赫尔克里·波洛的丰功伟绩38

时间：2024-12-31 11:21:29

（单词翻译:单击）

Seven
THE CRETAN BULL
Hercule Poirot looked thoughtfully at his visitor.
He saw a pale face with a determined1 looking chin, eyes that were more grey than blue, and
hair that was of that real blue-black shade so seldom seen—the hyacinthine locks of ancient
Greece.
He noted2 the well-cut, but also well-worn, country tweeds, the shabby handbag, and the
unconscious arrogance3 of manner that lay behind the girl’s obvious nervousness. He thought to
himself:
“Ah yes, she is ‘the County’—but no money! And it must be something quite out of the way
that would bring her to me.”
Diana Maberly said, and her voice shook a little:
“I—I don’t know whether you can help me or not, M. Poirot. It’s—it’s a very extraordinary
position.”
Poirot said:
“But yes? Tell me?”
Diana Maberly said:
“I’ve come to you because I don’t know what to do! I don’t even know if there is anything to
do!”
“Will you let me be the judge of that?”
The colour surged suddenly into the girl’s face. She said rapidly and breathlessly:
“I’ve come to you because the man I’ve been engaged to for over a year has broken off our
engagement.”
She stopped and eyed him defiantly5.
“You must think,” she said, “that I’m completely mental.”
Slowly, Hercule Poirot shook his head.
“On the contrary, Mademoiselle, I have no doubt whatever but that you are extremely
intelligent. It is certainly not my métier in life to patch up the lovers’ quarrels, and I know very
well that you are quite aware of that. It is, therefore, that there is something unusual about the
breaking of this engagement. That is so, is it not?”
The girl nodded. She said in a clear, precise voice:
“Hugh broke off our engagement because he thinks he is going mad. He thinks people who
are mad should not marry.”
Hercule Poirot’s eyebrows6 rose a little.
“And do you not agree?”
“I don’t know . . . What is being mad, after all? Everyone is a little mad.”
“It has been said so,” Poirot agreed cautiously.
“It’s only when you begin thinking you’re a poached egg or something that they have to shut
you up.”
“And your fiancé has not reached that stage?”
Diana Maberly said:
“I can’t see that there’s anything wrong with Hugh at all. He’s, oh, he’s the sanest7 person I
know. Sound—dependable—”
“Then why does he think he is going mad?”
Poirot paused a moment before going on.
“Is there, perhaps, madness in his family?”
Reluctantly Diana jerked her head in assent8. She said:
“His grandfather was mental, I believe—and some great-aunt or other. But what I say is, that
every family has got someone queer in it. You know, a bit half-witted or extra clever or
something!”
Her eyes were appealing.
Hercule Poirot shook his head sadly. He said:
“I am very sorry for you, Mademoiselle.”
Her chin shot out. She cried:
“I don’t want you to be sorry for me! I want you to do something!”
“What do you want me to do?”
“I don’t know—but there’s something wrong.”
“Will you tell me, Mademoiselle, all about your fiancé?”
Diana spoke9 rapidly:
“His name is Hugh Chandler. He’s twenty-four. His father is Admiral Chandler. They live at
Lyde Manor10. It’s been in the Chandler family since the time of Elizabeth. Hugh’s the only son. He
went into the Navy—all the Chandlers are sailors—it’s a sort of tradition—ever since Sir Gilbert
Chandler sailed with Sir Walter Raleigh in fifteen-something-or-other. Hugh went into the Navy as
a matter of course. His father wouldn’t have heard of anything else. And yet—and yet, it was his
father who insisted on getting him out of it!”
“When was that?”
“Nearly a year ago. Quite suddenly.”
“Was Hugh Chandler happy in his profession?”
“Absolutely.”
“There was no scandal of any kind?”
“About Hugh? Absolutely nothing. He was getting on splendidly. He—he couldn’t
understand his father.”
“What reason did Admiral Chandler himself give?”
Diana said slowly:
“He never really gave a reason. Oh! he said it was necessary Hugh should learn to manage
the estate—but—but that was only a pretext11. Even George Frobisher realized that.”
“Who is George Frobisher?”
“Colonel Frobisher. He’s Admiral Chandler’s oldest friend and Hugh’s godfather. He spends
most of his time down at the Manor.”
“And what did Colonel Frobisher think of Admiral Chandler’s determination that his son
should leave the Navy?”
“He was dumbfounded. He couldn’t understand it at all. Nobody could.”
“Not even Hugh Chandler himself?”
Diana did not answer at once. Poirot waited a minute, then he went on:
“At the time, perhaps, he, too, was astonished. But now? Has he said nothing—nothing at
all?”
Diana murmured reluctantly:
“He said—about a week ago—that—that his father was right—that it was the only thing to be
done.”
“Did you ask him why?”
“Of course. But he wouldn’t tell me.”
Hercule Poirot reflected for a minute or two. Then he said:
“Have there been any unusual occurrences in your part of the world? Starting, perhaps, about
a year ago? Something that has given rise to a lot of local talk and surmise12?”
She flashed out: “I don’t know what you mean!”
Poirot said quietly, but with authority in his voice:
“You had better tell me.”
“There wasn’t anything—nothing of the kind you mean.”
“Of what kind then?”
“I think you’re simply odious13! Queer things often happen on farms. It’s revenge—or the
village idiot or somebody.”
“What happened?”
She said reluctantly:
“There was a fuss about some sheep . . . Their throats were cut. Oh! it was horrid14! But they
all belonged to one farmer and he’s a very hard man. The police thought it was some kind of spite
against him.”
“But they didn’t catch the person who had done it?”
“No.”
She added fiercely. “But if you think—”
Poirot held up his hand. He said:
“You do not know in the least what I think. Tell me this, has your fiancé consulted a doctor?”
“No, I’m sure he hasn’t.”
“Wouldn’t that be the simplest thing for him to do?”
Diana said slowly:
“He won’t. He—he hates doctors.”
“And his father?”
“I don’t think the Admiral believes much in doctors either. Says they’re a lot of humbug15
merchants.”
“How does the Admiral seem himself? Is he well? Happy?”
Diana said in a low voice:
“He’s aged4 terribly in—in—”
“In the last year?”
“Yes. He’s a wreck—a sort of shadow of what he used to be.”
Poirot nodded thoughtfully. Then he said:
“Did he approve of his son’s engagement?”
“Oh yes. You see, my people’s land adjoins his. We’ve been there for generations. He was
frightfully pleased when Hugh and I fixed16 it up.”
“And now? What does he say to your engagement being broken off?”
The girl’s voice shook a little. She said:
“I met him yesterday morning. He was looking ghastly. He took my hand in both of his. He
said: ‘It’s hard on you, my girl. But the boy’s doing the right thing—the only thing he can do.’ ”
“And so,” said Hercule Poirot, “you came to me?”
She nodded. She asked: “Can you do anything?”
Hercule Poirot replied:
“I do not know. But I can at least come down and see for myself.”

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1 determined duszmP     
adj.坚定的；有决心的
参考例句：
  • I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
  • He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。
2 noted 5n4zXc     
adj.著名的，知名的
参考例句：
  • The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
  • Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。
3 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。
4 aged 6zWzdI     
adj.年老的，陈年的
参考例句：
  • He had put on weight and aged a little.他胖了，也老点了。
  • He is aged,but his memory is still good.他已年老，然而记忆力还好。
5 defiantly defiantly     
adv.挑战地，大胆对抗地
参考例句：
  • Braving snow and frost, the plum trees blossomed defiantly. 红梅傲雪凌霜开。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • She tilted her chin at him defiantly. 她向他翘起下巴表示挑衅。 来自《简明英汉词典》
6 eyebrows a0e6fb1330e9cfecfd1c7a4d00030ed5     
眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • Eyebrows stop sweat from coming down into the eyes. 眉毛挡住汗水使其不能流进眼睛。
  • His eyebrows project noticeably. 他的眉毛特别突出。
7 sanest 682e383b2993bdfaf49fb6e660ddcf6d     
adj.心智健全的( sane的最高级 )；神志正常的；明智的；稳健的
参考例句：
  • Midsize sedans are clearly the sanest choice in this increasingly insane world. 中型轿车显然是这个越来越疯狂的世界中最理性的选择。 来自互联网
8 assent Hv6zL     
v.批准，认可；n.批准，认可
参考例句：
  • I cannot assent to what you ask.我不能应允你的要求。
  • The new bill passed by Parliament has received Royal Assent.议会所通过的新方案已获国王批准。
9 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。
10 manor d2Gy4     
n.庄园，领地
参考例句：
  • The builder of the manor house is a direct ancestor of the present owner.建造这幢庄园的人就是它现在主人的一个直系祖先。
  • I am not lord of the manor,but its lady.我并非此地的领主，而是这儿的女主人。
11 pretext 1Qsxi     
n.借口，托词
参考例句：
  • He used his headache as a pretext for not going to school.他借口头疼而不去上学。
  • He didn't attend that meeting under the pretext of sickness.他以生病为借口，没参加那个会议。
12 surmise jHiz8     
v./n.猜想，推测
参考例句：
  • It turned out that my surmise was correct.结果表明我的推测没有错。
  • I surmise that he will take the job.我推测他会接受这份工作。
13 odious l0zy2     
adj.可憎的，讨厌的
参考例句：
  • The judge described the crime as odious.法官称这一罪行令人发指。
  • His character could best be described as odious.他的人格用可憎来形容最贴切。
14 horrid arozZj     
adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的
参考例句：
  • I'm not going to the horrid dinner party.我不打算去参加这次讨厌的宴会。
  • The medicine is horrid and she couldn't get it down.这种药很难吃，她咽不下去。
15 humbug ld8zV     
n.花招，谎话，欺骗
参考例句：
  • I know my words can seem to him nothing but utter humbug.我知道，我说的话在他看来不过是彻头彻尾的慌言。
  • All their fine words are nothing but humbug.他们的一切花言巧语都是骗人的。
16 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。

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