"What do you mean she's not answering?" Fache looked incredulous. "You're calling her cellphone, right? I know she's carrying it."Collet had been trying to reach Sophie now for several minutes. "Maybe her batteries are dead. Orher ringer's off."Fache had looked distressed¹ ever since talking to the director of Cryptology on the phone. Afterhanging up, he had marched over to Collet and demanded he get Agent Neveu on the line. NowCollet had failed, and Fache was pacing like a caged lion.

　　"Why did Crypto call?" Collet now ventured.

　　Fache turned. "To tell us they found no references to Draconian² devils and lame³ saints.""That's all?""No, also to tell us that they had just identified the numerics as Fibonacci numbers, but theysuspected the series was meaningless."Collet was confused. "But they already sent Agent Neveu to tell us that."Fache shook his head. "They didn't send Neveu.""What?""According to the director, at my orders he paged his entire team to look at the images I'd wiredhim. When Agent Neveu arrived, she took one look at the photos of Saunière and the code and leftthe office without a word. The director said he didn't question her behavior because she wasunderstandably upset by the photos.""Upset? She's never seen a picture of a dead body?"Fache was silent a moment. "I was not aware of this, and it seems neither was the director until acoworker informed him, but apparently⁴ Sophie Neveu is Jacques Saunière's granddaughter."Collet was speechless.

　　"The director said she never once mentioned Saunière to him, and he assumed it was because sheprobably didn't want preferential treatment for having a famous grandfather."No wonder she was upset by the pictures. Collet could barely conceive of the unfortunatecoincidence that called in a young woman to decipher a code written by a dead family member.

　　Still, her actions made no sense. "But she obviously recognized the numbers as Fibonacci numbersbecause she came here and told us. I don't understand why she would leave the office withouttelling anyone she had figured it out."Collet could think of only one scenario

点击收听单词发音  

1 distressed
痛苦的
参考例句：
He was too distressed and confused to answer their questions. 他非常苦恼而困惑，无法回答他们的问题。 The news of his death distressed us greatly. 他逝世的消息使我们极为悲痛。

2 draconian
adj.严苛的；苛刻的；严酷的；龙一样的
参考例句：
You can't expect the people to obey such draconian regulations.你不能指望人民服从如此严苛的规定。 The city needs a draconian way of dealing with robbers.这个城市需要一个严苛的办法来对付强盗。

3 lame
adj.跛的，(辩解、论据等)无说服力的
参考例句：
The lame man needs a stick when he walks.那跛脚男子走路时需借助拐棍。 I don't believe his story.It'sounds a bit lame.我不信他讲的那一套。他的话听起来有些靠不住。

4 apparently
adv.显然地；表面上，似乎
参考例句：
An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。 He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

5 scenario
n.剧本，脚本；概要
参考例句：
But the birth scenario is not completely accurate.然而分娩脚本并非完全准确的。 This is a totally different scenario.这是完全不同的剧本。

6 investigation
n.调查，调查研究
参考例句：
In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。 He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

7 deserted
adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的
参考例句：
The deserted village was filled with a deathly silence.这个荒废的村庄死一般的寂静。 The enemy chieftain was opposed and deserted by his followers.敌人头目众叛亲离。

8 pointed
adj.尖的，直截了当的
参考例句：
He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。 She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

9 ledge
n.壁架，架状突出物；岩架，岩礁
参考例句：
They paid out the line to lower him to the ledge.他们放出绳子使他降到那块岩石的突出部分。 Suddenly he struck his toe on a rocky ledge and fell.突然他的脚趾绊在一块突出的岩石上，摔倒了。

10 utterly
adv.完全地，绝对地
参考例句：
Utterly devoted to the people,he gave his life in saving his patients.他忠于人民，把毕生精力用于挽救患者的生命。 I was utterly ravished by the way she smiled.她的微笑使我完全陶醉了。

11 perimeter
n.周边，周长，周界
参考例句：
The river marks the eastern perimeter of our land.这条河标示我们的土地东面的边界。 Drinks in hands,they wandered around the perimeter of the ball field.他们手里拿着饮料在球场周围漫不经心地遛跶。

12 abrupt
adj.突然的，意外的；唐突的，鲁莽的
参考例句：
The river takes an abrupt bend to the west.这河突然向西转弯。 His abrupt reply hurt our feelings.他粗鲁的回答伤了我们的感情。