Poirot called at Scotland Yard and asked for Japp. When he was taken up to the Chief Inspector’s
room: “I want to see Carter,” said Hercule Poirot.
Japp shot him a quick, sideways glance.
He said:
“What’s the big idea?”
“You are unwilling1?”
Japp shrugged2 his shoulders. He said:
“Oh, I shan’t make objections. No good if I did. Who’s the Home Secretary’s little pet? You
are. Who’s got half the Cabinet in his pocket? You have. Hushing up their scandals for them.”
Poirot’s mind flew for a moment to that case that he had named the Case of the Augean Stables.
He murmured, not without complacence:
“It was ingenious, yes? You must admit it. Well imagined, let us say.”
“Nobody but you would ever have thought of such a thing! Sometimes, Poirot, I think you
haven’t any scruples3 at all!”
Poirot’s face became suddenly grave. He said:
“That is not true.”
“Oh, all right, Poirot, I didn’t mean it. But you’re so pleased sometimes with your damned
ingenuity4. What do you want to see Carter for? To ask him whether he really murdered Morley?”
To Japp’s surprise, Poirot nodded his head emphatically.
“Yes, my friend, that is exactly the reason.”
“And I suppose you think he’ll tell you if he did?”
Japp laughed as he spoke5. But Hercule Poirot remained grave. He said:
“He might tell me—yes.”
Japp looked at him curiously6. He said:
“You know, I’ve known you a long time—twenty years? Something like that. But I still don’t
always catch on to what you’re driving at. I know you’ve got a bee in your bonnet7 about young
Frank Carter. For some reason or other, you don’t want him to be guilty—”
Hercule Poirot shook his head energetically.
“No, no, there you are wrong. It is the other way about—”
“I thought perhaps it was on account of that girl of his—the blonde piece. You’re a sentimental8
old buzzard in some ways—”
Poirot was immediately indignant.
“It is not I who am sentimental! That is an English failing! It is in England that they weep over
young sweethearts and dying mothers and devoted9 children. Me, I am logical. If Frank Carter is a
killer10, then I am certainly not sentimental enough to wish to unite him in marriage to a nice but
commonplace girl who, if he is hanged, will forget him in a year or two and find someone else!”
“Then why don’t you want to believe he is guilty?”
“I do want to believe he is guilty.”
“I suppose you mean that you’ve got hold of something which more or less conclusively11 proves
him to be innocent? Why hold it up, then? You ought to play fair with us, Poirot.”
“I am playing fair with you. Presently, very shortly, I will give you the name and address of a
witness who will be invaluable12 to you for the prosecution13. Her evidence ought to clinch14 the case
against him.”
“But then—Oh! You’ve got me all tangled15 up. Why are you so anxious to see him.”
“To satisfy myself,” said Hercule Poirot.
And he would say no more.
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1
unwilling
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adj.不情愿的 | |
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2
shrugged
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vt.耸肩(shrug的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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3
scruples
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n.良心上的不安( scruple的名词复数 );顾虑,顾忌v.感到于心不安,有顾忌( scruple的第三人称单数 ) | |
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4
ingenuity
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n.别出心裁;善于发明创造 | |
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5
spoke
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n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说 | |
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6
curiously
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adv.有求知欲地;好问地;奇特地 | |
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7
bonnet
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n.无边女帽;童帽 | |
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8
sentimental
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adj.多愁善感的,感伤的 | |
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9
devoted
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adj.忠诚的,忠实的,热心的,献身于...的 | |
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10
killer
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n.杀人者,杀人犯,杀手,屠杀者 | |
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11
conclusively
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adv.令人信服地,确凿地 | |
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12
invaluable
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adj.无价的,非常宝贵的,极为贵重的 | |
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13
prosecution
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n.起诉,告发,检举,执行,经营 | |
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14
clinch
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v.敲弯,钉牢;确定;扭住对方 [参]clench | |
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15
tangled
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adj. 纠缠的,紊乱的 动词tangle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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