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11. The art of Larose
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An hour later, having bidden goodbye to Naughton Jones, who, however, did not take the slightest notice and remained sitting back in the armchair with his eyes closed as if he had fallen asleep, Larose was again seated in Sir Arnold’s car and being driven back to the Abbey.

“I did not intrude1 upon you,” said the surgeon, “for Henrik told me Mr. Jones was in there, too.” He smiled. “Our learned friend I know is very temperamental, and if I had disturbed him, without being sent for, it is quite probable I might have only received a snub for my pains. A very remarkable2 man, Mr. Jones, but he’s most touchy3 sometimes.”

“Yes, and he’s not in too good a mood this morning,” said Larose, “but he’s quite a genius in his way, and his kind often want a lot of handling.”

“So we found,” commented Sir Arnold dryly. “He was nearly dead that morning when I got him into the Cottage Hospital in Burnham Market, but within a few hours he was laying down the law as if I were the patient and he the medical man. In a couple of days, too, his room had become almost like a post office, with the number of telegrams that he was sending and receiving.”

“One of the big arteries4 was severed5, wasn’t it?” asked Larose.

Sir Arnold smiled again. “Well, hardly,” he replied, “but I had to exaggerate his injury in order to keep him quiet. He was furious that I wouldn’t allow him to get up the next day, and demanded stout6 and oysters7 to pick up his strength.”

They had almost reached the bitumen8 when suddenly a dilapidated-looking car turned into the marsh9 road and pulled up, almost blocking the narrow way. A burly-looking man sprang out and held up his hand for them to stop.

“Hullo!” exclaimed the surgeon quietly, “but this gentleman doesn’t look too prepossessing, and in these days of violence and abduction, we’d better be a little careful.”

“Oh! it’s all right,” replied Larose quickly. “I guess who he is. I recognise that car. It’s a four-cylinder10 Goat and belongs to Naughton Jones.”

The man advanced to speak to them, and, as Sir Arnold had said, his appearance was certainly not of a reassuring11 nature. He was big and thick set, with a big square head and small, blinking, pugnacious-looking eyes. His ears were thick and large and stood out, almost at right angles.

“Beg pardon, gentlemen,” he said touching12 his cap, “but is this the road for Holkham Bay?”

Larose repressed a smile. “Yes,” he replied, “but what do you want there? There’s not much to see.”

The man jerked his thumb back in the direction of the car. “But me and my mate are going to do a bit of shrimping.”

“Well, you won’t get any,” said Larose, “for it’s high tide.”

“We’ll have a go, anyhow,” said the man gruffly. ‘“We got the nets,” and he turned to go back to his car.

“One moment,” called out Larose, putting his head out of the window. “Are you by any chance the gentleman who is looking for Mr. Naughton Jones!”

The man’s eyes twinkled suspiciously. “Jones! Jones!” he exclaimed, “never heard of him.”

But the face of Larose suddenly assumed a startled look. “Good gracious!” he called out, “but aren’t you ‘The Limehouse Bruiser’ who once knocked out Stammering13 Jack14 in the tenth round? Great James! I’m sure you are. I remember you distinctly.”

The man’s face became at once a study, with pride and suspicion struggling for the mastery. He blinked his eyes violently, he smiled and he swallowed hard several times. Then he beamed all over. “Yes, guv’nor. You’ve placed me. I got him square on the jaw15.”

Larose laughed merrily. “It’s all right, my friend, quite all right, and you’ll find Mr. Jones up there, waiting for you both. I’ve just come from him and he told me he was expecting you. I know all about you.”

The man touched his cap once more and grinned. “Beg pardon, sir, again,” he said, “but you see we has to be careful, and it was no good us throwing our names about, was it?”

“Certainly not,” replied Larose, “you were most discreet16. Now, you go up along this road and it’s the only house you come to, on the right. You’ll find the door open and Mr. Jones inside.” He laughed again. “You tell him Mr. Larose directed you. Remember the name, Mr. Gilbert Larose.”

The man’s jaw dropped. “Larose!” he ejaculated, “not the ‘tec!”

“Yes,” smiled Larose, “but don’t worry. I’m not after you, and I wish both you and your pal17 good luck. Good-bye and hurry up, for you know Mr. Jones never likes to be kept waiting.”

“Quite an amusing little comedy,” remarked Sir Arnold as they speeded along, “and it was funny to watch the man’s face.” He smiled. “All you great men seem to like to make yourselves known to one another.”

“Yes,” smiled back Larose, “but it wasn’t exactly vanity on my part, this time. Jones says he and I are rivals, and I wanted to pull his leg and let him know I should recognise his assistants now, when I see them.” He changed the conversation. “But tell me, doctor, what is Sodium18 Evipan used for?”

“It’s a wonderful new anaesthetic,” replied Sir Arnold, “and we expect great things from it. You don’t inhale19 it like you do chloroform or ether, but it is injected into you with a hypodermic syringe, and you go off almost at once into profound unconsciousness. It is very rapid in its action and the unconsciousness lasts for from ten minutes to a quarter of an hour.”

“Then you go off quicker than when you are given ether or chloroform?” asked Larose.

“Good gracious, yes,” replied Sir Arnold. “You don’t know what’s happening after about a minute.” He looked curiously20 at the detective. “But what are your plans now, Mr. Larose? Remember you are not too strong yet and must go easy for a few days.”

“I’m hiring a car from Hunstanton,” replied Larose, “and with two good private-clothes men who are coming from Norwich to help me, am starting off about one o’clock. I have no idea yet in which direction I am going, but with any luck”— he gritted21 his teeth together —“I’ll be hot on the trail of those devils within twenty-four hours.”

“Then you found something just now in that house that may help you?” asked Sir Arnold eagerly.

“Yes, several things, I think,” nodded Larose, “but I shan’t know what they are worth for a few hours.”

The surgeon looked very astonished. “And do you really mean to tell me,” he asked, “that you have any hope of finding where Lady Ardane is being held prisoner, say, within a week from now?”

“Most certainly, yes,” replied Larose, “and perhaps within half that time. That’s my trade, Sir Arnold”— he frowned —“and if I know anything of Naughton Jones, it’ll be a close thing between us, who finds where she is first.”

“Then I’ll wait on at the Abbey,” said Sir Arnold. “I was intending to return to London to-night, but as you seem so confident, I’ll remain on for a few days.” He shook his head. “But you’ll have to be a quick mover, my friend, for those wretches22 have had a long start.”

And certainly Larose was a quick mover, for before half-past one he came out of the Hunstanton Public Library and proceeded at once to give some very definite instructions to two men who were standing23 by a motor bicycle and side-car outfit24.

“It’s at Cambridge you’ll have to ring me,” he said sharply, “at the Bull Hotel, there. Ring up at nine, and if you don’t get me then, ring up at every succeeding half-hour until you catch me. Now you know what you’ve got to do. It’s very simple. You are to keep to the main road and enquire25 at every garage, beginning at those in this town, if, since Monday week last, they have sold to any driver of a six cylinder grey-colored Jehu, two valve cap covers. The tyres he had lost them from were the off-side back one, and the one on the spare wheel, but you needn’t make any account of that. You want to know anyone with a Jehu who has purchased two valve-cap covers. If any garage can inform you, you are not to approach the man who has bought them, but tactfully find out all you can about him. You understand?”

“Yes, sir,” replied one of the men, “if we locate him, we are to do nothing until we have spoken to you.”

“And if the garages can’t tell you,” went on Larose, “get a list from them of all their clients who possess grey Jehu cars.” He made a grimace27. “Unhappily grey Jehus are pretty plentiful28, and there are a lot about, but the driver you want to know about is a fairly tall man who stoops a bit, over six feet I should say, has a long face with a biggish nose, and he sometimes wears a cap with car flaps tied under his chin. The two back tyres on his car are nearly new ones, and so were probably both bought at the same time, so you are to ask everywhere if they have any record of two such tyres being sold recently. Now is everything quite clear!”

“Yes,” replied the man who had spoken before, “and the number plates of his car are V.F. 2113.”

“But you can’t count on that, Hale,” said Larose sharply, “for, as I have told you, that number does not belong to him, and he may have others that he makes use of as well. I can’t tell you anything more, except that the first part of his journey from where he had set out to come to Holkham Bay was a muddy one, for scraping at the mud under the car that day, there was first the little mud from the marsh crossing, then a hard layer that had evidently become dried from coming a good few miles over the bitumen, and then underneath29 that, much moister mud again. Ah! one thing more, I noticed three dried dragon-flies stuck in the combs of his radiator30, so he probably comes from where there is swampy31 ground.” He waved his hand. “Now off you go and good luck to us all.”

The detective was in quite a cheerful frame of mind as he drove along towards King’s Lynn. “A glorious day,” he told himself, “and I’ve a lovely drive before me. I shall pass through these beautiful little English villages and through these quaint32, old-fashioned market towns. I shall touch the lonely Fen33 country, once all marsh and swamp and where the great Hereward the Wake fought so valiantly34 that the soil of England should not pass under the Norman yoke35. Then I shall come to the wonderful cathedral city of Ely, and finally I shall reach Cambridge, with its old world colleges and churches, hundreds and hundreds of years old.”

He sighed. “But I’m not going all this way to see the beautiful countryside or the wonder of man’s craft down the ages. I’m on a much more prosaic36 mission.” His face hardened and took a solemn look. “I am wanting to get upon the track of these wretches whose trade is murder and violence, and probably law-breaking of other kinds. It’s a gang we’re after, too, I’m sure, and although I am taking this long journey to Cambridge, I don’t for a moment believe they have their hiding place within many miles of there. When I went over that Jehu car, the petrol that had been used, assuming even that the tank had been full when the journey started, couldn’t have taken it a yard over fifty miles, and Jones agreed with me, too.”

He shook his head. “No, they don’t live anywhere near Cambridge, but all the same, with any luck, I’m going to pick up the trail there, and by tomorrow I shall probably be back, close here again. There were quite a number of things that struck me in that house, but that one in the Medical Journal was, I am sure, the most important.”

He looked at his watch and at once proceeded to reduce his speed. “No, I’ve plenty of time, for the gentleman I am going to interview in Cambridge is not likely to be home much before his dinner hour, and I’ve only seventy-five miles to go.” He drew a deep breath. “Now, let me reason it all over again and see if there’s anything glaringly wrong with my argument. A Dr. R.D. Smith, of King’s Parade, Cambridge, writes what is probably an intelligent and illuminative37 article on ‘Hay Fever,’ and it duly appears in the official organ of his profession. Naturally then, he expects to derive38 some credit from it, not only from his professional brethren, but also from certain of his patients as well. So imagine his disgust, when, with his name a very common one, the journal gives him a wrong initial and prints ‘R.B.’ instead of ‘R.D.’ Hay fever is not a rare complaint by any means, and several of his patients having probably suffered from it, it is quite natural he would like them to read his article. But he couldn’t lend it to them with the initials all wrong, so before doing so, he rectifies39 the mistake and with his pen puts a D. instead of the B.”

He paused for quite a long time to go back over his deductions40 and weigh up whether they seemed feasible or far fetched. At length he went on. “Then assuming that it is Dr. Smith himself who has rectified41 the mistake in his own copy of the journal — and by no stretch of the imagination can I conceive of anyone else taking the trouble to do it — all I have to find out is to whom he lent the journal, and in that way I ought to soon get at this man Prince.” He shook his head. “But if it were not for the altering of that initial my whole theory would fall to the ground, for undoubtedly42 this issue of the journal was in the possession of these men, not because of that article on ‘Hay Fever’— but because of that one on ‘Narcotics.’ The page there was well thumbed and ‘Sodium Evipan’ had been underlined.” He shook his head again. “Yes, they might have bought a copy of the journal for themselves.”

His face brightened. “But no, I am not altogether coming to Cambridge because of this medical journal, for I was intending to go there in any case. Those sandwiches that I found in the car were made of pate-defoie-gras, and that was a good brown sherry in the pocket flask43, and I thought of some big cities at once when I saw them. Those sorts of things are not to be bought in little country towns, and so Norwich and Cambridge leapt instantly into my mind, for they are the nearest places where they could be obtained. It was the same, too, this morning, directly I saw that expensive burgundy had been drunk. Shopping in a big city somewhere, where all kinds of expensive luxuries are on sale.”

He pressed down upon the accelerator. “Yes, upon second thoughts, I’d better hurry up a bit, so that if the doctor isn’t at home, I can go the round of the wine merchants at once.”

He arrived at Cambridge a little after four, and learning that the doctor was out and that his evening surgery hours were from seven to nine, gave his card to the maid who had answered the door, and asked her to inform her master that he would be much obliged if he could spare him a few minutes just before seven. He was not coming as a patient, he said, and would return at ten minutes before the hour. The girl regarded the card with very curious eyes and replied that she thought the arrangement would be quite all right.

Then he inquired of a postman whom he met which was the best firm of wine merchants in the city, and was directed to one in Sydney street. Asking to see the chief one in authority there, he was shown into the manager’s office, and producing his card, was at once treated with the utmost respect.

“What I want to know, sir,” he said, “is whether you have made a sale, lately, of any pint44 bottles of Chambertin 1904, accompanied perhaps at the same time by some bottles of brown sherry, and if you have done so, to whom you sold the wine.”

The manager smiled. “Happily, sir,” he replied, “we have a good connection and are very often disposing of the wines you mention. Now, can you give me any approximate date?”

“Unfortunately I can’t,” replied Larose, “but I am very interested in an unknown party, a tall man, with a rather long face and big nose, who has been purchasing these wines, and I want to find out who he is.”

The manager pursed up his lips and looked very doubtful. “I may be able to give you the names of a score of persons who have bought them,” he said, “and yet”— he looked more hopeful —“if this party you want bought the two wines at the same time, I may perhaps be able to help you, and particularly so, as you say the burgundy was in pint bottles. The still vintage wines are nearly always preferred in quarts.” He rose up from his chair. “I’ll go and look through our sales books.”

He left the room and was absent for quite a quarter of an hour. Then he returned with a big ledger45 under his arm. “You are lucky,” he smiled, “I can give you the exact date.” He pointed46 to a page in the book. “See, on September 9 we sold a case of Chambertin pints47 and six bottles of brown sherry and a bottle of 1906 brandy, all to the same person.”

“Who was he?” asked the detective eagerly, thrilled to the core that he had hit the bull’s-eye with the first shot. His hopes, however, were immediately dashed to zero when the manager replied, “Ah! there I’m afraid my services end, for the sale was a cash one, and in consequence there is no name of the purchaser recorded in our book.”

“And there is no possibility of finding out?” asked Larose with a choke in his voice.

“None whatever,” replied the manager. “Ah! wait a moment. Our cellar man may know something about him, for he will have delivered the wine.” He touched a bell upon his desk and a clerk immediately appeared. “Send William to me,” he said.

A minute or two later a stout, heavy man in a big leather apron48 appeared, and the manager put the question to him as to whether he remembered the sale.

The man thought for a moment and then nodded his head. “Yes, sir, I do,” he said. “I carried everything out to a car, and packed it in for the gentleman.”

“Who was he?” asked the manager. “Do you know?”

“No, sir, he was quite a stranger to me.” The man smiled. “But he gave me a shilling and was very particular how the Chambertin was put in the car and asked me how long he ought to let it rest after he’d got it home. He said it was going to have a good shaking, for he’d be travelling nearly forty miles.”

“What was the car like?” asked Larose.

“Couldn’t tell you, sir,” was the reply, “except that there was a lot of mud about, because I remember having to clean up my apron afterwards.”

That was all the information the detective could extract, and then, proceeding49 to the Bull Hotel, he put in a good hour studying a big ordnance50 map that he had purchased in Hunstanton.

At a quarter to seven he presented himself at the doctor’s house, and was at once shown into the surgery, where the doctor himself was seated at his desk. The doctor was a round-faced, plump little man, beaming good humor and good nature, and with a merry twinkle in his eye. He looked about fifty-five years of age.

“Well, what have you found out about me, sir?” he asked at once, wagging his finger playfully at the detective. “Oh! yes, I’ve heard about you, Mr. Larose, and know your favorite hobby is murder work.” He pretended to look very frightened. “But in my case I can inform you straightaway that you’ll need a perfect host of exhumation51 orders to secure any conviction, for everyone for whose death I am responsible is well buried under the ground.”

Larose smiled back. “It’s not quite as bad as that yet, doctor,” he replied, “and so far we’ve not had too many complaints about you up at the Yard. I’ve come about that article of yours on ‘Hay Fever’ that was published in the issue of the ‘British Medical Journal’ of September 4.”

“But that’s not a crime!” exclaimed the doctor instantly. “An indiscretion, if you like, but certainly no indictable offence!” His face sobered down. “But what do you mean, sir?”

“Now have you got a copy of the journal, with your article in it?” asked Larose.

“Certainly,” was the reply, and the doctor at once reached forward and picked one off the desk. “Here you are and there is the offending article.” The hopes of Larose dropped again, but he was in part reassured52, when he saw the initial had been corrected as before. “But is this the original copy that was sent you,” he asked, “for, of course, I presume you are a member of the British Medical Association and receive one every week.”

The doctor nodded. “Yes, I am,” he said, and then he added, looking very surprised, “no, this is not the copy that was sent me. Someone stole that from my waiting-room and I had to buy another.”

Larose put his hand in the breast pocket of his coat, and plucking out the journal he had brought with him, handed it dramatically across to the doctor.

“Then is this your original copy?” he asked, and he saw the doctor’s jaw drop, and his brows contract, as his eyes fell upon the correction under the title of his article.

“My oath, it is!” he gasped53, “but how the very devil did it come into your hands, and bring you all this way to question me?”

“The position, Doctor, is like this,” replied Larose. “We are after some very bad men, and we should have got them about a week back up Hunstanton way if they had not suddenly become aware that we had located them — and bolted away. Well, in the house they had been living in, we came across this journal, and thinking it must be yours, I have come over eighty miles today to speak to you.”

“How extraordinary!” exclaimed the doctor, “but there is no doubt this is the journal that was stolen from me.” He leant back in his chair and reflected. “Now let me see. The journal is published on the Saturday and I always get it on the Monday.” He spoke26 very slowly. “Then it was probably on the Wednesday that I put it on the waiting room table, and on the Friday when I went to look for it, it had gone. One of the patients must have taken it.”

“Well, can you remember among your patients a tall man, with a long face and rather big nose,” asked Larose, “who was probably suffering from some form of chest trouble about that time?”

The doctor shook his head slowly and then smiled. “I see from sixty to seventy people a day sometimes, and I can’t remember them all. No, I have no recollection of any such man.”

“But you are quite correct as to the date, doctor,” said Larose. “The journal was taken on the Thursday, for on that day, September 9, we have found out that this man, one of those we are wanting, was in Cambridge. Now, can you show me a list of the patients, with their addresses, who consulted you that day, most probably in your afternoon surgery, because I have reason to believe the man is not a local man, but lives a good way away.”

“Yes,” nodded the doctor, “my wife shall make it out for you. She keeps all my accounts for me, besides occasionally acting54 as my nurse.” He hesitated. “But it will take quite a little time, for she will have to go through a lot of cards.” He pulled out a drawer and lifted it upon the desk. “You see, when the patients come, I don’t enter their names into a book, but a card is allotted55 to each one, and the date, name, address, ailment56 and roughly what I have prescribed, is written upon it. Then the card is placed alphabetically57 in this index and when the patient comes again it doesn’t take two seconds for me to pick up all about him.” He put the drawer under his arm. “Now come with me into the dining-room. I’ll introduce you to my wife and she’ll pick out the list from these cards.” He paused just before opening the door, and whispered, “But tell me, what are these men wanted for, anything serious?”

Larose nodded. “Murder and other crimes besides that.”

The doctor whistled. “Whew! but my wife will be thrilled. She’s very romantic and loves to hear about murderers.” His eyes twinkled. “That’s why she married a doctor!”

“Oh! one thing more,” said Larose, and he stepped back to the desk and picked up the original journal. “See this oil mark on the cover? Well, it has a faint smell of camphor to me, and that may help us in picking out the thief, for he probably took the paper home with him in the same pocket as some camphorated oil that you prescribed.”

The doctor sniffed58 hard at the paper and then shook his head. “You have a very lively imagination, young man,” he said with a smile, “for I can’t smell anything.” He shrugged59 his shoulders. “Still you may be right, for I smoke a good deal. Are you a smoker60?”

“As a rule,” replied Larose, “but I’ve not had a cigarette for over a week now, and my scent61 is pretty keen. I’ve been laid up from a crack over the head that one of the gentlemen I’m after gave me.”

“That’s bad,” said the doctor. He laughed. “But I expect it makes your wish to get him as keen as your smell. But come on now, we’ll see the wife. She knows who are the patients, and can tell you all about them.”

The detective found Mrs. Smith a pleasant-looking, placid62 woman, many years younger than the doctor, and certainly the very last person, he thought, to be thrilled with murders. Her husband introduced him and explained what was wanted; then he pointed to the grease splash upon the journal and asked her to smell it. “A bit of detective work, Mary,” he said, “and Mr. Larose will be getting you a job at Scotland Yard if you can tell him what it is.”

Mrs. Smith smelt63 it delicately. “Camphorated oil,” she said at once. “I can recognise it plainly.”

The doctor threw up his hands. “And that’s what Mr. Larose declared,” he said disgustedly, “and I told him it was all imagination.” He bustled64 to the door. “Well, I’ll have to leave you two detectives together and go off and do some work. I hear a lot of coughing and scraping of feet going on in the waiting-room, and that means the poor wretches are getting desperate.”

Alone with the detective, Mrs. Smith proceeded to go through a great number of cards, but she worked quickly and soon had a little heap of them put to one side upon the table.

“Thirty-seven,” she said at last, “and those are all the patients my husband saw in the surgery that day.” She sorted out the cards. “The pink ones are the panel patients and the white ones the private ones. Now do you want to go through the panel patients?”

Larose smiled. “I don’t think so,” he replied. “They’d hardly be buying cases of expensive burgundy like the man I’m after.”

“Well, that simplifies our work a lot,” said Mrs. Smith, “and leaves only nine to deal with, and I’m sure I know nearly all of them. Five are women.” She proceeded in a brisk and most professional manner to go through the cards. “Mrs. Colliver, aged65 22, and expecting a baby. No, she’s the grocer’s wife and most respectable. Mrs. Astley, age 41, and being treated for eczema. Nice woman and keeps a milliner’s shop. Mrs. Davis, 46, indigestion and sore tongue, the solicitor’s wife. Mrs. Rumbull, 33, nerves and nothing the matter with her. Husband keeps a boot shop. Miss Dander, 24, school teacher, indigestion from over-smoking and drinking too much tea.”

“That’s all the women, now for the men. B. Hawker, 34, stomach pains. Ah! he’s since gone into hospital and had his appendix out. Employed in the Post Office. R. Wellington, 35, aching limbs, earache66. Temperature 100.2. Probably influenza67. Occupation not given. Address Crown Hotel. 5 gr. Dover powder and 5 grains aspirin68 prescribed. Hum! No, I don’t know him, but he evidently took up some time, for I see the doctor charged him 7/6. Next, R. P. Walker, 51, tonsillitis, temperature 102. He’s a butcher, and we have dealt with him for twenty years. Quite all right.”

She started to replace the cards. “Well, that’s all, Mr. Larose, and except this R. Wellington, every patient I have mentioned lives in Cambridge and is well known to us.” She held up her hand. “But wait a minute, I’ve thought of something. You shall ring up the Crown Hotel straightaway, and find out what they know about this Mr. Wellington. Yes, you ring up and then I’ll get the doctor out of his surgery and we’ll show him this card.”

The detective, with a great admiration69 for her shrewdness, did as she suggested, but upon getting in touch with the hotel, was not at all surprised to learn that they knew nothing about a Mr. Wellington. The proprietor70 himself answered the phone and was positive that no person of that name had stayed there, at any rate, during the past year.

Then Mrs. Smith knocked at the surgery door and the doctor came out. He was told everything had been sifted71 down, and that in all probability the Mr. R. Wellington must have been the purloiner72 of the journal, for he was the only stranger whose respectability the doctor would know nothing about. Also the prescription73 that had been given him suggested that a verbal injunction might have been made at the same time, that he should rub his chest with camphorated oil. Added to that, he had told the doctor an untruth when he had said he was stopping at the Crown Hotel.

“But why should he have wanted to mislead me about his address?” asked the doctor doubtfully.

“Well,” replied Larose, “if he had stolen something from your waiting room, he would naturally not want you to know too much about him, now would he?”

“But can you remember him, Roger,” asked Mrs. Smith quickly, perceiving that her husband was anxious to get back to his surgery. “You ought to, for you put the P.A.A. at the bottom of the card.”

The doctor’s eyes twinkled. “That means ‘probably an alcoholic,’” he whispered to the detective. “I have to make little notes like that to jog my memory.” He stared hard at the card.

“No, I’m sorry, but I haven’t the very slightest recollection of him, but still — I’ll try and think about him later on. Now where are you staying the night? The Bull Hotel! Good! Then I’ll ring you up later if I think of anything. Apart from that your only chance is to try the chemist. I tell all strangers to go to Griffin’s.” He shook his hand. “Good-bye and good luck. I’m pleased to have met you.”

The detective found Griffin’s, but they told him they had no record on their books of any prescription having been made up for an R. Wellington, likewise the next chemist down the street, but at a third shop he was heartened at once when the man behind the counter, after only a minute’s search, furnished the information that they had made up a prescription for a gentleman of that name on September 9.

“Can you remember him, a tall man with a long face and a big nose?” asked Larose anxiously.

“No, sir,” replied the man, “but one moment,” he added. “I’ll ask my son, for I see from the prescription book that he made up the powders.” He shook his head. “But I’m afraid there’s very little hope.”

But at once a very bright-faced young man emerged from a back room, and stated that he not only remembered Mr. R. Wellington quite clearly, but knew to the minute when he had made up the prescription for him on the afternoon of Thursday, September 9.

It happened, he explained, there was a race meeting at Newmarket that afternoon, and a horse called ‘The Duke of Wellington’ was running in the 3.30. He had been thinking all day about having a few shillings on it, and the coincidence of a gentleman named Wellington coming in very shortly before the time of the starting of the race, had seemed to him so marvelous that he did back it and won quite a nice little sum, for the horse had started to 33 to 1.

He remembered it was nearly a quarter-past three when the prescription had come in, and he had been so expeditious74 in serving the gentleman in order to get in touch with his bookmaker in time, that he spilt some camphorated oil that was also being purchased, all down his coat, and he had never been quite able to get the smell away since.

“And you are sure you remember what your benefactor75 was like?” asked the delighted Larose.

“Yes, sir. He was tall and slight and had a long narrow face with a long nose. He had a very deep voice and, from his fingers, he’s always smoking cigarettes.”

“Then do you know where he came from?” asked Larose, trembling at the very thought of the answer he might get.

“No, sir, but it was some long way. Somewhere towards the coast, for he was taking a pint bottle of methylated spirits away with him too, and would not allow me to make one parcel of it with the camphorated oil, because the road just beyond Littleport, he said, was under repair, and, as he would be getting a good jolting76, he didn’t want any broken bottles in his pocket.” The young fellow smiled. “In case it may help you in any way, I think the gentleman had been drinking. He smelt very strongly of spirits and kept on blinking his eyes a lot.”

Larose was quite pleased with his day’s work, and when later the plain-clothes man, Hale, rang up at the Bull Hotel, and reported no success for the day, he was by no means downhearted.

“Now, at any rate, I’ve found out something,” he said. “I know he lives about forty miles from Cambridge and, as I expected, back in the direction of Hunstanton. Also, I know he kept to the main road and did not begin the muddy part of the journey to his house until he’d gone at least thirty miles, therefore, he turned off, right or left, somewhere a few miles before he reached Downham Market, with the muddy fen country on either side.”

His eyes sparkled. “Now, I have thought all along that these wretches who were after Lady Ardane were members of an organized gang that existed and was at work as a gang, long before there was any idea of this kidnapping, and if they were engaged in the illicit77 drug traffic, then that would explain their number and the resources at their command. There must be quite eight of them in the gang, and they must be well financed to possess a motor yacht, and at least two cars. Those false number plates upon the Jehu, too, were not new, and the clear indication therefore is, that they have been employing them upon unlawful expeditions for some time, and that their coming into existence had nothing whatever to do with the recent happenings at Carmel Abbey.”

He took out his ordnance map and spread it upon the table. “And what better place could a gang want for their headquarters than among the Fens78? In places, for their areas, the Fens are still among the most desolate79 and lonely parts of England, and the roads that lead on to them lead nowhere but to the few isolated80 farms that the lands of the reclaimed81 swamps shelter. The cultivated parts that have been wrung82 from the mud and the quagmire83 and the slime are still like islands, with the narrow bridges over the drains and cuttings, the only means of communication with the bad, heavy roads that lead away outside on to the bitumen and then on to the towns.” He traced an imaginary circle with his finger upon a part of the map. “Why, there are miles and miles of country here about these Methwold and Feltwell Fens that do not appear to be crossed by a road in any direction.”

He undressed quickly and got into bed. “Well, it’ll be bad luck if we don’t forge ahead quickly tomorrow.”

The next morning he was early upon the road, for he had instructed the plain-clothes men to meet him sharp at nine o’clock in the town of Downham Market.

Passing through Ely a few minutes after half-past eight, his eyes suddenly became riveted84 upon a very shabby-looking car standing outside an iron monger’s shop, and he gave a startled exclamation85 and half stopped, but then moved slowly on. “Gosh!” he whispered, “but I’d swear that’s Jones’ car!”

He pulled his car into the kerb close near to a small public-house and, stopping his engine, was upon the point of alighting when he suddenly sank back into his seat and ducked his head sharply. The two assistants of the great Naughton Jones were just issuing from the bar, and the exLimehouse Bruiser was rubbing the back of his hand appreciatively over his mouth, as if he had just partaken of some agreeable refreshment86!

“Hah! hah!” hissed87 Larose, melodramatically, “then they’ve struck a trail, if it’s only a beer one.” The grin left his face and he peered furtively88 through the curtains of his car. “Yes, and, the hounds are running up to meet their master, for here’s Jones himself coming out of the ironmonger’s.”

He saw them all get into the car, and then off it went with a great noise and in a cloud of smoke.

“Now what’s brought Jones here?” He whistled. “And he’s taken the Cambridge road too!”

He thought a moment and then ran quickly into the ironmonger’s shop, as if he were in a great hurry. “Did my friend, that gentleman who’s just gone,” he asked breathlessly of the man behind the counter, “remember to leave you the pattern of the wick he wanted.”

“No, sir,” replied the man at once, “he didn’t show me any pattern, but he just asked for a Ventnor wick, and I’ve never heard of it. He said someone he knew had bought one here, but I’m sure he’s mistaken.”

“Dear me! How very annoying!” said Larose. “My friend is so forgetful. Who was it, he said, had got the wick here?”

“A Mr. Henderson, sir, but I don’t remember him, although he gave me his description.”

“Tall and slim, with a long nose?” exclaimed Larose.

“Yes, sir, and he said this gentleman always bought his cartridges89 here.”

The detective left the shop as if most annoyed with his forgetful friend, but directly he was outside the annoyance90 passed. “Really!”, he exclaimed smilingly, “but great minds do generally think alike. A wick was the first thing I thought of and — Jones thought of one, too. Something that would enable us to put in a few questions, and yet we wouldn’t be able to purchase.” He looked very thoughtful. “Now I wonder what’s taking Jones to Cambridge? He didn’t want that medical journal, and yet he’s got upon the trail, just as I have, but almost certainly in some other way. What a pity it is that he’s so difficult to manage, for with he and I together”— he grinned —“no one would be safe.”

Arriving at Downham Market, he found the plain-clothes men waiting for him. They had covered a wide area of ground the previous day, but although they had collected the names of a large number of persons who possessed91 Jehu cars, there was nothing of an encouraging nature in their reports.

“Well, now,” said Larose, “I’ll get you to alter the line of your enquiries today. This man we’re after seems a bit of a boozer and you must try the hotel right now. Also, his fingers are stained a lot from smoking cigarettes. Comb this town first and then try the villages up the main road as far as Littleport. We’ll make the King’s Arms our headquarters here, and I expect to be back by six at the latest. I’m going to work round Swaffham and Brandon for I’m a bit suspicious of those Fens upon the Suffolk border.”

Within an hour then, Larose, after making enquiries at every village upon his way, found himself in the pleasant little town of Swaffham, and was electrified92 to learn at the very first garage he called at, that a man had purchased two valve cap covers a couple of days previously93.

“But he hasn’t got a Jehu,” supplemented the proprietor of the garage, “for he drives an Ariel. Still that doesn’t matter for his covers are the same size.” He nodded grimly. “But if you think you’ll find out anything hanky-panky about Dick Hart, you’ll come a cropper straightaway, for Dick’s one of the straightest men about here and I’ve known him for some years and he’s highly respected. Someone pinched these covers of his last week when he’d left his car upon the road for a few minutes to go down his meadows after some sheep. He lives near Oxborough and about six miles from here. Enquire at the inn there, and they’ll direct you to his place.”

Larose thanked him for his information and then was thrilled again, when the man gave him the names and places where they lived, of two men who owned Jehu cars, for one of them, Roy Fensum, lived in the heart of the Methwold Fens.

“But Fensum isn’t a customer of mine,” nodded the man, “and I don’t see him once in a blue moon. Still his car occasionally goes through here, although often he’s not driving it himself. Yes, it’s a grey one and when he’s not driving it, it goes pretty fast. No, he’s not tall by any means. He’s medium sized, and you can’t mistake him, for he’s very dark. What is he?” The man laughed. “Why a farmer, of course, and he goes in for Romney Marsh sheep! No, I don’t know the other chaps who drive it, for they’ve always got the curtains up and don’t appear ever to stop in the town. Quite welcome, sir. Good morning.”

The detective went off in high glee. Things were now shaping splendidly, and he was sure he was getting close.

He found Dick Hart with no difficulty, but met with no very favorable reception, after crossing over a very muddy field to get speech with him. The man was ploughing with four horses, one of which became very restive94, as the plough was stopped when Larose came up. Hart was a fine, well-built fellow about forty-five, with a big face and very fearless-looking eyes. He scowled95 irritably96 when Larose started to ask him about his recent purchases in Swaffham.

“And what’s the hell’s that to do with you?” he asked. He looked very fierce. “You’ll play no tricks with me, young fellow, for I was a policeman once. What! a detective, are you? Well, show me your badge.”

“Splendid!” exclaimed Larose. “It couldn’t have been better,” and he at once produced his badge and told him who he was.

“Gee!” exclaimed the man, his whole expression altering. “Then you’re this Gilbert Larose are you? I’m proud to meet you, sir. I’ve heard all about you, of course, Detective Inspector,” he went on, giving Larose his proper title and now saluting97 most respectfully. “I was in the Metropolitan98 Police Force.” He drew himself up proudly. “Sergeant Richard Hart and fifteen years with never a bad mark against me. I still keep in touch with things a bit, for I’ve a brother in the City Police and he sends the Gazette every now and then.” He expended99 a few curses upon the restive horse and then turned back to Larose. “Now, what do you want to know, sir?’”

The detective realised at once that he was in the presence of a man of sterling100 character, and told him quickly what he wanted. Then in a few terse101 sentences, and without the use of one unnecessary word, the expoliceman related all that had happened.

He had left his car unattended upon the road the previous Monday week about two o’clock in the afternoon, and gone about a quarter of a mile down the meadow, to look at some sheep. He had not actually seen any car pass, because for part of the time he had been in a dip in the field, but he had heard one go by, and then returning to the road a few minutes later, had noticed at once that his valve-cap covers had gone. He was positive beyond any possibility of mistake that they had been there a few minutes before, because not half an hour previously he had put some air in each of the tyres and had then screwed up all the covers tightly.

Then, assured from his whole bearing and demeanor102 that the man could be thoroughly103 trusted, Larose went straight to the point and asked him about Roy Fensum, as one who was under suspicion of the authorities.

“I just know Fensum very slightly, and that’s all,” replied Hurt. “He’s not a type of man that I like and I’m hardly ever brought in contact with him. I see him at Brandon Market sometimes, but he never appears to mix much with anyone. He keeps himself very much to himself, and I don’t know any farmer round here who’s friendly with him. He’s a widower104 and employs several hands. No women, I believe, about the place at all. Yes, I’ve been there once lately. I bought a horse off him about six months ago. Oh! you want to go and see him, do you?” He nodded vigorously. “Well, you be very careful and don’t stop your car until you’re right up to the house, for he’s got two big, ugly-looking Alsatians that come up at once and go for strangers. Oh! you want to go up there without being seen! Well, that’s rather difficult, for he’s right in the heart of the Methwold Fens.” He looked hard at the detective. “What do you want to go and look at him for? What’s he supposed to have done?”

“Murder, perhaps,” replied Larose sharply, “and other things as well. At any rate, that’s what he’s mixed up in, and I think there’s a gang of bad men up there.”

The expoliceman’s face paled a little under its tan. “Whew!” he whistled, “so it’s as bad as that!” He considered for a moment and then looked at his watch. “Here, sir, you just wait until I’ve finished this round, and then come in and have a bit of dinner with me.” He nodded. “I may be able to help you a lot, for I was born among these Fens and have fished every cut and dyke105. Yes, you come, sir, and we’ll have a talk.” He laughed and looked very pleased with himself. “It will remind me of the old times when I was P.C. Richard Hart, and handling the drunks up Hoxton way.”

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 intrude Lakzv     
vi.闯入;侵入;打扰,侵扰
参考例句:
  • I do not want to intrude if you are busy.如果你忙我就不打扰你了。
  • I don't want to intrude on your meeting.我不想打扰你们的会议。
2 remarkable 8Vbx6     
adj.显著的,异常的,非凡的,值得注意的
参考例句:
  • She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
  • These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。
3 touchy PJfz6     
adj.易怒的;棘手的
参考例句:
  • Be careful what you say because he's touchy.你说话小心,因为他容易生气。
  • He's a little touchy about his weight.他对自己的体重感到有点儿苦恼。
4 arteries 821b60db0d5e4edc87fdf5fc263ba3f5     
n.动脉( artery的名词复数 );干线,要道
参考例句:
  • Even grafting new blood vessels in place of the diseased coronary arteries has been tried. 甚至移植新血管代替不健康的冠状动脉的方法都已经试过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • This is the place where the three main arteries of West London traffic met. 这就是伦敦西部三条主要交通干线的交汇处。 来自《简明英汉词典》
5 severed 832a75b146a8d9eacac9030fd16c0222     
v.切断,断绝( sever的过去式和过去分词 );断,裂
参考例句:
  • The doctor said I'd severed a vessel in my leg. 医生说我割断了腿上的一根血管。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • We have severed diplomatic relations with that country. 我们与那个国家断绝了外交关系。 来自《简明英汉词典》
7 oysters 713202a391facaf27aab568d95bdc68f     
牡蛎( oyster的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • We don't have oysters tonight, but the crayfish are very good. 我们今晚没有牡蛎供应。但小龙虾是非常好。
  • She carried a piping hot grill of oysters and bacon. 她端出一盘滚烫的烤牡蛎和咸肉。
8 bitumen ad5yB     
n.沥青
参考例句:
  • Bitumen paper can be burnt to gain energy.沥青纸可以焚烧以获得能量。
  • In fact,a speciality crude is suitable only for bitumen production.事实上,这种特性的原油只适宜于生产沥青。
9 marsh Y7Rzo     
n.沼泽,湿地
参考例句:
  • There are a lot of frogs in the marsh.沼泽里有许多青蛙。
  • I made my way slowly out of the marsh.我缓慢地走出这片沼泽地。
10 cylinder rngza     
n.圆筒,柱(面),汽缸
参考例句:
  • What's the volume of this cylinder?这个圆筒的体积有多少?
  • The cylinder is getting too much gas and not enough air.汽缸里汽油太多而空气不足。
11 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。
12 touching sg6zQ9     
adj.动人的,使人感伤的
参考例句:
  • It was a touching sight.这是一幅动人的景象。
  • His letter was touching.他的信很感人。
13 stammering 232ca7f6dbf756abab168ca65627c748     
v.结巴地说出( stammer的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • He betrayed nervousness by stammering. 他说话结结巴巴说明他胆子小。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • \"Why,\" he said, actually stammering, \"how do you do?\" “哎呀,\"他说,真的有些结结巴巴,\"你好啊?” 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
14 jack 53Hxp     
n.插座,千斤顶,男人;v.抬起,提醒,扛举;n.(Jake)杰克
参考例句:
  • I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
  • He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。
15 jaw 5xgy9     
n.颚,颌,说教,流言蜚语;v.喋喋不休,教训
参考例句:
  • He delivered a right hook to his opponent's jaw.他给了对方下巴一记右钩拳。
  • A strong square jaw is a sign of firm character.强健的方下巴是刚毅性格的标志。
16 discreet xZezn     
adj.(言行)谨慎的;慎重的;有判断力的
参考例句:
  • He is very discreet in giving his opinions.发表意见他十分慎重。
  • It wasn't discreet of you to ring me up at the office.你打电话到我办公室真是太鲁莽了。
17 pal j4Fz4     
n.朋友,伙伴,同志;vi.结为友
参考例句:
  • He is a pal of mine.他是我的一个朋友。
  • Listen,pal,I don't want you talking to my sister any more.听着,小子,我不让你再和我妹妹说话了。
18 sodium Hrpyc     
n.(化)钠
参考例句:
  • Out over the town the sodium lights were lit.在外面,全城的钠光灯都亮了。
  • Common salt is a compound of sodium and chlorine.食盐是钠和氯的复合物。
19 inhale ZbJzA     
v.吸入(气体等),吸(烟)
参考例句:
  • Don't inhale dust into your lung.别把灰尘吸进肺里。
  • They are pleased to not inhale second hand smoke.他们很高兴他们再也不会吸到二手烟了。
20 curiously 3v0zIc     
adv.有求知欲地;好问地;奇特地
参考例句:
  • He looked curiously at the people.他好奇地看着那些人。
  • He took long stealthy strides. His hands were curiously cold.他迈着悄没声息的大步。他的双手出奇地冷。
21 gritted 74cb239c0aa78b244d5279ebe4f72c2d     
v.以沙砾覆盖(某物),撒沙砾于( grit的过去式和过去分词 );咬紧牙关
参考例句:
  • He gritted his teeth and plunged into the cold weather. 他咬咬牙,冲向寒冷的天气。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • The young policeman gritted his teeth and walked slowly towards the armed criminal. 年轻警官强忍住怒火,朝武装歹徒慢慢走过去。 来自《简明英汉词典》
22 wretches 279ac1104342e09faf6a011b43f12d57     
n.不幸的人( wretch的名词复数 );可怜的人;恶棍;坏蛋
参考例句:
  • The little wretches were all bedraggledfrom some roguery. 小淘气们由于恶作剧而弄得脏乎乎的。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • The best courage for us poor wretches is to fly from danger. 对我们这些可怜虫说来,最好的出路还是躲避危险。 来自辞典例句
23 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。
24 outfit YJTxC     
n.(为特殊用途的)全套装备,全套服装
参考例句:
  • Jenney bought a new outfit for her daughter's wedding.珍妮为参加女儿的婚礼买了一套新装。
  • His father bought a ski outfit for him on his birthday.他父亲在他生日那天给他买了一套滑雪用具。
25 enquire 2j5zK     
v.打听,询问;调查,查问
参考例句:
  • She wrote to enquire the cause of the delay.她只得写信去询问拖延的理由。
  • We will enquire into the matter.我们将调查这事。
26 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。
27 grimace XQVza     
v.做鬼脸,面部歪扭
参考例句:
  • The boy stole a look at his father with grimace.那男孩扮着鬼脸偷看了他父亲一眼。
  • Thomas made a grimace after he had tasted the wine.托马斯尝了那葡萄酒后做了个鬼脸。
28 plentiful r2izH     
adj.富裕的,丰富的
参考例句:
  • Their family has a plentiful harvest this year.他们家今年又丰收了。
  • Rainfall is plentiful in the area.这个地区雨量充足。
29 underneath VKRz2     
adj.在...下面,在...底下;adv.在下面
参考例句:
  • Working underneath the car is always a messy job.在汽车底下工作是件脏活。
  • She wore a coat with a dress underneath.她穿着一件大衣,里面套着一条连衣裙。
30 radiator nTHxu     
n.暖气片,散热器
参考例句:
  • The two ends of the pipeline are connected with the radiator.管道的两端与暖气片相连接。
  • Top up the radiator before making a long journey.在长途旅行前加满散热器。
31 swampy YrRwC     
adj.沼泽的,湿地的
参考例句:
  • Malaria is still rampant in some swampy regions.疟疾在一些沼泽地区仍很猖獗。
  • An ox as grazing in a swampy meadow.一头牛在一块泥泞的草地上吃草。
32 quaint 7tqy2     
adj.古雅的,离奇有趣的,奇怪的
参考例句:
  • There were many small lanes in the quaint village.在这古香古色的村庄里,有很多小巷。
  • They still keep some quaint old customs.他们仍然保留着一些稀奇古怪的旧风俗。
33 fen CtczNj     
n.沼泽,沼池
参考例句:
  • The willows over all the fen rippled and whitened like a field of wheat.沼泽上的柳树,随风一起一伏,泛出白光,就象一片麦田一样。
  • There is a fen around each island.每个岛屿周围有一个沼泽。
34 valiantly valiantly     
adv.勇敢地,英勇地;雄赳赳
参考例句:
  • He faced the enemy valiantly, shuned no difficulties and dangers and would not hesitate to lay down his life if need be. 他英勇对敌,不避艰险,赴汤蹈火在所不计。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • Murcertach strove valiantly to meet the new order of things. 面对这个新事态,默克塔克英勇奋斗。 来自辞典例句
35 yoke oeTzRa     
n.轭;支配;v.给...上轭,连接,使成配偶
参考例句:
  • An ass and an ox,fastened to the same yoke,were drawing a wagon.驴子和公牛一起套在轭上拉车。
  • The defeated army passed under the yoke.败军在轭门下通过。
36 prosaic i0szo     
adj.单调的,无趣的
参考例句:
  • The truth is more prosaic.真相更加乏味。
  • It was a prosaic description of the scene.这是对场景没有想象力的一个描述。
37 illuminative d067d77f312b74c7643569c396e076c1     
adj.照明的,照亮的,启蒙的
参考例句:
  • Yan Fu is China's latter-day and famous illuminative ideologist. 严复是中国近代著名的启蒙思想家。 来自互联网
  • Usage in thermal places where range of household appliance, illuminative lamps, industrial machinesarc operated. 适用于各种电子电器、照明灯具、工业机器、电热制品等高温场所的绝缘保护。 来自互联网
38 derive hmLzH     
v.取得;导出;引申;来自;源自;出自
参考例句:
  • We derive our sustenance from the land.我们从土地获取食物。
  • We shall derive much benefit from reading good novels.我们将从优秀小说中获得很大好处。
39 rectifies 6e65872321e1718de520c6c88c7d8979     
改正,矫正( rectify的第三人称单数 ); 精馏
参考例句:
  • A diode rectifies alternating current. 二极管调整交流电。
40 deductions efdb24c54db0a56d702d92a7f902dd1f     
扣除( deduction的名词复数 ); 结论; 扣除的量; 推演
参考例句:
  • Many of the older officers trusted agents sightings more than cryptanalysts'deductions. 许多年纪比较大的军官往往相信特务的发现,而不怎么相信密码分析员的推断。
  • You know how you rush at things,jump to conclusions without proper deductions. 你知道你处理问题是多么仓促,毫无合适的演绎就仓促下结论。
41 rectified 8714cd0fa53a5376ba66b0406599eb20     
[医]矫正的,调整的
参考例句:
  • I am hopeful this misunderstanding will be rectified very quickly. 我相信这个误会将很快得到纠正。
  • That mistake could have been rectified within 28 days. 那个错误原本可以在28天内得以纠正。
42 undoubtedly Mfjz6l     
adv.确实地,无疑地
参考例句:
  • It is undoubtedly she who has said that.这话明明是她说的。
  • He is undoubtedly the pride of China.毫无疑问他是中国的骄傲。
43 flask Egxz8     
n.瓶,火药筒,砂箱
参考例句:
  • There is some deposit in the bottom of the flask.这只烧杯的底部有些沉淀物。
  • He took out a metal flask from a canvas bag.他从帆布包里拿出一个金属瓶子。
44 pint 1NNxL     
n.品脱
参考例句:
  • I'll have a pint of beer and a packet of crisps, please.我要一品脱啤酒和一袋炸马铃薯片。
  • In the old days you could get a pint of beer for a shilling.从前,花一先令就可以买到一品脱啤酒。
45 ledger 014xk     
n.总帐,分类帐;帐簿
参考例句:
  • The young man bowed his head and bent over his ledger again.那个年轻人点头应诺,然后又埋头写起分类帐。
  • She is a real accountant who even keeps a detailed household ledger.她不愧是搞财务的,家庭分类账记得清楚详细。
46 pointed Il8zB4     
adj.尖的,直截了当的
参考例句:
  • He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
  • She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。
47 pints b9e5a292456657f1f11f1dc350ea8581     
n.品脱( pint的名词复数 );一品脱啤酒
参考例句:
  • I drew off three pints of beer from the barrel. 我从酒桶里抽出三品脱啤酒。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Two pints today, please. 今天请来两品脱。 来自《简明英汉词典》
48 apron Lvzzo     
n.围裙;工作裙
参考例句:
  • We were waited on by a pretty girl in a pink apron.招待我们的是一位穿粉红色围裙的漂亮姑娘。
  • She stitched a pocket on the new apron.她在新围裙上缝上一只口袋。
49 proceeding Vktzvu     
n.行动,进行,(pl.)会议录,学报
参考例句:
  • This train is now proceeding from Paris to London.这次列车从巴黎开往伦敦。
  • The work is proceeding briskly.工作很有生气地进展着。
50 ordnance IJdxr     
n.大炮,军械
参考例句:
  • She worked in an ordnance factory during the war.战争期间她在一家兵工厂工作。
  • Shoes and clothing for the army were scarce,ordnance supplies and drugs were scarcer.军队很缺鞋和衣服,武器供应和药品就更少了。
51 exhumation 3e3356144992dae3dedaa826df161f8e     
n.掘尸,发掘;剥璐
参考例句:
  • The German allowed a forensic commission including prominent neutral experts to supervise part of the exhumation. 德国人让一个包括杰出的中立专家在内的法庭委员会对部分掘墓工作进行监督。 来自辞典例句
  • At any rate, the exhumation was repeated once and again. 无论如何,他曾经把尸体挖出来又埋进去,埋进去又挖出来。 来自互联网
52 reassured ff7466d942d18e727fb4d5473e62a235     
adj.使消除疑虑的;使放心的v.再保证,恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词)
参考例句:
  • The captain's confidence during the storm reassured the passengers. 在风暴中船长的信念使旅客们恢复了信心。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • The doctor reassured the old lady. 医生叫那位老妇人放心。 来自《简明英汉词典》
53 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》
54 acting czRzoc     
n.演戏,行为,假装;adj.代理的,临时的,演出用的
参考例句:
  • Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她,她只是假装的。
  • During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代,她的表演生涯黯然失色。
55 allotted 5653ecda52c7b978bd6890054bd1f75f     
分配,拨给,摊派( allot的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • I completed the test within the time allotted . 我在限定的时间内完成了试验。
  • Each passenger slept on the berth allotted to him. 每个旅客都睡在分配给他的铺位上。
56 ailment IV8zf     
n.疾病,小病
参考例句:
  • I don't have even the slightest ailment.我什么毛病也没有。
  • He got timely treatment for his ailment.他的病得到了及时治疗。
57 alphabetically xzzz0q     
adv.照字母顺序排列地
参考例句:
  • I've arranged the books alphabetically so don't muddle them up. 我已按字母顺序把这些书整理了,千万不要再弄乱。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • They are all filed alphabetically under author. 这些都是按照作者姓名的字母顺序归档的。 来自辞典例句
58 sniffed ccb6bd83c4e9592715e6230a90f76b72     
v.以鼻吸气,嗅,闻( sniff的过去式和过去分词 );抽鼻子(尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气);抱怨,不以为然地说
参考例句:
  • When Jenney had stopped crying she sniffed and dried her eyes. 珍妮停止了哭泣,吸了吸鼻子,擦干了眼泪。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The dog sniffed suspiciously at the stranger. 狗疑惑地嗅着那个陌生人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
59 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》
60 smoker GiqzKx     
n.吸烟者,吸烟车厢,吸烟室
参考例句:
  • His wife dislikes him to be a smoker.他妻子不喜欢他当烟民。
  • He is a moderate smoker.他是一个有节制的烟民。
61 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。
62 placid 7A1yV     
adj.安静的,平和的
参考例句:
  • He had been leading a placid life for the past eight years.八年来他一直过着平静的生活。
  • You should be in a placid mood and have a heart-to- heart talk with her.你应该心平气和的好好和她谈谈心。
63 smelt tiuzKF     
v.熔解,熔炼;n.银白鱼,胡瓜鱼
参考例句:
  • Tin is a comparatively easy metal to smelt.锡是比较容易熔化的金属。
  • Darby was looking for a way to improve iron when he hit upon the idea of smelting it with coke instead of charcoal.达比一直在寻找改善铁质的方法,他猛然想到可以不用木炭熔炼,而改用焦炭。
64 bustled 9467abd9ace0cff070d56f0196327c70     
闹哄哄地忙乱,奔忙( bustle的过去式和过去分词 ); 催促
参考例句:
  • She bustled around in the kitchen. 她在厨房里忙得团团转。
  • The hostress bustled about with an assumption of authority. 女主人摆出一副权威的样子忙来忙去。
65 aged 6zWzdI     
adj.年老的,陈年的
参考例句:
  • He had put on weight and aged a little.他胖了,也老点了。
  • He is aged,but his memory is still good.他已年老,然而记忆力还好。
66 earache tkrzM     
n.耳朵痛
参考例句:
  • I have been having an earache for about a week.我的耳朵已经痛了一个星期了。
  • I've had an earache for the past few days.我耳痛好几天了。
67 influenza J4NyD     
n.流行性感冒,流感
参考例句:
  • They took steps to prevent the spread of influenza.他们采取措施
  • Influenza is an infectious disease.流感是一种传染病。
68 aspirin 4yszpM     
n.阿司匹林
参考例句:
  • The aspirin seems to quiet the headache.阿司匹林似乎使头痛减轻了。
  • She went into a chemist's and bought some aspirin.她进了一家药店,买了些阿司匹林。
69 admiration afpyA     
n.钦佩,赞美,羡慕
参考例句:
  • He was lost in admiration of the beauty of the scene.他对风景之美赞不绝口。
  • We have a great admiration for the gold medalists.我们对金牌获得者极为敬佩。
70 proprietor zR2x5     
n.所有人;业主;经营者
参考例句:
  • The proprietor was an old acquaintance of his.业主是他的一位旧相识。
  • The proprietor of the corner grocery was a strange thing in my life.拐角杂货店店主是我生活中的一个怪物。
71 sifted 9e99ff7bb86944100bb6d7c842e48f39     
v.筛( sift的过去式和过去分词 );筛滤;细查;详审
参考例句:
  • She sifted through her papers to find the lost letter. 她仔细在文件中寻找那封丢失的信。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • She sifted thistles through her thistle-sifter. 她用蓟筛筛蓟。 来自《简明英汉词典》
72 purloiner f4ddf60b99e414f8373f086d7be62748     
[法] 小偷,窃盗者
参考例句:
73 prescription u1vzA     
n.处方,开药;指示,规定
参考例句:
  • The physician made a prescription against sea- sickness for him.医生给他开了个治晕船的药方。
  • The drug is available on prescription only.这种药只能凭处方购买。
74 expeditious Ehwze     
adj.迅速的,敏捷的
参考例句:
  • They are almost as expeditious and effectual as Aladdin's lamp.他们几乎像如意神灯那么迅速有效。
  • It is more convenien,expeditious and economical than telephone or telegram.它比电话或电报更方便、迅速和经济。
75 benefactor ZQEy0     
n. 恩人,行善的人,捐助人
参考例句:
  • The chieftain of that country is disguised as a benefactor this time. 那个国家的首领这一次伪装出一副施恩者的姿态。
  • The first thing I did, was to recompense my original benefactor, my good old captain. 我所做的第一件事, 就是报答我那最初的恩人, 那位好心的老船长。
76 jolting 5p8zvh     
adj.令人震惊的
参考例句:
  • 'she should be all right from the plane's jolting by now. “飞机震荡应该过了。
  • This is perhaps the most jolting comment of all. 这恐怕是最令人震惊的评论。
77 illicit By8yN     
adj.非法的,禁止的,不正当的
参考例句:
  • He had an illicit association with Jane.他和简曾有过不正当关系。
  • Seizures of illicit drugs have increased by 30% this year.今年违禁药品的扣押增长了30%。
78 fens 8c73bc5ee207e1f20857f7b0bfc584ef     
n.(尤指英格兰东部的)沼泽地带( fen的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Most of the landscape in the Fens is as flat as a pancake. 菲恩斯的大部分地形都是极平坦的。 来自互联网
  • He lieth under the shady trees, in the covert of the reed, and fens. 它伏在莲叶之下,卧在芦苇隐密处和水洼子里。 来自互联网
79 desolate vmizO     
adj.荒凉的,荒芜的;孤独的,凄凉的;v.使荒芜,使孤寂
参考例句:
  • The city was burned into a desolate waste.那座城市被烧成一片废墟。
  • We all felt absolutely desolate when she left.她走后,我们都觉得万分孤寂。
80 isolated bqmzTd     
adj.与世隔绝的
参考例句:
  • His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
  • Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。
81 reclaimed d131e8b354aef51857c9c380c825a4c9     
adj.再生的;翻造的;收复的;回收的v.开拓( reclaim的过去式和过去分词 );要求收回;从废料中回收(有用的材料);挽救
参考例句:
  • Many sufferers have been reclaimed from a dependence on alcohol. 许多嗜酒成癖的受害者已经被挽救过来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • They reclaimed him from his evil ways. 他们把他从邪恶中挽救出来。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
82 wrung b11606a7aab3e4f9eebce4222a9397b1     
绞( wring的过去式和过去分词 ); 握紧(尤指别人的手); 把(湿衣服)拧干; 绞掉(水)
参考例句:
  • He has wrung the words from their true meaning. 他曲解这些字的真正意义。
  • He wrung my hand warmly. 他热情地紧握我的手。
83 quagmire StDy3     
n.沼地
参考例句:
  • On their way was a quagmire which was difficult to get over.路上他俩遇到了—个泥坑,很难过得去。
  • Rain had turned the grass into a quagmire.大雨使草地变得一片泥泞。
84 riveted ecef077186c9682b433fa17f487ee017     
铆接( rivet的过去式和过去分词 ); 把…固定住; 吸引; 引起某人的注意
参考例句:
  • I was absolutely riveted by her story. 我完全被她的故事吸引住了。
  • My attention was riveted by a slight movement in the bushes. 我的注意力被灌木丛中的轻微晃动吸引住了。
85 exclamation onBxZ     
n.感叹号,惊呼,惊叹词
参考例句:
  • He could not restrain an exclamation of approval.他禁不住喝一声采。
  • The author used three exclamation marks at the end of the last sentence to wake up the readers.作者在文章的最后一句连用了三个惊叹号,以引起读者的注意。
86 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。
87 hissed 2299e1729bbc7f56fc2559e409d6e8a7     
发嘶嘶声( hiss的过去式和过去分词 ); 发嘘声表示反对
参考例句:
  • Have you ever been hissed at in the middle of a speech? 你在演讲中有没有被嘘过?
  • The iron hissed as it pressed the wet cloth. 熨斗压在湿布上时发出了嘶嘶声。
88 furtively furtively     
adv. 偷偷地, 暗中地
参考例句:
  • At this some of the others furtively exchanged significant glances. 听他这样说,有几个人心照不宣地彼此对望了一眼。
  • Remembering my presence, he furtively dropped it under his chair. 后来想起我在,他便偷偷地把书丢在椅子下。
89 cartridges 17207f2193d1e05c4c15f2938c82898d     
子弹( cartridge的名词复数 ); (打印机的)墨盒; 录音带盒; (唱机的)唱头
参考例句:
  • computer consumables such as disks and printer cartridges 如磁盘、打印机墨盒之类的电脑耗材
  • My new video game player came with three game cartridges included. 我的新电子游戏机附有三盘游戏带。
90 annoyance Bw4zE     
n.恼怒,生气,烦恼
参考例句:
  • Why do you always take your annoyance out on me?为什么你不高兴时总是对我出气?
  • I felt annoyance at being teased.我恼恨别人取笑我。
91 possessed xuyyQ     
adj.疯狂的;拥有的,占有的
参考例句:
  • He flew out of the room like a man possessed.他像着了魔似地猛然冲出房门。
  • He behaved like someone possessed.他行为举止像是魔怔了。
92 electrified 00d93691727e26ff4104e0c16b9bb258     
v.使电气化( electrify的过去式和过去分词 );使兴奋
参考例句:
  • The railway line was electrified in the 1950s. 这条铁路线在20世纪50年代就实现了电气化。
  • The national railway system has nearly all been electrified. 全国的铁路系统几乎全部实现了电气化。 来自《简明英汉词典》
93 previously bkzzzC     
adv.以前,先前(地)
参考例句:
  • The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
  • Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿,解释原先发生了什么。
94 restive LWQx4     
adj.不安宁的,不安静的
参考例句:
  • The government has done nothing to ease restrictions and manufacturers are growing restive.政府未采取任何措施放松出口限制,因此国内制造商变得焦虑不安。
  • The audience grew restive.观众变得不耐烦了。
95 scowled b83aa6db95e414d3ef876bc7fd16d80d     
怒视,生气地皱眉( scowl的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He scowled his displeasure. 他满脸嗔色。
  • The teacher scowled at his noisy class. 老师对他那喧闹的课堂板着脸。
96 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
97 saluting 2161687306b8f25bfcd37731907dd5eb     
v.欢迎,致敬( salute的现在分词 );赞扬,赞颂
参考例句:
  • 'Thank you kindly, sir,' replied Long John, again saluting. “万分感谢,先生。”高个子约翰说着又行了个礼。 来自英汉文学 - 金银岛
  • He approached the young woman and, without saluting, began at once to converse with her. 他走近那年青女郎,马上就和她攀谈起来了,连招呼都不打。 来自辞典例句
98 metropolitan mCyxZ     
adj.大城市的,大都会的
参考例句:
  • Metropolitan buildings become taller than ever.大城市的建筑变得比以前更高。
  • Metropolitan residents are used to fast rhythm.大都市的居民习惯于快节奏。
99 expended 39b2ea06557590ef53e0148a487bc107     
v.花费( expend的过去式和过去分词 );使用(钱等)做某事;用光;耗尽
参考例句:
  • She expended all her efforts on the care of home and children. 她把所有精力都花在料理家务和照顾孩子上。
  • The enemy had expended all their ammunition. 敌人已耗尽所有的弹药。 来自《简明英汉词典》
100 sterling yG8z6     
adj.英币的(纯粹的,货真价实的);n.英国货币(英镑)
参考例句:
  • Could you tell me the current rate for sterling, please?能否请您告诉我现行英国货币的兑换率?
  • Sterling has recently been strong,which will help to abate inflationary pressures.英国货币最近非常坚挺,这有助于减轻通胀压力。
101 terse GInz1     
adj.(说话,文笔)精炼的,简明的
参考例句:
  • Her reply about the matter was terse.她对此事的答复简明扼要。
  • The president issued a terse statement denying the charges.总统发表了一份简短的声明,否认那些指控。
102 demeanor JmXyk     
n.行为;风度
参考例句:
  • She is quiet in her demeanor.她举止文静。
  • The old soldier never lost his military demeanor.那个老军人从来没有失去军人风度。
103 thoroughly sgmz0J     
adv.完全地,彻底地,十足地
参考例句:
  • The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。
  • The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。
104 widower fe4z2a     
n.鳏夫
参考例句:
  • George was a widower with six young children.乔治是个带著六个小孩子的鳏夫。
  • Having been a widower for many years,he finally decided to marry again.丧偶多年后,他终于决定二婚了。
105 dyke 1krzI     
n.堤,水坝,排水沟
参考例句:
  • If one sheep leap over the dyke,all the rest will follow.一只羊跳过沟,其余的羊也跟着跳。
  • One ant-hole may cause the collapse of a thousand-li dyke.千里长堤,溃于蚁穴。


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