福爾摩斯探案集·血字的研究 第16期:勞瑞斯頓花園街的慘案(4)

A short passage, bare-planked and dusty, led to the kitchen and offices.

有一條短短的過道通向廚房，過道地上沒有平地毯，灰塵滿地。

Two doors opened out of it to the left and to the right.

過道左右各有一門。

One of these had obviously been closed for many weeks.

其中一個分明已經(jīng)有很多星期沒有開過了。

The other belonged to the dining- room, which was the apartment in which the mysterious affair had occurred.

另一個是餐廳的門，慘案就發(fā)生在這個餐廳里面。

Holmes walked in, and I followed him with that subdued feeling at my heart which the presence of death inspires.

福爾摩斯走了進去，我跟在他的后面，心情感到異常沉重。這是由于死尸所引起來的。

It was a large square room, looking all the larger from the absence of all furniture.

這是一間方形大屋子，由于沒有家具陳設(shè)，因此格外顯得寬大。

A vulgar flaring paper adorned the walls, but it was blotched in places with mildew,

墻壁上糊著廉價的花紙，有些地方已經(jīng)斑斑點點地有了霉跡，

and here and there great strips had become detached and hung down, exposing the yellow plaster beneath.

有的地方還大片大平地剝落下來，露出里面黃色的粉墻。

Opposite the door was a showy fireplace, surmounted by a mantelpiece of imitation white marble.

門對面有一個漂亮的壁爐。壁爐框是用白色的假大理石作的，

On one corner of this was stuck the stump of a red wax candle.

爐臺的一端放著一段紅色蠟燭頭。

The solitary window was so dirty that the light was hazy and uncertain, giving a dull gray tinge to everything,

屋里只有一個窗子，異常污濁，因此室內(nèi)光線非常昏暗，到處都蒙上了一層黯淡的色彩。

which was intensified by the thick layer of dust which coated the whole apartment.

屋內(nèi)積土塵封，更加深了這種情調(diào)。

All these details I observed afterwards.

這些景象是我后來才看到的。

At present my attention was centred upon the single, grim, motionless figure which lay stretched upon the boards,

當(dāng)我進去的時候，我的注意力就全部集中在那個萬分可怕的尸體上；

with vacant, sightless eyes staring up at the discoloured ceiling.

他僵臥在地板上，一雙茫然無光的眼睛凝視著褪了色的天花板。

It was that of a man about forty-three or forty-four years of age,

死者大約有四十三、四歲，

middle-sized, broad-shouldered, with crisp curling black hair, and a short, stubbly beard.

中等身材，寬寬的肩膀，一頭黑黑的鬈發(fā)，并且留著短硬的胡子，

He was dressed in a heavy broadcloth frock coat and waistcoat, with light-coloured trousers, and immaculate collar and cuffs.

身上穿著厚厚的黑呢禮服上衣和背心，淺色褲子，裝著潔白的硬領(lǐng)和袖口。

A top hat, well brushed and trim, was placed upon the floor beside him.

身旁地板上有一頂整潔的禮帽。

His hands were clenched and his arms thrown abroad, while his lower limbs were interlocked,

死者緊握雙拳、兩臂伸張、雙腿交迭著，

as though his death struggle had been a grievous one.

看來在他臨死的時候，曾經(jīng)有過一番痛苦的掙扎。

On his rigid face there stood an expression of horror,

他那僵硬的臉上露出恐怖的神情，

and, as it seemed to me, of hatred, such as I have never seen upon human features.

據(jù)我看來，這是一種忿恨的表情，是我生平所沒有見過的。

This malignant and terrible contortion, combined with the low forehead, blunt nose,

兇惡的面貌，加上齜牙咧嘴的怪狀，非常可怖，再配上那副低削的前額，扁平的鼻子

and prognathous jaw, gave the dead man a singularly simious and ape-like appearance,

和突出的下巴，看來很象一個怪模怪樣的扁鼻猿猴。

which was increased by his writhing, unnatural posture.

此外，那種極不自然的痛苦翻騰的姿態(tài)，使它的面貌變得益發(fā)可怕。

I have seen death in many forms,

我曾經(jīng)見過各式各樣的死人，

but never has it appeared to me in a more fearsome aspect than in that dark, grimy apartment,

但是還沒有見過比這個倫敦市郊大道旁的黑暗、

which looked out upon one of the main arteries of suburban London.

污濁的屋中更為可怖的景象。

Lestrade, lean and ferret-like as ever, was standing by the doorway,

一向瘦削而具有偵探家風(fēng)度的雷斯垂德，這時正站在門口，

and greeted my companion and myself.

他向我的朋友和我打著招呼。

"This case will make a stir, sir," he remarked.

他說："這件案子一定要哄動全城了，先生。

"It beats anything I have seen, and I am no chicken."

我也不是一個沒有經(jīng)歷的新手了，可是我還沒有見過這樣離奇的事。"

"There is no clue?" said Gregson.

葛萊森問道："沒有什么線索？"

"None at all," chimed in Lestrade.

雷斯垂德隨聲附和地說："一點也沒有。"