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儿童英语读物 The Mystery at the Crooked House CHAPTER 9 Partners in Crime

时间:2017-09-30 03:04来源:互联网 提供网友:qing   字体: [ ]
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“Maybe Mrs. McGregor decided1 to put the note somewhere else,” suggested Violet. “You know, for safekeeping. We can ask when she gets home.”

Henry agreed. “I guess we shouldn’t suspect people until we’re certain it was actually stolen.”

“And no matter what,” declared Benny, “I’m not going to fall asleep by the fire tonight!” This was immediately followed by a huge yawn.

Violet smiled at her younger brother. “I have an idea. Why don’t we all go outside and hang the cranberry2 and popcorn3 strings4 for the birds? The fresh air will keep us awake!”

Benny didn’t need to be coaxed5. They quickly bundled up and went outside.

“What’s the matter, Benny?” asked Jessie, when she heard her younger brother’s sigh.

Benny was standing6 in the middle of the front yard with his hands on his hips7. “Our crooked8 snowman looks lonely out here in the dark.”

“I know just the thing!” replied Violet. And she proceeded to tie a string of cranberries9 around the neck of the snowman.

Benny grinned. “Now he looks as if he doesn’t have a care in the world!”

“Our snowman doesn’t have a care in the world,” agreed Henry. “He knows it won’t be long before the birds arrive. Then he’ll have lots of company.”

They were busy looping a string of popcorn around a fir tree when a car pulled into Madeline’s driveway.

“I bet that’s Mrs. McGregor!” Benny stepped out from the shadows. Then he quickly jumped back again, shaking his head. “It’s Nola Rawlings.”

Madeline’s houseguest was so unfriendly, the Aldens preferred to keep out of her way. They were surprised when Nola got out of her car and headed straight for the Spencers’ house without noticing the children in the shadows behind the fir tree.

“What’s she doing?” Benny whispered.

Violet shrugged10. “I don’t know.”

They watched as Nola knocked on the door. The children didn’t mean to eavesdrop11, but they were standing very close to the Spencers’ house. They couldn’t help overhearing bits and pieces of the conversation.

Nick looked surprised when he opened the door. “What are you doing here?”

Nola didn’t answer right away. She was too busy glancing nervously12 over her shoulder. When she turned to face Nick, her back was to the Aldens. They couldn’t make out what she said. But then Nick nodded and replied, “Sure thing. After all, we are partners in crime.”

Jessie and Benny looked at each other, horrified13.

“Did you hear that?” Benny gasped14, forgetting to lower his voice.

Violet put a finger to her lips. But it was too late. Nola had already whirled around. The children stood perfectly15 still, holding their breath. Then Nick said, “Come on in, Rebecca.”

Benny’s big eyes got even bigger. Had Nick just referred to Nola as Rebecca?

The moment the door closed, Violet grabbed Benny’s hand, and the Aldens raced across the yard to the Crooked House.

As they sat by the fire, they discussed everything they’d overheard.

“She’s just pretending to be Nola Rawlings!” said Benny. “Her real name is Rebecca!”

Violet nodded. “Rebecca Flagg. That was the name on the book I found. The one about Amelia Quigley Adams.”

“That means Nick isn’t the nice person we thought he was,” Jessie said sadly. She could hardly believe that Nick was anybody’s partner in crime.

Violet was frowning. “What I can’t figure out is why Nola—I mean, Rebecca—was reading all about Amelia Quigley Adams.”

“And why did she make such a secret of it?” demanded Benny.

Violet said in a quiet voice, “It’s the oddest thing.”

Henry had been thinking. “Unless ...”

“Unless what, Henry?” Jessie wanted to know.

It took Henry a few moments to answer. “Unless the Mystery Lady wasn’t tricking Mrs. McGregor, after all,” he finally said. “Maybe Amelia Quigley Adams really did sign that mystery book.”

Benny said, “But Jessie said the handwriting was just like the Mystery Lady’s!”

“What if it looks the same because—” began Henry.

Jessie’s eyes widened as she caught Henry’s meaning. She finished her brother’s sentence for him. “Because the Mystery Lady was none other than Amelia Quigley Adams herself!”

“You think the famous author hid the treasure?” asked Benny in amazement16.

Henry nodded. “And I’m almost certain that Rebecca Flagg and Nick Spencer are looking for it, too!”

They all thought Henry might be right. “That would explain Rebecca Flagg’s interest in Amelia Quigley Adams,” admitted Violet.

“But we can’t be sure that the Mystery Lady really was Amelia Quigley Adams,” Benny pointed17 out.

Henry couldn’t argue. “Mrs. McGregor just has the one photograph of the Mystery Lady,” he said. “And her face is hidden under that big hat.”

Jessie stared at Henry. Then her mouth dropped open.

“What’s wrong?” Violet asked her sister.

Jessie spoke18 up. “A hat gives shade from the sun!”

“And it hangs on a tree,” added Violet in surprise. “A hat tree!”

Benny almost shouted with excitement, “Then the answer to the riddle19 is ...”

“A hat!” the Aldens all cried out at once.

“Of course!” said Henry. “Mrs. McGregor told us that the Mystery Lady never went anywhere without a hat to keep her face shaded from the sun!”

“That’s true,” observed Jessie. “And remember what else Mrs. McGregor said? Her hat was packed away in its hatbox and taken up to the attic20!”

“What are we waiting for?” cried Benny. “Let’s go up and take a look!”

So once again, Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny climbed the creaky stairs to the cold, dark attic. It took them a while, but they finally found the hatbox tucked away behind a standing mirror. Inside was the same wide-brimmed hat that the Mystery Lady had been wearing in the photo. Except for the hat, though, there was absolutely nothing else in the box.

“I don’t get it,” said Benny. “An old straw hat isn’t much of a treasure!”

“But the riddles21 have led us right here,” Jessie pointed out.

“What do we do now?” asked Violet.

Henry shrugged. “It’s a mystery, that’s for sure!”


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 decided lvqzZd     
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的
参考例句:
  • This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
  • There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
2 cranberry TvOz5U     
n.梅果
参考例句:
  • Turkey reminds me of cranberry sauce.火鸡让我想起梅果酱。
  • Actually I prefer canned cranberry sauce.事实上我更喜欢罐装的梅果酱。
3 popcorn 8lUzJI     
n.爆米花
参考例句:
  • I like to eat popcorn when I am watching TV play at home.当我在家观看电视剧时,喜欢吃爆米花。
  • He still stood behind his cash register stuffing his mouth with popcorn.他仍站在收银机后,嘴里塞满了爆米花。
4 strings nh0zBe     
n.弦
参考例句:
  • He sat on the bed,idly plucking the strings of his guitar.他坐在床上,随意地拨着吉他的弦。
  • She swept her fingers over the strings of the harp.她用手指划过竖琴的琴弦。
5 coaxed dc0a6eeb597861b0ed72e34e52490cd1     
v.哄,用好话劝说( coax的过去式和过去分词 );巧言骗取;哄劝,劝诱
参考例句:
  • She coaxed the horse into coming a little closer. 她哄着那匹马让它再靠近了一点。
  • I coaxed my sister into taking me to the theatre. 我用好话哄姐姐带我去看戏。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
6 standing 2hCzgo     
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的
参考例句:
  • After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
  • They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。
7 hips f8c80f9a170ee6ab52ed1e87054f32d4     
abbr.high impact polystyrene 高冲击强度聚苯乙烯,耐冲性聚苯乙烯n.臀部( hip的名词复数 );[建筑学]屋脊;臀围(尺寸);臀部…的
参考例句:
  • She stood with her hands on her hips. 她双手叉腰站着。
  • They wiggled their hips to the sound of pop music. 他们随着流行音乐的声音摇晃着臀部。 来自《简明英汉词典》
8 crooked xvazAv     
adj.弯曲的;不诚实的,狡猾的,不正当的
参考例句:
  • He crooked a finger to tell us to go over to him.他弯了弯手指,示意我们到他那儿去。
  • You have to drive slowly on these crooked country roads.在这些弯弯曲曲的乡间小路上你得慢慢开车。
9 cranberries 78106be327439d47d10789051008c217     
n.越橘( cranberry的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • The tart flavour of the cranberries adds piquancy. 越橘的酸味很可口。
  • Look at the fresh cranberries. 你看这些新鲜的蔓越橘。 来自无师自通 校园英语会话
10 shrugged 497904474a48f991a3d1961b0476ebce     
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》
11 eavesdrop lrPxS     
v.偷听,倾听
参考例句:
  • He ensconced himself in the closet in order to eavesdrop.他藏在壁橱里,以便偷听。
  • It is not polite to eavesdrop on the conversation of other people.偷听他人说话是很不礼貌的。
12 nervously tn6zFp     
adv.神情激动地,不安地
参考例句:
  • He bit his lip nervously,trying not to cry.他紧张地咬着唇,努力忍着不哭出来。
  • He paced nervously up and down on the platform.他在站台上情绪不安地走来走去。
13 horrified 8rUzZU     
a.(表现出)恐惧的
参考例句:
  • The whole country was horrified by the killings. 全国都对这些凶杀案感到大为震惊。
  • We were horrified at the conditions prevailing in local prisons. 地方监狱的普遍状况让我们震惊。
14 gasped e6af294d8a7477229d6749fa9e8f5b80     
v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 );喘息;倒抽气;很想要
参考例句:
  • She gasped at the wonderful view. 如此美景使她惊讶得屏住了呼吸。
  • People gasped with admiration at the superb skill of the gymnasts. 体操运动员的高超技艺令人赞叹。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
15 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。
16 amazement 7zlzBK     
n.惊奇,惊讶
参考例句:
  • All those around him looked at him with amazement.周围的人都对他投射出惊异的眼光。
  • He looked at me in blank amazement.他带着迷茫惊诧的神情望着我。
17 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。
18 spoke XryyC     
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说
参考例句:
  • They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
  • The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
19 riddle WCfzw     
n.谜,谜语,粗筛;vt.解谜,给…出谜,筛,检查,鉴定,非难,充满于;vi.出谜
参考例句:
  • The riddle couldn't be solved by the child.这个谜语孩子猜不出来。
  • Her disappearance is a complete riddle.她的失踪完全是一个谜。
20 attic Hv4zZ     
n.顶楼,屋顶室
参考例句:
  • Leakiness in the roof caused a damp attic.屋漏使顶楼潮湿。
  • What's to be done with all this stuff in the attic?顶楼上的材料怎么处理?
21 riddles 77f3ceed32609b0d80430e545f553e31     
n.谜(语)( riddle的名词复数 );猜不透的难题,难解之谜
参考例句:
  • Few riddles collected from oral tradition, however, have all six parts. 但是据收集的情况看,口头流传的谜语很少具有这完整的六部分。 来自英汉非文学 - 民俗
  • But first, you'd better see if you can answer riddles. 但是你首先最好想想你会不会猜谜语。 来自辞典例句
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