SEVEN, EIGHT, LAY THEM STRAIGHT 6

VI
When Poirot returned to his flat he was surprised to find an unexpected visitor waiting for him.
A bald head was visible above the back of a chair, and the small neat figure of Mr. Barnes rose
to his feet.
With eyes that twinkled as usual, he made a dry little apology.
He had come, he explained, to return M. Hercule Poirot’s visit.
Poirot professed¹ himself delighted to see Mr. Barnes.
George was instructed to bring some coffee unless his visitor preferred tea or whisky and soda²?
“Coffee will be admirable,” said Mr. Barnes. “I imagine that your manservant prepares it well.
Most English servants do not.”
Presently, after a few interchanges of polite remarks, Mr. Barnes gave a little cough and said:
“I will be frank with you, M. Poirot. It was sheer curiosity that brought me here. You, I
imagined, would be well posted in all the details of this rather curious case. I see by the papers that
the missing Miss Sainsbury Seale has been found. That an inquest was held and adjourned³ for
further evidence. Cause of death was stated to have been an overdose of medinal.”
“That is quite correct,” said Poirot.
There was a pause and then Poirot asked:
“Have you ever heard of Albert Chapman, Mr. Barnes?”
“Ah, the husband of the lady in whose flat Miss Sainsbury Seale came to die? Rather an elusive⁴
person, it would seem.”
“But hardly nonexistent?”
“Oh no,” said Mr. Barnes. “He exists. Oh yes, he exists—or did exist. I had heard he was dead.
But you can’t trust these rumours⁵.”
“Who was he, Mr. Barnes?”
“I don’t suppose they’ll say at the inquest. Not if they can help it. They’ll trot⁶ out the armaments
firm traveller story.”
“He was in the Secret Service then?”
“Of course he was. But he had no business to tell his wife so—no business at all. In fact he
ought not to have continued in the Service after his marriage. It isn’t usually done—not, that is,
when you’re one of the really hush-hush people.”
“And Albert Chapman was?”
“Yes. Q.X.912. That’s what he was known as. Using a name is most irregular. Oh, I don’t mean
that Q.X.912 was specially⁷ important—or anything of that kind. But he was useful because he was
an insignificant⁸ kind of chap—the kind whose face isn’t easily remembered. He was used a lot as a
messenger up and down Europe. You know the sort of thing. One dignified⁹ letter sent via our
Ambassador in Ruritania—one unofficial ditto containing the dirt per Q.X.912—that is to say: Mr.
Albert Chapman.”
“Then he knew a lot of useful information?”
“Probably didn’t know a thing,” said Mr. Barnes cheerfully. “His job was just hopping¹⁰ in and
out of trains and boats and aero-planes and having the right story to explain why he was going
where he was going!”
“And you heard he was dead?”
“That’s what I heard,” said Mr. Barnes. “But you can’t believe all you hear. I never do.”
Looking at Mr. Barnes intently, Poirot asked:
“What do you think has happened to his wife?”
“I can’t imagine,” said Mr. Barnes. He looked, wide-eyed at Poirot. “Can you?”
Poirot said:
“I had an idea—” He stopped.
He said slowly:
“It is very confusing.”
Mr. Barnes murmured sympathetically: “Anything worrying you in particular?”
Hercule Poirot said slowly:
“Yes. The evidence of my own eyes….”

1 professed   

公开声称的，伪称的，已立誓信教的

参考例句：

• These, at least, were their professed reasons for pulling out of the deal. 至少这些是他们自称退出这宗交易的理由。
• Her manner professed a gaiety that she did not feel. 她的神态显出一种她并未实际感受到的快乐。

2 soda   

n.苏打水；汽水

参考例句：

• She doesn't enjoy drinking chocolate soda.她不喜欢喝巧克力汽水。
• I will freshen your drink with more soda and ice cubes.我给你的饮料重加一些苏打水和冰块。

3 adjourned   

（使）休会， （使）休庭( adjourn的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The court adjourned for lunch. 午餐时间法庭休庭。
• The trial was adjourned following the presentation of new evidence to the court. 新证据呈到庭上后，审讯就宣告暂停。

4 elusive   

adj.难以表达(捉摸)的；令人困惑的；逃避的

参考例句：

• Try to catch the elusive charm of the original in translation.翻译时设法把握住原文中难以捉摸的风韵。
• Interpol have searched all the corners of the earth for the elusive hijackers.国际刑警组织已在世界各地搜查在逃的飞机劫持者。

5 rumours   

n.传闻( rumour的名词复数 )；风闻；谣言；谣传

参考例句：

• The rumours were completely baseless. 那些谣传毫无根据。
• Rumours of job losses were later confirmed. 裁员的传言后来得到了证实。

6 trot   

n.疾走，慢跑；n.老太婆；现成译本；(复数）trots:腹泻（与the 连用）；v.小跑，快步走，赶紧

参考例句：

• They passed me at a trot.他们从我身边快步走过。
• The horse broke into a brisk trot.马突然快步小跑起来。

7 specially   

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。

8 insignificant   

adj.无关紧要的，可忽略的，无意义的

参考例句：

• In winter the effect was found to be insignificant.在冬季，这种作用是不明显的。
• This problem was insignificant compared to others she faced.这一问题与她面临的其他问题比较起来算不得什么。

9 dignified   

a.可敬的，高贵的

参考例句：

• Throughout his trial he maintained a dignified silence. 在整个审讯过程中，他始终沉默以保持尊严。
• He always strikes such a dignified pose before his girlfriend. 他总是在女友面前摆出这种庄严的姿态。

10 hopping   

n. 跳跃 动词hop的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• The clubs in town are really hopping. 城里的俱乐部真够热闹的。
• I'm hopping over to Paris for the weekend. 我要去巴黎度周末。