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Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: In the Shadow of Sherlock Holmes 侦探小说宗师──阿瑟．柯南．道尔爵士

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繁體中文譯本

A stick-thin detective enters his apartment and hangs up his long overcoat and hunting hat. After moving to his armchair to smoke his favorite pipe, he smiles confidently, waiting for the evildoer to walk into his trap. This is Sherlock Holmes, the brilliant detective who not only frustrated the plans of many clever criminals, but also tormented his creator, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

一位身材瘦削的侦探走进自己的公寓，将大衣及猎帽挂好，然后走向扶手椅。他坐下来一边抽着最喜欢的烟斗，一边自信地微笑，等着歹徒落入圈套。这正是才华洋溢的侦探福尔摩斯，他不但阻挠了许多狡猾歹徒的阴谋，还折磨创造他的人：阿瑟．柯南．道尔爵士。

Doyle was born in 1859 in Edinburgh, Scotland. He was very close to his mother, a talented storyteller. Doyle recalled that “…. The vivid stories she would tell me stand out so clearly that they obscure the real facts of my life.” However, at nine years old, he was sent away from his mother, in tears, to study in England.

道尔1859年出生于苏格兰爱丁堡。他和很会说故事的母亲感情很好。道尔在回忆时说：「她所说的生动故事如此鲜明，使得我生活中的事实相形失色。」然而，九岁时他被迫离开母亲，挥泪前往英格兰读书。

A rebellious student, Doyle hated the strict English school system. Yet at school he discovered that, like his mother, he was good at storytelling. He would enchant his schoolmates with his imaginative tales.

道尔是一个叛逆的学生，非常厌恶英国严格的学校体制。不过在学校时，他发现自己也像母亲一样擅长说故事。他那些富有想象力的故事，总让同学们着迷不已。

After graduating, Doyle chose to pursue a medical degree. This career path would lead him to opportunities for adventure. As he said, “Perhaps it was good for me that the times were hard, for I was wild, full-blooded and a trifle reckless.”

毕业之后，道尔选择继续攻读医学。这个行业后来让他有机会去冒险。如他所言：「或许对我来说，时机艰困是好的，因为我不守规矩、精力充沛，又有一点鲁莽。」

Vocabulary

单词发音

torment [tɔrˋmɛnt] v. 折磨；烦扰

obscure [əbˋskjʊr] v. 遮掩; 使失色

rebellious [rɪˋbɛljəs] adj. 叛逆的

enchant [ɪnˋtʃænt] v. 使陶醉; 使入迷

reckless [ˋrɛklɪs] adj. 鲁莽的

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单词发音

in the shadow of 在…阴影的笼罩下

stick-thin 瘦骨如柴的 someone or something is as thin as a stick; to be very thin

overcoat [ˋovɚ͵kot] n. 外套，大衣

armchair [ˋɑrm͵tʃɛr] n. 扶手椅

evildoer [ˋiv!ˋduɚ] n. 作坏事的人

trap [træp] n. 陷阱

recall [rɪˋkɔl] v. 回想，回忆

stand out 突出, 显着 to be easily seen or noticed; to protrude

pursue [pɚˋsu] v. 从事；继续

full-blooded [fʊlˋblʌdɪd] adj. 精力充沛的

trifle [ˋtraɪf!] n. 少量，少许

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Three years into his medical studies, Doyle joined the crew of the whaling ship Hope as the ship’s surgeon. The journey took him into the frigid waters of the Arctic Circle, and the whale hunt fascinated him. This adventurous experience helped mold Doyle into a strong and confident person. “I went on board the whaler a big, straggling youth,” he said. “I came off a powerful, well-grown man.”

学医三年后，道尔加入捕鲸船「希望号」的工作行列，当起船医。这趟旅程带他进入北极圈的酷寒海域，他深深为捕鲸所吸引。这次的冒险经验将道尔塑造成强壮、充满自信的人。「我踏上捕鲸船时，还是个散漫的大男孩，」他说，「但下船时，我已经是强壮、成熟的男人了。」

After returning to England, Doyle completed his degree. He later drew a cartoon of himself receiving his diploma and jokingly captioned it “Licensed to Kill.” Several years later, following another seafaring trip to Africa, he opened up a doctor’s practice in England.

回到英国后，道尔完成医学院的学业。后来他画了一幅漫画，描绘自己领取文凭的模样，并且在旁边戏谑地批注：「领有杀人执照。」过了几年，结束一趟前往非洲的航程后，他在英国开业行医。

Around this time, Doyle began writing a story that would make him a legend. A Study in Scarlet was Doyle’s first story to feature Sherlock Holmes, a character based on one of his favorite professors in college. Holmes was assisted by his close friend Dr. Watson, who was the narrator and was based on Doyle himself. Published in 1888, the story was a stunning success.

大约此时，道尔开始写一篇会使他成为传奇人物的故事。《深红色研究》是道尔第一篇以福尔摩斯为主角的故事。福尔摩斯是根据道尔大学时期最喜欢的教授而发展出来的角色。此外，福尔摩斯还有好友华生医师从旁协助。华生医师是道尔以自己为蓝本塑造出的故事叙述者。《深红色研究》1888年出版后获得很大的成功。

Vocabulary

单词发音

fascinate [ˋfæsn͵et] v. 使着迷，迷住，强烈地吸引

diploma [dɪˋplomə] n. 毕业文凭，学位证书

license [ˋlaɪsns] v. 许可; 准许

narrator [næˋretɚ] n. 叙述者，讲述者

stunning [ˋstʌnɪŋ] adj. 惊人的; 令人震惊的

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单词发音

whaling [ˋhwelɪŋ] n. 捕鲸；捕鲸业

frigid [ˋfrɪgɪd] adj. 寒冷的, 严寒的

the Arctic Circle  北极圈

mold [mold] v. 塑造，把……塑造成[（+into）]

on board 上船 on or in a transportation object

whaler [ˋhwelɚ] n. 捕鲸船

straggling [ˋstræg!ɪŋ] adj. 散乱的 untidy; not neat and tidy

well-grown 生长良好的 having attained a satisfactory growth or development

caption [ˋkæpʃən] v. 加标题于

seafaring [ˋsi͵fɛrɪŋ] adj. 航海的

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Doyle wrote many more stories about Sherlock Holmes, making him famous in America and England. But the author and his character would have a stormy relationship. Doyle was publishing other, more serious works and taking great pride in his historical novels, especially The White Company. Indeed, after writing The White Company, Doyle exclaimed “Well, I’ll never beat that!” and threw his pen against the wall.

道尔写了许多有关福尔摩斯的故事，因而在美国及英格兰享有盛名。但他与所创造的角色之间却发展出爱恨交织的关系。道尔那时还出版了其他较严肃的作品，且以自己的历史小说为傲，尤其是《白衣纵队》。事实上，写完《白衣纵队》后，道尔高声喊道：「唉！我再也写不出这么好的作品了！」然后将笔丢向墙壁。

It seemed to Doyle that Holmes was pushing his best works into the shadows. He began to feel more and more like Holmes’s sidekick, Dr. Watson. He even occasionally signed his letters “Dr. Watson” as a joke. Finally, against the advice of his fans, publishers, and even his own mother, Doyle killed off Holmes by sending him over a waterfall in a fight with a criminal.

对道尔而言，福尔摩斯似乎使他最好的作品无法得到重视。道尔开始觉得自己越来越像福尔摩斯的助手华生医生。他有时甚至会开玩笑地在信上署名「华生医师」。后来，不顾书迷、出版商，甚至母亲的劝告，道尔除掉了福尔摩斯。他安排福尔摩斯和歹徒决斗，结果摔下瀑布身亡。

Doyle went on to write many other stories and books, but he could never truly escape Sherlock Holmes. Under public pressure, he reconciled himself with his character and brought Holmes back to life. Doyle continued to write about Holmes and led a full life with his family until 1939. In the end, Doyle was found in his garden, clutching his chest with one hand and holding a white snowdrop flower in the other.

道尔继续撰写其他许多故事和书籍，但始终无法摆脱福尔摩斯的阴影。在公众压力之下，他与福尔摩斯重修旧好，让福尔摩斯死而复生。随后，道尔继续出版福尔摩斯系列，且与家人过着充实的生活，直到1930年。道尔最后被发现倒在花园里，一只手紧抓胸口，另一只手则握着白色雪花莲。

−by Alan Campana

Vocabulary

单词发音

stormy [ˋstɔrmɪ] adj. 激烈的，多风波的

take pride in  为...感到自豪; 引以为荣  feel proud of

exclaim [ɪksˋklem] v. 呼喊；惊叫

reconcile [ˋrɛkənsaɪl] v. 使和解，使和好[（+with）]

clutch [klʌtʃ] v. 抓住；攫取

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片语发音

push one's best works into the shadows 使其最好的作品相较暗然失色  It means that his best works receive little attention because Holmes is better known.

sidekick [ˋsaɪd͵kɪk] n.【非正式】助手

kill off 杀死某人; 除掉 to destroy in such large numbers as to render extinct

full life 充实的人生 greatest possible extent

snowdrop [ˋsno͵drɑp] n. 〔欧洲产的〕雪花莲

Sherlock Holmes - Official Movie Trailer 2009