Arrived at Vauxhall Station, we alighted and forthwith made our way to the bridge that spans Upper Kennington Lane near its junction5 with Harleyford Road.
"Here is our starting point," said Thorndyke. "From this place to the house is about three hundred yards—say four hundred and twenty paces—and at about two hundred paces we ought to reach our patch of new road-metal. Now, are you ready? If we keep step we shall average our stride."
We started together at a good pace, stepping out with military regularity6 and counting aloud as we went. As we told out the hundred and ninety-fourth pace I observed Thorndyke nod towards the roadway a little ahead, and, looking at it attentively7 as we approached, it was easy to see by the regularity of surface and lighter8 colour, that it had recently been re-metalled.
Having counted out the four hundred and twenty paces, we halted, and Thorndyke turned to me with a smile of triumph.
"Not a bad estimate, Jervis," said he. "That will be your house if I am not much mistaken. There is no other mews or private roadway in sight."
He pointed9 to a narrow turning some dozen yards ahead, apparently10 the entrance to a mews or yard and closed by a pair of massive wooden gates.
"Yes," I answered, "there can be no doubt that this is the place; but, by Jove!" I added, as we drew nearer, "the nest is empty! Do you see?"
I pointed to a bill that was stuck on the gate, bearing, as I could see at this distance, the inscription11 "To Let."
"Here is a new and startling, if not altogether unexpected, development," said Thorndyke, as we stood gazing at the bill; which set forth4 that "these premises12, including stabling and workshops," were "to be let on lease or otherwise," and referred inquiries14 to Messrs. Ryebody Brothers, house-agents and valuers, Upper Kennington Lane. "The question is, should we make a few inquiries of the agent, or should we get the keys and have a look at the inside of the house? I am inclined to do both, and the latter first, if Messrs. Ryebody Brothers will trust us with the keys."
We proceeded up the lane to the address given, and, entering the office, Thorndyke made his request—somewhat to the surprise of the clerk; for Thorndyke was not quite the kind of person whom one naturally associates with stabling and workshops. However, there was no difficulty, but as the clerk sorted out the keys from a bunch hanging from a hook, he remarked:
"I expect you will find the place in a rather dirty and neglected condition. The house has not been cleaned yet; it is just as it was left when the brokers15 took away the furniture."
"Oh, no. He had to leave rather unexpectedly to take up some business in Germany."
"I hope he paid his rent," said Thorndyke.
"Oh, yes. Trust us for that. But I should say that Mr. Weiss—that was his name—was a man of some means. He seemed to have plenty of money, though he always paid in notes. I don't fancy he had a banking17 account in this country. He hadn't been here more than about six or seven months and I imagine he didn't know many people in England, as he paid us a cash deposit in lieu of references when he first came."
"I think you said his name was Weiss. It wouldn't be H. Weiss by any chance?"
"I believe it was. But I can soon tell you." He opened a drawer and consulted what looked like a book of receipt forms. "Yes; H Weiss. Do you know him, sir?"
"I knew a Mr. H. Weiss some years ago. He came from Bremen, I remember."
"This Mr. Weiss has gone back to Hamburg," the clerk observed.
"Ah," said Thorndyke, "then it would seem not to be the same. My acquaintance was a fair man with a beard and a decidedly red nose and he wore spectacles."
"That's the man. You've described him exactly," said the clerk, who was apparently rather easily satisfied in the matter of description.
"Dear me," said Thorndyke; "what a small world it is. Do you happen to have a note of his address in Hamburg?"
"I haven't," the clerk replied. "You see we've done with him, having got the rent, though the house is not actually surrendered yet. Mr Weiss's housekeeper21 still has the front-door key. She doesn't start for Hamburg for a week or so, and meanwhile she keeps the key so that she can call every day and see if there are any letters."
"Indeed," said Thorndyke. "I wonder if he still has the same housekeeper."
"This lady is a German," replied the clerk, "with a regular jaw-twisting name. Sounded like Shallybang."
"Schallibaum. That is the lady. A fair woman with hardly any eyebrows22 and a pronounced cast in the left eye."
"Now that's very curious, sir," said the clerk. "It's the same name, and this is a fair woman with remarkably23 thin eyebrows, I remember, now that you mention it. But it can't be the same person. I have only seen her a few times and then only just for a minute or so; but I'm quite certain she had no cast in her eye. So, you see, sir, she can't be the same person. You can dye your hair or you can wear a wig24 or you can paint your face; but a squint25 is a squint. There's no faking a swivel eye."
Thorndyke laughed softly. "I suppose not; unless, perhaps, some one might invent an adjustable27 glass eye. Are these the keys?"
"Yes, sir. The large one belongs to the wicket in the front gate. The other is the latch28-key belonging to the side door. Mrs. Shallybang has the key of the front door."
"Thank you," said Thorndyke. He took the keys, to which a wooden label was attached, and we made our way back towards the house of mystery, discussing the clerk's statements as we went.
"A very communicable young gentleman, that," Thorndyke remarked. "He seemed quite pleased to relieve the monotony of office work with a little conversation. And I am sure I was very delighted to indulge him."
"He hadn't much to tell, all the same," said I.
Thorndyke looked at me in surprise. "I don't know what you would have, Jervis, unless you expect casual strangers to present you with a ready-made body of evidence, fully29 classified, with all the inferences and implications stated. It seemed to me that he was a highly instructive young man."
"What did you learn from him?" I asked.
"Oh, come, Jervis," he protested; "is that a fair question, under our present arrangement? However, I will mention a few points. We learn that about six or seven months ago, Mr. H. Weiss dropped from the clouds into Kennington Lane and that he has now ascended30 from Kennington Lane into the clouds. That is a useful piece of information. Then we learn that Mrs. Schallibaum has remained in England; which might be of little importance if it were not for a very interesting corollary that it suggests."
"What is that?"
"I must leave you to consider the facts at your leisure; but you will have noticed the ostensible31 reason for her remaining behind. She is engaged in puttying up the one gaping32 joint33 in their armour34. One of them has been indiscreet enough to give this address to some correspondent—probably a foreign correspondent. Now, as they obviously wish to leave no tracks, they cannot give their new address to the Post Office to have their letters forwarded, and, on the other hand, a letter left in the box might establish such a connection as would enable them to be traced. Moreover, the letter might be of a kind that they would not wish to fall into the wrong hands. They would not have given this address excepting under some peculiar35 circumstances."
"No, I should think not, if they took this house for the express purpose of committing a crime in it."
"Exactly. And then there is one other fact that you may have gathered from our young friend's remarks."
"What is that?"
"That a controllable squint is a very valuable asset to a person who wishes to avoid identification."
"Yes, I did note that. The fellow seemed to think that it was absolutely conclusive36."
"And so would most people; especially in the case of a squint of that kind. We can all squint towards our noses, but no normal person can turn his eyes away from one another. My impression is that the presence or absence, as the case might be, of a divergent squint would be accepted as absolute disproof of identity. But here we are."
He inserted the key into the wicket of the large gate, and, when we had stepped through into the covered way, he locked it from the inside.
"Why have you locked us in?" I asked, seeing that the wicket had a latch.
"Because," he replied, "if we now hear any one on the premises we shall know who it is. Only one person besides ourselves has a key."
His reply startled me somewhat. I stopped and looked at him.
"That is a quaint19 situation, Thorndyke. I hadn't thought of it. Why she may actually come to the house while we are here; in fact, she may be in the house at this moment."
"I hope not," said he. "We don't particularly want Mr. Weiss to be put on his guard, for I take it, he is a pretty wide-awake gentleman under any circumstances. If she does come, we had better keep out of sight. I think we will look over the house first. That is of the most interest to us. If the lady does happen to come while we are here, she may stay to show us over the place and keep an eye on us. So we will leave the stables to the last."
We walked down the entry to the side door at which I had been admitted by Mrs. Schallibaum on the occasion of my previous visits. Thorndyke inserted the latch-key, and, as soon as we were inside, shut the door and walked quickly through into the hall, whither I followed him. He made straight for the front door, where, having slipped up the catch of the lock, he began very attentively to examine the letter-box. It was a somewhat massive wooden box, fitted with a lock of good quality and furnished with a wire grille through which one could inspect the interior.
"We are in luck, Jervis," Thorndyke remarked. "Our visit has been most happily timed. There is a letter in the box."
"Well," I said, "we can't get it out; and if we could, it would be hardly justifiable37."
"I don't know," he replied, "that I am prepared to assent38 off-hand to either of those propositions; but I would rather not tamper39 with another person's letter, even if that person should happen to be a murderer. Perhaps we can get the information we want from the outside of the envelope."
He produced from his pocket a little electric lamp fitted with a bull's-eye, and, pressing the button, threw a beam of light in through the grille. The letter was lying on the bottom of the box face upwards40, so that the address could easily be read.
"Herrn Dr. H. Weiss," Thorndyke read aloud. "German stamp, postmark apparently Darmstadt. You notice that the 'Herrn Dr.' is printed and the rest written. What do you make of that?"
"I don't quite know. Do you think he is really a medical man?"
"Perhaps we had better finish our investigation41, in case we are disturbed, and discuss the bearings of the facts afterwards. The name of the sender may be on the flap of the envelope. If it is not, I shall pick the lock and take out the letter. Have you got a probe about you?"
"Yes; by force of habit I am still carrying my pocket case."
I took the little case from my pocket and extracting from it a jointed42 probe of thickish silver wire, screwed the two halves together and handed the completed instrument to Thorndyke; who passed the slender rod through the grille and adroitly43 turned the letter over.
"Ha!" he exclaimed with deep satisfaction, as the light fell on the reverse of the envelope, "we are saved from the necessity of theft—or rather, unauthorized borrowing—'Johann Schnitzler, Darmstadt.' That is all that we actually want. The German police can do the rest if necessary."
He handed me back my probe, pocketed his lamp, released the catch of the lock on the door, and turned away along the dark, musty-smelling hall.
"Do you happen to know the name of Johann Schnitzler?" he asked.
I replied that I had no recollection of ever having heard the name before.
"Neither have I," said he; "but I think we may form a pretty shrewd guess as to his avocation44. As you saw, the words 'Herrn Dr.' were printed on the envelope, leaving the rest of the address to be written by hand. The plain inference is that he is a person who habitually45 addresses letters to medical men, and as the style of the envelope and the lettering—which is printed, not embossed—is commercial, we may assume that he is engaged in some sort of trade. Now, what is a likely trade?"
"He might be an instrument maker46 or a drug manufacturer; more probably the latter, as there is an extensive drug and chemical industry in Germany, and as Mr. Weiss seemed to have more use for drugs than instruments."
"Yes, I think you are right; but we will look him up when we get home. And now we had better take a glance at the bedroom; that is, if you can remember which room it was."
"It was on the first floor," said I, "and the door by which I entered was just at the head of the stairs."
We ascended the two flights, and, as we reached the landing, I halted.
"This was the door," I said, and was about to turn the handle when Thorndyke caught me by the arm.
"One moment, Jervis," said he. "What do you make of this?"
He pointed to a spot near the bottom of the door where, on close inspection47, four good-sized screw-holes were distinguishable. They had been neatly48 stopped with putty and covered with knotting, and were so nearly the colour of the grained and varnished49 woodwork as to be hardly visible.
"Evidently," I answered, "there has been a bolt there, though it seems a queer place to fix one."
"Not at all," replied Thorndyke. "If you look up you will see that there was another at the top of the door, and, as the lock is in the middle, they must have been highly effective. But there are one or two other points that strike one. First, you will notice that the bolts have been fixed50 on quite recently, for the paint that they covered is of the same grimy tint51 as that on the rest of the door. Next, they have been taken off, which, seeing that they could hardly have been worth the trouble of removal, seems to suggest that the person who fixed them considered that their presence might appear remarkable52, while the screw-holes, which have been so skilfully53 and carefully stopped, would be less conspicuous54.
"Then, they are on the outside of the door—an unusual situation for bedroom bolts—and were of considerable size. They were long and thick."
"I can see, by the position of the screw-holes, that they were long; but how do you arrive at their thickness?"
"By the size of the counter-holes in the jamb of the door. These holes have been very carefully filled with wooden plugs covered with knotting; but you can make out their diameter, which is that of the bolts, and which is decidedly out of proportion for an ordinary bedroom door. Let me show you a light."
He flashed his lamp into the dark corner, and I was able to see distinctly the portentously55 large holes into which the bolts had fitted, and also to note the remarkable neatness with which they had been plugged.
"There was a second door, I remember," said I. "Let us see if that was guarded in a similar manner."
We strode through the empty room, awakening56 dismal57 echoes as we trod the bare boards, and flung open the other door. At top and bottom, similar groups of screw-holes showed that this also had been made secure, and that these bolts had been of the same very substantial character as the others.
Thorndyke turned away from the door with a slight frown.
"If we had any doubts," said he, "as to what has been going on in this house, these traces of massive fastenings would be almost enough to settle them."
"They might have been there before Weiss came," I suggested. "He only came about seven months ago and there is no date on the screw-holes."
"That is quite true. But when, with their recent fixture58, you couple the facts that they have been removed, that very careful measures have been taken to obliterate59 the traces of their presence, and that they would have been indispensable for the commission of the crime that we are almost certain was being committed here, it looks like an excess of caution to seek other explanations."
"But," I objected, "if the man, Graves, was really imprisoned60, could not he have smashed the window and called for help?"
"The window looks out on the yard, as you see; but I expect it was secured too."
"Yes, here we are." He pointed to four groups of screw-holes at the corners of the shutters, and, once more producing his lamp, narrowly examined the insides of the recesses63 into which the shutters folded.
"The nature of the fastening is quite evident," said he. "An iron bar passed right across at the top and bottom and was secured by a staple64 and padlock. You can see the mark the bar made in the recess when the shutters were folded. When these bars were fixed and padlocked and the bolts were shot, this room was as secure, for a prisoner unprovided with tools, as a cell in Newgate."
We looked at one another for awhile without speaking; and I fancy that if Mr. H. Weiss could have seen our faces he might have thought it desirable to seek some retreat even more remote than Hamburg.
"It was a diabolical65 affair, Jervis," Thorndyke said at length, in an ominously66 quiet and even gentle tone. "A sordid67, callous68, cold-blooded crime of a type that is to me utterly69 unforgivable and incapable70 of extenuation71. Of course, it may have failed. Mr. Graves may even now be alive. I shall make it my very especial business to ascertain72 whether he is or not. And if he is not, I shall take it to myself as a sacred duty to lay my hand on the man who has compassed his death."
I looked at Thorndyke with something akin26 to awe18. In the quiet unemotional tone of his voice, in his unruffled manner and the stony73 calm of his face, there was something much more impressive, more fateful, than there could have been in the fiercest threats or the most passionate74 denunciations. I felt that in those softly spoken words he had pronounced the doom75 of the fugitive76 villain77.
He turned away from the window and glanced round the empty room. It seemed that our discovery of the fastenings had exhausted78 the information that it had to offer.
"It is a thousand pities," I remarked, "that we were unable to look round before they moved out the furniture. We might have found some clue to the scoundrel's identity."
"Yes," replied Thorndyke; "there isn't much information to be gathered here, I am afraid. I see they have swept up the small litter from the floor and poked79 it under the grate. We will turn that over, as there seems to be nothing else, and then look at the other rooms."
He raked out the little heap of rubbish with his stick and spread it out on the hearth80. It certainly looked unpromising enough, being just such a rubbish heap as may be swept up in any untidy room during a move. But Thorndyke went through it systematically81, examining each item attentively, even to the local tradesmen's bills and empty paper bags, before laying them aside. Another rake of his stick scattered82 the bulky masses of crumpled83 paper and brought into view an object which he picked up with some eagerness. It was a portion of a pair of spectacles, which had apparently been trodden on, for the side-bar was twisted and bent84 and the glass was shattered into fragments.
"This ought to give us a hint," said he. "It will probably have belonged either to Weiss or Graves, as Mrs. Schallibaum apparently did not wear glasses. Let us see if we can find the remainder."
We both groped carefully with our sticks amongst the rubbish, spreading it out on the hearth and removing the numerous pieces of crumpled paper. Our search was rewarded by the discovery of the second eye-piece of the spectacles, of which the glass was badly cracked but less shattered than the other. I also picked up two tiny sticks at which Thorndyke looked with deep interest before laying them on the mantelshelf.
"We will consider them presently," said he. "Let us finish with the spectacles first. You see that the left eye-glass is a concave cylindrical85 lens of some sort. We can make out that much from the fragments that remain, and we can measure the curvature when we get them home, although that will be easier if we can collect some more fragments and stick them together. The right eye is plain glass; that is quite evident. Then these will have belonged to your patient, Jervis. You said that the tremulous iris86 was in the right eye, I think?"
"Yes," I replied. "These will be his spectacles, without doubt."
"They are peculiar frames," he continued. "If they were made in this country, we might be able to discover the maker. But we must collect as many fragments of glass as we can."
Once more we searched amongst the rubbish and succeeded, eventually, in recovering some seven or eight small fragments of the broken spectacle-glasses, which Thorndyke laid on the mantelshelf beside the little sticks.
"By the way, Thorndyke," I said, taking up the latter to examine them afresh, "what are these things? Can you make anything of them?"
He looked at them thoughtfully for a few moments and then replied:
"I don't think I will tell you what they are. You should find that out for yourself, and it will be well worth your while to do so. They are rather suggestive objects under the circumstances. But notice their peculiarities87 carefully. Both are portions of some smooth, stout88 reed. There is a long, thin stick—about six inches long—and a thicker piece only three inches in length. The longer piece has a little scrap89 of red paper stuck on at the end; apparently a portion of a label of some kind with an ornamental90 border. The other end of the stick has been broken off. The shorter, stouter91 stick has had its central cavity artificially enlarged so that it fits over the other to form a cap or sheath. Make a careful note of those facts and try to think what they probably mean; what would be the most likely use for an object of this kind. When you have ascertained92 that, you will have learned something new about this case. And now, to resume our investigations93. Here is a very suggestive thing." He picked up a small, wide-mouthed bottle and, holding it up for my inspection, continued: "Observe the fly sticking to the inside, and the name on the label, 'Fox, Russell Street, Covent Garden.'"
"I don't know Mr. Fox."
"Then I will inform you that he is a dealer94 in the materials for 'make-up,' theatrical95 or otherwise, and will leave you to consider the bearing of this bottle on our present investigation. There doesn't seem to be anything else of interest in this El Dorado excepting that screw, which you notice is about the size of those with which the bolts were fastened on the doors. I don't think it is worth while to unstop any of the holes to try it; we should learn nothing fresh."
He rose, and, having kicked the discarded rubbish back under the grate, gathered up his gleanings from the mantelpiece, carefully bestowing96 the spectacles and the fragments of glass in the tin box that he appeared always to carry in his pocket, and wrapping the larger objects in his handkerchief.
"A poor collection," was his comment, as he returned the box and handkerchief to his pocket, "and yet not so poor as I had feared. Perhaps, if we question them closely enough, these unconsidered trifles may be made to tell us something worth learning after all. Shall we go into the other room?"
We passed out on to the landing and into the front room, where, guided by experience, we made straight for the fire-place. But the little heap of rubbish there contained nothing that even Thorndyke's inquisitive97 eye could view with interest. We wandered disconsolately98 round the room, peering into the empty cupboards and scanning the floor and the corners by the skirting, without discovering a single object or relic99 of the late occupants. In the course of my perambulations I halted by the window and was looking down into the street when Thorndyke called to me sharply:
"Come away from the window, Jervis! Have you forgotten that Mrs. Schallibaum may be in the neighbourhood at this moment?"
As a matter of fact I had entirely100 forgotten the matter, nor did it now strike me as anything but the remotest of possibilities. I replied to that effect.
"I don't agree with you," Thorndyke rejoined. "We have heard that she comes here to look for letters. Probably she comes every day, or even oftener. There is a good deal at stake, remember, and they cannot feel quite as secure as they would wish. Weiss must have seen what view you took of the case and must have had some uneasy moments thinking of what you might do. In fact, we may take it that the fear of you drove them out of the neighbourhood, and that they are mighty101 anxious to get that letter and cut the last link that binds102 them to this house."
"I suppose that is so," I agreed; "and if the lady should happen to pass this way and should see me at the window and recognize me, she would certainly smell a rat."
"A rat!" exclaimed Thorndyke. "She would smell a whole pack of foxes, and Mr. H. Weiss would be more on his guard than ever. Let us have a look at the other rooms; there is nothing here."
We went up to the next floor and found traces of recent occupation in one room only. The garrets had evidently been unused, and the kitchen and ground-floor rooms offered nothing that appeared to Thorndyke worth noting. Then we went out by the side door and down the covered way into the yard at the back. The workshops were fastened with rusty103 padlocks that looked as if they had not been disturbed for months. The stables were empty and had been tentatively cleaned out, the coach-house was vacant, and presented no traces of recent use excepting a half-bald spoke-brush. We returned up the covered way and I was about to close the side door, which Thorndyke had left ajar, when he stopped me.
"We'll have another look at the hall before we go," said he; and, walking softly before me, he made his way to the front door, where, producing his lamp, he threw a beam of light into the letter-box.
"Any more letters?" I asked.
"Any more!" he repeated. "Look for yourself."
I stooped and peered through the grille into the lighted interior; and then I uttered an exclamation104.
The box was empty.
Thorndyke regarded me with a grim smile. "We have been caught on the hop13, Jervis, I suspect," said he.
"It is queer," I replied. "I didn't hear any sound of the opening or closing of the door; did you?"
"No; I didn't hear any sound; which makes me suspect that she did. She would have heard our voices and she is probably keeping a sharp look-out at this very moment. I wonder if she saw you at the window. But whether she did or not, we must go very warily105. Neither of us must return to the Temple direct, and we had better separate when we have returned the keys and I will watch you out of sight and see if anyone is following you. What are you going to do?"
"If you don't want me, I shall run over to Kensington and drop in to lunch at the Hornbys'. I said I would call as soon as I had an hour or so free."
"Very well. Do so; and keep a look-out in case you are followed. I have to go down to Guildford this afternoon. Under the circumstances, I shall not go back home, but send Polton a telegram and take a train at Vauxhall and change at some small station where I can watch the platform. Be as careful as you can. Remember that what you have to avoid is being followed to any place where you are known, and, above all, revealing your connection with number Five A, King's Bench Walk."
Having thus considered our immediate106 movements, we emerged together from the wicket, and locking it behind us, walked quickly to the house-agents', where an opportune107 office-boy received the keys without remark. As we came out of the office, I halted irresolutely108 and we both looked up and down the lane.
"There is no suspicious looking person in sight at present," Thorndyke said, and then asked: "Which way do you think of going?"
"It seems to me," I replied, "that my best plan would be to take a cab or an omnibus so as to get out of the neighbourhood as quickly as possible. If I go through Ravensden Street into Kennington Park Road, I can pick up an omnibus that will take me to the Mansion109 House, where I can change for Kensington. I shall go on the top so that I can keep a look-out for any other omnibus or cab that may be following."
"Yes," said Thorndyke, "that seems a good plan. I will walk with you and see that you get a fair start."
We walked briskly along the lane and through Ravensden Street to the Kennington Park Road. An omnibus was approaching from the south at a steady jog-trot and we halted at the corner to wait for it. Several people passed us in different directions, but none seemed to take any particular notice of us, though we observed them rather narrowly, especially the women. Then the omnibus crawled up. I sprang on the foot-board and ascended to the roof, where I seated myself and surveyed the prospect110 to the rear. No one else got on the omnibus—which had not stopped—and no cab or other passenger vehicle was in sight. I continued to watch Thorndyke as he stood sentinel at the corner, and noted111 that no one appeared to be making any effort to overtake the omnibus. Presently my colleague waved his hand to me and turned back towards Vauxhall, and I, having satisfied myself once more that no pursuing cab or hurrying foot-passenger was in sight, decided20 that our precautions had been unnecessary and settled myself in a rather more comfortable position.
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tinkle
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enjoyment
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precluded
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forth
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junction
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regularity
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attentively
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lighter
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pointed
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apparently
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inscription
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premises
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hop
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inquiries
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brokers
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| n.（股票、外币等）经纪人( broker的名词复数 )；中间人；代理商；（订合同的）中人v.做掮客（或中人等）( broker的第三人称单数 )；作为权力经纪人进行谈判；以中间人等身份安排… | |
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tenant
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| n.承租人；房客；佃户；v.租借，租用 | |
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17
banking
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| n.银行业，银行学，金融业 | |
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18
awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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19
quaint
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| adj.古雅的，离奇有趣的，奇怪的 | |
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20
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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21
housekeeper
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| n.管理家务的主妇，女管家 | |
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22
eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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23
remarkably
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| ad.不同寻常地，相当地 | |
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24
wig
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| n.假发 | |
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25
squint
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| v. 使变斜视眼, 斜视, 眯眼看, 偏移, 窥视; n. 斜视, 斜孔小窗; adj. 斜视的, 斜的 | |
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akin
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| adj.同族的，类似的 | |
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27
adjustable
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| adj.可调整的，可校准的 | |
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28
latch
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| n.门闩，窗闩；弹簧锁 | |
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29
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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30
ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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31
ostensible
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| adj.(指理由)表面的，假装的 | |
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32
gaping
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| adj.口的；张口的；敞口的；多洞穴的v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的现在分词 )；张开，张大 | |
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33
joint
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| adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合 | |
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34
armour
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| （=armor）n.盔甲；装甲部队 | |
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35
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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36
conclusive
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| adj.最后的，结论的；确凿的，消除怀疑的 | |
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37
justifiable
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| adj.有理由的，无可非议的 | |
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38
assent
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| v.批准，认可；n.批准，认可 | |
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39
tamper
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| v.干预，玩弄，贿赂，窜改，削弱，损害 | |
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40
upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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41
investigation
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| n.调查，调查研究 | |
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42
jointed
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| 有接缝的 | |
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43
adroitly
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| adv.熟练地，敏捷地 | |
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44
avocation
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| n.副业，业余爱好 | |
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45
habitually
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| ad.习惯地，通常地 | |
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46
maker
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| n.制造者，制造商 | |
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47
inspection
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| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
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48
neatly
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| adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地 | |
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varnished
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| 浸渍过的，涂漆的 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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51
tint
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| n.淡色，浅色；染发剂；vt.着以淡淡的颜色 | |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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skilfully
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| adv. (美skillfully)熟练地 | |
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54
conspicuous
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| adj.明眼的，惹人注目的；炫耀的，摆阔气的 | |
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portentously
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56
awakening
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| n.觉醒，醒悟 adj.觉醒中的；唤醒的 | |
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dismal
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| adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的 | |
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fixture
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| n.固定设备；预定日期；比赛时间；定期存款 | |
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obliterate
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| v.擦去，涂抹，去掉...痕迹，消失，除去 | |
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imprisoned
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| 下狱，监禁( imprison的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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61
shutters
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| 百叶窗( shutter的名词复数 )； （照相机的）快门 | |
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recess
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| n.短期休息，壁凹（墙上装架子，柜子等凹处） | |
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recesses
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| n.壁凹( recess的名词复数 )；（工作或业务活动的）中止或暂停期间；学校的课间休息；某物内部的凹形空间v.把某物放在墙壁的凹处( recess的第三人称单数 )；将（墙）做成凹形，在（墙）上做壁龛；休息，休会，休庭 | |
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64
staple
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| n.主要产物，常用品，主要要素，原料，订书钉，钩环；adj.主要的，重要的；vt.分类 | |
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65
diabolical
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| adj.恶魔似的，凶暴的 | |
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ominously
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| adv.恶兆地，不吉利地；预示地 | |
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67
sordid
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| adj.肮脏的，不干净的，卑鄙的，暗淡的 | |
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68
callous
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| adj.无情的，冷淡的，硬结的，起老茧的 | |
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69
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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70
incapable
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| adj.无能力的，不能做某事的 | |
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71
extenuation
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| n.减轻罪孽的借口；酌情减轻；细 | |
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72
ascertain
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| vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清 | |
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73
stony
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| adj.石头的，多石头的，冷酷的，无情的 | |
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74
passionate
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的 | |
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75
doom
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| n.厄运，劫数；v.注定，命定 | |
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76
fugitive
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| adj.逃亡的，易逝的；n.逃犯，逃亡者 | |
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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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78
exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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79
poked
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| v.伸出( poke的过去式和过去分词 )；戳出；拨弄；与（某人）性交 | |
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80
hearth
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| n.壁炉炉床，壁炉地面 | |
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81
systematically
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| adv.有系统地 | |
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82
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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83
crumpled
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| adj. 弯扭的, 变皱的 动词crumple的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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84
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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85
cylindrical
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| adj.圆筒形的 | |
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86
iris
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| n.虹膜，彩虹 | |
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87
peculiarities
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| n. 特质, 特性, 怪癖, 古怪 | |
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89
scrap
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| n.碎片；废料；v.废弃，报废 | |
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90
ornamental
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| adj.装饰的；作装饰用的；n.装饰品；观赏植物 | |
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91
stouter
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| 粗壮的( stout的比较级 )； 结实的； 坚固的； 坚定的 | |
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92
ascertained
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| v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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93
investigations
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| （正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究 | |
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94
dealer
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| n.商人，贩子 | |
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95
theatrical
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| adj.剧场的，演戏的；做戏似的，做作的 | |
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96
bestowing
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| 砖窑中砖堆上层已烧透的砖 | |
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97
inquisitive
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| adj.求知欲强的，好奇的，好寻根究底的 | |
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98
disconsolately
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| adv.悲伤地，愁闷地；哭丧着脸 | |
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99
relic
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| n.神圣的遗物，遗迹，纪念物 | |
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100
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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101
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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102
binds
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| v.约束( bind的第三人称单数 )；装订；捆绑；（用长布条）缠绕 | |
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103
rusty
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| adj.生锈的；锈色的；荒废了的 | |
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104
exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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105
warily
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| adv.留心地 | |
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106
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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107
opportune
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| adj.合适的，适当的 | |
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108
irresolutely
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| adv.优柔寡断地 | |
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109
mansion
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| n.大厦，大楼；宅第 | |
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110
prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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111
noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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