黑麦奇案35

时间：2025-10-10 08:33:42

（单词翻译:单击）

Chapter Twenty
At the Pinewood Private Sanatorium, Inspector1 Neele, sitting in the visit-
ors’ parlour, was facing a grey-haired, elderly lady. Helen MacKenzie was
sixty-three, though she looked younger. She had pale blue, rather vacant-
looking eyes, and a weak, indeterminate chin. She had a long upper lip
which occasionally twitched2. She held a large book in her lap and was
looking down at it as Inspector Neele talked to her. In Inspector Neele’s
mind was the conversation he had just had with Dr. Crosbie, the head of
the establishment.
“She’s a voluntary patient, of course,” said Dr. Crosbie, “not certified3.”
“She’s not dangerous, then?”
“Oh, no. Most of the time she’s as sane4 to talk to as you or me. It’s one of
her good periods now so that you’ll be able to have a perfectly5 normal con-
versation with her.”
Bearing this in mind, Inspector Neele started his first conversational6 es-
say.
“It’s very kind of you to see me, madam,” he said. “My name is Neele.
I’ve come to see you about a Mr. Fortescue who has recently died. A Mr.
Rex Fortescue. I expect you know the name.”
Mrs. MacKenzie’s eyes were fixed7 on her book. She said:
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Mr. Fortescue, madam. Mr. Rex Fortescue.”
“No,” said Mrs. MacKenzie. “No. Certainly not.”
Inspector Neele was slightly taken aback. He wondered whether this
was what Dr. Crosbie called being completely normal.
“I think, Mrs. MacKenzie, you knew him a good many years ago.”
“Not really,” said Mrs. MacKenzie. “It was yesterday.”
“I see,” said Inspector Neele, falling back upon this formula rather un-
certainly. “I believe,” he went on, “that you paid him a visit many years
ago at his residence, Yewtree Lodge8.”
“A very ostentatious house,” said Mrs. MacKenzie.
“Yes. Yes, you might call it that. He had been connected with your hus-
band, I believe, over a certain mine in Africa. The Blackbird Mine, I be-
lieve it was called.”
“I have to read my book,” said Mrs. MacKenzie. “There’s not much time
and I have to read my book.”
“Yes, madam. Yes, I quite see that.” There was a pause, then Inspector
Neele went on, “Mr. MacKenzie and Mr. Fortescue went out together to
Africa to survey the mine.”
“It was my husband’s mine,” said Mrs. MacKenzie. “He found it and
staked a claim to it. He wanted money to capitalize it. He went to Rex For-
tescue. If I’d been wiser, if I’d known more, I wouldn’t have let him do it.”
“No, I see that. As it was, they went out together to Africa, and there
your husband died of fever.”
“I must read my book,” said Mrs. MacKenzie.
“Do you think Mr. Fortescue swindled your husband over the Blackbird
Mine, Mrs. MacKenzie?”
Without raising her eyes from the book, Mrs. MacKenzie said:
“How stupid you are.”
“Yes, yes, I dare say … But you see it’s all a long time ago and making in-
quiries about a thing that is over a long time ago is rather difficult.”
“Who said it was over?”
“I see. You don’t think it is over?”
“No question is ever settled until it is settled right. Kipling said that.
Nobody reads Kipling nowadays, but he was a great man.”
“Do you think the question will be settled right one of these days?”
“Rex Fortescue is dead, isn’t he? You said so.”
“He was poisoned,” said Inspector Neele.
Rather disconcertingly, Mrs. MacKenzie laughed.
“What nonsense,” she said, “he died of fever.”
“I’m talking about Mr. Rex Fortescue.”
“So am I.” She looked up suddenly and her pale blue eyes fixed his.
“Come now,” she said, “he died in his bed, didn’t he? He died in his bed?”
“He died in St. Jude’s Hospital,” said Inspector Neele.
“Nobody knows where my husband died,” said Mrs. MacKenzie.
“Nobody knows how he died or where he was buried … All anyone knows
is what Rex Fortescue said. And Rex Fortescue was a liar9!”
“Do you think there may have been foul10 play?”
“Foul play, foul play, fowls11 lay eggs, don’t they?”
“You think that Rex Fortescue was responsible for your husband’s
death?”
“I had an egg for breakfast this morning,” said Mrs. MacKenzie. “Quite
fresh, too. Surprising, isn’t it, when one thinks that it was thirty years
ago?”
Neele drew a deep breath. It seemed unlikely that he was ever going to
get anywhere at this rate, but he persevered12.
“Somebody put dead blackbirds on Rex Fortescue’s desk about a month
or two before he died.”
“That’s interesting. That’s very, very interesting.”
“Have you any idea, madam, who might have done that?”
“Ideas aren’t any help to one. One has to have action. I brought them up
for that, you know, to take action.”
“You’re talking about your children?”
She nodded her head rapidly.
“Yes. Donald and Ruby13. They were nine and seven and left without a
father. I told them. I told them every day. I made them swear it every
night.”
Inspector Neele leant forward.
“What did you make them swear?”
“That they’d kill him, of course.”
“I see.”
Inspector Neele spoke14 as though it was the most reasonable remark in
the world.
“Did they?”
“Donald went to Dunkirk. He never came back. They sent me a wire say-
ing he was dead: ‘Deeply regret killed in action.’ Action, you see, the
wrong kind of action.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, madam. What about your daughter?”
“I haven’t got a daughter,” said Mrs. MacKenzie.
“You spoke of her just now,” said Neele. “Your daughter, Ruby.”
“Ruby. Yes, Ruby.” She leaned forward. “Do you know what I’ve done to
Ruby?”
“No, madam. What have you done to her?”
She whispered suddenly:
“Look here at the Book.”
He saw then that what she was holding in her lap was a Bible. It was a
very old Bible and as she opened it, on the front page, Inspector Neele saw
that various names had been written. It was obviously a family Bible in
which the old-fashioned custom had been continued of entering each new
birth. Mrs. MacKenzie’s thin forefinger15 pointed16 to the two last names.
“Donald MacKenzie” with the date of his birth, and “Ruby MacKenzie”
with the date of hers. But a thick line was drawn17 through Ruby MacKen-
zie’s name.
“You see?” said Mrs. MacKenzie. “I struck her out of the Book. I cut her
off forever! The Recording18 Angel won’t find her name there.”
“You cut her name out of the book? Now, why, madam?”
Mrs. MacKenzie looked at him cunningly.
“You know why,” she said.
“But I don’t. Really, madam, I don’t.”
“She didn’t keep faith. You know she didn’t keep faith.”
“Where is your daughter now, madam?”
“I’ve told you. I have no daughter. There isn’t such a person as Ruby
MacKenzie any longer.”
“You mean she’s dead?”
“Dead?” The woman laughed suddenly. “It would be better for her if she
were dead. Much better. Much, much better.” She sighed and turned rest-
lessly in her seat. Then her manner reverting19 to a kind of formal courtesy,
she said: “I’m so sorry, but really I’m afraid I can’t talk to you any longer.
You see, the time is getting very short, and I must read my book.”
To Inspector Neele’s further remarks Mrs. MacKenzie returned no reply.
She merely made a faint gesture of annoyance20 and continued to read her
Bible with her finger following the line of the verse she was reading.
Neele got up and left. He had another brief interview with the superin-
tendent.
“Do any of her relations come to see her?” he asked. “A daughter, for in-
stance?”
“I believe a daughter did come to see her in my predecessor’s time, but
her visit agitated21 the patient so much that he advised her not to come
again. Since then everything is arranged through solicitors22.”
“And you’ve no idea where this Ruby MacKenzie is now?”
The superintendent23 shook his head.
“No idea whatsoever24.”
“You’ve no idea whether she’s married, for instance?”
“I don’t know, all I can do is to give you the address of the solicitors who
deal with us.”
Inspector Neele had already tracked down those solicitors. They were
unable, or said they were unable, to tell him anything. A trust fund had
been established for Mrs. MacKenzie which they managed. These arrange-
ments had been made some years previously25 and they had not seen Miss
MacKenzie since.
Inspector Neele tried to get a description of Ruby MacKenzie but the res-
ults were not encouraging. So many relations came to visit patients that
after a lapse26 of years they were bound to be remembered dimly, with the
appearance of one mixed-up with the appearance of another. The matron
who had been there for many years seemed to remember that Miss MacK-
enzie was small and dark. The only other nurse who had been there for
any length of time recalled that she was heavily built and fair.
“So there we are, sir,” said Inspector Neele as he reported to the assist-
ant commissioner27. “There’s a whole crazy setup and it fits together. It must
mean something.”
The AC nodded thoughtfully.
“The blackbirds in the pie tying up with the Blackbird Mine, rye in the
dead man’s pocket, bread and honey with Adele Fortescue’s tea—(not that
that is conclusive28. After all, anyone might have had bread and honey for
tea!) The third murder, that girl strangled with a stocking and a clothes-
peg29 nipped onto her nose. Yes, crazy as the setup is, it certainly can’t be ig-
nored.”
“Half a minute, sir,” said Inspector Neele.
“What is it?”
Neele was frowning.
“You know, what you’ve just said. It didn’t ring true. It was wrong some-
where.” He shook his head and sighed. “No. I can’t place it.”

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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 twitched bb3f705fc01629dc121d198d54fa0904     
vt.& vi.（使）抽动，（使）颤动（twitch的过去式与过去分词形式）
参考例句：
  • Her lips twitched with amusement. 她忍俊不禁地颤动着嘴唇。
  • The child's mouth twitched as if she were about to cry. 这小孩的嘴抽动着，像是要哭。 来自《简明英汉词典》
3 certified fw5zkU     
a.经证明合格的；具有证明文件的
参考例句：
  • Doctors certified him as insane. 医生证明他精神失常。
  • The planes were certified airworthy. 飞机被证明适于航行。
4 sane 9YZxB     
adj.心智健全的，神志清醒的，明智的，稳健的
参考例句：
  • He was sane at the time of the murder.在凶杀案发生时他的神志是清醒的。
  • He is a very sane person.他是一个很有头脑的人。
5 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。
6 conversational SZ2yH     
adj.对话的，会话的
参考例句：
  • The article is written in a conversational style.该文是以对话的形式写成的。
  • She values herself on her conversational powers.她常夸耀自己的能言善辩。
7 fixed JsKzzj     
adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的
参考例句：
  • Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？
  • Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。
8 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。
9 liar V1ixD     
n.说谎的人
参考例句：
  • I know you for a thief and a liar!我算认识你了，一个又偷又骗的家伙！
  • She was wrongly labelled a liar.她被错误地扣上说谎者的帽子。
10 foul Sfnzy     
adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规
参考例句：
  • Take off those foul clothes and let me wash them.脱下那些脏衣服让我洗一洗。
  • What a foul day it is!多么恶劣的天气！
11 fowls 4f8db97816f2d0cad386a79bb5c17ea4     
鸟( fowl的名词复数 )； 禽肉； 既不是这； 非驴非马
参考例句：
  • A great number of water fowls dwell on the island. 许多水鸟在岛上栖息。
  • We keep a few fowls and some goats. 我们养了几只鸡和一些山羊。
12 persevered b3246393c709e55e93de64dc63360d37     
v.坚忍，坚持( persevere的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • She persevered with her violin lessons. 她孜孜不倦地学习小提琴。
  • Hard as the conditions were, he persevered in his studies. 虽然条件艰苦，但他仍坚持学习。 来自辞典例句
13 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。
14 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。
15 forefinger pihxt     
n.食指
参考例句：
  • He pinched the leaf between his thumb and forefinger.他将叶子捏在拇指和食指之间。
  • He held it between the tips of his thumb and forefinger.他用他大拇指和食指尖拿着它。
16 pointed Il8zB4     
adj.尖的，直截了当的
参考例句：
  • He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
  • She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。
17 drawn MuXzIi     
v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的
参考例句：
  • All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
  • Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。
18 recording UktzJj     
n.录音，记录
参考例句：
  • How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
  • I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。
19 reverting f5366d3e7a0be69d0213079d037ba63e     
恢复( revert的现在分词 )； 重提； 回到…上； 归还
参考例句：
  • The boss came back from holiday all relaxed and smiling, but now he's reverting to type. 老板刚度假回来时十分随和，满面笑容，现在又恢复原样了。
  • The conversation kept reverting to the subject of money. 谈话的内容总是离不开钱的事。
20 annoyance Bw4zE     
n.恼怒，生气，烦恼
参考例句：
  • Why do you always take your annoyance out on me?为什么你不高兴时总是对我出气？
  • I felt annoyance at being teased.我恼恨别人取笑我。
21 agitated dzgzc2     
adj.被鼓动的，不安的
参考例句：
  • His answers were all mixed up,so agitated was he.他是那样心神不定，回答全乱了。
  • She was agitated because her train was an hour late.她乘坐的火车晚点一个小时，她十分焦虑。
22 solicitors 53ed50f93b0d64a6b74a2e21c5841f88     
初级律师( solicitor的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • Most solicitors in England and Wales are in private practice . 英格兰和威尔士的大多数律师都是私人执业者。
  • The family has instructed solicitors to sue Thomson for compensation. 那家人已经指示律师起诉汤姆森，要求赔偿。
23 superintendent vsTwV     
n.监督人，主管，总监；(英国)警务长
参考例句：
  • He was soon promoted to the post of superintendent of Foreign Trade.他很快就被擢升为对外贸易总监。
  • He decided to call the superintendent of the building.他决定给楼房管理员打电话。
24 whatsoever Beqz8i     
adv.（用于否定句中以加强语气）任何；pron.无论什么
参考例句：
  • There's no reason whatsoever to turn down this suggestion.没有任何理由拒绝这个建议。
  • All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you,do ye even so to them.你想别人对你怎样，你就怎样对人。
25 previously bkzzzC     
adv.以前，先前（地）
参考例句：
  • The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
  • Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。
26 lapse t2lxL     
n.过失，流逝，失效，抛弃信仰，间隔；vi.堕落，停止，失效，流逝；vt.使失效
参考例句：
  • The incident was being seen as a serious security lapse.这一事故被看作是一次严重的安全疏忽。
  • I had a lapse of memory.我记错了。
27 commissioner gq3zX     
n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员
参考例句：
  • The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
  • He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。
28 conclusive TYjyw     
adj.最后的，结论的；确凿的，消除怀疑的
参考例句：
  • They produced some fairly conclusive evidence.他们提供了一些相当确凿的证据。
  • Franklin did not believe that the French tests were conclusive.富兰克林不相信这个法国人的实验是结论性的。
29 peg p3Fzi     
n.木栓，木钉；vt.用木钉钉，用短桩固定
参考例句：
  • Hang your overcoat on the peg in the hall.把你的大衣挂在门厅的挂衣钩上。
  • He hit the peg mightily on the top with a mallet.他用木槌猛敲木栓顶。

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