福尔摩斯：巴斯克维尔猎犬-第4课

前情提要  

女孩勇敢地从窗户逃跑，于是雨果放了猎犬、骑上马对她穷追不舍。他的13个朋友也跟着追了去。等到他们最后追上时，其中三个人却看到可怕的景象——女孩因惊恐和筋疲力竭死去，而雨果被一只浑身发光、巨大无比的猎犬撕裂喉咙而亡。从那之后，人们又多次看到过这只猎犬，而巴斯克维尔家族似乎受到了诅咒，许多人都以蹊跷和恐怖的方式死去……

故事原文 

The Hound of the Baskervilles L4

巴斯克维尔猎犬 L4

When Dr Mortimer had finished reading this strange story, he looked across at Sherlock Holmes. Holmes looked bored.

摩梯末医生读完这个奇怪的故事后望着对面的歇洛克·福尔摩斯。福尔摩斯看上去显得很不耐烦。

'Did you find the story interesting?' asked Dr Mortimer.

“你没觉得这个故事有趣吗？”摩梯末医生问道。

'It may interest a collector of stories to frighten children,' said Holmes.

“它可能会让那些收集故事吓唬孩子们的人感兴趣。”福尔摩斯讲道。

Dr Mortimer took a newspaper from another pocket.

摩梯末医生从另一个衣袋里掏出一张报纸。

'Now, Mr Holmes, let me read you something which was written only three months ago. It is from the Devonshire County Newspaper, and it is about the death of Sir Charles Baskerville.'

“福尔摩斯先生，现在让我来读给您听听就在三个月之前撰写的东西吧。它刊登在《德文郡纪事报》上，并与查尔斯·巴斯克维尔爵士的死有关。”

Holmes looked more interested. Dr Mortimer began to read:

福尔摩斯看上去更专注些了。摩梯末医生开始读了起来：

The sudden death of Sir Charles Baskerville has caused great sadness in the county. Although he had lived at Baskerville Hall for only two years, everyone liked him. Sir Charles had lived abroad and made his money there. He came back to spend his fortune on repairing Baskerville Hall and its farms and villages, as the buildings and lands were in very poor condition.(1)(2) He was a friendly and generous man, who gave freely to the poor.(3)

查尔斯·巴斯克维尔爵士之暴卒，使本郡不胜哀悼。尽管他来巴斯克维尔庄园不过两年时间，但是大家都非常喜爱他。查尔斯爵士曾旅居国外，并在那里发了财。他致富后还乡，想把自己的资产用来修复巴斯克维尔庄园及其农场和村庄，因为这些建筑和土地都已处于潦倒不堪的境地了。他待人友善而又慷慨大方，还毫无吝啬地资助穷人。

The official report of his death does not explain everything that happened. However, it does show that there was no question of murder. Sir Charles died from natural causes, and the strange stories people are telling about his death are not true. His friend and doctor, Dr James Mortimer, said that Sir Charles' heart had been weak for some time.

官方对他死亡的报告没有说明所发生的一切事情。然而，它的确表明其中并没有谋杀的成分。查尔斯爵士死于自然原因；人们讲述的关于他的死亡的种种故事都是不真实的。他的朋友兼医生詹姆斯·摩梯末医生说查尔斯爵士的心脏虚弱已颇有一段时日了。

The facts are simple. Every night before going to bed, Sir Charles went for a walk in the gardens of Baskerville Hall. His favourite walk was down a path between two hedges of yew trees, the famous Yew Alley of Baskerville Hall. On the night of 4th June he went out for his walk to think and to smoke his usual cigar.

实情甚为简单。查尔斯爵士在每晚就寝前，总要在巴斯克维尔庄园的公园里散步。他喜欢沿着夹在水松树篱之间的那条小路即巴斯克维尔庄园里那条出名的水松小道散步。6月4日晚，他出去散步来思考些问题并和往常一样抽根雪茄。

Sir Charles was going to London on the next day, and Barrymore, his butler, was packing his suitcases.(4) By midnight Barrymore was worried that Sir Charles had not returned, so he went to look for him. He found the door of the Hall open. The day had been rainy and wet so Barrymore saw the prints left by Sir Charles' shoes as he had walked down the Alley. Half way down the Alley is a gate, which leads to the moor. There were signs that Sir Charles had stood there for some time.(5) Barrymore followed the footprints to the far end of the Alley. And there he found Sir Charles' body.

查尔斯爵士次日将去伦敦，他的管家白瑞摩当时正在为他准备行装。午夜时分，白瑞摩因查尔斯爵士还未回来而焦虑不安，于是便去找他。他发现庄园的门还开着。那天下了雨，还很潮湿，因此白瑞摩看到了查尔斯爵士沿着那条小道散步时留下的脚印。在小道的中途有一个栅门，它通向沼地。有种种迹象说明查尔斯爵士曾在此站过一会儿。白瑞摩循着足迹走到了小道的尽头。而且就在那儿他发现了查尔斯爵士的尸体。

（原文中出现高光标示内容请见核心语言点）

核心语言点  

1. fortune 一大笔钱，运气（luck）

    personal fortune 个人财产

    make a fortune 赚一大笔钱

    fortunate 幸运的（lucky）

例句：

I had the good fortune to work with a brilliant head of department.

我有幸能和这些杰出的部门主管共事。

I consider myself fortunate to have had such a good education.

我庆幸自己受到了良好的教育。

2. condition 状态（state）

    in good/excellent condition 处于良好的状态

    in poor/bad condition 处于不好的状态

    conditions 物质条件，情况，实际环境（environment）

    weather conditions 天气条件

例句：

The players are all in good condition.

运动员状态都很好。

Teachers must provide fun learning conditions for their students.

教师必须为学生提供有趣的学习条件。

3. generous 慷慨的，大方的

    it is generous of sb. 某人心肠好/很慷慨

    generosity 慷慨，大方

例句：

It was generous of you to lend me the money.

你借给我钱，心肠可真是太好了。

4. pack 包，把……打包

    a pack of gum/cigarettes 一包口香糖/香烟

    pack bags 打包东西

    package 一（整）套

    software package 软件包

    benefits package 待遇

例句：

We packed our bags the night before our trip.

我们在旅行前一晚把东西打包好了。

5. sign 标志，告示，签名

    road sign 路标

    sign in 登录

    sign up 注册

例句：

Can you sign here, please?

请在这儿签名。