日期：2025-04-18 V The end of Christmas Day was like the end of most Christmas Days. The tree was lighted, a splendid Christmas cake came in for tea, was greeted with approval but was partaken of only moderately. There was cold supper. Both Poirot and his host and h... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-04-18 IV Christmas dinner took place at 2 p.m. and was a feast indeed. Enormous logs crackled merrily in the wide fireplace and above their crackling rose the babel of many tongues talking together. Oyster soup had been consumed, two enormous turkeys had... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-04-18 III The evening was a busy one. Holly and mistletoe had been brought in in large quantities and a Christmas tree had been set up at one end of the dining-room. Everyone helped to decorate it, to put up the branches of holly behind pictures and to ha... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-04-18 II The temperature in the long drawing- room at Kings Lacey was a comfortable sixty- eight as Hercule Poirot sat talking to Mrs Lacey by one of the big mullioned windows. Mrs Lacey was engaged in needlework. She was not doing petit point or embroide... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-04-18 THE ADVENTURE OF THE CHRISTMAS PUDDING I regret exceedingly... said M. Hercule Poirot. He was interrupted. Not rudely interrupted. The interruption was suave, dexterous, persuasive rather than contradictory. Please dont refuse offhand, M. Poirot. Th... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-03-18 Twenty-five LEGACY IA Mr. Robinson has called to see you, sir. Ah! said Hercule Poirot. He stretched out his hand and picked up a letter from the desk infront of him. He looked down on it thoughtfully. He said: Show him in, Georges. The letter was o... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-03-18 Twenty-four POIROT EXPLAINS IMrs. Upjohn, wandering through the corridors of Meadowbank School, forgot the exciting sceneshe had just been through. She was for the moment merely a mother seeking her young. She foundher in a deserted classroom. Julia... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-03-18 Twenty-three SHOWDOWN IIn one of the smaller classrooms Miss Bulstrode looked at the assembled people. All the membersof her staff were there: Miss Chadwick, Miss Johnson, Miss Rich and the two younger mistresses. Ann Shapland sat with her pad and p... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-03-18 Twenty-two INCIDENT IN ANATOLIA Mrs. Upjohn was sitting by the side of the road overlooking a deep ravine. She was talking partlyin French and partly with gestures to a large and solid-looking Turkish woman who was telling herwith as much detail as... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-03-18 Twenty-one GATHERING THREADS II want to talk to you, Eileen, said Miss Bulstrode. Eileen Rich followed Miss Bulstrode into the latters sitting room. Meadowbank was strangelyquiet. About twenty-five pupils were still there. Pupils whose parents had f... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-03-18 Twenty CONVERSATION WellI dont know what to say, said Mrs. Sutcliffe. Really I dont know what to say She looked with definite distaste at Hercule Poirot. Henry, of course, she said, is not at home. The meaning of this pronouncement was slightly obsc... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-03-18 Nineteen CONSULTATION CONTINUED ITwo murders at Meadowbank, repeated Poirot thoughtfully. Weve given you the facts, said Kelsey. If youve any ideas Why the Sports Pavilion? said Poirot. That was your question, wasnt it? he said to Adam. Well, now we... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-03-18 Eighteen CONSULTATION IHercule Poirot had prepared himself to beat down an insular prejudice that a headmistress mighthave against aged foreigners with pointed patent leather shoes and large moustaches. But he wasagreeably surprised. Miss Bulstrode... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-03-18 Seventeen ALADDINS CAVE IThe girls went up to bed that night more quietly than usual. For one thing their numbers weremuch depleted. At least thirty of them had gone home. The others reacted according to theirseveral dispositions. Excitement, trepid... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-03-18 Sixteen RIDDLE OF THE SPORTS PAVILION IMy head is bloody but unbowed, said Adam to himself. He was looking at Miss Bulstrode. He had never, he thought, admired a woman more. She sat,cool and unmoved, with her life-work falling in ruins about her. Fr... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-03-18 Fifteen MURDER REPEATS ITSELF Come along, said Inspector Kelsey, entering the room with a grim face. Theres been another. Another what? Adam looked up sharply. Another murder, said Inspector Kelsey. He led the way out of the room and Adam followedhi... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-03-18 Fourteen MISS CHADWICK LIES AWAKE IMiss Chadwick was restless. She turned to and fro in her bed counting sheep, and employing othertime-honoured methods of invoking sleep. In vain. At eight oclock, when Shaista had not returned, and there had been n... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-03-18 Thirteen CATASTROPHE IThe third weekend after the opening of term followed the usual plan. It was the first weekend onwhich parents were allowed to take pupils out. As a result Meadowbank was left almost deserted. On this particular Sunday there wou... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-03-18 Twelve NEW LAMPS FOR OLD IMiss Bulstrode had another faculty which demonstrated her superiority over most other women. She could listen. She listened in silence to both Inspector Kelsey and Adam. She did not so much as raise aneyebrow. Then she utte... 阅读全文>>

日期：2025-03-18 Eleven CONFERENCE When Inspector Kelsey returned to the station, the sergeant on duty said: Weve got Adam Goodman here, waiting, sir. Adam Goodman? Oh yes. The gardener. A young man had risen respectfully to his feet. He was tall, dark and good-look... 阅读全文>>