《福尔摩斯探案集·铜山毛榉案》第6节
“Well, when I called last week I was shown into the little office as usual, but I found that Miss Stoper was not alone. A prodigiously stout man with a very smiling face and a great heavy chin which rolled down in fold upon fold over his throat sat at her elbow with a pair of glasses on his nose, looking very earnestly at the ladies who entered. As I came in he gave quite a jump in his chair and turned quickly to Miss Stoper. “‘That will do,’ said he; ‘I could not ask for anything better. Capital! capital!’ He seemed quite enthusiastic and rubbed his hands together in the most genial fashion. He was such a comfortable-looking man that it was quite a pleasure to look at him. “‘You are looking for a situation, miss?’ he asked. “‘Yes, sir.’ “‘As governess?’ “‘Yes, sir.’ “‘And what salary do you ask?’ “‘I had £ 4 a month in my last place with Colonel Spence Munro.’ “‘Oh, tut, tut! sweating—rank sweating!’ he cried, throwing his fat hands out into the air like a man who is in a boiling passion. ‘How could anyone offer so pitiful a sum to a lady with such attractions and accomplishments?’
注释摘要
维奥莱特·亨特小姐开始讲述她如何在家庭女教师介绍所遇到了那位神秘的雇主。这一节的力量几乎全压在叙述节奏的操控上：她并不急于抛出那个惊人的年薪数字，而是先让我们看清那个人的模样。 字面上，她上周照例去那家位于伦敦西区的韦斯泰韦介绍所。过去每次都是女经理斯托珀小姐独自接待她，翻阅登记簿看看有没有合适的主顾。但这一次，斯托珀小姐身旁坐着一个她从未见过的男人。这个…