O n the whole it was rather an exhausting day. Enthusiasm in itself can be extremely wearing, Miss Marple thought.
She felt vaguely1 dissatisfied with herself and her own reactions. There was a pattern here-perhaps several patterns,and yet she herself could obtain no clear glimpse of it or them. Any vague disquietude she felt centered round thepathetic but inconspicuous personality of Edgar Lawson. If she could only find in her memory the right parallel.
Painstakingly2 she rejected the curious behaviour of Mr. Selkirk’s delivery van-the absentminded postman-thegardener who worked on Whitmonday-and that very curious affair of the summer weight combinations.
Something that she could not quite put her finger on was wrong about Edgar Lawson-something that went beyondthe observed and admitted facts. But for the life of her, Miss Marple did not see how that wrongness, whatever it was,affected her friend Carrie Louise. In the confused patterns of life at Stonygates, people’s troubles and desires impingedon each other. But none of them (again as far as she could see) impinged on Carrie Louise.
Carrie Louise … Suddenly Miss Marple realised that it was she alone, except for the absent Ruth, who used thatname. To her husband, she was Caroline. To Miss Bellever, Cara. Stephen Restarick usually addressed her asMadonna. To Wally she was formally Mrs. Serrocold, and Gina elected to address her as Grandam-a mixture, shehad explained, of Grande Dame3 and Grandmamma.
Was there some significance, perhaps, in the various names that were found for Caroline Louise Serrocold? Wasshe to all of them a symbol and not quite a real person?
When on the following morning Carrie Louise, dragging her feet a little as she walked, came and sat down on thegarden seat beside her friend and asked her what she was thinking about, Miss Marple replied promptly4:
“You, Carrie Louise.”
“What about me?”
“Tell me honestly-is there anything here that worries you?”
“Worries me?” The other woman raised wondering, clear blue eyes. “But, Jane, what should worry me?”
“Well, most of us have worries.” Miss Marple’s eyes twinkled a little. “I have. Slugs, you know-and the difficultyof getting linen5 properly darned-and not being able to get sugar candy for making my damson gin. Oh, lots of littlethings-it seems unnatural6 that you shouldn’t have any worries at all.”
“I suppose I must have really,” said Mrs. Serrocold vaguely. “Lewis works too hard, and Stephen forgets his mealsslaving at the theatre and Gina is very jumpy-but I’ve never been able to alter people-I don’t see how you can. So itwouldn’t be any good worrying, would it?”
“Mildred’s not very happy, either, is she?”
“Oh no,” said Carrie Louise. “Mildred never is happy. She wasn’t as a child. Quite unlike Pippa who was alwaysradiant.”
“Perhaps,” suggested Miss Marple, “Mildred has cause not to be happy?”
Carrie Louise said quietly:
“Because of being jealous? Yes, I daresay. But people don’t really need a cause for feeling what they do feel.
They’re just made that way. Don’t you think so, Jane?”
Miss Marple thought briefly7 of Miss Moncrieff, a slave to a tyrannical invalid8 mother. Poor Miss Moncrieff wholonged for travel and to see the world. And of how St. Mary Mead9 in a decorous way had rejoiced when Mrs.
Moncrieff was laid in the churchyard and Miss Moncrieff, with a nice little income, was free at last. And of how MissMoncrieff, starting on her travels, had got no further than Hayéres where, calling to see one of “mother’s oldestfriends,” she had been so moved by the plight10 of an elderly hypochondriac that she had cancelled her travelreservations and taken up her abode11 in the villa12 to be bullied13, overworked, and to long, wistfully, once more, for thejoys of a wider horizon.
Miss Marple said:
“I expect you’re right, Carrie Louise.”
“Of course, my being so free from cares is partly due to Jolly. Dear Jolly. She came to me when Johnnie and I werejust married and was wonderful from the first. She takes care of me as though I were a baby and quite helpless. She’ddo anything for me. I feel quite ashamed sometimes. I really believe Jolly would murder someone for me, Jane. Isn’tthat an awful thing to say?”
“She’s certainly very devoted,” agreed Miss Marple.
“She gets so indignant.” Mrs. Serrocold’s silvery laugh rang out. “She’d like me to be always ordering wonderfulclothes, and surrounding myself with luxuries, and she thinks everybody ought to put me first and to dance attendanceon me. She’s the one person who’s absolutely unimpressed by Lewis’ enthusiasm. All our poor boys are, in her view,pampered young criminals and not worth taking trouble over. She thinks this place is damp and bad for myrheumatism, and that I ought to go to Egypt or somewhere warm and dry.”
“Do you suffer much from rheumatism14?”
“It’s got much worse lately. I find it difficult to walk. Horrid15 cramps16 in my legs. Oh well”-again there came thatbewitching elfin smile, “age must tell.”
Miss Bellever came out of the French windows and hurried across to them.
“A telegram, Cara, just came over the telephone. Arriving this afternoon, Christian17 Gulbrandsen.”
“Christian?” Carrie Louise looked very surprised. “I’d no idea he was in England.”
“The Oak Suite18, I suppose?”
“Yes, please, Jolly. Then there will be no stairs.”
Miss Bellever nodded and turned back to the house.
“Christian Gulbrandsen is my stepson,” said Carrie Louise. “Eric’s eldest19 son. Actually he’s two years older than Iam. Her’s one of the trustees of the Institute-the principal trustee. How very annoying that Lewis is away. Christianhardly ever stays longer than one night. He’s an immensely busy man. And there are sure to be so many things theywould want to discuss.”
Christian Gulbrandsen arrived that afternoon in time for tea. He was a big heavy featured man, with a slowmethodical way of talking. He greeted Carrie Louise with every sign of affection.
“And how is our little Carrie Louise? You do not look a day older. Not a day.”
His hands on her shoulders-he stood smiling down at her. A hand tugged20 his sleeve.
“Christian!”
“Ah”-he turned-“it is Mildred? How are you, Mildred?”
“I’ve not really been at all well lately.”
“That is bad. That is bad.”
There was a strong resemblance between Christian Gulbrandsen and his half sister Mildred. There was nearly thirtyyears of difference in age and they might easily have been taken for father and daughter. Mildred herself seemedparticularly pleased by his arrival. She was flushed and talkative, and had talked repeatedly during the day of “mybrother,” “my brother Christian,” “my brother, Mr. Gulbrandsen.”
“And how is little Gina?” said Gulbrandsen, turning to that young woman. “You and your husband are still here,then?”
“Yes. We’ve quite settled down, haven’t we, Wally?”
“Looks like it,” said Wally.
Gulbrandsen’s small shrewd eyes seemed to sum up Wally quickly. Wally, as usual, looked sullen21 and unfriendly.
“So here I am with all the family again,” said Gulbrandsen.
His voice displayed a rather determined22 geniality-but in actual fact, Miss Marple thought, he was not feelingparticularly genial23. There was a grim set to his lips and a certain preoccupation in his manner.
Introduced to Miss Marple he swept a keen look over her as though measuring and appraising24 this newcomer.
“We’d no idea you were in England, Christian,” said Mrs. Serrocold.
“No, I came over rather unexpectedly.”
“It is too bad that Lewis is away. How long can you stay?”
“I meant to go tomorrow. When will Lewis be back?”
“Tomorrow afternoon or evening.”
“It seems, then, that I must stay another night.”
“If you’d only let us know-”
“My dear Carrie Louise, my arrangements, they were made very suddenly.”
“You will stay to see Lewis?”
“Yes, it is necessary that I see Lewis.”
Miss Bellever said to Miss Marple, “Mr. Gulbrandsen and Mr. Serrocold are both trustees of the GulbrandsenInstitute. The others are the Bishop25 of Cromer and Mr. Gilroy.”
Presumably, then, it was on business concerned with the Gulbrandsen Institute that Christian Gulbrandsen hadcome to Stonygates. It seemed to be assumed so by Miss Bellever and everyone else. And yet Miss Marple wondered.
Once or twice the old man cast a thoughtful puzzled look at Carrie Louise when she was not aware of it-a lookthat puzzled Carrie Louise’s watching friend. From Carrie Louise he shifted his gaze to the others, examining themone and all with a kind of covert26 appraisal27 that seemed distinctly odd.
After tea Miss Marple withdrew tactfully from the others to the library, but rather to her surprise when she hadsettled herself with her knitting, Christian Gulbrandsen came in and sat down beside her.
“You are a very old friend, I think, of our dear Carrie Louise?” he said.
“We were at school together in Italy, Mr. Gulbrandsen. Many many years ago.”
“Ah yes. And you are fond of her?”
“Yes, indeed,” said Miss Marple warmly.
“So, I think, is everyone. Yes, I truly think that. It should be so. For she is a very dear and enchanting28 person.
Always, since my father married her, I and my brothers have loved her very much. She has been to us like a very dearsister. She was a faithful wife to my father and loyal to all his ideas. She has never thought of herself, but put thewelfare of others first.”
“She has always been an idealist,” said Miss Marple.
“An idealist? Yes. Yes, that is so. And therefore it may be that she does not truly appreciate the evil that there is inthe world.”
Miss Marple looked at him, surprised. His face was very stern.
“Tell me,” he said. “How is her health?”
Again Miss Marple felt surprised.
“She seems to me very well-apart from arthritis-or rheumatism.”
“Rheumatism? Yes. And her heart? Her heart is good?”
“As far as I know.” Miss Marple was still more surprised. “But until yesterday I had not seen her for many years. Ifyou want to know the state of her health, you should ask somebody in the house here. Miss Bellever, for instance.”
“Miss Bellever-Yes, Miss Bellever. Or Mildred?”
“Or, as you say, Mildred.”
Miss Marple was faintly embarrassed.
Christian Gulbrandsen was staring at her very hard.
“There is not between the mother and daughter, a very great sympathy, would you say?”
“No, I don’t think there is.”
“I agree. It is a pity-her only child, but there it is. Now this Miss Bellever, you think, is really attached to her?”
“Very much so.”
“And Carrie Louise leans on this Miss Bellever?”
“I think so.”
Christian Gulbrandsen was frowning. He spoke29 as though more to himself than to Miss Marple.
“There is the little Gina-but she is so young. It is difficult-” He broke off. “Sometimes,” he said simply, “it ishard to know what is best to be done. I wish very much to act for the best. I am particularly anxious that no harm andno unhappiness should come to that dear lady. But it is not easy-not easy at all.”
Mrs. Strete came into the room at that moment.
“Oh there you are, Christian. We were wondering where you were. Dr. Maverick30 wants to know if you would liketo go over anything with him.”
“That is the new young doctor here? No-no, I will wait until Lewis returns.”
“He’s waiting in Lewis’ study. Shall I tell him-”
“I will have a word with him myself.”
Gulbrandsen hurried out. Mildred Strete stared after him and then stared at Miss Marple.
“I wonder if anything is wrong. Christian is very unlike himself … Did he say anything-”
“He only asked me about your mother’s health.”
“Her health? Why should he ask you about that?”
Mildred spoke sharply, her large square face flushing unbecomingly.
“I really don’t know.”
“Mother’s health is perfectly31 good. Surprisingly so for a woman of her age. Much better than mine as far as thatgoes.” She paused a moment before saying, “I hope you told him so?”
“I don’t really know anything about it,” said Miss Marple. “He asked me about her heart.”
“Her heart?”
“Yes.”
“There’s nothing wrong with Mother’s heart. Nothing at all!”
“I’m delighted to hear you say so, my dear.”
“What on earth put all these queer ideas into Christian’s head?”
“I’ve no idea,” said Miss Marple.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
vaguely
|
|
| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
painstakingly
|
|
| adv. 费力地 苦心地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
dame
|
|
| n.女士 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
promptly
|
|
| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
linen
|
|
| n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
unnatural
|
|
| adj.不自然的；反常的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
briefly
|
|
| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
invalid
|
|
| n.病人，伤残人；adj.有病的，伤残的；无效的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
mead
|
|
| n.蜂蜜酒 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
plight
|
|
| n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
abode
|
|
| n.住处，住所 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
villa
|
|
| n.别墅，城郊小屋 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
bullied
|
|
| adj.被欺负了v.恐吓，威逼( bully的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
rheumatism
|
|
| n.风湿病 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
horrid
|
|
| adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
cramps
|
|
| n. 抽筋, 腹部绞痛, 铁箍 adj. 狭窄的, 难解的 v. 使...抽筋, 以铁箍扣紧, 束缚 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
Christian
|
|
| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
suite
|
|
| n.一套(家具)；套房；随从人员 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
eldest
|
|
| adj.最年长的，最年老的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
tugged
|
|
| v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
sullen
|
|
| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
determined
|
|
| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
genial
|
|
| adj.亲切的，和蔼的，愉快的，脾气好的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
appraising
|
|
| v.估价( appraise的现在分词 )；估计；估量；评价 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
bishop
|
|
| n.主教，（国际象棋）象 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
covert
|
|
| adj.隐藏的；暗地里的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
appraisal
|
|
| n.对…作出的评价；评价，鉴定，评估 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
enchanting
|
|
| a.讨人喜欢的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
spoke
|
|
| 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 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
maverick
|
|
| adj.特立独行的；不遵守传统的；n.持异议者，自行其是者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
perfectly
|
|
| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |