赫尔克里·波洛的丰功伟绩05

时间：2024-12-31 10:16:27

（单词翻译:单击）

IV
The drawing room of Mrs. Samuelson was larger, more lavishly1 furnished, and enjoyed an even
more stifling2 amount of central heating than that of Lady Hoggin. Hercule Poirot picked his way
giddily amongst gilded3 console tables and large groups of
statuary.
Mrs. Samuelson was taller than Lady Hoggin and her hair was dyed with peroxide. Her
Pekinese was called Nanki Poo. His bulging4 eyes surveyed Hercule Poirot with arrogance5.
Miss Keble, Mrs. Samuelson’s companion, was thin and scraggy where Miss Carnaby had been
plump, but she also was voluble and slightly breathless. She, too, had been blamed for Nanki
Poo’s disappearance6.
“But really, Mr. Poirot, it was the most amazing thing. It all happened in a second. Outside
Harrods it was. A nurse there asked me the time—”
Poirot interrupted her.
“A nurse? A hospital nurse?”
“No, no—a children’s nurse. Such a sweet baby it was, too! A dear little mite7. Such lovely
rosy8 cheeks. They say children don’t look healthy in London, but I’m sure—”
“Ellen,” said Mrs. Samuelson.
Miss Keble blushed, stammered9, and subsided10 into silence.
Mrs. Samuelson said acidly:
“And while Miss Keble was bending over a perambulator that had nothing to do with her, this
audacious villain11 cut Nanki Poo’s lead and made off with him.”
Miss Keble murmured tearfully:
“It all happened in a second. I looked round and the darling boy was gone—there was just the
dangling12 lead in my hand. Perhaps you’d like to see the lead, Mr. Poirot?”
“By no means,” said Poirot hastily. He had no wish to make a collection of cut dog leads. “I
understand,” he went on, “that shortly afterwards you received a letter?”
The story followed the same course exactly—the letter—the threats of violence to Nanki
Poo’s ears and tail. Only two things were different—the sum of money demanded—£300—and the
address to which it was to be sent: this time it was to Commander Blackleigh, Harrington Hotel,
76 Clonmel Gardens, Kensington.
Mrs. Samuelson went on:
“When Nanki Poo was safely back again, I went to the place myself, Mr. Poirot. After all,
three hundred pounds is three hundred pounds.”
“Certainly it is.”
“The very first thing I saw was my letter enclosing the money in a kind of rack in the hall.
Whilst I was waiting for the proprietress I slipped it into my bag. Unfortunately—”
Poirot said: “Unfortunately, when you opened it it contained only blank sheets of paper.”
“How did you know?” Mrs. Samuelson turned on him with awe13.
Poirot shrugged14 his shoulders.
“Obviously, chère Madame, the thief would take care to recover the money before he
returned the dog. He would then replace the notes with blank paper and return the letter to the rack
in case its absence should be noticed.”
“No such person as Commander Blackleigh had ever stayed there.”
Poirot smiled.
“And of course, my husband was extremely annoyed about the whole thing. In fact, he was
livid—absolutely livid!”
Poirot murmured cautiously:
“You did not—er—consult him before dispatching the money?”
“Certainly not,” said Mrs. Samuelson with decision.
Poirot looked a question. The lady explained.
“I wouldn’t have risked it for a moment. Men are so extraordinary when it’s a question of
money. Jacob would have insisted on going to the police. I couldn’t risk that. My poor darling
Nanki Poo. Anything might have happened to him! Of course, I had to tell my husband afterwards,
because I had to explain why I was overdrawn15 at the Bank.”
Poirot murmured:
“Quite so—quite so.”
“And I have really never seen him so angry. Men,” said Mrs. Samuelson, rearranging her
handsome diamond bracelet16 and turning her rings on her fingers, “think of nothing but money.”

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1 lavishly VpqzBo     
adv.慷慨地，大方地
参考例句：
  • His house was lavishly adorned.他的屋子装饰得很华丽。
  • The book is lavishly illustrated in full colour.这本书里有大量全彩插图。
2 stifling dhxz7C     
a.令人窒息的
参考例句：
  • The weather is stifling. It looks like rain. 今天太闷热，光景是要下雨。
  • We were stifling in that hot room with all the windows closed. 我们在那间关着窗户的热屋子里，简直透不过气来。
3 gilded UgxxG     
a.镀金的，富有的
参考例句：
  • The golden light gilded the sea. 金色的阳光使大海如金子般闪闪发光。
  • "Friends, they are only gilded disks of lead!" "朋友们，这只不过是些镀金的铅饼！ 来自英汉文学 - 败坏赫德莱堡
4 bulging daa6dc27701a595ab18024cbb7b30c25     
膨胀； 凸出（部）； 打气； 折皱
参考例句：
  • Her pockets were bulging with presents. 她的口袋里装满了礼物。
  • Conscious of the bulging red folder, Nim told her,"Ask if it's important." 尼姆想到那个鼓鼓囊囊的红色文件夹便告诉她：“问问是不是重要的事。”
5 arrogance pNpyD     
n.傲慢，自大
参考例句：
  • His arrogance comes out in every speech he makes.他每次讲话都表现得骄傲自大。
  • Arrogance arrested his progress.骄傲阻碍了他的进步。
6 disappearance ouEx5     
n.消失，消散，失踪
参考例句：
  • He was hard put to it to explain her disappearance.他难以说明她为什么不见了。
  • Her disappearance gave rise to the wildest rumours.她失踪一事引起了各种流言蜚语。
7 mite 4Epxw     
n.极小的东西；小铜币
参考例句：
  • The poor mite was so ill.可怜的孩子病得这么重。
  • He is a mite taller than I.他比我高一点点。
8 rosy kDAy9     
adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的
参考例句：
  • She got a new job and her life looks rosy.她找到一份新工作，生活看上去很美好。
  • She always takes a rosy view of life.她总是对生活持乐观态度。
9 stammered 76088bc9384c91d5745fd550a9d81721     
v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • He stammered most when he was nervous. 他一紧张往往口吃。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • Barsad leaned back in his chair, and stammered, \"What do you mean?\" 巴萨往椅背上一靠，结结巴巴地说，“你是什么意思？” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
10 subsided 1bda21cef31764468020a8c83598cc0d     
v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的过去式和过去分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上
参考例句：
  • After the heavy rains part of the road subsided. 大雨过后，部分公路塌陷了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • By evening the storm had subsided and all was quiet again. 傍晚， 暴风雨已经过去，四周开始沉寂下来。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
11 villain ZL1zA     
n.反派演员，反面人物；恶棍；问题的起因
参考例句：
  • He was cast as the villain in the play.他在戏里扮演反面角色。
  • The man who played the villain acted very well.扮演恶棍的那个男演员演得很好。
12 dangling 4930128e58930768b1c1c75026ebc649     
悬吊着( dangle的现在分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口
参考例句：
  • The tooth hung dangling by the bedpost, now. 结果，那颗牙就晃来晃去吊在床柱上了。
  • The children sat on the high wall,their legs dangling. 孩子们坐在一堵高墙上，摇晃着他们的双腿。
13 awe WNqzC     
n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧
参考例句：
  • The sight filled us with awe.这景色使我们大为惊叹。
  • The approaching tornado struck awe in our hearts.正在逼近的龙卷风使我们惊恐万分。
14 shrugged 497904474a48f991a3d1961b0476ebce     
vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式）
参考例句：
  • Sam shrugged and said nothing. 萨姆耸耸肩膀，什么也没说。
  • She shrugged, feigning nonchalance. 她耸耸肩，装出一副无所谓的样子。 来自《简明英汉词典》
15 overdrawn 4eb10eff40c3bcd30842eb8b379808ff     
透支( overdraw的过去分词 )； (overdraw的过去分词)
参考例句：
  • The characters in this novel are rather overdrawn. 这本小说中的人物描写得有些夸张。
  • His account of the bank robbery is somewhat overdrawn. 他对银行抢案的叙述有些夸张。
16 bracelet nWdzD     
n.手镯，臂镯
参考例句：
  • The jeweler charges lots of money to set diamonds in a bracelet.珠宝匠要很多钱才肯把钻石镶在手镯上。
  • She left her gold bracelet as a pledge.她留下她的金手镯作抵押品。

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