After the evening talk I have just chronicled, the affair seemed to me to enter on a different phase. The whole thing can be divided into two parts, each clear and distinct from the other. Part I. ranges from Ackroyd’s death on the Friday evening to the following Monday night. It is the straight-forward narrative¹ of what occurred, as presented to Hercule Poirot. I was at Poirot’s elbow the whole time. I saw what he saw. I tried my best to read his mind. As I know now, I failed in this latter task. Though Poirot showed me all his discoveries—as, for instance, the gold wedding-ring—he held back the vital and yet logical impressions that he formed. As I came to know later, this secrecy² was characteristic of him. He would throw out hints and suggestions, but beyond that he would not go.

 

As I say, up till the Monday evening, my narrative might have been that of Poirot himself. I played Watson to his Sherlock. But after Monday our ways diverged³. Poirot was busy on his own account. I got to hear of what he was doing, because, in King’s Abbot, you get to hear of everything, but he did not take me into his confidence beforehand. And I, too, had my own preoccupations.

 

166

 

On looking back, the thing that strikes me most is the piecemeal⁴ character of this period. Every one had a hand in the elucidation⁵ of the mystery. It was rather like a jig-saw puzzle to which every one contributed their own little piece of knowledge or discovery. But their task ended there. To Poirot alone belongs the renown⁶ of fitting those pieces into their correct place.

 

Some of the incidents seemed at the time irrelevant⁷ and unmeaning. There was, for instance, the question of the black boots. But that comes later.... To take things strictly

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1 narrative
n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的
参考例句：
He was a writer of great narrative power.他是一位颇有记述能力的作家。 Neither author was very strong on narrative.两个作者都不是很善于讲故事。

2 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。

3 diverged
分开( diverge的过去式和过去分词 )； 偏离； 分歧； 分道扬镳
参考例句：
Who knows when we'll meet again? 不知几时咱们能再见面！ At what time do you get up? 你几时起床？

4 piecemeal
adj.零碎的；n.片，块；adv.逐渐地；v.弄成碎块
参考例句：
A lack of narrative drive leaves the reader with piecemeal vignettes.叙述缺乏吸引力，读者读到的只是一些支离破碎的片段。 Let's settle the matter at one stroke,not piecemeal.把这事一气儿解决了吧，别零敲碎打了。

5 elucidation
n.说明，阐明
参考例句：
The advertising copy is the elucidation text,which must be written according to the formula of AIDA. 文案是说明文，应基本遵照AIDA公式来写作。 来自互联网 Fourth, a worm hole, elucidation space-time can stretch, compression, rent, also is deduced time-travel this idea. 第四，有了虫洞，就说明时空可以被拉伸、压缩、撕裂，也就推导出了时空旅行这个想法。 来自互联网

6 renown
n.声誉，名望
参考例句：
His renown has spread throughout the country.他的名声已传遍全国。 She used to be a singer of some renown.她曾是位小有名气的歌手。

7 irrelevant
adj.不恰当的，无关系的，不相干的
参考例句：
That is completely irrelevant to the subject under discussion.这跟讨论的主题完全不相关。 A question about arithmetic is irrelevant in a music lesson.在音乐课上，一个数学的问题是风马牛不相及的。

8 strictly
adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地
参考例句：
His doctor is dieting him strictly.他的医生严格规定他的饮食。 The guests were seated strictly in order of precedence.客人严格按照地位高低就座。

9 chronological
adj.按年月顺序排列的，年代学的
参考例句：
The paintings are exhibited in chronological sequence.这些画是按创作的时间顺序展出的。 Give me the dates in chronological order.把日期按年月顺序给我。

10 etiquette
n.礼仪，礼节；规矩
参考例句：
The rules of etiquette are not so strict nowadays.如今的礼仪规则已不那么严格了。 According to etiquette,you should stand up to meet a guest.按照礼节你应该站起来接待客人。

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 spoke
n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说
参考例句：
They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。 The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

13 geniality
n.和蔼，诚恳；愉快
参考例句：
They said he is a pitiless,cold-blooded fellow,with no geniality in him.他们说他是个毫无怜悯心、一点也不和蔼的冷血动物。 Not a shade was there of anything save geniality and kindness.他的眼神里只显出愉快与和气，看不出一丝邪意。

14 practitioners
n.习艺者，实习者( practitioner的名词复数 )；从业者（尤指医师）
参考例句：
one of the greatest practitioners of science fiction 最了不起的科幻小说家之一 The technique is experimental, but the list of its practitioners is growing. 这种技术是试验性的，但是采用它的人正在增加。 来自辞典例句

15 prostrated
v.使俯伏，使拜倒( prostrate的过去式和过去分词 )；（指疾病、天气等）使某人无能为力
参考例句：
He was prostrated by the loss of his wife. 他因丧妻而忧郁。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》 They prostrated themselves before the emperor. 他们拜倒在皇帝的面前。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 precluded
v.阻止( preclude的过去式和过去分词 )；排除；妨碍；使…行不通
参考例句：
Abdication is precluded by the lack of a possible successor. 因为没有可能的继承人，让位无法实现。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The bad weather precluded me from attending the meeting. 恶劣的天气使我不能出席会议。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

17 tonic
n./adj.滋补品，补药，强身的，健体的
参考例句：
It will be marketed as a tonic for the elderly.这将作为老年人滋补品在市场上销售。 Sea air is Nature's best tonic for mind and body.海上的空气是大自然赋予的对人们身心的最佳补品。

18 incapable
adj.无能力的，不能做某事的
参考例句：
He would be incapable of committing such a cruel deed.他不会做出这么残忍的事。 Computers are incapable of creative thought.计算机不会创造性地思维。

19 tortuous
adj.弯弯曲曲的，蜿蜒的
参考例句：
We have travelled a tortuous road.我们走过了曲折的道路。 They walked through the tortuous streets of the old city.他们步行穿过老城区中心弯弯曲曲的街道。

20 bullying
v.恐吓，威逼( bully的现在分词 )；豪；跋扈
参考例句：
Many cases of bullying go unreported . 很多恐吓案件都没有人告发。 All cases of bullying will be severely dealt with. 所有以大欺小的情况都将受到严肃处理。 来自《简明英汉词典》

21 concealing
v.隐藏，隐瞒，遮住( conceal的现在分词 )
参考例句：
Despite his outward display of friendliness, I sensed he was concealing something. 尽管他表现得友善，我还是感觉到他有所隐瞒。 来自《简明英汉词典》 SHE WAS BREAKING THE COMPACT, AND CONCEALING IT FROM HIM. 她违反了他们之间的约定，还把他蒙在鼓里。 来自英汉文学 - 三万元遗产

22 glimmering
n.微光，隐约的一瞥adj.薄弱地发光的v.发闪光，发微光( glimmer的现在分词 )
参考例句：
I got some glimmering of what he was driving at. 他这么说是什么意思，我有点明白了。 来自辞典例句 Now that darkness was falling, only their silhouettes were outlined against the faintly glimmering sky. 这时节两山只剩余一抹深黑，赖天空微明为画出一个轮廓。 来自汉英文学 - 散文英译

23 inspector
n.检查员，监察员，视察员
参考例句：
The inspector was interested in everything pertaining to the school.视察员对有关学校的一切都感兴趣。 The inspector was shining a flashlight onto the tickets.查票员打着手电筒查看车票。

24 perfectly
adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地
参考例句：
The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。 Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

25 flora
n.(某一地区的)植物群
参考例句：
The subtropical island has a remarkably rich native flora.这个亚热带岛屿有相当丰富的乡土植物种类。 All flora need water and light.一切草木都需要水和阳光。

26 shrugged
vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式）
参考例句：
Sam shrugged and said nothing. 萨姆耸耸肩膀，什么也没说。 She shrugged, feigning nonchalance. 她耸耸肩，装出一副无所谓的样子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

27 justified
a.正当的，有理的
参考例句：
She felt fully justified in asking for her money back. 她认为有充分的理由要求退款。 The prisoner has certainly justified his claims by his actions. 那个囚犯确实已用自己的行动表明他的要求是正当的。

28 premises
n.建筑物，房屋
参考例句：
According to the rules,no alcohol can be consumed on the premises.按照规定，场内不准饮酒。 All repairs are done on the premises and not put out.全部修缮都在家里进行，不用送到外面去做。

29 abrupt
adj.突然的，意外的；唐突的，鲁莽的
参考例句：
The river takes an abrupt bend to the west.这河突然向西转弯。 His abrupt reply hurt our feelings.他粗鲁的回答伤了我们的感情。

30 dab
v.轻触，轻拍，轻涂；n.(颜料等的)轻涂
参考例句：
She returned wearing a dab of rouge on each cheekbone.她回来时，两边面颊上涂有一点淡淡的胭脂。 She gave me a dab of potatoes with my supper.她给我晚饭时，还给了一点土豆。

31 condole
v.同情；慰问
参考例句：
We condole with him on his loss.我们对他的损失深表同情。 I condole with you.We have lost a most dear and valuable relation.我向你表示唁慰，我们失去了一位最可爱的、最可贵的亲人。

32 peculiarity
n.独特性，特色；特殊的东西；怪癖
参考例句：
Each country has its own peculiarity.每个国家都有自己的独特之处。 The peculiarity of this shop is its day and nigth service.这家商店的特点是昼夜服务。

33 peculiar
adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的
参考例句：
He walks in a peculiar fashion.他走路的样子很奇特。 He looked at me with a very peculiar expression.他用一种很奇怪的表情看着我。

34 wreck
n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难
参考例句：
Weather may have been a factor in the wreck.天气可能是造成这次失事的原因之一。 No one can wreck the friendship between us.没有人能够破坏我们之间的友谊。

35 scotch
n.伤口，刻痕；苏格兰威士忌酒；v.粉碎，消灭，阻止；adj.苏格兰(人)的
参考例句：
Facts will eventually scotch these rumours.这种谣言在事实面前将不攻自破。 Italy was full of fine views and virtually empty of Scotch whiskey.意大利多的是美景，真正缺的是苏格兰威士忌。

36 ancestry
n.祖先，家世
参考例句：
Their ancestry settled the land in 1856.他们的祖辈1856年在这块土地上定居下来。 He is an American of French ancestry.他是法国血统的美国人。

37 impulsive
adj.冲动的，刺激的；有推动力的
参考例句：
She is impulsive in her actions.她的行为常出于冲动。 He was neither an impulsive nor an emotional man,but a very honest and sincere one.他不是个一冲动就鲁莽行事的人，也不多愁善感.他为人十分正直、诚恳。

38 sufficiently
adv.足够地，充分地
参考例句：
It turned out he had not insured the house sufficiently.原来他没有给房屋投足保险。 The new policy was sufficiently elastic to accommodate both views.新政策充分灵活地适用两种观点。

39 subterfuges
n.（用说谎或欺骗以逃脱责备、困难等的）花招，遁词( subterfuge的名词复数 )
参考例句：

40 subterfuge
n.诡计；藉口
参考例句：
European carping over the phraseology represented a mixture of hypocrisy and subterfuge.欧洲在措词上找岔子的做法既虚伪又狡诈。 The Independents tried hard to swallow the wretched subterfuge.独立党的党员们硬着头皮想把这一拙劣的托词信以为真。

41 specks
n.眼镜；斑点，微粒，污点( speck的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Minutes later Brown spotted two specks in the ocean. 几分钟后布朗发现海洋中有两个小点。 来自英汉非文学 - 百科语料821 Do you ever seem to see specks in front of your eyes? 你眼睛前面曾似乎看见过小点吗？ 来自辞典例句

42 aprons
围裙( apron的名词复数 )； 停机坪，台口（舞台幕前的部份）
参考例句：
Many people like to wear aprons while they are cooking. 许多人做饭时喜欢系一条围裙。 The chambermaid in our corridor wears blue checked gingham aprons. 给我们扫走廊的清洁女工围蓝格围裙。

43 scruples
n.良心上的不安( scruple的名词复数 )；顾虑，顾忌v.感到于心不安，有顾忌( scruple的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
I overcame my moral scruples. 我抛开了道德方面的顾虑。 I'm not ashamed of my scruples about your family. They were natural. 我并未因为对你家人的顾虑而感到羞耻。这种感觉是自然而然的。 来自疯狂英语突破英语语调

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