借镜杀人34

时间:2025-10-10 07:11:41

(单词翻译:单击)

Eighteen
1
“Oh, Wally, how you startled me!”
Gina, emerging from the shadows by the theatre, jumped back a little, as
the figure of Wally Hudd materialised out of the gloom. It was not yet
quite dark, but had that eerie1 half light when objects lose their reality and
take on the fantastic shapes of nightmare.
“What are you doing down here? You never come near the theatre as a
rule.”
“Maybe I was looking for you, Gina. It’s usually the best place to find
you, isn’t it?”
Wally’s soft, faintly drawling voice held no special insinuation and yet
Gina flinched2 a little.
“It’s a job and I’m keen on it. I like the atmosphere of paint and canvas,
and backstage generally.”
“Yes. It means a lot to you. I’ve seen that. Tell me, Gina, how long do you
think it will be before this business is all cleared up?”
“The inquest’s tomorrow. It will just be adjourned3 for a fortnight or
something like that. At least, that’s what Inspector4 Curry5 gave us to under-
stand.”
“A fortnight,” said Wally thoughtfully. “I see. Say three weeks, perhaps.
And after that—we’re free. I’m going back to the States then.”
“Oh! but I can’t run off like that,” cried Gina. “I couldn’t leave Grandam.
And we’ve got these two new productions we’re working on”—
“I didn’t say ‘we.’ I said I was going.”
Gina stopped and looked up at her husband. Something in the effect of
the shadows made him seem very big. A big, quiet figure—and in some
way, or so it seemed to her, faintly menacing … standing6 over her. Threat-
ening—what?
“Do you mean”—she hesitated—“you don’t want me to come?”
“Why, no—I didn’t say that.”
“You don’t care if I come or not? Is that it?”
She was suddenly angry.
“See here, Gina. This is where we’ve got to have a showdown. We didn’t
know much about each other when we married—not much about each
other’s backgrounds, not much about the other one’s folks. We thought it
didn’t matter. We thought nothing mattered except having a swell7 time to-
gether. Well, stage one is over. Your folks didn’t—and don’t—think much
of me. Maybe they’re right. I’m not their kind. But if you think I’m staying
on here, kicking my heels, and doing odd jobs in what I consider is just a
crazy setup—well, think again! I want to live in my own country, doing the
kind of job I want to do, and can do. My idea of a wife is the kind of wife
who used to go along with the old pioneers, ready for anything, hardship,
unfamiliar8 country, danger, strange surroundings … Perhaps that’s too
much to ask of you, but it’s that or nothing! Maybe I hustled9 you into mar-
riage. If so, you’d better get free of me and start again. It’s up to you. If you
prefer one of these arty boys—it’s your life and you’ve got to choose. But
I’m going home.”
“I think you’re an absolute pig,” said Gina. “I’m enjoying myself here.”
“Is that so? Well, I’m not. You even enjoy murder, I suppose?”
Gina drew in her breath sharply.
“That’s a cruel, wicked thing to say. I was very fond of Uncle Christian10.
And don’t you realise that someone has been quietly poisoning Grandam
for months? It’s horrible!”
“I told you I didn’t like it here. I don’t like the kind of things that go on.
I’m quitting.”
“If you’re allowed to! Don’t you realise you’ll probably be arrested for
Uncle Christian’s murder? I hate the way Inspector Curry looks at you.
He’s just like a cat watching a mouse with a nasty sharp-clawed paw all
ready to pounce11. Just because you were out of the Hall fixing those lights,
and because you’re not English, I’m sure they’ll go fastening it on you.”
“They’ll need some evidence first.”
Gina wailed12:
“I’m frightened for you, Wally. I’ve been frightened all along.”
“No good being scared. I tell you, they’ve got nothing on me!”
They walked in silence towards the house.
Gina said:
“I don’t believe you really want me to come back to America with
you….”
Walter Hudd did not answer.
Gina Hudd turned on him and stamped her foot.
“I hate you. I hate you. You are horrible—a beast—a cruel, unfeeling
beast. After all I’ve tried to do for you! You want to be rid of me. You don’t
care if you never see me again. Well, I don’t care if I never see you again! I
was a stupid little fool ever to marry you, and I shall get a divorce as soon
as possible, and I shall marry Stephen or Alexis and be much happier than
I ever could be with you. And I hope you go back to the States and marry
some horrible girl who makes you really miserable13!”
“Fine!” said Wally. “Now we know where we are!”

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1 eerie N8gy0     
adj.怪诞的;奇异的;可怕的;胆怯的
参考例句:
  • It's eerie to walk through a dark wood at night.夜晚在漆黑的森林中行走很是恐怖。
  • I walked down the eerie dark path.我走在那条漆黑恐怖的小路上。
2 flinched 2fdac3253dda450d8c0462cb1e8d7102     
v.(因危险和痛苦)退缩,畏惧( flinch的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He flinched at the sight of the blood. 他一见到血就往后退。
  • This tough Corsican never flinched or failed. 这个刚毅的科西嘉人从来没有任何畏缩或沮丧。 来自辞典例句
3 adjourned 1e5a5e61da11d317191a820abad1664d     
(使)休会, (使)休庭( adjourn的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • The court adjourned for lunch. 午餐时间法庭休庭。
  • The trial was adjourned following the presentation of new evidence to the court. 新证据呈到庭上后,审讯就宣告暂停。
4 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。
5 curry xnozh     
n.咖哩粉,咖哩饭菜;v.用咖哩粉调味,用马栉梳,制革
参考例句:
  • Rice makes an excellent complement to a curry dish.有咖喱的菜配米饭最棒。
  • Add a teaspoonful of curry powder.加一茶匙咖喱粉。
6 standing 2hCzgo     
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的
参考例句:
  • After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
  • They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。
7 swell IHnzB     
vi.膨胀,肿胀;增长,增强
参考例句:
  • The waves had taken on a deep swell.海浪汹涌。
  • His injured wrist began to swell.他那受伤的手腕开始肿了。
8 unfamiliar uk6w4     
adj.陌生的,不熟悉的
参考例句:
  • I am unfamiliar with the place and the people here.我在这儿人地生疏。
  • The man seemed unfamiliar to me.这人很面生。
9 hustled 463e6eb3bbb1480ba4bfbe23c0484460     
催促(hustle的过去式与过去分词形式)
参考例句:
  • He grabbed her arm and hustled her out of the room. 他抓住她的胳膊把她推出房间。
  • The secret service agents hustled the speaker out of the amphitheater. 特务机关的代理人把演讲者驱逐出竞技场。
10 Christian KVByl     
adj.基督教徒的;n.基督教徒
参考例句:
  • They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
  • His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。
11 pounce 4uAyU     
n.猛扑;v.猛扑,突然袭击,欣然同意
参考例句:
  • Why do you pounce on every single thing I say?干吗我说的每句话你都要找麻烦?
  • We saw the tiger about to pounce on the goat.我们看见老虎要向那只山羊扑过去。
12 wailed e27902fd534535a9f82ffa06a5b6937a     
v.哭叫,哀号( wail的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • She wailed over her father's remains. 她对着父亲的遗体嚎啕大哭。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • The women of the town wailed over the war victims. 城里的妇女为战争的死难者们痛哭。 来自辞典例句
13 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。

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