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And then he thought of the housekeeper.
这时他记起了女房东。
He ran from the haunted room downstairs and to a door that showed a crack of light.
他从幽灵萦绕的房间跑下楼，来到透出一缝光线的门前。
She came out to his knock. He smothered his excitement as best he could.
她应声开门出来。他竭尽全力，克制住激动之情。
"Will you tell me, madam," he besought her, "who occupied the room I have before I came?"
“请告诉我，夫人，”他哀求道，“我来之前谁住过那个房间？”
"Yes, sir. I can tell you again. 'Twas Sprowls and Mooney, as I said.
“好的，先生。我可以再说一遍。以前住的是斯普罗尔斯和穆尼夫妇，我已经说过。
Miss B'retta Sprowls it was in the theatres, but Missis Mooney she was.
布雷塔·斯普罗尔斯小姐，演戏的，后来成了穆尼夫人。
My house is well known for respectability. The marriage certificate hung, framed, on a nail over--"
我的房子从来声誉就好。他们的结婚证都是挂起的，还镶了框，挂在钉子上——”
"What kind of a lady was Miss Sprowls--in looks, I mean?"
“斯普罗尔斯小姐是哪种女人——我是说，她长相如何？”
Why, black-haired, sir, short, and stout, with a comical face. They left a week ago Tuesday."
“喔，先生，黑头发，矮小，肥胖，脸蛋儿笑嘻嘻的。他们一个星期前搬走，上星期二。”
"And before they occupied it?"
“在他们以前谁住过？”
"Why, there was a single gentleman connected with the draying business. He left owing me a week.
“嗨，有个单身男人，搞运输的。他还欠我一个星期的房租没付就走了。
Before him was Missis Crowder and her two children, that stayed four months;
在他以前是克劳德夫人和她两个孩子，住了四个月；
and back of them was old Mr. Doyle, whose sons paid for him. He kept the room six months.
再以前是多伊尔老先生，房租是他儿子付的。他住了六个月。
That goes back a year, sir, and further I do not remember."
都是一年以前的事了，再往以前我就记不得了。”
He thanked her and crept back to his room. The room was dead.
他谢了她，慢腾腾地爬回房间。房间死气沉沉。
The essence that had vivified it was gone. The perfume of mignonette had departed.
曾为它注入生机的香气已经消失，木犀花香已经离去，
In its place was the old, stale odour of mouldy house furniture, of atmosphere in storage.
代之而来的是发霉家具老朽、陈腐、凝滞的臭气。
The ebbing of his hope drained his faith. He sat staring at the yellow, singing gaslight.
希望破灭，他顿觉信心殆尽。他坐在那儿，呆呆地看着咝咝作响的煤气灯的黄光。
Soon he walked to the bed and began to tear the sheets into strips.
稍许，他走到床边，把床单撕成长条，
With the blade of his knife he drove them tightly into every crevice around windows and door.
然后用刀刃把布条塞进门窗周围的每一条缝隙。
