底牌 17
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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
Fifteen
MAJOR DESPARD
Major Despard came out of the Albany, turned sharply into Regent Street and jumped on a bus.
It was the quiet time of day—the top of the bus had very few seats occupied. Despard made hisway forward and sat down on the front seat.
He had jumped on the bus while it was going. Now it came to a halt, took up passengers andmade its way once more up Regent Street.
A second traveller climbed the steps, made his way forward and sat down in the front seat onthe other side.
Despard did not notice the newcomer, but after a few minutes a tentative voice murmured:
“It is a good view of London, is it not, that one gets from the top of a bus?”
Despard turned his head. He looked puzzled for a moment, then his face cleared.
“I beg your pardon, M. Poirot. I didn’t see it was you. Yes as you say, one has a good bird’s eyeview of the world from here. It was better, though, in the old days, when there wasn’t all thiscaged-in glass business.”
Poirot sighed.
“Tout de même, it was not always agreeable in the wet weather when the inside was full. Andthere is much wet weather in this country.”
“Rain? Rain never did any harm to anyone.”
“You are in error,” said Poirot. “It leads often to a fluxion de poitrine.”
Despard smiled.
“I see you belong to the well-wrapped-up school, M. Poirot.”
Poirot was indeed well equipped against any treachery of an autumn day. He wore a greatcoatand a muffler.
“Rather odd, running into you like this,” said Despard.
He did not see the smile that the muffler concealed1. There was nothing odd in this encounter.
Having ascertained2 a likely hour for Despard to leave his rooms, Poirot had been waiting for him.
He had prudently3 not risked leaping on the bus, but he had trotted4 after it to its next stopping placeand boarded it there.
“True. We have not seen each other since the evening at Mr. Shaitana’s,” he replied.
“Aren’t you taking a hand in the business?” asked Despard.
Poirot scratched his ear delicately.
“I reflect,” he said. “I reflect a good deal. To run to and fro, to make the investigations5, that, no.
It does not suit my age, my temperament6, or my figure.”
Despard said unexpectedly:
“Reflect, eh? Well, you might do worse. There’s too much rushing about nowadays. If peoplesat tight and thought about a thing before they tackled it, there’d be less mess-ups than there are.”
“Is that your procedure in life, Major Despard?”
“Usually,” said the other simply. “Get your bearings, figure out your route, weigh up the prosand cons7, make your decision—stick to it.”
His mouth set grimly.
“And, after that, nothing will turn you from your path, eh?” asked Poirot.
“Oh, I don’t say that. No use in being pigheaded over things. If you’ve made a mistake, admitit.”
“But I imagine that you do not often make a mistake, Major Despard.”
“We all make mistakes, M. Poirot.”
“Some of us,” said Poirot with a certain coldness, possibly due to the pronoun the other hadused, “make less than others.”
Despard looked at him, smiled slightly and said:
“Don’t you ever have a failure, M. Poirot?”
“The last time was twenty-eight years ago,” said Poirot with dignity. “And even then, therewere circumstances—but no matter.”
“That seems a pretty good record,” said Despard.
He added: “What about Shaitana’s death? That doesn’t count, I suppose, since it isn’t officiallyyour business.”
“It is not my business—no. But, all the same, it offends my amour propre. I consider it animpertinence, you comprehend, for a murder to be committed under my very nose—by someonewho mocks himself at my ability to solve it!”
“Not under your nose only,” said Despard drily. “Under the nose of the Criminal InvestigationDepartment also.”
“That was probably a bad mistake,” said Poirot gravely. “The good Superintendent8 Battle, hemay look wooden, but he is not wooden in the head—not at all.”
“I agree,” said Despard. “That stolidity9 is a pose. He’s a very clever and able officer.”
“And I think he is very active in the case.”
“Oh, he’s active enough. See a nice quiet soldierly-looking fellow on one of the back seats?”
Poirot looked over his shoulder.
“There is no one here now but ourselves.”
“Oh, well, he’s inside, then. He never loses me. Very efficient fellow. Varies his appearance,too, from time to time. Quite artistic10 about it.”
“Ah, but that would not deceive you. You have the very quick and accurate eye.”
“I never forget a face—even a black one—and that’s a lot more than most people can say.”
“You are just the person I need,” said Poirot. “What a chance, meeting you today! I needsomeone with a good eye and a good memory. Malheureusement the two seldom go together. Ihave asked the Dr. Roberts a question, without result, and the same with Madame Lorrimer. Now,I will try you and see if I get what I want. Cast your mind back to the room in which you playedcards at Mr. Shaitana’s, and tell me what you remember of it.”
Despard looked puzzled.
“I don’t quite understand.”
“Give me a description of the room—the furnishings—the objects in it.”
“I don’t know that I’m much of a hand at that sort of thing,” said Despard slowly. “It was arotten sort of room—to my mind. Not a man’s room at all. A lot of brocade and silk and stuff. Sortof room a fellow like Shaitana would have.”
“But to particularize—”
Despard shook his head.
“Afraid I didn’t notice … He’d got some good rugs. Two Bokharas and three or four reallygood Persian ones, including a Hamadan and a Tabriz. Rather a good eland head—no, that was inthe hall. From Rowland Ward’s, I expect.”
“You do not think that the late Mr. Shaitana was one to go out and shoot wild beasts?”
“Not he. Never potted anything but sitting game, I’ll bet. What else was there? I’m sorry to failyou, but I really can’t help much. Any amount of knickknacks lying about. Tables were thick withthem. Only thing I noticed was a rather jolly idol11. Easter Island, I should say. Highly polishedwood. You don’t see many of them. There was some Malay stuff, too. No, I’m afraid I can’t helpyou.”
“No matter,” said Poirot, looking slightly crestfallen12.
He went on:
“Do you know, Mrs. Lorrimer, she has the most amazing card memory! She could tell me thebidding and play of nearly every hand. It was astonishing.”
Despard shrugged13 his shoulders.
“Some women are like that. Because they play pretty well all day long, I suppose.”
“You could not do it, eh?”
The other shook his head.
“I just remember a couple of hands. One where I could have got game in diamonds—andRoberts bluffed14 me out of it. Went down himself, but we didn’t double him, worse luck. Iremember a no trumper, too. Tricky15 business—every card wrong. We went down a couple—luckynot to have gone down more.”
“Do you play much bridge, Major Despard?”
“No, I’m not a regular player. It’s a good game, though.”
“You prefer it to poker16?”
“I do personally. Poker’s too much of a gamble.”
Poirot said thoughtfully:
“I do not think Mr. Shaitana played any game—any card game, that is.”
“There’s only one game that Shaitana played consistently,” said Despard grimly.
“And that?”
“A low-down game.”
Poirot was silent for a minute, then he said:
“Is it that you know that? Or do you just think it?”
Despard went brick red.
“Meaning one oughtn’t to say things without giving chapter and verse? I suppose that’s true.
Well, it’s accurate enough. I happen to know. On the other hand, I’m not prepared to give chapterand verse. Such information as I’ve got came to me privately17.”
“Meaning a woman or women are concerned?”
“Yes. Shaitana, like the dirty dog he was, preferred to deal with women.”
“You think he was a blackmailer18? That is interesting.”
Despard shook his head.
“No, no, you’ve misunderstood me. In a way, Shaitana was a blackmailer, but not the commonor garden sort. He wasn’t after money. He was a spiritual blackmailer, if there can be such athing.”
“And he got out of it—what?”
“He got a kick out of it. That’s the only way I can put it. He got a thrill out of seeing peoplequail and flinch19. I suppose it made him feel less of a louse and more of a man. And it’s a veryeffective pose with women. He’d only got to hint that he knew everything—and they’d start tellinghim a lot of things that perhaps he didn’t know. That would tickle20 his sense of humour. Then he’dstrut about in his Mephistophelian attitude of ‘I know everything! I am the great Shaitana!’ Theman was an ape!”
“So you think that he frightened Miss Meredith that way,” said Poirot slowly.
“Miss Meredith?” Despard stared. “I wasn’t thinking of her. She isn’t the kind to be afraid of aman like Shaitana.”
“Pardon. You meant Mrs. Lorrimer.”
“No, no, no. You misunderstand me. I was speaking generally. It wouldn’t be easy to frightenMrs. Lorrimer. And she’s not the kind of woman who you can imagine having a guilty secret. No,I was not thinking of anyone in particular.”
“It was the general method to which you referred?”
“Exactly.”
“There is no doubt,” said Poirot slowly, “that what you call a Dago often has a very cleverunderstanding of women. He knows how to approach them. He worms secrets out of them—”
He paused.
Despard broke in impatiently:
“It’s absurd. The man was a mountebank—nothing really dangerous about him. And yet womenwere afraid of him. Ridiculously so.”
He started up suddenly.
“Hallo, I’ve overshot the mark. Got too interested in what we were discussing. Good-bye, M.
Poirot. Look down and you’ll see my faithful shadow leave the bus when I do.”
He hurried to the back and down the steps. The conductor’s bell jangled. But a double pullsounded before it had time to stop.
Looking down to the street below, Poirot noticed Despard striding back along the pavement. Hedid not trouble to pick out the following figure. Something else was interesting him.
“No one in particular,” he murmured to himself. “Now, I wonder.”
 


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 concealed 0v3zxG     
a.隐藏的,隐蔽的
参考例句:
  • The paintings were concealed beneath a thick layer of plaster. 那些画被隐藏在厚厚的灰泥层下面。
  • I think he had a gun concealed about his person. 我认为他当时身上藏有一支枪。
2 ascertained e6de5c3a87917771a9555db9cf4de019     
v.弄清,确定,查明( ascertain的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • The previously unidentified objects have now been definitely ascertained as being satellites. 原来所说的不明飞行物现在已证实是卫星。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • I ascertained that she was dead. 我断定她已经死了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
3 prudently prudently     
adv. 谨慎地,慎重地
参考例句:
  • He prudently pursued his plan. 他谨慎地实行他那计划。
  • They had prudently withdrawn as soon as the van had got fairly under way. 他们在蓬车安全上路后立即谨慎地离去了。
4 trotted 6df8e0ef20c10ef975433b4a0456e6e1     
小跑,急走( trot的过去分词 ); 匆匆忙忙地走
参考例句:
  • She trotted her pony around the field. 她骑着小马绕场慢跑。
  • Anne trotted obediently beside her mother. 安妮听话地跟在妈妈身边走。
5 investigations 02de25420938593f7db7bd4052010b32     
(正式的)调查( investigation的名词复数 ); 侦查; 科学研究; 学术研究
参考例句:
  • His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查,但没有发现什么。
  • He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。
6 temperament 7INzf     
n.气质,性格,性情
参考例句:
  • The analysis of what kind of temperament you possess is vital.分析一下你有什么样的气质是十分重要的。
  • Success often depends on temperament.成功常常取决于一个人的性格。
7 cons eec38a6d10735a91d1247a80b5e213a6     
n.欺骗,骗局( con的名词复数 )v.诈骗,哄骗( con的第三人称单数 )
参考例句:
  • The pros and cons cancel out. 正反两种意见抵消。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • We should hear all the pros and cons of the matter before we make a decision. 我们在对这事做出决定之前,应该先听取正反两方面的意见。 来自《简明英汉词典》
8 superintendent vsTwV     
n.监督人,主管,总监;(英国)警务长
参考例句:
  • He was soon promoted to the post of superintendent of Foreign Trade.他很快就被擢升为对外贸易总监。
  • He decided to call the superintendent of the building.他决定给楼房管理员打电话。
9 stolidity 82f284886f2a794d9d38086f9dfb6476     
n.迟钝,感觉麻木
参考例句:
  • That contrast between flashy inspiration and stolidity may now apply to the world's big central banks. 而今这种创意的灵感和反应上的迟钝的对照也适用于世界上的各大中央银行。 来自互联网
10 artistic IeWyG     
adj.艺术(家)的,美术(家)的;善于艺术创作的
参考例句:
  • The picture on this screen is a good artistic work.这屏风上的画是件很好的艺术品。
  • These artistic handicrafts are very popular with foreign friends.外国朋友很喜欢这些美术工艺品。
11 idol Z4zyo     
n.偶像,红人,宠儿
参考例句:
  • As an only child he was the idol of his parents.作为独子,他是父母的宠儿。
  • Blind worship of this idol must be ended.对这个偶像的盲目崇拜应该结束了。
12 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。
13 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》
14 bluffed e13556db04b5705946ac7be798a90a52     
以假象欺骗,吹牛( bluff的过去式和过去分词 ); 以虚张声势找出或达成
参考例句:
  • Hung-chien bluffed, "You know perfectly well yourself without my telling you." 鸿渐摆空城计道:“你心里明白,不用我说。”
  • In each case the hijackers bluffed the crew using fake grenades. 每一个案例中,劫机者都用了假手榴弹吓唬机组人员。
15 tricky 9fCzyd     
adj.狡猾的,奸诈的;(工作等)棘手的,微妙的
参考例句:
  • I'm in a rather tricky position.Can you help me out?我的处境很棘手,你能帮我吗?
  • He avoided this tricky question and talked in generalities.他回避了这个非常微妙的问题,只做了个笼统的表述。
16 poker ilozCG     
n.扑克;vt.烙制
参考例句:
  • He was cleared out in the poker game.他打扑克牌,把钱都输光了。
  • I'm old enough to play poker and do something with it.我打扑克是老手了,可以玩些花样。
17 privately IkpzwT     
adv.以私人的身份,悄悄地,私下地
参考例句:
  • Some ministers admit privately that unemployment could continue to rise.一些部长私下承认失业率可能继续升高。
  • The man privately admits that his motive is profits.那人私下承认他的动机是为了牟利。
18 blackmailer a031d47c9f342af0f87215f069fefc4d     
敲诈者,勒索者
参考例句:
  • The blackmailer had a hold over him. 勒索他的人控制着他。
  • The blackmailer will have to be bought off,or he'll ruin your good name. 得花些钱疏通那个敲诈者,否则他会毁坏你的声誉。
19 flinch BgIz1     
v.畏缩,退缩
参考例句:
  • She won't flinch from speaking her mind.她不会讳言自己的想法。
  • We will never flinch from difficulties.我们面对困难决不退缩。
20 tickle 2Jkzz     
v.搔痒,胳肢;使高兴;发痒;n.搔痒,发痒
参考例句:
  • Wilson was feeling restless. There was a tickle in his throat.威尔逊只觉得心神不定。嗓子眼里有些发痒。
  • I am tickle pink at the news.听到这消息我高兴得要命。
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