死亡约会 Part II Chapter 19（2）

 

A dapper figure stopped by their table. Hercule Poirot, faultlessly and beautifully apparelled, hismoustaches proudly twisted, bowed regally.

‘Mademoiselle,’ he said to Ginevra, ‘mes hommages. You were superb!’

They greeted him affectionately, made a place for him beside Sarah.

He beamed round on them all and when they were all talking he leaned a little sideways andsaid softly to Sarah:

‘Eh bien, it seems that all marches well now with la famille Boynton!’

‘Thanks to you!’ said Sarah.

‘He becomes very eminent¹, your husband. I read today an excellent review of his last book.’

‘It’s really rather good—although I say it! Did you know that Carol and Jefferson Cope hadmade a match of it at last? And Lennox and Nadine have got two of the nicest children—cute,Raymond calls them. As for Jinny—well, I rather think Jinny’s a genius.’

She looked across the table at the lovely face and the red-gold crown of hair, and then she gavea tiny start.

For a moment her face was grave. She raised her glass slowly to her lips.

‘You drink a toast, madame?’ asked Poirot.

Sarah said slowly:

‘I thought—suddenly—of Her. Looking at Jinny, I saw—for the first time—the likeness². Thesame thing—only Jinny is in light—where She was in darkness…’

And from opposite, Ginevra said unexpectedly:

‘Poor Mother…She was queer…Now—that we’re all so happy—I feel kind of sorry for her.

She didn’t get what she wanted out of life. It must have been tough for her.’

Almost without a pause, her voice quivered softly into the lines from Cymbeline while theothers listened spell-bound to the music of them:

‘Fear no more the heat o’ the sun,

Nor the furious winter’s rages;

Thou the worldly task hast done,

Home art gone, and ta’en thy wages…’

 

1 eminent   

adj.显赫的，杰出的，有名的，优良的

参考例句：

• We are expecting the arrival of an eminent scientist.我们正期待一位著名科学家的来访。
• He is an eminent citizen of China.他是一个杰出的中国公民。

2 likeness   

n.相像，相似（之处）

参考例句：

• I think the painter has produced a very true likeness.我认为这位画家画得非常逼真。
• She treasured the painted likeness of her son.她珍藏她儿子的画像。