死亡约会 Part II Chapter 14（2）

 

‘Did you notice her as you walked home?’

‘I did notice she was there—it was her usual seat in the afternoon and evening, but I didn’t payspecial attention. I was just explaining to Lady Westholme the conditions of our slump¹. I had tokeep an eye on Miss Pierce, too. She was so tired she kept turning her ankles.’

‘Thank you, Mr Cope. May I be so indiscreet as to ask if Mrs Boynton is likely to have left alarge fortune?’

‘A very considerable one. That is to say, strictly² speaking, it was not hers to leave. She had alife interest in it and at her death it is divided between the late Elmer Boynton’s children. Yes, theywill all be very comfortably off now.’

‘Money,’ murmured Poirot, ‘makes a lot of difference. How many crimes have been committedfor it?’

Mr Cope looked a little startled.

‘Why, that’s so, I suppose,’ he admitted.

Poirot smiled sweetly and murmured: ‘But there are so many motives³ for murder, are there not?

Thank you, Mr Cope, for your kind co-operation.’

‘You’re welcome, I’m sure,’ said Mr Cope. ‘Do I see Miss King sitting up there? I think I’ll goand have a word with her.’

Poirot continued to descend⁴ the hill.

He met Miss Pierce fluttering up it.

She greeted him breathlessly.

‘Oh, M. Poirot, I’m so glad to meet you. I’ve been talking to that very odd girl—the youngestone, you know. She has been saying the strangest things—about enemies, and some sheikh thatwanted to kidnap her and how she has spies all round her. Really, it sounded most romantic! LadyWestholme says it is all nonsense and that she once had a red-headed kitchenmaid who told liesjust like that, but I think sometimes that Lady Westholme is rather hard. And after all, it might betrue, mightn’t it, M. Poirot? I read some years ago that one of the Czar’s daughters was not killedin the Revolution in Russia, but escaped secretly to America. The Grand Duchess Tatiana, I thinkit was. If so, this might be her daughter, mightn’t it? She did hint at something royal—and she hasa look, don’t you think? Rather Slavonic—those cheek-bones. How thrilling it would be!’

Poirot said somewhat sententiously: ‘It is true that there are many strange things in life.’

‘I didn’t really take in this morning who you were,’ said Miss Pierce, clasping her hands. ‘Ofcourse you are that very famous detective! I read all about the ABC case. It was so thrilling. I hadactually a post as governess near Doncaster at the time.’

Poirot murmured something. Miss Pierce went on with growing agitation⁵.

‘That is why I felt perhaps—I had been wrong—this morning. One must always tell everything,must one not? Even the smallest detail, however unrelated it may seem. Because, of course, if youare mixed up in this, poor Mrs Boynton must have been murdered! I see that now! I suppose MrMah Mood—I cannot remember his name—but the dragoman, I mean—I suppose he could not bea Bolshevik agent? Or even, perhaps, Miss King? I believe many quite well-brought-up girls ofgood family belong to these dreadful Communists! That’s why I wondered if I ought to tell you—because, you see, it was rather peculiar⁶ when one comes to think of it.’

‘Precisely,’ said Poirot. ‘And therefore you will tell me all about it.’

 

1 slump   

n.暴跌，意气消沉，（土地）下沉；vi.猛然掉落，坍塌，大幅度下跌

参考例句：

• She is in a slump in her career.她处在事业的低谷。
• Economists are forecasting a slump.经济学家们预言将发生经济衰退。

2 strictly   

adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地

参考例句：

• His doctor is dieting him strictly.他的医生严格规定他的饮食。
• The guests were seated strictly in order of precedence.客人严格按照地位高低就座。

3 motives   

n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• to impeach sb's motives 怀疑某人的动机
• His motives are unclear. 他的用意不明。

4 descend   

vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降

参考例句：

• I hope the grace of God would descend on me.我期望上帝的恩惠。
• We're not going to descend to such methods.我们不会沦落到使用这种手段。

5 agitation   

n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动

参考例句：

• Small shopkeepers carried on a long agitation against the big department stores.小店主们长期以来一直在煽动人们反对大型百货商店。
• These materials require constant agitation to keep them in suspension.这些药剂要经常搅动以保持悬浮状态。

6 peculiar   

adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的

参考例句：

• He walks in a peculiar fashion.他走路的样子很奇特。
• He looked at me with a very peculiar expression.他用一种很奇怪的表情看着我。