Chapter Eight

Eight
I t was a moment or two before anyone took in what she was saying.
Carrie Louise said incredulously:
“Christian¹ shot? Dead? Oh, surely, that’s impossible.”
“If you don’t believe me,” said Miss Bellever, pursing her lips, and addressing not so much Carrie Louise, as theassembled company, “go and look for yourselves.”
She was angry. And her anger sounded in the crisp sharpness of her voice.
Slowly, unbelievingly, Carrie Louise took a step towards the door. Lewis Serrocold put a hand on her shoulder.
“No, dearest, let me go.”
He went out through the doorway². Dr. Maverick³, with a doubtful glance at Edgar, followed him. Miss Belleverwent with them.
Miss Marple gently urged Carrie Louise into a chair. She sat down, her eyes looking hurt and stricken.
“Christian—shot?” she said again.
It was the bewildered, hurt tone of a child.
Walter Hudd remained close by Edgar Lawson, glowering⁴ down at him. In his hand he held the gun that he hadpicked up from the floor.
Mrs. Serrocold said in a wondering voice:
“But who could possibly want to shoot Christian?”
It was not a question that demanded an answer.
Walter muttered under his breath:
“Nuts! The whole lot of them.”
Stephen had moved protectively closer to Gina. Her young, startled face was the most vivid thing in the room.
Suddenly the front door opened and a rush of cold air, together with a man in a big overcoat, came in.
The heartiness⁵ of his greeting seemed incredibly shocking.
“Hullo, everybody, what’s going on tonight? A lot of fog on the road. I had to go dead slow.”
For a startled moment, Miss Marple thought that she was seeing double. Surely the same man could not be standingby Gina and coming in by the door. Then she realised that it was only a likeness⁷ and not, when you looked closely,such a very strong likeness. The two men were clearly brothers with a strong family resemblance, but no more.
Where Stephen Restarick was thin to the point of emaciation⁸, the newcomer was sleek⁹. The big coat with theastrakhan collar fitted the sleekness¹⁰ of body snugly¹¹. A handsome young man and one who bore upon him the authorityand good humour of success.
But Miss Marple noted¹² one thing about him. His eyes, as he entered the Hall, looked immediately at Gina.
He said, a little doubtfully:
“You did expect me? You got my wire?”
He was speaking now to Carrie Louise. He came towards her.
Almost mechanically, she put up her hand to him. He took it and kissed it gently. It was an affectionate act ofhomage, not a mere¹³ theatrical¹⁴ courtesy.
She murmured:
“Of course, Alex dear—of course. Only, you see—things have been happening—”
“Happening?”
Mildred gave the information, gave it with a kind of grim relish¹⁵ that Miss Marple found distasteful.
“Christian Gulbrandsen,” she said. “My brother Christian Gulbrandsen has been found shot dead.”
“Good God,” Alex registered a more than life-size dismay. “Suicide, do you mean?”
Carrie Louise moved swiftly.
“Oh no,” she said. “It couldn’t be suicide. Not Christian! Oh no.”
“Uncle Christian would never shoot himself, I’m sure,” said Gina.
Alex Restarick looked from one person to the other. From his brother Stephen he received a short confirmativenod. Walter Hudd stared back at him with faint resentment¹⁶. Alex’s eyes rested on Miss Marple with a sudden frown. Itwas as though he had found some unwanted prop¹⁷ on a stage set.
He looked as though he would like her explained. But nobody explained her, and Miss Marple continued to look anold, fluffy¹⁸ and sweetly bewildered old lady.
“When?” asked Alex. “When did this happen, I mean?”
“Just before you arrived,” said Gina. “About—oh three or four minutes ago, I suppose. Why, of course, we actuallyheard the shot. Only we didn’t notice it—not really.”
“Didn’t notice it? Why not?”
“Well, you see, there were other things going on …” Gina spoke¹⁹ rather hesitantly.
“Sure were,” said Walter with emphasis.
Juliet Bellever came into the Hall by the door from the library.
“Mr. Serrocold suggests that we should all wait in the library. It would be convenient for the police. Except forMrs. Serrocold. You’ve had a shock, Cara. I’ve ordered some hot bottles to be put in your bed. I’ll take you up and—”
Rising to her feet, Carrie Louise shook her head.
“I must see Christian first,” she said.
“Oh, no, dear. Don’t upset yourself—”
Carrie Louise put her very gently to one side.
“Dear Jolly—you don’t understand.” She looked round and said, “Jane?”
Miss Marple had already moved towards her.
“Come with me, will you, Jane?”
They moved together towards the door. Dr. Maverick, coming in, almost collided with them.
Miss Bellever exclaimed:
“Dr. Maverick. Do stop her. So foolish.”
Carrie Louise looked calmly at the young doctor. She even gave a tiny smile.
Dr. Maverick said:
“You want to go and—see him?”
“I must.”
“I see.” He stood aside. “If you feel you must, Mrs. Serrocold. But afterwards, please go and lie down and let MissBellever look after you. At the moment you do not feel the shock, but I assure you that you will do so.”
“Yes. I expect you are quite right. I will be quite sensible. Come, Jane.”
The two women moved out through the door, past the foot of the main staircase and along the corridor, past thedining room on the right and the double door, leading to the kitchen quarters on the left, past the side door to theterrace and on to the door that gave admission to the Oak Suite²⁰ that had been alloted to Christian Gulbrandsen. It wasa room furnished as a sitting room more than a bedroom, with a bed in an alcove²¹ to one side and a door leading into adressing room and bathroom.
Carrie Louise stopped on the threshold. Christian Gulbrandsen had been sitting at the big mahogany desk with asmall portable typewriter open in front of him. He sat there now, but slumped²² sideways in the chair. The high arms ofthe chair prevented him from slipping to the floor.
Lewis Serrocold was standing⁶ by the window. He had pulled the curtain a little aside and was gazing out into thenight.
He looked round and frowned.
“My dearest, you shouldn’t have come.”
He came towards her and she stretched out a hand to him. Miss Marple retreated a step or two.
“Oh yes, Lewis. I had to—see him. One has to know just exactly how things are.”
She walked slowly towards the desk.
Lewis said warningly:
“You mustn’t touch anything. The police must have things left exactly as we found them.”
“Of course. He was shot deliberately²³ by someone, then?”
“Oh yes.” Lewis Serrocold looked a little surprised that the question had even been asked. “I thought—you knewthat?”
“I did really. Christian would not commit suicide, and he was such a competent person that it could not possiblyhave been an accident. That only leaves”—she hesitated a moment—“murder.”
She walked up behind the desk and stood looking down at the dead man. There was sorrow and affection in herface.
“Dear Christian,” she said. “He was always good to me.”
Softly, she touched the top of his head with her fingers.
“Bless you and thank you, dear Christian,” she said.
Lewis Serrocold said with something more like emotion than Miss Marple had ever seen in him before:
“I wish to God I could have spared you this, Caroline.”
His wife shook her head gently.
“You can’t really spare anyone anything,” she said. “Things always have to be faced sooner or later. And thereforeit had better be sooner. I’ll go and lie down now. I suppose you’ll stay here, Lewis, until the police come?”
“Yes.”
Carrie Louise turned away and Miss Marple slipped an arm around her.

1 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

2 doorway   

n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径

参考例句：

• They huddled in the shop doorway to shelter from the rain.他们挤在商店门口躲雨。
• Mary suddenly appeared in the doorway.玛丽突然出现在门口。

3 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：

• He's a maverick.He has his own way of thinking about things.他是个特异独行的人。对事情有自己的看法。
• You're a maverick and you'll try anything.你是个爱自行其是的人，样样事情都要尝试一下。

4 glowering   

v.怒视( glower的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The boy would not go, but stood at the door glowering at his father. 那男孩不肯走，他站在门口对他父亲怒目而视。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Then he withdrew to a corner and sat glowering at his wife. 然后他溜到一个角落外，坐在那怒视着他的妻子。 来自辞典例句

5 heartiness   

诚实，热心

参考例句：

• However, he realized the air of empty-headed heartiness might also mask a shrewd mind. 但他知道，盲目的热情可能使伶俐的头脑发昏。
• There was in him the heartiness and intolerant joviality of the prosperous farmer. 在他身上有种生意昌隆的农场主常常表现出的春风得意欢天喜地的劲头，叫人消受不了。

6 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

7 likeness   

n.相像，相似（之处）

参考例句：

• I think the painter has produced a very true likeness.我认为这位画家画得非常逼真。
• She treasured the painted likeness of her son.她珍藏她儿子的画像。

8 emaciation   

n.消瘦，憔悴，衰弱

参考例句：

• His face was hollowed out to the point of emaciation. 他的脸瘦削到了憔悴的地步。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• These photographs show extremes of obesity and emaciation. 这些照片展现了肥胖与消瘦两个极端。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 sleek   

adj.光滑的，井然有序的；v.使光滑，梳拢

参考例句：

• Women preferred sleek,shiny hair with little decoration.女士们更喜欢略加修饰的光滑闪亮型秀发。
• The horse's coat was sleek and glossy.这匹马全身润泽有光。

10 sleekness   

油滑； 油光发亮； 时髦阔气； 线条明快

参考例句：

• The sleekness of his appearance reminded me of his financial successes. 他着装的光鲜告诉我他财大气粗。
• Urban sleekness and traditional quaintness highlight the contrasts of Hong Kong. 城市的优美造型和传统的古雅情趣突出了香港的种种反差。

11 snugly   

adv.紧贴地；贴身地；暖和舒适地；安适地

参考例句：

• Jamie was snugly wrapped in a white woolen scarf. 杰米围着一条白色羊毛围巾舒适而暖和。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The farmyard was snugly sheltered with buildings on three sides. 这个农家院三面都有楼房，遮得很严实。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

13 mere   

adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过

参考例句：

• That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
• It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。

14 theatrical   

adj.剧场的，演戏的；做戏似的，做作的

参考例句：

• The final scene was dismayingly lacking in theatrical effect.最后一场缺乏戏剧效果，叫人失望。
• She always makes some theatrical gesture.她老在做些夸张的手势。

15 relish   

n.滋味，享受，爱好，调味品；vt.加调味料，享受，品味；vi.有滋味

参考例句：

• I have no relish for pop music.我对流行音乐不感兴趣。
• I relish the challenge of doing jobs that others turn down.我喜欢挑战别人拒绝做的工作。

16 resentment   

n.怨愤，忿恨

参考例句：

• All her feelings of resentment just came pouring out.她一股脑儿倾吐出所有的怨恨。
• She cherished a deep resentment under the rose towards her employer.她暗中对她的雇主怀恨在心。

17 prop   

vt.支撑；n.支柱，支撑物；支持者，靠山

参考例句：

• A worker put a prop against the wall of the tunnel to keep it from falling.一名工人用东西支撑住隧道壁好使它不会倒塌。
• The government does not intend to prop up declining industries.政府无意扶持不景气的企业。

18 fluffy   

adj.有绒毛的，空洞的

参考例句：

• Newly hatched chicks are like fluffy balls.刚孵出的小鸡像绒毛球。
• The steamed bread is very fluffy.馒头很暄。

19 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：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

20 suite   

n.一套(家具)；套房；随从人员

参考例句：

• She has a suite of rooms in the hotel.她在那家旅馆有一套房间。
• That is a nice suite of furniture.那套家具很不错。

21 alcove   

n.凹室

参考例句：

• The bookcase fits neatly into the alcove.书架正好放得进壁凹。
• In the alcoves on either side of the fire were bookshelves.火炉两边的凹室里是书架。

22 slumped   

大幅度下降，暴跌( slump的过去式和过去分词 )； 沉重或突然地落下[倒下]

参考例句：

• Sales have slumped this year. 今年销售量锐减。
• The driver was slumped exhausted over the wheel. 司机伏在方向盘上，疲惫得睡着了。

23 deliberately   

adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地

参考例句：

• The girl gave the show away deliberately.女孩故意泄露秘密。
• They deliberately shifted off the argument.他们故意回避这个论点。