2. THE MAN FROM THE ASYLUM

Fortunately the train had stopped near a station. A short walk brought us to a garage where we were able to obtain a car, and half an hour later we were spinning rapidly back to London. Then, and not till then, did Poirot deign¹ to satisfy my curiosity.

 

"You do not see? No more did I. But I see now. Hastings, I was being got out of the way."

 

"What!"

 

"Yes. Very cleverly. Both the place and the method were chosen with great knowledge and acumen². They were afraid of me."

 

"Who were?"

 

"Those four geniuses who have banded themselves together to work outside the law. A Chinaman, an American, a Frenchwoman, and—another. Pray the good God we arrive back in time, Hastings."

 

"You think there is danger to our visitor?"

 

"I am sure of it."

 

Mrs. Pearson greeted us on arrival. Brushing aside her ecstasies³ of astonishment⁴ on beholding⁵ Poirot, we asked for information. It was reassuring⁶. No one had called, and our guest had not made any sign.

 

With a sigh of relief we went up to the rooms. Poirot crossed the outer one and went through to the inner one. Then he called me, his voice strangely agitated⁷.

 

"Hastings, he's dead."

 

I came running to join him. The man was lying as we had left him, but he was dead, and had been dead some time. I rushed out for a doctor. Ridgeway, I knew, would not have returned yet. I found one almost immediately, and brought him back with me.

 

"He's dead right enough, poor chap. Tramp you've been befriending, eh?"

 

"Something of the kind," said Poirot evasively. "What was the cause of death, doctor?"

 

"Hard to say. Might have been some kind of fit. There are signs of asphyxiation⁸. No gas laid on, is there?"

 

"No, electric light—nothing else."

 

"And both windows wide open, too. Been dead about two hours, I should say. You'll notify the proper people, won't you?"

 

He took his departure. Poirot did some necessary telephoning. Finally, somewhat to my surprise, he rang up our old friend Inspector⁹ Japp, and asked him if he could possibly come round.

 

No sooner were these proceedings¹⁰ completed than Mrs. Pearson appeared, her eyes as round as saucers.

 

"There's a man here from 'Anwell—from the 'Sylum. Did you ever? Shall I show him up?"

 

We signified assent¹¹, and a big burly man in uniform was ushered¹² in.

 

"'Morning, gentlemen," he said cheerfully. "I've got reason to believe you've got one of my birds here. Escaped last night, he did."

 

"He was here," said Poirot quietly.

 

"Not got away again, has he?" asked the keeper, with some concern.

 

"He is dead."

 

The man looked more relieved than otherwise.

 

"You don't say so. Well, I dare say it's best for all parties."

 

"Was he—dangerous?"

 

"'Omicidal, d'you mean? Oh, no. 'Armless enough. Persecution¹³ mania¹⁴ very acute. Full of secret societies from China that had got him shut up. They're all the same."

 

I shuddered¹⁵.

 

"How long had he been shut up?" asked Poirot.

 

"A matter of two years now."

 

"I see," said Poirot quietly. "It never occurred to anybody that he might—be sane¹⁶?"

 

The keeper permitted himself to laugh.

 

"If he was sane, what would he be doing in a lunatic asylum¹⁷? They all say they're sane, you know."

 

Poirot said no more. He took the man in to see the body. The identification came immediately.

 

"That's him—right enough," said the keeper callously¹⁸; "funny sort of bloke, ain't he? Well, gentlemen, I had best go off now and make arrangements under the circumstances. We won't trouble you with the corpse¹⁹ much longer. If there's a hinquest, you will have to appear at it, I dare say. Good morning, sir."

 

With a rather uncouth²⁰ bow he shambled out of the room.

 

A few minutes later Japp arrived. The Scotland Yard Inspector was jaunty²¹ and dapper as usual.

 

"Here I am Moosior Poirot. What can I do for you? Thought you were off to the coral strands²² of somewhere or other to-day?"

 

"My good Japp, I want to know if you have ever seen this man before."

 

He led Japp into the bedroom. The inspector stared down at the figure on the bed with a puzzled face.

 

"Let me see now—he seems sort of familiar—and I pride myself on my memory, too. Why, God bless my soul, it's Mayerling!"

 

"And who is—or was—Mayerling?"

 

"Secret Service chap—not one of our people. Went to Russia five years ago. Never heard of again. Always thought the Bolshies had done him in."

 

"It all fits in," said Poirot, when Japp had taken his leave, "except for the fact that he seems to have died a natural death."

 

He stood looking down on the motionless figure with a dissatisfied frown. A puff²³ of wind set the window-curtains flying out, and he looked up sharply.

 

"I suppose you opened the windows when you laid him down on the bed, Hastings?"

 

"No, I didn't," I replied. "As far as I remember, they were shut."

 

Poirot lifted his head suddenly.

 

"Shut—and now they are open. What can that mean?"

 

"Somebody came in that way," I suggested.

 

"Possibly," agreed Poirot, but he spoke²⁴ absently and without conviction. After a minute or two he said:

 

"That is not exactly the point I had in mind, Hastings. If only one window was open it would not intrigue²⁵ me so much. It is both windows being open that strikes me as curious."

 

He hurried into the other room.

 

"The sitting-room²⁶ window is open, too. That also we left shut. Ah!"

 

He bent²⁷ over the dead man, examining the corners of the mouth minutely. Then he looked up suddenly.

 

"He has been gagged, Hastings. Gagged and then poisoned."

 

"Good heavens!" I exclaimed, shocked. "I suppose we shall find out all about it from the post-mortem."

 

"We shall find out nothing. He was killed by inhaling²⁸ strong prussic acid. It was jammed right under his nose. Then the murderer went away again, first opening all the windows. Hydrocyanic acid is exceedingly volatile²⁹, but it has a pronounced smell of bitter almonds. With no trace of the smell to guide them, and no suspicion of foul³⁰ play, death would be put down to some natural cause by the doctors. So this man was in the Secret Service, Hastings. And five years ago he disappeared in Russia."

 

"The last two years he's been in the Asylum," I said. "But what of the three years before that?"

 

Poirot shook his head, and then caught my arm.

 

"The clock, Hastings, look at the clock."

 

I followed his gaze to the mantelpiece. The clock had stopped at four o'clock.

 

"Mon ami, some one has tampered³¹ with it. It had still three days to run. It is an eight-day clock, you comprehend?"

 

"But what should they want to do that for? Some idea of a false scent³² by making the crime appear to have taken place at four o'clock?"

 

"No, no; rearrange your ideas, mon ami. Exercise your little gray cells. You are Mayerling. You hear something, perhaps—and you know well enough that your doom³³ is sealed. You have just time to leave a sign. Four o'clock, Hastings. Number Four, the destroyer. Ah! an idea!"

 

He rushed into the other room and seized the telephone. He asked for Hanwell.

 

"You are the Asylum, yes? I understand there has been an escape to-day? What is that you say? A little moment, if you please. Will you repeat that? Ah! parfaitement."

 

He hung up the receiver, and turned to me.

 

"You heard, Hastings? There has been no escape."

 

"But the man who came—the keeper?" I said.

 

"I wonder—I very much wonder."

 

"You mean—?"

 

"Number Four—the destroyer."

 

I gazed at Poirot dumbfounded. A minute or two after, on recovering my voice, I said:—

 

"We shall know him again, anywhere, that's one thing. He was a man of very pronounced personality."

 

"Was he, mon ami? I think not. He was burly and bluff³⁴ and red-faced, with a thick moustache and a hoarse³⁵ voice. He will be none of those things by this time, and for the rest, he has nondescript eyes, nondescript ears, and a perfect set of false teeth. Identification is not such an easy matter as you seem to think. Next time—"

 

"You think there will be a next time?" I interrupted.

 

Poirot's face grew very grave.

 

"It is a duel³⁶ to the death, mon ami. You and I on the one side, the Big Four on the other. They have won the first trick; but they have failed in their plan to get me out of the way, and in the future they have to reckon with Hercule Poirot!"

 

1 deign   

v. 屈尊, 惠允 ( 做某事)

参考例句：

• He doesn't deign to talk to unimportant people like me. 他不肯屈尊和像我这样不重要的人说话。
• I would not deign to comment on such behaviour. 这种行为不屑我置评。

2 acumen   

n.敏锐，聪明

参考例句：

• She has considerable business acumen.她的经营能力绝非一般。
• His business acumen has made his very successful.他的商业头脑使他很成功。

3 ecstasies   

狂喜( ecstasy的名词复数 )； 出神； 入迷； 迷幻药

参考例句：

• In such ecstasies that he even controlled his tongue and was silent. 但他闭着嘴，一言不发。
• We were in ecstasies at the thought of going home. 一想到回家，我们高兴极了。

4 astonishment   

n.惊奇，惊异

参考例句：

• They heard him give a loud shout of astonishment.他们听见他惊奇地大叫一声。
• I was filled with astonishment at her strange action.我对她的奇怪举动不胜惊异。

5 beholding   

v.看，注视( behold的现在分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟

参考例句：

• Beholding, besides love, the end of love,/Hearing oblivion beyond memory! 我看见了爱，还看到了爱的结局，／听到了记忆外层的哪一片寂寥！ 来自英汉 - 翻译样例 - 文学
• Hence people who began by beholding him ended by perusing him. 所以人们从随便看一看他开始的，都要以仔细捉摸他而终结。 来自辞典例句

6 reassuring   

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。

7 agitated   

adj.被鼓动的，不安的

参考例句：

• His answers were all mixed up,so agitated was he.他是那样心神不定，回答全乱了。
• She was agitated because her train was an hour late.她乘坐的火车晚点一个小时，她十分焦虑。

8 asphyxiation   

n. 窒息

参考例句：

• Objective Inquiry into the heavy asphyxiation rescues measure of the new born. 摘要目的探讨新生儿重度窒息抢救的措施。
• Self-contained breathing apparatus(SCBA) may be required to prevent asphyxiation of rescue personnel. 可能要求有自给式呼吸器(SCBA)，以防止救援人员窒息。

9 inspector   

n.检查员，监察员，视察员

参考例句：

• The inspector was interested in everything pertaining to the school.视察员对有关学校的一切都感兴趣。
• The inspector was shining a flashlight onto the tickets.查票员打着手电筒查看车票。

10 proceedings   

n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• to initiate legal proceedings against sb 对某人提起诉讼

11 assent   

v.批准，认可；n.批准，认可

参考例句：

• I cannot assent to what you ask.我不能应允你的要求。
• The new bill passed by Parliament has received Royal Assent.议会所通过的新方案已获国王批准。

12 ushered   

v.引，领，陪同( usher的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The secretary ushered me into his office. 秘书把我领进他的办公室。
• A round of parties ushered in the New Year. 一系列的晚会迎来了新年。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 persecution   

n. 迫害,烦扰

参考例句：

• He had fled from France at the time of the persecution. 他在大迫害时期逃离了法国。
• Their persecution only serves to arouse the opposition of the people. 他们的迫害只激起人民对他们的反抗。

14 mania   

n.疯狂；躁狂症，狂热，癖好

参考例句：

• Football mania is sweeping the country.足球热正风靡全国。
• Collecting small items can easily become a mania.收藏零星物品往往容易变成一种癖好。

15 shuddered   

v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动

参考例句：

• He slammed on the brakes and the car shuddered to a halt. 他猛踩刹车，车颤抖着停住了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I shuddered at the sight of the dead body. 我一看见那尸体就战栗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 sane   

adj.心智健全的，神志清醒的，明智的，稳健的

参考例句：

• He was sane at the time of the murder.在凶杀案发生时他的神志是清醒的。
• He is a very sane person.他是一个很有头脑的人。

17 asylum   

n.避难所，庇护所，避难

参考例句：

• The people ask for political asylum.人们请求政治避难。
• Having sought asylum in the West for many years,they were eventually granted it.他们最终获得了在西方寻求多年的避难权。

18 callously   

参考例句：

• Sri Lanka has callously ignored calls for a humanitarian cease-fire. 斯里兰卡无情地忽视人道停火的呼吁。 来自互联网
• The pendulum ticks callously, heartlessly. 这是谁的遗训？ 来自互联网

19 corpse   

n.尸体，死尸

参考例句：

• What she saw was just an unfeeling corpse.她见到的只是一具全无感觉的尸体。
• The corpse was preserved from decay by embalming.尸体用香料涂抹以防腐烂。

20 uncouth   

adj.无教养的，粗鲁的

参考例句：

• She may embarrass you with her uncouth behavior.她的粗野行为可能会让你尴尬。
• His nephew is an uncouth young man.他的侄子是一个粗野的年轻人。

21 jaunty   

adj．愉快的，满足的；adv.心满意足地，洋洋得意地；n.心满意足；洋洋得意

参考例句：

• She cocked her hat at a jaunty angle.她把帽子歪戴成俏皮的样子。
• The happy boy walked with jaunty steps.这个快乐的孩子以轻快活泼的步子走着。

22 strands   

n.（线、绳、金属线、毛发等的）股( strand的名词复数 )；缕；海洋、湖或河的)岸；（观点、计划、故事等的）部份v.使滞留，使搁浅( strand的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Twist a length of rope from strands of hemp. 用几股麻搓成了一段绳子。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She laced strands into a braid. 她把几股线编织成一根穗带。 来自《简明英汉词典》

23 puff   

n.一口(气)；一阵(风)；v.喷气，喘气

参考例句：

• He took a puff at his cigarette.他吸了一口香烟。
• They tried their best to puff the book they published.他们尽力吹捧他们出版的书。

24 spoke   

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。

25 intrigue   

vt.激起兴趣，迷住；vi.耍阴谋；n.阴谋，密谋

参考例句：

• Court officials will intrigue against the royal family.法院官员将密谋反对皇室。
• The royal palace was filled with intrigue.皇宫中充满了勾心斗角。

26 sitting-room   

n.（BrE）客厅，起居室

参考例句：

• The sitting-room is clean.起居室很清洁。
• Each villa has a separate sitting-room.每栋别墅都有一间独立的起居室。

27 bent   

n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的

参考例句：

• He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
• We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

28 inhaling   

v.吸入( inhale的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He was treated for the effects of inhaling smoke. 他因吸入烟尘而接受治疗。 来自辞典例句
• The long-term effects of inhaling contaminated air is unknown. 长期吸入被污染空气的影响还无从知晓。 来自互联网

29 volatile   

adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质

参考例句：

• With the markets being so volatile,investments are at great risk.由于市场那么变化不定，投资冒着很大的风险。
• His character was weak and volatile.他这个人意志薄弱，喜怒无常。

30 foul   

adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规

参考例句：

• Take off those foul clothes and let me wash them.脱下那些脏衣服让我洗一洗。
• What a foul day it is!多么恶劣的天气！

31 tampered   

v.窜改( tamper的过去式 )；篡改；（用不正当手段）影响；瞎摆弄

参考例句：

• The records of the meeting had been tampered with. 会议记录已被人擅自改动。 来自辞典例句
• The old man's will has been tampered with. 老人的遗嘱已被窜改。 来自辞典例句

32 scent   

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。

33 doom   

n.厄运，劫数；v.注定，命定

参考例句：

• The report on our economic situation is full of doom and gloom.这份关于我们经济状况的报告充满了令人绝望和沮丧的调子。
• The dictator met his doom after ten years of rule.独裁者统治了十年终于完蛋了。

34 bluff   

v.虚张声势，用假象骗人；n.虚张声势，欺骗

参考例句：

• His threats are merely bluff.他的威胁仅仅是虚张声势。
• John is a deep card.No one can bluff him easily.约翰是个机灵鬼。谁也不容易欺骗他。

35 hoarse   

adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的

参考例句：

• He asked me a question in a hoarse voice.他用嘶哑的声音问了我一个问题。
• He was too excited and roared himself hoarse.他过于激动，嗓子都喊哑了。

36 duel   

n./v.决斗；(双方的)斗争

参考例句：

• The two teams are locked in a duel for first place.两个队为争夺第一名打得难解难分。
• Duroy was forced to challenge his disparager to duel.杜洛瓦不得不向诋毁他的人提出决斗。