CHAPTER 31 Cards on the Table

It was Poirot's moment, every face was turned to his in eager anticipation¹. "You are very kind," he said, smiling. "You know, I think, that I enjoy my little lecture. I am a prosy old fellow. "This case, to my mind, has been one of the most interesting cases I have ever come across. There was nothing, you see, to go upon. There were four people, one of whom must have committed the crime but which of the four? Was there anything to tell one? In the material sense--no. There were no tangible² clues---no fingerprints--no incriminating papers or documents. There were only--the people themselves. "And one tangible cluethe bridge scores. "You may remember that from the beginning I showed a particular interest in those scores. They told me something about the various people who had kept them and they did more. They gave me one valuable hint. I noticed at once, in the third rubber, the figure of 1500 above the line. That figure could only represent one thing--a call of grand slam. Now if a person were to make up their minds to commit a crime under these somewhat unusual circumstances (that is, during a rubber game of bridge) that person was clearly running two serious risks. The first was that the victim might cry out and the second was that even ffthe victim did not cry out some one of the other three might chance to look up at the psychological moment and actually witness the deed. "Now as to the first risk, nothing could be done about it. It was a matter of a gambler's luck. But something could be done about the second. It stands to reason. that during an interesting or an exciting hand the attention of the three players would be wholly on the game, whereas during a dull hand they were more likely to be looking about them. Now a bid of grand slam is always exciting. It is very often (as in this case it was) doubled. Every one of the three players is playing with close attention--the declarer to get his contract, the adversaries³ to discard correctly and to get him down. It was, then, a distinct possibility that the murder was committed during this particular hand and I determined⁴ to find out, if I could, exactly how the bidding had gone. I soon discovered that dummy5

首页  上一页 [1] [2]  [3]  下一页  尾页

点击收听单词发音  

1 anticipation
n.预期，预料，期望
参考例句：
We waited at the station in anticipation of her arrival.我们在车站等着，期待她的到来。 The animals grew restless as if in anticipation of an earthquake.各种动物都变得焦躁不安，像是感到了地震即将发生。

2 tangible
adj.有形的，可触摸的，确凿的，实际的
参考例句：
The policy has not yet brought any tangible benefits.这项政策还没有带来任何实质性的好处。 There is no tangible proof.没有确凿的证据。

3 adversaries
n.对手，敌手( adversary的名词复数 )
参考例句：
That would cause potential adversaries to recoil from a challenge. 这会迫使潜在的敌人在挑战面前退缩。 来自辞典例句 Every adversaries are more comfortable with a predictable, coherent America. 就连敌人也会因有可以预料的，始终一致的美国而感到舒服得多。 来自辞典例句

4 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。

5 dummy
n.假的东西；(哄婴儿的)橡皮奶头
参考例句：
The police suspect that the device is not a real bomb but a dummy.警方怀疑那个装置不是真炸弹，只是一个假货。 The boys played soldier with dummy swords made of wood.男孩们用木头做的假木剑玩打仗游戏。

6 improvised
a.即席而作的,即兴的
参考例句：
He improvised a song about the football team's victory. 他即席创作了一首足球队胜利之歌。 We improvised a tent out of two blankets and some long poles. 我们用两条毛毯和几根长竿搭成一个临时帐蓬。

7 entirely
ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地
参考例句：
The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。 His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

8 dagger
n.匕首，短剑，剑号
参考例句：
The bad news is a dagger to his heart.这条坏消息刺痛了他的心。 The murderer thrust a dagger into her heart.凶手将匕首刺进她的心脏。

9 superintendent
n.监督人，主管，总监；(英国)警务长
参考例句：
He was soon promoted to the post of superintendent of Foreign Trade.他很快就被擢升为对外贸易总监。 He decided to call the superintendent of the building.他决定给楼房管理员打电话。

10 inoculation
n.接芽；预防接种
参考例句：
Travellers are reminded that inoculation against yellow fever is advisable. 提醒旅游者接种预防黄热病的疫苗是明智的。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Travelers are reminded that inoculation against yellow fever is advisable. 旅客们被提醒，注射黄热病预防针是明智的。 来自辞典例句

11 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。

12 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。

13 motive
n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的
参考例句：
The police could not find a motive for the murder.警察不能找到谋杀的动机。 He had some motive in telling this fable.他讲这寓言故事是有用意的。

14 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。

15 scapegoat
n.替罪的羔羊，替人顶罪者；v.使…成为替罪羊
参考例句：
He has been made a scapegoat for the company's failures.他成了公司倒闭的替罪羊。 They ask me to join the party so that I'll be their scapegoat when trouble comes.他们想叫我入伙，出了乱子，好让我替他们垫背。

16 respiration
n.呼吸作用；一次呼吸；植物光合作用
参考例句：
They tried artificial respiration but it was of no avail.他们试做人工呼吸，可是无效。 They made frequent checks on his respiration,pulse and blood.他们经常检查他的呼吸、脉搏和血液。

17 straightforward
adj.正直的，坦率的；易懂的，简单的
参考例句：
A straightforward talk is better than a flowery speech.巧言不如直说。 I must insist on your giving me a straightforward answer.我一定要你给我一个直截了当的回答。

18 forgery
n.伪造的文件等，赝品，伪造（行为）
参考例句：
The painting was a forgery.这张画是赝品。 He was sent to prison for forgery.他因伪造罪而被关进监狱。

19 lulling
vt.使镇静，使安静（lull的现在分词形式）
参考例句：
Ellen closed her eyes and began praying, her voice rising and falling, lulling and soothing. 爱伦闭上眼睛开始祷告，声音时高时低，像催眠又像抚慰。 来自飘（部分）

20 promising
adj.有希望的，有前途的
参考例句：
The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。 We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

分享到：