Chapter 4 Expedition on Truelove; Oxford and Cambridge（2）

II
Tommy was sitting exchanging memories with some old friends.
‘World’s in a funny way nowadays,’ said Colonel Atkinson. ‘I hear youand your what’s-her-name, Prudence–no, you had a nickname for her,Tuppence, that’s right–yes, I hear you’ve gone to live in the country. Some-where down near Hollowquay. I wonder what took you there. Anythingparticular?’
‘Well, we found this house fairly cheap,’ said Tommy.
‘Ah. Well, that’s lucky always, isn’t it? What’s the name? You must giveme your address.’
‘Well, we think we may call it Cedar¹ Lodge² because there’s a very nicecedar there. Its original name was The Laurels³, but that’s rather a Vic-torian hangover, isn’t it?’
‘The Laurels. The Laurels, Hollowquay. My word, what are you up to,eh? What are you up to?’
Tommy looked at the elderly face with the sprouting⁴ white moustache.
‘On to something, are you?’ said Colonel Atkinson. ‘Are you employed inthe service of your country again?’
‘Oh, I’m too old for that,’ said Tommy. ‘I’m retired⁵ from all that sort ofstuff.’
‘Ah, I wonder now. Perhaps that’s just the thing you say. Perhaps you’vebeen told to say that. After all, you know, there’s a good deal was neverfound out about all that business.’
‘What business?’ said Tommy.
‘Well, I expect you’ve read about it or heard about it. The CardingtonScandal. You know, came after that other thing–the what-you-call-’em let-ters–and the Emlyn Johnson submarine business.’
‘Oh,’ said Tommy, ‘I seem to remember something vaguely⁶.’
‘Well, it wasn’t actually the submarine business, but that’s what calledattention to the whole thing. And there were those letters, you see. Gavethe whole show away politically. Yes. Letters. If they’d been able to gethold of them it would have made a big difference. It would have drawn⁷ at-tention to several people who at the time were the most highly trustedpeople in the government. Astonishing how these things happen, isn’t it?
You know! The traitors⁸ in one’s midst, always highly trusted, always splen-did fellows, always the last people to be suspected–and all the time–well, alot of all that never came to light.’ He winked⁹ one eye. ‘Perhaps you’vebeen sent down there to have a look round, eh, my boy?’
‘A look round at what?’ said Tommy.
‘Well, this house of yours, The Laurels, did you say? There used to besome silly jokes about The Laurels sometimes. Mind you, they’d had agood look round, the security people and the rest of them. They thoughtthat somewhere in that house was valuable evidence of some kind. Therewas an idea it had been sent overseas –Italy was mentioned–just beforepeople got alerted. But other people thought it might be still hidden therein that part of the world somewhere. You know, it’s the sort of place thathas cellars and flagstones and various things. Come now, Tommy, my boy,I feel you’re on the hunt again.’
‘I assure you I don’t do anything of that kind nowadays.’
‘Well, that’s what one thought before about you when you were at thatother place. Beginning of the last war. You know, where you ran downthat German chap. That and the woman with the nursery rhyme books.
Yes. Sharp bit of work, all that. And now, perhaps, they’ve set you on an-other trail!’
‘Nonsense,’ said Tommy. ‘You mustn’t get all these ideas in your head.
I’m an old gaffer now.’
‘You’re a cunning old dog. I bet you’re better than some of these youngones. Yes. You sit there looking innocent, and really I expect, well, onemustn’t ask you questions. Mustn’t ask you to betray State secrets, must I?
Anyway, be careful of your missus. You know she’s always one to stickherself forward too much. She had a narrow escape last time in the N or Mdays.’
‘Ah well,’ said Tommy, ‘I think Tuppence is just interested in the generalantiquity of this place, you know. Who lived there and where. And pic-tures of the old people who used to live in the house, and all the rest of it.
That and planning the garden. That’s all we’re really interested innowadays. Gardens. Gardens and bulb catalogues and all the rest of it.’
‘Well, maybe I’ll believe that if a year passes and nothing exciting hashappened. But I know you, Beresford, and I know our Mrs Beresford, too.
The two of you together, you’re a wonderful couple and I bet you’ll comeup with something. I tell you, if those papers ever come to light, it’ll have avery, very great effect on the political front and there are several peoplewho won’t be pleased. No indeed. And those people who won’t be pleasedare looked on as–pillars of rectitude at the moment! But by some they arethought to be dangerous. Remember that. They’re dangerous, and the onesthat aren’t dangerous are in contact with those who are dangerous. So yoube careful and make your missus be careful too.’
‘Really,’ said Tommy, ‘your ideas, you make me feel quite excited.’
‘Well, go on feeling excited but look after Mrs Tuppence. I’m fond ofTuppence. She’s a nice girl, always was and still is.’
‘Hardly a girl,’ said Tommy.
‘Now don’t say that of your wife. Don’t get in that habit. One in a thou-sand, she is. But I’m sorry for someone who has her in the picture sleuth-ing him down. She’s probably out on the hunt today.’
‘I don’t think she is. More likely gone to tea with an elderly lady.’
‘Ah well. Elderly ladies can sometimes give you useful information. Eld-erly ladies and children of five years old. All the unlikely people come outsometimes with a truth nobody had ever dreamed of. I could tell youthings–’
‘I’m sure you could, Colonel.’
‘Ah well, one mustn’t give away secrets.’
Colonel Atkinson shook his head.

1 cedar   

n.雪松，香柏(木)

参考例句：

• The cedar was about five feet high and very shapely.那棵雪松约有五尺高,风姿优美。
• She struck the snow from the branches of an old cedar with gray lichen.她把长有灰色地衣的老雪松树枝上的雪打了下来。

2 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。

3 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。

4 sprouting   

v.发芽( sprout的现在分词 )；抽芽；出现；（使）涌现出

参考例句：

• new leaves sprouting from the trees 树上长出的新叶
• They were putting fresh earth around sprouting potato stalks. 他们在往绽出新芽的土豆秧周围培新土。 来自名作英译部分

5 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

6 vaguely   

adv.含糊地，暖昧地

参考例句：

• He had talked vaguely of going to work abroad.他含糊其词地说了到国外工作的事。
• He looked vaguely before him with unseeing eyes.他迷迷糊糊的望着前面，对一切都视而不见。

7 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

8 traitors   

卖国贼( traitor的名词复数 )； 叛徒； 背叛者； 背信弃义的人

参考例句：

• Traitors are held in infamy. 叛徒为人所不齿。
• Traitors have always been treated with contempt. 叛徒永被人们唾弃。

9 winked   

v.使眼色( wink的过去式和过去分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮

参考例句：

• He winked at her and she knew he was thinking the same thing that she was. 他冲她眨了眨眼，她便知道他的想法和她一样。
• He winked his eyes at her and left the classroom. 他向她眨巴一下眼睛走出了教室。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》