Hercule Poirot's Christmas: A Hercule Poirot Mystery波洛圣诞探案记
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PART THREE DECEMBER 24TH V

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V
“Nothing like a wood fire,” said Colonel Johnson as he threw on an additional log and then drew
his chair nearer to the blaze. “Help yourself,” he added, hospitably1 calling attention to the tantalus
and siphon that stood near his guest’s elbow.
The guest raised a polite hand in negation2. Cautiously he edged his own chair nearer to the
blazing logs, though he was of the opinion that the opportunity for roasting the soles of one’s feet
(like some mediaeval torture) did not offset3 the cold draught4 that swirled5 round the back of the
shoulders.
Colonel Johnson, Chief Constable6 of Middleshire, might be of the opinion that nothing could
beat a wood fire, but Hercule Poirot was of the opinion that central heating could and did every
time!
“Amazing business that Cartwright case,” remarked the host reminiscently. “Amazing man!
Enormous charm of manner. Why, when he came here with you, he had us all eating out of his
hand.”
He shook his head.
“We’ll never have anything like that case!” he said. “Nicotine poisoning is rare, fortunately.”
“There was a time when you would have considered all poisoning unEnglish,” suggested
Hercule Poirot. “A device of foreigners! Unsportsmanlike!”
“I hardly think we could say that,” said the chief constable. “Plenty of poisoning by arsenic—
probably a good deal more than has ever been suspected.”
“Possibly, yes.”
“Always an awkward business, a poisoning case,” said Johnson. “Conflicting testimony7 of
the experts—then doctors are usually so extremely cautious in what they say. Always a difficult
case to take to a jury. No, if one must have murder (which heaven forbid!) give me a

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1 hospitably 2cccc8bd2e0d8b1720a33145cbff3993     
亲切地，招待周到地，善于款待地
参考例句：
  • At Peking was the Great Khan, and they were hospitably entertained. 忽必烈汗在北京，他们受到了盛情款待。
  • She was received hospitably by her new family. 她的新家人热情地接待了她。
2 negation q50zu     
n.否定；否认
参考例句：
  • No reasonable negation can be offered.没有合理的反对意见可以提出。
  • The author boxed the compass of negation in his article.该作者在文章中依次探讨了各种反面的意见。
3 offset mIZx8     
n.分支，补偿；v.抵消，补偿
参考例句：
  • Their wage increases would be offset by higher prices.他们增加的工资会被物价上涨所抵消。
  • He put up his prices to offset the increased cost of materials.他提高了售价以补偿材料成本的增加。
4 draught 7uyzIH     
n.拉，牵引，拖；一网（饮，吸，阵)；顿服药量，通风；v.起草，设计
参考例句：
  • He emptied his glass at one draught.他将杯中物一饮而尽。
  • It's a pity the room has no north window and you don't get a draught.可惜这房间没北窗，没有过堂风。
5 swirled eb40fca2632f9acaecc78417fd6adc53     
v.旋转，打旋( swirl的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • The waves swirled and eddied around the rocks. 波浪翻滚着在岩石周围打旋。
  • The water swirled down the drain. 水打着旋流进了下水道。
6 constable wppzG     
n.(英国)警察，警官
参考例句：
  • The constable conducted the suspect to the police station.警官把嫌疑犯带到派出所。
  • The constable kept his temper,and would not be provoked.那警察压制着自己的怒气，不肯冒起火来。
7 testimony zpbwO     
n.证词；见证，证明
参考例句：
  • The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
  • He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。
8 straightforward fFfyA     
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。
9 ambiguity 9xWzT     
n.模棱两可；意义不明确
参考例句：
  • The telegram was misunderstood because of its ambiguity.由于电文意义不明确而造成了误解。
  • Her answer was above all ambiguity.她的回答毫不含糊。
10 skull CETyO     
n.头骨；颅骨
参考例句：
  • The skull bones fuse between the ages of fifteen and twenty-five.头骨在15至25岁之间长合。
  • He fell out of the window and cracked his skull.他从窗子摔了出去，跌裂了颅骨。
11 goodwill 4fuxm     
n.善意，亲善，信誉，声誉
参考例句：
  • His heart is full of goodwill to all men.他心里对所有人都充满着爱心。
  • We paid ￡10,000 for the shop,and ￡2000 for its goodwill.我们用一万英镑买下了这家商店，两千英镑买下了它的信誉。
12 sentimental dDuzS     
adj.多愁善感的，感伤的
参考例句：
  • She's a sentimental woman who believes marriage comes by destiny.她是多愁善感的人，她相信姻缘命中注定。
  • We were deeply touched by the sentimental movie.我们深深被那感伤的电影所感动。
13 stoutly Xhpz3l     
adv.牢固地，粗壮的
参考例句：
  • He stoutly denied his guilt.他断然否认自己有罪。
  • Burgess was taxed with this and stoutly denied it.伯杰斯为此受到了责难，但是他自己坚决否认有这回事。
14 irritability oR0zn     
n.易怒
参考例句：
  • It was the almost furtive restlessness and irritability that had possessed him. 那是一种一直纠缠着他的隐秘的不安和烦恼。
  • All organisms have irritability while alive. 所有生物体活着时都有应激性。
15 hatchet Dd0zr     
n.短柄小斧；v.扼杀
参考例句：
  • I shall have to take a hatchet to that stump.我得用一把短柄斧来劈这树桩。
  • Do not remove a fly from your friend's forehead with a hatchet.别用斧头拍打朋友额头上的苍蝇。
16 amiable hxAzZ     
adj.和蔼可亲的，友善的，亲切的
参考例句：
  • She was a very kind and amiable old woman.她是个善良和气的老太太。
  • We have a very amiable companionship.我们之间存在一种友好的关系。
17 hypocrisy g4qyt     
n.伪善，虚伪
参考例句：
  • He railed against hypocrisy and greed.他痛斥伪善和贪婪的行为。
  • He accused newspapers of hypocrisy in their treatment of the story.他指责了报纸在报道该新闻时的虚伪。
18 honourable honourable     
adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的
参考例句：
  • I don't think I am worthy of such an honourable title.这样的光荣称号，我可担当不起。
  • I hope to find an honourable way of settling difficulties.我希望设法找到一个体面的办法以摆脱困境。
19 motif mEvxX     
n.(图案的)基本花纹，(衣服的)花边；主题
参考例句：
  • Alienation is a central motif in her novels.疏离感是她小说的一个重要的主题。
  • The jacket has a rose motif on the collar.这件夹克衫领子上有一朵玫瑰花的图案。
20 cataclysm NcQyH     
n.洪水，剧变，大灾难
参考例句：
  • The extinct volcano's eruption would mean a cataclysm for the city.死火山又重新喷发，对这座城市来说意味着大难临头。
  • The cataclysm flooded the entire valley.洪水淹没了整个山谷。
21 grumbled ed735a7f7af37489d7db1a9ef3b64f91     
抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声
参考例句：
  • He grumbled at the low pay offered to him. 他抱怨给他的工资低。
  • The heat was sweltering, and the men grumbled fiercely over their work. 天热得让人发昏，水手们边干活边发着牢骚。
22 superintendent vsTwV     
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。
23 perturbed 7lnzsL     
adj.烦燥不安的v.使（某人）烦恼，不安( perturb的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • I am deeply perturbed by the alarming way the situation developing. 我对形势令人忧虑的发展深感不安。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Mother was much perturbed by my illness. 母亲为我的病甚感烦恼不安。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
24 eyebrows a0e6fb1330e9cfecfd1c7a4d00030ed5     
眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • Eyebrows stop sweat from coming down into the eyes. 眉毛挡住汗水使其不能流进眼睛。
  • His eyebrows project noticeably. 他的眉毛特别突出。
25 perfectly 8Mzxb     
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。
26 brutal bSFyb     
adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的
参考例句：
  • She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
  • They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。
27 gadget Hffz0     
n.小巧的机械，精巧的装置，小玩意儿
参考例句：
  • This gadget isn't much good.这小机械没什么用处。
  • She has invented a nifty little gadget for undoing stubborn nuts and bolts.她发明了一种灵巧的小工具用来松开紧固的螺母和螺栓。
28 machinery CAdxb     
n.(总称)机械，机器；机构
参考例句：
  • Has the machinery been put up ready for the broadcast?广播器材安装完毕了吗？
  • Machinery ought to be well maintained all the time.机器应该随时注意维护。
29 invalid V4Oxh     
n.病人，伤残人；adj.有病的，伤残的；无效的
参考例句：
  • He will visit an invalid.他将要去看望一个病人。
  • A passport that is out of date is invalid.护照过期是无效的。
30 painstaking 6A6yz     
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。
31 thoroughly sgmz0J     
adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地
参考例句：
  • The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。
  • The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。
32 consultant 2v0zp3     
n.顾问；会诊医师，专科医生
参考例句：
  • He is a consultant on law affairs to the mayor.他是市长的一个法律顾问。
  • Originally,Gar had agreed to come up as a consultant.原来，加尔只答应来充当我们的顾问。

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