赫尔克里·波洛的丰功伟绩40

时间：2024-12-31 11:22:10

（单词翻译:单击）

III
As they came into the hall, they met Admiral Chandler coming in. He stood for a moment, a dark
figure silhouetted1 against the bright light outside.
He said in a low, gruff voice:
“Oh there you both are. M. Poirot, I would like a word with you. Come into my study.”
Frobisher went out through the open door, and Poirot followed the Admiral. He had rather the
feeling of having been summoned to the quarterdeck to give an account of himself.
The Admiral motioned Poirot to take one of the big easy chairs and himself sat down in the
other. Poirot, whilst with Frobisher, had been impressed by the other’s restlessness, nervousness
and irritability—all the signs of intense mental strain. With Admiral Chandler he felt a sense of
hopelessness, of quiet, deep despair. . . .
With a deep sigh, Chandler said: “I can’t help being sorry Diana has brought you into this . . .
Poor child, I know how hard it is for her. But—well—it is our own private tragedy, and I think
you will understand, M. Poirot, that we don’t want outsiders.”
“I can understand your feeling, certainly.”
“Diana, poor child, can’t believe it . . . I couldn’t at first. Probably wouldn’t believe it now if
I didn’t know—”
He paused.
“Know what?”
“That it’s in the blood. The taint2, I mean.”
“And yet you agreed to the engagement?”
Admiral Chandler flushed.
“You mean, I should have put my foot down then? But at the time I’d no idea. Hugh takes
after his mother—nothing about him to remind you of the Chandlers. I hoped he’d taken after her
in every way. From his childhood upwards3, there’s never been a trace of abnormality about him
until now. I couldn’t know that—dash it all, there’s a trace of insanity4 in nearly every old family!”
Poirot said softly: “You have not consulted a doctor?”
Chandler roared: “No, and I’m not going to! The boy’s safe enough here with me to look
after him. They shan’t shut him up between four walls like a wild beast. . . .”
“He is safe here, you say. But are others safe?”
“What do you mean by that?”
Poirot did not reply. He looked steadily5 into Admiral Chandler’s sad, dark eyes.
The Admiral said bitterly:
“Each man to his trade. You’re looking for a criminal! My boy’s not a criminal, M. Poirot.”
“Not yet.”
“What do you mean by ‘not yet?’ ”
“These things increase . . . Those sheep—”
“Who told you about the sheep?”
“Diana Maberly. And also your friend Colonel Frobisher.”
“George would have done better to keep his mouth shut.”
“He is a very old friend of yours is he not?”
“My best friend,” the Admiral said gruffly.
“And he was a friend of—your wife’s too?”
Chandler smiled.
“Yes. George was in love with Caroline, I believe. When she was very young. He’s never
married. I believe that’s the reason. Ah well, I was the lucky one—or so I thought. I carried her off
—only to lose her.”
He sighed and his shoulders sagged6.
Poirot said: “Colonel Frobisher was with you when your wife was—drowned?”
Chandler nodded.
“Yes, he was with us down in Cornwall when it happened. She and I were out in the boat
together—he happened to stay at home that day. I’ve never understood how that boat came to
capsize . . . Must have sprung a sudden leak. We were right out in the bay—strong tide running. I
held her up as long as I could . . .” His voice broke. “Her body was washed up two days later.
Thank the Lord we hadn’t taken little Hugh out with us! At least, that’s what I thought at the time.
Now—well—better for Hugh, poor devil, perhaps, if he had been with us. If it had all been
finished and done for then. . . .”
Again there came that deep, hopeless sigh.
“We’re the last of the Chandlers, M. Poirot. There will be no more Chandlers at Lyde after
we’re gone. When Hugh got engaged to Diana, I hoped—well, it’s no good talking of that. Thank
God, they didn’t marry. That’s all I can say!”
IV
Hercule Poirot sat on a seat in the rose garden. Beside him sat Hugh Chandler. Diana Maberly had
just left them.
The young man turned a handsome, tortured face towards his companion.
He said:
“You’ve got to make her understand, M. Poirot.”
He paused for a minute and then went on:
“You see, Di’s a fighter. She won’t give in. She won’t accept what she’s darned well got to
accept. She—she will go on believing that I’m—sane.”
“While you yourself are quite certain that you are—pardon me—insane?”
The young man winced7. He said:
“I’m not actually hopelessly off my head yet—but it’s getting worse. Diana doesn’t know,
bless her. She’s only seen me when I am—all right.”
“And when you are—all wrong, what happens?”
Hugh Chandler took a long breath. Then he said:
“For one thing—I dream. And when I dream, I am mad. Last night, for instance—I wasn’t a
man any longer. I was first of all a bull—a mad bull—racing about in blazing sunlight—tasting
dust and blood in my mouth—dust and blood . . . And then I was a dog—a great slavering dog. I
had hydrophobia—children scattered8 and fled as I came—men tried to shoot me—someone set
down a great bowl of water for me and I couldn’t drink. I couldn’t drink. . . .”
He paused. “I woke up. And I knew it was true. I went over to the washstand. My mouth was
parched—horribly parched—and dry. I was thirsty. But I couldn’t drink, M. Poirot . . . I couldn’t
swallow . . . Oh, my God, I wasn’t able to drink. . . .”
Hercule Poirot made a gentle murmur9. Hugh Chandler went on. His hands were clenched10 on
his knees. His face was thrust forward, his eyes were half closed as though he saw something
coming towards him.
“And there are things that aren’t dreams. Things that I see when I’m wide awake. Spectres,
frightful11 shapes. They leer at me. And sometimes I’m able to fly, to leave my bed, and fly through
the air, to ride the winds—and fiends bear me company!”
“Tcha, tcha,” said Hercule Poirot.
It was a gentle, deprecating little noise.
Hugh Chandler turned to him.
“Oh, there isn’t any doubt. It’s in my blood. It’s my family heritage. I can’t escape. Thank
God I found it out in time! Before I’d married Diana. Suppose we’d had a child and handed on this
frightful thing to him!”
He laid a hand on Poirot’s arm.
“You must make her understand. You must tell her. She’s got to forget. She’s got to. There
will be someone else someday. There’s young Steve Graham—he’s crazy about her and he’s an
awfully12 good chap. She’d be happy with him—and safe. I want her—to be happy. Graham’s hard
up, of course, and so are her people, but when I’m gone they’ll be all right.”
Hercule’s voice interrupted him.
“Why will they be ‘all right’ when you are gone?”
Hugh Chandler smiled. It was a gentle, lovable smile. He said:
“There’s my mother’s money. She was an heiress, you know. It came to me. I’ve left it all to
Diana.”
Hercule Poirot sat back in his chair. He said: “Ah!”
Then he said:
“But you may live to be quite an old man, Mr. Chandler.”
Hugh Chandler shook his head. He said sharply:
“No, M. Poirot. I am not going to live to be an old man.”
Then he drew back with a sudden shudder13.
“My God! Look!” He stared over Poirot’s shoulder. “There—standing by you . . . it’s a
skeleton—its bones are shaking. It’s calling to me—beckoning—”
His eyes, the pupils widely dilated14, stared into the sunshine. He leaned suddenly sideways as
though collapsing15.
Then, turning to Poirot, he said in an almost childlike voice:
“You didn’t see—anything?”
Slowly, Hercule Poirot shook his head.
Hugh Chandler said hoarsely16:
“I don’t mind this so much—seeing things. It’s the blood I’m frightened of. The blood in my
room—on my clothes . . . We had a parrot. One morning it was there in my room with its throat
cut—and I was lying on the bed with the razor in my hand wet with its blood!”
He leant closer to Poirot.
“Even just lately things have been killed,” he whispered. “All around—in the village—out on
the downs. Sheep, young lambs—a collie dog. Father locks me in at night, but sometimes—
sometimes—the door’s open in the morning. I must have a key hidden somewhere but I don’t
know where I’ve hidden it. I don’t know. It isn’t I who do these things—it’s someone else who
comes into me—who takes possession of me—who turns me from a man into a raving17 monster
who wants blood and who can’t drink water. . . .”
Suddenly he buried his face in his hands.
After a minute or two, Poirot asked:
“I still do not understand why you have not seen a doctor?”
Hugh Chandler shook his head. He said:
“Don’t you really understand? Physically18 I’m strong. I’m as strong as a bull. I might live for
years—years—shut up between four walls! That I can’t face! It would be better to go out
altogether . . . There are ways, you know. An accident, cleaning a gun . . . that sort of thing. Diana
will understand . . . I’d rather take my own way out!”
He looked defiantly19 at Poirot, but Poirot did not respond to the challenge. Instead he asked
mildly:
“What do you eat and drink?”
Hugh Chandler flung his head back. He roared with laughter.
“Nightmares after indigestion? Is that your idea?”
Poirot merely repeated gently:
“What do you eat and drink?”
“Just what everybody else eats and drinks.”
“No special medicine? Cachets? Pills?”
“Good Lord, no. Do you really think patent pills would cure my trouble?” He quoted
derisively20: “ ‘Canst thou then minister to a mind diseased?’ ”
Hercule Poirot said drily:
“I am trying to. Does anyone in this house suffer with eye trouble?”
Hugh Chandler stared at him. He said:
“Father’s eyes give him a good deal of trouble. He has to go to an oculist21 fairly often.”
“Ah!” Poirot meditated22 for a moment or two. Then he said:
“Colonel Frobisher, I suppose, has spent much of his life in India?”
“Yes, he was in the Indian Army. He’s very keen on India—talks about it a lot—native
traditions—and all that.”
Poirot murmured “Ah!” again.
Then he remarked:
“I see that you have cut your chin.”
Hugh put his hand up.
“Yes, quite a nasty gash23. Father startled me one day when I was shaving. I’m a bit nervy
these days, you know. And I’ve had a bit of a rash over my chin and neck. Makes shaving
difficult.”
Poirot said:
“You should use a soothing24 cream.”
“Oh, I do. Uncle George gave me one.”
He gave a sudden laugh.
“We’re talking like a woman’s beauty parlour. Lotions25, soothing creams, patent pills, eye
trouble. What does it all amount to? What are you getting at, M. Poirot?”
Poirot said quietly:
“I am trying to do the best I can for Diana Maberly.”
Hugh’s mood changed. His face sobered. He laid a hand on Poirot’s arm.
“Yes, do what you can for her. Tell her she’s got to forget. Tell her that it’s no good hoping
. . . Tell her some of the things I’ve told you . . . Tell her—oh, tell her for God’s sake to keep away
from me! That’s the only thing she can do for me now. Keep away—and try to forget!”

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点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 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。
2 taint MIdzu     
n.污点；感染；腐坏；v.使感染；污染
参考例句：
  • Everything possible should be done to free them from the economic taint.应尽可能把他们从经济的腐蚀中解脱出来。
  • Moral taint has spread among young people.道德的败坏在年轻人之间蔓延。
3 upwards lj5wR     
adv.向上，在更高处...以上
参考例句：
  • The trend of prices is still upwards.物价的趋向是仍在上涨。
  • The smoke rose straight upwards.烟一直向上升。
4 insanity H6xxf     
n.疯狂，精神错乱；极端的愚蠢，荒唐
参考例句：
  • In his defense he alleged temporary insanity.他伪称一时精神错乱，为自己辩解。
  • He remained in his cell,and this visit only increased the belief in his insanity.他依旧还是住在他的地牢里，这次视察只是更加使人相信他是个疯子了。
5 steadily Qukw6     
adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地
参考例句：
  • The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
  • Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。
6 sagged 4efd2c4ac7fe572508b0252e448a38d0     
下垂的
参考例句：
  • The black reticule sagged under the weight of shapeless objects. 黑色的拎包由于装了各种形状的东西而中间下陷。
  • He sagged wearily back in his chair. 他疲倦地瘫坐到椅子上。
7 winced 7be9a27cb0995f7f6019956af354c6e4     
赶紧避开，畏缩( wince的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • He winced as the dog nipped his ankle. 狗咬了他的脚腕子，疼得他龇牙咧嘴。
  • He winced as a sharp pain shot through his left leg. 他左腿一阵剧痛疼得他直龇牙咧嘴。
8 scattered 7jgzKF     
adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的
参考例句：
  • Gathering up his scattered papers,he pushed them into his case.他把散乱的文件收拾起来，塞进文件夹里。
9 murmur EjtyD     
n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言
参考例句：
  • They paid the extra taxes without a murmur.他们毫无怨言地交了附加税。
  • There was a low murmur of conversation in the hall.大厅里有窃窃私语声。
10 clenched clenched     
v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • He clenched his fists in anger. 他愤怒地攥紧了拳头。
  • She clenched her hands in her lap to hide their trembling. 她攥紧双手放在腿上，以掩饰其颤抖。 来自《简明英汉词典》
11 frightful Ghmxw     
adj.可怕的；讨厌的
参考例句：
  • How frightful to have a husband who snores!有一个发鼾声的丈夫多讨厌啊！
  • We're having frightful weather these days.这几天天气坏极了。
12 awfully MPkym     
adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地
参考例句：
  • Agriculture was awfully neglected in the past.过去农业遭到严重忽视。
  • I've been feeling awfully bad about it.对这我一直感到很难受。
13 shudder JEqy8     
v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动
参考例句：
  • The sight of the coffin sent a shudder through him.看到那副棺材，他浑身一阵战栗。
  • We all shudder at the thought of the dreadful dirty place.我们一想到那可怕的肮脏地方就浑身战惊。
14 dilated 1f1ba799c1de4fc8b7c6c2167ba67407     
adj.加宽的，扩大的v.（使某物）扩大，膨胀，张大( dilate的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • Her eyes dilated with fear. 她吓得瞪大了眼睛。
  • The cat dilated its eyes. 猫瞪大了双眼。 来自《简明英汉词典》
15 collapsing 6becc10b3eacfd79485e188c6ac90cb2     
压扁[平]，毁坏，断裂
参考例句：
  • Rescuers used props to stop the roof of the tunnel collapsing. 救援人员用支柱防止隧道顶塌陷。
  • The rocks were folded by collapsing into the center of the trough. 岩石由于坍陷进入凹槽的中心而发生褶皱。
16 hoarsely hoarsely     
adv.嘶哑地
参考例句：
  • "Excuse me," he said hoarsely. “对不起。”他用嘶哑的嗓子说。
  • Jerry hoarsely professed himself at Miss Pross's service. 杰瑞嘶声嘶气地表示愿为普洛丝小姐效劳。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
17 raving c42d0882009d28726dc86bae11d3aaa7     
adj.说胡话的；疯狂的，怒吼的；非常漂亮的；令人醉心[痴心]的v.胡言乱语(rave的现在分词)n.胡话；疯话adv.胡言乱语地；疯狂地
参考例句：
  • The man's a raving lunatic. 那个男子是个语无伦次的疯子。
  • When I told her I'd crashed her car, she went stark raving bonkers. 我告诉她我把她的车撞坏了时，她暴跳如雷。
18 physically iNix5     
adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律
参考例句：
  • He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
  • Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。
19 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》
20 derisively derisively     
adv. 嘲笑地，嘲弄地
参考例句：
  • This answer came derisively from several places at the same instant. 好几个人都不约而同地以讥讽的口吻作出回答。
  • The others laughed derisively. 其余的人不以为然地笑了起来。
21 oculist ZIUxi     
n.眼科医生
参考例句：
  • I wonder if the oculist could fit me in next Friday.不知眼科医生能否在下星期五给我安排一个时间。
  • If your eyes are infected,you must go to an oculist.如果你的眼睛受到感染，就要去看眼科医生。
22 meditated b9ec4fbda181d662ff4d16ad25198422     
深思，沉思，冥想( meditate的过去式和过去分词 )； 内心策划，考虑
参考例句：
  • He meditated for two days before giving his answer. 他在作出答复之前考虑了两天。
  • She meditated for 2 days before giving her answer. 她考虑了两天才答复。
23 gash HhCxU     
v.深切，划开；n.(深长的)切(伤)口；裂缝
参考例句：
  • The deep gash in his arm would take weeks to heal over.他胳膊上的割伤很深，需要几个星期的时间才能痊愈。
  • After the collision,the body of the ship had a big gash.船被撞后，船身裂开了一个大口子。
24 soothing soothing     
adj.慰藉的；使人宽心的；镇静的
参考例句：
  • Put on some nice soothing music.播放一些柔和舒缓的音乐。
  • His casual, relaxed manner was very soothing.他随意而放松的举动让人很快便平静下来。
25 lotions a98fc794098c32b72112f2048a16cdf0     
n.洗液，洗剂，护肤液( lotion的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • Do not use lotions or oils to lubricate the skin. 不要用润肤剂或油类来润滑皮肤。 来自辞典例句
  • They were experts at preserving the bodies of the dead by embalming them with special lotions. 他们具有采用特种药物洗剂防止尸体腐烂的专门知识。 来自辞典例句

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