Chapter11 岩岗上的男子-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 11 The Man on the Tor The extract from my private diary which forms the last chapter has brought my narrative up to the eighteenth of October,a time when these strange events began to move swiftly towards their terrible conclusion.The incidents of the next few days are indelibly graven upon my recollection,and I can tell them without reference to the notes made at the time.I start them from the day which succeeded that upon which I had established two facts of great importance, the one that Mrs.Laura Lyons of Coombe Tracey had written to Sir Charles Baskerville and made an appointment with him at the very place and hour that he met his death,the other that the lurking man upon the moor was to be found among the stone huts upon the hillside.With these two facts in my possession I felt that either my intelligence or my courage must be deficient if I could not throw some further light upon these dark places. I had no opportunity to tell the baronet what I had learned about Mrs. Lyons upon the evening before,for Dr.Mortimer remained with him at cards until it was very late.At breakfast,however,I informed him about my discovery and asked him whether he would care to accompany me to Coombe Tracey.At first he was very eager to come,but on second thoughts it seemed to both of us that if I went alone the results might be better.The more formal we made the visit the less information we might obtain.I left Sir Henry behind,therefore,not without some prickings of conscience,and drove off upon my new quest. When I reached Coombe Tracey I told Perkins to put up the horses,and I made inquiries for the lady whom I had come to interrogate.I had no difficulty ·206· 第十一章岩岗上的男子 上一章的内容是从我的私人日记摘录的。我叙述的 时间进入到了10月18日，从此，那些不可思议的怪事情 便开始接二连三地发生，迅速接近那个可怕的结局。随 后数日发生的事情深深地印刻在我的脑海里，我无需翻 ①grave [greiv]v铭记，牢 记（在心头】 看当时所做的任何记录，就可以直接叙述出来。那就从 我弄清了两个非常重要的事实之后的第二天说起吧。其 中一件是，库姆特雷西的劳拉·莱昂斯太太曾经给查尔 斯·巴斯克维尔爵士写过信，信中约定的见面地点和时 间正是爵士死亡的地点和时间。另一件是，藏匿在荒原 上的那个人可以在山边的石头房里找到。草握这两个情 况之后，我觉得，如果自己不能让这些谜团显露端倪的 ②deficient [di''fifont]a.不足 话，那就要么是自己不够聪明，要么就是缺乏勇气。 的 头天晚上，我没有机会把自己了解到的有关莱昂斯 太太的情况告诉从男爵，因为莫蒂默医生和他玩牌玩到 很晚。不过，当天早餐时，我把自己的发现全都告诉了 他，并问他是否愿意陪我一同去一趟库姆特雷西。刚一 开始时，他很乐意前往，但仔细一想，我们又都觉得， 我单独前往效果会更加好些。我们把走访的事情越是弄 得郑重其事，可能掌握到的情况反而会越少。因此，我 让亨利爵士留在家里后，便怀着一颗忐忑不安的心，独 自驱车出发，去进行一番新的探索了。 ③pricking[priki诃ln刺痛 感 我到达了库姆特雷西之后，便吩附珀金斯安顿好马 匹，自个儿去打听此行所要寻访的那位女士的住所。我 轻而易举就找到了她的住所。她家坐落在村庄的中心， ·207· Chapter 11 The Man on the Tor in finding her rooms,which were central and well appointed.A maid showed me in without ceremony,and as I entered the sitting-room a lady,who was sitting before a Remington typewriter,sprang up with a pleasant smile of welcome.Her face fell,however,when she saw that I was a stranger,and she sat down again and asked me the object of my visit. The first impression left by Mrs.Lyons was one of extreme beauty.Her eyes and hair were of the same rich hazel colour,and her cheeks,though considerably freckled,were flushed with the exquisite bloom of the brunette, the dainty pink which lurks at the heart of the sulphur rose.Admiration was,I repeat,the first impression.But the second was criticism.There was something subtly wrong with the face,some coarseness of expression,some hardness, perhaps,of eye,some looseness of lip which marred its perfect beauty.But these,of course,are after-thoughts.At the moment I was simply conscious that I was in the presence of a very handsome woman,and that she was asking me the reasons for my visit.I had not quite understood until that instant how delicate my mission was. “I have the pleasure,”said I,“of knowing your father.” It was a clumsy introduction,and the lady made me feel it. “There is nothing in common between my father and me,”she said.“Iowe him nothing,and his friends are not mine.If it were not for the late Sir Charles Baskerville and some other kind hearts I might have starved for all that my father cared.” "It was about the late Sir Charles Baskerville that I have come here to see you.” The freckles started out on the lady's face. "What can I tell you about him?"she asked,and her fingers played nervously over the stops of her typewriter. “You knew him,did you not?” "I have already said that I owe a great deal to his kindness.If I am able to support myself it is largely due to the interest which he took in my unhappy situation.” "Did you correspond with him?" The lady looked quickly up with an angry gleam in her hazel eyes. ·208· 第十一章岩岗上的男子 里面陈设很好。有位女仆没行任何礼节就把我领进了 门。我进入客厅时，坐在雷明顿打字机前的女士迅速站 起身。她脸上露着愉快的笑容，表示欢迎。然而，当她 看到我是个陌生人时，脸便奋拉下来了，重新坐下，问 我上门有什么事情。 莱昂斯太太给我的第一个印象是美丽绝伦，眼睛和 头发都是深棕色的，脸颊上虽有雀斑，但色泽红润得恰 到好处，就像硫磺色玫瑰花蕾中那娇艳欲滴的粉色。我 要重申一下，倾慕是第一印象，而第二印象就是非议。 ①sulphur'SAlfo】n,硫黄 那张脸上隐隐显出有不对劲的地方，表情略嫌粗俗，眼 色，柠檬色 神或许有点生硬，嘴唇略显放荡，这一切瑕疵令她的绝 伦美貌打了折扣。但是，这些当然都是后来的想法。我 当时只知道，自己站在一个非常漂亮的女人面前，而对 方正在询问我上门的缘由。直到那一刻，我才真正认识 到我的任务有多么棘手。 ②delicate ['delikot]a.徽妙 “我很有幸，”我说，“认识您父亲。” 的；棘手的 这样的介绍显得很愚笨，对方的反应让我有了这种 感觉。 “我和我父亲之间毫无共同之处，”她说，“我对他 没有任何亏欠，他的朋友并不是我的朋友。如果不是已 故的查尔斯·巴斯克维尔爵士和另外的几个好心人，我 早就已经饿死了。我父亲才不会管我的死活呢。” “我到这儿来，就是想向您打听一些有关已故查尔 斯·巴斯克维尔爵士的事情。” 女人脸上的雀斑显得更加清晰了。 “有关他的事情，我又能告诉您些什么呢？”她 问了一声，手指头紧张地敲打着打字机上的标点符 号键。 “您认识他，对吧？” ③stop [stop)m,标点符号， (尤指)句号 “我已经说过了，他心地善良，我非常感谢他。如 果说我现在能自食其力的话，那也主要是因为他怜悯我 可悲的处境。” “您给他写过信吗？” 女士迅速拾起头，棕褐色的眼睛里闪烁着愤怒的 光芒。 “您问这些是什么目的？”她反问着，语气尖锐。 ·209· Chapter 11 The Man on the Tor "What is the object of these questions?"she asked sharply. "The object is to avoid a public scandal.It is better that I should ask them here than that the matter should pass outside our control." She was silent and her face was still very pale.At last she looked up with something reckless and defiant in her manner. “Wel,I''ll answer,,”she said.“What are your questions? "Did you correspond with Sir Charles?" "I certainly wrote to him once or twice to acknowledge his delicacy and his generosity.” "Have you the dates of those letters?" No.” "Have you ever met him?" "Yes,once or twice,when he came into Coombe Tracey.He was a very retiring man,and he preferred to do good by stealth" "But if you saw him so seldom and wrote so seldom,how did he know enough about your affairs to be able to help you,as you say that he has done?" She met my difficulty with the utmost readiness "There were several gentlemen who knew my sad history and united to help me.One was Mr.Stapleton,a neighbour and intimate friend of Sir Charles's. He was exceedingly kind,and it was through him that Sir Charles learned about my affairs.” I knew already that Sir Charles Baskerville had made Stapleton his almonerupon several occasions,so the lady's statement bore the impress of truth upon it. "Did you ever write to Sir Charles asking him to meet you?"I continued. Mrs.Lyon flushed with anger again. "Really,sir,this is a very extraordinary question." “I am sorry,madam,but I must repeat it..” “Then I answer,,certainly not..” "Not on the very day of Sir Charles's death?" The flush had faded in an instant,and a deathly face was before me.Her dry lips could not speak the"No"which I saw rather than heard. "Surely your memory deceives you,"said I."I could even quote a passage ·210· 第十一章岩岗上的男子 “目的就是要避免公开的丑闻。我到这儿来问这些 问题，比在外面议论纷纷，弄得不可收拾要好一些。” 她缄口不言，脸色依然苍白。最后，她抬起了头， 态度显得不顾一切，做慢自大。 “得了，我来回答吧，”她说，“您有什么要问的？” “您给查尔斯爵士写过信吗？” “我确实给他写过一两次，目的是感谢他体贴人微， ①delicacy['delikasi.m体 慷慨大度。” 谅，体贴 “您还记得写信的日期吗？” “不记得了。” “您同他见过面吗？” “见过，他到库姆特雷西来时，我们见过一两次。 他是个不喜欢张扬的人，喜欢不声不响地做好事。” “但是，如果您很少见他，又不常给他写信，那他 ②by stealth偷偷地，暗中 地 是怎样了解您那么多事情，从而像您所说的那样来帮助 您呢？” 她毫不犹豫地回答了我认为是很难回答的问题。 ③readiness'[redinis].迅速 “有好几位绅士知道我悲惨的经历，他们联合起来帮助 我。一位是斯塔普尔顿先生，他是查尔斯爵士的邻居兼 密友。他心肠极好，查尔斯爵士正是通过他才了解到我 的情况。” 我已经知道了，查尔斯·巴斯克维尔爵士曾经几次 让斯塔普尔顿负责帮他分发救济金，因此，女士说的让 我感觉是实话。 ④almoner ['a:man3]n.(富 “您曾经给查尔斯爵士写过一封信，请求他同您见 户的】敦济品分发人员 面，对吧？”我接着问。 莱昂斯太太又一次气得满脸通红。 “事实上，先生，这是一个非同寻常的问题。” “对不起，太太，但我必须再问您一遍。” “那我就答复您吧，一定没有过。” “查尔斯爵士死亡的那天您没给他写信？” 她脸上的血色霎时消失了，我眼前出现了一张死人 般的面孔。她那干燥的嘴唇连“没有”二字都说不出声 来，我只看到有了个这样的形状。 “您肯定是记错了，”我说，“我甚至能摘录您信中 的一段，上面写着：‘您是一位正人君子，请您，请您 ·211· Chapter 11 The Man on the Tor of your letter.It ran'Please,please,as you are a gentleman,burn this letter,and be at the gate by ten o'clock.'" I thought that she had fainted,but she recovered herself by a supreme effort. "Is there no such thing as a gentleman?"she gasped. "You do Sir Charles an injustice.He did burn the letter.But sometimes a letter may be legible even when burned.You acknowledge now that you wrote it?" "Yes,I did write it,"she cried,pouring out her soul in a torrent of words. "I did write it.Why should I deny it?I have no reason to be ashamed of it.I wished him to help me.I believed that if I had an interview I could gain his help,so I asked him to meet me." "But why at such an hour?" "Because I had only just learned that he was going to London next day and might be away for months.There were reasons why I could not get there earlier." "But why a rendezvous in the garden instead of a visit to the house?" "Do you think a woman could go alone at that hour to a bachelor's house?" "Well,what happened when you did get there?" "I never went..” "Mrs.Lyons!" "No,I swear it to you on all I hold sacred.I never went.Something intervened③to prevent my going.” “What was that?” “That is a private matter.I cannot tell it.” "You acknowledge then that you made an appointment with Sir Charles at the very hour and place at which he met his death,but you deny that you kept the appointment..” “That is the truth.” Again and again I cross-questioned her,but I could never get past that point. "Mrs.Lyons,"said I as I rose from this long and inconclusive interview, "you are taking a very great responsibility and putting yourself in a very false ·212· 第十一章岩岗上的男子 一定把信烧掉，并在十点时到栅门旁等候。’” 我觉得，她听后晕过去了，但又竭尽全力地恢复了 supreme [sju'pri:m]a. 平静。 大的：极度的 “这世界上难道就没有真正的君子了吗？”她说着， 呼吸急促。 “您错怪查尔斯爵士了，他确实把信烧了。但有时 候，信件烧毁后上面的内容还是可以看得出来。您现在 承认，您那天确实给他写过信吧？” “没错，我确实写了，”她提高嗓门，言辞激烈， 一五一十地把话全都说了出来，“我确实写了信，我为 何要否认呢？我没理由因此觉得羞耻。我就是希望他能 帮帮我。我觉得，如果自己同他见个面，就能够从他那 儿得到帮助，于是写信请求同他见面。” “但是，为何要选在那个时刻呢？” “因为我当时刚知道，他次日要去伦敦，并且有可 能去很长时间。而我不能早一点赶到他那里也是事出有 因的。” ②rendezvous【'rondivu:ln. “但是，会面的地点为何是在花园里，而不是在室 约会 内呢？” “您觉得一个女人在那个时刻单独到一个单身男人 家里去合适吗？” “对啊，那您到那里后发生了什么事情？” “我根本没去。” “莱昂斯太太！” ③intervene Linta'vi:nlg干 涉；干预 “没去，我以我视为神圣的一切向您发誓，根本没 去。中间出了点别的事情，弄得我没有去成。” “什么事呢？” “是件私事，我不能告诉您。” “这么说，您承认您和查尔斯爵士约好的会面时间 和地点，正是他去世的时间和地点，但同时又否认自己 曾如约前往。” “这是实情。” 我反复询问她，但都未能了解到更多情况。 “菜昂斯太太，”我一边说，一边站起身，结束了这 inconclusive Linkan'klu: 次漫长而毫无结果的会面，“您没有把自己知道的事情 siva.无结果的 全部说出来，这样做不仅要承担很大的责任，还会将您 ·213· Chapter 11 The Man on the Tor position by not making an absolutely clean breast of all that you know. If I have to call in the aid of the police you will find how seriously you are compromised.If your position is innocent,why did you in the first instance deny having written to Sir Charles upon that date?" "Because I feared that some false conclusion might be drawn from it and that I might find myself involved in a scandal." "And why were you so pressing that Sir Charles should destroy your letter?” “If you have read the letter you will know.” "I did not say that I had read all the letter." “You quoted some of it.” "I quoted the postscript.The letter had,as I said,been burned and it was not all legible.I ask you once again why it was that you were so pressing that Sir Charles should destroy this letter which he received on the day of his death." “The matter is a very private one.” "The more reason why you should avoid a public investigation." "I will tell you,then.If you have heard anything of my unhappy history you will know that I made a rash marriage and had reason to regret it." “I have heard so much.” "My life has been one incessant persecution from a husband whom I abhor.The law is upon his side,and every day I am faced by the possibility that he may force me to live with him.At the time that I wrote this letter to Sir Charles I had learned that there was a prospect of my regaining my freedom if certain expenses could be met.It meant everything to me-peace of mind, happiness,self-respect-everything.I knew Sir Charles's generosity,and I thought that if he heard the story from my own lips he would help me." "Then how is it that you did not go?" "Because I received help in the interval from another source." "Why,then,did you not write to Sir Charles and explain this?" "So I should have done had I not seen his death in the paper next morning." The woman's story hung coherently together,and all my questions were unable to shake it.I could only check it by finding if she had,indeed, instituted divorce proceedings against her husband at or about the time of ·214· 第十一章岩岗上的男子 ①make a clean breast of 自己置于非常不利的境地。如果到了非要警方出面干预 把和盘托出 不可的地步，那您就会发现自己的麻烦大了。如果您在 compromise ['kompram 本案中是清白无辜的，那为何一开始否认自己出事那天 aiz损害（名声等) 给查尔斯爵士写过信呢？” “因为我担心，人们会因此产生某种错误的推论， 同时，也担心自己被卷入到一桩丑闻中去。” “您为何迫切要求查尔斯爵士把您写给他的信毁掉 ③pressing'presinla.热切 的：坚持的 呢？” “如果您看过那信，就会知道原因了。” “我并没有说自己看过整封信啊。” “您引用了其中的一部分。” “我引用了信的附笔。我说过了，信被烧毁了，上 面的内容不能全部看出来。我再问您一遍，您究竞为 何如此迫切要求查尔斯爵士毁掉他在猝死当天收到的 来信？” “这纯属我个人的私事。” “那您就更要避免公开调查了。” “那行，我就告诉您吧。如果您听说过我的悲惨 经历，您就会知道，我结婚时太过草率，并因此懊悔 不已。” “这些我都听说过。” persecution [.po:si'kju:fon] “我那令人厌恶的丈夫不时地虐待我，我的日子不 n.想待 ⑤abhor [ab'ho:g憎恶 好过。法律也站在他那边，我每天都要面临被迫和他同 房的可能性。写信的当天，我听人说只要我能付清几笔 费用，就能重获自由。对我来说，自由简直代表着一 切一心平气和，幸福美满，充满自尊—一切的一 切。我知道，查尔斯爵士慷慨大方，心里想着，如果我 亲口把自己的苦处告诉他，他就会帮助我的。” “那您怎么又没去成呢？” “因为当时，我从其他人那里得到了援助。” “那么，您为什么不写信告诉查尔斯爵士，向他解 释一下呢？” “我本来是打算这么做的，但次日早上我就从报纸 ⑥institute['institjut]v.着 上看到了他的死讯。” 手，开始 女人所说的情况前后相符，我把所想到的问题都提 proceedings [prou'si:dins] :诉讼程序：诉讼 出来了，但毫无纰漏。我只能去核实一下，她向她丈夫 ·215·