死亡约会 Part II Chapter 18（2）

 

But, mes amis,

does it escape you that those words were not a reasonable answer at all to what Miss King hadjust been saying? “I’ve never forgotten anything—not an action, not a name, not a face.” It doesnot make sense! If she had said, “I never forget impertinence”—something of that kind—but no—a face is what she said…

‘Ah!’ cried Poirot, beating his hands together. ‘But it leaps to the eye! Those words, ostensiblyspoken to Miss King, were not meant for Miss King at all! They were addressed to someone elsestanding behind Miss King.’

He paused, noting their expressions.

‘Yes, it leaps to the eye! That was, I tell you, a psychological¹ moment in Mrs Boynton’s life!

She had been exposed to herself by an intelligent young woman! She was full of baffled² fury—andat that moment she recognized someone—a face from the past—a victim delivered into her hands!

‘We are back, you see, at the outsider! And now the meaning of Mrs Boynton’s unexpectedamiability on the afternoon of her death is clear. She wanted to get rid of her family because—touse a vulgarity—she had other fish to fry! She wanted the field left clear for an interview with anew victim…

‘Now, from that new standpoint³, let us consider the events of the afternoon! The Boyntonfamily go off. Mrs Boynton sits up by her cave. Now let us consider very carefully the evidence ofLady Westholme and Miss Pierce⁴. The latter is an unreliable witness, she is unobservant and verysuggestible. Lady Westholme, on the other hand, is perfectly⁵ clear as to her facts and meticulouslyobservant. Both ladies agree on one fact! An Arab, one of the servants, approaches Mrs Boynton,angers her in some way and retires hastily⁶. Lady Westholme stated definitely⁷ that the servant hadfirst been into the tent occupied by Ginevra Boynton, but you may remember that Dr Gerard’s tentwas next door to Ginevra’s. It is possible that it was Dr Gerard’s tent the Arab entered…’

Colonel⁸ Carbury said: ‘D’you mean to tell me that one of those Bedouin fellows of minemurdered an old lady by sticking her with a hypodermic? Fantastic!’

‘Wait, Colonel Carbury, I have not yet finished. Let us agree that the Arab might have comefrom Dr Gerard’s tent and not Ginevra Boynton’s. What is the next thing? Both ladies agree thatthey could not see his face clearly enough to identify him and that they did not hear what was said.

That is understandable. The distance between the marquee and the ledge⁹ was about two hundredyards. Lady Westholme gave a clear description of the man otherwise, describing in detail hisragged breeches and the untidiness with which his puttees were rolled.’

Poirot leaned forward.

‘And that, my friends, was very odd¹⁰ indeed! Because if she could not see his face or hear whatwas said, she could not possibly have noticed the state of his breeches and puttees! Not at twohundred yards!

‘It was an error, that, you see! It suggested a curious idea to me. Why insist so on the raggedbreeches and untidy puttees? Could it be because the breeches were not torn and the puttees werenon-existent? Lady Westholme and Miss Pierce both saw the man—but from where they weresitting they could not see each other. That is shown by the fact that Lady Westholme came to seeif Miss Pierce was awake and found her sitting in the entrance of her tent.’

 

1 psychological   

adj.心理的，精神上的

参考例句：

• Work also provides psychological well-being.工作还能使人身心健康。
• The psychological advantage of direct control is impressive.直接控制所收到的心理效果很大。

2 baffled   

adj.带有障板的，阻挡的v.使困难，使为难( baffle的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The question baffled me completely and I couldn't answer it. 这个问题把我彻底难倒了，我答不出来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Her question has baffled me. 她的问题把我难倒了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 standpoint   

n.立场，观点

参考例句：

• We should look at this from a historical standpoint.我们应从历史的观点看待这事。
• From my standpoint,this thing is just ridiculous.依我看来，这件事简直荒唐。

4 pierce   

n.皮尔斯；v.刺穿，穿透，洞悉

参考例句：

• We use the machine to pierce holes in the steel sheet.我们用机器在钢板上打洞。
• Any sights could pierce them.任何景色都会刺激他们。

5 perfectly   

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。

6 hastily   

ad.过于匆忙地，急急忙忙地

参考例句：

• I query very much whether it is wise to act so hastily. 我真怀疑如此操之过急地行动是否明智。
• Nothing must be done hastily but killing of fleas. 除非要捉跳蚤，做事不可匆忙。

7 definitely   

adv.一定地，肯定地；明确地，确切地

参考例句：

• The team will definitely lose if he doesn't play.如果他不参加比赛，这个队肯定会输。
• I shall definitely be home before six o'clock.6点以前，我一定回家。

8 colonel   

n.(英国陆军、美国陆空军及海军陆战队)上校

参考例句：

• It's a pity we didn't mend our fences with the colonel.可惜我们还没有和上校先生调整好关系。
• An army major ranks between a captain and a colonel.陆军少校的军阶在上尉与中校之间。

9 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。

10 odd   

adj.奇特的；临时的；奇数的；n.[pl.]机会

参考例句：

• She looks a bit odd.I wonder what has happened to her.她的神色有些异样，不知出了什么事。
• He's an odd character and no mistake!他的确是个怪人！