死亡约会 Part II Chapter 6（2）

 

Now, on the afternoon of your mother’s death, M. Boynton, I believe you left the camp atPetra and went for a walk?’

‘Yes. We all went—with the exception of my mother and my youngest sister.’

‘Your mother was then sitting in the mouth of her cave?’

‘Yes, just outside it. She sat there every afternoon.’

‘Quite so. You started—when?’

‘Soon after three, I should say.’

‘You returned from your walk—when?’

‘I really couldn’t say what time it was—four o’clock, five o’clock, perhaps.’

‘About an hour or two hours after you set out?’

‘Yes—about that, I should think.’

‘Did you pass anyone on your way back?’

‘Did I what?’

‘Pass anyone. Two ladies sitting on a rock, for instance.’

‘I don’t know. Yes, I think I did.’

‘You were, perhaps, too absorbed in your thoughts to notice?’

‘Yes, I was.’

‘Did you speak to your mother when you got back to the camp?’

‘Yes—yes, I did.’

‘She did not then complain of feeling ill?’

‘No—no, she seemed perfectly¹ all right.’

‘May I ask what exactly passed between you?’

Lennox paused a minute.

‘She said I had come back soon. I said, yes, I had.’ He paused again in an effort ofconcentration. ‘I said it was hot. She—she asked me the time—said her wrist-watch had stopped. Itook it from her, wound it up, set it, and put it back on her wrist.’

Poirot interrupted gently: ‘And what time was it?’

‘Eh?’ said Lennox.

‘What time was it when you set the hands of the wrist-watch?’

‘Oh, I see. It—it was twenty-five minutes to five.’

‘So, you do know exactly the time you returned to the camp!’ said Poirot gently.

Lennox flushed.

‘Yes, what a fool I am! I’m sorry, M. Poirot, my wits are all astray, I’m afraid. All this worry—’

Poirot chimed in quickly: ‘Oh! I understand—I understand perfectly! It is all of the mostdisquieting! And what happened next?’

‘I asked my mother if she wanted anything. A drink—tea, coffee, etc. She said no. Then I wentto the marquee. None of the servants seemed to be about, but I found some soda² water and drankit. I was thirsty. I sat there reading some old numbers of the Saturday Evening Post. I think I musthave dozed³ off.’

‘Your wife joined you in the marquee?’

‘Yes, she came in not long after.’

‘And you did not see your mother again alive?’

‘No.’

‘She did not seem in any way agitated⁴ or upset when you were talking to her?’

‘No, she was exactly as usual.’

‘She did not refer to any trouble or annoyance⁵ with one of the servants?’

Lennox stared.

‘No, nothing at all.’

‘And that is all you can tell me?’

‘I am afraid so—yes.’

‘Thank you, Mr Boynton.’

Poirot inclined his head as a sign that the interview was over. Lennox did not seem very willingto depart. He stood hesitating by the door. ‘Er—there’s nothing else?’

‘Nothing. Perhaps you would be so good as to ask your wife to come here?’

Lennox went slowly out. On the pad beside him Poirot wrote L.B. 4.35 p.m.

 

1 perfectly   

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。

2 soda   

n.苏打水；汽水

参考例句：

• She doesn't enjoy drinking chocolate soda.她不喜欢喝巧克力汽水。
• I will freshen your drink with more soda and ice cubes.我给你的饮料重加一些苏打水和冰块。

3 dozed   

v.打盹儿，打瞌睡( doze的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He boozed till daylight and dozed into the afternoon. 他喝了个通霄，昏沉沉地一直睡到下午。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• I dozed off during the soporific music. 我听到这催人入睡的音乐，便不知不觉打起盹儿来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 agitated   

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。

5 annoyance   

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。