The moment was not quite so triumphant2 as it ought to have been. To be-gin with, the resources of Tommy’s pockets were somewhat limited. In theend the fare was managed, the lady recollecting3 a plebeian4 twopence, andthe driver, still holding the varied5 assortment6 of coins in his hand, wasprevailed upon to move on, which he did after one last hoarse8 demand asto what the gentleman thought he was giving him?
“I think you’ve given him too much, Tommy,” said Tuppence innocently.
“I fancy he wants to give some of it back.”
It was possibly this remark which induced the driver to move away.
“Well,” said Mr. Beresford, at length able to relieve his feelings, “whatthe—dickens, did you want to take a taxi for?”
“I was afraid I might be late and keep you waiting,” said Tuppencegently.
“Afraid—you—might—be—late! Oh, Lord, I give it up!” said Mr. Beres-ford.
“And really and truly,” continued Tuppence, opening her eyes verywide, “I haven’t got anything smaller than a five-pound note.”
“You did that part of it very well, old bean, but all the same the fellowwasn’t taken in—not for a moment!”
“No,” said Tuppence thoughtfully, “he didn’t believe it. That’s the curi-ous part about speaking the truth. No one does believe it. I found that outthis morning. Now let’s go to lunch. How about the Savoy?”
Tommy grinned.
“How about the Ritz?”
“On second thoughts, I prefer the Piccadilly. It’s nearer. We shan’t haveto take another taxi. Come along.”
“Is this a new brand of humour? Or is your brain really unhinged?” in-quired Tommy.
“Your last supposition is the correct one. I have come into money, andthe shock has been too much for me! For that particular form of mentaltrouble an eminent9 physician recommends unlimited10 hors d’oeuvre, lob-ster à l’américaine, chicken Newberg, and pêche Melba! Let’s go and getthem!”
“Tuppence, old girl, what has really come over you?”
“Oh, unbelieving one!” Tuppence wrenched11 open her bag. “Look here,and here, and here!”
“My dear girl, don’t wave pound notes aloft like that!”
“They’re not pound notes. They’re five times better, and this one’s tentimes better!”
Tommy groaned12.
“I must have been drinking unawares! Am I dreaming, Tuppence, or doI really behold13 a large quantity of five-pound notes being waved about in adangerous fashion?”
“Even so, O King! Now, will you come and have lunch?”
“I’ll come anywhere. But what have you been doing? Holding up abank?”
“All in good time. What an awful place Piccadilly Circus is. There’s ahuge bus bearing down on us. It would be too terrible if they killed thefive-pound notes!”
“Grillroom?” inquired Tommy, as they reached the opposite pavementin safety.
“The other’s more expensive,” demurred14 Tuppence.
“That’s mere15 wicked wanton extravagance. Come on below.”
“Are you sure I can get all the things I want there?”
“That extremely unwholesome menu you were outlining just now? Ofcourse you can—or as much as is good for you, anyway.”
“And now tell me,” said Tommy, unable to restrain his pent-up curiosityany longer, as they sat in state surrounded by the many hors d’oeuvre ofTuppence’s dreams.
Miss Cowley told him.
“And the curious part of it is,” she ended, “that I really did invent thename of Jane Finn! I didn’t want to give my own because of poor father—in case I should get mixed up in anything shady.”
“Perhaps that’s so,” said Tommy slowly. “But you didn’t invent it.”
“What?”
“No. I told it to you. Don’t you remember, I said yesterday I’d overheardtwo people talking about a female called Jane Finn? That’s what broughtthe name into your mind so pat.”
“So you did. I remember now. How extraordinary—” Tuppence tailedoff into silence. Suddenly she roused herself. “Tommy!”
“Yes?”
“What were they like, the two men you passed?”
Tommy frowned in an effort at remembrance.
“One was a big fat sort of chap. Clean-shaven. I think—and dark.”
“That’s him,” cried Tuppence, in an ungrammatical squeal16. “That’s Whit-tington! What was the other man like?”
“I can’t remember. I didn’t notice him particularly. It was really the out-landish name that caught my attention.”
“And people say that coincidences don’t happen!” Tuppence tackled herpêche Melba happily.
But Tommy had become serious.
“Look here, Tuppence, old girl, what is this going to lead to?”
“More money,” replied his companion.
“I know that. You’ve only got one idea in your head. What I mean is,what about the next step? How are you going to keep the game up?”
“Oh!” Tuppence laid down her spoon. “You’re right, Tommy, it is a bit ofa poser.”
“After all, you know, you can’t bluff17 him forever. You’re sure to slip upsooner or later. And, anyway, I’m not at all sure that it isn’t actionable—blackmail18, you know.”
“Nonsense. Blackmail is saying you’ll tell unless you are given money.
Now, there’s nothing I could tell, because I don’t really know anything.”
“H’m,” said Tommy doubtfully. “Well, anyway, what are we going to do?
Whittington was in a hurry to get rid of you this morning, but next timehe’ll want to know something more before he parts with his money. He’llwant to know how much you know, and where you got your informationfrom, and a lot of other things that you can’t cope with. What are you go-ing to do about it?”
Tuppence frowned severely19.
“We must think. Order some Turkish coffee, Tommy. Stimulating20 to thebrain. Oh, dear, what a lot I have eaten!”
“You have made rather a hog21 of yourself! So have I for that matter, but Iflatter myself that my choice of dishes was more judicious22 than yours.
Two coffees.” (This was to the waiter.) “One Turkish, one French.”
Tuppence sipped23 her coffee with a deeply reflective air, and snubbedTommy when he spoke24 to her.
“Be quiet. I’m thinking.”
“Shades of Pelmanism!” said Tommy, and relapsed into silence.
“There!” said Tuppence at last. “I’ve got a plan. Obviously what we’vegot to do is find out more about it all.”
Tommy applauded.
“Don’t jeer25. We can only find out through Whittington. We must dis-cover where he lives, what he does—sleuth him, in fact! Now I can’t do it,because he knows me, but he only saw you for a minute or two in Lyons’.
He’s not likely to recognize you. After all, one young man is much like an-other.”
“I repudiate26 that remark utterly27. I’m sure my pleasing features and dis-tinguished appearance would single me out from any crowd.”
“My plan is this,” Tuppence went on calmly. “I’ll go alone tomorrow. I’llput him off again like I did today. It doesn’t matter if I don’t get any moremoney at once. Fifty pounds ought to last us a few days.”
“Or even longer!”
“You’ll hang about outside. When I come out I shan’t speak to you incase he’s watching. But I’ll take up my stand somewhere near, and whenhe comes out of the building I’ll drop a handkerchief or something, and offyou go!”
“Off I go where?”
“Follow him, of course, silly! What do you think of the idea?”
“Sort of thing one reads about in books. I somehow feel that in real lifeone will feel a bit of an ass7 standing28 in the street for hours with nothing todo. People will wonder what I’m up to.”
“Not in the city. Everyone’s in such a hurry. Probably no one will evennotice you at all.”
“That’s the second time you’ve made that sort of remark. Never mind, Iforgive you. Anyway, it will be rather a lark29. What are you doing this af-ternoon?”
“Well,” said Tuppence meditatively30. “I had thought of hats! Or perhapssilk stockings! Or perhaps—”
“Hold hard,” admonished31 Tommy. “There’s a limit to fifty pounds! Butlet’s do dinner and a show tonight at all events.”
“Rather.”
The day passed pleasantly. The evening even more so. Two of the five-pound notes were now irretrievably dead.
They met by arrangement the following morning, and proceeded city-wards. Tommy remained on the opposite side of the road while Tuppenceplunged into the building.
Tommy strolled slowly down to the end of the street, then back again.
Just as he came abreast32 of the buildings, Tuppence darted33 across the road.
“Tommy!”
“Yes. What’s up?”
“The place is shut. I can’t make anyone hear.”
“That’s odd.”
“Isn’t it? Come up with me, and let’s try again.”
Tommy followed her. As they passed the third floor landing a youngclerk came out of an office. He hesitated a moment, then addressed him-self to Tuppence.
“Were you wanting the Esthonia Glassware?”
“Yes, please.”
“It’s closed down. Since yesterday afternoon. Company being wound up,they say. Not that I’ve ever heard of it myself. But anyway the office is tolet.”
“Th — thank you,” faltered34 Tuppence. “I suppose you don’t know Mr.
Whittington’s address?”
“Afraid I don’t. They left rather suddenly.”
“Thank you very much,” said Tommy. “Come on, Tuppence.”
They descended35 to the street again where they gazed at one anotherblankly.
“That’s torn it,” said Tommy at length.
“And I never suspected it,” wailed36 Tuppence.
“Cheer up, old thing, it can’t be helped.”
“Can’t it, though!” Tuppence’s little chin shot out defiantly37. “Do youthink this is the end? If so, you’re wrong. It’s just the beginning!”
“The beginning of what?”
“Of our adventure! Tommy, don’t you see, if they are scared enough torun away like this, it shows that there must be a lot in this Jane Finn busi-ness! Well, we’ll get to the bottom of it. We’ll run them down! We’ll besleuths in earnest!”
“Yes, but there’s no one left to sleuth.”
“No, that’s why we’ll have to start all over again. Lend me that bit ofpencil. Thanks. Wait a minute—don’t interrupt. There!” Tuppence handedback the pencil, and surveyed the piece of paper on which she had writtenwith a satisfied eye.
“What’s that?”
“Advertisement.”
“You’re not going to put that thing in after all?”
“No, it’s a different one.” She handed him the slip of paper.
Tommy read the words on it aloud:
“Wanted, any information respecting Jane Finn. Apply Y. A.”
点击
收听单词发音
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1
setback
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| n.退步，挫折，挫败 | |
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triumphant
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| adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的 | |
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recollecting
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| v.记起，想起( recollect的现在分词 ) | |
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plebeian
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| adj.粗俗的；平民的；n.平民；庶民 | |
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varied
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| adj.多样的，多变化的 | |
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assortment
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| n.分类，各色俱备之物，聚集 | |
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ass
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| n.驴；傻瓜，蠢笨的人 | |
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hoarse
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| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
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eminent
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| adj.显赫的，杰出的，有名的，优良的 | |
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unlimited
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| adj.无限的，不受控制的，无条件的 | |
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11
wrenched
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| v.（猛力地）扭( wrench的过去式和过去分词 )；扭伤；使感到痛苦；使悲痛 | |
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groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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13
behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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demurred
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| v.表示异议，反对( demur的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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squeal
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| v.发出长而尖的声音；n.长而尖的声音 | |
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17
bluff
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| v.虚张声势，用假象骗人；n.虚张声势，欺骗 | |
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blackmail
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| n.讹诈，敲诈，勒索，胁迫，恫吓 | |
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severely
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| adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地 | |
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stimulating
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| adj.有启发性的，能激发人思考的 | |
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hog
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judicious
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| adj.明智的，明断的，能作出明智决定的 | |
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sipped
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| v.小口喝，呷，抿( sip的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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spoke
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| 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 | |
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jeer
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| vi.嘲弄，揶揄；vt.奚落；n.嘲笑，讥评 | |
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repudiate
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| v.拒绝，拒付，拒绝履行 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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lark
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| n.云雀，百灵鸟；n.嬉戏，玩笑；vi.嬉戏 | |
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meditatively
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| adv.冥想地 | |
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31
admonished
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| v.劝告( admonish的过去式和过去分词 )；训诫；（温和地）责备；轻责 | |
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abreast
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| adv.并排地；跟上(时代)的步伐，与…并进地 | |
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darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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34
faltered
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| （嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃 | |
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35
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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36
wailed
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| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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defiantly
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| adv.挑战地，大胆对抗地 | |
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