Twenty
THE GIRL HELEN
G iles and Gwenda had just finished breakfast on the morning after their return from Northumberland when MissMarple was announced. She came rather apologetically.
“I’m afraid this is a very early call. Not a thing I am in the habit of doing. But there was something I wanted toexplain.”
“We’re delighted to see you,” said Giles, pulling out a chair for her. “Do have a cup of coffee.”
“Oh no, no, thank you—nothing at all. I have breakfasted most adequately. Now let me explain. I came in whilstyou were away, as you kindly¹ said I might, to do a little weeding—”
“Angelic of you,” said Gwenda.
“And it really did strike me that two days a week is not quite enough for this garden. In any case I think Foster istaking advantage of you. Too much tea and too much talk. I found out that he couldn’t manage another day himself, soI took it upon myself to engage another man just for one day a week—Wednesdays—today, in fact.”
Giles looked at her curiously². He was a little surprised. It might be kindly meant, but Miss Marple’s actionsavoured, very faintly, of interference. And interference was unlike her.
He said slowly: “Foster’s far too old, I know, for really hard work.”
“I’m afraid, Mr. Reed, that Manning is even older. Seventy-five, he tells me. But you see, I thought employing him,just for a few odd days, might be quite an advantageous³ move, because he used, many years ago, to be employed atDr. Kennedy’s. The name of the young man Helen got engaged to was Afflick, by the way.”
“Miss Marple,” said Giles, “I maligned⁴ you in thought. You are a genius. You know I’ve got those specimens⁵ ofHelen’s handwriting from Kennedy?”
“I know. I was here when he brought them.”
“I’m posting them off today. I got the address of a good handwriting expert last week.”
“Let’s go into the garden and see Manning,” said Gwenda.
Manning was a bent

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1 kindly
adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地
参考例句：
Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。 A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。

2 curiously
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。

3 advantageous
adj.有利的；有帮助的
参考例句：
Injections of vitamin C are obviously advantageous.注射维生素C显然是有利的。 You're in a very advantageous position.你处于非常有利的地位。

4 maligned
vt.污蔑，诽谤（malign的过去式与过去分词形式）
参考例句：
She feels she has been much maligned by the press. 她觉得她遭到了新闻界的恣意诽谤。 We maligned him dreadfully when you come to think of it. 回头想想，我们狠狠地中伤了他。 来自辞典例句

5 specimens
n.样品( specimen的名词复数 )；范例；（化验的）抽样；某种类型的人
参考例句：
Astronauts have brought back specimens of rock from the moon. 宇航员从月球带回了岩石标本。 The traveler brought back some specimens of the rocks from the mountains. 那位旅行者从山上带回了一些岩石标本。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 bent
n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的
参考例句：
He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。 We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

7 shameful
adj.可耻的，不道德的
参考例句：
It is very shameful of him to show off.他向人炫耀自己，真不害臊。 We must expose this shameful activity to the newspapers.我们一定要向报社揭露这一无耻行径。

8 snipped
v.剪( snip的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He snipped off the corner of the packet. 他将包的一角剪了下来。 来自辞典例句 The police officer snipped the tape and untied the hostage. 警方把胶带剪断，松绑了人质。 来自互联网

9 leisurely
adj.悠闲的；从容的，慢慢的
参考例句：
We walked in a leisurely manner,looking in all the windows.我们慢悠悠地走着，看遍所有的橱窗。 He had a leisurely breakfast and drove cheerfully to work.他从容的吃了早餐，高兴的开车去工作。

10 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。

11 whitewash
v.粉刷，掩饰；n.石灰水，粉刷，掩饰
参考例句：
They tried hard to whitewash themselves.他们力图粉饰自己。 What he said was a load of whitewash.他所说的是一大堆粉饰之词。

12 dressing
n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料
参考例句：
Don't spend such a lot of time in dressing yourself.别花那么多时间来打扮自己。 The children enjoy dressing up in mother's old clothes.孩子们喜欢穿上妈妈旧时的衣服玩。

13 casually
adv.漠不关心地，无动于衷地，不负责任地
参考例句：
She remarked casually that she was changing her job.她当时漫不经心地说要换工作。 I casually mentioned that I might be interested in working abroad.我不经意地提到我可能会对出国工作感兴趣。

14 chuckled
轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
She chuckled at the memory. 想起这件事她就暗自发笑。 She chuckled softly to herself as she remembered his astonished look. 想起他那惊讶的表情，她就轻轻地暗自发笑。

15 grudge
n.不满，怨恨，妒嫉；vt.勉强给，不情愿做
参考例句：
I grudge paying so much for such inferior goods.我不愿花这么多钱买次品。 I do not grudge him his success.我不嫉妒他的成功。

16 insistence
n.坚持；强调；坚决主张
参考例句：
They were united in their insistence that she should go to college.他们一致坚持她应上大学。 His insistence upon strict obedience is correct.他坚持绝对服从是对的。

17 attentively
adv.聚精会神地；周到地；谛；凝神
参考例句：
She listened attentively while I poured out my problems. 我倾吐心中的烦恼时，她一直在注意听。 来自《简明英汉词典》 She listened attentively and set down every word he said. 她专心听着，把他说的话一字不漏地记下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

18 tragic
adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的
参考例句：
The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。 Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

19 jealousy
n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌
参考例句：
Some women have a disposition to jealousy.有些女人生性爱妒忌。 I can't support your jealousy any longer.我再也无法忍受你的嫉妒了。

20 treasurer
n.司库，财务主管
参考例句：
Mr. Smith was succeeded by Mrs.Jones as treasurer.琼斯夫人继史密斯先生任会计。 The treasurer was arrested for trying to manipulate the company's financial records.财务主管由于试图窜改公司财政帐目而被拘留。

21 disapproved
v.不赞成( disapprove的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
My parents disapproved of my marriage. 我父母不赞成我的婚事。 来自《简明英汉词典》 She disapproved of her son's indiscriminate television viewing. 她不赞成儿子不加选择地收看电视。 来自《简明英汉词典》

22 racing
n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的
参考例句：
I was watching the racing on television last night.昨晚我在电视上看赛马。 The two racing drivers fenced for a chance to gain the lead.两个赛车手伺机竞相领先。

23 gambling
n.赌博；投机
参考例句：
They have won a lot of money through gambling.他们赌博赢了很多钱。 The men have been gambling away all night.那些人赌了整整一夜。

24 proprietor
n.所有人；业主；经营者
参考例句：
The proprietor was an old acquaintance of his.业主是他的一位旧相识。 The proprietor of the corner grocery was a strange thing in my life.拐角杂货店店主是我生活中的一个怪物。