,否则他什么吃的东西 都没有。由此,我们认为他已经逃走了,那些住得边远 一些的农夫们也因此睡得更踏实了。 庄园里住着我们四个身强力壮的男人,我们能照 顾好自己。不过,我必须承认,自己一想起斯塔普尔顿 一家人就觉得心里很不安。他们住的地方方圈几英里之 内都找不到帮手,而且家里只有一个女仆,一个老男 仆,再就是他们兄妹二人,当哥哥的也不是很强壮。那 个来自诺丁山的亡命之徒一旦阁进门去,他们就会孤立 ④effect li'fektlv 实现,达 到(目的等) 无援,只能束手就擒。我和亨利爵士都很关心他们的处 境,还提出一条建议;让马夫珀金斯晚上睡在他们那 儿,但斯塔普尔顿根本听不进去。 事实上,我们的从男爵朋友已经开始对我们漂亮 hang [haen]v 悬挂,吊 的女邻居表现出极大的好感。这原本也没有什么值得奇 怪的,因为对他这样一个好动的年轻人来说,在偏僻寂 ·143· Chapter8 First Report of Dr. Watson fascinating and beautiful woman. There is something tropical and exotic about her which forms a singular contrast to her cool and unemotional brother. Yet he also gives the idea of hidden fires. He has certainly a very marked influence over her, for I have seen her continually glance at him as she talked as if seeking approbation{①} for what she said. I trust that he is kind to her. There is a dry glitter in his eyes and a firm set of his thin lips, which goes with a positive and possibly a harsh nature. You would find him an interesting study. He came over to call upon Baskerville on that first day, and the very next morning he took us both to show us the spot where the legend of the wicked Hugo is supposed to have had its origin. It was an excursion of some miles across the moor to a place which is so dismal that it might have suggested the story. We found a short valley between rugged tors which led to an open, grassy space ffecked^{②} over with the white cotton grass. In the middle of it rose two great stones, worn and sharpened at the upper end until they looked like the huge corroding{} fangs of some monstrous beast. In every way it corresponded with the scene of the old tragedy. Sir Henry was much interested and asked Stapleton more than once whether he did really believe in the possibility of the interference of the supernatural in the affairs of men. He spoke lightly, but it was evident that he was very much in earnest. Stapleton was guarded^{*} in his replies, but it was easy to see that he said less than he might. and that he would not express his whole opinion out of consideration for the feelings of the baronet. He told us of similar cases, where families had suffered from some evil influence, and he left us with the impression that he shared the popular view upon the matter. On our way back we staved for lunch at Merripit House, and it was there that Sir Henry made the acauaintance of Miss Stapleton. From the first moment that he saw her he appeared to be strongly attracted by her, and I am much mistaken if the feeling was not mutual. He referred to her again and again on our walk home, and since then hardly a day has passed that we have not seen something of the brother and sister. They dine here to-night, and there is some talk of our going to them next week. One would imagine that such a match would be very welcome to Stapleton, and yet I have more than once caught a look of the strongest disapprobation in his face when Sir Henry has been paying ·144· 第八章 华生医生的第一份报告 寞的地方,生活实在是无聊,而且她又是美丽迷人的女 子,身上有一种热带地区的人所特有的异国情调,这和 她哥哥的冷淡、不动感情的状态形成了奇特的反差。不 过,他也让人感觉他的内心热情似火。他一定具有某种 左右她的能力,因为我观察到,她说话时眼睛总是朝 ① approbation I aeprou'bei fan]n.批准,核准 他警,好像她说的每句话都要得到他的赞同似的。我确 信他待她非常好。他两眼炯炯有神,双唇薄且坚定,具 有这些特点的人往往性格果敢,也有可能是生性脾气粗 暴。你可能会觉得他是个有趣的研究对象呢。 他在头一天就拜访了巴斯克维尔,叟日早晨,便领 着我们两个人一同去查看了那个地点,据说,那就是恶 人雨果传说的起因之地。我们穿过荒原漫步了几英里路 程,最后到了一个异常阴森荒凉之处,一看就令人想到 ② fleck [flekl 点经 此处定会滋生这样的故事来的。我们在两座乱石冈之间 发现了一段很短的谷地,尽头是一片开阔的空地,上面 ③corrode lka'raudl v. 损 杂草丛生,其中夹杂着白色的羊胡子草。空地中间矗立 伤:使恶化 着两块巨石,顶端因风吹雨打而成了尖形,看上去宛如 巨型怪兽那被磨尖的大撩牙。那儿的一切同那个古老传 说中的惨景非常相符。亨利爵士兴趣盎然,好几次问斯 塔普尔顿,他是否真的相信某种超自然的力量会干预人 ④ guarded I'aa:didl v. 译情 的;有保留的 间的事务。斯塔普尔顿回答得轻描淡写,但明显看得出 来,他内心里非常地郑重其事。他回话时谨小慎微,但 很容易看出,他为了顾及从男爵的感受,尽量缄口不 言,不把自己的看法和盘托出。他给我们讲了几桩类似 的案例,说有几户人家都遭受了邪恶力量的迫害。他给 我们的印象是,自己在这件事情上与众人的观点是一 致的。 返程途中,我们在梅里皮特别墅吃了午餐。亨利 爵士和斯塔普尔顿小姐正是在那里互相认识的。爵士从 看到她的第一眼起,似乎就被她深深地吸引住了。我丝 毫没有看错,他们两人彼此都产生了好感。我们从那儿 回家时,从男爵还一而再、再而三地提起她。随后,我 们几乎每天都会看到他们兄妹二人。他们今晚在这儿用 餐,席间谈到我们下个礼拜去他们那儿的打算。可想而 知,如果这对年轻人结合在一起,斯塔普尔顿家一定会 非常赞同的。但我却不止一次发现,每当亨利爵士对他 ·145· Chapter8 First Report of Dr. Watson some attention to his sister. He is much attached to her. no doubt. and would lead a lonely life without her, but it would seem the height of selfishness if he were to stand in the way of her making so brilliant a marriage. Yet I am certain that he does not wish their intimacy to ripen into love, and I have several times observed that he has taken pains to prevent them from being tete-a-tete^{①}. By the way, your instructions to me never to allow Sir Henry to go out alone wil become very much more onerous② if a love affair were to be added to our other difficulties. My popularity would soon suffer if I were to carry out your orders to the letter. The other day-Thursday, to be more exact-Dr. Mortimer lunched with us He has been excavating a barrow③} at Long Down and has got a prehistoric skull which fills him with great joy. Never was there such a single-minded enthusiast as he! The Stapletons came in afterwards, and the good doctor took us all to the yew alley at Sir Henry's reauest to show us exactly how everything occurred upon that fatal night. It is a long, dismal walk, the yew alley, between two high walls of clipped hedge, with a narrow band of grass upon either side At the far end is an old tumble-down{④} summer-house. Halfway down is the moor-gate, where the old gentleman left his cigar-ash. It is a white wooden gate with a latch^{③}. Beyond it lies the wide moor. I remembered your theory of the affair and tried to picture all that had occurred. As the old man stood there he saw something coming across the moor, something which terrified him so that he lost his wits and ran and ran until he died of sheer horror and exhaustion. There was the long, gloomy tunnel down which he fled. And from what? A sheep-dog of the moor? Or a spectral^{} hound. black, silent. and monstrous? Was there a human agency in the matter? Did the pale, watchful Barrymore know more than he cared to say? It was all dim and vague, but alwavs there is the dark shadow of crime behind it One other neighbour I have met since I wrote last. This is Mr. Frankland of Lafter Hall. who lives some four miles to the south of us. He is an elderly man. red-faced. white-haired. and choleric. His passion is for the British law and he has spent a large fortune in litigation{}. He fights for the mere pleasure of fighting and is eaually ready to take up either side of a question. so that it is no wonder that he has found it a costly amusement. Sometimes he will shut ·146. 第八章 华生医生的第一份报告 妹妹表霞出关切之情时,斯塔普尔颜的脸上就会霞出非 常反感的神情。毫无疑问,他和他这个妹妹的感情非常 好,没有妹妹,他的生活就会寂寞无聊。不过,如果他 因此而对妹妹的如此完美的婚姻加以阻拦,那他简直是 自私到极点了。不过,我可以肯定,他并不希望他们的 ① tete-a-tete Iteita:'teitl ad 两人私下地 亲密关系进一步发展为爱情。我曾多次注意到,为了不 让他们有单独密谈的机会,他费尽了心机。啊,对啦, ② onerous I'onarasl a. 繁重 你曾叮嘱我,绝对不许亨利爵士独自外出。现在看来, 的:麻烦的 要做到这点恐怕越来越困难了,因为除了其他的种种困 难,又增加了爱情问题。如果我不折不扣地按照你的嘱 咐行事,那我很快就会变成不受欢迎的人了。 ③ barrow lbaeraul n. 古坟 有一天--确切地说,是礼拜四--莫蒂默医生同 我们共进午餐。他一直在长丘一带挖掘一座古家,得到 了一具史前人类的顾骨。他满心欢喜,还真没见过像他 那样单纯的狂热分子呢!斯塔普尔顿兄妹稍晚一点也到 了。应亨利爵士的要求,热心的医生把我们全都带到了 紫杉树篱小道,给我们演示了出事那天晚上事情发生的 ④ tumble-down ItAmbld 整个过程。那是一条幽长阴森的紫杉树篱小道,夹在两 aunla. 即将塌的 行高高的修剪整齐的树篱中间。小道的两旁各有一片狭 长的绿草带,远处的尽头是一座破旧的凉亭。小道的中 latch laetlln. 门 间部分就是通向荒原的栅门,也就是老绅士留下雪茄烟 灰的地方。概门是用白色木头做的,上面装有门问。推 门向外就是广衰的荒原。我还记得你对此事的推测,便 努力地想象事情发生的情形。老人站在栅门边时,他看 见一个东西穿过荒原向他奔跑而来。那个东西把他吓得 spectral I'spektrall a. 鬼怪 丧失了理智,令他只顾拼命地奔逃,直到自己心衰力 似的,幽灵般的 竭,猝亡在地。他逃跑时正是沿着那条又长又阴森的小 道。他要逃避什么呢?是荒原上的牧羊犬?还是一条 悄无声息、魔鬼般的黑色大猎犬?这其中是否有人作 祟呢?那个脸色苍白、眼神警觉的巴里摩尔是否知道很 多,但却不肯说呢?整件事情扑朔迷离,但其背后始终 隐藏着罪恶的阴影。 choleric Ikolorikl a. (性 情)暴躁的,易怒的 上次给你写完信后,我遇到了另一个邻居,即拉夫 ⑧ litigation I.liti'qeifanl n 特尔庄园的弗兰克兰先生。他住在我们南面大概四英里 打官司 处。他年岁较长,脸色红润,头发花白,脾气暴躁。他 热心研究英国法律,为诉讼的事情花费了巨额财产。他 ·147· Chapter8 First Report of Dr. Watson up a right of way and defy{}the parish to make him open it. At others he will with his own hands tear down some other man's gate and declare that a path has existed there from time immemorial, defying the owner to prosecute him for trespass^{②. He is learned in old manorial^{③} and communal rights. and he applies his knowledge sometimes in favour of the villagers of Fernworthy and sometimes against them, so that he is periodically either carried in triumph down the village street or else burned in effigy{, according to his latest exploit He is said to have about seven lawsuits upon his hands at present, which will probably swallow up the remainder of his fortune and so draw his sting{}and leave him harmless for the future. Apart from the law he seems a kindly, good- natured person, and I only mention him because you were particular that l should send some description of the people who surround us. He is curiously employed at present, for, being an amateur astronomer, he has an excellent telescope, with which he lies upon the roof of his own house and sweeps the moor all day in the hope of catching a glimpse of the escaped convict. If he would confine his energies to this all would be well. but there are rumours that he intends to prosecute Dr. Mortimer for opening a grave without the consent of the next of kin because he dug up the neolithic skull in the barrow on Long Down. He helps to keep our lives from being monotonous and gives a little comic relief where it is badly needed And now, having brought you up to date in the escaped convict, the Stapletons, Dr. Mortimer, and Frankland. of Lafter Hall. let me end on that which is most important and tell you more about the Barrymores, and especially about the surprising development of last night First of all about the test telegram, which you sent from London in order to make sure that Barrvmore was really here. I have already explained that the testimony of the postmaster shows that the test was worthless and that we have no proof one way or the other. I told Sir Henry how the matter stood, and he at once, in his downright{} fashion. had Barrymore up and asked him whether he had receiyed the telegram himself. Barrvmore said that he had "Did the boy deliver it into your own hands?" asked Sir Henry. Barrymore looked surprised, and considered for a little time "No." said he, "I was in the box-room at the time, and my wife brought it .148. 第八章 华生医生的第一份报告 ①defy ldi'failv. (对权势 与人争执就是为了享受争执的乐趣,遇到诉讼时,自己 的公然)违抗 无所谓做原告还是被告。所以,毫不奇怪,他发现诉讼 是一种昂贵的消遣。他有时候会拦断一条道路,不准人 ② trespass Itrespasl n. 未经 家通行,并且拒不执行教区要他撤除路障的命令。有时 许可进入私人土地 候会亲手把别人家的大门拆除,并且声称,道路从远古 ③ manorial lma'noriall a. 庄 园的 时期就已存在,反驳房主对他提起的非法入侵私宅的诉 ④effigy Iefidtiln. 模拟像 讼。他对古旧的采邑权法和公共权法都很精通,经常运 用这方面的知识,有时是为弗恩沃西村村民的利益争讼, 有时是用法律来反对他们。因此,根据他的所作所为, sting Istinln. 整 他时而是胜利者被人抬着招摇过市,时而被人把他的模 拟人像当街烧毁。据说,眼下他手上仍有七宗讼案,很 可能会把他仅剩的财产消耗殆尽,到时他就会像一只被 拔掉哲刺的黄蜂那样于人无害了。除了法律争讼问题, 他看上去是一位和蕴可亲、心地善良的老人。我之所以 提及他,仅仅是因为你特意哈咐过,对于我们周围所有 人的情况,我都得向你汇报。弗兰克兰眼下又忙得不可 开交了,因为他是个业余的天文爱好者,有一架性能优 异的望远镜,所以,成天趴在自家的屋顶上用望远镜扫 视整个荒原,以期发现逃犯的蛛丝马迹。如果他把全部 精力都放在此事上,那一切都会平安无事。不过有传言 说,他此举的用意是想控告莫蒂默医生未经死者近亲的 许可便私掘坟墓,因为医生在长丘挖掘古家时发现了一 具新石器时代的古人颜骨。他让人们的生活脱离了单调 与无聊,并在人们迫切需要的时候给人一些快乐的调剂。 好啦,我已经向你汇报了有关那名逃犯、斯塔普尔 顿兄妹,莫蒂默医生和拉夫特尔庄园的弗兰克兰的最新动 态。此信结束之际,还有一件非常重要的事情,我要告诉 你关于巴里摩尔的情况,尤其是昨天晚上的惊人情形 首先要说的是,你从伦敦发出的那封旨在确认巴 里摩尔当时确实在此地的试探性电报。我已经向你解释 过,通过对邮政所所长的询问,说明那封电报没起到任 downright I'daunraitl a 何作用,我们没有证据证明他当时不是在此地。我把事 爽快的,直率的 情的原委告诉了亨利爵士。他是直来直去的脾气,便立 刻把巴里摩尔叫过来,问他是否亲手接收了那封电报。 巴里摩尔回答说是。 “那个男孩直接把电报送到你手上了吗?”亨利爵士问 ·149·