顺水推舟46

时间：2025-01-30 17:36:10

（单词翻译:单击）

Seventeen
It was a Sunday morning when Rowley Cloade, answering a knock at the farm door, found Lynn
waiting outside.
He stepped back a pace.
“Lynn!”
“Can I come in, Rowley?”
He stood back a little. She passed him and went into the kitchen. She had been at church and
was wearing a hat. Slowly, with an almost ritual1 air, she raised her hands, took off the hat and laid
it down on the windowsill.
“I’ve come home, Rowley.”
“What on earth do you mean?”
“Just that. I’ve come home. This is home—here, with you. I’ve been a fool not to know it
before—not to know journey’s end when I saw it. Don’t you understand, Rowley, I’ve come
home!”
“You don’t know what you’re saying, Lynn. I—I tried to kill you.”
“I know.” Lynn gave a grimace2 and put her fingers gingerly to her throat. “Actually, it was
just when I thought you had killed me, that I began to realize what a really thundering fool I’d
been making of myself!”
“I don’t understand,” said Rowley.
“Oh, don’t be stupid. I always wanted to marry you, didn’t I? And then I got out of touch
with you—you seemed to me so tame—so meek—I felt life would be so safe with you—so dull. I
fell for David because he was dangerous and attractive—and, to be honest, because he knows
women much too well. But none of that was real. When you caught hold of me by the throat and
said if I wasn’t for you, no one should have me—well—I knew then that I was your woman!
Unfortunately it seemed that I was going to know it—just too late…Luckily Hercule Poirot
walked in and saved the situation. And I am your woman, Rowley!”
Rowley shook his head.
“It’s impossible, Lynn. I’ve killed two men—murdered them—”
“Rubbish,” cried Lynn. “Don’t be pigheaded and melodramatic. If you have a row with a
hulking big man and hit him and he falls down and hits his head on a fender—that isn’t murder.
It’s not even legally3 murder.”
“It’s manslaughter. You go to prison for it.”
“Possibly. If so, I shall be on the step when you come out.”
“And there’s Porter4. I’m morally responsible5 for his death.”
“No, you’re not. He was a fully6 adult responsible man—he could have turned down your
proposition7. One can’t blame any one else for the things one decides to do with one’s eyes
open. You suggested dishonesty to him, he accepted it and then repented8 and took a quick way
out. He was just a weak character.”
Rowley shook his head obstinately9.
“It’s no good, old girl. You can’t marry a gaolbird.”
“I don’t think you’re going to gaol10. A policeman would have been round for you before
now if so.”
Rowley stared.
“But damn11 it all, manslaughter—bribing Porter—”
“What makes you think the police know anything about all that or ever will?”
“That fellow Poirot knows.”
“He isn’t the police. I’ll tell you what the police think. They think David Hunter killed
Arden as well as Rosaleen, now they know he was in Warmsley Vale that evening. They won’t
charge him with it because it isn’t necessary—and besides, I believe you can’t be arrested
twice on the same charge. But as long as they think he did it, they won’t look for any one else.”
“But that chap12 Poirot—”
“He told the Superintendent13 it was an accident, and I gather the Superintendent just laughed at
him. If you ask me I think Poirot will say nothing to any one. He’s rather a dear—”
“No, Lynn. I can’t let you risk it. Apart from anything else I—well, I mean, can I trust
myself? What I mean is, it wouldn’t be safe for you.”
“Perhaps not…But you see, Rowley, I do love you—and you’ve had such a hell of a time—
and I’ve never, really, cared very much for being safe—”

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1 ritual 7Cgzq     
adj.例行的，老规矩的，惯常的
参考例句：
  • This was the monthly ritual.这是每月一次的例规。
  • I realized that here the conventions required me to make the ritual noises.我意识到此时按照惯例我应该说些客套话。
2 grimace XQVza     
v.做鬼脸，面部歪扭
参考例句：
  • The boy stole a look at his father with grimace.那男孩扮着鬼脸偷看了他父亲一眼。
  • Thomas made a grimace after he had tasted the wine.托马斯尝了那葡萄酒后做了个鬼脸。
3 legally A1Qxi     
adv. 合法地，法律上地
参考例句：
  • A bill of exchange is a legally recognized document. 汇票是合法票据。
  • The agreement will be legally binding. 这个协议将具有法律效力。
4 porter wOYxZ     
n.搬运工人；守门人，门房
参考例句：
  • The hotel porter will help you.旅馆的门童可以帮你的忙。
  • The porter and I looked at each other and smiled.我和脚夫微笑着你看着我，我看着你。
5 responsible LWGx7     
adj.有责任的，应负责的；可靠的，可信赖的；责任重大的；vi.休息，睡；静止，停止
参考例句：
  • He must be responsible to me for this matter.这件事他必须对我负责。
  • The police are responsible for the preservation of law and order.警察负责维持法律与秩序。
6 fully Gfuzd     
adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地
参考例句：
  • The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
  • They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。
7 proposition o08zp     
n.建议，命题，主张；vt.向...提议，向...调情
参考例句：
  • The two teams prepared to debate the given proposition.两个队准备就所给定的命题展开辩论。
  • It is clearly illogical to maintain such a proposition.坚持这种主张显然是没有道理的。
8 repented c24481167c6695923be1511247ed3c08     
对（自己的所为）感到懊悔或忏悔( repent的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • He repented his thoughtlessness. 他后悔自己的轻率。
  • Darren repented having shot the bird. 达伦后悔射杀了那只鸟。
9 obstinately imVzvU     
ad.固执地，顽固地
参考例句：
  • He obstinately asserted that he had done the right thing. 他硬说他做得对。
  • Unemployment figures are remaining obstinately high. 失业数字仍然顽固地居高不下。
10 gaol Qh8xK     
n.(jail)监狱；(不加冠词)监禁；vt.使…坐牢
参考例句：
  • He was released from the gaol.他被释放出狱。
  • The man spent several years in gaol for robbery.这男人因犯抢劫罪而坐了几年牢。
11 damn jnyzC     
int.该死，他妈的；vt.指责，贬斥，诅咒
参考例句：
  • Damn this useless typewriter!这台破打字机真该死！
  • I knew damn well what he was going to say.我非常清楚他要说什么。
12 chap qrvzE     
n.男人；小伙子；家伙
参考例句：
  • This chap can't keep anything to himself.这人肚里藏不住话。
  • This chap is quite a smooth character.这人很世故。
13 superintendent vsTwV     
n.监督人，主管，总监；(英国)警务长
参考例句：
  • He was soon promoted to the post of superintendent of Foreign Trade.他很快就被擢升为对外贸易总监。
  • He decided to call the superintendent of the building.他决定给楼房管理员打电话。

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