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17 Solution
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Grant was disconsolate1. His radiance was dimmed as the Yard had never known it dimmed. He even snapped at the faithful Williams, and only the surprised hurt on that bland2 pink face recalled him to himself for a little. Mrs. Field blamed it unconditionally3 on the Scots: their food, their ways, their climate, and their country; and said dramatically to her husband, after the manner of a childish arithmetic, “If four days in a country like that makes him like this, what would a month do?” That was on the occasion when she was exhibiting to her better half the torn and muddy tweeds that Grant had brought back with him from his foray in the hills; but she made no secret of her beliefs and her prejudices, and Grant suffered her as mildly as his worried soul would permit. Back in the everyday routine and clearing-up arrears4 of work he would stop and ask himself, What had he left undone5? What possible avenue of exploration had he left untravelled? He tried deliberately6 to stop himself from further questioning, to accept the general theory that the police case was too good to be other than true, to subscribe7 to Barker’s opinion that he had “nerves” and needed a holiday. But it was no use. The feeling that there was something wrong somewhere always flowed back the minute he stopped bullying8 himself. If anything, the conviction grew as the slow, unproductive, tedious days passed, and he would go back in his mind to that first day, little more than a fortnight ago, when he had viewed an unknown body, and go over the case again from there. Had he missed a point somewhere? There was the knife that had proved so barren a clue an individual thing to be so unproductive. Yet no one had claimed to have seen or owned one like it. All it had done was to provide the scar on the murderer’s hand — a piece of evidence conclusive9 only when allied10 with much more.

There was this, there was that, there was the other, but all of them stood the strain of pulling apart, and remained in their separate entities11 what they had been in the pattern of the whole; and Grant was left, as before, with the belief, so strong and so unreasonable12 that it amounted to superstition13, that the monogrammed brooch in Sorrell’s pocket was the key to the whole mystery; that it was shouting its tale at them, only they could not hear. It lay in his desk with the knife now, and the consciousness of it was with him continually. When he had nothing to do for the moment he would take both it and the knife from the drawer and sit there “mooning over them,” as the sympathetic Williams reported to his subordinate. They were becoming a fetish with him. There was some connexion between the two — between the offering that Sorrell had made to a woman and the knife that had killed him. He felt that as strongly and distinctly as he felt the sunlight that warmed his hands as he played with the objects on the table. And yet both his own reason and that of others laughed at the idea. What had the brooch to do with the affair! Gerald Lamont had killed Sorrell with a small Italian knife — his grandmother had been Italian, and if he hadn’t inherited the knife he had probably inherited the will to use one — after a quarrel in a queue. On his own showing he resented Sorrell’s departure from Britain, leaving him jobless and more or less penniless. Sorrell had had the money to pay for his passage, but had not offered it. And on his own showing he had not known that Sorrell had given him any money until two days after the murder. Where did a pearl monogrammed brooch come into that? The little silver-and-enamel knife was a piece de résistance in the case — a prince of exhibits. It would be photographed, paragraphed, and discussed in every house in England, and the little crack on its boss handle would hang a man. And all the time that pearl brooch, which would not appear in the case at all, glowed a silent and complete refutal of all their puny14 theories.

It was utterly15 ridiculous. Grant hated the sight of the thing, and yet he went back again and again to it as a man does to a mocking mistress. He tried “shutting his eyes”— his favourite resort in a difficulty — and either distracted himself with amusement, or buried himself in work for long periods at a time; but always when he opened his eyes again it was the brooch he saw. That had never happened before — that he had opened his eyes again and seen no new angle in a case. It was borne in on him that either he was obsessed16 or he had reached the last angle in the case — the vital one — and that it told him nothing; it was there for him to read, and he did not know how to.

Suppose, he would think, just suppose that the murder was an emissary’s work after all, and not the result of the quarrel in the queue, what type of person would an emissary be? Not one of those nearest the murdered man, certainly. But no one else had had access to the queue except the policeman, the doorkeeper, and Lamont. Or had there been another who had made his escape unnoticed? Raoul Legarde had gone, and Lamont had gone, without attracting notice — the one because the queue was self-absorbed, the other because it was absorbed in the murder. Was it possible that there had been still another? He reminded himself how indifferent to their surroundings the various witnesses had proved themselves to have been. Not one of them had been able to give an adequate account of the people who had stood next them, with the exception of Raoul Legarde, who was more critical because he was a stranger to England, and an English crowd was still an entertainment to him. To the others it had been no entertainment, and they had not bothered about their neighbours; they had had all the self-absorption of Londoners and habitual18 queue-goers. It was still possible that some one else had got away without being remembered. And if that were so, what chance was there now of his being captured? What possible clue had they?

The brooch, said his other self, the brooch!

On Friday, Lamont was again brought up at Gowbridge Police Court, and his counsel protested, as Grant had foreseen, about the statement that had been taken from Lamont. Grant had expected him to protest as a matter of form, but it was evident that he was protesting from conviction. He had become aware of the use the Crown might make of Lamont’s admission that he had resented Sorrell’s departure. The magistrate19 said that he could see no evidence of coercion20 on the part of the police. The prisoner had been evidently not only willing but anxious to make a statement. But Lamont’s counsel pointed21 out that his client had been in no mental or physical condition to make such an important statement. He was barely recovered from a bad concussion22. He was not in a fit state to . . .

And so the wordy, futile23 argument went on, and the two people whom it most concerned — Grant and Lamont — sat bored and weary, waiting till the spate24 of words should cease and they could depart, the one to his cell and the other to his work and his ever-present problem. Miss Dinmont was in the now crowded court again, and this time there was no doubt of her graciousness to Grant. Her interview with her aunt seemed to have had the strange effect of softening25 her in every way, and Grant, remembering Mrs. Everett, marvelled26. It was only on the way back to the Yard that it occurred to him that her aunt’s belief in Lamont had bred in her a hope that had nothing to do with reason or logic27, and that it was the hope that had given her that queer unusual charm that was almost radiance. And Grant swore. She might hope that after all Lamont was not guilty, but what would that avail her if he were convicted?

That pearl brooch! What was it saying? Who had had access to the queue? He flung himself into his room and glared out of the window. He would give up the service. He wasn’t fit for it. He kept seeing difficulties where others saw none. It was pure proof of incompetence28. How Barker must be laughing at him! Well, let him. Barker had about as much imagination as a paving-stone. But then he, Grant, had too much of it for the police force. He would resign. There would be at least two people who would be grateful to him — the two men who hankered most after his job. As for this case, he would think no more of it.

And even as he made the resolution he turned from the window to take the brooch from its drawer yet once again, but was interrupted by the entrance of Barker.

“Well,” said his chief, “I hear they’re making a fuss about the statement.”

“Yes.”

“What good do they think that’s going to do them?”

“Don’t know. Principle, I suppose. And they see a few admissions that we could make use of, I think.”

“Oh, well, let them wriggle29,” Barker said. “They can’t wriggle out of the evidence. Statement or no statement, we’ve got them on toast. Still worrying over the business?”

“No; I’ve given it up. After this I’m going to believe what I see and know, and not what I feel.”

“Splendid!” said Barker. “You keep a rein30 on your imagination, Grant, and you’ll be a great man some day. Once in five years is often enough to have a flair31. If you limit it to that, it’s likely to be an asset.” And he grinned good-naturedly at his subordinate.

A constable32 appeared in the doorway33, and said to Grant, “A lady to see you, sir.”

“Who is it?”

“She wouldn’t give her name, but she said it was very important.”

“All right. Show her in.”

Barker made a movement as if to go, but subsided34 again, and there was silence while the two men waited for the new arrival. Barker was lounging slightly in front of Grant’s desk, and Grant was behind it, his left hand caressing35 the handle of the drawer that sheltered the brooch. Then the door opened, and the constable ushered36 in the visitor with an official repetition of his announcement, “A lady to see you, sir.”

It was the fat woman from the queue.

“Good afternoon, Mrs. — Wallis.” Grant recalled her name with an effort; he had not seen her since the inquest. “What can I do for you?”

“Good afternoon, Inspector37,” she said, in her rampant38 Cockney. “I came because I think this business has gone far enough. I killed Bert Sorrell, and I’m not going to let any one suffer for it if I can ‘elp it.”

“You —” said Grant, and stopped, staring at her fat shining face, beady eyes, tight black satin coat, and black satin toque.

Barker glanced at his subordinate and, seeing him utterly at a loss — really, Grant must have a holiday — he took command of the situation. “Sit down, Mrs. — Wallis,” he said kindly39. “You’ve been thinking too much about this affair, haven’t you?” He brought forward a chair and settled her into it rather as though she had come to consult him about heartburn. “It isn’t good to brood over nasty things like murders. What makes you think you killed Sorrell?”

“I don’t think,” she said rather tartly40. “I didn’t make any doubt about it, did I? A very good job it was.”

“Well, well,” said Barker indulgently, “let us say how do we know you did it?”

“How do you know?” she repeated. “What do you mean? You didn’t know till now, but now I’ve told you and you know.”

“But, you know, just because you say you’ve done it is no reason that we should believe you have,” Barker said.

“Not believe me!” she said, her voice rising. “Do people usually come and confess to murdering people when they didn’t?”

“Oh, quite often,” said Barker.

She sat in surprised silence, her bright, expressionless dark eyes darting41 swiftly from one face to the other. Barker raised a comical eyebrow42 at the still silent Grant, but Grant hardly noticed him. He came from behind the desk as if loosed suddenly from a spell that had held him motionless, and came up to the woman.

“Mrs. Wallis,” he said, “will you take off your gloves a moment?”

“Come now, that’s a bit more sensible,” she said, as she drew off her black cotton gloves. “I know what you’re looking for, but it’s nearly gone now.”

She held out her left hand, gloveless, to him. On the side of her first finger, healed but still visible in the rough skin of her hard-worked hand, was the mark of a jagged scar. Grant expelled a long breath, and Barker came over and bent43 to examine the woman’s hand.

“But, Mrs. Wallis,” he said, “why should you want to kill Sorrell?”

“Never you mind,” she said. “I killed ’im, and that’s enough.”

“I’m afraid it isn’t,” Barker said. “The fact that you have a small scar on your finger is no proof at all that you had anything to do with Sorrell’s death.”

“But I tell you I killed ’im!” she said. “Why won’t you believe me? I killed ’im with the little knife my ‘usband brought home from Spain.”

“So you say, but we have no proof that what you say is true.”

She stared hostilely at them both. “You’d think you weren’t police at all to listen to you,” she remarked. “If it weren’t for that young man you’ve got, I’d walk home right now. I never knew such fools. What more do you want when I’ve confessed?”

“Oh, quite a lot more,” Barker said, as Grant was still silent. “For instance, how could you have killed Sorrell when you were in front of him in the queue?”

“I wasn’t in front of ’im. I was standing44 behind ’im all the time till the queue began to move up tight. Then I stuck the knife in and after a little I shoved in front, keepin’ close to ’im all the time so he shouldn’t fall.”

This time Barker dropped his complaisant45 manner and looked at her keenly. “And what was Sorrell to you that you should stick a knife in him?” he asked.

“Bert Sorrell wasn’t anything to me, but he ‘ad to be killed and I killed ’im, see? That’s all.”

“Did you know Sorrell?”

“Yes.”

“How long have you known him?”

Something in that question made her hesitate. “Some time,” she said.

“Had he wronged you somehow?”

But her tight mouth shut still more tightly. Barker looked at her rather helplessly, and then Grant could see him turning on the other tack46.

“Well, I’m very sorry, Mrs. Wallis,” he said, as if the interview were ended, “but we can’t put any belief in your story. It has all the appearance of a cock-and-bull yarn47. You’ve been thinking too much about the affair. People do that, you know, quite often, and then they begin to imagine that they did the thing themselves. The best thing you can do is to go home and think no more about it.”

As Barker had expected, that got her. A faint alarm appeared on her red face. Then her shrewd black eyes went to Grant and examined him. “I don’t know who you may be,” she said to Barker, “but Inspector Grant believes me all right.”

“This is Superintendent48 Barker,” Grant said, “and my chief. You’ll have to tell the superintendent a lot more than that, Mrs. Wallis, before he can believe you.”

She recognized the rebuff, and before she had recovered Barker said again, “Why did you kill Sorrell? Unless you give us an adequate reason, I’m afraid we can’t believe you. There’s nothing at all to connect you with the murder except that little scar. I expect it’s that little scar that has set you thinking about all this, isn’t it, now?”

“Not it!” she said. “D’you think I’m crazy? Well, I’m not. I did it all right, and I’ve told you how I did it exactly. Isn’t that enough?”

“Oh, no, you could quite easily have made up the tale of how you did it. We’ve got to have proof.”

“Well, I’ve got the sheath of the knife at home,” she said in sudden triumph. “There’s your proof for you.”

“I’m afraid that’s no good either,” Barker said, with a very good imitation of regret. “Any one could have the sheath of the knife. You’ll have to give a reason for killing49 Sorrell before we’ll even begin to believe you.”

“Well,” she said sullenly50 after a long silence, “if you must ‘ave it, I killed ’im because ‘e was going to shoot my Rosie.”

“Who is Rosie?”

“My daughter.”

“Why should he shoot your daughter?”

“Because she wouldn’t have anything to do with the likes of ’im.”

“Does your daughter live with you?”

“No.”

“Then perhaps you’ll let me have her address.”

“No; you can’t have ‘er address. She’s gone abroad.”

“But if she has gone abroad, how could Sorrell be able to harm her?”

“She hadn’t gone abroad when I killed Bert Sorrell.”

“Then —” began Barker. But Grant interrupted him.

“Mrs. Wallis,” he said slowly, “is Ray Marcable your daughter?”

The woman was on her feet with a swiftness amazing in a person of her bulk. Her tight mouth was suddenly slack, and inarticulate sounds came from her throat.

“Sit down,” said Grant gently, and pushed her back into her chair —“sit down and tell us all about it. Take your time.”

“‘Ow did you know?” she asked, when she had recovered herself. “‘Ow could you know?”

Grant ignored the question. “What made you think that Sorrell intended harm to your daughter?”

“Because I met ’im one day in the street. I ‘adn’t seen ’im for years, and I said something about Rosie going to America. And ‘e said, ‘So am I.’ And I didn’t like that, because I knew ‘e was a nuisance to Rosie. And then ‘e smiled kind of queer at me and said, ‘At least, it isn’t certain. Either we’re both going or neither of us is going.’ An’ I said, ‘What do you mean? Rosie’s going for sure. She’s got a contract and she can’t break it.’ And he said, ‘She has a previous contract with me. Do you think she’ll keep to that too?’ And I said not to be foolish. Boy-and-girl affairs were best forgotten, I said. And ‘e just smiled again, that horrid51 queer way, and said, ‘Well, wherever she’s goin’ we’re goin’ together.’ And ‘e went away.”

“When was that?” Grant asked.

“It was three weeks today — the Friday before I killed ’im.”

The day after Sorrell had received the little parcel at Mrs. Everett’s. “All right. Go on.

“Well, I went ‘ome and thought about it. I kept seeing ‘is face. It had a bad grey kind of look in spite of its bein’ so pleasant and all that. And I began to be sure that he meant to do Rosie in.”

“Had your daughter been engaged to him?”

“Well, ’e said so. It was a boy-and-girl affair. They’d known each other ever since they were kids. Of course, Rosie wouldn’t dream of marrying ’im now.”

“All right. Go on.”

“Well, I thought the only place ‘e would be able to see ‘er would be the theatre. You see, I went round specially52 to tell Rosie about it — I didn’t see ‘er very often — but she didn’t seem to worry. She just said. ‘Oh, Bert always talked through his hat anyway, and anyhow I don’t see him any more.’ She ‘ad such a lot of other things to think of, she wasn’t worried. But I was, I tell you. I went that night and stood on the opposite side of the street, watching the people coming to the queues. But ‘e didn’t come. And I went to the matinée on Saturday and again in the evening, but ‘e didn’t come. And again on Monday night, and on Tuesday afternoon. And then on Tuesday night I saw ’im come alone, and I went and stood behind ’im in the queue at the pit door. After a while I saw a bulge53 in ‘is right-‘and coat pocket, and I felt it and it was hard. I was sure then that it was a revolver and that he was going to do Rosie in. So I just waited till the queue moved tight, like I said, and stuck the knife in ’im. He didn’t make a sound. You’d think he didn’t know anything had happened. And then I shoved in front, like I told you.”

“Was Sorrell alone?”

“Yes.”

“Who was standing alongside him?”

“For a while there was a dark young gentleman, very good-looking. And then another man came to talk to Bert, and pushed the young gentleman back next me.”

“And who was behind you?”

“The lady and gentleman who gave evidence at the inquest.”

“How is Rosie Markham your daughter?”

“Well, you see, my ‘usband was a sailor — that’s ‘ow I got the knife from Spain — brought me lots of things, ‘e did. But when Rosie was little, ‘e got drowned; and ‘is sister, who was very well married to Markham, offered to take ‘er and bring ‘er up as their own, ‘cause they had no kids. So I let ‘er go. And they brought ‘er up proper, I’ll say that for them. A real lady, my Rosie is. I went out charring for years, but since Rosie got money she bought what they call an annuity54 for me, and I live on that mostly now.”

“How did your daughter know Sorrell?”

“The aunt that brought Bert up used to live next door to the Markhams, and Bert and Rosie went to the same school. They were very friendly then, of course. Then the aunt died when Bert was at the War.”

“But it was after the War that they got engaged, surely?”

“They weren’t what you would call engaged. They just had a notion for each other. Rosie was on tour in The Green Sunshade then, and they used to see each other when she was in town or near it.”

“But Sorrell considered himself engaged?”

“Perhaps. Lots of men would like to be engaged to Rosie. As if Rosie would think of the likes of him!”

“But they kept up some kind of acquaintance?”

“Oh, yes, she let ’im come to see ‘er at ‘er flat sometimes, but she wouldn’t go out with him, or anything like that. And she didn’t ‘ave ’im very often. I don’t think she ‘ad the heart to send him away for good, you see. She was letting ’im down gently, I think. But I’m not sure about all that, you know. I didn’t go to see Rosie often myself. Not that she wasn’t nice to me, but it wasn’t fair on ‘er. She didn’t want a common old woman like me round, and ‘er hobnobbin’ with lords and things.”

“Why did you not tell the police at once that Sorrell was threatening your daughter?”

“I thought about it, and then I thought, in the first place, I ‘adn’t any proof. Judging by the way you treated me today, I should think I was right. And in the second place, even supposing the police shut ’im up, they couldn’t shut ’im up for good. He would just do ‘er in when he came out. And I couldn’t be always round watching ’im. So I thought it best to do it when I could. I ‘ad that little knife, and I thought that would be a good way. I don’t know anything about pistols and things.”

“Tell me, Mrs. Wallis, did your daughter ever see that dagger55?”

“No.”

“Are you quite sure? Think a little.”

“Yes; she did. I’m telling you a lie. When she was quite big, before she left school, they had a play of Shakespeare that had a dagger in it. I don’t remember the name of it.”

“Macbeth?” suggested Grant.

“Yes; that was it. And she was the heroine. She was always wonderful at acting17, you know. Even when she was a little thing she was a fairy in a school pantomime. And I always went to see ‘er. And when they were playing that thing Macbeth, I gave ‘er a loan of the little dagger ‘er father ‘ad brought from Spain. Just for luck, you know. She gave it back to me when the play was over. But she kept the luck, all right. All ‘er life she’s been lucky. It was just luck that made Ladds see ‘er when she was on tour, so that ‘e told Barron about ‘er, and Barron gave ‘er an interview. That’s ‘ow she got ‘er name — Ray Marcable. All the time she was dancing and singing and what not for him ‘e kept saying, ‘Remarkable!’ and so Rosie took that for ‘er name. It’s the same initials as ‘er own — at least, as ‘er adopted name, see?”

There was a silence. Both Barker, who had been wordless for some time, and Grant seemed to be temporarily at a loss. Only the fat woman with the red face seemed to be completely at her ease.

“There’s one thing you must remember,” she said. “Rosie’s name must be kept out of this. Not a word about Rosie. You can say that I killed ’im because of ’im threatening my daughter, who is abroad.”

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Wallis, I can’t hold out any hope of that. Miss Marcable’s name is sure to come out.”

“But it mustn’t!” she said. “It mustn’t! It’ll spoil it all if she’s dragged into it. Think of the scandal and the talk. Surely you gentlemen are clever enough to think of a way of avoiding that?”

“I’m afraid not, Mrs. Wallis. We would if we could, but it won’t be possible if your story is true.”

“Oh, well,” she said, with surprising equanimity56, considering her former vehemence57, “I don’t suppose it will make such a very great difference to Rosie. Rosie is the greatest actress in Britain at the present time, and ‘er position is too good for anything like that to spoil it. Only you must hang me before she comes back from America.”

“It is a little too soon to talk of hanging,” Barker said, with a faint smile. “Have you got the key of your house with you?”

“Yes; why?”

“If you hand it over to me, I’ll send a man down to verify your story of the sheath of the knife. Where can he find it?”

“It’s at the very bottom of the top left-hand drawer of the chest of drawers, in a box that had a scent-bottle in.”

Barker called in a man, and gave him the key and the instructions. “And see you leave everything as you get it,” Mrs. Wallis said tartly to the emissary.

When the man had gone, Grant pushed a piece of paper across his desk to her and extended a pen. “Will you write your name and address there?” he said.

She took the pen in her left hand, and rather laboriously58 wrote what he had asked.

“You remember when I went to see you before the inquest?”

“Yes.”

“You weren’t left-handed then.”

“I can use either hand for most things. There’s a name for it, but I forget what it is. But when I’m doing anything very special, I use my left. Rosie, she’s left-handed too. And so was my father.”

“Why didn’t you come before and tell us this story?” Barker asked.

“I didn’t think you would get any one unless you got me. But when I saw in the paper that the police had a good case, and all that, I thought something would have to be done. And then today I went to the court to have a look at ’im.” So she had been in that crowded court today without Grant having seen her! “‘E didn’t look bad even if he was foreign-looking. And ‘e looked very ill. So I just went ‘ome and cleared up and come along.”

“I see,” said Grant, and raised his eyebrows59 at his chief. The superintendent summoned a man, and said, “Mrs. Wallis will wait in the next room for the moment, and you will keep her company. If there is anything you want, just ask Simpson for it, Mrs. Wallis.” And the door closed behind her tight black satin figure.

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 disconsolate OuOxR     
adj.忧郁的,不快的
参考例句:
  • He looked so disconsolate that It'scared her.他看上去情绪很坏,吓了她一跳。
  • At the dress rehearsal she was disconsolate.彩排时她闷闷不乐。
2 bland dW1zi     
adj.淡而无味的,温和的,无刺激性的
参考例句:
  • He eats bland food because of his stomach trouble.他因胃病而吃清淡的食物。
  • This soup is too bland for me.这汤我喝起来偏淡。
3 unconditionally CfHzbp     
adv.无条件地
参考例句:
  • All foreign troops must be withdrawn immediately and unconditionally. 所有外国军队必须立即无条件地撤出。
  • It makes things very awkward to have your girls going back unconditionally just now! 你们现在是无条件上工,真糟糕! 来自子夜部分
4 arrears IVYzQ     
n.到期未付之债,拖欠的款项;待做的工作
参考例句:
  • The payments on that car loan are in arrears by three months.购车贷款的偿付被拖欠了三个月。
  • They are urgent for payment of arrears of wages.他们催讨拖欠的工钱。
5 undone JfJz6l     
a.未做完的,未完成的
参考例句:
  • He left nothing undone that needed attention.所有需要注意的事他都注意到了。
6 deliberately Gulzvq     
adv.审慎地;蓄意地;故意地
参考例句:
  • The girl gave the show away deliberately.女孩故意泄露秘密。
  • They deliberately shifted off the argument.他们故意回避这个论点。
7 subscribe 6Hozu     
vi.(to)订阅,订购;同意;vt.捐助,赞助
参考例句:
  • I heartily subscribe to that sentiment.我十分赞同那个观点。
  • The magazine is trying to get more readers to subscribe.该杂志正大力发展新订户。
8 bullying f23dd48b95ce083d3774838a76074f5f     
v.恐吓,威逼( bully的现在分词 );豪;跋扈
参考例句:
  • Many cases of bullying go unreported . 很多恐吓案件都没有人告发。
  • All cases of bullying will be severely dealt with. 所有以大欺小的情况都将受到严肃处理。 来自《简明英汉词典》
9 conclusive TYjyw     
adj.最后的,结论的;确凿的,消除怀疑的
参考例句:
  • They produced some fairly conclusive evidence.他们提供了一些相当确凿的证据。
  • Franklin did not believe that the French tests were conclusive.富兰克林不相信这个法国人的实验是结论性的。
10 allied iLtys     
adj.协约国的;同盟国的
参考例句:
  • Britain was allied with the United States many times in history.历史上英国曾多次与美国结盟。
  • Allied forces sustained heavy losses in the first few weeks of the campaign.同盟国在最初几周内遭受了巨大的损失。
11 entities 07214c6750d983a32e0a33da225c4efd     
实体对像; 实体,独立存在体,实际存在物( entity的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Our newspaper and our printing business form separate corporate entities. 我们的报纸和印刷业形成相对独立的企业实体。
  • The North American continent is made up of three great structural entities. 北美大陆是由三个构造单元组成的。
12 unreasonable tjLwm     
adj.不讲道理的,不合情理的,过度的
参考例句:
  • I know that they made the most unreasonable demands on you.我知道他们对你提出了最不合理的要求。
  • They spend an unreasonable amount of money on clothes.他们花在衣服上的钱太多了。
13 superstition VHbzg     
n.迷信,迷信行为
参考例句:
  • It's a common superstition that black cats are unlucky.认为黑猫不吉祥是一种很普遍的迷信。
  • Superstition results from ignorance.迷信产生于无知。
14 puny Bt5y6     
adj.微不足道的,弱小的
参考例句:
  • The resources at the central banks' disposal are simply too puny.中央银行掌握的资金实在太少了。
  • Antonio was a puny lad,and not strong enough to work.安东尼奥是个瘦小的小家伙,身体还不壮,还不能干活。
15 utterly ZfpzM1     
adv.完全地,绝对地
参考例句:
  • Utterly devoted to the people,he gave his life in saving his patients.他忠于人民,把毕生精力用于挽救患者的生命。
  • I was utterly ravished by the way she smiled.她的微笑使我完全陶醉了。
16 obsessed 66a4be1417f7cf074208a6d81c8f3384     
adj.心神不宁的,鬼迷心窍的,沉迷的
参考例句:
  • He's obsessed by computers. 他迷上了电脑。
  • The fear of death obsessed him throughout his old life. 他晚年一直受着死亡恐惧的困扰。
17 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。
18 habitual x5Pyp     
adj.习惯性的;通常的,惯常的
参考例句:
  • He is a habitual criminal.他是一个惯犯。
  • They are habitual visitors to our house.他们是我家的常客。
19 magistrate e8vzN     
n.地方行政官,地方法官,治安官
参考例句:
  • The magistrate committed him to prison for a month.法官判处他一个月监禁。
  • John was fined 1000 dollars by the magistrate.约翰被地方法官罚款1000美元。
20 coercion aOdzd     
n.强制,高压统治
参考例句:
  • Neither trickery nor coercion is used to secure confessions.既不诱供也不逼供。
  • He paid the money under coercion.他被迫付钱。
21 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。
22 concussion 5YDys     
n.脑震荡;震动
参考例句:
  • He was carried off the field with slight concussion.他因轻微脑震荡给抬离了现场。
  • She suffers from brain concussion.她得了脑震荡。
23 futile vfTz2     
adj.无效的,无用的,无希望的
参考例句:
  • They were killed,to the last man,in a futile attack.因为进攻失败,他们全部被杀,无一幸免。
  • Their efforts to revive him were futile.他们对他抢救无效。
24 spate BF7zJ     
n.泛滥,洪水,突然的一阵
参考例句:
  • Police are investigating a spate of burglaries in the area.警察正在调查这一地区发生的大量盗窃案。
  • Refugees crossed the border in full spate.难民大量地越过了边境。
25 softening f4d358268f6bd0b278eabb29f2ee5845     
变软,软化
参考例句:
  • Her eyes, softening, caressed his face. 她的眼光变得很温柔了。它们不住地爱抚他的脸。 来自汉英文学 - 家(1-26) - 家(1-26)
  • He might think my brain was softening or something of the kind. 他也许会觉得我婆婆妈妈的,已经成了个软心肠的人了。
26 marvelled 11581b63f48d58076e19f7de58613f45     
v.惊奇,对…感到惊奇( marvel的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • I marvelled that he suddenly left college. 我对他突然离开大学感到惊奇。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • I marvelled at your boldness. 我对你的大胆感到惊奇。 来自《简明英汉词典》
27 logic j0HxI     
n.逻辑(学);逻辑性
参考例句:
  • What sort of logic is that?这是什么逻辑?
  • I don't follow the logic of your argument.我不明白你的论点逻辑性何在。
28 incompetence o8Uxt     
n.不胜任,不称职
参考例句:
  • He was dismissed for incompetence. 他因不称职而被解雇。
  • She felt she had been made a scapegoat for her boss's incompetence. 她觉得,本是老板无能,但她却成了替罪羊。
29 wriggle wf4yr     
v./n.蠕动,扭动;蜿蜒
参考例句:
  • I've got an appointment I can't wriggle out of.我有个推脱不掉的约会。
  • Children wriggle themselves when they are bored.小孩子感到厌烦时就会扭动他们的身体。
30 rein xVsxs     
n.疆绳,统治,支配;vt.以僵绳控制,统治
参考例句:
  • The horse answered to the slightest pull on the rein.只要缰绳轻轻一拉,马就作出反应。
  • He never drew rein for a moment till he reached the river.他一刻不停地一直跑到河边。
31 flair 87jyQ     
n.天赋,本领,才华;洞察力
参考例句:
  • His business skill complements her flair for design.他的经营技巧和她的设计才能相辅相成。
  • He had a natural flair for business.他有做生意的天分。
32 constable wppzG     
n.(英国)警察,警官
参考例句:
  • The constable conducted the suspect to the police station.警官把嫌疑犯带到派出所。
  • The constable kept his temper,and would not be provoked.那警察压制着自己的怒气,不肯冒起火来。
33 doorway 2s0xK     
n.门口,(喻)入门;门路,途径
参考例句:
  • They huddled in the shop doorway to shelter from the rain.他们挤在商店门口躲雨。
  • Mary suddenly appeared in the doorway.玛丽突然出现在门口。
34 subsided 1bda21cef31764468020a8c83598cc0d     
v.(土地)下陷(因在地下采矿)( subside的过去式和过去分词 );减弱;下降至较低或正常水平;一下子坐在椅子等上
参考例句:
  • After the heavy rains part of the road subsided. 大雨过后,部分公路塌陷了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • By evening the storm had subsided and all was quiet again. 傍晚, 暴风雨已经过去,四周开始沉寂下来。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
35 caressing 00dd0b56b758fda4fac8b5d136d391f3     
爱抚的,表现爱情的,亲切的
参考例句:
  • The spring wind is gentle and caressing. 春风和畅。
  • He sat silent still caressing Tartar, who slobbered with exceeding affection. 他不声不响地坐在那里,不断抚摸着鞑靼,它由于获得超常的爱抚而不淌口水。
36 ushered d337b3442ea0cc4312a5950ae8911282     
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》
37 inspector q6kxH     
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。
38 rampant LAuzm     
adj.(植物)蔓生的;狂暴的,无约束的
参考例句:
  • Sickness was rampant in the area.该地区疾病蔓延。
  • You cannot allow children to rampant through the museum.你不能任由小孩子在博物馆里乱跑。
39 kindly tpUzhQ     
adj.和蔼的,温和的,爽快的;adv.温和地,亲切地
参考例句:
  • Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
  • A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。
40 tartly 0gtzl5     
adv.辛辣地,刻薄地
参考例句:
  • She finished by tartly pointing out that he owed her some money. 她最后刻薄地指出他欠她一些钱。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Kay said tartly, "And you're more Yankee than Italian. 恺酸溜溜他说:“可你哪,与其说是意大利人,还不如说是新英格兰人。 来自教父部分
41 darting darting     
v.投掷,投射( dart的现在分词 );向前冲,飞奔
参考例句:
  • Swallows were darting through the clouds. 燕子穿云急飞。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • Swallows were darting through the air. 燕子在空中掠过。 来自辞典例句
42 eyebrow vlOxk     
n.眉毛,眉
参考例句:
  • Her eyebrow is well penciled.她的眉毛画得很好。
  • With an eyebrow raised,he seemed divided between surprise and amusement.他一只眉毛扬了扬,似乎既感到吃惊,又觉有趣。
43 bent QQ8yD     
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。
44 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。
45 complaisant cbAyX     
adj.顺从的,讨好的
参考例句:
  • He has a pretty and complaisant wife.他有个漂亮又温顺的妻子。
  • He is complaisant to her.他对她百依百顺。
46 tack Jq1yb     
n.大头钉;假缝,粗缝
参考例句:
  • He is hammering a tack into the wall to hang a picture.他正往墙上钉一枚平头钉用来挂画。
  • We are going to tack the map on the wall.我们打算把这张地图钉在墙上。
47 yarn LMpzM     
n.纱,纱线,纺线;奇闻漫谈,旅行轶事
参考例句:
  • I stopped to have a yarn with him.我停下来跟他聊天。
  • The basic structural unit of yarn is the fiber.纤维是纱的基本结构单元。
48 superintendent vsTwV     
n.监督人,主管,总监;(英国)警务长
参考例句:
  • He was soon promoted to the post of superintendent of Foreign Trade.他很快就被擢升为对外贸易总监。
  • He decided to call the superintendent of the building.他决定给楼房管理员打电话。
49 killing kpBziQ     
n.巨额利润;突然赚大钱,发大财
参考例句:
  • Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
  • Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。
50 sullenly f65ccb557a7ca62164b31df638a88a71     
不高兴地,绷着脸,忧郁地
参考例句:
  • 'so what?" Tom said sullenly. “那又怎么样呢?”汤姆绷着脸说。
  • Emptiness after the paper, I sIt'sullenly in front of the stove. 报看完,想不出能找点什么事做,只好一人坐在火炉旁生气。
51 horrid arozZj     
adj.可怕的;令人惊恐的;恐怖的;极讨厌的
参考例句:
  • I'm not going to the horrid dinner party.我不打算去参加这次讨厌的宴会。
  • The medicine is horrid and she couldn't get it down.这种药很难吃,她咽不下去。
52 specially Hviwq     
adv.特定地;特殊地;明确地
参考例句:
  • They are specially packaged so that they stack easily.它们经过特别包装以便于堆放。
  • The machine was designed specially for demolishing old buildings.这种机器是专为拆毁旧楼房而设计的。
53 bulge Ns3ze     
n.突出,膨胀,激增;vt.突出,膨胀
参考例句:
  • The apple made a bulge in his pocket.苹果把他口袋塞得鼓了起来。
  • What's that awkward bulge in your pocket?你口袋里那块鼓鼓囊囊的东西是什么?
54 annuity Kw2zF     
n.年金;养老金
参考例句:
  • The personal contribution ratio is voluntary in the annuity program.企业年金中个人缴费比例是自愿的。
  • He lives on his annuity after retirement.他退休后靠退休金维生。
55 dagger XnPz0     
n.匕首,短剑,剑号
参考例句:
  • The bad news is a dagger to his heart.这条坏消息刺痛了他的心。
  • The murderer thrust a dagger into her heart.凶手将匕首刺进她的心脏。
56 equanimity Z7Vyz     
n.沉着,镇定
参考例句:
  • She went again,and in so doing temporarily recovered her equanimity.她又去看了戏,而且这样一来又暂时恢复了她的平静。
  • The defeat was taken with equanimity by the leadership.领导层坦然地接受了失败。
57 vehemence 2ihw1     
n.热切;激烈;愤怒
参考例句:
  • The attack increased in vehemence.进攻越来越猛烈。
  • She was astonished at his vehemence.她对他的激昂感到惊讶。
58 laboriously xpjz8l     
adv.艰苦地;费力地;辛勤地;(文体等)佶屈聱牙地
参考例句:
  • She is tracing laboriously now. 她正在费力地写。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • She is laboriously copying out an old manuscript. 她正在费劲地抄出一份旧的手稿。 来自辞典例句
59 eyebrows a0e6fb1330e9cfecfd1c7a4d00030ed5     
眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Eyebrows stop sweat from coming down into the eyes. 眉毛挡住汗水使其不能流进眼睛。
  • His eyebrows project noticeably. 他的眉毛特别突出。


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