Chapter  8

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Sarah’s Temper; 
Wallington; Doctor Bars Visit

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II. The Adventure of the Cardboard Box
  

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“About your second sister,
Sarah,”  said he.

“I wonder,
since you are both
maiden ladies ( 未婚女士),
that you do not
keep house together ( 一起管理家務).”

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“Ah!
you don’t know
Sarah’s temper ( 脾氣)
or you would
wonder no more.

I tried it
when I came
to Croydon,
and we kept on
until about
two months ago,
when we had
to part.

I don’t want
to say a word
against my own sister,
but she was always
meddlesome ( 愛管閒事的)
and hard to please ( 難以取悅),
was Sarah.”

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“You say
that she quarrelled ( 爭吵)
with your Liverpool
relations ( 親戚).”

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“Yes,
and they were
the best of friends
at one time.

Why,
she went up there
to live
in order to be
near them.

And now
she has no word
hard enough
for Jim Browner.

The last six months
that she was here
she would speak
of nothing
but his drinking
and his ways.

He had caught her
meddling ( 多管閒事),
I suspect,
and given her
a bit of his mind,
and that was
the start of it.”

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“Thank you,
Miss Cushing,”
said Holmes,
rising and bowing.

“Your sister Sarah lives,
I think you said,
at New Street
Wallington?

Good-bye,
and I am very sorry
that you should have been
troubled over a case
with which,
as you say,
you have nothing
whatever to do.”

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There was
a cab passing
as we came out,
and Holmes
hailed ( 招呼) it.

“How far
to Wallington?”
he asked.

“Only about
a mile, sir.”

“Very good.
Jump in,
Watson.

We must strike
while the iron
is hot.

Simple as the case is,
there have been
one or two
very instructive ( 有啟發的)
details
in connection
with it.

Just pull up
at a telegraph office ( 電報局)
as you pass,
cabby.”

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Holmes sent off
a short wire ( 電報)
and for the rest
of the drive
lay back in the cab,
with his hat
tilted over his nose
to keep the sun
from his face.

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Our driver
pulled up
at a house
which was not
unlike the one
which we had
just quitted ( 剛離開).

My companion
ordered him to wait,
and had his hand
upon the knocker ( 門環),
when the door opened
and a grave ( 嚴肅的)
young gentleman
in black,
with a very shiny hat,
appeared
on the step.

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“Is Miss Cushing
at home?”
asked Holmes.

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“Miss Sarah Cushing
is extremely ill,”
said he.

“She has been suffering
since yesterday
from brain symptoms ( 腦部症狀)
of great severity ( 嚴重程度).

As her medical adviser ( 醫師),
I cannot possibly
take the responsibility ( 承擔責任)
of allowing anyone
to see her.

I should recommend you
to call again
in ten days.”

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He drew
on his gloves,
closed the door,
and marched off
down the street.

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“Well,
if we can’t
we can’t,”
said Holmes,
cheerfully ( 愉快地).

“Perhaps she could not
or would not
have told you
much.”

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“I did not wish
her to tell me
anything.

I only wanted
to look at her.

However,
I think that
I have got
all that I want.

Drive us
to some decent hotel,
cabby,
where we may have
some lunch,
and afterwards
we shall drop down
upon friend Lestrade
at the police-station.”

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Words

 

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