Book II Chapter 1 A Long Time Ago

Book II
Chapter 1 A Long Time Ago

Tuppence was selecting birthday cards. It was a wet afternoon and thepost office was almost empty. People dropped letters into the post box out-side or occasionally¹ made a hurried purchase of stamps. Then they usuallydeparted to get home as soon as possible. It was not one of those crowdedshopping afternoons. In fact, Tuppence thought, she had chosen this par-ticular day very well.
Gwenda, whom she had managed to recognize easily from Beatrice’s de-scription, had been only too pleased to come to her assistance². Gwendarepresented the household shopping side of the post office. An elderly wo-man with grey hair presided³ over the government business of HerMajesty’s mails. Gwenda, a chatty girl, interested always in new arrivals tothe village, was happy among the Christmas cards, valentines, birthdaycards, comic postcards, note paper and stationery⁴, various types of chocol-ates and sundry⁵ china articles of domestic⁶ use. She and Tuppence werealready on friendly terms.
‘I’m so glad that the house has been opened again. Princes Lodge⁷, Imean.’
‘I thought it had always been The Laurels⁸.’
‘Oh no. I don’t think it was ever called that. Houses change names a lotaround here. People do like giving new names to houses, you know.’
‘Yes, they certainly seem to,’ said Tuppence thoughtfully⁹. ‘Even we havethought of a name or two. By the way, Beatrice told me that you knewsomeone once living here called Mary Jordan.’
‘I didn’t know her, but I have heard her mentioned. In the war it was,not the last war. The one long before that when there used to be zep-pelins.’
‘I remember hearing about zeppelins,’ said Tuppence.
‘In 1915 or 1916–they came over London.’
‘I remember I’d gone to the Army & Navy¹⁰ Stores one day with an oldgreat-aunt and there was an alarm.’
‘They used to come over at night sometimes, didn’t they? Must havebeen rather frightening, I should think.’
‘Well, I don’t think it was really,’ said Tuppence. ‘People used to getquite excited. It wasn’t nearly as frightening as the flying bombs–in thislast war. One always felt rather as though they were following you toplaces. Following you down a street, or something like that?’
‘Spend all your nights in the tube, did you? I had a friend in London. Sheused to spend all the nights in the tubes. Warren Street, I think it was.
Everyone used to have their own particular tube station.’
‘I wasn’t in London in the last war,’ said Tuppence. ‘I don’t think I’dhave liked to spend all night in the tube.’
‘Well, this friend of mine, Jenny her name was, oh she used to love thetube. She said it was ever so much fun. You know, you had your own par-ticular stair in the tube. It was kept for you always, you slept there, andyou took sandwiches in and things, and you had fun together and talked.
Things went on all night and never stopped. Wonderful, you know. Trainsgoing on right up to the morning. She told me she couldn’t bear it whenthe war was over and she had to go home again, felt it was so dull, youknow.’
‘Anyway,’ said Tuppence, ‘there weren’t any flying-bombs in 1914. Justthe zeppelins.’
Zeppelins had clearly lost interest for Gwenda.
‘It was someone called Mary Jordan I was asking about,’ said Tuppence.
‘Beatrice said you knew about her.’
‘Not really–I just heard her name mentioned once or twice, but it wasages ago. Lovely golden hair she had, my grandmother said. German shewas–one of those Frowlines as they were called. Looked after children–akind of nurse. Had been with a naval¹¹ family somewhere, that was up inScotland, I think. And afterwards she came down here. Went to a familycalled Parks–or Perkins. She used to have one day off a week, you know,and go to London, and that’s where she used to take the things, whateverthey were.’
‘What sort of things?’ said Tuppence.
‘I don’t know–nobody ever said much. Things she’d stolen, I expect.’
‘Was she discovered stealing?’
‘Oh no, I don’t think so. They were beginning to suspect, but she got illand died before that.’
‘What did she die of? Did she die down here? I suppose she went to hos-pital.’
‘No–I don’t think there were any hospitals to go to then. Wasn’t any Wel-fare in those days. Somebody told me it was some silly mistake the cookmade. Brought foxglove leaves into the house by mistake for spinach¹²–orfor lettuce¹³, perhaps. No, I think that was someone else. Someone told me itwas deadly nightshade but I don’t believe that for a moment because, Imean, everyone knows about deadly nightshade, don’t they, and anywaythat’s berries¹⁴. Well, I think this was foxglove leaves brought in from thegarden by mistake. Foxglove is Digoxo or some name like Digit–somethingthat sounds like fingers. It’s got something very deadly in it–the doctorcame and he did what he could, but I think it was too late.’
‘Were there many people in the house when it happened?’
‘Oh, there was quite a lot I should think–yes, because there were alwayspeople staying, so I’ve heard, and children, you know, and weekendersand a nursery¹⁵ maid and a governess, I think, and parties. Mind you, I’mnot knowing all about this myself. It’s only what Granny used to tell me.
And old Mr Bodlicott talks now and then. You know, the old gardener chapas works¹⁶ here now and then. He was gardener there, and they blamedhim at first for sending the wrong leaves, but it wasn’t him as did it. It wassomebody who came out of the house, and wanted to help and picked thevegetables in the garden, and took them in to the cook. You know, spinachand lettuce and things like that and–er–I suppose they just made a mistakenot knowing much about growing vegetables. I think they said at the in-quest or whatever they had afterwards that it was a mistake that anyonecould make because the spinach or the sorrel leaves were growing nearthe Digi–Digit-what-not, you see, so I suppose they just took a great hand-ful of both leaves, possibly in a bunch together. Anyway, it was very sadbecause Granny said she was a very good-looking girl with golden hairand all that, you know.’
‘And she used to go up to London every week? Naturally she’d have tohave a day off.’
‘Yes. Said she had friends there. Foreigner, she was–Granny says therewas some as said she was actually a German spy.’
‘And was she?’
‘I shouldn’t think so. The gentlemen liked her all right, apparently¹⁷. Youknow, the naval officers and the ones up at Shelton Military Camp too. Shehad one or two friends there, you know. The military camp it was.’
‘Was she really a spy?’
‘Shouldn’t think so. I mean, my grandmother said that was what peoplesaid. It wasn’t in the last war. It was ages before that.’
‘Funny,’ said Tuppence, ‘how easy it is to get mixed up over the wars. Iknew an old man who had a friend in the Battle of Waterloo.’
‘Oh, fancy¹⁸ that. Years before 1914. People did have foreign nurses–whatwere called Mamoselles as well as Frowlines, whatever a Frowline is. Verynice with children she was, Granny said. Everyone was very pleased withher and always liked her.’
‘That was when she was living here, living at The Laurels?’
‘Wasn’t called that then–at least I don’t think so. She was living with theParkinsons or the Perkins, some name like that,’ said Gwenda. ‘What wecall nowadays an au pair girl. She came from that place where the pattycomes from, you know, Fortnum & Mason keep it– expensive patty forparties. Half German, half French, so someone told me.’
‘Strasbourg?’ suggested Tuppence.
‘Yes, that was the name. She used to paint pictures. Did one of an oldgreat-aunt of mine. It made her look too old, Aunt Fanny always said. Didone of one of the Parkinson boys. Old Mrs Griffin’s got it still. The Parkin-son boy found out something about her, I believe–the one she painted thepicture of, I mean. Godson of Mrs Griffin, I believe he was.’
‘Would that have been Alexander Parkinson?’
‘Yes, that’s the one. The one who’s buried near the church.’

1 occasionally   

adv.偶然地；非经常地

参考例句：

• He went on talking,occasionally wiping at his face with a towel.他继续说着，偶尔用毛巾擦一下脸。
• I like playing football best,but occasionally I play table tennis,too.我最喜欢踢足球，偶尔也打打乒乓球。

2 assistance   

n.援助，帮助

参考例句：

• She called and called but no one came to her assistance.她叫了又叫，但没有人来帮。
• He will get the great possible assistance.他将获得尽可能大的帮助。

3 presided   

主持，主管( preside的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The city council is presided over by the mayor. 市政会议由市长主持。
• It rubs to be presided over by such a man. 受这样的人管辖真是使人恼火。

4 stationery   

n.文具；(配套的)信笺信封

参考例句：

• She works in the stationery department of a big store.她在一家大商店的文具部工作。
• There was something very comfortable in having plenty of stationery.文具一多，心里自会觉得踏实。

5 sundry   

adj.各式各样的，种种的

参考例句：

• This cream can be used to treat sundry minor injuries.这种药膏可用来治各种轻伤。
• We can see the rich man on sundry occasions.我们能在各种场合见到那个富豪。

6 domestic   

adj.家里的，国内的，本国的；n.家仆，佣人

参考例句：

• This is domestic news.这是国内新闻。
• She does the domestic affairs every day.她每天都忙家务。

7 lodge   

v.临时住宿，寄宿，寄存，容纳；n.传达室，小旅馆

参考例句：

• Is there anywhere that I can lodge in the village tonight?村里有我今晚过夜的地方吗？
• I shall lodge at the inn for two nights.我要在这家小店住两个晚上。

8 laurels   

n.桂冠，荣誉

参考例句：

• The path was lined with laurels.小路两旁都种有月桂树。
• He reaped the laurels in the finals.他在决赛中荣膺冠军。

9 thoughtfully   

ad.考虑周到地

参考例句：

• She rubbed her chin thoughtfully. 她若有所思地抚摩着下巴。
• The man pulled thoughtfully at his pipe before commenting on our proposal. 那人若有所思地吸了口烟，然后就我们的建议发表自己的见解。

10 navy   

n.海军，海军人员，海军军力，藏青色

参考例句：

• My brother is in the navy.我兄弟在海军服役。
• He has transferred from the army to the navy.他从陆军转到海军。

11 naval   

adj.海军的，军舰的，船的

参考例句：

• He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
• The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。

12 spinach   

n.菠菜

参考例句：

• Eating spinach is supposed to make you strong.据说吃菠菜能使人强壮。
• You should eat such vegetables as carrot,celery and spinach.你应该吃胡萝卜、芹菜和菠菜这类的蔬菜。

13 lettuce   

n.莴苣；生菜

参考例句：

• Get some lettuce and tomatoes so I can make a salad.买些莴苣和西红柿，我好做色拉。
• The lettuce is crisp and cold.莴苣松脆爽口。

14 berries   

n.浆果( berry的名词复数 )；（葡萄，番茄等）浆果；干果仁；干种子

参考例句：

• Birds feed on nuts and berries in the winter. 鸟类靠坚果和浆果过冬。
• We went here and there looking for berries. 我们四处寻找浆果。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 nursery   

n.托儿所；苗圃

参考例句：

• They have decided to start up a nursery in the factory.他们已决定要在工厂里开办一个托儿所。
• Her company ran its own workplace nursery.她的公司开办了内部的托儿所。

16 works   

n.作品，著作；工厂，活动部件，机件

参考例句：

• We expect writers to produce more and better works.我们期望作家们写出更多更好的作品。
• The novel is regarded as one of the classic works.这篇小说被公认为是最优秀的作品之一。

17 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

18 fancy   

n.想像力，幻想；喜好，爱；adj.想像的，时髦的，华丽装饰的，奢侈的；技巧的；vt.想象，自认为，喜好

参考例句：

• He seemed to have taken quite a fancy to her.他似乎相当喜欢她。
• I have a fancy that it's going to rain.我想大概要下雨。