Fourteen
“And now, please, Tony, will you tell me all about it?”
Iris¹ was lying on a sofa, and the valiant² November sunshine was making
a brave show outside the windows of Little Priors.
Anthony looked across at Colonel Race who was sitting on the win-
dowsill, and grinned engagingly:
“I don’t mind admitting, Iris, that I’ve been waiting for this moment. If I
don’t explain to someone soon how clever I’ve been, I shall burst. There
will be no modesty⁴ in this recital⁵. It will be shameless blowing of my own
trumpet⁶ with suitable pauses to enable you to say ‘Anthony, how clever of
you’ or ‘Tony, how wonderful’ or some phrase of a like nature. Ahem! The
performance will now begin. Here we go.
“The thing as a whole looked simple enough. What I mean is, that it
looked like a clear case of cause and effect. Rosemary’s death, accepted at
the time as suicide, was not suicide. George became suspicious, started in-
vestigating, was presumably getting near the truth, and before he could
unmask the murderer was, in his turn, murdered. The sequence, if I may
put it that way, seems perfectly⁷ clear.
“But almost at once we came across some apparent contradictions. Such
as: A. George could not be poisoned. B. George was poisoned. And: A.
Nobody touched George’s glass. B. George’s glass was tampered⁸ with.
“Actually I was overlooking a very significant fact—the varied⁹ use of the
possessive case. George’s ear is George’s ear indisputably because it is at-
tached to his head and cannot be removed without a surgical

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1 iris
n.虹膜，彩虹
参考例句：
The opening of the iris is called the pupil.虹膜的开口处叫做瞳孔。 This incredible human eye,complete with retina and iris,can be found in the Maldives.又是在马尔代夫，有这样一只难以置信的眼睛，连视网膜和虹膜都刻画齐全了。

2 valiant
adj.勇敢的，英勇的；n.勇士，勇敢的人
参考例句：
He had the fame of being very valiant.他的勇敢是出名的。 Despite valiant efforts by the finance minister,inflation rose to 36%.尽管财政部部长采取了一系列果决措施，通货膨胀率还是涨到了36%。

3 kin
n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的
参考例句：
He comes of good kin.他出身好。 She has gone to live with her husband's kin.她住到丈夫的亲戚家里去了。

4 modesty
n.谦逊，虚心，端庄，稳重，羞怯，朴素
参考例句：
Industry and modesty are the chief factors of his success.勤奋和谦虚是他成功的主要因素。 As conceit makes one lag behind,so modesty helps one make progress.骄傲使人落后，谦虚使人进步。

5 recital
n.朗诵，独奏会，独唱会
参考例句：
She is going to give a piano recital.她即将举行钢琴独奏会。 I had their total attention during the thirty-five minutes that my recital took.在我叙述的35分钟内，他们完全被我吸引了。

6 trumpet
n.喇叭，喇叭声；v.吹喇叭，吹嘘
参考例句：
He plays the violin, but I play the trumpet.他拉提琴，我吹喇叭。 The trumpet sounded for battle.战斗的号角吹响了。

7 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。

8 tampered
v.窜改( tamper的过去式 )；篡改；（用不正当手段）影响；瞎摆弄
参考例句：
The records of the meeting had been tampered with. 会议记录已被人擅自改动。 来自辞典例句 The old man's will has been tampered with. 老人的遗嘱已被窜改。 来自辞典例句

9 varied
adj.多样的，多变化的
参考例句：
The forms of art are many and varied.艺术的形式是多种多样的。 The hotel has a varied programme of nightly entertainment.宾馆有各种晚间娱乐活动。

10 surgical
adj.外科的，外科医生的，手术上的
参考例句：
He performs the surgical operations at the Red Cross Hospital.他在红十字会医院做外科手术。 All surgical instruments must be sterilised before use.所有的外科手术器械在使用之前，必须消毒。

11 illustrate
v.举例说明，阐明；图解，加插图
参考例句：
The company's bank statements illustrate its success.这家公司的银行报表说明了它的成功。 This diagram will illustrate what I mean.这个图表可说明我的意思。

12 pretext
n.借口，托词
参考例句：
He used his headache as a pretext for not going to school.他借口头疼而不去上学。 He didn't attend that meeting under the pretext of sickness.他以生病为借口，没参加那个会议。

13 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》

14 conjuring
n.魔术
参考例句：
Paul's very good at conjuring. 保罗很会变戏法。 The entertainer didn't fool us with his conjuring. 那个艺人变的戏法没有骗到我们。

15 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。

16 streak
n.条理，斑纹，倾向，少许，痕迹；v.加条纹，变成条纹，奔驰，快速移动
参考例句：
The Indians used to streak their faces with paint.印第安人过去常用颜料在脸上涂条纹。 Why did you streak the tree?你为什么在树上刻条纹？

17 neurotic
adj.神经病的，神经过敏的；n.神经过敏者，神经病患者
参考例句：
Nothing is more distracting than a neurotic boss. 没有什么比神经过敏的老板更恼人的了。 There are also unpleasant brain effects such as anxiety and neurotic behaviour.也会对大脑产生不良影响，如焦虑和神经质的行为。

18 climax
n.顶点；高潮；v.(使)达到顶点
参考例句：
The fifth scene was the climax of the play.第五场是全剧的高潮。 His quarrel with his father brought matters to a climax.他与他父亲的争吵使得事态发展到了顶点。

19 blotchy
adj.有斑点的，有污渍的；斑污
参考例句：
her blotchy and swollen face 她的布满斑点的浮肿的脸 Blotchy skin is a symptom of many skin diseases. 皮肤上出现污斑是许多皮肤病的症状。 来自互联网

20 complexion
n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格
参考例句：
Red does not suit with her complexion.红色与她的肤色不协调。 Her resignation puts a different complexion on things.她一辞职局面就全变了。

21 cocktail
n.鸡尾酒；餐前开胃小吃；混合物
参考例句：
We invited some foreign friends for a cocktail party.我们邀请了一些外国朋友参加鸡尾酒会。 At a cocktail party in Hollywood,I was introduced to Charlie Chaplin.在好莱坞的一次鸡尾酒会上，人家把我介绍给查理·卓别林。

22 makeup
n.组织；性格；化装品
参考例句：
Those who failed the exam take a makeup exam.这次考试不及格的人必须参加补考。 Do you think her beauty could makeup for her stupidity?你认为她的美丽能弥补她的愚蠢吗？

23 deftly
adv.灵巧地，熟练地，敏捷地
参考例句：
He deftly folded the typed sheets and replaced them in the envelope. 他灵巧地将打有字的纸折好重新放回信封。 来自《简明英汉词典》 At last he had a clew to her interest, and followed it deftly. 这一下终于让他发现了她的兴趣所在，于是他熟练地继续谈这个话题。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

24 champagne
n.香槟酒；微黄色
参考例句：
There were two glasses of champagne on the tray.托盘里有两杯香槟酒。 They sat there swilling champagne.他们坐在那里大喝香槟酒。

25 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。

26 remorse
n.痛恨，悔恨，自责
参考例句：
She had no remorse about what she had said.她对所说的话不后悔。 He has shown no remorse for his actions.他对自己的行为没有任何悔恨之意。

27 deliberately
adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地
参考例句：
The girl gave the show away deliberately.女孩故意泄露秘密。 They deliberately shifted off the argument.他们故意回避这个论点。

28 fixed
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。

29 artistically
adv.艺术性地
参考例句：
The book is beautifully printed and artistically bound. 这本书印刷精美，装帧高雅。 The room is artistically decorated. 房间布置得很美观。

30 underneath
adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面
参考例句：
Working underneath the car is always a messy job.在汽车底下工作是件脏活。 She wore a coat with a dress underneath.她穿着一件大衣，里面套着一条连衣裙。

31 draught
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。

32 fishy
adj. 值得怀疑的
参考例句：
It all sounds very fishy to me.所有这些在我听起来都很可疑。 There was definitely something fishy going on.肯定当时有可疑的事情在进行中。

33 shudder
v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动
参考例句：
The sight of the coffin sent a shudder through him.看到那副棺材，他浑身一阵战栗。 We all shudder at the thought of the dreadful dirty place.我们一想到那可怕的肮脏地方就浑身战惊。

34 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。

35 bleated
v.（羊，小牛）叫( bleat的过去式和过去分词 )；哭诉；发出羊叫似的声音；轻声诉说
参考例句：
The lost lamb bleated. 迷路的小羊咩咩的叫。 来自《简明英汉词典》 She bleated her disapproval of her son's marriage to Amy. 她用颤抖的声音表示不赞成儿子与艾米的婚事。 来自辞典例句

36 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。

37 doorway
n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径
参考例句：
They huddled in the shop doorway to shelter from the rain.他们挤在商店门口躲雨。 Mary suddenly appeared in the doorway.玛丽突然出现在门口。

38 supreme
adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的
参考例句：
It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。 He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

39 wheedling
v.骗取（某物），哄骗（某人干某事）( wheedle的现在分词 )
参考例句：
He wheedled his way into the building, ie got into it by wheedling. 他靠花言巧语混进了那所楼房。 来自辞典例句 An honorable32 weepie uses none of these33) wheedling34) devices. 一部体面的伤感电影用不着这些花招。 来自互联网

40 warped
adj.反常的；乖戾的；（变）弯曲的；变形的v.弄弯，变歪( warp的过去式和过去分词 )；使（行为等）不合情理，使乖戾，
参考例句：
a warped sense of humour 畸形的幽默感 The board has warped. 木板翘了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

41 chestnut
n.栗树，栗子
参考例句：
We have a chestnut tree in the bottom of our garden.我们的花园尽头有一棵栗树。 In summer we had tea outdoors,under the chestnut tree.夏天我们在室外栗树下喝茶。

42 passionate
adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的
参考例句：
He is said to be the most passionate man.据说他是最有激情的人。 He is very passionate about the project.他对那个项目非常热心。

43 conversational
adj.对话的，会话的
参考例句：
The article is written in a conversational style.该文是以对话的形式写成的。 She values herself on her conversational powers.她常夸耀自己的能言善辩。

44 fragrant
adj.芬香的，馥郁的，愉快的
参考例句：
The Fragrant Hills are exceptionally beautiful in late autumn.深秋的香山格外美丽。 The air was fragrant with lavender.空气中弥漫薰衣草香。