THIRTEEN, FOURTEEN, MAIDS ARE COURTING 3

III
These meditations¹ had occupied Hercule Poirot on his homeward way until reaching Regent’s
Park. He decided² to traverse a part of the Park before taking a taxi on. By experience, he knew to a
nicety the moment when his smart patent leather shoes began to press painfully on his feet.
It was a lovely summer’s day and Poirot looked indulgently on courting nursemaids and their
swains, laughing and giggling³ while their chubby⁴ charges profited by nurse’s inattention.
Dogs barked and romped⁵.
Little boys sailed boats.
And under nearly every tree was a couple sitting close together….
“Ah! Jeunesse, Jeunesse,” murmured Hercule Poirot, pleasurably affected⁶ by the sight.
They were chic⁷, these little London girls. They wore their tawdry clothes with an air.
Their figures, however, he considered lamentably⁸ deficient⁹. Where were the rich curves, the
voluptuous¹⁰ lines that had formerly¹¹ delighted the eye of an admirer?
He, Hercule Poirot, remembered women … One woman, in particular—what a sumptuous¹²
creature—Bird of Paradise—a Venus …
What woman was there amongst these pretty chits nowadays, who could hold a candle to
Countess Vera Rossakoff? A genuine Russian aristocrat¹³, an aristocrat to her fingertips! And also,
he remembered, a most accomplished¹⁴ thief … One of those natural geniuses …
With a sigh, Poirot wrenched¹⁵ his thoughts away from the flamboyant¹⁶ creature of his dreams.
It was not only, he noted¹⁷, the little nursemaids and their like who were being wooed under the
trees of Regent’s Park.
That was a Schiaparelli creation there, under that lime tree, with the young man who bent¹⁸ his
head so close to hers, who was pleading so earnestly.
One must not yield too soon! He hoped the girl understood that. The pleasure of the chase must
be extended as long as possible….
His beneficent eye still on them, he became suddenly aware of a familiarity in those two figures.
So Jane Olivera had come to Regent’s Park to meet her young American revolutionary?
His face grew suddenly sad and rather stern.
After only a brief hesitation¹⁹ he crossed the grass to them. Sweeping²⁰ off his hat with a flourish,
he said:
“Bonjour, Mademoiselle.”
Jane Olivera, he thought, was not entirely²¹ displeased²² to see him.
Howard Raikes, on the other hand, was a good deal annoyed at the interruption.
He growled²³: “Oh, so it’s you again!”
“Good afternoon, M. Poirot,” said Jane. “How unexpectedly you always pop up, don’t you?”
“Kind of a Jack²⁴ in the Box,” said Raikes, still eyeing Poirot with a considerable coldness.
“I do not intrude²⁵?” Poirot asked anxiously.
Jane Olivera said kindly²⁶:
“Not at all.”
Howard Raikes said nothing.
“It is a pleasant spot you have found here,” said Poirot.
“It was,” said Mr. Raikes.
Jane said:
“Be quiet, Howard. You need to learn manners!”
Howard Raikes snorted and asked:
“What’s the good of manners?”
“You’ll find they kind of help you along,” said Jane. “I haven’t got any myself, but that doesn’t
matter so much. To begin with I’m rich, and I’m moderately good-looking, and I’ve got a lot of
influential²⁷ friends—and none of those unfortunate disabilities they talk about so freely in the
advertisements nowadays. I can get along all right without manners.”
Raikes said:
“I’m not in the mood for small talk, Jane. I guess I’ll take myself off.”
He got up, nodded curtly²⁸ to Poirot and strode away.
Jane Olivera stared after him, her chin cupped in her palm.
Poirot said with a sigh:
“Alas, the proverb is true. When you are courting, two is company, is it not, three is none?”
Jane said:
“Courting? What a word!”
“But yes, it is the right word, is it not? For a young man who pays attention to a young lady
before asking her hand in marriage? They say, do they not, a courting couple?”
“Your friends seem to say some very funny things.”
Hercule Poirot chanted softly:
“Thirteen, fourteen, maids are courting. See, all around us they are doing it.”
Jane said sharply:
“Yes—I’m just one of the crowd, I suppose….”
She turned suddenly to Poirot.
“I want to apologize to you. I made a mistake the other day. I thought you had wormed your
way in and come down to Exsham just to spy on Howard. But afterwards Uncle Alistair told me
that he had definitely asked you because he wanted you to clear up this business of that missing
woman—Sainsbury Seale. That’s right, isn’t it?”
“Absolutely.”
“So I’m sorry for what I said to you that evening. But it did look like it, you know. I mean—as
though you were just following Howard and spying on us both.”
“Even if it were true, Mademoiselle—I was an excellent witness to the fact that Mr. Raikes
bravely saved your uncle’s life by springing on his assailant and preventing him from firing
another shot.”
“You’ve got a funny way of saying things, M. Poirot. I never know whether you’re serious or
not.”
Poirot said gravely:
“At the moment I am very serious, Miss Olivera.”
Jane said with a slight break in her voice:
“Why do you look at me like that? As though—as though you were sorry for me?”
“Perhaps because I am sorry, Mademoiselle, for the things that I shall have to do so soon….”
“Well, then—don’t do them!”
“Alas, Mademoiselle, but I must….”
She stared at him for a minute or two, then she said:
“Have you—found that woman?”
Poirot said:
“Let us say—that I know where she is.”
“Is she dead?”
“I have not said so.”
“She’s alive, then?”
“I have not said that either.”
Jane looked at him with irritation²⁹. She exclaimed:
“Well, she’s got to be one or the other, hasn’t she?”
“Actually, it’s not quite so simple.”
“I believe you just like making things difficult!”
“It has been said of me,” admitted Hercule Poirot.
Jane shivered. She said:
“Isn’t it funny? It’s a lovely warm day—and yet I suddenly feel cold….”
“Perhaps you had better walk on, Mademoiselle.”
Jane rose to her feet. She stood a minute irresolute³⁰. She said abruptly³¹:
“Howard wants me to marry him. At once. Without letting anyone know. He says—he says it’s
the only way I’ll ever do it—that I’m weak—” She broke off, then with one hand she gripped
Poirot’s arm with surprising strength. “What shall I do about it, M. Poirot?”
“Why ask me to advise you? There are those who are nearer!”
“Mother? She’d scream the house down at the bare idea! Uncle Alistair? He’d be cautious and
prosy. Plenty of time, my dear. Got to make quite sure, you know. Bit of an odd fish—this young
man of yours. No sense in rushing things—”
“Your friends?” suggested Poirot.
“I haven’t got any friends. Only a silly crowd I drink and dance and talk inane³² catchwords with!
Howard’s the only real person I’ve ever come up against.”
“Still—why ask me, Miss Olivera?”
Jane said:
“Because you’ve got a queer look on your face—as though you were sorry about something—
as though you knew something that—that—was—coming. …”
She stopped.
“Well?” she demanded. “What do you say?”
Hercule Poirot slowly shook his head.

1 meditations   

默想( meditation的名词复数 )； 默念； 沉思； 冥想

参考例句：

• Each sentence seems a quarry of rich meditations. 每一句话似乎都给人以许多冥思默想。
• I'm sorry to interrupt your meditations. 我很抱歉，打断你思考问题了。

2 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

3 giggling   

v.咯咯地笑( giggle的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• We just sat there giggling like naughty schoolchildren. 我们只是坐在那儿像调皮的小学生一样的咯咯地傻笑。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I can't stand her giggling, she's so silly. 她吃吃地笑，叫我真受不了，那样子傻透了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

4 chubby   

adj.丰满的，圆胖的

参考例句：

• He is stocky though not chubby.他长得敦实，可并不发胖。
• The short and chubby gentleman over there is our new director.那个既矮又胖的绅士是我们的新主任。

5 romped   

v.嬉笑玩闹( romp的过去式和过去分词 )；（尤指在赛跑或竞选等中）轻易获胜

参考例句：

• Children romped on the playground. 孩子们在操场上嬉笑玩闹。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• John romped home well ahead of all the other runners. 约翰赛马跑时轻而易举地战胜了所有的选手。 来自辞典例句

6 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

7 chic   

n./adj.别致(的)，时髦(的)，讲究的

参考例句：

• She bought a chic little hat.她买了一顶别致的小帽子。
• The chic restaurant is patronized by many celebrities.这家时髦的饭店常有名人光顾。

8 lamentably   

adv.哀伤地，拙劣地

参考例句：

• Aviation was lamentably weak and primitive. 航空设施极其薄弱简陋。 来自辞典例句
• Poor Tom lamentably disgraced himself at Sir Charles Mirable's table, by premature inebriation. 可怜的汤姆在查尔斯·米拉贝尔爵士的宴会上，终于入席不久就酩酊大醉，弄得出丑露乖，丢尽了脸皮。 来自辞典例句

9 deficient   

adj.不足的，不充份的，有缺陷的

参考例句：

• The crops are suffering from deficient rain.庄稼因雨量不足而遭受损害。
• I always have been deficient in selfconfidence and decision.我向来缺乏自信和果断。

10 voluptuous   

adj.肉欲的，骄奢淫逸的

参考例句：

• The nobility led voluptuous lives.贵族阶层过着骄奢淫逸的生活。
• The dancer's movements were slow and voluptuous.舞女的动作缓慢而富挑逗性。

11 formerly   

adv.从前，以前

参考例句：

• We now enjoy these comforts of which formerly we had only heard.我们现在享受到了过去只是听说过的那些舒适条件。
• This boat was formerly used on the rivers of China.这船从前航行在中国内河里。

12 sumptuous   

adj.豪华的，奢侈的，华丽的

参考例句：

• The guests turned up dressed in sumptuous evening gowns.客人们身着华丽的夜礼服出现了。
• We were ushered into a sumptuous dining hall.我们被领进一个豪华的餐厅。

13 aristocrat   

n.贵族，有贵族气派的人，上层人物

参考例句：

• He was the quintessential english aristocrat.他是典型的英国贵族。
• He is an aristocrat to the very marrow of his bones.他是一个道道地地的贵族。

14 accomplished   

adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的

参考例句：

• Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。
• Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。

15 wrenched   

v.（猛力地）扭( wrench的过去式和过去分词 )；扭伤；使感到痛苦；使悲痛

参考例句：

• The bag was wrenched from her grasp. 那只包从她紧握的手里被夺了出来。
• He wrenched the book from her hands. 他从她的手中把书拧抢了过来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 flamboyant   

adj.火焰般的，华丽的，炫耀的

参考例句：

• His clothes were rather flamboyant for such a serious occasion.他的衣着在这种严肃场合太浮夸了。
• The King's flamboyant lifestyle is well known.国王的奢华生活方式是人尽皆知的。

17 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

18 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。

19 hesitation   

n.犹豫，踌躇

参考例句：

• After a long hesitation, he told the truth at last.踌躇了半天，他终于直说了。
• There was a certain hesitation in her manner.她的态度有些犹豫不决。

20 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

21 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

22 displeased   

a.不快的

参考例句：

• The old man was displeased and darted an angry look at me. 老人不高兴了，瞪了我一眼。
• He was displeased about the whole affair. 他对整个事情感到很不高兴。

23 growled   

v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说

参考例句：

• \"They ought to be birched, \" growled the old man. 老人咆哮道：“他们应受到鞭打。” 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He growled out an answer. 他低声威胁着回答。 来自《简明英汉词典》

24 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

25 intrude   

vi.闯入；侵入；打扰，侵扰

参考例句：

• I do not want to intrude if you are busy.如果你忙我就不打扰你了。
• I don't want to intrude on your meeting.我不想打扰你们的会议。

26 kindly   

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。

27 influential   

adj.有影响的，有权势的

参考例句：

• He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。
• He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。

28 curtly   

adv.简短地

参考例句：

• He nodded curtly and walked away. 他匆忙点了一下头就走了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The request was curtly refused. 这个请求被毫不客气地拒绝了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

29 irritation   

n.激怒，恼怒，生气

参考例句：

• He could not hide his irritation that he had not been invited.他无法掩饰因未被邀请而生的气恼。
• Barbicane said nothing,but his silence covered serious irritation.巴比康什么也不说，但是他的沉默里潜伏着阴郁的怒火。

30 irresolute   

adj.无决断的，优柔寡断的，踌躇不定的

参考例句：

• Irresolute persons make poor victors.优柔寡断的人不会成为胜利者。
• His opponents were too irresolute to call his bluff.他的对手太优柔寡断,不敢接受挑战。

31 abruptly   

adv.突然地，出其不意地

参考例句：

• He gestured abruptly for Virginia to get in the car.他粗鲁地示意弗吉尼亚上车。
• I was abruptly notified that a half-hour speech was expected of me.我突然被通知要讲半个小时的话。

32 inane   

adj.空虚的，愚蠢的，空洞的

参考例句：

• She started asking me inane questions.她开始问我愚蠢的问题。
• Such comments are inane because they don't help us solve our problem.这种评论纯属空洞之词，不能帮助我们解决问题。