黑麦奇案42

时间：2025-10-10 08:35:46

（单词翻译:单击）

II
Mary Dove was in her sitting room. It was a small, rather austerely1 fur-
nished room, but comfortable. That is to say Miss Dove herself had made it
comfortable. When Inspector2 Neele tapped at the door Mary Dove raised
her head, which had been bent3 over a pile of tradesmen’s books, and said
in her clear voice:
“Come in.”
The inspector entered.
“Do sit down, Inspector.” Miss Dove indicated a chair. “Could you wait
just one moment? The total of the fishmonger’s account does not seem to
be correct and I must check it.”
Inspector Neele sat in silence watching her as she totted up the column.
How wonderfully calm and self-possessed the girl was, he thought. He was
intrigued4, as so often before, by the personality that underlay5 that self-as-
sured manner. He tried to trace in her features any resemblance to those
of the woman he had talked to at the Pinewood Sanatorium. The colouring
was not unlike, but he could detect no real facial resemblance. Presently
Mary Dove raised her head from her accounts and said:
“Yes, Inspector? What can I do for you?”
Inspector Neele said quietly:
“You know, Miss Dove, there are certain very peculiar6 features about
this case.”
“Yes?”
“To begin with there is the odd circumstance of the rye found in Mr.
Fortescue’s pocket.”
“That was very extraordinary,” Mary Dove agreed. “You know I really
cannot think of any explanation for that.”
“Then there is the curious circumstance of the blackbirds. Those four
blackbirds on Mr. Fortescue’s desk last summer, and also the incident of
the blackbirds being substituted for the veal7 and ham in the pie. You were
here, I think, Miss Dove, at the time of both those occurrences?”
“Yes, I was. I remember now. It was most upsetting. It seemed such a
very purposeless, spiteful thing to do, especially at the time.”
“Perhaps not entirely8 purposeless. What do you know, Miss Dove, about
the Blackbird Mine?”
“I don’t think I’ve ever heard of the Blackbird Mine.”
“Your name, you told me, is Mary Dove. Is that your real name, Miss
Dove?”
Mary raised her eyebrows9. Inspector Neele was almost sure that a wary11
expression had come into her blue eyes.
“What an extraordinary question, Inspector. Are you suggesting that my
name is not Mary Dove?”
“That is exactly what I am suggesting. I’m suggesting,” said Neele pleas-
antly, “that your name is Ruby12 MacKenzie.”
She stared at him. For a moment her face was entirely blank with
neither protest on it nor surprise. There was, Inspector Neele thought, a
very definite effect of calculation. After a minute or two she said in a
quiet, colourless voice:
“What do you expect me to say?”
“Please answer me. Is your name Ruby MacKenzie?”
“I have told you my name is Mary Dove.”
“Yes, but have you proof of that, Miss Dove?”
“What do you want to see? My birth certificate?”
“That might be helpful or it might not. You might, I mean, be in posses-
sion of the birth certificate of a Mary Dove. That Mary Dove might be a
friend of yours or might be someone who had died.”
“Yes, there are a lot of possibilities, aren’t there?” Amusement had crept
back into Mary Dove’s voice. “It’s really quite a dilemma13 for you, isn’t it,
Inspector?”
“They might possibly be able to recognize you at Pinewood Sanatorium,”
said Neele.
“Pinewood Sanatorium!” Mary raised her eyebrow10. “What or where is
Pinewood Sanatorium?”
“I think you know very well, Miss Dove.”
“I assure you I am quite in the dark.”
“And you deny categorically that you are Ruby MacKenzie?”
“I shouldn’t really like to deny anything. I think, you know, Inspector,
that it’s up to you to prove I am this Ruby MacKenzie, whoever she is.”
There was a definite amusement now in her blue eyes, amusement and
challenge. Looking him straight in the eyes, Mary Dove said, “Yes, it’s up to
you, Inspector. Prove that I’m Ruby MacKenzie if you can.”

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1 austerely 81fb68ad1e216c3806c4e926b2516000     
adv.严格地，朴质地
参考例句：
  • The austerely lighted garage was quiet. 灯光黯淡的车库静悄悄的。 来自辞典例句
  • Door of Ministry of Agriculture and produce will be challenged austerely. 农业部门及农产品将受到严重的挑战。 来自互联网
2 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。
3 bent QQ8yD     
n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的
参考例句：
  • He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
  • We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。
4 intrigued 7acc2a75074482e2b408c60187e27c73     
adj.好奇的，被迷住了的v.搞阴谋诡计(intrigue的过去式)；激起…的兴趣或好奇心；“intrigue”的过去式和过去分词
参考例句：
  • You've really intrigued me—tell me more! 你说的真有意思—再给我讲一些吧！
  • He was intrigued by her story. 他被她的故事迷住了。
5 underlay 2ef138c144347e8fcf93221b38fbcfdd     
v.位于或存在于（某物）之下( underlie的过去式 )；构成…的基础（或起因），引起n.衬垫物
参考例句：
  • That would depend upon whether the germs of staunch comradeship underlay the temporary emotion. 这得看这番暂时的情感里，是否含有生死不渝友谊的萌芽。 来自辞典例句
  • Sticking and stitching tongue overlay and tongue underlay Sticking 3㎜ reinforcement. 贴车舌上片与舌下片：贴3㎜补强带。 来自互联网
6 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。
7 veal 5HQy0     
n.小牛肉
参考例句：
  • She sauteed veal and peppers,preparing a mixed salad while the pan simmered.她先做的一道菜是青椒煎小牛肉，趁着锅还在火上偎着的机会，又做了一道拼盘。
  • Marinate the veal in white wine for two hours.把小牛肉用白葡萄酒浸泡两小时。
8 entirely entirely     
ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地
参考例句：
  • The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
  • His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。
9 eyebrows a0e6fb1330e9cfecfd1c7a4d00030ed5     
眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • Eyebrows stop sweat from coming down into the eyes. 眉毛挡住汗水使其不能流进眼睛。
  • His eyebrows project noticeably. 他的眉毛特别突出。
10 eyebrow vlOxk     
n.眉毛，眉
参考例句：
  • Her eyebrow is well penciled.她的眉毛画得很好。
  • With an eyebrow raised,he seemed divided between surprise and amusement.他一只眉毛扬了扬，似乎既感到吃惊，又觉有趣。
11 wary JMEzk     
adj.谨慎的，机警的，小心的
参考例句：
  • He is wary of telling secrets to others.他谨防向他人泄露秘密。
  • Paula frowned,suddenly wary.宝拉皱了皱眉头，突然警惕起来。
12 ruby iXixS     
n.红宝石，红宝石色
参考例句：
  • She is wearing a small ruby earring.她戴着一枚红宝石小耳环。
  • On the handle of his sword sat the biggest ruby in the world.他的剑柄上镶有一颗世上最大的红宝石。
13 dilemma Vlzzf     
n.困境，进退两难的局面
参考例句：
  • I am on the horns of a dilemma about the matter.这件事使我进退两难。
  • He was thrown into a dilemma.他陷入困境。

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