Mrs. Thomas Beresford shifted her position on the divan1 and lookedgloomily out of the window of the flat. The prospect2 was not an extendedone, consisting solely3 of a small block of flats on the other side of the road.
Mrs. Beresford sighed and then yawned.
“I wish,” she said, “something would happen.”
Her husband looked up reprovingly.
“Be careful, Tuppence, this craving4 for vulgar sensation alarms me.”
Tuppence sighed and closed her eyes dreamily.
“So Tommy and Tuppence were married,” she chanted, “and lived hap-pily ever afterwards. And six years later they were still living togetherhappily ever afterwards. It is extraordinary,” she said, “how differenteverything always is from what you think it is going to be.”
“A very profound statement, Tuppence. But not original. Eminent5 poetsand still more eminent divines have said it before—and if you will excuseme saying so, have said it better.”
“Six years ago,” continued Tuppence, “I would have sworn that with suf-ficient money to buy things with, and with you for a husband, all lifewould have been one grand sweet song, as one of the poets you seem toknow so much about puts it.”
“Is it me or the money that palls6 upon you?” inquired Tommy coldly.
“Palls isn’t exactly the word,” said Tuppence kindly7. “I’m used to myblessings, that’s all. Just as one never thinks what a boon8 it is to be able tobreathe through one’s nose until one has a cold in the head.”
“Shall I neglect you a little?” suggested Tommy. “Take other womenabout to night clubs. That sort of thing.”
“Useless,” said Tuppence. “You would only meet me there with othermen. And I should know perfectly9 well that you didn’t care for the otherwomen, whereas you would never be quite sure that I didn’t care for theother men. Women are so much more thorough.”
“It’s only in modesty10 that men score top marks,” murmured her hus-band. “But what is the matter with you, Tuppence? Why this yearning11 dis-content?”
“I don’t know. I want things to happen. Exciting things. Wouldn’t youlike to go chasing German spies again, Tommy? Think of the wild days ofperil we went through once. Of course I know you’re more or less in theSecret Service now, but it’s pure office work.”
“You mean you’d like them to send me into darkest Russia disguised as aBolshevik bootlegger, or something of that sort?”
“That wouldn’t be any good,” said Tuppence. “They wouldn’t let me gowith you and I’m the person who wants something to do so badly. Some-thing to do. That is what I keep saying all day long.”
“Women’s sphere,” suggested Tommy, waving his hand.
“Twenty minutes’ work after breakfast every morning keeps the flag go-ing to perfection. You have nothing to complain of, have you?”
“Your housekeeping is so perfect, Tuppence, as to be almost monoton-ous.”
“I do like gratitude,” said Tuppence.
“You, of course, have got your work,” she continued, “but tell me,Tommy, don’t you ever have a secret yearning for excitement, for thingsto happen?”
“No,” said Tommy, “at least I don’t think so. It is all very well to wantthings to happen—they might not be pleasant things.”
“How prudent12 men are,” sighed Tuppence. “Don’t you ever have a wildsecret yearning for romance—adventure—life?”
“What have you been reading, Tuppence?” asked Tommy.
“Think how exciting it would be,” went on Tuppence, “if we heard a wildrapping at the door and went to open it and in staggered a dead man.”
“If he was dead he couldn’t stagger,” said Tommy critically.
“You know what I mean,” said Tuppence. “They always stagger in justbefore they die and fall at your feet, just gasping13 out a few enigmaticwords. ‘The Spotted14 Leopard,’ or something like that.”
“I advise a course of Schopenhauer or Emmanuel Kant,” said Tommy.
“That sort of thing would be good for you,” said Tuppence. “You are get-ting fat and comfortable.”
“I am not,” said Tommy indignantly. “Anyway you do slimming exer-cises yourself.”
“Everybody does,” said Tuppence. “When I said you were getting fat Iwas really speaking metaphorically15, you are getting prosperous and sleekand comfortable.”
“I don’t know what has come over you,” said her husband.
“The spirit of adventure,” murmured Tuppence. “It is better than a long-ing for romance anyway. I have that sometimes too. I think of meeting aman, a really handsome man—”
“You have met me,” said Tommy. “Isn’t that enough for you?”
“A brown, lean man, terrifically strong, the kind of man who can rideanything and lassoes wild horses—”
“Complete with sheepskin trousers and a cowboy hat,” interpolatedTommy sarcastically16.
“—and has lived in the Wilds,” continued Tuppence. “I should like himto fall simply madly in love with me. I should, of course, rebuff him virtu-ously and be true to my marriage vows17, but my heart would secretly goout to him.”
“Well,” said Tommy, “I often wish that I may meet a really beautiful girl.
A girl with corn-coloured hair who will fall desperately18 in love with me.
Only I don’t think I rebuff her—in fact I am quite sure I don’t.”
“That,” said Tuppence, “is naughty temper.”
“What,” said Tommy, “is really the matter with you, Tuppence? Youhave never talked like this before.”
“No, but I have been boiling up inside for a long time,” said Tuppence.
“You see it is very dangerous to have everything you want — includingenough money to buy things. Of course there are always hats.”
“You have got about forty hats already,” said Tommy, “and they all lookalike.”
“Hats are like that,” said Tuppence. “They are not really alike. There arenuances in them. I saw rather a nice one in Violette’s this morning.”
“If you haven’t anything better to do than going on buying hats youdon’t need—”
“That’s it,” said Tuppence, “that’s exactly it. If I had something better todo. I suppose I ought to take up good works. Oh, Tommy, I do wish some-thing exciting would happen. I feel—I really do feel it would be good forus. If we could find a fairy—”
“Ah!” said Tommy. “It is curious your saying that.”
He got up and crossed the room. Opening a drawer of the writing tablehe took out a small snapshot print and brought it to Tuppence.
“Oh!” said Tuppence, “so you have got them developed. Which is this,the one you took of this room or the one I took?”
“The one I took. Yours didn’t come out. You underexposed it. You alwaysdo.”
“It is nice for you,” said Tuppence, “to think that there is one thing youcan do better than me.”
“A foolish remark,” said Tommy, “but I will let it pass for the moment.
What I wanted to show you was this.”
He pointed19 to a small white speck20 on the photograph.
“That is a scratch on the film,” said Tuppence.
“Not at all,” said Tommy. “That, Tuppence, is a fairy.”
“Tommy, you idiot.”
“Look for yourself.”
He handed her a magnifying glass. Tuppence studied the print attent-ively through it. Seen thus by a slight stretch of fancy the scratch on thefilm could be imagined to represent a small- winged creature on thefender.
“It has got wings,” cried Tuppence. “What fun, a real live fairy in ourflat. Shall we write to Conan Doyle about it? Oh, Tommy. Do you thinkshe’ll give us wishes?”
“You will soon know,” said Tommy. “You have been wishing hardenough for something to happen all the afternoon.”
At that minute the door opened, and a tall lad of fifteen who seemed un-decided as to whether he was a butler or a page boy inquired in a trulymagnificent manner.
“Are you at home, madam? The front doorbell has just rung.”
“I wish Albert wouldn’t go to the Pictures,” sighed Tuppence, after shehad signified her assent21, and Albert had withdrawn22. “He’s copying a LongIsland butler now. Thank goodness I’ve cured him of asking for people’scards and bringing them to me on a salver.”
The door opened again, and Albert announced: “Mr. Carter,” much asthough it were a Royal title.
“The Chief,” muttered Tommy, in great surprise.
Tuppence jumped up with a glad exclamation23, and greeted a tall grey-haired man with piercing eyes and a tired smile.
“Mr. Carter, I am glad to see you.”
“That’s good, Mrs. Tommy. Now answer me a question. How’s life gener-ally?”
“Satisfactory, but dull,” replied Tuppence with a twinkle.
“Better and better,” said Mr. Carter. “I’m evidently going to find you inthe right mood.”
“This,” said Tuppence, “sounds exciting.”
Albert, still copying the Long Island butler, brought in tea. When this op-eration was completed without mishap24 and the door had closed behindhim Tuppence burst out once more.
“You did mean something, didn’t you, Mr. Carter? Are you going to sendus on a mission into darkest Russia?”
“Not exactly that,” said Mr. Carter.
“But there is something.”
“Yes—there is something. I don’t think you are the kind who shrinksfrom risks, are you, Mrs. Tommy?”
Tuppence’s eyes sparkled with excitement.
“There is certain work to be done for the Department—and I fancied—Ijust fancied—that it might suit you two.”
“Go on,” said Tuppence.
“I see that you take the Daily Leader,” continued Mr. Carter, picking upthat journal from the table.
He turned to the advertisement column and indicating a certain advert-isement with his finger pushed the paper across to Tommy.
“Read that out,” he said.
Tommy complied.
“The International Detective Agency, Theodore Blunt,Manager. Private Inquiries25. Large staff of confidentialand highly skilled Inquiry26 Agents. Utmost discretion27. Con-sultations free. 118 Haleham St., W.C.”
He looked inquiringly at Mr. Carter. The latter nodded. “That detectiveagency has been on its last legs for some time,” he murmured. “Friend ofmine acquired it for a mere28 song. We’re thinking of setting it going again—say, for a six months’ trial. And during that time, of course, it will haveto have a manager.”
“What about Mr. Theodore Blunt?” asked Tommy.
“Mr. Blunt has been rather indiscreet, I’m afraid. In fact, Scotland Yardhave had to interfere29. Mr. Blunt is being detained at Her Majesty’s ex-pense, and he won’t tell us half of what we’d like to know.”
“I see, sir,” said Tommy. “At least, I think I see.”
“I suggest that you have six months leave from the office. Ill health. And,of course, if you like to run a Detective Agency under the name ofTheodore Blunt, it’s nothing to do with me.”
Tommy eyed his Chief steadily30.
“Any instructions, sir?”
“Mr. Blunt did some foreign business, I believe. Look out for blue letterswith a Russian stamp on them. From a ham merchant anxious to find hiswife who came as a refugee to this country some years ago. Moisten thestamp and you’ll find the number 16 written underneath31. Make a copy ofthese letters and send the originals on to me. Also if any one comes to theoffice and makes a reference to the number 16, inform me immediately.”
“I understand, sir,” said Tommy. “And apart from these instructions?”
Mr. Carter picked up his gloves from the table and prepared to depart.
“You can run the Agency as you please. I fancied”—his eyes twinkled alittle—“that it might amuse Mrs. Tommy to try her hand at a little detect-ive work.”
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收听单词发音
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1
divan
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| n.长沙发；（波斯或其他东方诗人的）诗集 | |
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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3
solely
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| adv.仅仅，唯一地 | |
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craving
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| n.渴望,热望 | |
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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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6
palls
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| n.柩衣( pall的名词复数 )；墓衣；棺罩；深色或厚重的覆盖物v.（因过多或过久而）生厌，感到乏味，厌烦( pall的第三人称单数 ) | |
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7
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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boon
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| n.恩赐，恩物，恩惠 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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modesty
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| n.谦逊，虚心，端庄，稳重，羞怯，朴素 | |
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yearning
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| a.渴望的；向往的；怀念的 | |
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prudent
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| adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的 | |
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gasping
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| adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词 | |
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14
spotted
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| adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的 | |
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15
metaphorically
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| adv. 用比喻地 | |
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sarcastically
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| adv.挖苦地，讽刺地 | |
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vows
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| 誓言( vow的名词复数 )； 郑重宣布，许愿 | |
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desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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speck
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| n.微粒，小污点，小斑点 | |
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assent
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| v.批准，认可；n.批准，认可 | |
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withdrawn
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| vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出 | |
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exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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24
mishap
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| n.不幸的事，不幸；灾祸 | |
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inquiries
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| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
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inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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discretion
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| n.谨慎；随意处理 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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30
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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31
underneath
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| adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面 | |
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