福爾摩斯探案集·血字的研究 第64期:逃命(3)

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He expected that he would receive some message or remonstrance from Young as to his conduct, and he was not mistaken, though it came in an unlooked-for manner.

他預(yù)料，這番行為必然會招來揚的某種警告的。事情果然不出所料，但是警告的方式，卻是他萬萬意想不到的。

Upon rising next morning he found, to his surprise, a small square of paper pinned on to the coverlet of his bed just over his chest.

第二天早晨，費瑞厄一起床就大吃一驚地發(fā)現(xiàn)了，在被面上，恰好在他胸口的地方，釘著一張紙條，

On it was printed, in bold, straggling letters:"Twenty-nine days are given you for amendment, and then––"

上面歪歪斜斜地寫著一行筆道粗重的字："限你二十九天改邪歸正，到期則--"　

The dash was more fear-inspiring than any threat could have been.

字后這一劃比任何恫嚇都要令人害怕。

How this warning came into his room puzzled John Ferrier sorely, for his servants slept in an outhouse, and the doors and windows had all been secured.

這個警告究竟是怎么送進他的房中來的，這件事使得約翰·費瑞厄百思莫解；因為他的仆人是睡在與這房子沒有蓋在一起的房子里的，而且所有的門窗都是插好插銷的。

He crumpled the paper up and said nothing to his daughter, but the incident struck a chill into his heart.

他把這個紙條揉成一團，絲毫也沒有對他的女兒提起。可是，這件意外的事，卻使他感到膽戰(zhàn)心寒。

The twenty-nine days were evidently the balance of the month which Young had promised.

紙條上寫的"二十九天"明明是指揚所指定的一月期限所剩下的日子。

What strength or courage could avail against an enemy armed with such mysterious powers?

對付一個擁有這樣神秘力量的敵人，單憑血氣之勇又有什么用處呢？

The hand which fastened that pin might have struck him to the heart, and he could never have known who had slain him.

釘上紙條的那只手，滿可以用刀刺進他的心房，而且，他永遠(yuǎn)也不會知道究竟是誰殺害了他。

Still more shaken was he next morning.

第二天早晨，事情更加使費瑞厄感到震驚了。

They had sat down to their breakfast, when Lucy with a cry of surprise pointed upwards.

當(dāng)他們坐下來早餐的時候，露茜忽然用手向上面指著驚叫了起來。

In the centre of the ceiling was scrawled, with a burned stick apparently, the number 28.

原來，在天花板的中央，有一個數(shù)字"28"，顯然是用燒焦了的木棒畫的。

To his daughter it was unintelligible, and he did not enlighten her.

他的女兒對于這個數(shù)字是莫名其妙的，他也沒有向她說明。

That night he sat up with his gun and kept watch and ward.

那天晚上，他沒有睡覺，拿著他的槍，通宵守衛(wèi)著。

He saw and he heard nothing, and yet in the morning a great 27 had been painted upon the outside of his door.

一夜之間，他既無所見，又無所聞。可是，第二天的早晨，一個大大的"27"卻又寫在他家的門上了。

Thus day followed day; and as sure as morning came he found that his unseen enemies had kept their register,

這樣一天又一天地過去了，就象黎明每天絲毫不爽地必然來臨一樣，他每天也都發(fā)現(xiàn)他的暗藏敵人在記著數(shù)字，

and had marked up in some conspicuous position how many days were still left to him out of the month of grace.

而且在一些明顯的地方，寫出他的一月期限還剩下了幾天。

Sometimes the fatal numbers appeared upon the walls, sometimes upon the floors, occasionally they were on small placards stuck upon the garden gate or the railings.

有時，這個要命的數(shù)字是在墻上出現(xiàn)，有時是在地板上面。還有幾次，這些數(shù)字是寫在小紙條上，貼在花園的門上或欄桿上。

With all his vigilance John Ferrier could not discover whence these daily warnings proceeded.

約翰·費瑞厄雖然百般警戒，但是他總不能發(fā)現(xiàn)這些每天來臨的警告究竟是在什么時候干的。

A horror which was almost superstitious came upon him at the sight of them.

他一看這些警告，就感到一種幾乎是迷信般的恐怖。

He became haggard and restless, and his eyes had the troubled look of some hunted creature.

因此他坐臥不寧，一天天憔悴起來，他的眼中顯露出被追逐著的野獸所有的那種驚駭、倉惶的神色。

He had but one hope in life now, and that was for the arrival of the young hunter from Nevada.

現(xiàn)在他惟一的希望就是等待著那個年輕的獵人從內(nèi)華達回來。