借镜杀人9

时间：2025-10-10 07:05:20

（单词翻译:单击）

Six
On the whole it was rather an exhausting day. Enthusiasm in itself can be
extremely wearing, Miss Marple thought. She felt vaguely1 dissatisfied with
herself and her own reactions. There was a pattern here—perhaps several
patterns, and yet she herself could obtain no clear glimpse of it or them.
Any vague disquietude she felt centered round the pathetic but incon-
spicuous personality of Edgar Lawson. If she could only find in her
memory the right parallel.
Painstakingly2 she rejected the curious behaviour of Mr. Selkirk’s deliv-
ery van—the absentminded postman—the gardener who worked on Whit-
monday—and that very curious affair of the summer weight combina-
tions.
Something that she could not quite put her finger on was wrong about
Edgar Lawson—something that went beyond the observed and admitted
facts. But for the life of her, Miss Marple did not see how that wrongness,
whatever it was, affected3 her friend Carrie Louise. In the confused pat-
terns of life at Stonygates, people’s troubles and desires impinged on each
other. But none of them (again as far as she could see) impinged on Carrie
Louise.
Carrie Louise … Suddenly Miss Marple realised that it was she alone, ex-
cept for the absent Ruth, who used that name. To her husband, she was
Caroline. To Miss Bellever, Cara. Stephen Restarick usually addressed her
as Madonna. To Wally she was formally Mrs. Serrocold, and Gina elected
to address her as Grandam — a mixture, she had explained, of Grande
Dame4 and Grandmamma.
Was there some significance, perhaps, in the various names that were
found for Caroline Louise Serrocold? Was she to all of them a symbol and
not quite a real person?
When on the following morning Carrie Louise, dragging her feet a little
as she walked, came and sat down on the garden seat beside her friend
and asked her what she was thinking about, Miss Marple replied
promptly5:
“You, Carrie Louise.”
“What about me?”
“Tell me honestly—is there anything here that worries you?”
“Worries me?” The other woman raised wondering, clear blue eyes.
“But, Jane, what should worry me?”
“Well, most of us have worries.” Miss Marple’s eyes twinkled a little. “I
have. Slugs, you know—and the difficulty of getting linen6 properly darned
—and not being able to get sugar candy for making my damson gin. Oh,
lots of little things—it seems unnatural7 that you shouldn’t have any wor-
ries at all.”
“I suppose I must have really,” said Mrs. Serrocold vaguely. “Lewis
works too hard, and Stephen forgets his meals slaving at the theatre and
Gina is very jumpy—but I’ve never been able to alter people—I don’t see
how you can. So it wouldn’t be any good worrying, would it?”
“Mildred’s not very happy, either, is she?”
“Oh no,” said Carrie Louise. “Mildred never is happy. She wasn’t as a
child. Quite unlike Pippa who was always radiant.”
“Perhaps,” suggested Miss Marple, “Mildred has cause not to be happy?”
Carrie Louise said quietly:
“Because of being jealous? Yes, I daresay. But people don’t really need a
cause for feeling what they do feel. They’re just made that way. Don’t you
think so, Jane?”
Miss Marple thought briefly8 of Miss Moncrieff, a slave to a tyrannical in-
valid9 mother. Poor Miss Moncrieff who longed for travel and to see the
world. And of how St. Mary Mead10 in a decorous way had rejoiced when
Mrs. Moncrieff was laid in the churchyard and Miss Moncrieff, with a nice
little income, was free at last. And of how Miss Moncrieff, starting on her
travels, had got no further than Hayéres where, calling to see one of
“mother’s oldest friends,” she had been so moved by the plight11 of an eld-
erly hypochondriac that she had cancelled her travel reservations and
taken up her abode12 in the villa13 to be bullied14, overworked, and to long,
wistfully, once more, for the joys of a wider horizon.
Miss Marple said:
“I expect you’re right, Carrie Louise.”
“Of course, my being so free from cares is partly due to Jolly. Dear Jolly.
She came to me when Johnnie and I were just married and was wonderful
from the first. She takes care of me as though I were a baby and quite
helpless. She’d do anything for me. I feel quite ashamed sometimes. I
really believe Jolly would murder someone for me, Jane. Isn’t that an aw-
ful thing to say?”
“She’s certainly very devoted,” agreed Miss Marple.
“She gets so indignant.” Mrs. Serrocold’s silvery laugh rang out. “She’d
like me to be always ordering wonderful clothes, and surrounding myself
with luxuries, and she thinks everybody ought to put me first and to dance
attendance on me. She’s the one person who’s absolutely unimpressed by
Lewis’ enthusiasm. All our poor boys are, in her view, pampered15 young
criminals and not worth taking trouble over. She thinks this place is damp
and bad for my rheumatism16, and that I ought to go to Egypt or somewhere
warm and dry.”
“Do you suffer much from rheumatism?”
“It’s got much worse lately. I find it difficult to walk. Horrid17 cramps18 in
my legs. Oh well”— again there came that bewitching elfin smile, “age
must tell.”
Miss Bellever came out of the French windows and hurried across to
them.
“A telegram, Cara, just came over the telephone. Arriving this afternoon,
Christian19 Gulbrandsen.”
“Christian?” Carrie Louise looked very surprised. “I’d no idea he was in
England.”
“The Oak Suite20, I suppose?”
“Yes, please, Jolly. Then there will be no stairs.”
Miss Bellever nodded and turned back to the house.
“Christian Gulbrandsen is my stepson,” said Carrie Louise. “Eric’s eldest21
son. Actually he’s two years older than I am. Her’s one of the trustees of
the Institute — the principal trustee. How very annoying that Lewis is
away. Christian hardly ever stays longer than one night. He’s an im-
mensely busy man. And there are sure to be so many things they would
want to discuss.”
Christian Gulbrandsen arrived that afternoon in time for tea. He was a
big heavy featured man, with a slow methodical way of talking. He
greeted Carrie Louise with every sign of affection.
“And how is our little Carrie Louise? You do not look a day older. Not a
day.”
His hands on her shoulders — he stood smiling down at her. A hand
tugged22 his sleeve.
“Christian!”
“Ah”—he turned—“it is Mildred? How are you, Mildred?”
“I’ve not really been at all well lately.”
“That is bad. That is bad.”
There was a strong resemblance between Christian Gulbrandsen and his
half sister Mildred. There was nearly thirty years of difference in age and
they might easily have been taken for father and daughter. Mildred her-
self seemed particularly pleased by his arrival. She was flushed and talkat-
ive, and had talked repeatedly during the day of “my brother,” “my
brother Christian,” “my brother, Mr. Gulbrandsen.”
“And how is little Gina?” said Gulbrandsen, turning to that young wo-
man. “You and your husband are still here, then?”
“Yes. We’ve quite settled down, haven’t we, Wally?”
“Looks like it,” said Wally.
Gulbrandsen’s small shrewd eyes seemed to sum up Wally quickly.
Wally, as usual, looked sullen23 and unfriendly.
“So here I am with all the family again,” said Gulbrandsen.
His voice displayed a rather determined24 geniality—but in actual fact,
Miss Marple thought, he was not feeling particularly genial25. There was a
grim set to his lips and a certain preoccupation in his manner.
Introduced to Miss Marple he swept a keen look over her as though
measuring and appraising26 this newcomer.
“We’d no idea you were in England, Christian,” said Mrs. Serrocold.
“No, I came over rather unexpectedly.”
“It is too bad that Lewis is away. How long can you stay?”
“I meant to go tomorrow. When will Lewis be back?”
“Tomorrow afternoon or evening.”
“It seems, then, that I must stay another night.”
“If you’d only let us know—”
“My dear Carrie Louise, my arrangements, they were made very sud-
denly.”
“You will stay to see Lewis?”
“Yes, it is necessary that I see Lewis.”
Miss Bellever said to Miss Marple, “Mr. Gulbrandsen and Mr. Serrocold
are both trustees of the Gulbrandsen Institute. The others are the Bishop27
of Cromer and Mr. Gilroy.”
Presumably, then, it was on business concerned with the Gulbrandsen
Institute that Christian Gulbrandsen had come to Stonygates. It seemed to
be assumed so by Miss Bellever and everyone else. And yet Miss Marple
wondered.
Once or twice the old man cast a thoughtful puzzled look at Carrie
Louise when she was not aware of it—a look that puzzled Carrie Louise’s
watching friend. From Carrie Louise he shifted his gaze to the others, ex-
amining them one and all with a kind of covert28 appraisal29 that seemed dis-
tinctly odd.
After tea Miss Marple withdrew tactfully from the others to the library,
but rather to her surprise when she had settled herself with her knitting,
Christian Gulbrandsen came in and sat down beside her.
“You are a very old friend, I think, of our dear Carrie Louise?” he said.
“We were at school together in Italy, Mr. Gulbrandsen. Many many
years ago.”
“Ah yes. And you are fond of her?”
“Yes, indeed,” said Miss Marple warmly.
“So, I think, is everyone. Yes, I truly think that. It should be so. For she is
a very dear and enchanting30 person. Always, since my father married her, I
and my brothers have loved her very much. She has been to us like a very
dear sister. She was a faithful wife to my father and loyal to all his ideas.
She has never thought of herself, but put the welfare of others first.”
“She has always been an idealist,” said Miss Marple.
“An idealist? Yes. Yes, that is so. And therefore it may be that she does
not truly appreciate the evil that there is in the world.”
Miss Marple looked at him, surprised. His face was very stern.
“Tell me,” he said. “How is her health?”
Again Miss Marple felt surprised.
“She seems to me very well—apart from arthritis—or rheumatism.”
“Rheumatism? Yes. And her heart? Her heart is good?”
“As far as I know.” Miss Marple was still more surprised. “But until yes-
terday I had not seen her for many years. If you want to know the state of
her health, you should ask somebody in the house here. Miss Bellever, for
instance.”
“Miss Bellever—Yes, Miss Bellever. Or Mildred?”
“Or, as you say, Mildred.”
Miss Marple was faintly embarrassed.
Christian Gulbrandsen was staring at her very hard.
“There is not between the mother and daughter, a very great sympathy,
would you say?”
“No, I don’t think there is.”
“I agree. It is a pity—her only child, but there it is. Now this Miss Bel-
lever, you think, is really attached to her?”
“Very much so.”
“And Carrie Louise leans on this Miss Bellever?”
“I think so.”
Christian Gulbrandsen was frowning. He spoke32 as though more to him-
self than to Miss Marple.
“There is the little Gina—but she is so young. It is difficult—” He broke
off. “Sometimes,” he said simply, “it is hard to know what is best to be
done. I wish very much to act for the best. I am particularly anxious that
no harm and no unhappiness should come to that dear lady. But it is not
easy—not easy at all.”
Mrs. Strete came into the room at that moment.
“Oh there you are, Christian. We were wondering where you were. Dr.
Maverick33 wants to know if you would like to go over anything with him.”
“That is the new young doctor here? No—no, I will wait until Lewis re-
turns.”
“He’s waiting in Lewis’ study. Shall I tell him—”
“I will have a word with him myself.”
Gulbrandsen hurried out. Mildred Strete stared after him and then
stared at Miss Marple.
“I wonder if anything is wrong. Christian is very unlike himself … Did he
say anything—”
“He only asked me about your mother’s health.”
“Her health? Why should he ask you about that?”
Mildred spoke sharply, her large square face flushing unbecomingly.
“I really don’t know.”
“Mother’s health is perfectly34 good. Surprisingly so for a woman of her
age. Much better than mine as far as that goes.” She paused a moment be-
fore31 saying, “I hope you told him so?”
“I don’t really know anything about it,” said Miss Marple. “He asked me
about her heart.”
“Her heart?”
“Yes.”
“There’s nothing wrong with Mother’s heart. Nothing at all!”
“I’m delighted to hear you say so, my dear.”
“What on earth put all these queer ideas into Christian’s head?”
“I’ve no idea,” said Miss Marple.

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1 vaguely BfuzOy     
adv.含糊地，暖昧地
参考例句：
  • He had talked vaguely of going to work abroad.他含糊其词地说了到国外工作的事。
  • He looked vaguely before him with unseeing eyes.他迷迷糊糊的望着前面，对一切都视而不见。
2 painstakingly painstakingly     
adv. 费力地 苦心地
参考例句：
  • Every aspect of the original has been closely studied and painstakingly reconstructed. 原作的每一细节都经过了仔细研究，费尽苦心才得以重现。
  • The cause they contrived so painstakingly also ended in failure. 他们惨淡经营的事业也以失败而告终。
3 affected TzUzg0     
adj.不自然的，假装的
参考例句：
  • She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
  • His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。
4 dame dvGzR0     
n.女士
参考例句：
  • The dame tell of her experience as a wife and mother.这位年长妇女讲了她作妻子和母亲的经验。
  • If you stick around,you'll have to marry that dame.如果再逗留多一会，你就要跟那个夫人结婚。
5 promptly LRMxm     
adv.及时地，敏捷地
参考例句：
  • He paid the money back promptly.他立即还了钱。
  • She promptly seized the opportunity his absence gave her.她立即抓住了因他不在场给她创造的机会。
6 linen W3LyK     
n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的
参考例句：
  • The worker is starching the linen.这名工人正在给亚麻布上浆。
  • Fine linen and cotton fabrics were known as well as wool.精细的亚麻织品和棉织品像羊毛一样闻名遐迩。
7 unnatural 5f2zAc     
adj.不自然的；反常的
参考例句：
  • Did her behaviour seem unnatural in any way?她有任何反常表现吗？
  • She has an unnatural smile on her face.她脸上挂着做作的微笑。
8 briefly 9Styo     
adv.简单地，简短地
参考例句：
  • I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
  • He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。
9 valid eiCwm     
adj.有确实根据的；有效的；正当的，合法的
参考例句：
  • His claim to own the house is valid.他主张对此屋的所有权有效。
  • Do you have valid reasons for your absence?你的缺席有正当理由吗？
10 mead BotzAK     
n.蜂蜜酒
参考例句：
  • He gave me a cup of mead.他给我倒了杯蜂蜜酒。
  • He drank some mead at supper.晚饭时他喝了一些蜂蜜酒。
11 plight 820zI     
n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定
参考例句：
  • The leader was much concerned over the plight of the refugees.那位领袖对难民的困境很担忧。
  • She was in a most helpless plight.她真不知如何是好。
12 abode hIby0     
n.住处，住所
参考例句：
  • It was ten months before my father discovered his abode.父亲花了十个月的功夫，才好不容易打听到他的住处。
  • Welcome to our humble abode!欢迎光临寒舍！
13 villa xHayI     
n.别墅，城郊小屋
参考例句：
  • We rented a villa in France for the summer holidays.我们在法国租了一幢别墅消夏。
  • We are quartered in a beautiful villa.我们住在一栋漂亮的别墅里。
14 bullied 2225065183ebf4326f236cf6e2003ccc     
adj.被欺负了v.恐吓，威逼( bully的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • My son is being bullied at school. 我儿子在学校里受欺负。
  • The boy bullied the small girl into giving him all her money. 那男孩威逼那个小女孩把所有的钱都给他。 来自《简明英汉词典》
15 pampered pampered     
adj.饮食过量的，饮食奢侈的v.纵容，宠，娇养( pamper的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • The lazy scum deserve worse. What if they ain't fed up and pampered? 他们吃不饱，他们的要求满足不了，这又有什么关系？ 来自飘（部分）
  • She petted and pampered him and would let no one discipline him but she, herself. 她爱他，娇养他，而且除了她自己以外，她不允许任何人管教他。 来自辞典例句
16 rheumatism hDnyl     
n.风湿病
参考例句：
  • The damp weather plays the very devil with my rheumatism.潮湿的天气加重了我的风湿病。
  • The hot weather gave the old man a truce from rheumatism.热天使这位老人暂时免受风湿病之苦。
17 horrid arozZj     
adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的
参考例句：
  • I'm not going to the horrid dinner party.我不打算去参加这次讨厌的宴会。
  • The medicine is horrid and she couldn't get it down.这种药很难吃，她咽不下去。
18 cramps cramps     
n. 抽筋, 腹部绞痛, 铁箍 adj. 狭窄的, 难解的 v. 使...抽筋, 以铁箍扣紧, 束缚
参考例句：
  • If he cramps again let the line cut him off. 要是它再抽筋，就让这钓索把它勒断吧。
  • "I have no cramps." he said. “我没抽筋，"他说。
19 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。
20 suite MsMwB     
n.一套(家具)；套房；随从人员
参考例句：
  • She has a suite of rooms in the hotel.她在那家旅馆有一套房间。
  • That is a nice suite of furniture.那套家具很不错。
21 eldest bqkx6     
adj.最年长的，最年老的
参考例句：
  • The King's eldest son is the heir to the throne.国王的长子是王位的继承人。
  • The castle and the land are entailed on the eldest son.城堡和土地限定由长子继承。
22 tugged 8a37eb349f3c6615c56706726966d38e     
v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • She tugged at his sleeve to get his attention. 她拽了拽他的袖子引起他的注意。
  • A wry smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. 他的嘴角带一丝苦笑。 来自《简明英汉词典》
23 sullen kHGzl     
adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的
参考例句：
  • He looked up at the sullen sky.他抬头看了一眼阴沉的天空。
  • Susan was sullen in the morning because she hadn't slept well.苏珊今天早上郁闷不乐，因为昨晚没睡好。
24 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。
25 genial egaxm     
adj.亲切的，和蔼的，愉快的，脾气好的
参考例句：
  • Orlando is a genial man.奥兰多是一位和蔼可亲的人。
  • He was a warm-hearted friend and genial host.他是个热心的朋友，也是友善待客的主人。
26 appraising 3285bf735793610b563b00c395ce6cc6     
v.估价( appraise的现在分词 )；估计；估量；评价
参考例句：
  • At the appraising meeting, experts stated this method was superior to others. 鉴定会上，专家们指出这种方法优于其他方法。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • The teacher is appraising the students' work. 老师正在评定学生的作业。 来自辞典例句
27 bishop AtNzd     
n.主教，（国际象棋）象
参考例句：
  • He was a bishop who was held in reverence by all.他是一位被大家都尊敬的主教。
  • Two years after his death the bishop was canonised.主教逝世两年后被正式封为圣者。
28 covert voxz0     
adj.隐藏的；暗地里的
参考例句：
  • We should learn to fight with enemy in an overt and covert way.我们应学会同敌人做公开和隐蔽的斗争。
  • The army carried out covert surveillance of the building for several months.军队对这座建筑物进行了数月的秘密监视。
29 appraisal hvFzt     
n.对…作出的评价；评价，鉴定，评估
参考例句：
  • What's your appraisal of the situation?你对局势是如何评估的？
  • We need to make a proper appraisal of his work.对于他的工作我们需要做出适当的评价。
30 enchanting MmCyP     
a.讨人喜欢的
参考例句：
  • His smile, at once enchanting and melancholy, is just his father's. 他那种既迷人又有些忧郁的微笑，活脱儿象他父亲。
  • Its interior was an enchanting place that both lured and frightened me. 它的里头是个吸引人的地方，我又向往又害怕。
31 fore ri8xw     
adv.在前面；adj.先前的；在前部的；n.前部
参考例句：
  • Your seat is in the fore part of the aircraft.你的座位在飞机的前部。
  • I have the gift of fore knowledge.我能够未卜先知。
32 spoke XryyC     
n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说
参考例句：
  • They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
  • The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
33 maverick 47Ozg     
adj.特立独行的；不遵守传统的；n.持异议者，自行其是者
参考例句：
  • He's a maverick.He has his own way of thinking about things.他是个特异独行的人。对事情有自己的看法。
  • You're a maverick and you'll try anything.你是个爱自行其是的人，样样事情都要尝试一下。
34 perfectly 8Mzxb     
adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地
参考例句：
  • The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
  • Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

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