In the bar of the Seven Stars Luke drank his pint3 and felt somewhat em-barrassed. The stare of half a dozen bucolic4 pairs of eyes followed his leastmovement, and conversation had come to a standstill upon his entrance.
Luke essayed a few comments of general interest such as the crops, thestate of the weather, and football coupons5, but to none did he get any re-sponse.
He was reduced to gallantry. The fine-looking girl behind the counterwith her black hair and red cheeks he rightly judged to be Miss LucyCarter.
His advances were received in a pleasant spirit. Miss Carter duly giggledand said, “Go on with you! I’m sure you don’t think nothing of the kind!
That’s telling!”— and other such rejoinders. But the performance wasclearly mechanical.
Luke, seeing no advantage to be gained by remaining, finished his beerand departed. He walked along the path to where the river was spannedby a footbridge. He was standing6 looking at this when a quavering voicebehind him said:
“That’s it, mister, that’s where old Harry7 went over.”
Luke turned to see one of his late fellow drinkers, one who had beenparticularly unresponsive to the topic of crops, weather and coupons. Hewas now clearly about to enjoy himself as a guide to the macabre8.
“Went over into the mud he did,” said the ancient labourer. “Right intothe mud and stuck in it head downwards9.”
“Odd he should have fallen off here,” said Luke.
“He were drunk, he were,” said the rustic10 indulgently.
“Yes, but he must have come this way drunk many times before.”
“Most every night,” said the other. “Always in liquor, Harry were.”
“Perhaps someone pushed him over,” said Luke, making the suggestionin a casual fashion.
“They might of,” the rustic agreed. “But I don’t know who’d go for to dothat,” he added.
“He might have made a few enemies. He was fairly abusive when hewas drunk, wasn’t he?”
“His language was a treat to hear! Didn’t mince11 his words, Harry didn’t.
But no one would go for to push a man what’s drunk.”
Luke did not combat this statement. It was evidently regarded as wildlyunsporting for advantage to be taken of a man’s state of intoxication12. Therustic had sounded quite shocked at the idea.
“Well,” he said vaguely13, “it was a sad business.”
“None so sad for his missus,” said the old man. “Reckon her and Lucyhaven’t no call to be sad about it.”
“There may be other people who are glad to have him out of the way.”
The old man was vague about that.
“Maybe,” he said. “But he didn’t mean no harm, Harry didn’t.”
On this epitaph for the late Mr. Carter, they parted.
Luke bent14 his steps towards the old Hall. The library transacted15 its busi-ness in the two front rooms. Luke passed on to the back through a doorwhich was labelled Museum. There he moved from case to case, studyingthe not very inspiring exhibits. Some Roman pottery16 and coins. SomeSouth Sea curiosities, a Malay headdress. Various Indian gods “presentedby Major Horton,” together with a large and malevolent-looking Buddha,and a case of doubtful-looking Egyptian beads17.
Luke wandered out again into the hall. There was no one about. Hewent quietly up the stairs. There was a room with magazines and papersthere, and a room filled with nonfiction books.
Luke went a storey higher. Here were rooms filled with what he desig-nated to himself as junk. Stuffed birds removed from the museum owingto the moth18 having attacked them, stacks of torn magazines and a roomwhose shelves were covered with out-of-date works of fiction and chil-dren’s books.
Luke approached the window. Here it must have been that TommyPrice had sat, possibly whistling and occasionally rubbing a pane19 of glassvigorously when he heard anyone coming.
Somebody had come in. Tommy had shown his zeal—sitting half out ofthe window and polishing with zest20. And then that somebody had come upto him, and while talking, had given a sudden sharp push.
Luke turned away. He walked down the stairs and stood a minute ortwo in the hall. Nobody had noticed him come in. Nobody had seen him goupstairs.
“Anyone might have done it!” said Luke. “Easiest thing in the world.”
He heard footsteps coming from the direction of the library proper.
Since he was an innocent man with no objection to being seen, he couldremain where he was. If he had not wanted to be seen, how easy just tostep back inside the door of the museum room!
Miss Waynflete came out from the library, a little pile of books underher arm. She was pulling on her gloves. She looked very happy and busy.
When she saw him her face lit up and she exclaimed:
“Oh, Mr. Fitzwilliam, have you been looking at the museum? I’m afraidthere isn’t very much there, really. Lord Whitfield is talking of getting ussome really interesting exhibits.”
“Really?”
“Yes, something modern, you know, and up-to-date. Like they have atthe Science Museum in London. He suggests a model aeroplane and a loco-motive and some chemical things too.”
“That would, perhaps, brighten things up.”
“Yes, I don’t think a museum should deal solely21 with the past, do you?”
“Perhaps not.”
“Then some food exhibits, too—calories and vitamins—all that sort ofthing. Lord Whitfield is so keen on the Greater Fitness Campaign.”
“So he was saying the other night.”
“It’s the thing at present, isn’t it? Lord Whitfield was telling me how he’dbeen to the Wellerman Institute—and seen such a lot of germs and cul-tures and bacteria—it quite made me shiver. And he told me all aboutmosquitoes and sleeping sickness and something about a liver fluke thatI’m afraid was a little too difficult for me.”
“It was probably too difficult for Lord Whitfield,” said Luke cheerfully.
“I’ll bet he got it all wrong! You’ve got a much clearer brain than he has,Miss Waynflete.”
Miss Waynflete said sedately22:
“That’s very nice of you, Mr. Fitzwilliam, but I’m afraid women arenever quite such deep thinkers as men.”
Luke repressed a desire to criticize adversely23 Lord Whitfield’s processesof thought. Instead he said:
“I did look into the museum but afterwards I went up to have a look atthe top windows.”
“You mean where Tommy—” Miss Waynflete shivered. “It’s really veryhorrible.”
“Yes, it’s not a nice thought. I’ve spent about an hour with Mrs. Church—Amy’s aunt—not a nice woman!”
“Not at all.”
“I had to take rather a strong line with her,” said Luke. “I fancy shethinks I’m a kind of super policeman.”
He stopped as he noted24 a sudden change of expression on Miss Waynf-lete’s face.
“Oh, Mr. Fitzwilliam, do you think that was wise?”
Luke said:
“I don’t really know. I think it was inevitable25. The book story was wear-ing thin—I can’t get much further on that. I had to ask the kind of ques-tions that were directly to the point.”
Miss Waynflete shook her head—the troubled expression still on herface.
“In a place like this, you see—everything gets round so fast.”
“You mean that everybody will say ‘there goes the tec’ as I walk downthe street? I don’t think that really matters now. In fact, I may get morethat way.”
“I wasn’t thinking of that.” Miss Waynflete sounded a little breathless.
“What I meant was—that he’ll know. He’ll realize that you’re on his track.”
Luke said slowly:
“I suppose he will.”
Miss Waynflete said:
“But don’t you see—that’s horribly dangerous. Horribly!”
“You mean—” Luke grasped her point at last, “you mean that the killerwill have a crack at me?”
“Yes.”
“Funny,” said Luke. “I never thought of that! I believe you’re right,though. Well, that might be the best thing that could happen.”
Miss Waynflete said earnestly:
“I don’t think you realize that he’s—he’s a very clever man. He’s cau-tious, too! And remember, he’s got a great deal of experience—perhapsmore than we know.”
“Yes,” said Luke thoughtfully. “That’s probably true.”
Miss Waynflete exclaimed:
“Oh, I don’t like it! Really, I feel quite alarmed!”
Luke said gently:
“You needn’t worry. I shall be very much on my guard I can assure you.
You see I’ve narrowed the possibilities down pretty closely. I’ve an idea atany rate who the killer26 might be….”
She looked up sharply.
Luke came a step nearer. He lowered his voice to a whisper:
“Miss Waynflete, if I were to ask you which of two men you consideredthe most likely—Dr. Thomas or Mr. Abbot—what would you say?”
“Oh—” said Miss Waynflete. Her hand flew to her breast. She steppedback. Her eyes met Luke’s in an expression that puzzled him. Theyshowed impatience27 and something closely allied28 to it that he could notquite place.
She said:
“I can’t say anything—”
She turned away abruptly29 with a curious sound—half a sigh, half a sob30.
Luke resigned himself.
“Are you going home?” he asked.
“No, I was going to take these books to Mrs. Humbleby. That lies on yourway back to the Manor31. We might go part of the way together.”
“That will be very nice,” said Luke.
They went down the steps, turned to the left skirting the village green.
Luke looked back at the stately lines of the house they had left.
“It must have been a lovely house in your father’s day,” he said.
Miss Waynflete sighed.
“Yes, we were all very happy there. I am so thankful it hasn’t beenpulled down. So many of the old houses are going.”
“I know. It’s sad.”
“And really the new ones aren’t nearly as well built.”
“I doubt if they will stand the test of time as well.”
“But of course,” said Miss Waynflete, “the new ones are convenient—solabour-saving, and not such big draughty passages to scrub.”
Luke assented32.
When they arrived at the gate of Dr. Humbleby’s house, Miss Waynfletehesitated and said:
“Such a beautiful evening. I think, if you don’t mind, I will come a littlefarther. I am enjoying the air.”
Somewhat surprised, Luke expressed pleasure politely. It was hardlywhat he would have described as a beautiful evening. There was a strongwind blowing, turning back the leaves viciously on the trees. A storm, hethought, might come at any minute.
Miss Waynflete, however, clutching her hat with one hand, walked byhis side with every appearance of enjoyment33, talking as she went in littlegasps.
It was a somewhat lonely lane they were taking, since from Dr.
Humbleby’s house the shortest way to Ashe Manor was not by the mainroad, but by a side lane which led to one of the back gates of the ManorHouse. This gate was not of the same ornate ironwork but had two hand-some gate pillars surmounted34 by two vast pink pineapples. Why pine-apples, Luke had been unable to discover! But he gathered that to LordWhitfield pineapples spelt distinction and good taste.
As they approached the gate the sound of voices raised in anger came tothem. A moment later they came in sight of Lord Whitfield confronting ayoung man in chauffeur’s uniform.
“You’re fired,” Lord Whitfield was shouting. “D’you hear? You’re fired.”
“If you’d overlook it, m’lord—just this once.”
“No, I won’t overlook it! Taking my car out. My car—and what’s moreyou’ve been drinking — yes, you have, don’t deny it! I’ve made it clearthere are three things I won’t have on my estate—one’s drunkenness, an-other’s immorality35 and the other’s impertinence.”
Though the man was not actually drunk, he had had enough to loosenhis tongue. His manner changed.
“You won’t have this and you won’t have that, you old bastard36! Your es-tate! Think we don’t all know your father kept a boot-shop down here?
Makes us laugh ourselves sick, it does, seeing you strutting37 about as cockof the walk! Who are you, I’d like to know? You’re no better than I am—that’s what you are.”
Lord Whitfield turned purple.
“How dare you speak to me like that? How dare you?”
The young man took a threatening step forward.
“If you wasn’t such a miserable38 potbellied little swine I’d give you a sockon the jaw—yes, I would.”
Lord Whitfield hastily retreated a step, tripped over a root and wentdown in a sitting position.
Luke had come up.
“Get out of here,” he said roughly to the chauffeur.
The latter regained39 sanity40. He looked frightened.
“I’m sorry, sir. I don’t know what came over me, I’m sure.”
“A couple of glasses too much, I should say,” said Luke.
He assisted Lord Whitfield to his feet.
“I—I beg your pardon, m’lord,” stammered41 the man.
“You’ll be sorry for this, Rivers,” said Lord Whitfield.
His voice trembled with intense feeling.
The man hesitated a minute, then shambled away slowly.
Lord Whitfield exploded:
“Colossal impertinence! To me. Speaking to me like that. Something veryserious will happen to that man! No respect—no proper sense of his sta-tion in life. When I think of what I do for these people—good wages—every comfort—a pension when they retire. The ingratitude—the base in-gratitude….”
He choked with excitement, then perceived Miss Waynflete who wasstanding silently by.
“Is that you, Honoria? I’m deeply distressed42 you should have witnessedsuch a disgraceful scene. That man’s language—”
“I’m afraid he wasn’t quite himself, Lord Whitfield,” said Miss Waynfleteprimly.
“He was drunk, that’s what he was, drunk!”
“Just a bit lit up,” said Luke.
“Do you know what he did?” Lord Whitfield looked from one to theother of them. “Took out my car—my car! Thought I shouldn’t be back sosoon. Bridget drove me over to Lyne in the two-seater. And this fellow hadthe impertinence to take a girl—Lucy Carter, I believe—out in my car!”
Miss Waynflete said gently:
“A most improper thing to do.”
Lord Whitfield seemed a little comforted.
“Yes, wasn’t it?”
“But I’m sure he’ll regret it.”
“I shall see that he does!”
“You’ve dismissed him,” Miss Waynflete pointed43 out.
Lord Whitfield shook his head.
“He’ll come to a bad end, that fellow.”
He threw back his shoulders.
“Come up to the house, Honoria, and have a glass of sherry.”
“Thank you, Lord Whitfield, but I must go to Mrs. Humbleby with thesebooks. Good night, Mr. Fitzwilliam. You’ll be quite all right now.”
She gave him a smiling nod and walked briskly away. It was so muchthe attitude of a nurse who delivers a child at a party that Luke caught hisbreath as a sudden idea struck him. Was it possible that Miss Waynfletehad accompanied him solely in order to protect him? The idea seemedludicrous, but—
Lord Whitfield’s voice interrupted his meditations44.
“Very capable woman, Honoria Waynflete.”
“Very, I should think.”
Lord Whitfield began to walk towards the house. He moved ratherstiffly and his hand went to his posterior and rubbed it gingerly.
Suddenly he chuckled45.
“I was engaged to Honoria once—years ago. She was a nice-looking girl—not so skinny as she is today. Seems funny to think of now. Her peoplewere the nobs of this place.”
“Yes?”
Lord Whitfield ruminated46:
“Old Colonel Waynflete bossed the show. One had to come out andtouch one’s cap pretty sharp. One of the old school he was, and proud asLucifer.”
He chuckled again.
“The fat was in the fire all right when Honoria announced she was goingto marry me! Called herself a Radical47, she did. Very earnest. Was all forabolishing class distinctions. She was a serious kind of girl.”
“So her family broke up the romance?”
Lord Whitfield rubbed his nose.
“Well—not exactly. Matter of fact we had a bit of a row over something.
Blinking bird she had—one of those beastly twittering canaries—alwayshated them—bad business—wrung its neck. Well—no good dwelling48 on allthat now. Let’s forget it.”
He shook his shoulders like a man who throws off an unpleasantmemory.
Then he said, rather jerkily:
“Don’t think she’s ever forgiven me. Well, perhaps it’s only natural….”
“I think she’s forgiven you all right,” said Luke.
Lord Whitfield brightened up.
“Do you? Glad of that. You know I respect Honoria. Capable woman anda lady! That still counts even in these days. She runs that library businessvery well.”
He looked up and his voice changed.
“Hallo,” he said. “Here comes Bridget.”
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
improper
|
|
| adj.不适当的，不合适的，不正确的，不合礼仪的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
chauffeur
|
|
| n.(受雇于私人或公司的)司机；v.为…开车 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
pint
|
|
| n.品脱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
bucolic
|
|
| adj.乡村的；牧羊的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
coupons
|
|
| n.礼券( coupon的名词复数 )；优惠券；订货单；参赛表 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
standing
|
|
| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
harry
|
|
| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
macabre
|
|
| adj.骇人的，可怖的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
downwards
|
|
| adj./adv.向下的（地），下行的（地） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
rustic
|
|
| adj.乡村的，有乡村特色的；n.乡下人，乡巴佬 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
mince
|
|
| n.切碎物；v.切碎，矫揉做作地说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
intoxication
|
|
| n.wild excitement;drunkenness；poisoning | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
vaguely
|
|
| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
bent
|
|
| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
transacted
|
|
| v.办理（业务等）( transact的过去式和过去分词 )；交易，谈判 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
pottery
|
|
| n.陶器，陶器场 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
beads
|
|
| n.（空心）小珠子( bead的名词复数 )；水珠；珠子项链 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
moth
|
|
| n.蛾，蛀虫 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
pane
|
|
| n.窗格玻璃，长方块 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
zest
|
|
| n.乐趣；滋味，风味；兴趣 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
solely
|
|
| adv.仅仅，唯一地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
sedately
|
|
| adv.镇静地，安详地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
adversely
|
|
| ad.有害地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
noted
|
|
| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
inevitable
|
|
| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
killer
|
|
| n.杀人者，杀人犯，杀手，屠杀者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
impatience
|
|
| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
allied
|
|
| adj.协约国的；同盟国的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
abruptly
|
|
| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
sob
|
|
| n.空间轨道的轰炸机；呜咽，哭泣 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
manor
|
|
| n.庄园，领地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
assented
|
|
| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
enjoyment
|
|
| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
surmounted
|
|
| 战胜( surmount的过去式和过去分词 )； 克服（困难）； 居于…之上； 在…顶上 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
immorality
|
|
| n. 不道德, 无道义 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
bastard
|
|
| n.坏蛋，混蛋；私生子 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
strutting
|
|
| 加固，支撑物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
miserable
|
|
| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
regained
|
|
| 复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
sanity
|
|
| n.心智健全，神智正常，判断正确 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
stammered
|
|
| v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
distressed
|
|
| 痛苦的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
pointed
|
|
| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
meditations
|
|
| 默想( meditation的名词复数 )； 默念； 沉思； 冥想 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
chuckled
|
|
| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
ruminated
|
|
| v.沉思( ruminate的过去式和过去分词 )；反复考虑；反刍；倒嚼 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
radical
|
|
| n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
dwelling
|
|
| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |