赫尔克里·波洛的丰功伟绩08

时间：2024-12-31 10:17:31

（单词翻译:单击）

VIII
Sir Joseph received Hercule Poirot in his study. He said:
“Well, Mr. Poirot? Made your boast good?”
“Let me first ask you a question,” said Poirot as he seated himself. “I know who the criminal
is and I think it possible that I can produce sufficient evidence to convict this person. But in that
case I doubt if you will ever recover your money.”
“Not get back my money?”
Sir Joseph turned purple.
Hercule Poirot went on:
“But I am not a policeman. I am acting1 in this case solely2 in your interests. I could, I think,
recover your money intact, if no proceedings3 were taken.”
“Eh?” said Sir Joseph. “That needs a bit of thinking about.”
“It is entirely4 for you to decide. Strictly5 speaking, I suppose you ought to prosecute6 in the
public interest. Most people would say so.”
“I dare say they would,” said Sir Joseph sharply. “It wouldn’t be their money that had gone
west. If there’s one thing I hate it’s to be swindled. Nobody’s ever swindled me and got away
with it.”
“Well then, what do you decide?”
Sir Joseph hit the table with his fist.
“I’ll have the brass7! Nobody’s going to say they got away with two hundred pounds of my
money.”
Hercule Poirot rose, crossed to the writing table, wrote out a cheque for two hundred pounds
and handed it to the other man.
Sir Joseph said in a weak voice:
“Well, I’m damned! Who the devil is this fellow?”
Poirot shook his head.
“If you accept the money, there must be no questions asked.”
Sir Joseph folded up the cheque and put it in his pocket.
“That’s a pity. But the money’s the thing. And what do I owe you, Mr. Poirot?”
“My fees will not be high. This was, as I said, a very unimportant matter.” He paused—and
added, “Nowadays nearly all my cases are murder cases. . . .”
Sir Joseph started slightly.
“Must be interesting?” he said.
“Sometimes. Curiously8 enough, you recall to me one of my earlier cases in Belgium, many
years ago—the chief protagonist9 was very like you in appearance. He was a wealthy soap
manufacturer. He poisoned his wife in order to be free to marry his secretary . . . Yes—the
resemblance is very remarkable10. . . .”
A faint sound came from Sir Joseph’s lips—they had gone a queer blue colour. All the ruddy
hue11 had faded from his cheeks. His eyes, starting out of his head, stared at Poirot. He slipped down
a little in his chair.
Then, with a shaking hand, he fumbled12 in his pocket. He drew out the cheque and tore it into
pieces.
“That’s washed out—see? Consider it as your fee.”
“Oh but, Sir Joseph, my fee would not have been as large as that.”
“That’s all right. You keep it.”
“I shall send it to a deserving charity.”
“Send it anywhere you damn well like.”
Poirot leaned forward. He said:
“I think I need hardly point out, Sir Joseph, that in your position, you would do well to be
exceedingly careful.”
Sir Joseph said, his voice almost inaudible:
“You needn’t worry. I shall be careful all right.”
Hercule Poirot left the house. As he went down the steps he said to himself:
“So—I was right.”

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1 acting czRzoc     
n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的
参考例句：
  • Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
  • During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。
2 solely FwGwe     
adv.仅仅，唯一地
参考例句：
  • Success should not be measured solely by educational achievement.成功与否不应只用学业成绩来衡量。
  • The town depends almost solely on the tourist trade.这座城市几乎完全靠旅游业维持。
3 proceedings Wk2zvX     
n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报
参考例句：
  • He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
  • to initiate legal proceedings against sb 对某人提起诉讼
4 entirely entirely     
ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地
参考例句：
  • The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
  • His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。
5 strictly GtNwe     
adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地
参考例句：
  • His doctor is dieting him strictly.他的医生严格规定他的饮食。
  • The guests were seated strictly in order of precedence.客人严格按照地位高低就座。
6 prosecute d0Mzn     
vt.告发；进行；vi.告发，起诉，作检察官
参考例句：
  • I am trying my best to prosecute my duties.我正在尽力履行我的职责。
  • Is there enough evidence to prosecute?有没有起诉的足够证据？
7 brass DWbzI     
n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器
参考例句：
  • Many of the workers play in the factory's brass band.许多工人都在工厂铜管乐队中演奏。
  • Brass is formed by the fusion of copper and zinc.黄铜是通过铜和锌的熔合而成的。
8 curiously 3v0zIc     
adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地
参考例句：
  • He looked curiously at the people.他好奇地看着那些人。
  • He took long stealthy strides. His hands were curiously cold.他迈着悄没声息的大步。他的双手出奇地冷。
9 protagonist mBVyN     
n.(思想观念的)倡导者；主角，主人公
参考例句：
  • The protagonist reforms in the end and avoids his proper punishment.戏剧主角最后改过自新并避免了他应受的惩罚。
  • He is the model for the protagonist in the play.剧本中的主人公就是以他为模特儿创作的！
10 remarkable 8Vbx6     
adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的
参考例句：
  • She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
  • These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。
11 hue qdszS     
n.色度；色调；样子
参考例句：
  • The diamond shone with every hue under the sun.金刚石在阳光下放出五颜六色的光芒。
  • The same hue will look different in different light.同一颜色在不同的光线下看起来会有所不同。
12 fumbled 78441379bedbe3ea49c53fb90c34475f     
（笨拙地）摸索或处理（某事物）( fumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 乱摸，笨拙地弄； 使落下
参考例句：
  • She fumbled in her pocket for a handkerchief. 她在她口袋里胡乱摸找手帕。
  • He fumbled about in his pockets for the ticket. 他（瞎）摸着衣兜找票。

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