弄假成真19

时间：2025-03-03 03:34:23

（单词翻译:单击）

Nineteen
The chief constable1 and Inspector2 Bland3 looked up with keen curiosity as Hercule Poirot was
ushered4 in. The chief constable was not in the best of tempers. Only Bland’s quiet persistence5 had
caused him to cancel his dinner appointment for that evening.
“I know, Bland, I know,” he said fretfully. “Maybe he was a little Belgian wizard in his day—
but surely, man, his day’s over. He’s what age?”
Bland slid tactfully over the answer to this question which, in any case, he did not know. Poirot
himself was always reticent6 on the subject of his age.
“The point is, sir, he was there—on the spot. And we’re not getting anywhere any other way.
Up against a blank wall, that’s where we are.”
The chief constable blew his nose irritably7.
“I know. I know. Makes me begin to believe in Mrs. Masterton’s homicidal pervert8. I’d even
use bloodhounds, if there were anywhere to use them.”
“Bloodhounds can’t follow a scent9 over water.”
“Yes. I know what you’ve always thought, Bland. And I’m inclined to agree with you. But
there’s absolutely no motive10, you know. Not an iota11 of motive.”
“The motive may be out in the islands.”
“Meaning that Hattie Stubbs knew something about de Sousa out there? I suppose that’s
reasonably possible, given her mentality12. She was simple, everyone agrees on that. She might blurt13
out what she knew to anyone at any time. Is that the way you see it?”
“Something like that.”
“If so, he waited a long time before crossing the sea and doing something about it.”
“Well, sir, it’s possible he didn’t know what exactly had become of her. His own story was that
he’d seen a piece in some society periodical about Nasse House, and its beautiful châtelaine.
(Which I have always thought myself,” added Bland parenthetically, “to be a silver thing with
chains, and bits and pieces hung on it that people’s grandmothers used to clip on their waistbands
—and a good idea, too. Wouldn’t be all these silly women forever leaving their handbags around.)
Seems, though, that in women’s jargon14 châtelaine means mistress of a house. As I say, that’s
history and maybe it’s true enough, and he didn’t know where she was or who she’d married until
then.”
“But once he did know, he came across posthaste in a yacht in order to murder her? It’s far-
fetched, Bland, very far-fetched.”
“But it could be, sir.”
“And what on earth could the woman know?”
“Remember what she said to her husband. ‘He kills people.’”
“Murder remembered? From the time she was fifteen? And presumably only her word for it?
Surely he’d be able to laugh that off?”
“We don’t know the facts,” said Bland stubbornly. “You know yourself, sir, how once one
knows who did a thing, one can look for evidence and find it.”
“H’m. We’ve made inquiries15 about de Sousa—discreetly—through the usual channels—and got
nowhere.”
“That’s just why, sir, this funny old Belgian boy might have stumbled on something. He was in
the house—that’s the important thing. Lady Stubbs talked to him. Some of the random16 things she
said may have come together in his mind and made sense. However that may be, he’s been down
in Nassecombe most of today.”
“And he rang you up to ask what kind of a yacht Etienne de Sousa had?”
“When he rang up the first time, yes. The second time was to ask me to arrange this meeting.”
“Well,” the chief constable looked at his watch, “if he doesn’t come within five minutes….”
But it was at that very moment that Hercule Poirot was shown in.
His appearance was not as immaculate as usual. His moustache was limp, affected17 by the damp
Devon air, his patent-leather shoes were heavily coated with mud, he limped, and his hair was
ruffled18.
“Well, so here you are, M. Poirot.” The chief constable shook hands. “We’re all keyed up, on
our toes, waiting to hear what you have to tell us.”
The words were faintly ironic19, but Hercule Poirot, however damp physically20, was in no mood to
be damped mentally.
“I cannot imagine,” he said, “how it was I did not see the truth before.”
The chief constable received this rather coldly.
“Are we to understand that you do see the truth now?”
“Yes, there are details—but the outline is clear.”
“We want more than an outline,” said the chief constable dryly. “We want evidence. Have you
got evidence, M. Poirot?”
“I can tell you where to find the evidence.”
Inspector Bland spoke21. “Such as?”
Poirot turned to him and asked a question.
“Etienne de Sousa has, I suppose, left the country?”
“Two weeks ago.” Bland added bitterly, “It won’t be easy to get him back.”
“He might be persuaded.”
“Persuaded? There’s not sufficient evidence to warrant an extradition22 order, then?”
“It is not a question of an extradition order. If the facts are put to him—”
“But what facts, M. Poirot?” The chief constable spoke with some irritation23. “What are these
facts you talk about so glibly24?”
“The fact that Etienne de Sousa came here in a lavishly25 appointed luxury yacht showing that his
family is rich, the fact that old Merdell was Marlene Tucker’s grandfather (which I did not know
until today), the fact that Lady Stubbs was fond of wearing the coolie type of hat, the fact that Mrs.
Oliver, in spite of an unbridled and unreliable imagination, is, unrealized by herself, a very shrewd
judge of character, the fact that Marlene Tucker had lipsticks26 and bottles of perfume hidden at the
back of her bureau drawer, the fact that Miss Brewis maintains that it was Lady Stubbs who asked
her to take a refreshment27 tray down to Marlene at the boathouse.”
“Facts?” The chief constable stared. “You call those facts? But there’s nothing new there.”
“You prefer evidence—definite evidence—such as—Lady Stubbs’ body?”
Now it was Bland who stared.
“You have found Lady Stubbs’ body?”
“Not actually found it—but I know where it is hidden. You shall go to the spot, and when you
have found it, then—then you will have evidence—all the evidence you need. For only one person
could have hidden it there.”
“And who’s that?”
Hercule Poirot smiled—the contented28 smile of a cat who has lapped up a saucer of cream.
“The person it so often is,” he said softly; “the husband. Sir George Stubbs killed his wife.”
“But that’s impossible, M. Poirot. We know it’s impossible.”
“Oh, no,” said Poirot, “it is not impossible at all! Listen, and I will tell you.”

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1 constable wppzG     
n.(英国)警察，警官
参考例句：
  • The constable conducted the suspect to the police station.警官把嫌疑犯带到派出所。
  • The constable kept his temper,and would not be provoked.那警察压制着自己的怒气，不肯冒起火来。
2 inspector q6kxH     
n.检查员，监察员，视察员
参考例句：
  • The inspector was interested in everything pertaining to the school.视察员对有关学校的一切都感兴趣。
  • The inspector was shining a flashlight onto the tickets.查票员打着手电筒查看车票。
3 bland dW1zi     
adj.淡而无味的，温和的，无刺激性的
参考例句：
  • He eats bland food because of his stomach trouble.他因胃病而吃清淡的食物。
  • This soup is too bland for me.这汤我喝起来偏淡。
4 ushered d337b3442ea0cc4312a5950ae8911282     
v.引，领，陪同( usher的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • The secretary ushered me into his office. 秘书把我领进他的办公室。
  • A round of parties ushered in the New Year. 一系列的晚会迎来了新年。 来自《简明英汉词典》
5 persistence hSLzh     
n.坚持，持续，存留
参考例句：
  • The persistence of a cough in his daughter puzzled him.他女儿持续的咳嗽把他难住了。
  • He achieved success through dogged persistence.他靠着坚持不懈取得了成功。
6 reticent dW9xG     
adj.沉默寡言的；言不如意的
参考例句：
  • He was reticent about his opinion.他有保留意见。
  • He was extremely reticent about his personal life.他对自己的个人生活讳莫如深。
7 irritably e3uxw     
ad.易生气地
参考例句：
  • He lost his temper and snapped irritably at the children. 他发火了，暴躁地斥责孩子们。
  • On this account the silence was irritably broken by a reproof. 为了这件事，他妻子大声斥责，令人恼火地打破了宁静。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
8 pervert o3uzK     
n.堕落者，反常者；vt.误用，滥用；使人堕落，使入邪路
参考例句：
  • Reading such silly stories will pervert your taste for good books.读这种愚昧的故事会败坏你对好书的嗜好。
  • Do not pervert the idea.别歪曲那想法。
9 scent WThzs     
n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉
参考例句：
  • The air was filled with the scent of lilac.空气中弥漫着丁香花的芬芳。
  • The flowers give off a heady scent at night.这些花晚上散发出醉人的芳香。
10 motive GFzxz     
n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的
参考例句：
  • The police could not find a motive for the murder.警察不能找到谋杀的动机。
  • He had some motive in telling this fable.他讲这寓言故事是有用意的。
11 iota Eauzq     
n.些微，一点儿
参考例句：
  • There is not an iota of truth in his story.他的故事没有一点是真的。
  • He's never shown an iota of interest in any kind of work.他从来没有对任何工作表现出一点儿兴趣。
12 mentality PoIzHP     
n.心理，思想，脑力
参考例句：
  • He has many years'experience of the criminal mentality.他研究犯罪心理有多年经验。
  • Running a business requires a very different mentality from being a salaried employee.经营企业所要求具备的心态和上班族的心态截然不同。
13 blurt 8tczD     
vt.突然说出，脱口说出
参考例句：
  • If you can blurt out 300 sentences,you can make a living in America.如果你能脱口而出300句英语，你可以在美国工作。
  • I will blurt out one passage every week.我每星期要脱口而出一篇短文！
14 jargon I3sxk     
n.术语，行话
参考例句：
  • They will not hear critics with their horrible jargon.他们不愿意听到评论家们那些可怕的行话。
  • It is important not to be overawed by the mathematical jargon.要紧的是不要被数学的术语所吓倒.
15 inquiries 86a54c7f2b27c02acf9fcb16a31c4b57     
n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听
参考例句：
  • He was released on bail pending further inquiries. 他获得保释，等候进一步调查。
  • I have failed to reach them by postal inquiries. 我未能通过邮政查询与他们取得联系。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
16 random HT9xd     
adj.随机的；任意的；n.偶然的(或随便的)行动
参考例句：
  • The list is arranged in a random order.名单排列不分先后。
  • On random inspection the meat was found to be bad.经抽查，发现肉变质了。
17 affected TzUzg0     
adj.不自然的，假装的
参考例句：
  • She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
  • His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。
18 ruffled e4a3deb720feef0786be7d86b0004e86     
adj. 有褶饰边的, 起皱的 动词ruffle的过去式和过去分词
参考例句：
  • She ruffled his hair affectionately. 她情意绵绵地拨弄着他的头发。
  • All this talk of a strike has clearly ruffled the management's feathers. 所有这些关于罢工的闲言碎语显然让管理层很不高兴。
19 ironic 1atzm     
adj.讽刺的，有讽刺意味的，出乎意料的
参考例句：
  • That is a summary and ironic end.那是一个具有概括性和讽刺意味的结局。
  • People used to call me Mr Popularity at high school,but they were being ironic.人们中学时常把我称作“万人迷先生”，但他们是在挖苦我。
20 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。
21 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。
22 extradition R7Eyc     
n.引渡（逃犯）
参考例句：
  • The smuggler is in prison tonight,awaiting extradition to Britain.这名走私犯今晚在监狱，等待引渡到英国。
  • He began to trouble concerning the extradition laws.他开始费尽心思地去想关于引渡法的问题。
23 irritation la9zf     
n.激怒，恼怒，生气
参考例句：
  • He could not hide his irritation that he had not been invited.他无法掩饰因未被邀请而生的气恼。
  • Barbicane said nothing,but his silence covered serious irritation.巴比康什么也不说，但是他的沉默里潜伏着阴郁的怒火。
24 glibly glibly     
adv.流利地，流畅地；满口
参考例句：
  • He glibly professed his ignorance of the affair. 他口口声声表白不知道这件事。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • He put ashes on his head, apologized profusely, but then went glibly about his business. 他表示忏悔，满口道歉，但接着又故态复萌了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
25 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。
26 lipsticks 62f569a0cdde7ac0650839f0f9efc087     
n.口红，唇膏( lipstick的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • She likes feminine things like brushes, lipsticks, scarves and jewellery. 她喜欢画笔、口红、围巾和珠宝等女性的东西。 来自时文部分
  • She had two lipsticks in her purse. 她的手提包里有两支口红。 来自辞典例句
27 refreshment RUIxP     
n.恢复，精神爽快，提神之事物；（复数）refreshments:点心，茶点
参考例句：
  • He needs to stop fairly often for refreshment.他须时不时地停下来喘口气。
  • A hot bath is a great refreshment after a day's work.在一天工作之后洗个热水澡真是舒畅。
28 contented Gvxzof     
adj.满意的，安心的，知足的
参考例句：
  • He won't be contented until he's upset everyone in the office.不把办公室里的每个人弄得心烦意乱他就不会满足。
  • The people are making a good living and are contented,each in his station.人民安居乐业。

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