Chapter14 巴斯克维尔的猎犬-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 14 The Hound of the Baskervilles One of Sherlock Holmes's defects-if,indeed,one may call it a defect- was that he was exceedingly loath to communicate his full plans to any other person until the instant of their fulfilment.Partly it came no doubt from his own masterful nature,which loved to dominate and surprise those who were around him.Partly also from his professional caution,which urged him never to take any chances.The result,however,was very trying for those who were acting as his agents and assistants.I had often suffered under it, but never more so than during that long drive in the darkness.The great ordeal was in front of us;at last we were about to make our final effort,and yet Holmes had said nothing,and I could only surmise what his course of action would be.My nerves thrilled with anticipation when at last the cold wind upon our faces and the dark,void spaces on either side of the narrow road told me that we were back upon the moor once again.Every stride of the horses and every turn of the wheels was taking us nearer to our supreme adventure. Our conversation was hampered by the presence of the driver of the hired wagonette,so that we were forced to talk of trivial matters when our nerves were tense with emotion and anticipation.It was a relief to me,after that unnatural restraint,when we at last passed Frankland's house and knew that we were drawing near to the Hall and to the scene of action.We did not drive up to the door but got down near the gate of the avenue.The wagonette was paid off and ordered to return to Coombe Tracey forthwith,while we ·278· 第十四章 巴斯克维尔的猫犬 福尔摩斯有一个缺点一事实上，如果人们可以把 ①loath [ou9la.不愿意的 它称作是缺点的话一那就是，其完整的行动计划不等 到圆满实施的那一刻，他是决不会向任何人透露的。其 原因一方面无疑是，他本人生性高傲，喜欢控制一切， 让他周围的人感到惊讶。另一方面因为，他出于职业上 的谨慎，决不会焦躁从事，去冒什么风险。不过，这样 一来，他的委托人和助手就常常感到非常痛苦了。我本 人就有过几次类似的痛苦经历，但都没有哪一次像这次 一样，长时间驱车在黑暗中行进，难熬极了。严峻的考 验就在我们的面前，我们的行动终于进人了最后阶段， 但是，福尔摩斯却绒口不言，而我只能猜测他的行动方 案到底是怎么一回事。最后，冰冷刺骨的寒风吹打在我 们的脸上，狭窄的车道两边漆黑一片，空无一物，我 这才意识到，我们又回到荒原上了。想到即将发生的事 情，我感到异常激动。马匹每前行一步，车轮每转动一 圈，我们就离命运攸关的历险更加接近一步了。 2 hamper ['haempol v.束 由于有雇来的马车夫在场，我们的谈话内容便受 缚，限制 到限制了，只得聊些鸡毛蒜皮的小事。但这期间，我们 的神经绷得很紧，内心激动，充满了期待。我们好不容 易经过了弗兰克兰的家，知道自己已经临近巴克斯维尔 庄园，临近行动的现场了，这时候，我总算挨过了不自 然的紧张状态，心里松了一口气。我们没有让马车驶到 3 forthwith ['fo:0'wio]ad. 庄园门口，而是在通向庄园的小路附近下了车。付过车 立刻，马上 费，盼附马车立刻回库姆特雷西后，我们开始步行去梅 ·279· Chapter 14 The Hound of the Baskervilles started to walk to Merripit House. "Are you armed,Lestrade?" The little detective smiled. "As long as I have my trousers I have a hip-pocket,and as long as I have my hip-pocket I have something in it." "Good!My friend and I are also ready for emergencies." "You're mighty close about this affair,Mr.Holmes.What's the game now?" “A waiting game.” "My word,it does not seem a very cheerful place,"said the detective with a shiver,glancing round him at the gloomy slopes of the hill and at the huge lake of fog which lay over the Grimpen Mire."I see the lights of a house ahead ofus.” "That is Merripit House and the end of our journey.I must request you to walk on tiptoe and not to talk above a whisper." We moved cautiously along the track as if we were bound for the house, but Holmes halted us when we were about two hundred yards from it. “This will do,”said he.“These rocks upon the right make an admirable screen.” “We are to wait here?" "Yes,we shall make our little ambush here.Get into this hollow,Lestrade. You have been inside the house,have you not,Watson?Can you tell the position of the rooms?What are those latticed windows at this end?" “I think they are the kitchen windows.” "And the one beyond,which shines so brightly?" "That is certainly the dining-room." "The blinds are up.You know the lie of the land best.Creep forward quietly and see what they are doing-but for heaven's sake don't let them know that they are watched!" I tiptoed down the path and stooped behind the low wall which surrounded the stunted orchard.Creeping in its shadow I reached a point whence I could look straight through the uncurtained window. There were only two men in the room,Sir Henry and Stapleton.They sat ·280· 第十四章 巴斯克维尔的猎犬 里皮特别墅。 “您带武器了吗，莱斯特雷德？” 小个子侦探露出了微笑 “只要我穿了裤子，裤子后面就会有个口袋。只要 有个口袋，我就会往里面放点东西。” “很好啊！我和我朋友也做好了应急的准备。” “您在这件事情上口风把得可真严啊，福尔摩斯先 ①close [kl3uza.守口如瓶 生，我们现在该做什么呢？” “等待猎物出现啊。” “哎呀，看起来，这可不是个让人感觉舒心的所在 啊，”侦探说着，一边环顾着四周。他看到了一道道阴 暗的山坡和笼罩在格林彭泥潭上的雾海，不禁打了个寒 战。“我看到了我们前方住房里的灯光了。” “那幢住宅就是梅里皮特别墅，也是我们今天行程 的终点站。我现在要求，你们必须用足尖走路，说话只 能低声耳语。” 我们小心翼翼地顺着小路前行，好像马上就要到达 ?bound for以…为目的地 那所房子似的，但是，在离住房大概有二百码处时，福 尔摩斯把我们叫住了。 “待在这儿就行了，”他说，“右侧这些山石是绝妙 的屏障。” “我们就在这里等待吗？” “对啊，我们要在此地展开一场小规模的伏击。快 到这道沟里来，莱斯特雷德。你已经进去过那幢别墅， 对吧，华生？能说出每个房间的具体位置吗？这一侧的 那几个格子窗是什么房间？” “我觉得，那应该是厨房的窗户。” “再过去的那个很敞亮的窗户呢？” “那一定是餐室。” “百叶窗拉起来了。那儿的地形你清楚，请你悄悄 地爬过去，看看他们在干什么。但看在上帝的份儿上， 千万别让他们觉察到了。” 我蹑手蹑脚地顺着小路走了过去，猫着腰躲在一堵 矮墙的后面。矮墙周围种着长势不佳的果木林。我在阴 影处慢慢爬行，爬到了一个较高处，由此可以通过没有 挂窗帘的窗户直接看到室内的情况。 ·281· Chapter 14 The Hound of the Baskervilles with their profiles towards me on either side of the round table.Both of them were smoking cigars,and coffee and wine were in front of them.Stapleton was talking with animation,but the baronet looked pale and distrait.Perhaps the thought of that lonely walk across the ill-omened moor was weighing heavily upon his mind. As I watched them Stapleton rose and left the room,while Sir Henry filled his glass again and leaned back in his chair,puffing at his cigar.I heard the creak of a door and the crisp sound of boots upon gravel.The steps passed along the path on the other side of the wall under which I crouched.Looking over,I saw the naturalist pause at the door of an out-house in the corner of the orchard.A key turned in a lock,and as he passed in there was a curious scuffling noise from within.He was only a minute or so inside,and then I heard the key turn once more and he passed me and reentered the house.I saw him rejoin his guest,and I crept quietly back to where my companions were waiting to tell them what I had seen. "You say,Watson,that the lady is not there?"Holmes asked when I had finished my report. No.” "Where can she be,then,since there is no light in any other room except the kitchen?” "I cannot think where she is." I have said that over the great Grimpen Mire there hung a dense,white fog.It was drifting slowly in our direction and banked itself up like a wall on that side of us,low but thick and well defined.The moon shone on it,and it looked like a great shimmering ice-field,with the heads of the distant tors as rocks borne upon its surface.Holmes's face was turned towards it,and he muttered impatiently as he watched its sluggish drift. "It's moving towards us,Watson." "Is that serious?" "Very serious,indeed-the one thing upon earth which could have disarranged my plans.He can't be very long,now.It is already ten o'clock. Our success and even his life may depend upon his coming out before the fog is over the path." ·282· 第十四章巴斯克维尔的借犬【 室内只坐着两个人，亨利爵士和斯塔普尔顿。他们 在圆桌两边面对面地坐着，侧对着我。两人都在吸雪茄 烟，前面摆着咖啡和葡萄酒。斯塔普尔顿正兴致勃勃地 说着话，但从男爵却脸色苍白，一副魂不守舍的样子。 说不定是因为他想到要独自一人跨过那片不祥的荒原， 所以才忧心仲仲的吧 正当我监视他们的时候，斯塔普尔顿站起身，走出 了餐厅，而在这个当儿，亨利爵士又把酒杯斟满了，向 后斜靠在椅背上，吸着雪茄烟。我听到了门发出的吱吱 声，随后又是皮靴踩在石子路上清脆的声音。脚步在我 ①outhouse['authaus)n,附 所蹲的那堵墙的另一侧的小路上走过。从墙头看去，我 属建筑，外屋 看到生物学家在果木林一角的小屋门口停了下来。他掏 ②scuffle ['skAfl]v.扭打 出钥匙在锁孔里转一下，进门后，里面传出一阵奇怪的 扭打声。他只在里面待了一分钟左右，我便再次听到了 转动钥匙的声音。随后，他从我身旁走过，又进到室内 去了。我看到他和客人又坐在了一起后，便悄悄地爬回 到我朋友身边，把自己看到的情况告诉给了他们。 “你是说，那位女士不在场，对吧，华生？”我报 告完毕后，福尔摩斯问。 “对啊。” “既然除了厨房，别处都没有灯光、，那她可能在哪 儿呢？” “我想象不出她会在哪儿。” 我已经说过了，格林彭大泥潭上笼罩着浓密的白 雾。雾气正慢慢地向我们这边飘过来，越聚越多，就像 在我们这边竖了一堵墙似的，虽然不高，但很厚实，而 且界限分明。月亮照在上面，厚墙看上去就是一片闪闪 发光的冰原，远处突起的岩冈就像是冰原上生出的岩石 sluggish'sIagin]a.缓慢 一样。福尔摩斯扭过头朝着那边看了看，当他看着它缓 的 慢前移时，不耐烦地咕哝着。 “雾气正朝着我们移动呢，华生。” “这很严重吗？” “非常严重，确实严重一只有这种情况会打乱我 的计划。他不能待很长时间了，现在已经十点钟了。我 们能否成功，甚至他的性命是否安全，都取决于他是否 会在浓雾笼罩在路面之前出来。” ·283· Chapter 14 The Hound of the Baskervilles The night was clear and fine above us.The stars shone cold and bright, while a half-moon bathed the whole scene in a soft,uncertain light.Before us lay the dark bulk of the house,its serrated roof and bristling chimneys hard outlined against the silver-spangled sky.Broad bars of golden light from the lower windows stretched across the orchard and the moor.One of them was suddenly shut off.The servants had left the kitchen.There only remained the lamp in the dining-room where the two men,the murderous host and the unconscious guest,still chatted over their cigars. Every minute that white woolly plain which covered one-half of the moor was drifting closer and closer to the house.Already the first thin wisps of it were curling across the golden square of the lighted window.The farther wall of the orchard was already invisible,and the trees were standing out of a swirl of white vapour.As we watched it the fog-wreaths came crawling round both corners of the house and rolled slowly into one dense bank,on which the upper floor and the roof floated like a strange ship upon a shadowy sea.Holmes struck his hand passionately upon the rock in front of us and stamped his feet in his impatience. "If he isn't out in a quarter of an hour the path will be covered.In half an hour we won't be able to see our hands in front of us." "Shall we move farther back upon higher ground?" “Yes,I think it would be as well..” So as the fog-bank flowed onward we fell back before it until we were half a mile from the house,and still that dense white sea,with the moon silvering its upper edge,swept slowly and inexorably on. “We are going too far,”said Holmes.“We dare not take the chance of his being overtaken before he can reach us.At all costs we must hold our ground where we are."He dropped on his knees and clapped his ear to the ground. "Thank God,I think that I hear him coming." A sound of quick steps broke the silence of the moor.Crouching among the stones we stared intently at the silver-tipped bank in front of us.The steps grew louder,and through the fog,as through a curtain,there stepped the man whom we were awaiting.He looked round him in surprise as he emerged into the clear, starlit night.Then he came swiftly along the path,passed close to where we lay, ·284· 第十四章巴斯克维尔的借犬 我们头顶上的夜空明朗而美好。星星闪烁着清冷而 明亮的光芒，半圆的月亮高挂在空中，让一切景致都沐 ①serrated['seritid].有锯 浴在柔和而朦胧的光线中。我们面前屹立着的是房屋的 齿的 主体，它那锯齿状的屋顶和挺拔的烟肉的轮廓，都被银 光璀璨的天空清晰地映衬了出来。儿道宽阔的金黄色光 束从下而的窗户里射出来，穿过了果木林，朝荒原的方 向照去。其中的一道突然熄灭了，看来仆人们已经离开 厨房。只有餐厅里的灯光仍然亮着，里面的两个男人， 一个是蓄意杀人的别墅主人，一个是蒙在鼓里的客人， 还在一边抽者雪茄一边闲聊着。 白茫茫像羊毛一样的大雾已经把荒原遮住了一半， 此时正争分夺秒地向房屋这边飘过来，越飘越近。透着亮 光的金色窗框上已经迎来了第一片薄薄的雾气，果木林后 面的那堵墙已经看不清了，果树的下半部分已经被白色水 汽形成的涡流遮掩了，只露出上半部分。就在我们守望着 的当儿，滚滚浓雾已经爬上了房屋的两角，慢慢地堆积成 了一个厚实的堤坝，二楼和屋顶看上去就像一艘形状古怪 的漂浮在朦胧海面上的船只。福尔摩斯心急火燎，焦躁不 安，手击打着我们面前的岩石，脚跺着地面。 “如果他在一刻钟之内还不出来，路面就完全被遮住 了。再过半个小时，我们就会伸手不见五指了。” “我们要不要往后退，到高一点的地方去呢？” “对，我觉得这样也行。” 因此，当浓雾不断向我们涌来的时候，我们就不断 地后退，一直退到了离别墅半英里外的地方。但是，浓 2inexorablely [in'eksarabli] 密的白茫茫雾海上银色的月光闪耀，仍然在缓慢而又不 ad.不可阻挡地 依不绕地向我们袭来。 “我们退得距离太远了，”福尔摩斯说，“他还没有 到达我们这儿就会被别人赶上的，我们不能冒这个风险 啊，所以要不惜一切代价坚守住眼下这块阵地才是。” 他双膝着地，把一只耳朵贴近地面。“感谢上帝，感觉 他好像过来了。” 一阵急促的脚步声打破了荒原的寂静。我们蜷缩在 乱石之间，牢牢地盯着前方那道银白色的雾墙。脚步声越 来越响，我们等待者的那个人穿过纱帘般的浓雾，走过来 了。他进入到明朗的星光照耀的夜幕中后，惊恐不安地朝 ·285· Chapter 14 The Hound of the Baskervilles and went on up the long slope behind us.As he walked he glanced continually over either shoulder,like a man who is ill at ease. "Hist!"cried Holmes,and I heard the sharp click of a cocking pistol."Look out!t's coming” There was a thin,crisp,continuous patter from somewhere in the heart of that crawling bank.The cloud was within fifty yards of where we lay,and we glared at it,all three,uncertain what horror was about to break from the heart of it.I was at Holmes's elbow,and I glanced for an instant at his face.It was pale and exultant,his eyes shining brightly in the moonlight.But suddenly they started forward in a rigid,fixed stare,and his lips parted in amazement.At the same instant Lestrade gave a yell of terror and threw himself face downward upon the ground.I sprang to my feet,my inert hand grasping my pistol,my mind paralyzed by the dreadful shape which had sprung out upon us from the shadows of the fog.A hound it was,an enormous coal-black hound,but not such a hound as mortal eyes have ever seen.Fire burst from its open mouth, its eyes glowed with a smouldering glare,its muzzle and hackles and dewlap were outlined in flickering flame.Never in the delirious dream of a disordered brain could anything more savage,more appalling,more hellish be conceived than that dark form and savage face which broke upon us out of the wall of fog. With long bounds the huge black creature was leaping down the track, following hard upon the footsteps of our friend.So paralyzed were we by the apparition that we allowed him to pass before we had recovered our nerve. Then Holmes and I both fired together,and the creature gave a hideous howl, which showed that one at least had hit him.He did not pause,however,but bounded onward.Far away on the path we saw Sir Henry looking back,his face white in the moonlight,his hands raised in horror,glaring helplessly at the frightful thing which was hunting him down. But that cry of pain from the hound had blown all our fears to the winds.If he was vulnerable he was mortal,and if we could wound him we could kill him.Never have I seen a man run as Holmes ran that night.I am reckoned fleet of foot,but he outpaced me as much as I outpaced the little professional.In front of us as we flew up the track we heard scream after ·286· 第十四章巴斯克维尔的猎犬 着四周环顾了一番。接着便顺着小路疾速前行，经过了我 们藏身之处的附近，朝着我们背后的长山坡继续前行。他 一边走，一边不断地朝两侧看，一副心绪不宁的样子。 “嘘！”福尔摩斯叫了一声，我便听到了一声清脆 的扳动手枪扳手的声音，“注意点！来了！” 涌动着的雾墙之中传来了尖细、清脆、连续不断 的啪嗒声。浓雾离我们所处的地方还不到五十码的距离 了。我们三个人都目不转睛地盯着，不知道会有什么恐 怖的东西从里面冒出来。此时，我正待在福尔摩斯的胳 ①exultant lig'ZAltant]a.欢 腾的，狂喜的 膊肘边，便不时地瞥一眼他的脸庞。只见他脸色苍白， 情绪激动，两眼在月光下闪闪发亮。突然，他看着前 方，目不转睛地盯着，惊恐地张开着嘴唇。就在这个当 ②inert [i'na:a.呆滞的： 儿，莱斯特雷德恐惧地大喊了一声，随即便脸朝下匍匐 迟钝的 在地上。我一跃身子站立起来，动作迟缓的手握住了手 枪，迷雾之中蹿出一个可怕的东西，我脑子一片空白， 人都吓傻了。原来是一条猎犬，一条体形巨大全身漆黑 3 smoulder ['smaulda]v. 的猎犬，但绝非世人见过的那种。只见它那张大嘴向外 【无火苗地》闷烧 喷火，眼睛闪烁着闷火一样的幽光，闪烁的火光下，现 ④hackles'haklz.狗颈 背部竖起的毛 出了鼻口部分、竖起的颈背部毛和颈部的垂皮的轮廓。 @dewlap[dju:lap]n.【a颈 其幽黑的躯体和狰狞的面目冲出雾墙呈现在我们面前， 部下面的)垂肉，垂皮 6 delirious [di'lirias]a.发狂 比神经错乱时所做的靨梦中出现的任何怪物都更加凶狠 的：神志昏迷的 野蛮，更加恐怖可怕，更加穷凶极恶 体形巨大的黑色畜生大步向前跳跃着，顺着小路， 紧紧跟随在我们的朋友身后。我们被眼前的幽灵吓得动 apparition Lapa'rifon]n. 弹不得，竞然眼睁睁地看着它从我们身边跑了。等到我 幽灵 们镇定下来之后，我和福尔摩斯一同开了枪，那东西发 出了一声恐怖的哀叫，说明至少有一发子弹已经打中了 它。但是，它并没有停下脚步，而是继续向前追去。在 小路的远处，我们看到亨利爵士扭头向后看。他的脸在 月光下显得煞白，双手吓得不停地挥舞，眼睛绝望地盯 着对他穷追不舍的可怕的畜生。 但是，猎犬痛苦的叫声驱散了我们心中的恐惧。如 果它受到了伤害，那就说明是肉体凡胎。如果我们可以 击伤它，那就说明我们可以击毙它。我从未见过福尔摩 斯跑得像当晚那么快过。我是公认的跑起来快步如飞的 人，但他竞然超过了我，同时也超过了那位小个子官方 ·287·