Poirot paid another visit to Hampstead. Mrs. Adams was a little surprised, perhaps, to see him.
Though he had been vouched1 for, so to speak, by a Chief Inspector2 of Scotland Yard, she
nevertheless regarded him as a “quaint little foreigner” and had not taken his pretentions very
seriously. She was, however, very willing to talk.
After the first sensational3 announcement about the identity of the victim, the finding of the
inquest had received very little publicity4. It had been a case of mistaken identity—the body of
Mrs. Chapman had been mistaken for that of Miss Sainsbury Seale. That was all that the public
knew. The fact that Miss Sainsbury Seale had been probably the last person to see the unfortunate
Mrs. Chapman alive was not stressed. There had been no hint in the Press that Miss Sainsbury
Seale might possibly be wanted by the police on a criminal charge.
Mrs. Adams had been very relieved when she knew that it was not her friend’s body which had
been discovered so dramatically. She appeared to have no idea that any suspicion might attach to
Mabelle Sainsbury Seale.
“But it is so extraordinary that she has disappeared like this. I feel sure, M. Poirot, that it must
be loss of memory.”
Poirot said that it was very probable. He had known cases of the kind.
“Yes—I remember a friend of one of my cousins. She’d had a lot of nursing and worry, and it
brought it on. Amnesia5, I think they called it.”
Poirot said that he believed that that was the technical term.
He paused and then asked if Mrs. Adams had ever heard Miss Sainsbury Seale speak of a Mrs.
Albert Chapman?
No, Mrs. Adams never remembered her friend mentioning anyone of that name. But then, of
course, it wasn’t likely that Miss Sainsbury Seale should happen to mention everyone with whom
she was acquainted. Who was this Mrs. Chapman? Had the police any idea who could have
murdered her?
“It is still a mystery, Madame.” Poirot shook his head and then asked if it was Mrs. Adams who
had recommended Mr. Morley as a dentist to Miss Sainsbury Seale.
Mrs. Adams replied in the negative. She herself went to a Mr. French in Harley Street, and if
Mabelle had asked her about a dentist she would have sent her to him.
Possibly, Poirot thought, it might have been this Mrs. Chapman who recommended Miss
Sainsbury Seale to go to Mr. Morley.
Mrs. Adams agreed that it might have been. Didn’t they know at the dentist’s?
But Poirot had already asked Miss Nevill that question and Miss Nevill had not known or had
not remembered. She recollected6 Mrs. Chapman, but did not think the latter had ever mentioned a
Miss Sainsbury Seale—the name being an odd one, she would have remembered it had she heard
it then.
Poirot persevered7 with his questions.
Mrs. Adams had known Miss Sainsbury Seale first in India, had she not? Mrs. Adams agreed.
Did Mrs. Adams know if Miss Sainsbury Seale had met Mr. or Mrs. Alistair Blunt at any time
out there?
“Oh, I don’t think so, M. Poirot. You mean the big banker? They were out some years ago
staying with the Viceroy, but I’m sure if Mabelle had met them at all, she would have talked about
it or mentioned them.”
“I’m afraid,” added Mrs. Adams, with a faint smile, “one does usually mention the important
people. We’re all such snobs8 at heart.”
“She never did mention the Blunts—Mrs. Blunt in particular?”
“Never.”
“If she had been a close friend of Mrs. Blunt’s probably you would have known?”
“Oh yes. I don’t believe she knew anyone like that. Mabelle’s friends were all very ordinary
people—like us.”
“That, Madame, I cannot allow,” said Poirot gallantly9.
Mrs. Adams went on talking of Mabelle Sainsbury Seale as one talks of a friend who has
recently died. She recalled all Mabelle’s good works, her kindnesses, her indefatigable10 work for
the mission, her zeal11, her earnestness.
Hercule Poirot listened. As Japp had said, Mabelle Sainsbury Seale was a real person. She had
lived in Calcutta and taught elocution and worked amongst the native population. She had been
respectable, well-meaning, a little fussy12 and stupid perhaps, but also what is termed a woman with
a heart of gold.
And Mrs. Adams’ voice ran on: “She was so much in earnest over everything, M. Poirot. And
she found people so apathetic—so hard to rouse. It was very difficult to get subscriptions13 out of
people—worse every year, with the income tax rising and the cost of living and everything. She
said to me once: ‘When one knows what money can do—the wonderful good you can accomplish
with it—well, really sometimes, Alice, I feel I would commit a crime to get it.’ That shows,
doesn’t it, M. Poirot, how strongly she felt?”
“She said that, did she?” said Poirot thoughtfully.
He asked, casually14, when Miss Sainsbury Seale had enunciated15 this particular statement, and
learned that it had been about three months ago.
He left the house and walked away lost in thought.
He was considering the character of Mabelle Sainsbury Seale.
A nice woman—an earnest and kindly16 woman—a respectable, decent type of woman. It was
amongst that type of person that Mr. Barnes had suggested a potential criminal could be found.
She had travelled back on the same boat from India as Mr. Amberiotis. There seemed reason to
believe that she had lunched with him at the Savoy.
She had accosted17 and claimed acquaintance with Alistair Blunt and laid claim to an intimacy18
with his wife.
She had twice visited King Leopold Mansions19 where, later, a dead body had been found dressed
in her clothes and with her handbag conveniently identifying it.
A little too convenient, that!
She had left the Glengowrie Court Hotel suddenly after an interview with the police.
Could the theory that Hercule Poirot believed to be true account for and explain all those facts?
He thought it could.
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收听单词发音
![收听单词发音](/template/default/tingnovel/images/play.gif)
1
vouched
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v.保证( vouch的过去式和过去分词 );担保;确定;确定地说 | |
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2
inspector
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n.检查员,监察员,视察员 | |
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3
sensational
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adj.使人感动的,非常好的,轰动的,耸人听闻的 | |
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4
publicity
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n.众所周知,闻名;宣传,广告 | |
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5
amnesia
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n.健忘症,健忘 | |
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6
recollected
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adj.冷静的;镇定的;被回忆起的;沉思默想的v.记起,想起( recollect的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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7
persevered
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v.坚忍,坚持( persevere的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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8
snobs
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(谄上傲下的)势利小人( snob的名词复数 ); 自高自大者,自命不凡者 | |
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9
gallantly
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adv. 漂亮地,勇敢地,献殷勤地 | |
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10
indefatigable
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adj.不知疲倦的,不屈不挠的 | |
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11
zeal
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n.热心,热情,热忱 | |
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12
fussy
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adj.为琐事担忧的,过分装饰的,爱挑剔的 | |
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13
subscriptions
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n.(报刊等的)订阅费( subscription的名词复数 );捐款;(俱乐部的)会员费;捐助 | |
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14
casually
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adv.漠不关心地,无动于衷地,不负责任地 | |
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15
enunciated
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v.(清晰地)发音( enunciate的过去式和过去分词 );确切地说明 | |
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16
kindly
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adj.和蔼的,温和的,爽快的;adv.温和地,亲切地 | |
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17
accosted
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v.走过去跟…讲话( accost的过去式和过去分词 );跟…搭讪;(乞丐等)上前向…乞讨;(妓女等)勾搭 | |
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18
intimacy
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n.熟悉,亲密,密切关系,亲昵的言行 | |
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19
mansions
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n.宅第,公馆,大厦( mansion的名词复数 ) | |
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