赫尔克里·波洛的丰功伟绩23

时间：2024-12-31 11:16:19

（单词翻译:单击）

II
To be received by a hotel manager correctly garbed1 in frock coat and patent leather shoes seemed
somehow ludicrous in this out of the world, or rather above-the-world, spot.
The manager was a big handsome man, with an important manner. He was very apologetic.
So early in the season . . . the hot-water system was out of order . . . things were hardly in
running order . . . Naturally, he would do everything he could . . . Not a full staff yet . . . He was
quite confused by the unexpected number of visitors.
It all came rolling out with professional urbanity and yet it seemed to Poirot that behind the
urbane2 façade he caught a glimpse of some poignant3 anxiety. This man, for all his easy manner,
was not at ease. He was worried about something.
Lunch was served in a long room overlooking the valley far below. The solitary4 waiter,
addressed as Gustave, was skilful5 and adroit6. He darted7 here and there, advising on the menu,
whipping out his wine list. The three horsy men sat at a table together. They laughed and talked in
French, their voices rising.
Good old Joseph!—What about the little Denise, mon vieux?—Do you remember that sacré
pig of a horse that let us all down at Auteuil?
It was all very hearty8, very much in character—and incongruously out of place!
The woman with the beautiful face sat alone at a table in the corner. She looked at no one.
Afterwards, as Poirot was sitting in the lounge, the manager came to him and was
confidential9.
Monsieur must not judge the hotel too hardly. It was out of the season. No one came here till
the end of July. That lady, Monsieur had noticed her, perhaps? She came at this time every year.
Her husband had been killed climbing three years ago. It was very sad. They had been very
devoted10. She came here always before the season commenced—so as to be quiet. It was a sacred
pilgrimage. The elderly gentleman was a famous doctor, Dr. Karl Lutz, from Vienna. He had
come here, so he said, for quiet and
repose11.
“It is peaceful, yes,” agreed Hercule Poirot. “And ces Messieurs there?” He indicated the
three horsy men. “Do they also seek repose, do you think?”
The manager shrugged12 his shoulders. Again there appeared in his eyes that worried look. He
said vaguely13:
“Ah, the tourists, they wish always a new experience . . . The altitude—that alone is a new
sensation.”
It was not, Poirot thought, a very pleasant sensation. He was conscious of his own rapidly
beating heart. The lines of a nursery rhyme ran idiotically through his mind. “Up above the world
so high, Like a tea tray in the sky.”
Schwartz came into the lounge. His eyes brightened when he saw Poirot. He came over to
him at once.
“I’ve been talking to that doctor. He speaks English after a fashion. He’s a Jew—been turned
out of Austria by the Nazis14. Say, I guess those people are just crazy! This Doctor Lutz was quite a
big man, I gather—nerve specialist—psychoanalysis—that kind of stuff.”
His eyes went to where the tall woman was looking out of a window at remorseless
mountains. He lowered his voice.
“I got her name from the waiter. She’s a Madame Grandier. Her husband was killed climbing.
That’s why she comes here. I sort of feel, don’t you, that we ought to do something about it—try
to take her out of herself?”
Hercule Poirot said:
“If I were you I should not attempt it.”
But the friendliness15 of Mr. Schwartz was indefatigable16.
Poirot saw him make his overtures17, saw the remorseless way in which they were rebuffed.
The two stood together for a minute silhouetted18 against the light. The woman was taller than
Schwartz. Her head was thrown back and her expression was cold and forbidding.
He did not hear what she said, but Schwartz came back looking crestfallen19.
“Nothing doing,” he said. He added wistfully: “Seems to me that as we’re all human beings
together there’s no reason we shouldn’t be friendly to one another. Don’t you agree, Mr.—You
know, I don’t know your name?”
“My name,” said Poirot, “is Poirier.” He added: “I am a silk merchant from Lyons.”
“I’d like to give you my card, M. Poirier, and if ever you come to Fountain Springs you’ll be
sure of a welcome.”
Poirot accepted the card, clapped his hand to his own pocket, murmured:
“Alas, I have not a card on me at the moment. . . .”
That night, when he went to bed, Poirot read through Lementeuil’s letter carefully, before
replacing it, neatly20 folded, in his wallet. As he got into bed he said to himself:
“It is curious—I wonder if. . . .”

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1 garbed 444f7292bad50cd579f38d7c8c5f1345     
v.（尤指某类人穿的特定）服装，衣服，制服( garb的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • The widow was garbed in black. 那寡妇穿着黑衣服。 来自辞典例句
  • He garbed himself as a sailor. 他装扮成水手。 来自辞典例句
2 urbane GKUzG     
adj.温文尔雅的，懂礼的
参考例句：
  • He tried hard to be urbane.他极力作出彬彬有礼的神态。
  • Despite the crisis,the chairman's voice was urbane as usual.尽管处于危机之中，董事长的声音还象通常一样温文尔雅。
3 poignant FB1yu     
adj.令人痛苦的，辛酸的，惨痛的
参考例句：
  • His lyrics are as acerbic and poignant as they ever have been.他的歌词一如既往的犀利辛辣。
  • It is especially poignant that he died on the day before his wedding.他在婚礼前一天去世了，这尤其令人悲恸。
4 solitary 7FUyx     
adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士
参考例句：
  • I am rather fond of a solitary stroll in the country.我颇喜欢在乡间独自徜徉。
  • The castle rises in solitary splendour on the fringe of the desert.这座城堡巍然耸立在沙漠的边际，显得十分壮美。
5 skilful 8i2zDY     
(=skillful)adj.灵巧的，熟练的
参考例句：
  • The more you practise,the more skilful you'll become.练习的次数越多，熟练的程度越高。
  • He's not very skilful with his chopsticks.他用筷子不大熟练。
6 adroit zxszv     
adj.熟练的，灵巧的
参考例句：
  • Jamie was adroit at flattering others.杰米很会拍马屁。
  • His adroit replies to hecklers won him many followers.他对质问者的机敏应答使他赢得了很多追随者。
7 darted d83f9716cd75da6af48046d29f4dd248     
v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔
参考例句：
  • The lizard darted out its tongue at the insect. 蜥蜴伸出舌头去吃小昆虫。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The old man was displeased and darted an angry look at me. 老人不高兴了，瞪了我一眼。 来自《简明英汉词典》
8 hearty Od1zn     
adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的
参考例句：
  • After work they made a hearty meal in the worker's canteen.工作完了，他们在工人食堂饱餐了一顿。
  • We accorded him a hearty welcome.我们给他热忱的欢迎。
9 confidential MOKzA     
adj.秘（机）密的，表示信任的，担任机密工作的
参考例句：
  • He refused to allow his secretary to handle confidential letters.他不让秘书处理机密文件。
  • We have a confidential exchange of views.我们推心置腹地交换意见。
10 devoted xu9zka     
adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的
参考例句：
  • He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
  • We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。
11 repose KVGxQ     
v.(使)休息；n.安息
参考例句：
  • Don't disturb her repose.不要打扰她休息。
  • Her mouth seemed always to be smiling,even in repose.她的嘴角似乎总是挂着微笑，即使在睡眠时也是这样。
12 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》
13 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。
14 Nazis 39168f65c976085afe9099ea0411e9a5     
n.（德国的）纳粹党员( Nazi的名词复数 )；纳粹主义
参考例句：
  • The Nazis worked them over with gun butts. 纳粹分子用枪托毒打他们。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The Nazis were responsible for the mass murder of Jews during World War Ⅱ. 纳粹必须为第二次世界大战中对犹太人的大屠杀负责。 来自《简明英汉词典》
15 friendliness nsHz8c     
n.友谊，亲切，亲密
参考例句：
  • Behind the mask of friendliness,I know he really dislikes me.在友善的面具后面，我知道他其实并不喜欢我。
  • His manner was a blend of friendliness and respect.他的态度友善且毕恭毕敬。
16 indefatigable F8pxA     
adj.不知疲倦的，不屈不挠的
参考例句：
  • His indefatigable spirit helped him to cope with his illness.他不屈不挠的精神帮助他对抗病魔。
  • He was indefatigable in his lectures on the aesthetics of love.在讲授关于爱情的美学时，他是不知疲倦的。
17 overtures 0ed0d32776ccf6fae49696706f6020ad     
n.主动的表示，提议；（向某人做出的）友好表示、姿态或提议( overture的名词复数 )；（歌剧、芭蕾舞、音乐剧等的）序曲，前奏曲
参考例句：
  • Their government is making overtures for peace. 他们的政府正在提出和平建议。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He had lately begun to make clumsy yet endearing overtures of friendship. 最近他开始主动表示友好，样子笨拙却又招人喜爱。 来自辞典例句
18 silhouetted 4f4f3ccd0698303d7829ad553dcf9eef     
显出轮廓的，显示影像的
参考例句：
  • We could see a church silhouetted against the skyline. 我们可以看到一座教堂凸现在天际。
  • The stark jagged rocks were silhouetted against the sky. 光秃嶙峋的岩石衬托着天空的背景矗立在那里。
19 crestfallen Aagy0     
adj. 挫败的，失望的，沮丧的
参考例句：
  • He gathered himself up and sneaked off,crushed and crestfallen.他爬起来，偷偷地溜了，一副垂头丧气、被斗败的样子。
  • The youth looked exceedingly crestfallen.那青年看上去垂头丧气极了。
20 neatly ynZzBp     
adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地
参考例句：
  • Sailors know how to wind up a long rope neatly.水手们知道怎样把一条大绳利落地缠好。
  • The child's dress is neatly gathered at the neck.那孩子的衣服在领口处打着整齐的皱褶。

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