The fireplace in Chateau¹ Villette's drawing room was cold, but Collet paced before it nonethelessas he read the faxes from Interpol.

　　Not at all what he expected.

　　André Vernet, according to official records, was a model citizen. No police record—not even aparking ticket. Educated at prep school and the Sorbonne, he had a cum laude degree ininternational finance. Interpol said Vernet's name appeared in the newspapers from time to time,but always in a positive light. Apparently² the man had helped design the security parameters³ thatkept the Depository Bank of Zurich a leader in the ultramodern world of electronic security.

　　Vernet's credit card records showed a penchant⁵ for art books, expensive wine, and classicalCD's—mostly Brahms—which he apparently enjoyed on an exceptionally high-end stereo systemhe had purchased several years ago.

　　Zero, Collet sighed.

　　The only red flag tonight from Interpol had been a set of fingerprints⁶ that apparently belonged toTeabing's servant. The chief PTS examiner was reading the report in a comfortable chair across theroom.

　　Collet looked over. "Anything?"The examiner shrugged⁷. "Prints belong to Rémy Legaludec. Wanted for petty crime. Nothingserious. Looks like he got kicked out of university for rewiring phone jacks⁸ to get free service...

　　later did some petty theft. Breaking and entering. Skipped out on a hospital bill once for anemergency tracheotomy." He glanced up, chuckling⁹. "Peanut allergy¹⁰."Collet nodded, recalling a police investigation

点击收听单词发音  

1 chateau
n.城堡，别墅
参考例句：
The house was modelled on a French chateau.这房子是模仿一座法国大别墅建造的。 The chateau was left to itself to flame and burn.那府第便径自腾起大火燃烧下去。

2 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。

3 parameters
因素，特征； 界限； （限定性的）因素( parameter的名词复数 )； 参量； 参项； 决定因素
参考例句：
We have to work within the parameters of time. 我们的工作受时间所限。 See parameters.cpp for a compilable example. This is part of the Spirit distribution. 可编译例子见parameters.cpp.这是Spirit分发包的组成部分。

4 ram
(random access memory)随机存取存储器
参考例句：
512k RAM is recommended and 640k RAM is preferred.推荐配置为512K内存，640K内存则更佳。

5 penchant
n.爱好，嗜好；（强烈的）倾向
参考例句：
She has a penchant for Indian food.她爱吃印度食物。 He had a penchant for playing jokes on people.他喜欢拿人开玩笑。

6 fingerprints
n.指纹( fingerprint的名词复数 )v.指纹( fingerprint的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
Everyone's fingerprints are unique. 每个人的指纹都是独一无二的。 They wore gloves so as not to leave any fingerprints behind (them). 他们戴着手套，以免留下指纹。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 shrugged
vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式）
参考例句：
Sam shrugged and said nothing. 萨姆耸耸肩膀，什么也没说。 She shrugged, feigning nonchalance. 她耸耸肩，装出一副无所谓的样子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 jacks
n.抓子游戏；千斤顶( jack的名词复数 )；（电）插孔；[电子学]插座；放弃
参考例句：
Hydraulic jacks under the machine produce the movement. 是机器下面的液压千斤顶造成的移动。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The front end is equipped with hydraulic jacks used for grade adjustment. 前瑞安装有液压千斤顶用来调整坡度。 来自辞典例句

9 chuckling
轻声地笑( chuckle的现在分词 )
参考例句：
I could hear him chuckling to himself as he read his book. 他看书时，我能听见他的轻声发笑。 He couldn't help chuckling aloud. 他忍不住的笑了出来。 来自汉英文学 - 骆驼祥子

10 allergy
n.(因食物、药物等而引起的)过敏症
参考例句：
He developed an allergy to pollen.他对花粉过敏。 The patient had an allergy to penicillin.该患者对青霉素过敏。

11 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。

12 chili
n.辣椒
参考例句：
He helped himself to another two small spoonfuls of chili oil.他自己下手又加了两小勺辣椒油。 It has chocolate,chili,and other spices.有巧克力粉，辣椒，和其他的调味品。

13 lieutenant
n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员
参考例句：
He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the army.他被提升为陆军中尉。 He prevailed on the lieutenant to send in a short note.他说动那个副官，递上了一张简短的便条进去。

14 ascended
v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He has ascended into heaven. 他已经升入了天堂。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The climbers slowly ascended the mountain. 爬山运动员慢慢地登上了这座山。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 propped
支撑，支持，维持( prop的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He sat propped up in the bed by pillows. 他靠着枕头坐在床上。 This fence should be propped up. 这栅栏该用东西支一支。

16 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。

17 loft
n.阁楼，顶楼
参考例句：
We could see up into the loft from bottom of the stairs.我们能从楼梯脚边望到阁楼的内部。 By converting the loft,they were able to have two extra bedrooms.把阁楼改造一下，他们就可以多出两间卧室。

18 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。

19 tapered
adj. 锥形的，尖削的，楔形的，渐缩的，斜的 动词taper的过去式和过去分词
参考例句：
The tail tapered to a rounded tip. 尾部越来越细，最后成了个圆尖。 The organization tapered off in about half a year. 那个组织大约半年内就逐渐消失了。

20 spun
v.纺，杜撰，急转身
参考例句：
His grandmother spun him a yarn at the fire.他奶奶在火炉边给他讲故事。 Her skilful fingers spun the wool out to a fine thread.她那灵巧的手指把羊毛纺成了细毛线。

21 squinted
斜视( squint的过去式和过去分词 )； 眯着眼睛； 瞟； 从小孔或缝隙里看
参考例句：
Pulling his rifle to his shoulder he squinted along the barrel. 他把枪顶肩，眯起眼睛瞄准。 I squinted through the keyhole. 我从锁眼窥看。

22 soldering
n.软焊；锡焊；低温焊接；热焊接v.（使）焊接，焊合( solder的现在分词 )
参考例句：
Care must be exercised in attaching the lead wires to the soldering tabs. 在往接线片上焊导线时必须非常小心。 来自辞典例句 I suggest posing me with a soldering wand over my head like a sword. 我想让自己这样像把剑一样把电焊杆举过头顶。 来自电影对白

23 components
（机器、设备等的）构成要素，零件，成分； 成分( component的名词复数 )； [物理化学]组分； [数学]分量； （混合物的）组成部分
参考例句：
the components of a machine 机器部件 Our chemistry teacher often reduces a compound to its components in lab. 在实验室中化学老师常把化合物分解为各种成分。

24 photoelectric
adj.光电的，光电效应的
参考例句：
Photoelectric spectrophotometers give better result.用光电分光光度计能得到较佳结果。 Einstein also explained a baffling feature of the photoelectric effect.爱因斯坦也解释了光电效应里一个令人困扰的现象。

25 dangling
悬吊着( dangle的现在分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口
参考例句：
The tooth hung dangling by the bedpost, now. 结果，那颗牙就晃来晃去吊在床柱上了。 The children sat on the high wall,their legs dangling. 孩子们坐在一堵高墙上，摇晃着他们的双腿。

26 recording
n.录音，记录
参考例句：
How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？ I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。

27 affixed
adj.[医]附着的，附着的v.附加( affix的过去式和过去分词 )；粘贴；加以；盖（印章）
参考例句：
The label should be firmly affixed to the package. 这张标签应该牢牢地贴在包裹上。 He affixed the sign to the wall. 他将标记贴到墙上。 来自《简明英汉词典》

28 bugs
adj.疯狂的，发疯的n.窃听器( bug的名词复数 )；病菌；虫子；[计算机]（制作软件程序所产生的意料不到的）错误
参考例句：
All programs have bugs and need endless refinement. 所有的程序都有漏洞，都需要不断改进。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The sacks of rice were swarming with bugs. 一袋袋的米里长满了虫子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

29 antenna
n.触角，触须；天线
参考例句：
The workman fixed the antenna to the roof of the house.工人把天线固定在房顶上。 In our village, there is an antenna on every roof for receiving TV signals.在我们村里，每家房顶上都有天线接收电视信号。

30 erased
v.擦掉( erase的过去式和过去分词 )；抹去；清除
参考例句：
He erased the wrong answer and wrote in the right one. 他擦去了错误答案，写上了正确答案。 来自《简明英汉词典》 He removed the dogmatism from politics; he erased the party line. 他根除了政治中的教条主义，消除了政党界限。 来自《简明英汉词典》

31 bugged
vt.在…装窃听器（bug的过去式与过去分词形式）
参考例句：
The police have bugged his office. 警察在他的办公室装了窃听器。 来自《简明英汉词典》 He had bugged off before I had a chance to get a word in. 我还没来得及讲话，他已经走了。 来自《简明英汉词典》