福尔摩斯探案集·血字的研究 第71期:复仇天使(2)
About the middle of the second day of their flight their scanty store of provisions began to run out.
他们逃亡的次日，大约中午的时候，不多的口粮眼看就要吃完了。
This gave the hunter little uneasiness, however, for there was game to be had among the mountains,
但是，这件事并没有使这位猎人感到有什么不安，因为大山之中，有的是飞禽走兽可以猎取充饥。
and he had frequently before had to depend upon his rifle for the needs of life.
从前他就常常是靠着他的那支来复枪维持生活的。
Choosing a sheltered nook, he piled together a few dried branches and made a blazing fire,
他选择了一个隐蔽的平静所在，拾取了一些枯枝干柴生气火来，
at which his companions might warm themselves, for they were now nearly five thousand feet above the sea level, and the air was bitter and keen.
让他的伙伴们暖和一下。因为，他们现在已是在海拔五千英尺的高山之上，空气是彻骨的寒冷。
Having tethered the horses, and bid Lucy adieu, he threw his gun over his shoulder, and set out in search of whatever chance might throw in his way.
他把骡马拴好，并和露茜告别后，就背上他的来复枪，出去碰碰运气，打点东西。
Looking back, he saw the old man and the young girl crouching over the blazing fire, while the three animals stood motionless in the background.
他回过头来，只见老人和少女正围着火堆取暖，三只骡马一动也不动地站立在后边。
Then the intervening rocks hid them from his view.
再走几步，便为大石阻挡，看不见他们了。
He walked for a couple of miles through one ravine after another without success, though, from the marks upon the bark of the trees,
他翻山越岭，走了两英里多路，可是一无所获。
and other indications, he judged that there were numerous bears in the vicinity.
然而，从树干上的痕迹以及其他的一些迹象看来，他断定附近有无数野熊出没。
At last, after two or three hours' fruitless search, he was thinking of turning back in despair,
可是他搜索了两三个小时，也毫无结果。
when casting his eyes upwards he saw a sight which sent a thrill of pleasure through his heart.
最后，他正打算空手回去的时候，忽然抬头一看，不觉心花怒放。
On the edge of a jutting pinnacle, three or four hundred feet above him,
原来在离地三、四百英尺高处的一块突出的悬岩边上，
there stood a creature somewhat resembling a sheep in appearance, but armed with a pair of gigantic horns.
站着一只野兽，样子看来很象羊，但是却武装着一对巨大的长角。
The big-horn–for so it is called–was acting, probably, as a guardian over a flock which were invisible to the hunter;
这个被人叫做"大犄角"的家伙，可能是正在为侯波所看不到的同群执行着警戒任务。
but fortunately it was heading in the opposite direction, and had not perceived him.
巧得很，这只野兽是背对着侯波的，因此，它并没有发觉他。
Lying on his face, he rested his rifle upon a rock, and took a long and steady aim before drawing the trigger.
他趴在地上，把枪架在一块岩石上，他又慢又稳地瞄好准以后才开了枪。
The animal sprang into the air, tottered for a moment upon the edge of the precipice, and then came crashing down into the valley beneath.
这个野兽跳了起来，在岩石边挣扎了几下，就滚落到谷底去了。
The creature was too unwieldy to lift, so the hunter contented himself with cutting away one haunch and part of the flank.
这只野兽十分沉重，一个人背不动，侯波将死兽的一只腿和一些腰肉割了下来。
With this trophy over his shoulder, he hastened to retrace his steps, for the evening was already drawing in.
这时，已经是暮色四合，一片苍茫了。于是他背起这些战利品，赶忙沿着来路往回走去，
He had hardly started, however, before he realized the difficulty which faced him.
但是，他刚要举步就想起自己已陷入了困境。
In his eagerness he had wandered far past the ravines which were known to him, and it was no easy matter to pick out the path which he had taken.
因为当他专心一意寻找野兽的时候，他走的太远了，已经远远地走出了他所熟悉的山谷，现在再要认出他所走过的道路，却不是一件容易的事了。
The valley in which he found himself divided and sub-divided into many gorges, which were so like each other that it was impossible to distinguish one from the other.
他觉得他所在的这个山谷，一时变成千沟万壑，处处十分相似，简直无法辨认。他沿着一条山沟走了一英里多路，来到一个涧水淙淙的所在。
He followed one for a mile or more until he came to a mountain torrent which he was sure that he had never seen before.
他肯定来时决没有见过这个山涧。他断定自己已经走错了路，
Convinced that he had taken the wrong turn, he tried another, but with the same result.
于是又另走一条，结果仍然不是正路。
Night was coming on rapidly, and it was almost dark before he at last found himself in a defile which was familiar to him.
夜色很快就降临了，当他终于找到一条他所熟识的小道时，天色已经完全黑了下来。
Even then it was no easy matter to keep to the right track, for the moon had not yet risen, and the high cliffs on either side made the obscurity more profound.
虽然他找到了这条熟路，可是现在要沿着这条小路不再走错，也非易事。因为月亮还未升起，小路两边绝壁高耸，使得道路格外黑暗难行。
Weighed down with his burden, and weary from his exertions, he stumbled along,
这时，侯波背着沉重的东西，直压得喘不过起来，况且忙碌了半天，现在已经感到非常疲乏。
keeping up his heart by the reflection that every step brought him nearer to Lucy,
但是，他仍旧蹒跚地前进着，当他想到前进一步，就靠近了露茜一步，
and that he carried with him enough to ensure them food for the remainder of their journey.
而且还带来这么多食物，足够他们今后旅途的食用，因此他的精神便又振奋起来。
