精彩对白
Clark: Mr. Holmes?
Holmes: Clarkie.
Clark: Sir, Inspector1 Lestrade asks that you come with me at once.
Holmes: What's he done now, lost his way to Scotland Yard? Watson, grab a compass. You means us.
Watson: No, you means you.
Clark: It's Lord Blackwood, sir. He, uh...Well, it appears he's come back from the grave, sir.
Holmes: Most engaging.
Watson: Very clever. I pronounced the man dead myself.
Holmes: What are the facts?
Clark: Groundskeeper saw him walking through the graveyard2 this morning.
Watson: I'll leave this in your capable hands. I have an appointment with Mary.
Watson: It's not my reputation that's at stake here.
Watson: Don't try that.
Holmes: The newspapers got wind of it?
Clark: That's what we're trying to avoid.
Holmes: Certainly. What's the major concern?
Clark: Panic. Sheer bloody3 panic, sir.
Holmes: Indeed.
Watson: You're not taking this seriously, are you?
Holmes: Yes, as you should. It's a matter of professional integrity. No girl wants to marry a doctor who can't tell if a man's dead or not.
Watson: Who do you think won the match, Clarkie?
Clark: Sir?
Watson: The rugby match. Your boys have done a magnificent job obliterating4 any potential evidence.
Holmes: Yes. But at least they never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity.
Lestrade: You took your time, Holmes.
Holmes: And on the third day...
Lestrade: These slabs5 are half a ton each if they're a pound and they're smashed open from the inside.
Holmes: Lestrade, what of the coffin6?
Lestrade: We are in the process of bringing it up.
Holmes: I see. Hm. Right. At what stage of the process? Contemplative? Anyhow, where's our witness?
Lestrade: He's over there. And apparently7, he is cata... Cat...
Soldier: Catatonic, sir.
Lestrade: He's not feeling very well. If you lot don't sTOP behaving like quivering milkmaids, you're on double-time. Now, you get down there and you bring that coffin up now.
Watson: Good day, sir. It's all right. I'm a doctor. The man's in shock. He may need a few moments.
Lestrade: The witness stated that he saw Lord Blackwood rise from the grave. Well?
Watson: Well?
\Lestrade: You pronounced him dead.
Watson: He had no pulse. Good Lord.
Lestrade: That's not Blackwood.
Holmes: Well, now we have a firm grasp of the obvious. Time of death?
Watson: Diptera is approximately two thirds of an inch which would put the time of death at between 10 and 12 hours ago.
Holmes: May I borrow your pen?
Watson: Adler's dwarf8.
Holmes: Midget.
Groundskeeper: I know what I saw. It was Blackwood. As clear as I see you. And when the dead walk the living will fill these coffins9.
Lestrade: Right. Put the lid on and clean this lot up.
Watson: You really believe he was resurrected?
Holmes: The question is not if, but how. The game's afoot.
Watson: Follow your spirit...
Holmes Watson: And upon this charge, cry: God for Harry10, England and St. George.
妙语佳句 活学活用
1. groundskeeper：守墓人。也写作groundsman，可以用来泛指保卫者，管理员。
2. at stake：危险，利害攸关。也可以表示没办法预料。
比如：Our children's education is at stake. 大家孩子的教育好坏没办法预料。
3. get wind of：得到风声，风闻。
比如：If anyone gets wind of our plans, we'll be in trouble.（如果有其他人得知大家的计划，大家就会陷入困境。）
4. never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity：福尔摩斯在这里是说：可至少他们没放过任何蛛丝马迹。
5. take one's time：这个短语既能够表示从容不迫，也可以表示迟到、磨磨蹭蹭。当然，雷斯垂德督查在这里是怪福尔摩斯到晚了。
比如： It's an important decision for you, so take your time to think it over.（对你来讲，这是一个十分要紧的决定，仔细考虑考虑吧。）
6. catatonic：紧张的，紧张症的。
7. double-time：付给加班者的双倍薪资。除此之外，double-time还可以表示快步行走。
下面再给大伙介绍几个double构成的短语：
double-talk 含糊言谈
double-tongued 欺骗的，一口两舌
double-track 双轨
8. midget：侏儒，小型的。
9. resurrect：复活，死而复生。一般用来表示复兴、复现。
比如：That noise is enough to resurrect the dead!（那噪音都能把死人吵活！）
10. afoot： 计划中，进行中。
