7:45 AM
THE pantry was cold.
The Christmas turkey, too large to fit into the kitchen refrigerator, stood in a baking tray on a marble shelf, stuffed and seasoned by Olga, ready for roasting. Miranda wondered dismally2 if she would live to eat it.
She stood with her father, her sister, and Hugo, the four of them trussed like the turkey and crammed3 into a space three feet square, surrounded by food: vegetables in racks, a shelf of pasta in jars, boxes of breakfast cereals, cans of tuna and plum tomatoes and baked beans.
Hugo was in the worst state. He seemed to be drifting in and out of consciousness. He was leaning against the wall and Olga was pressing herself to his naked body, trying to keep him warm. Stanley's face looked as if he had been hit by a truck, but he was standing4 erect5 and his expression was alert.
Miranda felt helpless and miserable6. It was heartbreaking to see her father, such a strong character, wounded and tied up. Hugo was a rotter but he hardly deserved this: he looked as if he might have suffered permanent damage. And Olga was a hero, trying so hard to comfort the husband who had betrayed her.
The others had tea towels stuffed into their mouths, but Daisy had not bothered to gag Miranda, presumably because there was no point in anyone shouting now that the police had gone. Miranda realized, with a spurt7 of hope, that she might be able to remove the gags. "Daddy, lean down," she said. He bent8 his tall figure over her obediently, the end of the gag trailing from his mouth. She tilted9 her head as if to kiss him. She was able to catch a corner of the tea towel between her teeth. She tugged10, pulling part of it out; then, frustratingly11, it slipped.
Miranda let out an exclamation12 of exasperation13. Her father bent down, encouraging her to try again. They repeated the process, and this time the whole thing came out and fell to the floor.
"Thank you," he said. "By God, that was ghastly."
Miranda did the same for Olga, who said, "I kept wanting to puke, but I was afraid I would choke myself."
Olga removed Hugo's gag by the same method. "Try to stay awake, Hugo," she said urgently. "Come on, keep your eyes open."
Stanley asked Miranda, "What's going on out there?"
"Toni Gallo came here with a snowplow and some policemen," she explained. "Kit1 went to the door as if everything was all right, and the police left, but Toni insisted on staying."
"That woman is incredible."
"I was hiding in the attic14. I managed to warn Toni."
"Well done!"
"That frightful15 Daisy pushed me down the stairs, but Toni got away. I don't know where she is now."
"She can phone the police."
Miranda shook her head. "She left her phone in her coat pocket, and Kit's got it."
"She'll think of something—she's remarkably16 resourceful. Anyway, she's our only hope. No one else is free, except the children, and Ned, of course."
"I'm afraid Ned won't be much use," Miranda said gloomily. "In a situation like this, the last thing you need is a Shakespeare scholar." She was thinking how feeble he had been yesterday with his ex, Jennifer, when she threw Miranda out of the house. What hope was there that such a man would stand up to three professional thugs?
She looked out of the pantry window. Dawn had broken and the snow had stopped, so she could see the cottage where Ned lay sleeping and the barn where the children were. She was horrified17 to see Elton crossing the courtyard. "Oh, God," she said. "He's heading for the cottage."
Her father looked out. "They're rounding people up," he said. "They'll tie everyone before they leave. We can't let them get away with that virus—but how can we stop them?"
Elton went into the cottage.
"I hope Ned's all right." Miranda was suddenly glad Ned was not the belligerent18 type. Elton was tough, ruthless, and armed. Ned's only hope was to come quietly.
"It could be worse," Stanley said. "That lad's a villain19, but he's not a complete psychopath. The woman is."
"She makes mistakes because she's insane," Miranda said. "In the hall, a few minutes ago, she was punching me when she should have been catching20 Toni. That's why Toni got away."
"Why did Daisy want to punch you?"
"I locked her in the attic."
"You locked her in the attic?"
"She went there looking for me, and I closed the cupboard door behind her and jammed it shut. That's what made her so angry."
Her father seemed choked up. "Brave girl," he whispered.
"I'm not brave," Miranda said. The idea was absurd. "I was just so terrified that I was willing to do anything."
"I think you're brave." Tears came to his eyes, and he turned away.
Ned emerged from the cottage. Elton was close behind, holding a gun to the back of Ned's head. With his left hand, Elton held Tom by the arm.
Miranda gasped21 with shock. She had thought Tom was in the barn. He must have woken up and gone looking for his mother. He was wearing his Spider-Man pajamas22. Miranda fought back tears.
The three of them were heading for the house, but then there was a shout, and they stopped. A moment later Daisy came into view, dragging Sophie by the hair. Sophie was bent double, stumbling in the snow, crying with pain.
Daisy said something to Elton that Miranda could not hear. Then
Tom screamed at Daisy: "Leave her alone! You're hurting her!" His voice was a childish treble, made more high pitched by fear and rage.
Miranda recalled that Tom had a preadolescent passion for Sophie. "Be quiet, Tommy," she murmured fearfully, although he could not hear her. "It doesn't matter if she gets her hair pulled."
Elton laughed. Daisy grinned and yanked more viciously at Sophie's hair.
It was probably being laughed at that drove Tom over the edge. He suddenly went berserk. He jerked his arm out of Elton's grasp and threw himself at Daisy.
Miranda shouted: "No!"
Daisy was so surprised that when Tom crashed into her, she fell backwards23, letting go of Sophie's hair, and sat down in the snow. Tom dived on top of her, pummeling her with his small fists.
Miranda found herself shouting uselessly: "Stop! Stop!"
Daisy pushed Tom away and got to her feet. Tom jumped up, but Daisy hit him with her gloved fist on the side of the head, and he fell down again. She heaved him up off the ground and, in a fury, held him upright with her left hand while she punched him with her right, hitting his face and body.
Miranda screamed.
Suddenly Ned moved.
Ignoring the gun that Elton was pointing at him, he stepped between Daisy and Tom. He said something that Miranda could not hear and put a restraining hand on Daisy's arm. Miranda was astonished: weak Ned standing up to thugs!
Without letting go of Tom, Daisy punched Ned in the stomach.
He doubled over, his face screwed up in a grimace24 of agony. But when Daisy drew back her arm to punch Tom again, Ned straightened up and stood in her way. Changing her mind at the last instant, she punched Ned instead of Tom, hitting him in the mouth. Ned cried out, and his hands flew to his face, but he did not move.
Miranda was profoundly grateful that Ned had distracted Daisy from Tom—but how long could he stand this bearing?
He continued to remonstrate25 with Daisy. When he took his hands away from his face, blood poured out of his mouth. As Miranda watched, Daisy punched him a third time.
Miranda was awestruck. Ned was like a wall. He simply stood there and took the blows. And he was doing it, not for his own child, but for Tom. Miranda felt ashamed of thinking he was weak.
At that moment Ned's own child, Sophie, acted. She had been standing still, watching in a stunned26 way, since Daisy let go of her hair. Now she turned around and moved away.
Elton made a grab for her, but she slipped through his grasp. For a moment, he lost balance, and Sophie broke into a run, crossing the deep snow with balletic leaps.
Hastily, Elton righted himself, but Sophie had disappeared.
Elton grabbed Tom and shouted at Daisy: "Don't let that girl get away!" Daisy looked disposed to argue. Elton yelled: "I've got these two. Go, go!"
With a malevolent27 look at Ned and Tom, Daisy turned and went after Sophie.
收听单词发音 |
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kit
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| n.用具包，成套工具；随身携带物 | |
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dismally
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| adv.阴暗地，沉闷地 | |
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crammed
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| adj.塞满的，挤满的；大口地吃；快速贪婪地吃v.把…塞满；填入；临时抱佛脚( cram的过去式) | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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6
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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spurt
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| v.喷出；突然进发；突然兴隆 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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tilted
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| v. 倾斜的 | |
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tugged
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| v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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frustratingly
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exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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exasperation
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| n.愤慨 | |
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attic
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| n.顶楼，屋顶室 | |
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15
frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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16
remarkably
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| ad.不同寻常地，相当地 | |
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17
horrified
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| a.(表现出)恐惧的 | |
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belligerent
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| adj.好战的，挑起战争的；n.交战国，交战者 | |
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19
villain
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| n.反派演员，反面人物；恶棍；问题的起因 | |
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catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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pajamas
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| n.睡衣裤 | |
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backwards
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| adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地 | |
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grimace
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| v.做鬼脸，面部歪扭 | |
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remonstrate
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| v.抗议，规劝 | |
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stunned
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| adj. 震惊的，惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词 | |
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malevolent
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| adj.有恶意的，恶毒的 | |
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