CODE WORD NEMESIS1
II t was about a week or so after Mr. Rafiel’s death that Miss Marple picked up a letter from her breakfast tray, andlooked at it for a moment before opening it. The other two letters that had come by this morning’s post were bills, orjust possibly receipts for bills. In either case they were not of any particular interest. This letter might be.
A London postmark, typewritten address, a long, good quality envelope. Miss Marple slit2 it neatly3 with the paperknife she always kept handy on her tray. It was headed, Messrs. Broadribb and Schuster, Solicitors4 and NotariesPublic, with an address in Bloomsbury. It asked her, in suitable courteous6 and legal phraseology, to call upon themone day in the following week, at their office, to discuss a proposition that might be to her advantage. Thursday, the24th was suggested. If that date was not convenient, perhaps she would let them know what date she would be likelyto be in London in the near future. They added that they were the solicitors to the late Mr. Rafiel, with whom theyunderstood she had been acquainted.
Miss Marple frowned in some slight puzzlement. She got up rather more slowly than usual, thinking about theletter she had received. She was escorted downstairs by Cherry, who was meticulous7 in hanging about in the hall so asto make sure that Miss Marple did not come to grief walking by herself down the staircase, which was of the old-fashioned kind which turned a sharp corner in the middle of its run.
“You take very good care of me, Cherry,” said Miss Marple.
“Got to,” said Cherry, in her usual idiom. “Good people are scarce.”
“Well, thank you for the compliment,” said Miss Marple, arriving safely with her last foot on the ground floor.
“Nothing the matter, is there?” asked Cherry. “You look a bit rattled8 like, if you know what I mean.”
“No, nothing’s the matter,” said Miss Marple. “I had rather an unusual letter from a firm of solicitors.”
“Nobody is suing you for anything, are they?” said Cherry, who was inclined to regard solicitors’ letters asinvariably associated with disaster of some kind.
“Oh no, I don’t think so,” said Miss Marple. “Nothing of that kind. They just asked me to call upon them nextweek in London.”
“Perhaps you’ve been left a fortune,” said Cherry, hopefully.
“That, I think, is very unlikely,” said Miss Marple.
“Well, you never know,” said Cherry.
Settling herself in her chair, and taking her knitting out of its embroidered9 knitting bag, Miss Marple considered thepossibility of Mr. Rafiel having left her a fortune. It seemed even more unlikely than when Cherry had suggested it.
Mr. Rafiel, she thought, was not that kind of a man.
It was not possible for her to go on the date suggested. She was attending a meeting of the Women’s Institute todiscuss the raising of a sum for building a small additional couple of rooms. But she wrote, naming a day in thefollowing week. In due course her letter was answered and the appointment definitely confirmed. She wondered whatMessrs. Broadribb and Schuster were like. The letter had been signed by J. R. Broadribb who was, apparently10, thesenior partner. It was possible, Miss Marple thought, that Mr. Rafiel might have left her some small memoir11 orsouvenir in his will. Perhaps some book on rare flowers that had been in his library and which he thought would pleasean old lady who was keen on gardening. Or perhaps a cameo brooch which had belonged to some great-aunt of his.
She amused herself by these fancies. They were only fancies, she thought, because in either case it would merely be acase of the Executors—if these lawyers were the Executors—forwarding her by post any such object. They would nothave wanted an interview.
“Oh well,” said Miss Marple, “I shall know next Tuesday.”
II
“Wonder what she’ll be like,” said Mr. Broadribb to Mr. Schuster, glancing at the clock as he did so.
“She’s due in a quarter of an hour,” said Mr. Schuster. “Wonder if she’ll be punctual?”
“Oh, I should think so. She’s elderly, I gather, and much more punctilious12 than the young scatterbrains of today.”
“Fat or thin, I wonder?” said Mr. Schuster.
Mr. Broadribb shook his head.
“Didn’t Rafiel ever describe her to you?” asked Mr. Schuster.
“He was extraordinarily13 cagey in everything he said about her.”
“The whole thing seems very odd to me,” said Mr. Schuster. “If we only knew a bit more about what it allmeant….”
“It might be,” said Mr. Broadribb thoughtfully, “something to do with Michael.”
“What? After all these years? Couldn’t be. What put that into your head? Did he mention—”
“No, he didn’t mention anything. Gave me no clue at all as to what was in his mind. Just gave me instructions.”
“Think he was getting a bit eccentric and all that towards the end?”
“Not in the least. Mentally he was a brilliant as ever. His physical ill health never affected14 his brain, anyway. In thelast two months of his life he made an extra two hundred thousand pounds. Just like that.”
“He had a flair15,” said Mr. Schuster with due reverence16. “Certainly, he always had a flair.”
“A great financial brain,” said Mr. Broadribb, also in a tone of reverence suitable to the sentiment. “Not many likehim, more’s the pity.”
A buzzer17 went on the table. Mr. Schuster picked up the receiver. A female voice said,“Miss Jane Marple is here to see Mr. Broadribb by appointment.”
Mr. Schuster looked at his partner, raising an eyebrow18 for an affirmative or a negative. Mr. Broadribb nodded.
“Show her up,” said Mr. Schuster. And he added, “Now we’ll see.”
Miss Marple entered a room where a middle-aged19 gentleman with a thin, spare body and a long rather melancholyface rose to greet her. This apparently was Mr. Broadribb, whose appearance somewhat contradicted his name. Withhim was a rather younger middle-aged gentleman of definitely more ample proportions. He had black hair, small keeneyes and a tendency to a double chin.
“My partner, Mr. Schuster,” Mr. Broadribb presented.
“I hope you didn’t feel the stairs too much,” said Mr. Schuster. “Seventy if she is a day—nearer eighty perhaps,”
he was thinking in his own mind.
“I always get a little breathless going upstairs.”
“An old- fashioned building this,” said Mr. Broadribb apologetically. “No lift. Ah well, we are a very longestablished firm and we don’t go in for as many of the modern gadgets20 as perhaps our clients expect of us.”
“This room has very pleasant proportions,” said Miss Marple, politely.
She accepted the chair that Mr. Broadribb drew forward for her. Mr. Schuster, in an unobtrusive sort of way, leftthe room.
“I hope that chair is comfortable,” said Mr. Broadribb. “I’ll pull that curtain slightly, shall I? You may feel the suna little too much in your eyes.”
“Thank you,” said Miss Marple, gratefully.
She sat there, upright as was her habit. She wore a light tweed suit, a string of pearls and a small velvet21 toque. Tohimself Mr. Broadribb was saying, “The Provincial22 Lady. A good type. Fluffy23 old girl. May be scatty—may not. Quitea shrewd eye. I wonder where Rafiel came across her. Somebody’s aunt, perhaps, up from the country?” While thesethoughts passed through his head, he was making the kind of introductory small talk relating to the weather, theunfortunate effects of late frosts early in the year and such other remarks as he considered suitable.
Miss Marple made the necessary responses and sat placidly24 awaiting the opening of preliminaries to the meeting.
“You will be wondering what all this is about,” said Mr. Broadribb, shifting a few papers in front of him and givingher a suitable smile. “You’ve heard, no doubt, of Mr. Rafiel’s death, or perhaps you saw it in the paper.”
“I saw it in the paper,” said Miss Marple.
“He was, I understand, a friend of yours.”
“I met him first just over a year ago,” said Miss Marple. “In the West Indies,” she added.
“Ah. I remember. He went out there, I believe, for his health. It did him some good, perhaps, but he was already avery ill man, badly crippled, as you know.”
“Yes,” said Miss Marple.
“You knew him well?”
“No,” said Miss Marple, “I would not say that. We were fellow visitors in a hotel. We had occasionalconversations. I never saw him again after my return to England. I live very quietly in the country, you see, and Igather that he was completely absorbed in business.”
“He continued transacting25 business right up—well, I could almost say right up to the day of his death,” said Mr.
Broadribb. “A very fine financial brain.”
“I am sure that was so,” said Miss Marple. “I realized quite soon that he was a—well, a very remarkable26 characteraltogether.”
“I don’t know if you have any idea—whether you’ve been given any idea at some time by Mr. Rafiel—as to whatthis proposition is that I have been instructed to put up to you?”
“I cannot imagine,” said Miss Marple, “what possible kind of proposition Mr. Rafiel might have wanted to put upto me. It seems most unlikely.”
“He had a very high opinion of you.”
“That is kind of him, but hardly justified,” said Miss Marple. “I am a very simple person.”
“As you no doubt realize, he died a very rich man. The provisions of his Will are on the whole fairly simple. Hehad already made dispositions27 of his fortune some time before his death. Trusts and other beneficiary arrangements.”
“That is, I believe, very usual procedure nowadays,” said Miss Marple, “though I am not at all cognizant offinancial matters myself.”
“The purpose of this appointment,” said Mr. Broadribb, “is that I am instructed to tell you that a sum of money hasbeen laid aside to become yours absolutely at the end of one year, but conditional28 on your accepting a certainproposition, with which I am to make you acquainted.”
He took from the table in front of him a long envelope. It was sealed. He passed it across the table to her.
“It would be better, I think, that you should read for yourself of what this consists. There is no hurry. Take yourtime.”
Miss Marple took her time. She availed herself of a small paper knife which Mr. Broadribb handed to her, slit upthe envelope, took out the enclosure, one sheet of typewriting, and read it. She folded it up again, then reread it andlooked at Mr. Broadribb.
“This is hardly very definite. Is there no more definite elucidation29 of any kind?”
“Not so far as I am concerned. I was to hand you this, and tell you the amount of the legacy30. The sum in question istwenty thousand pounds free of legacy duty.”
Miss Marple sat looking at him. Surprise had rendered her speechless. Mr. Broadribb said no more for the moment.
He was watching her closely. There was no doubt of her surprise. It was obviously the last thing Miss Marple hadexpected to hear. Mr. Broadribb wondered what her first words would be. She looked at him with the directness, theseverity that one of his own aunts might have done. When she spoke31 it was almost accusingly.
“That is a very large sum of money,” said Miss Marple.
“Not quite so large as it used to be,” said Mr. Broadribb (and just restrained himself from saying, “Mere chickenfeed nowadays”).
“I must admit,” said Miss Marple, “that I am amazed. Frankly32, quite amazed.”
She picked up the document and read it carefully through again.
“I gather you know the terms of this?” she said.
“Yes. It was dictated33 to me personally by Mr. Rafiel.”
“Did he not give you any explanation of it?”
“No, he did not.”
“You suggested, I suppose, that it might be better if he did,” said Miss Marple. There was a slight acidity34 in hervoice now.
Mr. Broadribb smiled faintly.
“You are quite right. That is what I did. I said that you might find it difficult to—oh, to understand exactly what hewas driving at.”
“Very remarkable,” said Miss Marple.
“There is no need, of course,” said Mr. Broadribb, “for you to give me an answer now.”
“No,” said Miss Marple, “I should have to reflect upon this.”
“It is, as you have pointed35 out, quite a substantial sum of money.”
“I am old,” said Miss Marple. “Elderly, we say, but old is a better word. Definitely old. It is both possible andindeed probable that I might not live as long as a year to earn this money, in the rather doubtful case that I was able toearn it.”
“Money is not to be despised at any age,” said Mr. Broadribb.
“I could benefit certain charities in which I have an interest,” said Miss Marple, “and there are always people.
People whom one wishes one could do a little something for but one’s own funds do not admit of it. And then I willnot pretend that there are not pleasures and desires—things that one has not been able to indulge in or to afford—Ithink Mr. Rafiel knew quite well that to be able to do so, quite unexpectedly, would give an elderly person a great dealof pleasure.”
“Yes, indeed,” said Mr. Broadribb. “A cruise abroad, perhaps? One of these excellent tours as arranged nowadays.
Theatres, concerts—the ability to replenish36 one’s cellars.”
“My tastes would be a little more moderate than that,” said Miss Marple. “Partridges,” she said thoughtfully, “it isvery difficult to get partridges nowadays, and they’re very expensive. I should enjoy a partridge—a whole partridge—to myself, very much. A box of marrons glacés is an expensive taste which I cannot often gratify. Possibly a visit tothe opera. It means a car to take one to Covent Garden and back, and the expense of a night in a hotel. But I must notindulge in idle chat,” she said. “I will take this back with me and reflect upon it. Really, what on earth made Mr. Rafiel—you have no idea why he should have suggested this particular proposition, and why he should think that I could beof service to him in any way? He must have known that it was over a year, nearly two years since he had seen me andthat I might have got much more feeble than I have, and much more unable to exercise such small talents as I mighthave. He was taking a risk. There are other people surely much better qualified37 to undertake an investigation38 of thisnature?”
“Frankly, one would think so,” said Mr. Broadribb, “but he selected you, Miss Marple. Forgive me if this is idlecuriosity but have you had—oh, how shall I put it?—any connection with crime or the investigation of crime?”
“Strictly speaking I should say no,” said Miss Marple. “Nothing professional, that is to say. I have never been aprobation officer or indeed sat as a magistrate39 on a Bench or been connected in any way with a detective agency. Toexplain to you, Mr. Broadribb, which I think it is only fair for me to do and which I think Mr. Rafiel ought to havedone, to explain it in any way all I can say is that during our stay in the West Indies, we both, Mr. Rafiel and myself,had a certain connection with a crime that took place there. A rather unlikely and perplexing murder.”
“And you and Mr. Rafiel solved it?”
“I should not put it quite like that,” said Miss Marple. “Mr. Rafiel, by the force of his personality, and I, by puttingtogether one or two obvious indications that came to my notice, were successful in preventing a second murder just asit was about to take place. I could not have done it alone, I was physically40 far too feeble. Mr. Rafiel could not havedone it alone, he was a cripple. We acted as allies, however.”
“Just one other question I should like to ask you, Miss Marple. Does the word “Nemesis” mean anything to you?”
“Nemesis,” said Miss Marple. It was not a question. A very slow and unexpected smile dawned on her face. “Yes,”
she said, “it does mean something to me. It meant something to me and it meant something to Mr. Rafiel. I said it tohim, and he was much amused by my describing myself by that name.”
Whatever Mr. Broadribb had expected it was not that. He looked at Miss Marple with something of the sameastonished surprise that Mr. Rafiel had once felt in a bedroom by the Caribbean sea. A nice and quite intelligent oldlady. But really—Nemesis!
“You feel the same, I am sure,” said Miss Marple.
She rose to her feet.
“If you should find or receive any further instructions in this matter, you will perhaps let me know, Mr. Broadribb.
It seems to me extraordinary that there should not be something of that kind. This leaves me entirely41 in the dark reallyas to what Mr. Rafiel is asking me to do or try to do.”
“You are not acquainted with his family, his friends, his—”
“No. I told you. He was a fellow traveller in a foreign part of the world. We had a certain association as allies in avery mystifying matter. That is all.” As she was about to go to the door she turned suddenly and asked: “He had asecretary, Mrs. Esther Walters. Would it be infringing42 etiquette43 if I asked if Mr. Rafiel left her fifty thousand pounds?”
“His bequest44 will appear in the press,” said Mr. Broadribb. “I can answer your question in the affirmative. Mrs.
Walters’ name is now Mrs. Anderson, by the way. She has remarried.”
“I am glad to hear that. She was a widow with one daughter, and she was a very adequate secretary, it appears. Sheunderstood Mr. Rafiel very well. A nice woman. I am glad she has benefited.”
That evening, Miss Marple, sitting in her straightbacked chair, her feet stretched out to the fireplace where a smallwood fire was burning owing to the sudden cold spell which, as is its habit, can always descend45 on England at anymoment selected by itself, took once more from the long envelope the document delivered to her that morning. Still ina state of partial unbelief she read, murmuring the words here and there below her breath as though to impress them onher mind,
“To Miss Jane Marple, resident in the village of St. Mary Mead46.
This will be delivered to you after my death by the good offices of my solicitor5, James Broadribb. He isthe man I employ for dealing47 with such legal matters as fall in the field of my private affairs, not mybusiness activities. He is a sound and trustworthy lawyer. Like the majority of the human race he issusceptible to the sin of curiosity. I have not satisfied his curiosity. In some respects this matter will remainbetween you and myself. Our code word, my dear lady, is Nemesis. I don’t think you will have forgotten inwhat place and in what circumstances you first spoke that word to me. In the course of my businessactivities over what is now quite a long life, I have learnt one thing about a man whom I wish to employ.
He has to have a flair. A flair for the particular job I want him to do. It is not knowledge, it is notexperience. The only word that describes it is flair. A natural gift for doing a certain thing.
You, my dear, if I may call you that, have a natural flair for justice, and that has led to your having anatural flair for crime. I want you to investigate a certain crime. I have ordered a certain sum to be placedso that if you accept this request and as a result of your investigation this crime is properly elucidated48, themoney will become yours absolutely. I have set aside a year for you to engage on this mission. You are notyoung, but you are, if I may say so, tough. I think I can trust a reasonable fate to keep you alive for a yearat least.
I think the work involved will not be distasteful to you. You have a natural genius, I should say, forinvestigation. The necessary funds for what I may describe as working capital for making this investigationwill be remitted49 to you during that period, whenever necessary. I offer this to you as an alternative to whatmay be your life at present.
I envisage50 you sitting in a chair, a chair that is agreeable and comfortable for whatever kind or form ofrheumatism from which you may suffer. All persons of your age, I consider, are likely to suffer from someform of rheumatism51. If this ailment52 affects your knees or your back, it will not be easy for you to get aboutmuch and you will spend your time mainly in knitting. I see you, as I saw you once one night as I rose fromsleep disturbed by your urgency, in a cloud of pink wool.
I envisage you knitting more jackets, head scarves and a good many other things of which I do notknow the name. If you prefer to continue knitting, that is your decision. If you prefer to serve the cause ofjustice, I hope that you may at least find it interesting.
Let justice roll down like waters.
And righteousness like an everlasting53 stream.
Amos.”
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
nemesis
|
|
| n.给以报应者，复仇者，难以对付的敌手 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
slit
|
|
| n.狭长的切口；裂缝；vt.切开，撕裂 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
neatly
|
|
| adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
solicitors
|
|
| 初级律师( solicitor的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
solicitor
|
|
| n.初级律师，事务律师 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
courteous
|
|
| adj.彬彬有礼的，客气的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
meticulous
|
|
| adj.极其仔细的，一丝不苟的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
rattled
|
|
| 慌乱的，恼火的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
embroidered
|
|
| adj．绣花的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
apparently
|
|
| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
memoir
|
|
| n.[pl.]回忆录，自传；记事录 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
punctilious
|
|
| adj.谨慎的，谨小慎微的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
extraordinarily
|
|
| adv.格外地；极端地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
affected
|
|
| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
flair
|
|
| n.天赋，本领，才华；洞察力 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
reverence
|
|
| n.敬畏，尊敬，尊严；Reverence:对某些基督教神职人员的尊称；v.尊敬，敬畏，崇敬 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
buzzer
|
|
| n.蜂鸣器；汽笛 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
eyebrow
|
|
| n.眉毛，眉 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
middle-aged
|
|
| adj.中年的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
gadgets
|
|
| n.小机械，小器具（ gadget的名词复数 ） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
velvet
|
|
| n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
provincial
|
|
| adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
fluffy
|
|
| adj.有绒毛的，空洞的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
placidly
|
|
| adv.平稳地，平静地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
transacting
|
|
| v.办理（业务等）( transact的现在分词 )；交易，谈判 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
remarkable
|
|
| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
dispositions
|
|
| 安排( disposition的名词复数 )； 倾向； （财产、金钱的）处置； 气质 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
conditional
|
|
| adj.条件的，带有条件的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
elucidation
|
|
| n.说明，阐明 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
legacy
|
|
| n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
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： |
|
|
|
|
32
frankly
|
|
| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
dictated
|
|
| v.大声讲或读( dictate的过去式和过去分词 )；口授；支配；摆布 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
acidity
|
|
| n.酸度，酸性 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
pointed
|
|
| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
replenish
|
|
| vt.补充；(把…)装满；(再)填满 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
qualified
|
|
| adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
investigation
|
|
| n.调查，调查研究 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
magistrate
|
|
| n.地方行政官，地方法官，治安官 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
physically
|
|
| adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
entirely
|
|
| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
infringing
|
|
| v.违反（规章等）( infringe的现在分词 )；侵犯（某人的权利）；侵害（某人的自由、权益等） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
etiquette
|
|
| n.礼仪，礼节；规矩 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
bequest
|
|
| n.遗赠；遗产，遗物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
descend
|
|
| vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
mead
|
|
| n.蜂蜜酒 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
dealing
|
|
| n.经商方法，待人态度 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
elucidated
|
|
| v.阐明，解释( elucidate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
remitted
|
|
| v.免除（债务），宽恕( remit的过去式和过去分词 )；使某事缓和；寄回，传送 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
envisage
|
|
| v.想象，设想，展望，正视 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
rheumatism
|
|
| n.风湿病 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
ailment
|
|
| n.疾病，小病 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
everlasting
|
|
| adj.永恒的，持久的，无止境的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |