Eleven（1）

Eleven
Mark Easterbrook’s Narrative¹
IFirst Hermia. Now Corrigan.
All right, then, I was making a fool of myself!
I was accepting balderdash as solid truth. I had been hypnotised by thatphony woman Thyrza Grey into accepting a farrago of nonsense. I was acredulous, superstitious² ass³.
I decided⁴ to forget the whole damned business. What was it to do withme anyway?
Through the mist of disillusionment, I heard the echoes of Mrs. DaneCalthrop’s urgent tones.
“You’ve got to DO something!”
All very well—to say things like that.
“You need someone to help you…”
I had needed Hermia. I had needed Corrigan. But neither of them wouldplay. There was no one else.
Unless—
I sat—considering the idea.
On an impulse I went to the telephone and rang Mrs. Oliver.
“Hallo. Mark Easterbrook here.”
“Yes?”
“Can you tell me the name of that girl who was staying in the house forthe fête?”
“I expect so. Let me see… Yes, of course, Ginger⁵. That was her name.”
“I know that. But her other name.”
“What other name?”
“I doubt if she was christened Ginger. And she must have a surname.”
“Well, of course. But I’ve no idea what it is. One never seems to hear anysurnames nowadays. It’s the first time I’d ever met her.” There was aslight pause and then Mrs. Oliver said, “You’ll have to ring up Rhoda andask her.”
I didn’t like that idea. Somehow I felt shy about it.
“Oh, I can’t do that,” I said.
“It’s perfectly⁶ simple,” said Mrs. Oliver encouragingly. “Just say you’velost her address and can’t remember her name and you’d promised tosend her one of your books, or the name of a shop that sells cheap caviare,or to return a handkerchief which she lent you when your nose bled oneday, or the address of a rich friend who wants a picture restored. Any ofthose do? I can think of lots more if you’d like.”
“One of those will do beautifully,” I assured her.
I rang off, dialled 100 and presently was speaking to Rhoda.
“Ginger?” said Rhoda. “Oh, she lives in a Mews. Calgary Place. Forty-five. Wait a minute. I’ll give you her telephone number.” She went awayand returned a minute later. “It’s Capricorn 35987. Got it?”
“Yes, thanks. But I haven’t got her name. I never heard it.”
“Her name? Oh, her surname, you mean. Corrigan. Katherine Corrigan.
What did you say?”
“Nothing. Thanks, Rhoda.”
It seemed to me an odd coincidence. Corrigan. Two Corrigans. Perhapsit was an omen⁷.
I dialled Capricorn 35987.

1 narrative   

n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的

参考例句：

• He was a writer of great narrative power.他是一位颇有记述能力的作家。
• Neither author was very strong on narrative.两个作者都不是很善于讲故事。

2 superstitious   

adj.迷信的

参考例句：

• They aim to deliver the people who are in bondage to superstitious belief.他们的目的在于解脱那些受迷信束缚的人。
• These superstitious practices should be abolished as soon as possible.这些迷信做法应尽早取消。

3 ass   

n.驴；傻瓜，蠢笨的人

参考例句：

• He is not an ass as they make him.他不象大家猜想的那样笨。
• An ass endures his burden but not more than his burden.驴能负重但不能超过它能力所负担的。

4 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。

5 ginger   

n.姜，精力，淡赤黄色；adj.淡赤黄色的；vt.使活泼，使有生气

参考例句：

• There is no ginger in the young man.这个年轻人没有精神。
• Ginger shall be hot in the mouth.生姜吃到嘴里总是辣的。

6 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

7 omen   

n.征兆，预兆；vt.预示

参考例句：

• The superstitious regard it as a bad omen.迷信的人认为那是一种恶兆。
• Could this at last be a good omen for peace?这是否终于可以视作和平的吉兆了？