Two I

Two I

The telephone rang.
Hercule Poirot did not even seem aware of the fact.
It rang with shrill¹ and insistent² persistence³.
George entered the room and stepped towards it, turning a questioning glance towards Poirot.
Poirot gestured with his hand.
“Leave it,” he said.
George obeyed, leaving the room again. The telephone continued to ring. The shrill irritatingnoise continued. Suddenly it stopped. After a minute or two, however, it commenced⁴ to ring again.
“Ah Sapristi! That must be a woman—undoubtedly a woman.”
He sighed, rose to his feet and came to the instrument.
He picked up the receiver. “’Allo,” he said.
“Are you—is that M. Poirot?”
“I, myself.”
“It’s Mrs. Oliver—your voice sounds different. I didn’t recognise it at first.”
“Bonjour, Madame—you are well, I hope?”
“Oh, I’m all right.” Ariadne Oliver’s voice came through in its usual cheerful accents. The well-known detective story writer and Hercule Poirot were on friendly terms.
“It’s rather early to ring you up, but I want to ask you a favour.”
“Yes?”
“It is the annual dinner of our Detective Authors’ Club; I wondered if you would come and beour Guest Speaker this year. It would be very very sweet of you if you would.”
“When is this?”
“Next month—the twenty-third.”
A deep sigh came over the telephone.
“Alas! I am too old.”
“Too old? What on earth do you mean? You’re not old at all.”
“You think not?”
“Of course not. You’ll be wonderful. You can tell us lots of lovely stories about real crimes.”
“And who will want to listen?”
“Everyone. They—M. Poirot, is there anything the matter? Has something happened? Yousound upset.”
“Yes, I am upset. My feelings—ah, well, no matter.”
“But tell me about it.”
“Why should I make a fuss⁵?”
“Why shouldn’t you? You’d better come and tell me all about it. When will you come? Thisafternoon. Come and have tea with me.”
“Afternoon tea, I do not drink it.”
“Then you can have coffee.”
“It is not the time of day I usually drink coffee.”
“Chocolate? With whipped cream on top? Or a tisane. You love sipping⁶ tisanes. Or lemonade.
Or orangeade. Or would you like decaffeinated coffee if I can get it—”
“Ah ?a, non, par⁷ example! It is an abomination.”
“One of those sirops you like so much. I know, I’ve got half a bottle of Ribena in thecupboard.”
“What is Ribena?”
“Black currant flavour.”
“Indeed, one has to hand it to you! You really do try, Madame. I am touched by your solicitude⁸.
I will accept with pleasure to drink a cup of chocolate this afternoon.”
“Good. And then you’ll tell me all about what’s upset you.”
She rang off.

1 shrill   

adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫

参考例句：

• Whistles began to shrill outside the barn.哨声开始在谷仓外面尖叫。
• The shrill ringing of a bell broke up the card game on the cutter.刺耳的铃声打散了小汽艇的牌局。

2 insistent   

adj.迫切的，坚持的

参考例句：

• There was an insistent knock on my door.我听到一阵急促的敲门声。
• He is most insistent on this point.他在这点上很坚持。

3 persistence   

n.坚持，持续，存留

参考例句：

• The persistence of a cough in his daughter puzzled him.他女儿持续的咳嗽把他难住了。
• He achieved success through dogged persistence.他靠着坚持不懈取得了成功。

4 commenced   

开始( commence的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The little girl commenced to cry when she saw the snake. 这小女孩一看到蛇就开始哭了起来。
• She commenced her life as an actress in the 1930s. 从30年代她就开始舞台生涯。

5 fuss   

n.过分关心，过分体贴，大惊小怪，小题大作

参考例句：

• My mother makes a fuss of me every time I come home.我每次回家，母亲总对我体贴备至。
• Stop all this fuss and do your homework.别大惊小怪了，去做你的家庭作业吧。

6 sipping   

v.小口喝，呷，抿( sip的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• She sat in the sun, idly sipping a cool drink. 她坐在阳光下懒洋洋地抿着冷饮。
• She sat there, sipping at her tea. 她坐在那儿抿着茶。

7 par   

n.标准，票面价值，平均数量；adj.票面的，平常的，标准的

参考例句：

• Sales of nylon have been below par in recent years.近年来尼龙织品的销售额一直不及以往。
• I don't think his ability is on a par with yours.我认为他的能力不能与你的能力相媲美。

8 solicitude   

n.焦虑

参考例句：

• Your solicitude was a great consolation to me.你对我的关怀给了我莫大的安慰。
• He is full of tender solicitude towards my sister.他对我妹妹满心牵挂。