古墓之谜 9
文章来源:未知 文章作者:enread 发布时间:2024-01-30 06:58 字体: [ ]  进入论坛
(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
Eight
NIGHT ALARM
It’s a little difficult to know exactly what to note in the week that followed my arrival at TellYarimjah.
Looking back as I do from my present standpoint of knowledge I can see a good many littlesigns and indications that I was quite blind to at the time.
To tell the story properly, however, I think I ought to try to recapture the point of view that Iactually held—puzzled, uneasy and increasingly conscious of something wrong.
For one thing was certain, that curious sense of strain and constraint1 was not imagined. It wasgenuine. Even Bill Coleman the insensitive commented upon it.
“This place gets under my skin,” I heard him say. “Are they always such a glum2 lot?”
It was David Emmott to whom he spoke3, the other assistant. I had taken rather a fancy toMr.?Emmott, his taciturnity was not, I felt sure, unfriendly. There was something about him thatseemed very steadfast4 and reassuring5 in an atmosphere where one was uncertain what anyone wasfeeling or thinking.
“No,” he said in answer to Mr.?Coleman. “It wasn’t like this last year.”
But he didn’t enlarge on the theme, or say any more.
“What I can’t make out is what it’s all about,” said Mr.?Coleman in an aggrieved6 voice.
Emmott shrugged7 his shoulders but didn’t answer.
I had a rather enlightening conversation with Miss?Johnson. I liked her very much. She wascapable, practical and intelligent. She had, it was quite obvious, a distinct hero worship forDr.?Leidner.
On this occasion she told me the story of his life since his young days. She knew every site hehad dug, and the results of the dig. I would almost dare swear she could quote from every lecturehe had ever delivered. She considered him, she told me, quite the finest field archaeologist living.
“And he’s so simple. So completely unworldly. He doesn’t know the meaning of the wordconceit. Only a really great man could be so simple.”
“That’s true enough,” I said. “Big people don’t need to throw their weight about.”
“And he’s so light-hearted too, I can’t tell you what fun we used to have—he and RichardCarey and I—the first years we were out here. We were such a happy party. Richard Carey workedwith him in Palestine, of course. Theirs is a friendship of ten years or so. Oh, well, I’ve known himfor seven.”
“What a handsome man Mr.?Carey is,” I said.
“Yes—I suppose he is.”
She said it rather curtly8.
“But he’s just a little bit quiet, don’t you think?”
“He usedn’t to be like that,” said Miss?Johnson quickly. “It’s only since—”
She stopped abruptly9.
“Only since—?” I prompted.
“Oh, well.” Miss?Johnson gave a characteristic motion of her shoulders. “A good many thingsare changed nowadays.”
I didn’t answer. I hoped she would go on—and she did—prefacing her remarks with a littlelaugh as though to detract from their importance.
“I’m afraid I’m rather a conservative old fogy. I sometimes think that if an archaeologist’swife isn’t really interested, it would be wiser for her not to accompany the expedition. It oftenleads to friction10.”
“Mrs.?Mercado—” I suggested.
“Oh, her!” Miss?Johnson brushed the suggestion aside. “I was really thinking ofMrs.?Leidner. She’s a very charming woman—and one can quite understand why Dr.?Leidner ‘fellfor her’—to use a slang term. But I can’t help feeling she’s out of place here. She—it unsettlesthings.”
So Miss?Johnson agreed with Mrs.?Kelsey that it was Mrs.?Leidner who was responsible forthe strained atmosphere. But then where did Mrs.?Leidner’s own nervous fears come in?
“It unsettles him,” said Miss?Johnson earnestly. “Of course I’m—well, I’m like a faithful butjealous old dog. I don’t like to see him so worn out and worried. His whole mind ought to be onthe work—not taken up with his wife and her silly fears! If she’s nervous of coming to out-of-the-way places, she ought to have stayed in America. I’ve no patience with people who come to aplace and then do nothing but grouse11 about it!”
And then, a little fearful of having said more than she meant to say, she went on: “Of course Iadmire her very much. She’s a lovely woman and she’s got great charm of manner when shechooses.”
And there the subject dropped.
I thought to myself that it was always the same way—wherever women are cooped uptogether, there’s bound to be jealousy12. Miss?Johnson clearly didn’t like her chief ’s wife (that wasperhaps natural) and unless I was much mistaken Mrs.?Mercado fairly hated?her.
Another person who didn’t like Mrs.?Leidner was Sheila Reilly. She came out once or twiceto the dig, once in a car and twice with some young man on a horse—on two horses I mean, ofcourse. It was at the back of my mind that she had a weakness for the silent young American,Emmott. When he was on duty at the dig she used to stay talking to him, and I thought, too, that headmired her.
One day, rather injudiciously, I thought, Mrs.?Leidner commented upon it at lunch.
“The Reilly girl is still hunting David down,” she said with a little laugh. “Poor David, shechases you up on the dig even! How foolish girls are!”
Mr.?Emmott didn’t answer, but under his tan his face got rather red. He raised his eyes andlooked right into hers with a very curious expression—a straight, steady glance with something ofa challenge in it.
She smiled very faintly and looked away.
I heard Father Lavigny murmur13 something, but when I said “Pardon?” he merely shook hishead and did not repeat his remark.
That afternoon Mr.?Coleman said to me: “Matter of fact I didn’t like Mrs.?L. any too much atfirst. She used to jump down my throat every time I opened my mouth. But I’ve begun tounderstand her better now. She’s one of the kindest women I’ve ever met. You find yourselftelling her all the foolish scrapes you ever got into before you know where you are. She’s got herknife into Sheila Reilly, I know, but then Sheila’s been damned rude to her once or twice. That’sthe worst of Sheila—she’s got no manners. And a temper like the devil!”
That I could well believe. Dr.?Reilly spoilt her.
“Of course she’s bound to get a bit full of herself, being the only young woman in the place.
But that doesn’t excuse her talking to Mrs.?Leidner as though Mrs.?Leidner were her great-aunt.
Mrs.?L.’s not exactly a chicken, but she’s a damned good-looking woman. Rather like those fairywomen who come out of marshes14 with lights and lure15 you away.” He added bitterly, “Youwouldn’t find Sheila luring16 anyone. All she does is to tick a fellow off.”
I only remember two other incidents of any kind of significance.
One was when I went to the laboratory to fetch some acetone to get the stickiness off myfingers from mending the pottery17. Mr.?Mercado was sitting in a corner, his head was laid down onhis arms and I fancied he was asleep. I took the bottle I wanted and went off with it.
That evening, to my great surprise, Mrs.?Mercado tackled me.
“Did you take a bottle of acetone from the lab?”
“Yes,” I said. “I did.”
“You know perfectly18 well that there’s a small bottle always kept in the antika room.”
She spoke quite angrily.
“Is there? I didn’t know.”
“I think you did! You just wanted to come spying round. I know what hospital nurses are.”
I stared at her.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Mrs.?Mercado,” I said with dignity. “I’m sure Idon’t want to spy on anyone.”
“Oh, no! Of course not. Do you think I don’t know what you’re here for?”
Really, for a minute or two I thought she must have been drinking. I went away withoutsaying any more. But I thought it was very odd.
The other thing was nothing very much. I was trying to entice19 a pi dog pup with a piece ofbread. It was very timid, however, like all Arab dogs—and was convinced I meant no good. Itslunk away and I followed it—out through the archway and round the corner of the house. I cameround so sharply that before I knew I had cannoned20 into Father Lavigny and another man whowere standing21 together — and in a minute I realized that the second man was the same oneMrs.?Leidner and I had noticed that day trying to peer through the window.
I apologized and Father Lavigny smiled, and with a word of farewell greeting to the otherman he returned to the house with?me.
“You know,” he said. “I am very ashamed. I am a student of Oriental languages and none ofthe men on the work can understand me! It is humiliating, do you not think? I was trying myArabic on that man, who is a townsman, to see if I got on better — but it still wasn’t verysuccessful. Leidner says my Arabic is too pure.”
That was all. But it just passed through my head that it was odd the same man should still behanging round the house.
That night we had a scare.
It must have been about two in the morning. I’m a light sleeper22, as most nurses have to be. Iwas awake and sitting up in bed by the time that my door opened.
“Nurse, nurse!”
It was Mrs.?Leidner’s voice, low and urgent.
I struck a match and lighted the candle.
She was standing by the door in a long blue dressing23 gown. She was looking petrified24 withterror.
“There’s someone—someone—in the room next to mine .?.?. I heard him—scratching on thewall.”
I jumped out of bed and came to her.
“It’s all right,” I said. “I’m here. Don’t be afraid, my dear.”
She whispered: “Get Eric.”
I nodded and ran out and knocked on his door. In a minute he was with us. Mrs.?Leidner wassitting on my bed, her breath coming in great gasps25.
“I heard him,” she said. “I heard him—scratching on the wall.”
“Someone in the antika room?” cried Dr.?Leidner.
He ran out quickly—and it just flashed across my mind how differently these two had reacted.
Mrs.?Leidner’s fear was entirely26 personal, but Dr.?Leidner’s mind leaped at once to his precioustreasures.
“The antika room!” breathed Mrs.?Leidner. “Of course! How stupid of me!”
And rising and pulling her gown round her, she bade me come with her. All traces of herpanic-stricken fear had vanished.
We arrived in the antika room to find Dr.?Leidner and Father Lavigny. The latter had alsoheard a noise, had risen to investigate, and had fancied he saw a light in the antika room. He haddelayed to put on slippers27 and snatch up a torch and had found no one by the time he got there.
The door, moreover, was duly locked, as it was supposed to be at night.
Whilst he was assuring himself that nothing had been taken, Dr.?Leidner had joined him.
Nothing more was to be learned. The outside archway door was locked. The guard sworenobody could have got in from outside, but as they had probably been fast asleep this was notconclusive. There were no marks or traces of an intruder and nothing had been taken.
It was possible that what had alarmed Mrs.?Leidner was the noise made by Father Lavignytaking down boxes from the shelves to assure himself that all was in order.
On the other hand, Father Lavigny himself was positive that he had (a) heard footstepspassing his window and (b) seen the flicker28 of a light, possibly a torch, in the antika room.
Nobody else had heard or seen anything.
The incident is of value in my narrative29 because it led to Mrs.?Leidner’s unburdening herselfto me on the following day.
 


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 constraint rYnzo     
n.(on)约束,限制;限制(或约束)性的事物
参考例句:
  • The boy felt constraint in her presence.那男孩在她面前感到局促不安。
  • The lack of capital is major constraint on activities in the informal sector.资本短缺也是影响非正规部门生产经营的一个重要制约因素。
2 glum klXyF     
adj.闷闷不乐的,阴郁的
参考例句:
  • He was a charming mixture of glum and glee.他是一个很有魅力的人,时而忧伤时而欢笑。
  • She laughed at his glum face.她嘲笑他闷闷不乐的脸。
3 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。
4 steadfast 2utw7     
adj.固定的,不变的,不动摇的;忠实的;坚贞不移的
参考例句:
  • Her steadfast belief never left her for one moment.她坚定的信仰从未动摇过。
  • He succeeded in his studies by dint of steadfast application.由于坚持不懈的努力他获得了学业上的成功。
5 reassuring vkbzHi     
a.使人消除恐惧和疑虑的,使人放心的
参考例句:
  • He gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. 他轻拍了一下她的肩膀让她放心。
  • With a reassuring pat on her arm, he left. 他鼓励地拍了拍她的手臂就离开了。
6 aggrieved mzyzc3     
adj.愤愤不平的,受委屈的;悲痛的;(在合法权利方面)受侵害的v.令委屈,令苦恼,侵害( aggrieve的过去式);令委屈,令苦恼,侵害( aggrieve的过去式和过去分词)
参考例句:
  • He felt aggrieved at not being chosen for the team. 他因没被选到队里感到愤愤不平。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • She is the aggrieved person whose fiance&1& did not show up for their wedding. 她很委屈,她的未婚夫未出现在他们的婚礼上。 来自《简明英汉词典》
7 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》
8 curtly 4vMzJh     
adv.简短地
参考例句:
  • He nodded curtly and walked away. 他匆忙点了一下头就走了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The request was curtly refused. 这个请求被毫不客气地拒绝了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
9 abruptly iINyJ     
adv.突然地,出其不意地
参考例句:
  • He gestured abruptly for Virginia to get in the car.他粗鲁地示意弗吉尼亚上车。
  • I was abruptly notified that a half-hour speech was expected of me.我突然被通知要讲半个小时的话。
10 friction JQMzr     
n.摩擦,摩擦力
参考例句:
  • When Joan returned to work,the friction between them increased.琼回来工作后,他们之间的摩擦加剧了。
  • Friction acts on moving bodies and brings them to a stop.摩擦力作用于运动着的物体,并使其停止。
11 grouse Lycys     
n.松鸡;v.牢骚,诉苦
参考例句:
  • They're shooting grouse up on the moors.他们在荒野射猎松鸡。
  • If you don't agree with me,please forget my grouse.如果你的看法不同,请不必介意我的牢骚之言。
12 jealousy WaRz6     
n.妒忌,嫉妒,猜忌
参考例句:
  • Some women have a disposition to jealousy.有些女人生性爱妒忌。
  • I can't support your jealousy any longer.我再也无法忍受你的嫉妒了。
13 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。
14 marshes 9fb6b97bc2685c7033fce33dc84acded     
n.沼泽,湿地( marsh的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Cows were grazing on the marshes. 牛群在湿地上吃草。
  • We had to cross the marshes. 我们不得不穿过那片沼泽地。 来自《简明英汉词典》
15 lure l8Gz2     
n.吸引人的东西,诱惑物;vt.引诱,吸引
参考例句:
  • Life in big cities is a lure for many country boys.大城市的生活吸引着许多乡下小伙子。
  • He couldn't resist the lure of money.他不能抵制金钱的诱惑。
16 luring f0c862dc1e88c711a4434c2d1ab2867a     
吸引,引诱(lure的现在分词形式)
参考例句:
  • Cheese is very good for luring a mouse into a trap. 奶酪是引诱老鼠上钩的极好的东西。
  • Her training warned her of peril and of the wrong, subtle, mysterious, luring. 她的教养警告她:有危险,要出错儿,这是微妙、神秘而又诱人的。
17 pottery OPFxi     
n.陶器,陶器场
参考例句:
  • My sister likes to learn art pottery in her spare time.我妹妹喜欢在空余时间学习陶艺。
  • The pottery was left to bake in the hot sun.陶器放在外面让炎热的太阳烘晒焙干。
18 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。
19 entice FjazS     
v.诱骗,引诱,怂恿
参考例句:
  • Nothing will entice the children from television.没有任何东西能把孩子们从电视机前诱开。
  • I don't see why the English should want to entice us away from our native land.我不明白,为什英国人要引诱我们离开自己的国土。
20 cannoned 69604171f5591675389bd352a745f2dc     
vi.与…猛撞(cannon的过去式与过去分词形式)
参考例句:
  • The drunk man cannoned into a waiter. 那个醉汉撞在侍者怀里。 来自辞典例句
  • A big dog came running round the corner, cannoned into him, and knocked him over. 一只大狗由街角跑来,撞上他,把他撞倒了。 来自辞典例句
21 standing 2hCzgo     
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的
参考例句:
  • After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
  • They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。
22 sleeper gETyT     
n.睡眠者,卧车,卧铺
参考例句:
  • I usually go up to London on the sleeper. 我一般都乘卧车去伦敦。
  • But first he explained that he was a very heavy sleeper. 但首先他解释说自己睡觉很沉。
23 dressing 1uOzJG     
n.(食物)调料;包扎伤口的用品,敷料
参考例句:
  • Don't spend such a lot of time in dressing yourself.别花那么多时间来打扮自己。
  • The children enjoy dressing up in mother's old clothes.孩子们喜欢穿上妈妈旧时的衣服玩。
24 petrified 2e51222789ae4ecee6134eb89ed9998d     
adj.惊呆的;目瞪口呆的v.使吓呆,使惊呆;变僵硬;使石化(petrify的过去式和过去分词)
参考例句:
  • I'm petrified of snakes. 我特别怕蛇。
  • The poor child was petrified with fear. 这可怜的孩子被吓呆了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
25 gasps 3c56dd6bfe73becb6277f1550eaac478     
v.喘气( gasp的第三人称单数 );喘息;倒抽气;很想要
参考例句:
  • He leant against the railing, his breath coming in short gasps. 他倚着栏杆,急促地喘气。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • My breaths were coming in gasps. 我急促地喘起气来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
26 entirely entirely     
ad.全部地,完整地;完全地,彻底地
参考例句:
  • The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
  • His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。
27 slippers oiPzHV     
n. 拖鞋
参考例句:
  • a pair of slippers 一双拖鞋
  • He kicked his slippers off and dropped on to the bed. 他踢掉了拖鞋,倒在床上。
28 flicker Gjxxb     
vi./n.闪烁,摇曳,闪现
参考例句:
  • There was a flicker of lights coming from the abandoned house.这所废弃的房屋中有灯光闪烁。
  • At first,the flame may be a small flicker,barely shining.开始时,光辉可能是微弱地忽隐忽现,几乎并不灿烂。
29 narrative CFmxS     
n.叙述,故事;adj.叙事的,故事体的
参考例句:
  • He was a writer of great narrative power.他是一位颇有记述能力的作家。
  • Neither author was very strong on narrative.两个作者都不是很善于讲故事。
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