T he throwing open of the grounds of Gossington Hall for the benefit of the St. John Ambulance Association wasattended by a quite unprecedented1 number of people. Shilling admission fees mounted up in a highly satisfactoryfashion. For one thing, the weather was good, a clear sunny day. But the preponderant attraction was undoubtedly2 theenormous local curiosity to know exactly what these “film people” had done to Gossington Hall. The most extravagantassumptions were entertained. The swimming pool in particular caused immense satisfaction. Most people’s ideas ofHollywood stars were of sunbathing3 by a pool in exotic surroundings and in exotic company. That the climate ofHollywood might be more suited to swimming pools than that of St. Mary Mead4 failed to be considered. After all,England always has one fine hot week in the summer and there is always one day that the Sunday papers publisharticles on How to Keep Cool, How to Have Cool Suppers and How to Make Cool Drinks. The pool was almostexactly what everyone had imagined it might be. It was large, its waters were blue, it had a kind of exotic pavilion forchanging and was surrounded with a highly artificial plantation5 of hedges and shrubs6. The reactions of the multitudewere exactly as might have been expected and hovered8 over a wide range of remarks.
“O-oh, isn’t it lovely!”
“Two penn’orth of splash here, all right!”
“Reminds me of that holiday camp I went to.”
“Wicked luxury I call it. It oughtn’t to be allowed.”
“Look at all that fancy marble. It must have cost the earth!”
“Don’t see why these people think they can come over here and spend all the money they like.”
“Perhaps this’ll be on the telly sometime. That’ll be fun.”
Even Mr. Sampson, the oldest man in St. Mary Mead, boasting proudly of being ninety-six though his relationsinsisted firmly that he was only eighty-six, had staggered along supporting his rheumatic legs with a stick, to see thisexcitement. He gave it his highest praise: “Ah, there’ll be a lot of wickedness here, I don’t doubt. Naked men andwomen drinking and smoking what they call in the papers them reefers. There’ll be all that, I expect. Ah yes,” said Mr.
Sampson with enormous pleasure, “there’ll be a lot of wickedness.”
It was felt that the final seal of approval had been set on the afternoon’s entertainment. For an extra shilling peoplewere allowed to go into the house, and study the new music room, the drawing room, the completely unrecognizabledining room, now done in dark oak and Spanish leather, and a few other joys.
“Never think this was Gossington Hall, would you, now?” said Mr. Sampson’s daughter-in-law.
Mrs. Bantry strolled up fairly late and observed with pleasure that the money was coming in well and that theattendance was phenomenal.
The large marquee in which tea was being served was jammed with people. Mrs. Bantry hoped the buns weregoing to go round. There seemed some very competent women, however, in charge. She herself made a beeline for theherbaceous border and regarded it with a jealous eye. No expense had been spared on the herbacous border, she wasglad to note, and it was a proper herbaceous border, well planned and arranged and expensively stocked. No personallabours had gone into it, she was sure of that. Some good gardening firm had been given the contract, no doubt. Butaided by carte blanche and the weather, they had turned out a very good job.
Looking round her, she felt there was a faint flavour of a Buckingham Palace garden party about the scene.
Everybody was craning to see all they could see, and from time to time a chosen few were led into one of the moresecret recesses9 of the house. She herself was presently approached by a willowy young man with long wavy10 hair.
“Mrs. Bantry? You are Mrs. Bantry?”
“I’m Mrs. Bantry, yes.”
“Hailey Preston.” He shook hands with her. “I work for Mr. Rudd. Will you come up to the second floor? Mr. andMrs. Rudd are asking a few special friends up there.”
Duly honoured Mrs. Bantry followed him. They went in through what had been called in her time the garden door.
A red cord cordoned11 off the bottom of the main stairs. Hailey Preston unhooked it and she passed through. Just in frontof her Mrs. Bantry observed Councillor and Mrs. Allcock. The latter who was stout12 was breathing heavily.
“Wonderful what they’ve done, isn’t it, Mrs. Bantry?” panted Mrs. Allcock. “I’d like to have a look at thebathrooms, I must say, but I suppose I shan’t get the chance.” Her voice was wistful.
At the top of the stairs Marina Gregg and Jason Rudd were receiving this specially13 chosen élite. What had oncebeen a spare bedroom had been thrown into the landing so as to make a wide lounge-like effect. Giuseppe the butlerwas officiating with drinks.
A stout man in livery was announcing guests.
“Councillor and Mrs. Allcock,” he boomed.
Marina Gregg was being, as Mrs. Bantry had described her to Miss Marple, completely natural and charming. Shecould already hear Mrs. Allcock saying later: “—and so unspoiled, you know, in spite of being so famous.”
How very nice of Mrs. Allcock to come, and the Councillor, and she did hope they’d enjoy their afternoon. “Jasonplease look after Mrs. Allcock.”
Councillor and Mrs. Allcock were passed on to Jason and drinks.
“Oh, Mrs. Bantry, it is nice of you to come.”
“I wouldn’t have missed it for the world,” said Mrs. Bantry and moved on purposefully towards the Martinis.
The young man called Hailey Preston ministered to her in a tender manner and then made off, consulting a little listin his hand, to fetch, no doubt, more of the Chosen to the Presence. It was all being managed very well, Mrs. Bantrythought, turning, Martini in hand, to watch the next arrivals. The vicar, a lean, ascetic14 man, was looking vague andslightly bewildered. He said earnestly to Marina Gregg:
“Very nice of you to ask me. I’m afraid, you know, I haven’t got a television set myself, but of course I—er—I—well, of course my young people keep me up to the mark.”
Nobody knew what he meant. Miss Zielinsky, who was also on duty, administered a lemonade to him with a kindlysmile. Mr. and Mrs. Badcock were next up the stairs. Heather Badcock, flushed and triumphant16, came a little ahead ofher husband.
“Mr. and Mrs. Badcock,” boomed the man in livery.
“Mrs. Badcock,” said the vicar, turning back, lemonade in his hand, “the indefatigable17 secretary of the association.
She’s one of our hardest workers. In fact I don’t know what the St. John would do without her.”
“I’m sure you’ve been wonderful,” said Marina.
“You don’t remember me?” said Heather, in an arch manner. “How should you, with all the hundreds of peopleyou meet. And anyway, it was years ago. In Bermuda of all places in the world. I was there with one of our ambulanceunits. Oh, it’s a long time ago now.”
“Of course,” said Marina Gregg, once more all charm and smiles.
“I remember it all so well,” said Mrs. Badcock. “I was thrilled, you know, absolutely thrilled. I was only a girl atthe time. To think there was a chance of seeing Marina Gregg in the flesh—oh! I was a mad fan of yours always.”
“It’s too kind of you, really too kind of you,” said Marina sweetly, her eyes beginning to hover7 faintly overHeather’s shoulder towards the next arrivals.
“I’m not going to detain you,” said Heather—“but I must—”
“Poor Marina Gregg,” said Mrs. Bantry to herself. “I suppose this kind of thing is always happening to her! Thepatience they need!”
Heather was continuing in a determined18 manner with her story.
Mrs. Allcock breathed heavily at Mrs. Bantry’s shoulder.
“The changes they’ve made here! You wouldn’t believe till you saw for yourself. What it must have cost….”
“I—didn’t feel really ill—and I thought I just must—”
“This is vodka,” Mrs. Allcock regarded her glass suspiciously. “Mr. Rudd asked if I’d like to try it. Sounds veryRussian. I don’t think I like it very much….”
“—I said to myself: I won’t be beaten! I put a lot of makeup19 on my face—”
“I suppose it would be rude if I just put it down somewhere.” Mrs. Allcock sounded desperate.
Mrs. Bantry reassured20 her gently.
“Not at all. Vodka ought really to be thrown straight down the throat”—Mrs. Allcock looked startled—“but thatneeds practice. Put it down on the table and get yourself a Martini from that tray the butler’s carrying.”
She turned back to hear Heather Badcock’s triumphant peroration21.
“I’ve never forgotten how wonderful you were that day. It was a hundred times worth it.”
Marina’s response was this time not so automatic. Her eyes which had wavered over Heather Badcock’s shoulder,now seemed to be fixed22 on the wall midway up the stairs. She was staring and there was something so ghastly in herexpression that Mrs. Bantry half took a step forward. Was the woman going to faint? What on earth could she beseeing that gave her that basilisk look? But before she could reach Marina’s side the latter had recovered herself. Hereyes, vague and unfocussed, returned to Heather and the charm of manner was turned on once more, albeit23 a shademechanically.
“What a nice little story. Now, what will you have to drink? Jason! A cocktail24?”
“Well, really I usually have a lemonade or orange juice.”
“You must have something better than that,” said Marina. “This is a feast day, remember.”
“Let me persuade you to an American daiquiri,” said Jason, appearing with a couple in his hand. “They’re Marina’sfavourites, too.”
He handed one to his wife.
“I shouldn’t drink anymore,” said Marina, “I’ve had three already.” But she accepted the glass.
Heather took her drink from Jason. Marina turned away to meet the next person who was arriving.
Mrs. Bantry said to Mrs. Allcock, “Let’s go and see the bathrooms.”
“Oh, do you think we can? Wouldn’t it look rather rude?”
“I’m sure it wouldn’t,” said Mrs. Bantry. She spoke25 to Jason Rudd. “We want to explore your wonderful newbathrooms, Mr. Rudd. May we satisfy this purely26 domestic curiosity?”
“Sure,” said Jason, grinning. “Go and enjoy yourselves, girls. Draw yourselves baths if you like.”
Mrs. Allcock followed Mrs. Bantry along the passage.
“That was ever so kind of you, Mrs. Bantry. I must say I wouldn’t have dared myself.”
“One has to dare if one wants to get anywhere,” said Mrs. Bantry.
They went along the passage, opening various doors. Presently “Ahs” and “Ohs” began to escape Mrs. Allcock andtwo other women who had joined the party.
“I do like the pink one,” said Mrs. Allcock. “Oh, I like the pink one a lot.”
“I like the one with the dolphin tiles,” said one of the other women.
Mrs. Bantry acted the part of hostess with complete enjoyment27. For a moment she had really forgotten that thehouse no longer belonged to her.
“All those showers!” said Mrs. Allcock with awe28. “Not that I really like showers. I never know how you keep yourhead dry.”
“It’d be nice to have a peep into the bedrooms,” said one of the other women, wistfully, “but I suppose it’d be a bittoo nosy29. What do you think?”
“Oh, I don’t think we could do that,” said Mrs. Allcock. They both looked hopefully at Mrs. Bantry.
“Well,” said Mrs. Bantry, “no, I suppose we oughtn’t to—” then she took pity on them, “but—I don’t think anyonewould know if we have one peep.” She put her hand on a door handle.
But that had been attended to. The bedrooms were locked. Everyone was very disappointed.
“I suppose they’ve got to have some privacy,” said Mrs. Bantry kindly15.
They retraced30 their steps along the corridors. Mrs. Bantry looked out of one of the landing windows. She notedbelow her Mrs. Meavy (from the Development) looking incredibly smart in a ruffled31 organdie dress. With Mrs.
Meavy, she noticed, was Miss Marple’s Cherry, whose last name for the moment Mrs. Bantry could not remember.
They seemed to be enjoying themselves and were laughing and talking.
Suddenly the house felt to Mrs. Bantry old, worn-out and highly artificial. In spite of its new gleaming paint, itsalterations, it was in essence a tired old Victorian mansion32. “I was wise to go,” thought Mrs. Bantry. “Houses are likeeverything else. There comes a time when they’ve just had their day. This has had its day. It’s been given a face-lift,but I don’t really think it’s done it any good.”
Suddenly a slight rise in the hum of voices reached her. The two women with her started forward.
“What’s happening?” said one. “It sounds as though something’s happening.”
They stepped back along the corridor towards the stairs. Ella Zielinksy came rapidly along and passed them. Shetried a bedroom door and said quickly, “Oh, damn. Of course they’ve locked them all.”
“Is anything the matter?” asked Mrs. Bantry.
“Someone’s taken ill,” said Miss Zielinsky shortly.
“Oh dear, I’m sorry. Can I do anything?”
“I suppose there’s a doctor here somewhere?”
“I haven’t seen any of our local doctors,” said Mrs. Bantry, “but there’s almost sure to be one here.”
“Jason’s telephoning,” said Ella Zielinsky, “but she seems pretty bad.”
“Who is it?” asked Mrs. Bantry.
“A Mrs. Badcock, I think.”
“Heather Badcock? But she looked so well just now.”
Ella Zielinksy said impatiently, “She’s had a seizure33, or a fit, or something. Do you know if there’s anything wrongwith her heart or anything like that?”
“I don’t really know anything about her,” said Mrs. Bantry. “She’s new since my day. She comes from theDevelopment.”
“The Development? Oh, you mean that housing estate. I don’t even know where her husband is or what he lookslike.”
“Middle-aged, fair, unobtrusive,” said Mrs. Bantry. “He came with her so he must be about somewhere.”
Ella Zielinsky went into a bathroom. “I don’t know really what to give her,” she said. “Sal volatile34, do you think,something like that?”
“Is she faint?” said Mrs. Bantry.
“It’s more than that,” said Ella Zielinsky.
“I’ll see if there’s anything I can do,” said Mrs. Bantry. She turned away and walked rapidly back towards the headof the stairs. Turning a corner she cannoned35 into Jason Rudd.
“Have you seen Ella?” he said. “Ella Zielinsky?”
“She went along there into one of the bathrooms. She was looking for something. Sal volatile—something likethat.”
“She needn’t bother,” said Jason Rudd.
Something in his tone struck Mrs. Bantry. She looked up sharply. “Is it bad?” she said, “really bad?”
“You could call it that,” said Jason Rudd. “The poor woman’s dead.”
“Dead!” Mrs. Bantry was really shocked. She said, as she had said before, “But she looked so well just now.”
“I know. I know,” said Jason. He stood there, scowling36. “What a thing to happen!”
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
unprecedented
|
|
| adj.无前例的，新奇的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
undoubtedly
|
|
| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
sunbathing
|
|
| n.日光浴 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
mead
|
|
| n.蜂蜜酒 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
plantation
|
|
| n.种植园，大农场 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
shrubs
|
|
| 灌木( shrub的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
hover
|
|
| vi.翱翔，盘旋；徘徊；彷徨，犹豫 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
hovered
|
|
| 鸟( hover的过去式和过去分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
recesses
|
|
| n.壁凹( recess的名词复数 )；（工作或业务活动的）中止或暂停期间；学校的课间休息；某物内部的凹形空间v.把某物放在墙壁的凹处( recess的第三人称单数 )；将（墙）做成凹形，在（墙）上做壁龛；休息，休会，休庭 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
wavy
|
|
| adj.有波浪的，多浪的，波浪状的，波动的，不稳定的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
cordoned
|
|
| v.封锁，用警戒线围住( cordon的过去式 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
specially
|
|
| adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
ascetic
|
|
| adj.禁欲的；严肃的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
kindly
|
|
| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
triumphant
|
|
| adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
indefatigable
|
|
| adj.不知疲倦的，不屈不挠的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
determined
|
|
| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
makeup
|
|
| n.组织；性格；化装品 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
reassured
|
|
| adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
peroration
|
|
| n.（演说等之）结论 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
fixed
|
|
| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
albeit
|
|
| conj.即使；纵使；虽然 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
cocktail
|
|
| n.鸡尾酒；餐前开胃小吃；混合物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
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： |
|
|
|
|
26
purely
|
|
| adv.纯粹地，完全地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
enjoyment
|
|
| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
awe
|
|
| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
nosy
|
|
| adj.鼻子大的，好管闲事的，爱追问的；n.大鼻者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
retraced
|
|
| v.折回( retrace的过去式和过去分词 )；回忆；回顾；追溯 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
ruffled
|
|
| adj. 有褶饰边的, 起皱的 动词ruffle的过去式和过去分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
mansion
|
|
| n.大厦，大楼；宅第 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
seizure
|
|
| n.没收；占有；抵押 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
volatile
|
|
| adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
cannoned
|
|
| vi.与…猛撞（cannon的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
scowling
|
|
| 怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |