4. Miss Marple Seeks Medical Attention

Four
M ISS M ARPLE S EEKS M EDICAL A TTENTION
D r. Graham was a kindly¹ elderly man of about sixty-five. He had practised in the West Indies for many years, but wasnow semi-retired, and left most of his work to his West Indian partners. He greeted Miss Marple pleasantly and askedher what the trouble was. Fortunately at Miss Marple’s age, there was always some ailment² that could be discussedwith slight exaggerations on the patient’s part. Miss Marple hesitated between “her shoulder” and “her knee,” butfinally decided³ upon the knee. Miss Marple’s knee, as she would have put it to herself, was always with her.
Dr. Graham was exceedingly kindly but he refrained from putting into words the fact that at her time of life suchtroubles were only to be expected. He prescribed for her one of the brands of useful little pills that form the basis of adoctor’s prescriptions⁴. Since he knew by experience that many elderly people could be lonely when they first came toSt. Honoré, he remained for a while gently chatting.
“A very nice man,” thought Miss Marple to herself, “and I really feel rather ashamed of having to tell him lies. ButI don’t quite see what else I can do.”
Miss Marple had been brought up to have a proper regard for truth and was indeed by nature a very truthful⁵ person.
But on certain occasions, when she considered it her duty so to do, she could tell lies with a really astonishingverisimilitude.
She cleared her throat, uttered an apologetic little cough, and said, in an old ladyish and slightly twittering manner:
“There is something, Dr. Graham, I would like to ask you. I don’t really like mentioning it—but I don’t quite seewhat else I am to do—although of course it’s quite unimportant really. But you see, it’s important to me. And I hopeyou will understand and not think what I am asking is tiresome⁶ or—or unpardonable in any way.”
To this opening Dr. Graham replied kindly: “Something is worrying you? Do let me help.”
“It’s connected with Major Palgrave. So sad about his dying. It was quite a shock when I heard it this morning.”
“Yes,” said Dr. Graham, “it was very sudden, I’m afraid. He seemed in such good spirits yesterday.” He spokekindly, but conventionally. To him, clearly, Major Palgrave’s death was nothing out of the way. Miss Marplewondered whether she was really making something out of nothing. Was this suspicious habit of mind growing onher? Perhaps she could no longer trust her own judgment⁸. Not that it was judgment really, only suspicion. Anyway shewas in for it now! She must go ahead.
“We were sitting talking together yesterday afternoon,” she said. “He was telling me about his very varied⁹ andinteresting life. So many strange parts of the globe.”
“Yes indeed,” said Dr. Graham, who had been bored many times by the Major’s reminiscences.
“And then he spoke⁷ of his family, boyhood rather, and I told him a little about my own nephews and nieces and helistened very sympathetically. And I showed him a snapshot I had with me of one of my nephews. Such a dear boy—at least not exactly a boy now, but always a boy to me if you understand.”
“Quite so,” said Dr. Graham, wondering how long it would be before the old lady was going to come to the point.
“I had handed it to him and he was examining it when quite suddenly those people—those very nice people—whocollect wild flowers and butterflies, Colonel and Mrs. Hillingdon I think the name is—”
“Oh yes? The Hillingdons and the Dysons.”
“Yes, that’s right. They came suddenly along laughing and talking. They sat down and ordered drinks and we alltalked together. Very pleasant it was. But without thinking, Major Palgrave must have put back my snapshot into hiswallet and returned it to his pocket. I wasn’t paying very much attention at the time but I remembered afterward¹⁰ and Isaid to myself—‘I mustn’t forget to ask the Major to give me back my picture of Denzil.’ I did think of it last nightwhile the dancing and the band was going on, but I didn’t like to interrupt him just then, because they were havingsuch a merry party together and I thought ‘I will remember to ask him for it in the morning.’ Only this morning—”
Miss Marple paused—out of breath.
“Yes, yes,” said Dr. Graham, “I quite understand. And you—well, naturally you want the snapshot back. Is that it?”
Miss Marple nodded her head in eager agreement.
“Yes. That’s it. You see, it is the only one I have got and I haven’t got the negative. And I would hate to lose thatsnapshot, because poor Denzil died some five or six years ago and he was my favourite nephew. This is the onlypicture I have to remind me of him. I wondered—I hoped—it is rather tiresome of me to ask—whether you couldpossibly manage to get hold of it for me? I don’t really know who else to ask, you see. I don’t know who’ll attend toall his belongings¹¹ and things like that. It is all so difficult. They would think it such a nuisance of me. You see, theydon’t understand. Nobody could quite understand what this snapshot means to me.”
“Of course, of course,” said Dr. Graham. “I quite understand. A most natural feeling on your part. Actually, I ammeeting the local authorities shortly—the funeral is tomorrow—and someone will be coming from the Administrator’soffice to look over his papers and effects before communicating with the next of kin—all that sort of thing—If youcould describe this snapshot.”
“It was just the front of a house,” said Miss Marple. “And someone—Denzil, I mean—was just coming out of thefront door. As I say it was taken by one of my other nephews who is very keen on flower shows—and he wasphotographing a hibiscus, I think, or one of those beautiful—something like antipasto—lilies. Denzil just happened tocome out of the front door at that time. It wasn’t a very good photograph of him—just a trifle blurred—But I liked itand have always kept it.”
“Well,” said Dr. Graham, “that seems clear enough. I think we’ll have no difficulty in getting back your picture foryou, Miss Marple.”
He rose from his chair. Miss Marple smiled up at him.
“You are very kind, Dr. Graham, very kind indeed. You do understand, don’t you?”
“Of course I do, of course I do,” said Dr. Graham, shaking her warmly by the hand. “Now don’t you worry.
Exercise that knee every day gently but not too much, and I’ll send you round these tablets. Take one three times aday.”

1 kindly   

adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地

参考例句：

• Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
• A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。

2 ailment   

n.疾病，小病

参考例句：

• I don't have even the slightest ailment.我什么毛病也没有。
• He got timely treatment for his ailment.他的病得到了及时治疗。

3 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

4 prescriptions   

药( prescription的名词复数 )； 处方； 开处方； 计划

参考例句：

• The hospital of traditional Chinese medicine installed a computer to fill prescriptions. 中医医院装上了电子计算机来抓药。
• Her main job was filling the doctor's prescriptions. 她的主要工作就是给大夫开的药方配药。

5 truthful   

adj.真实的，说实话的，诚实的

参考例句：

• You can count on him for a truthful report of the accident.你放心，他会对事故作出如实的报告的。
• I don't think you are being entirely truthful.我认为你并没全讲真话。

6 tiresome   

adj.令人疲劳的，令人厌倦的

参考例句：

• His doubts and hesitations were tiresome.他的疑惑和犹豫令人厌烦。
• He was tiresome in contending for the value of his own labors.他老为他自己劳动的价值而争强斗胜，令人生厌。

7 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。

8 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

9 varied   

adj.多样的，多变化的

参考例句：

• The forms of art are many and varied.艺术的形式是多种多样的。
• The hotel has a varied programme of nightly entertainment.宾馆有各种晚间娱乐活动。

10 afterward   

adv.后来；以后

参考例句：

• Let's go to the theatre first and eat afterward. 让我们先去看戏，然后吃饭。
• Afterward,the boy became a very famous artist.后来，这男孩成为一个很有名的艺术家。

11 belongings   

n.私人物品，私人财物

参考例句：

• I put a few personal belongings in a bag.我把几件私人物品装进包中。
• Your personal belongings are not dutiable.个人物品不用纳税。