黑麦奇案30

时间：2025-10-10 08:32:31

（单词翻译:单击）

III
Inspector1 Neele’s second interview at the Golf Hotel was with Mr. Ger-
ald Wright. Mr. Gerald Wright was a thin, intellectual and very superior
young man. He was, Inspector Neele noted2, not unlike Vivian Dubois in
build.
“What can I do for you, Inspector Neele?” he asked.
“I thought you might be able to help us with a little information, Mr.
Wright.”
“Information? Really? It seems very unlikely.”
“It’s in connection with the recent events at Yewtree Lodge3. You’ve
heard of them, of course?”
Inspector Neele put a little irony4 into the question. Mr. Wright smiled
patronisingly.
“Heard of them,” he said, “is hardly the right word. The newspapers ap-
pear to be full of nothing else. How incredibly bloodthirsty our public
press is! What an age we live in! On one side the manufacture of atom
bombs, on the other our newspapers delight in reporting brutal5 murders!
But you said you had some questions to ask. Really, I cannot see what they
can be. I know nothing about this Yewtree Lodge affair. I was actually in
the Isle6 of Man when Mr. Rex Fortescue was killed.”
“You arrived here very shortly afterwards, didn’t you, Mr. Wright? You
had a telegram, I believe, from Miss Elaine Fortescue.”
“Our police know everything, do they not? Yes, Elaine sent for me. I
came, of course, at once.”
“And you are, I understand, shortly to be married?”
“Quite right, Inspector Neele. You have no objections, I hope.”
“It is entirely7 Miss Fortescue’s business. I understand the attachment8
between you dates from sometime back? Six or seven months ago, in
fact?”
“Quite correct.”
“You and Miss Fortescue became engaged to be married. Mr. Fortescue
refused to give his consent, informed you that if his daughter married
against his wishes he did not propose to give her an income of any kind.
Whereupon, I understand, you broke off the engagement and departed.”
Gerald Wright smiled rather pityingly.
“A very crude way of putting things, Inspector Neele. Actually, I was vic-
timized for my political opinions. Rex Fortescue was the worst type of cap-
italist. Naturally I could not sacrifice my political beliefs and convictions
for money.”
“But you have no objections to marrying a wife who has just inherited
£50,000?”
Gerald Wright gave a thin satisfied smile.
“Not at all, Inspector Neele. The money will be used for the benefit of
the community. But surely you did not come here to discuss with me
either my financial circumstances—or my political convictions?”
“No, Mr. Wright. I wanted to talk to you about a simple question of fact.
As you are aware, Mrs. Adele Fortescue died as a result of cyanide poison-
ing on the afternoon of November the 5th.
“Since you were in the neighbourhood of Yewtree Lodge on that after-
noon I thought it possible that you might have seen or heard something
that had a bearing on the case.”
“And what leads you to believe that I was, as you call it, in the neigh-
bourhood of Yewtree Lodge at the time?”
“You left this hotel at a quarter past four on that particular afternoon,
Mr. Wright. On leaving the hotel you walked down the road in the direc-
tion of Yewtree Lodge. It seems natural to suppose that you were going
there.”
“I thought of it,” said Gerald Wright, “but I considered that it would be a
rather pointless thing to do. I already had an arrangement to meet Miss
Fortescue—Elaine—at the hotel at six o’clock. I went for a walk along a
lane that branches off from the main road and returned to the Golf Hotel
just before six o’clock. Elaine did not keep her appointment. Quite natur-
ally, under the circumstances.”
“Anybody see you on this walk of yours, Mr. Wright?”
“A few cars passed me, I think, on the road. I did not see anyone I knew,
if that’s what you mean. The lane was little more than a cart-track and too
muddy for cars.”
“So between the time you left the hotel at a quarter past four until six
o’clock when you arrived back again, I’ve only your word for it as to
where you were?”
Gerald Wright continued to smile in a superior fashion.
“Very distressing9 for us both, Inspector, but there it is.”
Inspector Neele said softly:
“Then if someone said they looked out of a landing window and saw you
in the garden of Yewtree Lodge at about 4:35—” he paused and left the
sentence unfinished.
Gerald Wright raised his eyebrows10 and shook his head.
“Visibility must have been very bad by then,” he said. “I think it would
be difficult for anyone to be sure.”
“Are you acquainted with Mr. Vivian Dubois, who is also staying here?”
“Dubois. Dubois? No, I don’t think so. Is that the tall, dark man with a
pretty taste in suede11 shoes?”
“Yes. He also was out for a walk that afternoon, and he also left the hotel
and walked past Yewtree Lodge. You did not notice him in the road by any
chance?”
“No. No. I can’t say I did.”
Gerald Wright looked for the first time faintly worried. Inspector Neele
said thoughtfully:
“It wasn’t really a very nice afternoon for walking, especially after dark
in a muddy lane. Curious how energetic everyone seems to have felt.”
IV
On Inspector Neele’s return to the house he was greeted by Sergeant12
Hay with an air of satisfaction.
“I’ve found out about the blackbirds for you, sir,” he said.
“You have, have you?”
“Yes, sir, in a pie they were. Cold pie was left out for Sunday night’s sup-
per. Somebody got at that pie in the larder13 or somewhere. They’d taken off
the crust and they’d taken out the veal14 and ’am what was inside it, and
what d’you think they put in instead? Some stinkin’ blackbirds they got
out of the gardener’s shed. Nasty sort of trick to play, wasn’t it?”
“ ‘Wasn’t that a dainty dish to set before the king?’ ” said Inspector Neele.
He left Sergeant Hay staring after him.

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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 noted 5n4zXc     
adj.著名的，知名的
参考例句：
  • The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
  • Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。
3 lodge q8nzj     
v.临时住宿，寄宿，寄存，容纳；n.传达室，小旅馆
参考例句：
  • Is there anywhere that I can lodge in the village tonight?村里有我今晚过夜的地方吗？
  • I shall lodge at the inn for two nights.我要在这家小店住两个晚上。
4 irony P4WyZ     
n.反语，冷嘲；具有讽刺意味的事，嘲弄
参考例句：
  • She said to him with slight irony.她略带嘲讽地对他说。
  • In her voice we could sense a certain tinge of irony.从她的声音里我们可以感到某种讥讽的意味。
5 brutal bSFyb     
adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的
参考例句：
  • She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
  • They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。
6 isle fatze     
n.小岛，岛
参考例句：
  • He is from the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea.他来自爱尔兰海的马恩岛。
  • The boat left for the paradise isle of Bali.小船驶向天堂一般的巴厘岛。
7 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。
8 attachment POpy1     
n.附属物，附件；依恋；依附
参考例句：
  • She has a great attachment to her sister.她十分依恋她的姐姐。
  • She's on attachment to the Ministry of Defense.她现在隶属于国防部。
9 distressing cuTz30     
a.使人痛苦的
参考例句：
  • All who saw the distressing scene revolted against it. 所有看到这种悲惨景象的人都对此感到难过。
  • It is distressing to see food being wasted like this. 这样浪费粮食令人痛心。
10 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。
11 suede 6sXw7     
n.表面粗糙的软皮革
参考例句：
  • I'm looking for a suede jacket.我想买一件皮制茄克。
  • Her newly bought suede shoes look very fashionable.她新买的翻毛皮鞋看上去非常时尚。
12 sergeant REQzz     
n.警官，中士
参考例句：
  • His elder brother is a sergeant.他哥哥是个警官。
  • How many stripes are there on the sleeve of a sergeant?陆军中士的袖子上有多少条纹？
13 larder m9tzb     
n.食物贮藏室，食品橱
参考例句：
  • Please put the food into the larder.请将您地食物放进食物柜内。
  • They promised never to raid the larder again.他们答应不再随便开食橱拿东西吃了。
14 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。

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