命案目睹记56

时间：2025-10-20 07:48:15

（单词翻译:单击）

II
“Who can this be driving up?” Emma asked, looking out of the window, as
the taxi swept past it. “I do believe it’s Lucy’s old aunt.”
“What a bore,” said Cedric.
He was lying back in a long chair looking at Country Life with his feet re-
posing on the side of the mantelpiece.
“Tell her you’re not at home.”
“When you say tell her I’m not at home, do you mean that I should go
out and say so? Or that I should tell Lucy to tell her aunt so?”
“Hadn’t thought of that,” said Cedric. “I suppose I was thinking of our
butler and footman days, if we ever had them. I seem to remember a foot-
man before the war. He had an affair with the kitchen maid and there was
a terrific rumpus about it. Isn’t there one of those old hags about the place
cleaning?”
But at that moment the door was opened by Mrs. Hart, whose afternoon
it was for cleaning the brasses1, and Miss Marple came in, very fluttery, in
a whirl of shawls and scarves, with an uncompromising figure behind her.
“I do hope,” said Miss Marple, taking Emma’s hand, “that we are not in-
truding. But you see, I’m going home the day after tomorrow, and I
couldn’t bear not to come over and see you and say good-bye, and thank
you again for your goodness to Lucy. Oh, I forgot. May I introduce my
friend, Mrs. McGillicuddy, who is staying with me?”
“How d’you do,” said Mrs. McGillicuddy, looking at Emma with complete
attention and then shifting her gaze to Cedric, who had now risen to his
feet. Lucy entered the room at this moment.
“Aunt Jane, I had no idea….”
“I had to come and say good- bye to Miss Crackenthorpe,” said Miss
Marple, turning to her, “who has been so very, very kind to you, Lucy.”
“It’s Lucy who’s been very kind to us,” said Emma.
“Yes, indeed,” said Cedric. “We’ve worked her like a galley2 slave. Wait-
ing on the sick room, running up and down the stairs, cooking little in-
valid3 messes….”
Miss Marple broke in. “I was so very, very sorry to hear of your illness. I
do hope you’re quite recovered now, Miss Crackenthorpe?”
“Oh, we’re quite well again now,” said Emma.
“Lucy told me you were all very ill. So dangerous, isn’t it, food poison-
ing? Mushrooms, I understand.”
“The cause remains4 rather mysterious,” said Emma.
“Don’t you believe it,” said Cedric. “I bet you’ve heard the rumours5 that
are flying round, Miss—er—”
“Marple,” said Miss Marple.
“Well, as I say, I bet you’ve heard the rumours that are flying round.
Nothing like arsenic6 for raising a little flutter in the neighbourhood.”
“Cedric,” said Emma, “I wish you wouldn’t. You know Inspector7 Crad-
dock said….”
“Bah,” said Cedric, “everybody knows. Even you’ve heard something,
haven’t you?” he turned to Miss Marple and Mrs. McGillicuddy.
“I myself,” said Mrs. McGillicuddy, “have only just returned from abroad
—the day before yesterday,” she added.
“Ah, well, you’re not up on our local scandal then,” said Cedric. “Arsenic
in the curry8, that’s what it was. Lucy’s aunt knows all about it, I bet.”
“Well,” said Miss Marple, “I did just hear—I mean, it was just a hint, but
of course I didn’t want to embarrass you in any way, Miss Crackenthorpe.”
“You must pay no attention to my brother,” said Emma. “He just likes
making people uncomfortable.” She gave him an affectionate smile as she
spoke9.
The door opened and Mr. Crackenthorpe came in, tapping angrily with
his stick.
“Where’s tea?” he said, “why isn’t tea ready? You! Girl!” he addressed
Lucy, “why haven’t you brought tea in?”
“It’s just ready, Mr. Crackenthorpe. I’m bringing it in now. I was just set-
ting the table ready.”
Lucy went out of the room again and Mr. Crackenthorpe was introduced
to Miss Marple and Mrs. McGillicuddy.
“Like my meals on time,” said Mr. Crackenthorpe. “Punctuality and eco-
nomy. Those are my watchwords.”
“Very necessary, I’m sure,” said Miss Marple, “especially in these times
with taxation10 and everything.”
Mr. Crackenthorpe snorted. “Taxation! Don’t talk to me of those rob-
bers. A miserable12 pauper—that’s what I am. And it’s going to get worse,
not better. You wait, my boy,” he addressed Cedric, “when you get this
place ten to one the Socialists13 will have it off you and turn it into a Welfare
Centre or something. And take all your income to keep it up with!”
Lucy reappeared with a tea tray, Bryan Eastley followed her carrying a
tray of sandwiches, bread and butter and cake.
“What’s this? What’s this?” Mr. Crackenthorpe inspected the tray. “Fros-
ted11 cake? We having a party today? Nobody told me about it.”
A faint flush came into Emma’s face.
“Dr. Quimper’s coming to tea, Father. It’s his birthday today and—”
“Birthday?” snorted the old man. “What’s he doing with a birthday?
Birthdays are only for children. I never count my birthdays and I won’t let
anyone else celebrate them either.”
“Much cheaper,” agreed Cedric. “You save the price of candles on your
cake.”
“That’s enough from you, boy,” said Mr. Crackenthorpe.
Miss Marple was shaking hands with Bryan Eastley. “I’ve heard about
you, of course,” she said, “from Lucy. Dear me, you remind me so of
someone I used to know at St. Mary Mead14. That’s the village where I’ve
lived for so many years, you know. Ronnie Wells, the solicitor’s son.
Couldn’t seem to settle somehow when he went into his father’s business.
He went out to East Africa and started a series of cargo15 boats on the lake
out there. Victoria Nyanza, or is it Albert, I mean? Anyway, I’m sorry to
say that it wasn’t a success, and he lost all his capital. Most unfortunate!
Not any relation of yours, I suppose? The likeness16 is so great.”
“No,” said Bryan, “I don’t think I’ve any relations called Wells.”
“He was engaged to a very nice girl,” said Miss Marple. “Very sensible.
She tried to dissuade17 him, but he wouldn’t listen to her. He was wrong of
course. Women have a lot of sense, you know, when it comes to money
matters. Not high finance, of course. No woman can hope to understand
that, my dear father said. But everyday L.s.d.—that sort of thing. What a
delightful18 view you have from this window,” she added, making her way
across and looking out.
Emma joined her.
“Such an expanse of parkland! How picturesque19 the cattle look against
the trees. One would never dream that one was in the middle of a town.”
“We’re rather an anachronism, I think,” said Emma. “If the windows
were open now you’d hear far off the noise of the traffic.”
“Oh, of course,” said Miss Marple, “there’s noise everywhere, isn’t there?
Even in St. Mary Mead. We’re now quite close to an airfield20, you know,
and really the way those jet planes fly over! Most frightening. Two panes21
in my little greenhouse broken the other day. Going through the sound
barrier, or so I understand, though what it means I never have known.”
“It’s quite simple, really,” said Bryan, approaching amiably22. “You see, it’s
like this.”
Miss Marple dropped her handbag and Bryan politely picked it up. At
the same moment Mrs. McGillicuddy approached Emma and murmured,
in an anguished23 voice—the anguish24 was quite genuine since Mrs. McGil-
licuddy deeply disliked the task which she was now performing:
“I wonder—could I go upstairs for a moment?”
“Of course,” said Emma.
“I’ll take you,” said Lucy.
Lucy and Mrs. McGillicuddy left the room together.
“Very cold, driving today,” said Miss Marple in a vaguely25 explanatory
manner.
“About the sound barrier,” said Bryan, “you see it’s like this… Oh, hallo,
there’s Quimper.”
The doctor drove up in his car. He came in rubbing his hands and look-
ing very cold.
“Going to snow,” he said, “that’s my guess. Hallo, Emma, how are you?
Good lord, what’s all this?”
“We made you a birthday cake,” said Emma. “D’you remember? You
told me today was your birthday.”
“I didn’t expect all this,” said Quimper. “You know it’s years—why, it
must be—yes sixteen years since anyone’s remembered my birthday.” He
looked almost uncomfortably touched.
“Do you know Miss Marple?” Emma introduced him.
“Oh, yes,” said Miss Marple, “I met Dr. Quimper here before and he
came and saw me when I had a very nasty chill the other day and he was
most kind.”
“All right again now, I hope?” said the doctor.
Miss Marple assured him that she was quite all right now.
“You haven’t been to see me lately, Quimper,” said Mr. Crackenthorpe. “I
might be dying for all the notice you take of me!”
“I don’t see you dying yet awhile,” said Dr. Quimper.
“I don’t mean to,” said Mr. Crackenthorpe. “Come on, let’s have tea.
What’re we waiting for?”
“Oh, please,” said Miss Marple, “don’t wait for my friend. She would be
most upset if you did.”
They sat down and started tea. Miss Marple accepted a piece of bread
and butter first, and then went on to a sandwich.
“Are they—?” she hesitated.
“Fish,” said Bryan. “I helped make ’em.”
Mr. Crackenthorpe gave a cackle of laughter.
“Poisoned fishpaste,” he said. “That’s what they are. Eat ’em at your
peril26.”
“Please, Father!”
“You’ve got to be careful what you eat in this house,” said Mr. Cracken-
thorpe to Miss Marple. “Two of my sons have been murdered like flies.
Who’s doing it—that’s what I want to know.”
“Don’t let him put you off,” said Cedric, handing the plate once more to
Miss Marple. “A touch of arsenic improves the complexion27, they say, so
long as you don’t have too much.”
“Eat one yourself, boy,” said old Mr. Crackenthorpe.
“Want me to be official taster?” said Cedric. “Here goes.”
He took a sandwich and put it whole into his mouth. Miss Marple gave a
gentle, ladylike little laugh and took a sandwich. She took a bite, and said:
“I do think it’s so brave of you all to make these jokes. Yes, really, I think
it’s very brave indeed. I do admire bravery so much.”
She gave a sudden gasp28 and began to choke. “A fish bone,” she gasped29
out, “in my throat.”
Quimper rose quickly. He went across to her, moved her backwards30 to-
wards31 the window and told her to open her mouth. He pulled out a case
from his pocket, selecting some forceps from it. With quick professional
skill he peered down the old lady’s throat. At that moment the door
opened and Mrs. McGillicuddy, followed by Lucy, came in. Mrs. McGil-
licuddy gave a sudden gasp as her eyes fell on the tableau32 in front of her,
Miss Marple leaning back and the doctor holding her throat and tilting33 up
her head.
“But that’s him,” cried Mrs. McGillicuddy. “That’s the man in the
train….”
With incredible swiftness Miss Marple slipped from the doctor’s grasp
and came towards her friend.
“I thought you’d recognize him, Elspeth!” she said. “No. Don’t say an-
other word.” She turned triumphantly34 round to Dr. Quimper. “You didn’t
know, did you, Doctor, when you strangled that woman in the train, that
somebody actually saw you do it? It was my friend here. Mrs. McGillicuddy.
She saw you. Do you understand? Saw you with her own eyes. She was in an-
other train that was running parallel with yours.”
“What the hell?” Dr. Quimper made a quick step towards Mrs. McGil-
licuddy but again, swiftly, Miss Marple was between him and her.
“Yes,” said Miss Marple. “She saw you, and she recognizes you, and she’ll
swear to it in court. It’s not often, I believe,” went on Miss Marple in her
gentle plaintive35 voice, “that anyone actually sees a murder committed. It’s
usually circumstantial evidence of course. But in this case the conditions
were very unusual. There was actually an eyewitness36 to murder.”
“You devilish old hag,” said Dr. Quimper. He lunged forward at Miss
Marple but this time it was Cedric who caught him by the shoulder.
“So you’re the murdering devil, are you?” said Cedric as he swung him
round. “I never liked you and I always thought you were a wrong ’un, but
lord knows, I never suspected you.”
Bryan Eastley came quickly to Cedric’s assistance. Inspector Craddock
and Inspector Bacon entered the room from the farther door.
“Dr. Quimper,” said Bacon, “I must caution you that….”
“You can take your caution to hell,” said Dr. Quimper. “Do you think
anyone’s going to believe what a couple of old women say? Who’s ever
heard of all this rigmarole about a train!”
Miss Marple said: “Elspeth McGillicuddy reported the murder to the po-
lice at once on the 20th December and gave a description of the man.”
Dr. Quimper gave a sudden heave of the shoulders. “If ever a man had
the devil’s own luck,” said Dr. Quimper.
“But—” said Mrs. McGillicuddy.
“Be quiet, Elspeth,” said Miss Marple.
“Why should I want to murder a perfectly37 strange woman?” said Dr.
Quimper.
“She wasn’t a strange woman,” said Inspector Craddock. “She was your
wife.”

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1 brasses Nxfza3     
n.黄铜( brass的名词复数 )；铜管乐器；钱；黄铜饰品（尤指马挽具上的黄铜圆片）
参考例句：
  • The brasses need to be cleaned. 这些黄铜器要擦一擦。 来自辞典例句
  • There are the usual strings, woodwinds, brasses and percussions of western orchestra. 有西洋管弦乐队常见的弦乐器，木管和铜管乐器，还有打击乐器。 来自互联网
2 galley rhwxE     
n.（飞机或船上的）厨房单层甲板大帆船；军舰舰长用的大划艇；
参考例句：
  • The stewardess will get you some water from the galley.空姐会从厨房给你拿些水来。
  • Visitors can also go through the large galley where crew members got their meals.游客还可以穿过船员们用餐的厨房。
3 valid eiCwm     
adj.有确实根据的；有效的；正当的，合法的
参考例句：
  • His claim to own the house is valid.他主张对此屋的所有权有效。
  • Do you have valid reasons for your absence?你的缺席有正当理由吗？
4 remains 1kMzTy     
n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹
参考例句：
  • He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
  • The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。
5 rumours ba6e2decd2e28dec9a80f28cb99e131d     
n.传闻( rumour的名词复数 )；风闻；谣言；谣传
参考例句：
  • The rumours were completely baseless. 那些谣传毫无根据。
  • Rumours of job losses were later confirmed. 裁员的传言后来得到了证实。
6 arsenic 2vSz4     
n.砒霜，砷；adj.砷的
参考例句：
  • His wife poisoned him with arsenic.他的妻子用砒霜把他毒死了。
  • Arsenic is a poison.砒霜是毒药。
7 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。
8 curry xnozh     
n.咖哩粉，咖哩饭菜；v.用咖哩粉调味，用马栉梳，制革
参考例句：
  • Rice makes an excellent complement to a curry dish.有咖喱的菜配米饭最棒。
  • Add a teaspoonful of curry powder.加一茶匙咖喱粉。
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 taxation tqVwP     
n.征税，税收，税金
参考例句：
  • He made a number of simplifications in the taxation system.他在税制上作了一些简化。
  • The increase of taxation is an important fiscal policy.增税是一项重要的财政政策。
11 ted 9gazhs     
vt.翻晒，撒，撒开
参考例句：
  • The invaders gut ted the village.侵略者把村中财物洗劫一空。
  • She often teds the corn when it's sunny.天好的时候她就翻晒玉米。
12 miserable g18yk     
adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的
参考例句：
  • It was miserable of you to make fun of him.你取笑他，这是可耻的。
  • Her past life was miserable.她过去的生活很苦。
13 socialists df381365b9fb326ee141e1afbdbf6e6c     
社会主义者( socialist的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • The socialists saw themselves as true heirs of the Enlightenment. 社会主义者认为自己是启蒙运动的真正继承者。
  • The Socialists junked dogma when they came to office in 1982. 社会党人1982年上台执政后，就把其政治信条弃之不顾。
14 mead BotzAK     
n.蜂蜜酒
参考例句：
  • He gave me a cup of mead.他给我倒了杯蜂蜜酒。
  • He drank some mead at supper.晚饭时他喝了一些蜂蜜酒。
15 cargo 6TcyG     
n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物
参考例句：
  • The ship has a cargo of about 200 ton.这条船大约有200吨的货物。
  • A lot of people discharged the cargo from a ship.许多人从船上卸下货物。
16 likeness P1txX     
n.相像，相似（之处）
参考例句：
  • I think the painter has produced a very true likeness.我认为这位画家画得非常逼真。
  • She treasured the painted likeness of her son.她珍藏她儿子的画像。
17 dissuade ksPxy     
v.劝阻，阻止
参考例句：
  • You'd better dissuade him from doing that.你最好劝阻他别那样干。
  • I tried to dissuade her from investing her money in stocks and shares.我曾设法劝她不要投资于股票交易。
18 delightful 6xzxT     
adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的
参考例句：
  • We had a delightful time by the seashore last Sunday.上星期天我们在海滨玩得真痛快。
  • Peter played a delightful melody on his flute.彼得用笛子吹奏了一支欢快的曲子。
19 picturesque qlSzeJ     
adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的
参考例句：
  • You can see the picturesque shores beside the river.在河边你可以看到景色如画的两岸。
  • That was a picturesque phrase.那是一个形象化的说法。
20 airfield cz9z9Z     
n.飞机场
参考例句：
  • The foreign guests were motored from the airfield to the hotel.用车把外宾从机场送到旅馆。
  • The airfield was seized by enemy troops.机场被敌军占领。
21 panes c8bd1ed369fcd03fe15520d551ab1d48     
窗玻璃( pane的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • The sun caught the panes and flashed back at him. 阳光照到窗玻璃上，又反射到他身上。
  • The window-panes are dim with steam. 玻璃窗上蒙上了一层蒸汽。
22 amiably amiably     
adv.和蔼可亲地，亲切地
参考例句：
  • She grinned amiably at us. 她咧着嘴向我们亲切地微笑。
  • Atheists and theists live together peacefully and amiably in this country. 无神论者和有神论者在该国和睦相处。 来自《简明英汉词典》
23 anguished WzezLl     
adj.极其痛苦的v.使极度痛苦(anguish的过去式)
参考例句：
  • Desmond eyed her anguished face with sympathy. 看着她痛苦的脸，德斯蒙德觉得理解。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The loss of her husband anguished her deeply. 她丈夫的死亡使她悲痛万分。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
24 anguish awZz0     
n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼
参考例句：
  • She cried out for anguish at parting.分手时，她由于痛苦而失声大哭。
  • The unspeakable anguish wrung his heart.难言的痛苦折磨着他的心。
25 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。
26 peril l3Dz6     
n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物
参考例句：
  • The refugees were in peril of death from hunger.难民有饿死的危险。
  • The embankment is in great peril.河堤岌岌可危。
27 complexion IOsz4     
n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格
参考例句：
  • Red does not suit with her complexion.红色与她的肤色不协调。
  • Her resignation puts a different complexion on things.她一辞职局面就全变了。
28 gasp UfxzL     
n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说
参考例句：
  • She gave a gasp of surprise.她吃惊得大口喘气。
  • The enemy are at their last gasp.敌人在做垂死的挣扎。
29 gasped e6af294d8a7477229d6749fa9e8f5b80     
v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要
参考例句：
  • She gasped at the wonderful view. 如此美景使她惊讶得屏住了呼吸。
  • People gasped with admiration at the superb skill of the gymnasts. 体操运动员的高超技艺令人赞叹。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
30 backwards BP9ya     
adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地
参考例句：
  • He turned on the light and began to pace backwards and forwards.他打开电灯并开始走来走去。
  • All the girls fell over backwards to get the party ready.姑娘们迫不及待地为聚会做准备。
31 wards 90fafe3a7d04ee1c17239fa2d768f8fc     
区( ward的名词复数 )； 病房； 受监护的未成年者； 被人照顾或控制的状态
参考例句：
  • This hospital has 20 medical [surgical] wards. 这所医院有 20 个内科[外科]病房。
  • It was a big constituency divided into three wards. 这是一个大选区，下设三个分区。
32 tableau nq0wi     
n.画面，活人画（舞台上活人扮的静态画面）
参考例句：
  • The movie was a tableau of a soldier's life.这部电影的画面生动地描绘了军人的生活。
  • History is nothing more than a tableau of crimes and misfortunes.历史不过是由罪恶和灾难构成的静止舞台造型罢了。
33 tilting f68c899ac9ba435686dcb0f12e2bbb17     
倾斜，倾卸
参考例句：
  • For some reason he thinks everyone is out to get him, but he's really just tilting at windmills. 不知为什么他觉得每个人都想害他，但其实他不过是在庸人自扰。
  • So let us stop bickering within our ranks.Stop tilting at windmills. 所以，让我们结束内部间的争吵吧！再也不要去做同风车作战的蠢事了。
34 triumphantly 9fhzuv     
ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地
参考例句：
  • The lion was roaring triumphantly. 狮子正在发出胜利的吼叫。
  • Robert was looking at me triumphantly. 罗伯特正得意扬扬地看着我。
35 plaintive z2Xz1     
adj.可怜的，伤心的
参考例句：
  • Her voice was small and plaintive.她的声音微弱而哀伤。
  • Somewhere in the audience an old woman's voice began plaintive wail.观众席里，一位老太太伤心地哭起来。
36 eyewitness VlVxj     
n.目击者，见证人
参考例句：
  • The police questioned several eyewitness to the murder.警察询问了谋杀案的几位目击者。
  • He was the only eyewitness of the robbery.他是那起抢劫案的唯一目击者。
37 perfectly 8Mzxb     
adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地
参考例句：
  • The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
  • Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

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