Twenty-six

Twenty-six
Once again four men sat looking at Poirot. Timothy Raglan, Superintendent¹ Spence and the ChiefConstable had the pleased expectant look of a cat who is counting on a saucer of cream tomaterialize at any moment. The fourth man still had the expression of one who suspends belief.
“Well, Monsieur Poirot,” said the Chief Constable², taking charge of the proceedings³ and leavingthe D.P.P. man to hold a watching brief. “We’re all here—”
Poirot made a motion with his hand. Inspector⁴ Raglan left the room and returned ushering⁵ in awoman of thirty odd, a girl, and two adolescent young men.
He introduced them to the Chief Constable. “Mrs. Butler, Miss Miranda Butler, Mr. NicholasRansom and Mr. Desmond Holland.”
Poirot got up and took Miranda’s hand. “Sit here by your mother, Miranda—Mr. Richmondhere who is what is called a Chief Constable, wants to ask you some questions. He wants you toanswer them. It concerns something you saw—over a year ago now, nearer two years. Youmentioned this to one person, and, so I understand, to one person only. Is that correct?”
“I told Joyce.”
“And what exactly did you tell Joyce?”
“That I’d seen a murder.”
“Did you tell anyone else?”
“No. But I think Leopold guessed. He listens, you know. At doors. That sort of thing. He likesknowing people’s secrets.”
“You have heard that Joyce Reynolds, on the afternoon before the Hallowe’en party, claimedthat she herself had seen a murder committed. Was that true?”
“No. She was just repeating what I’d told her—but pretending that it had happened to her.”
“Will you tell us now just what you did see.”
“I didn’t know at first that it was a murder. I thought there had been an accident. I thought she’dfallen from up above somewhere.”
“Where was this?”
“In the Quarry⁶ Garden—in the hollow where the fountain used to be. I was up in the branchesof a tree. I’d been looking at a squirrel and one has to keep very quiet, or they rush away. Squirrelsare very quick.”
“Tell us what you saw.”
“A man and a woman lifted her up and were carrying her up the path. I thought they weretaking her to a hospital or to the Quarry House. Then the woman stopped suddenly and said,‘Someone is watching us,’ and stared at my tree. Somehow it made me feel frightened. I kept verystill. The man said ‘Nonsense,’ and they went on. I saw there was blood on a scarf and there was aknife with blood on that—and I thought perhaps someone had tried to kill themselves—and I wenton keeping very still.”
“Because you were frightened?”
“Yes, but I don’t know why.”
“You didn’t tell your mother?”
“No. I thought perhaps I oughtn’t to have been there watching. And then the next day nobodysaid anything about an accident, so I forgot about it. I never thought about it again until—”
She stopped suddenly. The Chief Constable opened his mouth—then shut it. He looked atPoirot and made a very slight gesture.
“Yes, Miranda,” said Poirot, “until what?”
“It was as though it was happening all over again. It was a green woodpecker this time, and Iwas being very still, watching it from behind some bushes. And those two were sitting theretalking—about an island—a Greek island. She said something like, ‘It’s all signed up. It’s ours,we can go to it whenever we like. But we’d better go slow still—not rush things.’ And then thewoodpecker flew away, and I moved. And she said—‘Hush—be quiet—somebody’s watching us.’
It was just the way she’d said it before, and she had just the same look on her face, and I wasfrightened again, and I remembered. And this time I knew. I knew it had been a murder I had seenand it had been a dead body they were carrying away to hide somewhere. You see, I wasn’t a childany more. I knew—things and what they must mean—the blood and the knife and the dead bodyall limp—”
“When was this?” asked the Chief Constable. “How long ago?”
Miranda thought for a moment.
“Last March—just after Easter.”
“Can you say definitely who these people were, Miranda?”
“Of course I can.” Miranda looked bewildered.
“You saw their faces?”
“Of course.”
“Who were they?”
“Mrs. Drake and Michael….”
It was not a dramatic denunciation. Her voice was quiet, with something in it like wonder, but itcarried conviction.
The Chief Constable said, “You did not tell anyone. Why not?”
“I thought—I thought it might have been a sacrifice.”
“Who told you that?”
“Michael told me—he said sacrifices were necessary.”
Poirot said gently, “You loved Michael?”
“Oh yes,” said Miranda, “I loved him very much.”

1 superintendent   

n.监督人，主管，总监；(英国)警务长

参考例句：

• He was soon promoted to the post of superintendent of Foreign Trade.他很快就被擢升为对外贸易总监。
• He decided to call the superintendent of the building.他决定给楼房管理员打电话。

2 constable   

n.(英国)警察，警官

参考例句：

• The constable conducted the suspect to the police station.警官把嫌疑犯带到派出所。
• The constable kept his temper,and would not be provoked.那警察压制着自己的怒气，不肯冒起火来。

3 proceedings   

n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• to initiate legal proceedings against sb 对某人提起诉讼

4 inspector   

n.检查员，监察员，视察员

参考例句：

• The inspector was interested in everything pertaining to the school.视察员对有关学校的一切都感兴趣。
• The inspector was shining a flashlight onto the tickets.查票员打着手电筒查看车票。

5 ushering   

v.引，领，陪同( usher的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• They were right where the coach-caller was swinging open a coach-door and ushering in two ladies. "他们走到外面时，叫马车的服务员正打开车门，请两位小姐上车。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• Immediately the two of them approached others, thanking them, ushering them out one by one. 他们俩马上走到其他人面前，向他们道谢，一个个送走了他们。 来自辞典例句

6 quarry   

n.采石场；v.采石；费力地找

参考例句：

• Michelangelo obtained his marble from a quarry.米开朗基罗从采石场获得他的大理石。
• This mountain was the site for a quarry.这座山曾经有一个采石场。