THIRTEEN, FOURTEEN, MAIDS ARE COURTING 5

V
After he had got rid of the girl, Poirot rang up Scotland Yard. Japp had not yet returned but
Detective Sergeant¹ Beddoes was obliging and informative².
The police had not as yet found any evidence to prove Frank Carter’s possession of the pistol
before the assault at Exsham.
Poirot hung up the receiver thoughtfully. It was a point in Carter’s favour. But so far it was the
only one.
He had also learned from Beddoes a few more details as to the statement Frank Carter had made
about his employment as gardener at Exsham. He stuck to his story of a Secret Service job. He had
been given money in advance and some testimonials as to his gardening abilities and been told to
apply to Mr. MacAlister, the head gardener, for the post.
His instructions were to listen to the other gardeners’ conversations and sound them as to their
“red” tendencies, and to pretend to be a bit of a “red” himself. He had been interviewed and
instructed in his task by a woman who had told him that she was known as Q.H.56, and that he
had been recommended to her as a strong anti-communist. She had interviewed him in a dim light
and he did not think he would know her again. She was a red-haired lady with a lot of makeup³ on.
Poirot groaned⁴. The Phillips Oppenheim touch seemed to be reappearing.
He was tempted⁵ to consult Mr. Barnes on the subject.
According to Mr. Barnes these things happened.
The last post brought him something which disturbed him more still.
A cheap envelope in an unformed handwriting, postmarked Hertfordshire.
Poirot opened it and read:
Dear Sir,—
Hoping as you will forgive me for troubling you, but I am very worried and do
not know what to do. I do not want to be mixed up with the police in any way. I
know that perhaps I ought to have told something I know before, but as they said
the master had shot himself it was all right I thought and I wouldn’t have liked to
get Miss Nevill’s young man into trouble and never thought really for one
moment as he had done it but now I see he has been took up for shooting at a
gentleman in the country and so perhaps he isn’t quite all there and I ought to say
but I thought I would write to you, you being a friend of the mistress and asking
me so particular the other day if there was anything and of course I wish now I
had told you then. But I do hope it won’t mean getting mixed up with the police
because I shouldn’t like that and my mother wouldn’t like it either. She has
always been most particular.
Yours respectfully
Agnes Fletcher.
Poirot murmured:
“I always knew it was something to do with some man. I guessed the wrong man, that is all.”

1 sergeant   

n.警官，中士

参考例句：

• His elder brother is a sergeant.他哥哥是个警官。
• How many stripes are there on the sleeve of a sergeant?陆军中士的袖子上有多少条纹？

2 informative   

adj.提供资料的，增进知识的

参考例句：

• The adverts are not very informative.这些广告并没有包含太多有用信息。
• This intriguing book is both thoughtful and informative.这本引人入胜的书既有思想性又富知识性。

3 makeup   

n.组织；性格；化装品

参考例句：

• Those who failed the exam take a makeup exam.这次考试不及格的人必须参加补考。
• Do you think her beauty could makeup for her stupidity?你认为她的美丽能弥补她的愚蠢吗？

4 groaned   

v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦

参考例句：

• He groaned in anguish. 他痛苦地呻吟。
• The cart groaned under the weight of the piano. 大车在钢琴的重压下嘎吱作响。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 tempted   

v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词）

参考例句：

• I was sorely tempted to complain, but I didn't. 我极想发牢骚，但还是没开口。
• I was tempted by the dessert menu. 甜食菜单馋得我垂涎欲滴。