空幻之屋33

时间:2024-12-31 10:10:59

(单词翻译:单击)

Twenty-three
The inquest was over. It had been the merest formality of an affair, and though warned of this
beforehand, yet nearly everyone had a resentful sense of anticlimax1.
Adjourned2 for a fortnight at the request of the police.
Gerda had driven down with Mrs. Patterson from London in a hired Daimler. She had on a
black dress and an unbecoming hat, and looked nervous and bewildered.
Preparatory to stepping back into the Daimler, she paused as Lady Angkatell came up to her.
“How are you, Gerda dear? Not sleeping too badly, I hope. I think it went off as well as we
could hope for, don’t you? So sorry we haven’t got you with us at The Hollow, but I quite
understand how distressing3 that would be.”
Mrs. Patterson said in her bright voice, glancing reproachfully at her sister for not introducing
her properly:
“This was Miss Collins’s idea—to drive straight down and back. Expensive, of course, but we
thought it was worth it.”
“Oh, I do so agree with you.”
Mrs. Patterson lowered her voice.
“I am taking Gerda and the children straight down to Bexhill. What she needs is rest and quiet.
The reporters! You’ve no idea! Simply swarming4 round Harley Street.”
A young man snapped off a camera, and Elsie Patterson pushed her sister into the car and they
drove off.
The others had a momentary5 view of Gerda’s face beneath the unbecoming hat brim. It was
vacant, lost—she looked for the moment like a half-witted child.
Midge Hardcastle muttered under her breath: “Poor devil.”
Edward said irritably6:
“What did everybody see in Christow? That wretched woman looks completely heartbroken.”
“She was absolutely wrapped up in him,” said Midge.
“But why? He was a selfish sort of fellow, good company in a way, but—” He broke off. Then
he asked: “What did you think of him, Midge?”
“I?” Midge reflected. She said at last, rather surprised at her own words: “I think I respected
him.”
“Respected him? For what?”
“Well, he knew his job.”
“You’re thinking of him as a doctor?”
“Yes.”
There was no time for more.
Henrietta was driving Midge back to London in her car. Edward was returning to lunch at The
Hollow and going up by the afternoon train with David. He said vaguely7 to Midge: “You must
come out and lunch one day,” and Midge said that that would be very nice but that she couldn’t
take more than an hour off. Edward gave her his charming smile and said:
“Oh, it’s a special occasion. I’m sure they’ll understand.”
Then he moved towards Henrietta. “I’ll ring you up, Henrietta.”
“Yes, do, Edward. But I may be out a good deal.”
“Out?”
She gave him a quick, mocking smile.
“Drowning my sorrow. You don’t expect me to sit at home and mope, do you?”
He said slowly: “I don’t understand you nowadays, Henrietta. You are quite different.”
Her face softened8. She said unexpectedly: “Darling Edward,” and gave his arm a quick squeeze.
Then she turned to Lucy Angkatell. “I can come back if I want to, can’t I, Lucy?”
Lady Angkatell said: “Of course, darling. And anyway there will be the inquest again in a
fortnight.”
Henrietta went to where she had parked the car in the market square. Her suitcases and Midge’s
were already inside.
They got in and drove off.
The car climbed the long hill and came out on the road over the ridge9. Below them the brown
and golden leaves shivered a little in the chill of a grey autumn day.
Midge said suddenly: “I’m glad to get away—even from Lucy. Darling as she is, she gives me
the creeps sometimes.”
Henrietta was looking intently into the small driving mirror.
She said rather inattentively:
“Lucy has to give the coloratura touch—even to murder.”
“You know, I’d never thought about murder before.”
“Why should you? It isn’t a thing one thinks about. It’s a six-letter word in a crossword10, or a
pleasant entertainment between the covers of a book. But the real thing—”
She paused. Midge finished:
“Is real. That is what startles one.”
Henrietta said:
“It needn’t be startling to you. You are outside it. Perhaps the only one of us who is.”
Midge said:
“We’re all outside it now. We’ve got away.”
Henrietta murmured: “Have we?”
She was looking in the driving mirror again. Suddenly she put her foot down on the accelerator.
The car responded. She glanced at the speedometer. They were doing over fifty. Presently the
needle reached sixty.
Midge looked sideways at Henrietta’s profile. It was not like Henrietta to drive recklessly. She
liked speed, but the winding11 road hardly justified12 the pace they were going. There was a grim
smile hovering13 round Henrietta’s mouth.
She said: “Look over your shoulder, Midge. See that car way back there?”
“Yes?”
“It’s a Ventnor 10.”
“Is it?” Midge was not particularly interested.
“They’re useful little cars, low petrol consumption, keep the road well, but they’re not fast.”
“No?”
Curious, thought Midge, how fascinated Henrietta always was by cars and their performance.
“As I say, they’re not fast—but that car, Midge, has managed to keep its distance although
we’ve been going over sixty.”
Midge turned a startled face to her.
“Do you mean that—”
Henrietta nodded. “The police, I believe, have special engines in very ordinary-looking cars.”
Midge said:
“You mean they’re still keeping an eye on us all?”
“It seems rather obvious.”
Midge shivered.
“Henrietta, can you understand the meaning of this second gun business?”
“No, it lets Gerda out. But beyond that it just doesn’t seem to add up to anything.”
“But, if it was one of Henry’s guns—”
“We don’t know that it was. It hasn’t been found yet, remember.”
“No, that’s true. It could be someone outside altogether. Do you know who I’d like to think
killed John, Henrietta? That woman.”
“Veronica Cray?”
“Yes.”
Henrietta said nothing. She drove on with her eyes fixed14 sternly on the road ahead of her.
“Don’t you think it’s possible?” persisted Midge.
“Possible, yes,” said Henrietta slowly.
“Then you don’t think—”
“It’s no good thinking a thing because you want to think it. It’s the perfect solution—letting all
of us out!”
“Us? But—”
“We’re in it—all of us. Even you, Midge darling—though they’d be hard put to it to find a
motive15 for your shooting John. Of course I’d like it to be Veronica. Nothing would please me
better than to see her giving a lovely performance, as Lucy would put it, in the dock!”
Midge shot a quick look at her.
“Tell me, Henrietta, does it all make you feel vindictive16?”
“You mean”—Henrietta paused a moment—“because I loved John?”
“Yes.”
As she spoke17, Midge realized with a slight sense of shock that this was the first time the bald
fact had been put into words. It had been accepted by them all, by Lucy and Henry, by Midge, by
Edward even, that Henrietta loved John Christow, but nobody had ever so much as hinted at the
fact in words before.
There was a pause whilst Henrietta seemed to be thinking. Then she said in a thoughtful voice:
“I can’t explain to you what I feel. Perhaps I don’t know myself.”
They were driving now over Albert Bridge.
Henrietta said:
“You’d better come to the studio, Midge. We’ll have tea, and I’ll drive you to your digs
afterwards.”
Here in London the short afternoon light was already fading. They drew up at the studio door
and Henrietta put her key into the door. She went in and switched on the light.
“It’s chilly,” she said. “We’d better light the gas fire. Oh, bother—I meant to get some matches
on the way.”
“Won’t a lighter18 do?”
“Mine’s no good, and anyway it’s difficult to light a gas fire with one. Make yourself at home.
There’s an old blind man stands on the corner. I usually get my matches off him. I shan’t be a
minute or two.”
Left alone in the studio, Midge wandered round looking at Henrietta’s work. It gave her an eerie19
feeling to be sharing the empty studio with these creations of wood and bronze.
There was a bronze head with high cheekbones and a tin hat, possibly a Red Army soldier, and
there was an airy structure of twisted ribbonlike aluminium20 which intrigued21 her a good deal. There
was a vast static frog in pinkish granite22, and at the end of the studio she came to an almost life-
sized wooden figure.
She was staring at it when Henrietta’s key turned in the door and Henrietta herself came in
slightly breathless.
Midge turned.
“What’s this, Henrietta? It’s rather frightening.”
“That? That’s The Worshipper. It’s going to the International Group.”
Midge repeated, staring at it:
“It’s frightening.”
Kneeling to light the gas fire, Henrietta said over her shoulder:
“It’s interesting your saying that. Why do you find it frightening?”
“I think—because it hasn’t any face.”
“How right you are, Midge.”
“It’s very good, Henrietta.”
Henrietta said lightly:
“It’s a nice bit of pearwood.”
She rose from her knees. She tossed her big satchel23 bag and her furs on to the divan24, and threw
down a couple of boxes of matches on the table.
Midge was struck by the expression on her face—it had a sudden quite inexplicable25 exultation26.
“Now for tea,” said Henrietta, and in her voice was the same warm jubilation27 that Midge had
already glimpsed in her face.
It struck an almost jarring note—but Midge forgot it in a train of thought aroused by the sight of
the two boxes of matches.
“You remember those matches Veronica Cray took away with her?”
“When Lucy insisted on foisting28 a whole half-dozen on her? Yes.”
“Did anyone ever find out whether she had matches in her cottage all the time?”
“I expect the police did. They’re very thorough.”
A faintly triumphant29 smile was curving Henrietta’s lips. Midge felt puzzled and almost repelled30.
She thought: “Can Henrietta really have cared for John? Can she? Surely not.”
And a faint desolate31 chill struck through her as she reflected:
“Edward will not have to wait very long….”
Ungenerous of her not to let that thought bring warmth. She wanted Edward to be happy, didn’t
she? It wasn’t as though she could have Edward herself. To Edward she would be always “little
Midge.” Never more than that. Never a woman to be loved.
Edward, unfortunately, was the faithful kind. Well, the faithful kind usually got what they
wanted in the end.
Edward and Henrietta at Ainswick… that was the proper ending to the story. Edward and
Henrietta living happy ever afterwards.
She could see it all very clearly.
“Cheer up, Midge,” said Henrietta. “You mustn’t let murder get you down. Shall we go out later
and have a spot of dinner together?”
But Midge said quickly that she must get back to her rooms. She had things to do—letters to
write. In fact, she’d better go as soon as she’d finished her cup of tea.
“All right. I’ll drive you there.”
“I could get a taxi.”
“Nonsense. Let’s use the car, as it’s there.”
They went out into damp evening air. As they drove past the end of the Mews Henrietta pointed32
out a car drawn33 in to the side.
“A Ventnor 10. Our shadow. You’ll see. He’ll follow us.”
“How beastly it all is!”
“Do you think so? I don’t really mind.”
Henrietta dropped Midge at her rooms and came back to the Mews and put her car away in the
garage.
Then she let herself into the studio once more.
For some minutes she stood abstractedly drumming with her fingers on the mantelpiece. Then
she sighed and murmured to herself:
“Well—to work. Better not waste time.”
She threw off her tweeds and got into her overall.
An hour and a half later she drew back and studied what she had done. There were dabs34 of clay
on her cheek and her hair was dishevelled, but she nodded approval at the model on the stand.
It was the rough similitude of a horse. The clay had been slapped on in great irregular lumps. It
was the kind of horse that would have given the colonel of a cavalry35 regiment36 apoplexy, so unlike
was it to any flesh and blood horse that had ever been foaled. It would also have distressed37
Henrietta’s Irish hunting forebears. Nevertheless it was a horse—a horse conceived in the abstract.
Henrietta wondered what Inspector38 Grange would think of it if he ever saw it, and her mouth
widened a little in amusement as she pictured his face.

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1 anticlimax Penyh     
n.令人扫兴的结局;突降法
参考例句:
  • Travelling in Europe was something of an anticlimax after the years he'd spent in Africa.他在非洲生活了多年,到欧洲旅行真是有点太平淡了。
  • It was an anticlimax when they abandoned the game.他们放弃比赛,真是扫兴。
2 adjourned 1e5a5e61da11d317191a820abad1664d     
(使)休会, (使)休庭( adjourn的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • The court adjourned for lunch. 午餐时间法庭休庭。
  • The trial was adjourned following the presentation of new evidence to the court. 新证据呈到庭上后,审讯就宣告暂停。
3 distressing cuTz30     
a.使人痛苦的
参考例句:
  • All who saw the distressing scene revolted against it. 所有看到这种悲惨景象的人都对此感到难过。
  • It is distressing to see food being wasted like this. 这样浪费粮食令人痛心。
4 swarming db600a2d08b872102efc8fbe05f047f9     
密集( swarm的现在分词 ); 云集; 成群地移动; 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去
参考例句:
  • The sacks of rice were swarming with bugs. 一袋袋的米里长满了虫子。
  • The beach is swarming with bathers. 海滩满是海水浴的人。
5 momentary hj3ya     
adj.片刻的,瞬息的;短暂的
参考例句:
  • We are in momentary expectation of the arrival of you.我们无时无刻不在盼望你的到来。
  • I caught a momentary glimpse of them.我瞥了他们一眼。
6 irritably e3uxw     
ad.易生气地
参考例句:
  • He lost his temper and snapped irritably at the children. 他发火了,暴躁地斥责孩子们。
  • On this account the silence was irritably broken by a reproof. 为了这件事,他妻子大声斥责,令人恼火地打破了宁静。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
7 vaguely BfuzOy     
adv.含糊地,暖昧地
参考例句:
  • He had talked vaguely of going to work abroad.他含糊其词地说了到国外工作的事。
  • He looked vaguely before him with unseeing eyes.他迷迷糊糊的望着前面,对一切都视而不见。
8 softened 19151c4e3297eb1618bed6a05d92b4fe     
(使)变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 ); 缓解打击; 缓和; 安慰
参考例句:
  • His smile softened slightly. 他的微笑稍柔和了些。
  • The ice cream softened and began to melt. 冰淇淋开始变软并开始融化。
9 ridge KDvyh     
n.山脊;鼻梁;分水岭
参考例句:
  • We clambered up the hillside to the ridge above.我们沿着山坡费力地爬上了山脊。
  • The infantry were advancing to attack the ridge.步兵部队正在向前挺进攻打山脊。
10 crossword VvOzBj     
n.纵横字谜,纵横填字游戏
参考例句:
  • He shows a great interest in crossword puzzles.他对填字游戏表现出很大兴趣。
  • Don't chuck yesterday's paper out.I still haven't done the crossword.别扔了昨天的报纸,我还没做字谜游戏呢。
11 winding Ue7z09     
n.绕,缠,绕组,线圈
参考例句:
  • A winding lane led down towards the river.一条弯弯曲曲的小路通向河边。
  • The winding trail caused us to lose our orientation.迂回曲折的小道使我们迷失了方向。
12 justified 7pSzrk     
a.正当的,有理的
参考例句:
  • She felt fully justified in asking for her money back. 她认为有充分的理由要求退款。
  • The prisoner has certainly justified his claims by his actions. 那个囚犯确实已用自己的行动表明他的要求是正当的。
13 hovering 99fdb695db3c202536060470c79b067f     
鸟( hover的现在分词 ); 靠近(某事物); (人)徘徊; 犹豫
参考例句:
  • The helicopter was hovering about 100 metres above the pad. 直升机在离发射台一百米的上空盘旋。
  • I'm hovering between the concert and the play tonight. 我犹豫不决今晚是听音乐会还是看戏。
14 fixed JsKzzj     
adj.固定的,不变的,准备好的;(计算机)固定的
参考例句:
  • Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗?
  • Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定,我们就不应该随意改变。
15 motive GFzxz     
n.动机,目的;adv.发动的,运动的
参考例句:
  • The police could not find a motive for the murder.警察不能找到谋杀的动机。
  • He had some motive in telling this fable.他讲这寓言故事是有用意的。
16 vindictive FL3zG     
adj.有报仇心的,怀恨的,惩罚的
参考例句:
  • I have no vindictive feelings about it.我对此没有恶意。
  • The vindictive little girl tore up her sister's papers.那个充满报复心的小女孩撕破了她姐姐的作业。
17 spoke XryyC     
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说
参考例句:
  • They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
  • The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
18 lighter 5pPzPR     
n.打火机,点火器;驳船;v.用驳船运送;light的比较级
参考例句:
  • The portrait was touched up so as to make it lighter.这张画经过润色,色调明朗了一些。
  • The lighter works off the car battery.引燃器利用汽车蓄电池打火。
19 eerie N8gy0     
adj.怪诞的;奇异的;可怕的;胆怯的
参考例句:
  • It's eerie to walk through a dark wood at night.夜晚在漆黑的森林中行走很是恐怖。
  • I walked down the eerie dark path.我走在那条漆黑恐怖的小路上。
20 aluminium uLjyc     
n.铝 (=aluminum)
参考例句:
  • Aluminium looks heavy but actually it is very light.铝看起来很重,实际上却很轻。
  • If necessary, we can use aluminium instead of steel.如果必要,我们可用铝代钢。
21 intrigued 7acc2a75074482e2b408c60187e27c73     
adj.好奇的,被迷住了的v.搞阴谋诡计(intrigue的过去式);激起…的兴趣或好奇心;“intrigue”的过去式和过去分词
参考例句:
  • You've really intrigued me—tell me more! 你说的真有意思—再给我讲一些吧!
  • He was intrigued by her story. 他被她的故事迷住了。
22 granite Kyqyu     
adj.花岗岩,花岗石
参考例句:
  • They squared a block of granite.他们把一块花岗岩加工成四方形。
  • The granite overlies the older rocks.花岗岩躺在磨损的岩石上面。
23 satchel dYVxO     
n.(皮或帆布的)书包
参考例句:
  • The school boy opened the door and flung his satchel in.那个男学生打开门,把他的书包甩了进去。
  • She opened her satchel and took out her father's gloves.打开书箱,取出了她父亲的手套来。
24 divan L8Byv     
n.长沙发;(波斯或其他东方诗人的)诗集
参考例句:
  • Lord Henry stretched himself out on the divan and laughed.亨利勋爵伸手摊脚地躺在沙发椅上,笑着。
  • She noticed that Muffat was sitting resignedly on a narrow divan-bed.她看见莫法正垂头丧气地坐在一张不宽的坐床上。
25 inexplicable tbCzf     
adj.无法解释的,难理解的
参考例句:
  • It is now inexplicable how that development was misinterpreted.当时对这一事态发展的错误理解究竟是怎么产生的,现在已经无法说清楚了。
  • There are many things which are inexplicable by science.有很多事科学还无法解释。
26 exultation wzeyn     
n.狂喜,得意
参考例句:
  • It made him catch his breath, it lit his face with exultation. 听了这个名字,他屏住呼吸,乐得脸上放光。
  • He could get up no exultation that was really worthy the name. 他一点都激动不起来。
27 jubilation UaCzI     
n.欢庆,喜悦
参考例句:
  • The goal was greeted by jubilation from the home fans.主场球迷为进球欢呼。
  • The whole city was a scene of jubilation.全市一片欢腾。
28 foisting 32156d10e387ae35b7f4f0936a24e134     
强迫接受,把…强加于( foist的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • That's your fault for foisting the brute on us. 你真不该把那个畜生带到咱们这个圈子里来!
29 triumphant JpQys     
adj.胜利的,成功的;狂欢的,喜悦的
参考例句:
  • The army made a triumphant entry into the enemy's capital.部队胜利地进入了敌方首都。
  • There was a positively triumphant note in her voice.她的声音里带有一种极为得意的语气。
30 repelled 1f6f5c5c87abe7bd26a5c5deddd88c92     
v.击退( repel的过去式和过去分词 );使厌恶;排斥;推开
参考例句:
  • They repelled the enemy. 他们击退了敌军。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The minister tremulously, but decidedly, repelled the old man's arm. 而丁梅斯代尔牧师却哆里哆嗦地断然推开了那老人的胳臂。 来自英汉文学 - 红字
31 desolate vmizO     
adj.荒凉的,荒芜的;孤独的,凄凉的;v.使荒芜,使孤寂
参考例句:
  • The city was burned into a desolate waste.那座城市被烧成一片废墟。
  • We all felt absolutely desolate when she left.她走后,我们都觉得万分孤寂。
32 pointed Il8zB4     
adj.尖的,直截了当的
参考例句:
  • He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
  • She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。
33 drawn MuXzIi     
v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的
参考例句:
  • All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
  • Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。
34 dabs 32dc30a20249eadb50ca16023088da55     
少许( dab的名词复数 ); 是…能手; 做某事很在行; 在某方面技术熟练
参考例句:
  • Each of us had two dabs of butter. 我们每人吃了两小块黄油。
  • He made a few dabs at the fence with the paint but didn't really paint it. 他用颜料轻刷栅栏,但一点也没刷上。
35 cavalry Yr3zb     
n.骑兵;轻装甲部队
参考例句:
  • We were taken in flank by a troop of cavalry. 我们翼侧受到一队骑兵的袭击。
  • The enemy cavalry rode our men down. 敌人的骑兵撞倒了我们的人。
36 regiment JATzZ     
n.团,多数,管理;v.组织,编成团,统制
参考例句:
  • As he hated army life,he decide to desert his regiment.因为他嫌恶军队生活,所以他决心背弃自己所在的那个团。
  • They reformed a division into a regiment.他们将一个师整编成为一个团。
37 distressed du1z3y     
痛苦的
参考例句:
  • He was too distressed and confused to answer their questions. 他非常苦恼而困惑,无法回答他们的问题。
  • The news of his death distressed us greatly. 他逝世的消息使我们极为悲痛。
38 inspector q6kxH     
n.检查员,监察员,视察员
参考例句:
  • The inspector was interested in everything pertaining to the school.视察员对有关学校的一切都感兴趣。
  • The inspector was shining a flashlight onto the tickets.查票员打着手电筒查看车票。

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