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儿童英语读物 The Mystery Bookstore Chapter 2 A Surprise Bidder

时间:2017-08-16 06:43来源:互联网 提供网友:qing   字体: [ ]
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    (单词翻译:双击或拖选)

“Grandfather!” the children said, laughing and hugging Mr. Alden when the auction1 was over. “You bought the bookshop!”

Everyone seemed amazed2 except for Benny. “Now we have a toy boxcar, a real boxcar, and a bookstore. What a good idea!”

“But what will we do with a bookstore, Grandfather?” Jessie asked in her practical way. “Greenfield is so far away from New Orleans, and you’re leaving on business tomorrow for a week.”

Trying to hide a smile, Mr. Alden scratched his chin. “Hmm. If only we knew someone who knows all about books . . . someone who has always wanted to run a bookstore.”

Violet3 slipped her hand into her grandfather’s. “You bought it for Miss Chase4, didn’t you, Grandfather?” Violet whispered.

Miss Chase was still sitting in her seat, looking awfully5 confused.

“No, Violet,” Mr. Alden said, shaking his head. “I didn’t buy it for Miss Chase. I bought it as an excellent investment6 at a good price. I expect to rent it to whomever can get a bookstore up and running right away.” Mr. Alden smiled at his old friend. “Now you wouldn’t happen to know anyone who can do that, would you, Olivia?”

“Oh, James, I couldn’t possibly let you give the shop to me. You won it fair and square,” Miss Chase said.

“Ah, but I wouldn’t be giving it to you, I’d be renting it to you until you can pay me back. And who knows? The bookshop was called Old Treasures. You might find something valuable tucked7 away. What do you say to my plan, Olivia?”

Miss Chase broke into a beautiful smile. “I’ll say yes, but only if you lend me your grandchildren, too. With their help we’ll sell all these old books at a big outdoor sale. That will give us money to buy brand-new mysteries for my mystery bookstore.”

“Can we, Grandfather?” Benny asked excitedly. “Can we stay and help Miss Chase?”

“Of course,” Grandfather said. “As long as Olivia doesn’t mind looking after four children.”

“Hooray!” the Alden children yelled8.

Suddenly, a young woman with curly9 reddish hair rushed into the courtyard.

“Is this where the book auction is?” the woman asked, out of breath. “Has it started yet?”

Rex Phillips stepped forward to answer the young woman’s question. “Start?” he said in a snarling10 voice. “The auction started and ended quickly when someone bid too much for this rundown old property and all the junk inside it!” With that, Mr. Phillips left.

The young woman raced over to the auctioneer. “Please,” she said. “Let me put in a bid for some of the books in the shop. My plane was late, and the taxi driver got lost. That’s why I didn’t get here on time. If you’ll only tell me what the other bidders11 paid for the books, I’ll pay more.”

The auctioneer pointed12 to Mr. Alden. “All the books were sold with the shop, Miss. The new owner’s over there. You’ll have to speak to him about buying any of the books inside the shop. Once my hammer comes down on the last bid, my job is over.”

The young woman wouldn’t give up. “Everything was sold?”

The auctioneer packed up his papers. “Everything. I’m sorry, but you’ll have to take matters up with Mr. Alden.”

The woman pushed her way past the auctioneer and walked straight toward13 James Alden. “Mr. Alden, Mr. Alden. May I speak with you? I’m Sarah Deckle. I heard you’re running this shop now. I must discuss something with you. You see, I’d like to buy some of the books from you. The only reason I didn’t bid at the auction was that my plane was. . . .”

“Whoa, Miss Deckle,” Mr. Alden said to calm down the woman. “First off, I’m not running the shop. In fact, I’m only visiting New Orleans. I have to leave tomorrow morning. My good friend over here, Olivia Chase, is in charge now. She’s going to turn the Old Treasures Bookshop into the Mystery Bookstore. So anything you need to discuss, well, you’ll have to talk to her.”

Sarah Deckle grabbed14 Olivia Chase’s arm. “Can I meet with you to talk about the store? It’s not fair that I didn’t get here in time to bid at the auction. Is there any way I can take a look inside?”

Miss Chase took a while to answer. “Of course, young lady. We’re planning to hold a big book sale this weekend and will open the Mystery Bookstore shortly afterwards. You’re more than welcome to come.”

“But you don’t understand,” Sarah interrupted. “I need to look . . . I mean, couldn’t I just look through the shop right now? I have money with me.”

Olivia shook her head. “I’m sorry, my dear. There are several things we must do before I let any customers look over anything. First of all, I have to get a rare-book expert to come in. There may be something of value in the old books and papers Mrs. Post left behind. I can’t let any customers in just yet. You understand, don’t you?”

Sarah Deckle did not understand at all. Looking quite upset, she left the courtyard without another word.

“My goodness,” Miss Chase said. “What was that all about? Well, never mind. We have lots to do, including getting you children settled in my apartment. I have a special surprise for you.”

After everyone left the courtyard with their auction items, Miss Chase locked the gate. “This will be your own private little backyard.” Then she pointed up to a beautiful screened-in balcony above the bookstore. “That’s a sleeping porch15 with four cots — one for each of you. On hot nights, we Southerners sometimes like to sleep out on our porches16. You’ll be perfectly17 safe, since the courtyard is always locked when the bookshop is closed.”

Miss Chase led the children up ironwork stairs to the porch.

“Yippee,” Benny said. “We like sleeping outside.”

“I knew this would be just right for you,” Miss Chase said with a laugh. “Your grandfather will be in the guest room.”

“I like your cozy18 apartment,” Violet said as Miss Chase gave the children a tour. “The front of it is like a city apartment where we can watch all the people and cars. But the back is just as quiet as Grandfather’s house in Greenfield.”

“I was very lucky to rent this apartment from Mrs. Post when I came to New Orleans a few years ago,” Miss Chase said, as she handed sheets and towels to the Aldens. “To live above a bookstore is perfect for a writer. Now I can always keep an eye on the Mystery Bookstore, too.”

“There’s even a small night table for each of us,” Violet said, putting down her backpack and tote bag. “Thank you for letting us stay out here.”

“You’re welcome, Violet,” Miss Chase said. “Now, it’s been a long day. Good night.”

“Don’t let the bedbugs bite,” Benny said.

The next morning, the Aldens sat around the breakfast table making their plans for the day. From the kitchen in Olivia Chase’s apartment, they could look down at the courtyard. But the children were busy chatting and eating, not looking outside.

“These are the best doughnuts I ever tasted,” Benny said between bites of warm, powdered doughnuts.

“Those aren’t just ordinary doughnuts, Benny,” Miss Chase said. “They’re a special New Orleans kind called beignets. I picked them up at the French Market this morning. As for your coffee, James, that’s our New Orleans-style coffee. It has chicory in it.”

“Grandfather’s coffee has chickens in it?” Benny cried.

Everyone was laughing so hard, they didn’t hear the courtyard door open down below.

“Not chickens, Benny.” Miss Chase laughed. “It’s chicory, a special coffee flavoring19.”

It was only later, when Benny and Henry were washing dishes, that Benny saw something move. “Is the bookshop open?” he asked Miss Chase. “I think somebody wearing a blue top is down in the courtyard.”

But when Benny and the other children ran to the sleeping porch to check, the person in the blue top had vanished20.

“Hey, where did that person go?” Benny yelled. “Nobody went out that door.”

“Are you sure you saw someone?” Miss Chase asked Benny. “I’m sure I locked the courtyard door. Remember? Maybe what you saw was one of those boxes blowing around from the auction yesterday.”

“But boxes don’t wear blue tops,” Benny said. “We better go check it out.”

“Good for you, Benny,” Miss Chase said. “A careful detective follows every lead. You children can go downstairs. Let me know if anything seems disturbed. I’ll be right down. I’m just going to call in an ad to the newspaper. I need a book expert to help us price Mrs. Post’s old books for our book sale.”

“Then I’ll be off too, Olivia,” Mr. Alden said. “My taxi will be here any second. I’ll be back in a week.”

The children hugged their grandfather, then raced down to the courtyard. They had just reached the bottom step when they heard the courtyard door click shut.

“See!” Benny cried. “Somebody was here. They must have left when they heard us.” He pulled at the door, but it wouldn’t open.

“I guess it locks from both sides,” Henry said. “I’ll get Miss Chase’s key.”

When Henry returned, he unlocked21 the courtyard door. Benny raced out to the sidewalk. “See, there’s someone with a blue shirt going down the block! I told you.”

Violet put her arm around Benny, then pointed to another person on the busy street. “And there’s someone else with a blue top.”

“There’s that woman who came late to the auction,” Jessie said. She pointed to Sarah Deckle, who was staring into the bookstore window. “She has on a blue jacket.”

“Even Grandfather is wearing blue today,” Henry said to a disappointed Benny. “Look, he’s getting in his taxi to go to the airport. He has on his blue blazer.”

“Even I’m wearing a blue shirt,” Benny said. “Today must be Wear-Something-Blue Day.” Then Benny had to laugh.

The Aldens walked back into the courtyard to begin cleaning up. There was plenty to do before the big book sale.

“Any luck with the mystery person?” Miss Chase asked when she came down to see how the Aldens were getting on.

“No,” Benny answered, “but somebody was here all right. And they left in a big, big hurry when they heard us.”

Miss Chase stopped to look at something under the sleeping porch. “I think Benny’s right. Come here and tell me what you see.”

The Aldens stared down at the patch22 of dirt and weeds under the porch.

“Look! There are clumps23 of dirt from here to the courtyard door,” Violet said. “And some of the weeds are squished. But couldn’t that be from yesterday? There were a lot of people walking around the courtyard during the auction. Maybe some of them tracked the dirt out.”

“Good detective work, Violet,” Miss Chase said. “But think some more.”

Violet’s blue eyes lit up. “Wait! It rained a little bit this morning. If somebody walked through the dirt yesterday, the clumps would have washed away!”

“Very good,” Miss Chase said.

“Shh,” Benny whispered when a few people wandered into the courtyard to look around. “There’s that lady again.”

“Why, hello, Miss Deckle,” Olivia Chase said to the young woman. “What brings you here so early?”

“I still can’t get over missing24 out on the auction yesterday,” Sarah Deckle told Miss Chase. “I would just love to look through your bookshop. Couldn’t I take a peek25 now, please?”

Miss Chase finally gave in. “I guess you can look around. But I can’t sell a thing until our book sale on Saturday.”

“Thank you! Thank you!” Sarah Deckle said. As soon as Miss Chase opened the bookstore door, the young woman disappeared inside the store without another word.
 


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 auction 3uVzy     
n.拍卖;拍卖会;vt.拍卖
参考例句:
  • They've put the contents of their house up for auction.他们把房子里的东西全都拿去拍卖了。
  • They bought a new minibus with the proceeds from the auction.他们用拍卖得来的钱买了一辆新面包车。
2 amazed 9zYzBk     
adj.吃惊的,惊奇的v.使大为吃惊,使惊奇( amaze的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • Just the size of the place amazed her. 仅仅地方之大就使她十分惊奇。
  • I was amazed at her knowledge of French literature. 她的法国文学知识之丰富使我大为惊奇。
3 violet 8h3wm     
adj.紫色的;n.紫罗兰
参考例句:
  • She likes to wear violet dresses.他喜欢穿紫色的衣服。
  • Violet is the color of wisdom,peace and strength.紫色是智慧的,和平的和力量的颜色。
4 chase qUWyK     
vt.追逐,追赶,追求;n.追赶
参考例句:
  • The police grabbed the robbers after a long chase.警察经过长距离追赶后逮住了抢劫犯。
  • Would you chase me if I did?如果我逃开了,你会来追吗?
5 awfully MPkym     
adv.可怕地,非常地,极端地
参考例句:
  • Agriculture was awfully neglected in the past.过去农业遭到严重忽视。
  • I've been feeling awfully bad about it.对这我一直感到很难受。
6 investment xajzr     
n.投资,投资额;(时间、精力等的)投入
参考例句:
  • It took two years before I recouped my investment.我用了两年时间才收回投资。
  • The success of the project pivots on investment from abroad.这个工程的成功主要依靠外来投资。
7 tucked 33959fcef78ea8033c2079d9ef67ff32     
塞进( tuck的过去式和过去分词 ); 翻折; 盖住; 卷起
参考例句:
  • She tucked up her skirt and waded into the river. 她撩起裙子蹚水走进河里。
  • She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ears. 她把一缕散发夹到了耳后。
8 yelled aeee2b86b284e7fbd44f45779d6073c1     
v.叫喊,号叫,叫着说( yell的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He yelled at the other driver. 他冲着另一位司机大叫。
  • The lost man yelled, hoping someone in the woods would hear him. 迷路的人大声喊着,希望林子里的人会听见。 来自《简明英汉词典》
9 curly wybxh     
adj.卷曲的,卷缩的
参考例句:
  • The little boy has curly hair.这小男孩长着一头卷发。
  • She is tall and dark with curly hair.她高高的个子,黑皮肤,卷头发。
10 snarling 1ea03906cb8fd0b67677727f3cfd3ca5     
v.(指狗)吠,嗥叫, (人)咆哮( snarl的现在分词 );咆哮着说,厉声地说
参考例句:
  • "I didn't marry you," he said, in a snarling tone. “我没有娶你,"他咆哮着说。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
  • So he got into the shoes snarling. 于是,汤姆一边大喊大叫,一边穿上了那双鞋。 来自英汉文学 - 汤姆历险
11 bidders 6884ac426d80394534eb58149d20c202     
n.出价者,投标人( bidder的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Bidders should proceed only if they intend on using a PayPal account to complete payment. Bidders的唯一形式,应继续只当他们在使用贝宝帐户,以完成付款打算。 来自互联网
  • The other bidders for the contract complained that it had not been a fair contest. 其他竞标人抱怨说该合同的竞标不公平。 来自《简明英汉词典》
12 pointed Il8zB4     
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。
13 toward on6we     
prep.对于,关于,接近,将近,向,朝
参考例句:
  • Suddenly I saw a tall figure approaching toward the policeman.突然间我看到一个高大的身影朝警察靠近。
  • Upon seeing her,I smiled and ran toward her. 看到她我笑了,并跑了过去。
14 grabbed grabbed     
v.抢先,抢占( grab的过去式和过去分词 );(尤指匆忙地)取;攫取;(尤指自私、贪婪地)捞取
参考例句:
  • He was grabbed by two men and frogmarched out of the hall. 他被两个男人紧抓双臂押出大厅。
  • She grabbed the child's hand and ran. 她抓住孩子的手就跑。
15 porch ju9yM     
n.门廊,入口处,走廊,游廊
参考例句:
  • There are thousands of pages of advertising on our porch.有成千上万页广告堆在我们的门廊上。
  • The porch is supported by six immense pillars.门廊由六根大柱子支撑着。
16 porches 11fd403fac4c99e76c0fbe3dc1d295f7     
n.门廊( porch的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • He courted the summer girls on boarding-house porches. 他在公寓凉台上跟夏天来度假的青年女客吊膀子。 来自辞典例句
  • First floor depth of a house six, around are the porches. 底层进深六间,前后为廊。 来自互联网
17 perfectly 8Mzxb     
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。
18 cozy ozdx0     
adj.亲如手足的,密切的,暖和舒服的
参考例句:
  • I like blankets because they are cozy.我喜欢毛毯,因为他们是舒适的。
  • We spent a cozy evening chatting by the fire.我们在炉火旁聊天度过了一个舒适的晚上。
19 flavoring es5zvc     
n.调味品,调味料v.给…调味( flavor的现在分词 );给…增添风趣
参考例句:
  • Add a spoonful of banana flavoring. 加一匙香蕉调料。 来自辞典例句
  • A soft, rich candy made of sugar, milk, butter and flavoring. 软糖或水果、坚果通常做夹心的糖果,外面包有一层巧克力。 来自互联网
20 vanished NfXzQH     
adj.消失了的v.消失( vanish的过去式和过去分词 );突然不见;不复存在;绝迹
参考例句:
  • He walked through—and vanished. Poof! Like that. 他走了过去,然后就嗖的一下子不见了。
  • The magician vanished in a puff of smoke. 魔术师在一股烟雾中突然不见了。
21 unlocked d821dbe5ef2db3d805cd0f7eea0ec33f     
v.开锁( unlock的过去式和过去分词 );开启;揭开;开着,解开
参考例句:
  • Don't leave your desk unlocked. 请不要忘记锁好办公桌。
  • On no account should you leave the door unlocked. 你无论如何也不应该不锁门。 来自《简明英汉词典》
22 patch h3Xzw     
n.补丁;斑;一小块地;vt.补,修补
参考例句:
  • This patch looks a bit unprofessional.这块补丁有点像出自外行之手。
  • We managed to patch our quarrel.我们设法平息争吵。
23 clumps a9a186997b6161c6394b07405cf2f2aa     
n.(树、灌木、植物等的)丛、簇( clump的名词复数 );(土、泥等)团;块;笨重的脚步声v.(树、灌木、植物等的)丛、簇( clump的第三人称单数 );(土、泥等)团;块;笨重的脚步声
参考例句:
  • These plants quickly form dense clumps. 这些植物很快形成了浓密的树丛。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The bulbs were over. All that remained of them were clumps of brown leaves. 这些鳞茎死了,剩下的只是一丛丛的黃叶子。 来自《简明英汉词典》
24 missing 3nTzx7     
adj.遗失的,缺少的,失踪的
参考例句:
  • Check the tools and see if anything is missing.检点一下工具,看有无丢失。
  • All the others are here;he's the only one missing.别人都来了,就短他一个。
25 peek ULZxW     
vi.偷看,窥视;n.偷偷的一看,一瞥
参考例句:
  • Larry takes a peek out of the window.赖瑞往窗外偷看了一下。
  • Cover your eyes and don't peek.捂上眼睛,别偷看。
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