A Fine Italian Hand（9）

　　IX
　　"I've got a question for you, doctor," said Battle.
　　They were in the doctor's house after returning from the nursing home, where they had had a short interview with Jane Barrett.
　　Barrett was weak and exhausted¹, but quite clear in her statement.
　　She had just been getting into bed after drinking her senna when Lady Tressilian's bell had wrung³. She had glanced at the dock and seen the time -twenty-five minutes past ten.
　　She had put on her dressing-gown and come down. She had heard a noise in the hall below and had looked over the balusters.
　　"It was Mr. Nevile just going out. He was taking his raincoat down from the hook.""What suit was he wearing?"
　　"His grey pinstripe. His face was very worried and unhappy-looking. He shoved his arms into his coat as though he didn't care how he put it on. Then he went out and banged the front door behind him. I went on in to Her Ladyship. She was very drowsy⁴, poor dear, and couldn't remember why she had rung for me - she couldn't always, poor lady. But I beat up her pillows and brought her a fresh glass of water and settled her comfortably.""She didn't seem upset or afraid of anything?""Just tired, that's all. I was tired myself. Yawning. I went up and went right off to sleep."That was Barrett's story, and it seemed impossible to doubt her genuine grief and horror at the news of her mistress's death.
　　They went back to Lazenby's house, and it was then that Battle announced that he had a question to ask.
　　"Ask away," said Lazenby.
　　"What time do you think Lady Tressilian died?""I've told you. Between ten o'clock and midnight.""I know that's what you said. But it wasn't my question. I asked you what you personally thought.""Off the record, eh?"
　　"Yes."
　　"All right. My guess would be in the neighbourhood of eleven o'clock.""That's what I wanted you to say," said Battle.
　　"Glad to oblige. Why?"
　　"Never did like the idea of her being killed before ten-twenty. Take Barrett's sleeping-draught - it wouldn't have got to work by then. That sleeping-draught shows that the murder was meant to be committed a good deal later - during the night. I'd prefer midnight myself.""Could be. Eleven is only a guess."
　　"But it definitely couldn't be later than midnight?""No."
　　"It couldn't be after 2.30?"
　　"Good heavens, no."
　　"Well, that seems to let Strange out all right. I'll just have to check up on his movements after he left the house. If he's telling the truth he's washed out and we can go on to our other suspects.""The other people who inherit money?" suggested Leach⁵.
　　"Maybe," said Battle. "But, somehow, I don't think so. Someone with a kink, I'm looking for.""A kink?"
　　"A nasty kink."
　　When they left the doctors house they went on to the ferry. The ferry consisted of a rowing boat operated by two brothers, Will and George Barnes. The Barnes brothers knew everybody in Saltcreek by sight and most of the people who came over from Easterhead Bay. George said at once that Mr. Strange from Gull's Point had gone across at 10.30 on the preceding night. No, he had not brought Mr. Strange back again. Last ferry had gone at 1.30 from the Easterhead side and Mr. Strange wasn't on it.
　　Battle asked him if he knew Mr. Latimer.
　　"Latimer? Latimer? Tall, handsome young gentleman? Comes over from the hotel up to Gull's Point? Yes, I know him. Didn't see him at all last night, though. He's been over this morning. Went back last trip."They crossed on the ferry and went up to the Easterhead Bay Hotel.
　　Here they found Mr. Latimer newly returned from the other side. He had crossed on the ferry before theirs.
　　Mr. Latimer was very anxious to do all he could to help.
　　"Yes, old Nevile came over last night. Looked very blue over something. Told me he'd had a row with the old lady. I hear he'd fallen out with Kay, too, but he didn't tell me that, of course. Anyway, he was a bit down in the mouth. Seemed quite glad of my company for once in a way.""He wasn't able to find you at once, I understand?"Latimer said sharply: "Don't know why. I was sitting in the lounge. Strange said he looked in and didn't see me, but he wasn't in a state to concentrate. Or I may have strolled out into the gardens for five minutes or so. Always get out when I can. Beastly smell in this hotel. Noticed it last night in the bar. Drains, I think! Strange mentioned it, too! We both smelt⁶ it. Nasty decayed smell. Might be a dead rat under the billiard-room floor.""You played billiards⁷, and after your game?""Oh, we talked a bit, had another drink or two. Then Nevile said, 'Hullo, I've missed the ferry,’ so I said I'd get out my car and drive him back, which I did. We got there about 2.30.""And Mr. Strange was with you all the evening?""Oh, yes. Ask anybody. They'll tell you.""Thank you, Mr. Latimer. We have to be so careful."Leach said as they left the smiling, self-possessed young man: "What's the idea of checking up so carefully on Nevile Strange?"Battle smiled. Leach got it suddenly.
　　"Good Lord, it's the other one you're checking up on. So that's your idea.""It's too soon to have ideas," said Battle. "I've just got to know exactly where Mr. Ted² Latimer was last night. We know that from quarter-past eleven, say - to after midnight - he was with Nevile Strange. But where was he before that -when Strange arrived and couldn't find him?"They pursued their inquiries⁸ doggedly⁹ - with bar attendants, waiters, lift boys. Latimer had been seen in the lounge between nine and ten. He had been in the bar at a quarter-past ten. But between that time and eleven-twenty he seemed to have been singularly elusive¹⁰. Then one of the maids was found who declared that Mr. Latimer had been in one of the small writing rooms with Mrs. Beddoes -that's the fat North Country lady.""That tears it," said Battle gloomily. "He was here, all right. Just didn't want attention drawn¹¹ to his fat (and no doubt rich) lady friend. That throws us back on those others - the servants, Kay Strange, Audrey Strange, Mary Aldin and Thomas Royde. One of them killed the old lady, but which? If we could find the real weapon -"He stopped, then slapped his thigh¹².
　　"Got it, Jim, my boy! I know now what made me think of Hercule Poirot. We'll have a spot of lunch and go back to Gull's Point and I'll show you something."

1 exhausted   

adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的

参考例句：

• It was a long haul home and we arrived exhausted.搬运回家的这段路程特别长，到家时我们已筋疲力尽。
• Jenny was exhausted by the hustle of city life.珍妮被城市生活的忙乱弄得筋疲力尽。

2 ted   

vt.翻晒，撒，撒开

参考例句：

• The invaders gut ted the village.侵略者把村中财物洗劫一空。
• She often teds the corn when it's sunny.天好的时候她就翻晒玉米。

3 wrung   

绞( wring的过去式和过去分词 )； 握紧（尤指别人的手）； 把（湿衣服）拧干； 绞掉（水）

参考例句：

• He has wrung the words from their true meaning. 他曲解这些字的真正意义。
• He wrung my hand warmly. 他热情地紧握我的手。

4 drowsy   

adj.昏昏欲睡的，令人发困的

参考例句：

• Exhaust fumes made him drowsy and brought on a headache.废气把他熏得昏昏沉沉，还引起了头疼。
• I feel drowsy after lunch every day.每天午饭后我就想睡觉。

5 leach   

v.分离，过滤掉；n.过滤；过滤器

参考例句：

• Liquid water can leach soluble materials from the interface.液态水能够从界面溶解出可溶性物质。
• They believe that the humic materials are leached from decaying plant materials.他们认为腐植物料是从腐烂的植物体浸沥而来。

6 smelt   

v.熔解，熔炼；n.银白鱼，胡瓜鱼

参考例句：

• Tin is a comparatively easy metal to smelt.锡是比较容易熔化的金属。
• Darby was looking for a way to improve iron when he hit upon the idea of smelting it with coke instead of charcoal.达比一直在寻找改善铁质的方法，他猛然想到可以不用木炭熔炼，而改用焦炭。

7 billiards   

n.台球

参考例句：

• John used to divert himself with billiards.约翰过去总打台球自娱。
• Billiards isn't popular in here.这里不流行台球。

8 inquiries   

n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending further inquiries. 他获得保释，等候进一步调查。
• I have failed to reach them by postal inquiries. 我未能通过邮政查询与他们取得联系。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

9 doggedly   

adv.顽强地，固执地

参考例句：

• He was still doggedly pursuing his studies.他仍然顽强地进行着自己的研究。
• He trudged doggedly on until he reached the flat.他顽强地、步履艰难地走着，一直走回了公寓。

10 elusive   

adj.难以表达(捉摸)的；令人困惑的；逃避的

参考例句：

• Try to catch the elusive charm of the original in translation.翻译时设法把握住原文中难以捉摸的风韵。
• Interpol have searched all the corners of the earth for the elusive hijackers.国际刑警组织已在世界各地搜查在逃的飞机劫持者。

11 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。

12 thigh   

n.大腿；股骨

参考例句：

• He is suffering from a strained thigh muscle.他的大腿肌肉拉伤了，疼得很。
• The thigh bone is connected to the hip bone.股骨连着髋骨。