福爾摩斯探案集·血字的研究 第72期:復(fù)仇天使(3)

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He had now come to the mouth of the very defile in which he had left them.

現(xiàn)在，他已經(jīng)來到剛才把他們留下的那個山谷入口。

Even in the darkness he could recognize the outline of the cliffs which bounded it.

雖然是在黑暗之中，他也能辨認(rèn)出遮斷入口處的那些巨石的輪廓。

They must, he reflected, be awaiting him anxiously,for he had been absent nearly five hours.

他想，他們一定正在焦急地等待著他呢，因?yàn)樗呀?jīng)離開差不多有五個鐘頭了。

In the gladness of his heart he put his hands to his mouth and made the glen reecho to a loud halloo as a signal that he was coming.

一時高興之下，他把兩只手放在嘴邊，借著峽谷的回音，大聲召喚著，表示他回來了，

He paused and listened for an answer.

他停了一下，傾聽著回音。

None came save his own cry, which clattered up the dreary, silent ravines, and was borne back to his ears in countless repetitions.

可是，除了他自己的呼聲碰在這篇沉寂、荒涼的峽谷石壁上，折回來形成無數(shù)的回音以外，什么也沒有。

Again he shouted, even louder than before, and again no whisper came back from the friends whom he had left such a short time ago.

他又叫了一聲，比先前的一聲更加響亮?？墒?，還是沒有聽見和他離開不久的朋友們的回音。

A vague, nameless dread came over him, and he hurried onward frantically, dropping the precious food in his agitation.

他隱隱約約地感到一種莫名的恐懼，于是便急忙奔了過去，慌忙中，他把寶貝似的獸肉也扔掉了。

When he turned the corner, he came full in sight of the spot where the fire had been lit.

他轉(zhuǎn)過彎去，一眼便把剛才生火地方的情況看清楚了。

There was still a glowing pile of wood ashes there, but it had evidently not been tended since his departure.

那里仍然有著一堆炭火在閃爍發(fā)光；但是很明顯，在他離開以后，再也沒有人照料過。

The same dead silence still reigned all round.

周圍同樣是一片死寂。

With his fears all changed to convictions, he hurried on.

原有的恐懼現(xiàn)在變成了現(xiàn)實(shí)。他急忙奔向前去。

There was no living creature near the remains of the fire: animals, man, maiden, all were gone.

火堆旁沒有一點(diǎn)活著的東西；馬匹、老人和少女都不見了。

It was only too clear that some sudden and terrible disaster had occurred during his absence

這分明是在他離開以后發(fā)生了什么突如其來的可怕災(zāi)難，

a disaster which had embraced them all, and yet had left no traces behind it.

他們無一幸免，而且沒有留下一點(diǎn)痕跡。

Bewildered and stunned by this blow, Jefferson Hope felt his head spin round, and had to lean upon his rifle to save himself from falling.

這個意外打擊，使得侯波驚慌失措、目瞪口呆。他只覺得一陣天旋地轉(zhuǎn)，于是趕緊抓住了他的來復(fù)槍支持著自己，以免跌倒下去。

He was essentially a man of action, however, and speedily recovered from his temporary impotence.

但是，他到底是一個意志堅(jiān)強(qiáng)的人，很快地便從這種迷惘中清醒過來。

Seizing a half-consumed piece of wood from the smouldering fire, he blew it into a flame, and proceeded with its help to examine the little camp.

他從火堆里撿起一段半焦的木材，把它吹燃。他借著這個光亮，把這個休息的地方察看了一番。

The ground was all stamped down by the feet of horses, showing that a large party of mounted men had overtaken the fugitives,

地面上到處都是馬蹄踐踏的印子，這就說明：一大隊(duì)騎馬的人，已經(jīng)追上了逃亡者。

and the direction of their tracks proved that they had afterwards turned back to Salt Lake City.

從他們?nèi)ヂ返姆较蚩磥?，證明他們后來又轉(zhuǎn)回鹽湖城去了。

Had they carried back both of his companions with them?

他們是否把他的兩個伙伴全都帶走了呢？

Jefferson Hope had almost persuaded himself that they must have done so,

侯波幾乎確信他們一定是那樣做了，

when his eye fell upon an object which made every nerve of his body tingle within him.

可是，當(dāng)他的眼光落在一件東西上的時候，不禁使他毛發(fā)都豎了起來。

A little way on one side of the camp was a low-lying heap of reddish soil, which had assuredly not been there before.

離他們原來休息處沒有幾步遠(yuǎn)的地方，有一堆不高的紅土，這肯定是原來所沒有的。

There was no mistaking it for anything but a newly dug grave.

一點(diǎn)也不錯，這是一個新掘成的墳?zāi)埂?/p>

As the young hunter approached it, he perceived that a stick had been planted on it, with a sheet of paper stuck in the cleft fork of it.

當(dāng)這個年輕獵人走近的時候，他發(fā)覺土堆上面還插著一支木棒，木棒裂縫處夾著一張紙，

The inscription upon the paper was brief, but to the point: JOHN FERRIER,FORMERLY OF SALT LAKE CITY. Died August 4th, 1860.

紙上草草寫了幾個字，但卻寫得分明：約翰·費(fèi)瑞厄生前住在鹽湖城死于1860年8月4日