借镜杀人31

时间：2025-10-10 07:11:32

（单词翻译:单击）

3
The Inspector1 and Dodgett went back to the house across the lawn. (Look-
ing for footprints, Alex said to himself. But here he was wrong. They had
looked for footprints very early that morning and had been unsuccessful
because it had rained heavily at 2 A.M. ) Alex walked slowly up the drive,
turning over in his mind the possibilities of his new idea.
He was diverted from this however by the sight of Gina walking on the
path by the lake. The house was on a slight eminence2, and the ground
sloped gently down from the front sweeps of gravel3 to the lake, which was
bordered by rhododendrons and other shrubs4. Alex ran down the gravel
and found Gina.
“If you could black out that absurd Victorian monstrosity,” he said,
screwing up his eyes, “this would make a very good Swan Lake, with you,
Gina, as the Swan Maiden5. You are more like the Snow Queen though,
when I come to think of it. Ruthless, determined6 to have your own way,
quite without pity or kindliness7 or the rudiments8 of compassion9. You are
very very feminine, Gina dear.”
“How malicious10 you are, Alex dear!”
“Because I refuse to be taken in by you? You’re very pleased with your-
self, aren’t you, Gina? You’ve got us all where you want us. Myself,
Stephen, and that large, simple husband of yours.”
“You’re talking nonsense.”
“Oh no, I’m not. Stephen’s in love with you, I’m in love with you, and
Wally’s desperately11 miserable12. What more could a woman want?”
Gina looked at him and laughed.
Alex nodded his head vigorously.
“You have the rudiments of honesty, I’m glad to see. That’s the Latin in
you. You don’t go to the trouble of pretending that you’re not attractive to
men—and that you’re terribly sorry about it if they are attracted to you.
You like having men in love with you, don’t you, cruel Gina? Even miser-
able little Edgar Lawson!”
Gina looked at him steadily13.
She said in a quiet serious tone:
“It doesn’t last very long, you know. Women have a much worse time of
it in the world than men do. They’re more vulnerable. They have children,
and they mind—terribly—about their children. As soon as they lose their
looks, the men they love don’t love them anymore. They’re betrayed and
deserted14 and pushed aside. I don’t blame men. I’d be the same myself. I
don’t like people who are old or ugly or ill, or who whine15 about their
troubles, or who are ridiculous like Edgar, strutting16 about and pretending
he’s important and worthwhile. You say I’m cruel? It’s a cruel world!
Sooner or later it will be cruel to me! But now I’m young and I’m nice look-
ing and people find me attractive.” Her teeth flashed out in her peculiar17,
warm sunny smile. “Yes, I enjoy it, Alex. Why shouldn’t I?”
“Why indeed?” said Alex. “What I want to know is what you are going to
do about it. Are you going to marry Stephen or are you going to marry
me?”
“I’m married to Wally.”
“Temporarily. Every woman should make one mistake matrimonially—
but there’s no need to dwell on it. Having tried out the show in the
provinces, the time has come to bring it to the West End.”
“And you’re the West End?”
“Indubitably.”
“Do you really want to marry me? I can’t imagine you married.”
“I insist on marriage. Affaires, I always think, are so very old-fashioned.
Difficulties with passports and hotels and all that. I shall never have a mis-
tress unless I can’t get her any other way!”
Gina’s laugh rang out fresh and clear.
“You do amuse me, Alex.”
“It is my principal asset. Stephen is much better looking than I am. He’s
extremely handsome and very intense which, of course, women adore.
But intensity18 is fatiguing19 in the home. With me, Gina, you will find life en-
tertaining.”
“Aren’t you going to say you love me madly?”
“However true that may be, I shall certainly not say it. It would be one
up to you and one down to me if I did. No, all I am prepared to do is to
make you a businesslike offer of marriage.”
“I shall have to think about it,” said Gina, smiling.
“Naturally. Besides, you’ve got to put Wally out of his misery20 first. I’ve a
lot of sympathy with Wally. It must be absolute hell for him to be married
to you and trailed along at your chariot wheels into this heavy, family at-
mosphere of philanthropy.”
“What a beast you are, Alex!”
“A perceptive21 beast.”
“Sometimes,” said Gina, “I don’t think Wally cares for me one little bit.
He just doesn’t notice me anymore.”
“You’ve stirred him up with a stick and he doesn’t respond? Most annoy-
ing.”
Like a flash, Gina swung her palm and delivered a ringing slap on Alex’s
smooth cheek.
“Touché!” cried Alex.
With a quick, deft22 movement, he gathered her into his arms and before
she could resist, his lips fastened on hers in a long ardent23 kiss. She
struggled a moment and then relaxed….
“Gina!”
They sprang apart. Mildred Strete, her face red, her lips quivering,
glared at them balefully. For a moment, the eagerness of her words
choked their utterance24.
“Disgusting … disgusting … you abandoned beastly girl … you’re just like
your mother … You’re a bad lot … I always knew you were a bad lot … ut-
terly depraved … and you’re not only an adulteress—you’re a murderess
too. Oh yes, you are. I know what I know!”
“And what do you know? Don’t be ridiculous, Aunt Mildred.”
“I’m no aunt of yours, thank goodness. No blood relation to you. Why
you don’t even know who your mother was or where she came from! But
you know well enough what my father was like and my mother. What sort
of a child do you think they would adopt? A criminal’s child or a prosti-
tute’s probably! That’s the sort of people they were. They ought to have re-
membered that bad blood will tell. Though I daresay that it’s the Italian in
you that makes you turn to poison.”
“How dare you say that?”
“I shall say what I like. You can’t deny now, can you, that somebody
tried to poison Mother? And who’s the most likely person to do that? Who
comes into an enormous fortune if Mother dies? You do, Gina, and you
may be sure that the police have not overlooked that fact.”
Still trembling, Mildred moved rapidly away.
“Pathological,” said Alex. “Definitely pathological. Really most interest-
ing. It makes one wonder about the late Canon Strete … religious scruples25,
perhaps?… Or would you say impotent?”
“Don’t be disgusting, Alex. Oh I hate her, I hate her, I hate her.”
Gina clenched26 her hands and shook with fury.
“Lucky you hadn’t got a knife in your stocking,” said Alex. “If you had,
dear Mrs. Strete might have known something about murder from the
point of view of the victim. Calm down, Gina. Don’t look so melodramatic
and like Italian Opera.”
“How dare she say I tried to poison Grandam?”
“Well, darling, somebody tried to poison her. And from the point of view
of motive27 you’re well in the picture, aren’t you?”
“Alex!” Gina stared at him, dismayed. “Do the police think so?”
“It’s extremely difficult to know what the police think … They keep their
own counsel remarkably28 well. They’re by no means fools, you know. That
reminds me—”
“Where are you going?”
“To work out an idea of mine.”

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点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 inspector q6kxH     
n.检查员，监察员，视察员
参考例句：
  • The inspector was interested in everything pertaining to the school.视察员对有关学校的一切都感兴趣。
  • The inspector was shining a flashlight onto the tickets.查票员打着手电筒查看车票。
2 eminence VpLxo     
n.卓越，显赫；高地，高处；名家
参考例句：
  • He is a statesman of great eminence.他是个声名显赫的政治家。
  • Many of the pilots were to achieve eminence in the aeronautical world.这些飞行员中很多人将会在航空界声名显赫。
3 gravel s6hyT     
n.砂跞；砂砾层；结石
参考例句：
  • We bought six bags of gravel for the garden path.我们购买了六袋碎石用来铺花园的小路。
  • More gravel is needed to fill the hollow in the drive.需要更多的砾石来填平车道上的坑洼。
4 shrubs b480276f8eea44e011d42320b17c3619     
灌木( shrub的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • The gardener spent a complete morning in trimming those two shrubs. 园丁花了整个上午的时间修剪那两处灌木林。
  • These shrubs will need more light to produce flowering shoots. 这些灌木需要更多的光照才能抽出开花的新枝。
5 maiden yRpz7     
n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的
参考例句：
  • The prince fell in love with a fair young maiden.王子爱上了一位年轻美丽的少女。
  • The aircraft makes its maiden flight tomorrow.这架飞机明天首航。
6 determined duszmP     
adj.坚定的；有决心的
参考例句：
  • I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
  • He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。
7 kindliness 2133e1da2ddf0309b4a22d6f5022476b     
n.厚道，亲切，友好的行为
参考例句：
  • Martha looked up into a strange face and dark eyes alight with kindliness and concern. 马撒慢慢抬起头，映入眼帘的是张陌生的脸，脸上有一双充满慈爱和关注的眼睛。 来自辞典例句
  • I think the chief thing that struck me about Burton was his kindliness. 我想，我对伯顿印象最深之处主要还是这个人的和善。 来自辞典例句
8 rudiments GjBzbg     
n.基础知识，入门
参考例句：
  • He has just learned the rudiments of Chinese. 他学汉语刚刚入门。
  • You do not seem to know the first rudiments of agriculture. 你似乎连农业上的一点最起码的常识也没有。
9 compassion 3q2zZ     
n.同情，怜悯
参考例句：
  • He could not help having compassion for the poor creature.他情不自禁地怜悯起那个可怜的人来。
  • Her heart was filled with compassion for the motherless children.她对于没有母亲的孩子们充满了怜悯心。
10 malicious e8UzX     
adj.有恶意的，心怀恶意的
参考例句：
  • You ought to kick back at such malicious slander. 你应当反击这种恶毒的污蔑。
  • Their talk was slightly malicious.他们的谈话有点儿心怀不轨。
11 desperately cu7znp     
adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地
参考例句：
  • He was desperately seeking a way to see her again.他正拼命想办法再见她一面。
  • He longed desperately to be back at home.他非常渴望回家。
12 miserable g18yk     
adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的
参考例句：
  • It was miserable of you to make fun of him.你取笑他，这是可耻的。
  • Her past life was miserable.她过去的生活很苦。
13 steadily Qukw6     
adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地
参考例句：
  • The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
  • Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。
14 deserted GukzoL     
adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的
参考例句：
  • The deserted village was filled with a deathly silence.这个荒废的村庄死一般的寂静。
  • The enemy chieftain was opposed and deserted by his followers.敌人头目众叛亲离。
15 whine VMNzc     
v.哀号，号哭；n.哀鸣
参考例句：
  • You are getting paid to think,not to whine.支付给你工资是让你思考而不是哀怨的。
  • The bullet hit a rock and rocketed with a sharp whine.子弹打在一块岩石上，一声尖厉的呼啸，跳飞开去。
16 strutting 2a28bf7fb89b582054410bf3c6bbde1a     
加固，支撑物
参考例句：
  • He, too, was exceedingly arrogant, strutting about the castle. 他也是非常自大，在城堡里大摇大摆地走。
  • The pompous lecturer is strutting and forth across the stage. 这个演讲者在台上趾高气扬地来回走着。
17 peculiar cinyo     
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。
18 intensity 45Ixd     
n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度
参考例句：
  • I didn't realize the intensity of people's feelings on this issue.我没有意识到这一问题能引起群情激奋。
  • The strike is growing in intensity.罢工日益加剧。
19 fatiguing ttfzKm     
a.使人劳累的
参考例句：
  • He was fatiguing himself with his writing, no doubt. 想必他是拼命写作，写得精疲力尽了。
  • Machines are much less fatiguing to your hands, arms, and back. 使用机器时，手、膊和后背不会感到太累。
20 misery G10yi     
n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦
参考例句：
  • Business depression usually causes misery among the working class.商业不景气常使工薪阶层受苦。
  • He has rescued me from the mire of misery.他把我从苦海里救了出来。
21 perceptive muuyq     
adj.知觉的，有洞察力的，感知的
参考例句：
  • This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
  • He is very perceptive and nothing can be hidden from him.他耳聪目明，什么事都很难瞒住他。
22 deft g98yn     
adj.灵巧的，熟练的（a deft hand 能手）
参考例句：
  • The pianist has deft fingers.钢琴家有灵巧的双手。
  • This bird,sharp of eye and deft of beak,can accurately peck the flying insects in the air.这只鸟眼疾嘴快，能准确地把空中的飞虫啄住。
23 ardent yvjzd     
adj.热情的，热烈的，强烈的，烈性的
参考例句：
  • He's an ardent supporter of the local football team.他是本地足球队的热情支持者。
  • Ardent expectations were held by his parents for his college career.他父母对他的大学学习抱着殷切的期望。
24 utterance dKczL     
n.用言语表达，话语，言语
参考例句：
  • This utterance of his was greeted with bursts of uproarious laughter.他的讲话引起阵阵哄然大笑。
  • My voice cleaves to my throat,and sob chokes my utterance.我的噪子哽咽，泣不成声。
25 scruples 14d2b6347f5953bad0a0c5eebf78068a     
n.良心上的不安( scruple的名词复数 )；顾虑，顾忌v.感到于心不安，有顾忌( scruple的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
  • I overcame my moral scruples. 我抛开了道德方面的顾虑。
  • I'm not ashamed of my scruples about your family. They were natural. 我并未因为对你家人的顾虑而感到羞耻。这种感觉是自然而然的。 来自疯狂英语突破英语语调
26 clenched clenched     
v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • He clenched his fists in anger. 他愤怒地攥紧了拳头。
  • She clenched her hands in her lap to hide their trembling. 她攥紧双手放在腿上，以掩饰其颤抖。 来自《简明英汉词典》
27 motive GFzxz     
n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的
参考例句：
  • The police could not find a motive for the murder.警察不能找到谋杀的动机。
  • He had some motive in telling this fable.他讲这寓言故事是有用意的。
28 remarkably EkPzTW     
ad.不同寻常地，相当地
参考例句：
  • I thought she was remarkably restrained in the circumstances. 我认为她在那种情况下非常克制。
  • He made a remarkably swift recovery. 他康复得相当快。

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