选择字号:【大】【中】【小】 | 关灯
护眼
|
CHAPTER VIII. A MYSTERIOUS COMMUNICATION
关注小说网官方公众号(noveltingroom),原版名著免费领。
Ralph stared at the woman, then threw himself back in his chair with a short laugh. He was greatly disappointed in the reply.
"It is ridiculous to believe or even hint that Madame Coralie should be guilty," he remarked sharply. "She proved a very clear alibi1. No less than four people--her husband and her three assistants--proved that she was in the still-room when the crime was taking place below."
"Yes," assented2 Miss Toat, leaning her chin on her hand and her elbow on the table, "that is what puzzles me. The alibi is very clear, and yet--of course, you understand that I am merely theorising."
"Yes! Yes! Yes!"--Shawe made an irritable3 gesture, for the strain on his nerves was great--"but the idea is ridiculous. If you had accused that dumb girl, who was in the shop on the ground floor when the crime was committed, it would have been more feasible. The bedroom is on the ground floor also."
"I see no reason to accuse Peri Banou," said Miss Toat, quietly.
"And you see a reason to accuse Madame Coralie?"
"Yes. My theory is--"
"Oh, never mind your theory, Miss Toat. Come to facts."
The detective was not at all put out by his short temper, as she saw that his nerves were worn thin, and sympathised with him. With a quick movement she drew the loose notes to her own side of the table. "Very good," she said in a brisk, businesslike tone. "Let us come to facts, if you please. Do you know why Madame Coralie wears a yashmak?"
"Inspector4 Lanton hinted something about it to me when at the inquest. It is to add to the attractions of the Turkish shop--to make it more mysterious, as it were."
"Ah!"--Miss Toat raised her pencilled eyebrows--"then the inspector did not tell you the exact truth. I expect Madame Coralie asked him to keep it quiet for obvious reasons."
"Obvious they may be," said Ralph, impatiently, "but I can't see them."
"Why, they are plain enough. The wearing of the yashmak is partly by way of a good advertisement, as it suggests mystery, and partly--this is the real reason, I expect--it is worn from necessity."
点击
收听单词发音

1
alibi
![]() |
|
n.某人当时不在犯罪现场的申辩或证明;借口 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
2
assented
![]() |
|
同意,赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
3
irritable
![]() |
|
adj.急躁的;过敏的;易怒的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
4
inspector
![]() |
|
n.检查员,监察员,视察员 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
5
slippers
![]() |
|
n. 拖鞋 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
6
concealed
![]() |
|
a.隐藏的,隐蔽的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
7
conceal
![]() |
|
v.隐藏,隐瞒,隐蔽 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
8
capability
![]() |
|
n.能力;才能;(pl)可发展的能力或特性等 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
9
promptly
![]() |
|
adv.及时地,敏捷地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
10
abruptly
![]() |
|
adv.突然地,出其不意地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
11
exclamation
![]() |
|
n.感叹号,惊呼,惊叹词 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
12
pawned
![]() |
|
v.典当,抵押( pawn的过去式和过去分词 );以(某事物)担保 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
13
vexed
![]() |
|
adj.争论不休的;(指问题等)棘手的;争论不休的问题;烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 );使苦恼;使生气;详细讨论 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
14
smoothly
![]() |
|
adv.平滑地,顺利地,流利地,流畅地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
15
inquiries
![]() |
|
n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 );疑问;探究;打听 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
16
perplexed
![]() |
|
adj.不知所措的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
17
possessed
![]() |
|
adj.疯狂的;拥有的,占有的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
18
shrugged
![]() |
|
vt.耸肩(shrug的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
19
remains
![]() |
|
n.剩余物,残留物;遗体,遗迹 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
20
scent
![]() |
|
n.气味,香味,香水,线索,嗅觉;v.嗅,发觉 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
21
entirely
![]() |
|
ad.全部地,完整地;完全地,彻底地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
22
accomplice
![]() |
|
n.从犯,帮凶,同谋 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
23
avert
![]() |
|
v.防止,避免;转移(目光、注意力等) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
24
eddy
![]() |
|
n.漩涡,涡流 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
25
bribed
![]() |
|
v.贿赂( bribe的过去式和过去分词 );向(某人)行贿,贿赂 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
26
bullied
![]() |
|
adj.被欺负了v.恐吓,威逼( bully的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
27
musingly
![]() |
|
adv.沉思地,冥想地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
28
jealousy
![]() |
|
n.妒忌,嫉妒,猜忌 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
29
tangible
![]() |
|
adj.有形的,可触摸的,确凿的,实际的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
30
disconsolate
![]() |
|
adj.忧郁的,不快的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
31
augured
![]() |
|
v.预示,预兆,预言( augur的过去式和过去分词 );成为预兆;占卜 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
32
formerly
![]() |
|
adv.从前,以前 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
33
scraps
![]() |
|
油渣 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
34
watchful
![]() |
|
adj.注意的,警惕的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
35
decided
![]() |
|
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
36
rendezvous
![]() |
|
n.约会,约会地点,汇合点;vi.汇合,集合;vt.使汇合,使在汇合地点相遇 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
37
anonymous
![]() |
|
adj.无名的;匿名的;无特色的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
38
curiously
![]() |
|
adv.有求知欲地;好问地;奇特地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
©英文小说网 2005-2010