Chapter 16 POIROT DISCUSSES THE CASE
Everybody looked respectfully at Poirot.
Undoubtedly1 the little man had scored heavily. The Commissary laughed - on a rather hollow note.
"You teach us all our business," he cried. "M. Poirot knows more than the police."
Poirot gazed
complacently2 at the ceiling, adopting a mock-modest air.
"What will you; it is my little hobby," he murmured, "to know things. Naturally I have the time to indulge it. I am not overburdened with affairs."
"Ah!" said the Commissary shaking his head
portentously3. "As for me -"
He made an exaggerated gesture to represent the cares that lay on his shoulders.
Poirot turned suddenly to Van Aldin.
"You agree, Monsieur, with this view? You feel certain that the Comte de la Roche is the murderer?"
"Why, it would seem so - yes, certain."
Something guarded in the answer made the Examining
Magistrate4
look at the American
curiously5. Van Aldin seemed aware of his
scrutiny6 and made an effort as though to shake off some preoccupation.
"What about my son-in-law?" he asked. "You have acquainted him with the news? He is in Nice, I understand."
"Certainly, Monsieur." The Commissary hesitated, and then murmured very
discreetly7:
"You are doubtless aware, M. Van Aldin, that M. Kettering was also one of the passengers on the Blue Train that night?"
The millionaire nodded.
"Heard it just before I left London," he
vouchsafed9 laconically10.
"He tells us," continued the Commissary, "that he had no idea his wife was travelling on the train."
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收听单词发音
1
undoubtedly
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adv.确实地,无疑地 |
参考例句: |
- It is undoubtedly she who has said that.这话明明是她说的。
- He is undoubtedly the pride of China.毫无疑问他是中国的骄傲。
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2
complacently
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adv. 满足地, 自满地, 沾沾自喜地 |
参考例句: |
- He complacently lived out his life as a village school teacher. 他满足于一个乡村教师的生活。
- "That was just something for evening wear," returned his wife complacently. “那套衣服是晚装,"他妻子心安理得地说道。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
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3
portentously
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参考例句: |
- The lamps had a portentously elastic swing with them. 那儿路面的街灯正带着一种不祥的弹性摇晃着呢! 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
- Louis surveyed me with his shrewd gray eyes and shook his head portentously. 鲁易用他狡猾的灰色眼睛打量着我,预示凶兆般地摇着头。 来自辞典例句
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4
magistrate
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n.地方行政官,地方法官,治安官 |
参考例句: |
- The magistrate committed him to prison for a month.法官判处他一个月监禁。
- John was fined 1000 dollars by the magistrate.约翰被地方法官罚款1000美元。
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5
curiously
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adv.有求知欲地;好问地;奇特地 |
参考例句: |
- He looked curiously at the people.他好奇地看着那些人。
- He took long stealthy strides. His hands were curiously cold.他迈着悄没声息的大步。他的双手出奇地冷。
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6
scrutiny
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n.详细检查,仔细观察 |
参考例句: |
- His work looks all right,but it will not bear scrutiny.他的工作似乎很好,但是经不起仔细检查。
- Few wives in their forties can weather such a scrutiny.很少年过四十的妻子经得起这么仔细的观察。
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7
discreetly
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ad.(言行)审慎地,慎重地 |
参考例句: |
- He had only known the perennial widow, the discreetly expensive Frenchwoman. 他只知道她是个永远那么年轻的寡妇,一个很会讲排场的法国女人。
- Sensing that Lilian wanted to be alone with Celia, Andrew discreetly disappeared. 安德鲁觉得莉莲想同西莉亚单独谈些什么,有意避开了。
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8
discreet
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adj.(言行)谨慎的;慎重的;有判断力的 |
参考例句: |
- He is very discreet in giving his opinions.发表意见他十分慎重。
- It wasn't discreet of you to ring me up at the office.你打电话到我办公室真是太鲁莽了。
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9
vouchsafed
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v.给予,赐予( vouchsafe的过去式和过去分词 );允诺 |
参考例句: |
- He vouchsafed to me certain family secrets. 他让我知道了某些家庭秘密。
- The significance of the event does, indeed, seem vouchsafed. 这个事件看起来确实具有重大意义。 来自辞典例句
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10
laconically
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adv.简短地,简洁地 |
参考例句: |
- "I have a key,'said Rhett laconically, and his eyes met Melanie's evenly. "我有钥匙,"瑞德直截了当说。他和媚兰的眼光正好相遇。 来自飘(部分)
- 'says he's sick,'said Johnnie laconically. "他说他有玻"约翰尼要理不理的说。 来自飘(部分)
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11
mince
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n.切碎物;v.切碎,矫揉做作地说 |
参考例句: |
- Would you like me to mince the meat for you?你要我替你把肉切碎吗?
- Don't mince matters,but speak plainly.不要含糊其词,有话就直说吧。
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12
savagely
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adv. 野蛮地,残酷地 |
参考例句: |
- The roses had been pruned back savagely. 玫瑰被狠狠地修剪了一番。
- He snarled savagely at her. 他向她狂吼起来。
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13
fixed
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adj.固定的,不变的,准备好的;(计算机)固定的 |
参考例句: |
- Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗?
- Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定,我们就不应该随意改变。
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14
rumours
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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。
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15
judicially
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依法判决地,公平地 |
参考例句: |
- Geoffrey approached the line of horses and glanced judicially down the row. 杰弗里走进那栏马,用审视的目的目光一匹接一匹地望去。
- Not all judicially created laws are based on statutory or constitutional interpretation. 并不是所有的司法机关创制的法都以是以成文法或宪法的解释为基础的。
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16
spoke
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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。
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17
tune
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n.调子;和谐,协调;v.调音,调节,调整 |
参考例句: |
- He'd written a tune,and played it to us on the piano.他写了一段曲子,并在钢琴上弹给我们听。
- The boy beat out a tune on a tin can.那男孩在易拉罐上敲出一首曲子。
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18
awakening
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n.觉醒,醒悟 adj.觉醒中的;唤醒的 |
参考例句: |
- the awakening of interest in the environment 对环境产生的兴趣
- People are gradually awakening to their rights. 人们正逐渐意识到自己的权利。
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19
enchanted
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adj. 被施魔法的,陶醉的,入迷的
动词enchant的过去式和过去分词 |
参考例句: |
- She was enchanted by the flowers you sent her. 她非常喜欢你送给她的花。
- He was enchanted by the idea. 他为这个主意而欣喜若狂。
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20
retired
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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。
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21
compartment
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n.卧车包房,隔间;分隔的空间 |
参考例句: |
- We were glad to have the whole compartment to ourselves.真高兴,整个客车隔间由我们独享。
- The batteries are safely enclosed in a watertight compartment.电池被安全地置于一个防水的隔间里。
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22
perfectly
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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。
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23
shrugged
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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》
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24
devoted
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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。
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25
incapable
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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。
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solicitors
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初级律师( solicitor的名词复数 ) |
参考例句: |
- Most solicitors in England and Wales are in private practice . 英格兰和威尔士的大多数律师都是私人执业者。
- The family has instructed solicitors to sue Thomson for compensation. 那家人已经指示律师起诉汤姆森,要求赔偿。
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impudent
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adj.鲁莽的,卑鄙的,厚颜无耻的 |
参考例句: |
- She's tolerant toward those impudent colleagues.她对那些无礼的同事采取容忍的态度。
- The teacher threatened to kick the impudent pupil out of the room.老师威胁着要把这无礼的小学生撵出教室。
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28
growled
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v.(动物)发狺狺声, (雷)作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 );低声咆哮着说 |
参考例句: |
- \"They ought to be birched, \" growled the old man. 老人咆哮道:“他们应受到鞭打。” 来自《简明英汉词典》
- He growled out an answer. 他低声威胁着回答。 来自《简明英汉词典》
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29
unwillingly
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adv.不情愿地 |
参考例句: |
- He submitted unwillingly to his mother. 他不情愿地屈服于他母亲。
- Even when I call, he receives unwillingly. 即使我登门拜访,他也是很不情愿地接待我。
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hesitation
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n.犹豫,踌躇 |
参考例句: |
- After a long hesitation, he told the truth at last.踌躇了半天,他终于直说了。
- There was a certain hesitation in her manner.她的态度有些犹豫不决。
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succinctly
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adv.简洁地;简洁地,简便地 |
参考例句: |
- He writes simply and succinctly, rarely adding too much adornment. 他的写作风格朴实简练,很少添加饰词。 来自互联网
- No matter what question you are asked, answer it honestly and succinctly. 总之,不管你在面试中被问到什么问题,回答都要诚实而简明。 来自互联网
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recording
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n.录音,记录 |
参考例句: |
- How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间?
- I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。
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meditation
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n.熟虑,(尤指宗教的)默想,沉思,(pl.)冥想录 |
参考例句: |
- This peaceful garden lends itself to meditation.这个恬静的花园适于冥想。
- I'm sorry to interrupt your meditation.很抱歉,我打断了你的沉思。
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