死亡约会 Part II Chapter 13（1）

 

Chapter 13

Nadine Boynton came out of the hotel. As she hesitated uncertainly, a waiting figure sprangforward.

Mr Jefferson Cope was immediately at his lady’s side.

‘Shall we walk up this way? I think it’s the pleasantest.’

She acquiesced¹.

They walked along and Mr Cope talked. His words came freely if a trifle monotonously². It isnot certain whether he perceived that Nadine was not listening. As they turned aside on to thestony flower-covered hill-side, she interrupted him.

‘Jefferson, I’m sorry. I’ve got to talk to you.’

Her face had grown pale.

‘Why, certainly, my dear. Anything you like, but don’t distress³ yourself.’

She said: ‘You’re cleverer than I thought. You know, don’t you, what I’m going to say?’

‘It is undoubtedly⁴ true,’ said Mr Cope, ‘that circumstances alter cases. I do feel, veryprofoundly, that in the present circumstances decisions may have to be reconsidered.’ He sighed.

‘You’ve got to go right ahead, Nadine, and do just what you feel.’

She said with real emotion: ‘You’re so good, Jefferson. So patient! I feel I’ve treated you verybadly. I really have been downright mean to you.’

‘Now, look here, Nadine, let’s get this right. I’ve always known what my limitations werewhere you were concerned. I’ve had the deepest affection and respect for you ever since I’veknown you. All I want is your happiness. That’s all I’ve ever wanted. Seeing you unhappy hasvery nearly driven me crazy. And I may say that I’ve blamed Lennox. I’ve felt that he didn’tdeserve to keep you if he didn’t value your happiness a little more than he seemed to do.’

Mr Cope took a breath and went on:

‘Now I’ll admit that after travelling with you to Petra, I felt that perhaps Lennox wasn’t quite somuch to blame as I thought. He wasn’t so much selfish where you were concerned, as too unselfishwhere his mother was concerned. I don’t want to say anything against the dead, but I do think thatyour mother-in-law was perhaps an unusually difficult woman.’

‘Yes, I think you may say that,’ murmured Nadine.

 

1 acquiesced   

v.默认，默许( acquiesce的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Senior government figures must have acquiesced in the cover-up. 政府高级官员必然已经默许掩盖真相。
• After a lot of persuasion,he finally acquiesced. 经过多次劝说，他最终默许了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 monotonously   

adv.单调地，无变化地

参考例句：

• The lecturer phrased monotonously. 这位讲师用词单调。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The maid, still in tears, sniffed monotonously. 侍女还在哭，发出单调的抽泣声。 来自辞典例句

3 distress   

n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛

参考例句：

• Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。
• Please don't distress yourself.请你不要忧愁了。

4 undoubtedly   

adv.确实地，无疑地

参考例句：

• It is undoubtedly she who has said that.这话明明是她说的。
• He is undoubtedly the pride of China.毫无疑问他是中国的骄傲。