Eight

Eight
(Extracts from the diary of Sir Eustace Pedler, MP)It is an extraordinary thing that I never seem to get any peace. I am a manwho likes a quiet life. I like my Club, my rubber of Bridge, a well-cookedmeal, a sound wine. I like England in the summer, and the Riviera in thewinter. I have no desire to participate in sensational¹ happenings. Some-times, in front of a good fire, I do not object to reading about them in thenewspaper. But that is as far as I am willing to go. My object in life is to bethoroughly comfortable. I have devoted² a certain amount of thought, anda considerable amount of money, to further that end. But I cannot say thatI always succeed. If things do not actually happen to me, they happenround me, and frequently, in spite of myself, I become involved. I hate be-ing involved.
All this because Guy Pagett came into my bedroom this morning with atelegram in his hand and a face as long as a mute at a funeral.
Guy Pagett is my secretary, a zealous³, painstaking⁴, hardworking fellow,admirable in every respect. I know no one who annoys me more. For along time I have been racking my brains as to how to get rid of him. Butyou cannot very well dismiss a secretary because he prefers work to play,likes getting up early in the morning, and has positively⁵ no vices⁶. The onlyamusing thing about the fellow is his face. He has the face of a fourteenth-century poisoner—the sort of man the Borgias got to do their odd jobs forthem.
I wouldn’t mind so much if Pagett didn’t make me work too. My idea ofwork is something that should be undertaken lightly and airily—trifledwith, in fact! I doubt if Guy Pagett has ever trifled with anything in his life.
He takes everything seriously. That is what makes him so difficult to livewith.
Last week I had the brilliant idea of sending him off to Florence. Hetalked about Florence and how much he wanted to go there.
“My dear fellow,” I cried, “You shall go tomorrow. I will pay all your ex-penses.”
January isn’t the usual time for going to Florence, but it would be all oneto Pagett. I could imagine him going about, guidebook in hand, religiouslydoing all the picture galleries. And a week’s freedom was cheap to me atthe price.
It has been a delightful⁷ week. I have done everything I wanted to, andnothing that I did not want to do. But when I blinked my eyes open, andperceived Pagett standing⁸ between me and the light at the unearthly hourof 9 am this morning, I realized that freedom was over.
“My dear fellow,” I said, “has the funeral already taken place, or is it forlater in the morning?”
Pagett does not appreciate dry humour. He merely stared.
“So you know, Sir Eustace?”
“Know what?” I said crossly. “From the expression on your face I in-ferred that one of your near and dear relatives was to be interred⁹ thismorning.”
Pagett ignored the sally as far as possible.
“I thought you couldn’t know about this.” He tapped the telegram. “Iknow you dislike being aroused early—but it is nine o’clock”—Pagett in-sists on regarding 9 am as practically the middle of the day —“and Ithought that under the circumstances—” He tapped the telegram again.
“What is that thing?” I asked.
“It’s a telegram from the police at Marlow. A woman has been murderedin your house.”
That aroused me in earnest.
“What colossal¹⁰ cheek,” I exclaimed. “Why in my house? Who murderedher?”
“They don’t say. I suppose we shall go back to England at once, Sir Eu-stace?”
“You need suppose nothing of the kind. Why should we go back?”
“The police—”
“What on earth have I to do with the police?”
“Well, it is your house.”
“That,” I said, “appears to be more my misfortune than my fault.”
Guy Pagett shook his head gloomily.
“It will have a very unfortunate effect upon the constituency,” he remarkedlugubriously.
I don’t see why it should have—and yet I have a feeling that in such mattersPagett’s instincts are always right. On the face of it, a Member of Parliamentwill be none the less efficient because a stray young woman comes and getsherself murdered in an empty house that belongs to him—but there is no ac-counting for the view the respectable British public takes of a matter.
“She’s a foreigner too, and that makes it worse,” continued Pagett gloomily.
Again I believe he is right. If it is disreputable to have a woman murdered inyour house, it becomes more disreputable if the woman is a foreigner. Anotheridea struck me.
“Good heavens,” I exclaimed, “I hope this won’t upset Caroline.”
Caroline is the lady who cooks for me. Incidentally she is the wife of mygardener. What kind of a wife she makes I do not know, but she is an excellentcook. James, on the other hand, is not a good gardener—but I support him inidleness and give him the lodge¹¹ to live in solely¹² on account of Caroline’s cook-ing.
“I don’t suppose she’ll stay after this,” said Pagett.
“You always were a cheerful fellow,” I said.
I expect I shall have to go back to England. Pagett clearly intends that Ishall. And there is Caroline to pacify¹³.
Three days later.
It is incredible to me that anyone who can get away from England in winterdoes not do so! It is an abominable¹⁴ climate. All this trouble is very annoying.
The house agents say it will be next to impossible to let the Mill House after allthe publicity¹⁵. Caroline has been pacified—with double pay. We could havesent her a cable to that effect from Cannes. In fact, as I have said all along,there was no earthly purpose to serve by our coming over. I shall go back to-morrow.
One day later.
Several very suprising things have occurred. To begin with, I met AugustusMilray, the most perfect example of an old ass¹⁶ the present Government hasproduced. His manner oozed¹⁷ diplomatic secrecy¹⁸ as he drew me aside in theClub into a quiet corner. He talked a good deal. About South Africa and theindustrial situation there. About the growing rumours¹⁹ of a strike on the Rand.
Of the secret causes actuating that strike. I listened as patiently as I could. Fi-nally, he dropped his voice to a whisper and explained that certain docu-ments had come to light which ought to be placed in the hands of GeneralSmuts.
“I’ve no doubt you’re quite right,” I said, stifling²⁰ a yawn.
“But how are we to get them to him? Our position in the matter is delicate—very delicate.”
“What’s wrong with the post?” I said cheerfully. “Put a two-penny stamp onand drop ’em in the nearest letter box.”
He seemed quite shocked at the suggestion.
“My dear Pedler! The common post!”
It has always been a mystery to me why Governments employ King’s Mes-sengers and draw such attention to their confidential²¹ documents.
“If you don’t like the post, send one of your own young fellows. He’ll enjoythe trip.”
“Impossible,” said Milray, wagging his head in a senile fashion. “There arereasons, my dear Pedler—I assure you there are reasons.”
“Well,” I said rising, “all this is very interesting, but I must be off—”
“One minute, my dear Pedler, one minute, I beg of you. Now tell me, in con-fidence, is it not true that you intend visiting South Africa shortly yourself?
You have large interests in Rhodesia, I know, and the question of Rhodesiajoining in the union is one in which you have a vital interest.”
“Well, I had thought of going out in about a month’s time.”
“You couldn’t possibly make it sooner? This month? This week, in fact?”
“I could,” I said, eyeing him with some interest. “But I don’t know that Iparticularly want to.”
“You would be doing the Government a great service—a very great service.
You would not find them—er—ungrateful.”
“Meaning, you want me to be the postman?”
“Exactly. Your position is an unofficial one, your journey is bona fide.
Everything would be eminently²² satisfactory.”
“Well,” I said slowly, “I don’t mind if I do. The one thing I am anxious to dois to get out of England again as soon as possible.”
“You will find the climate of South Africa delightful—quite delightful.”
“My dear fellow, I know all about the climate. I was out there shortly beforethe war.”
“I am really much obliged to you, Pedler. I will send you round the packageby messenger. To be placed in General Smuts’s own hands, you understand?
The Kilmorden Castle sails on Saturday—quite a good boat.”
I accompanied him a short way along Pall²³ Mall, before we parted. He shookme warmly by the hand, and thanked me again effusively²⁴. I walked home re-flecting on the curious byways of Governmental policy.
It was the following evening that Jarvis, my butler, informed me that a gen-tleman wished to see me on private business, but declined to give his name. Ihave always a lively apprehension²⁵ of insurance touts²⁶, so told Jarvis to say Icould not see him. Guy Pagett, unfortunately, when he might for once havebeen of real use, was laid up with a bilious²⁷ attack. These earnest, hardwork-ing young men with weak stomachs are always liable to bilious attacks.
Jarvis returned.
“The gentleman asked me to tell you, Sir Eustace, that he comes to you fromMr. Milray.”
That altered the complexion²⁸ of things. A few minutes later I was confront-ing my visitor in the library. He was a well-built young fellow with a deeplytanned face. A scar ran diagonally from the corner of his eye to the jaw²⁹, disfig-uring what would otherwise have been a handsome though somewhat recklesscountenance.
“Well,” I said, “what’s the matter?”
“Mr. Milray sent me to you, Sir Eustace. I am to accompany you to SouthAfrica as your secretary.”
“My dear fellow,” I said, “I’ve got a secretary already. I don’t want an-other.”
“I think you do, Sir Eustace. Where is your secretary now?”
“He’s down with a bilious attack,” I explained.
“You are sure it’s only a bilious attack?”
“Of course it is. He’s subject to them.”
My visitor smiled.
“It may or may not be a bilious attack. Time will show. But I can tell youthis, Sir Eustace, Mr. Milray would not be surprised if an attempt were madeto get your secretary out of the way. Oh, you need have no fear for yourself”—Isuppose a momentary³⁰ alarm had flickered³¹ across my face —“you are notthreatened. Your secretary out of the way, access to you would be easier. Inany case, Mr. Milray wishes me to accompany you. The passage money will beour affair, of course, but you will take the necessary steps about the passport,as though you had decided³² that you needed the services of a second secretary.”
He seemed a determined³³ young man. We stared at each other and he staredme down.
“Very well,” I said feebly.
“You will say nothing to anyone as to my accompanying you.”
“Very well,” I said again.
After all, perhaps it was better to have this fellow with me, but I had a pre-monition that I was getting into deep waters. Just when I thought I had at-tained peace!
I stopped my visitor as he was turning to depart.
“It might be just as well if I knew my new secretary’s name,” I observed sar-castically.
He considered for a minute.
“Harry Rayburn seems quite a suitable name,” he observed.
It was a curious way of putting it.
“Very well,” I said for the third time.

1 sensational   

adj.使人感动的，非常好的，轰动的，耸人听闻的

参考例句：

• Papers of this kind are full of sensational news reports.这类报纸满是耸人听闻的新闻报道。
• Their performance was sensational.他们的演出妙极了。

2 devoted   

adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的

参考例句：

• He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。

3 zealous   

adj.狂热的，热心的

参考例句：

• She made zealous efforts to clean up the classroom.她非常热心地努力清扫教室。
• She is a zealous supporter of our cause.她是我们事业的热心支持者。

4 painstaking   

adj.苦干的；艰苦的，费力的，刻苦的

参考例句：

• She is not very clever but she is painstaking.她并不很聪明，但肯下苦功夫。
• Through years of our painstaking efforts,we have at last achieved what we have today.大家经过多少年的努力，才取得今天的成绩。

5 positively   

adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实

参考例句：

• She was positively glowing with happiness.她满脸幸福。
• The weather was positively poisonous.这天气着实讨厌。

6 vices   

缺陷( vice的名词复数 )； 恶习； 不道德行为； 台钳

参考例句：

• In spite of his vices, he was loved by all. 尽管他有缺点，还是受到大家的爱戴。
• He vituperated from the pulpit the vices of the court. 他在教堂的讲坛上责骂宫廷的罪恶。

7 delightful   

adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的

参考例句：

• We had a delightful time by the seashore last Sunday.上星期天我们在海滨玩得真痛快。
• Peter played a delightful melody on his flute.彼得用笛子吹奏了一支欢快的曲子。

8 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

9 interred   

v.埋，葬( inter的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Marie Curie's remains were exhumed and interred in the Pantheon. 玛丽·居里的遗体被移出葬在先贤祠中。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The body was interred at the cemetery. 遗体埋葬在公墓里。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 colossal   

adj.异常的，庞大的

参考例句：

• There has been a colossal waste of public money.一直存在巨大的公款浪费。
• Some of the tall buildings in that city are colossal.那座城市里的一些高层建筑很庞大。

11 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。

12 solely   

adv.仅仅，唯一地

参考例句：

• Success should not be measured solely by educational achievement.成功与否不应只用学业成绩来衡量。
• The town depends almost solely on the tourist trade.这座城市几乎完全靠旅游业维持。

13 pacify   

vt.使(某人)平静(或息怒)；抚慰

参考例句：

• He tried to pacify the protesters with promises of reform.他试图以改革的承诺安抚抗议者。
• He tried to pacify his creditors by repaying part of the money.他为安抚债权人偿还了部分借款。

14 abominable   

adj.可厌的，令人憎恶的

参考例句：

• Their cruel treatment of prisoners was abominable.他们虐待犯人的做法令人厌恶。
• The sanitary conditions in this restaurant are abominable.这家饭馆的卫生状况糟透了。

15 publicity   

n.众所周知，闻名；宣传，广告

参考例句：

• The singer star's marriage got a lot of publicity.这位歌星的婚事引起了公众的关注。
• He dismissed the event as just a publicity gimmick.他不理会这件事，只当它是一种宣传手法。

16 ass   

n.驴；傻瓜，蠢笨的人

参考例句：

• He is not an ass as they make him.他不象大家猜想的那样笨。
• An ass endures his burden but not more than his burden.驴能负重但不能超过它能力所负担的。

17 oozed   

v.（浓液等）慢慢地冒出，渗出( ooze的过去式和过去分词 )；使（液体）缓缓流出；（浓液）渗出，慢慢流出

参考例句：

• Blood oozed out of the wound. 血从伤口慢慢流出来。
• Mud oozed from underground. 泥浆从地下冒出来。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

18 secrecy   

n.秘密，保密，隐蔽

参考例句：

• All the researchers on the project are sworn to secrecy.该项目的所有研究人员都按要求起誓保守秘密。
• Complete secrecy surrounded the meeting.会议在绝对机密的环境中进行。

19 rumours   

n.传闻( rumour的名词复数 )；风闻；谣言；谣传

参考例句：

• The rumours were completely baseless. 那些谣传毫无根据。
• Rumours of job losses were later confirmed. 裁员的传言后来得到了证实。

20 stifling   

a.令人窒息的

参考例句：

• The weather is stifling. It looks like rain. 今天太闷热，光景是要下雨。
• We were stifling in that hot room with all the windows closed. 我们在那间关着窗户的热屋子里，简直透不过气来。

21 confidential   

adj.秘（机）密的，表示信任的，担任机密工作的

参考例句：

• He refused to allow his secretary to handle confidential letters.他不让秘书处理机密文件。
• We have a confidential exchange of views.我们推心置腹地交换意见。

22 eminently   

adv.突出地；显著地；不寻常地

参考例句：

• She seems eminently suitable for the job. 她看来非常适合这个工作。
• It was an eminently respectable boarding school. 这是所非常好的寄宿学校。 来自《简明英汉词典》

23 pall   

v.覆盖，使平淡无味；n.柩衣，棺罩；棺材；帷幕

参考例句：

• Already the allure of meals in restaurants had begun to pall.饭店里的饭菜已经不像以前那样诱人。
• I find his books begin to pall on me after a while.我发觉他的书读过一阵子就开始对我失去吸引力。

24 effusively   

adv.变溢地，热情洋溢地

参考例句：

• We were effusively welcomed by the patron and his wife. 我们受到老板和他妻子的热忱欢迎。 来自辞典例句
• The critics praised her effusively. 评论家们热情洋溢地表扬了她。 来自互联网

25 apprehension   

n.理解，领悟；逮捕，拘捕；忧虑

参考例句：

• There were still areas of doubt and her apprehension grew.有些地方仍然存疑，于是她越来越担心。
• She is a girl of weak apprehension.她是一个理解力很差的女孩。

26 touts   

n.招徕( tout的名词复数 )；（音乐会、体育比赛等的）卖高价票的人；侦查者；探听赛马的情报v.兜售( tout的第三人称单数 )；招揽；侦查；探听赛马情报

参考例句：

• Many vouchers are returned for cash, allowing touts and middle men to make a healthy margin. 许多月饼券都被兑换成现金，这让券贩子和中间商赚取了不蜚的利润。 来自互联网
• Spotting prey, the customary crowd of hustlers and touts swarmed around, jostling for my business. 照例有大群的拉客黄牛在寻觅猎物，他们争相过来抢我的生意。 来自互联网

27 bilious   

adj.胆汁过多的；易怒的

参考例句：

• The quality or condition of being bilious.多脂肪食物使有些人患胆汁病。
• He was a bilious old gentleman.他是一位脾气乖戾的老先生。

28 complexion   

n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格

参考例句：

• Red does not suit with her complexion.红色与她的肤色不协调。
• Her resignation puts a different complexion on things.她一辞职局面就全变了。

29 jaw   

n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训

参考例句：

• He delivered a right hook to his opponent's jaw.他给了对方下巴一记右钩拳。
• A strong square jaw is a sign of firm character.强健的方下巴是刚毅性格的标志。

30 momentary   

adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的

参考例句：

• We are in momentary expectation of the arrival of you.我们无时无刻不在盼望你的到来。
• I caught a momentary glimpse of them.我瞥了他们一眼。

31 flickered   

（通常指灯光）闪烁，摇曳( flicker的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The lights flickered and went out. 灯光闪了闪就熄了。
• These lights flickered continuously like traffic lights which have gone mad. 这些灯象发狂的交通灯一样不停地闪动着。

32 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

33 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。