高英3版第3课Blackmail 课文全文

高英3版第3课Blackmail 课文全文

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精彩文档Blackmail

Arthur Hailey

○1The chief house officer, Ogilvie, who had declared he would appear at the Croydons suite an hour after his cryptic telephone call actually took twice that time. As a result the nerves of both the Duke and Duchess were excessively frayed when the muted buzzer of the outer door eventually sounded.

○2The Duchess went to the door herself. Earlier she had dispatched her maid on an invented errand and, cruelly, instructed the moon-faced male secretary –who was terrified of dogs –to exercise the Bedlington terriers. Her own tension was not lessened by the knowledge that both might return at any moment.

○3 A wave of cigar smoke accompanied Ogilvie in. When he had followed her to the living room, the Duchess looked pointedly at the half-burned cigar in the fat man?s mouth. “My husband and I find strong smoke offensive. Would you kindly put that out."

○4The house detective's piggy eyes surveyed her sardonically from his gross jowled face. His gaze moved on to sweep the spacious, well-appointed room, encompassing the Duke who faced them uncertainly, his back to a window.

○5"Pretty neat set-up you folks got.” Taking his time, Ogilvie removed the offending cigar, knocked off the ash and flipped the butt toward an ornamental fireplace on his right. He missed, and the butt fell upon the carpet where he ignored it. ○6The Duchess's lips tightened. She said sharply, imagine you did not come here to discuss décor ".

○7The obese body shook in an appreciative chuckle . "No, ma'am, can't say I did. I like nice things, though." He lowered the level of his incongruous falsetto voice." Like that car of yours. The one you keep here in the hotel. Jaguar, ain't it?"

高英3版第3课Blackmail 课文全文

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○8"Aah!" It was not a spoken word, but an emission of breath from the Duke of Croydon. His wife shot him a swift, warning glance.

○9"In what conceivable way does our car concern you?”

○10As if the question from the Duchess had been a signal, the house detective's manner changed. He inquired abruptly, "Who else is in this place?"

○11It was the Duke who answered, "No one. We sent them out."

○12"There's things it pays to check." Moving with surprising speed, the fat man walked around the suite, opening doors and inspecting the space behind them. Obviously he knew the room arrangement well. After reopening and closing the outer door, he returned, apparently satisfied, to the living room.

○13The Duchess had seated herself in a straight-backed Ogilvie remained standing. ○14"Now then," he said. "You two was in the hit-'n-run ."

○15She met his eyes directly." What are you talking about?"

○16"Don't play games, lady. This is for real." He took out a fresh cigar and bit off the end, "You saw the papers. There's been plenty on radio, too."

○17Two high points of color appeared in the paleness of the Duchess of Croydon's cheeks. "What you are suggesting is the most disgusting, ridiculous..."

○18"I told you –Cut it out!” The words spat forth with sudden savagery , all pretense of blandness gone. Ignoring the Duke, Ogilvie waved the unlighted cigar under his adversary 's adversary 's nose. "You listen to me, your high-an'-mightiness. This city's burnin' mad – cops, mayor, everybody else. When they find who done that last night, who killed that kid an' its mother, then high-tailed it, they'll throw the book, and never mind who it hits, or whether they got fancy titles neither. Now I know what I know, and if I do what by rights I should, there'll be a squad of cops in here so fast you'll hardly see 'em. But I come to you first, in fairness, so's you could tell your side of it to me." The piggy eyes blinked, then hardened. " 'f you want it the other way, just 精彩文档

高英3版第3课Blackmail 课文全文

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say so."

○19The Duchess of Croydon – three centuries and a half of inbred arrogance behind her –did not yield easily. Springing to her feet, her face wrathful, gray-green eyes blazing, she faced the grossness of the house detective squarely. Her tone would have withered anyone who knew her well. “You unspeakable blackguard! How dare you!”○20Even the self-assurance of Ogilvie flickered for an instant. But it was the Duke of Croydon who interjected, "It's no go, old girl. I'm afraid. It was a good try." Facing Ogilvie, he said, "What you accuse us of is true. I am to blame. I was driving the car and killed the little girl."

○21"That's more like it," Ogilvie said. He lit the fresh cigar. "Now we're getting somewhere."

○22Wearily, in a gesture of surrender, the Duchess of Croydon sank back into her chair. Clasping her hands to conceal their trembling, she asked. "What is it you know?"

○23"Well now, I'll spell it out." The house detective took his time, leisurely putting a cloud of blue cigar smoke, his eyes sardonically on the Duchess as if challenging her objection. But beyond wrinkling her nose in distaste, she made no comment.

○24Ogilvie pointed to the Duke. "Last night, early on, you went to Lindy's Place in Irish Bayou. You drove there in your fancy Jaguar, and you took a lady friend. Leastways, I guess you'd call her that if you're not too fussy."

○25As Ogilvie glanced, grinning, at the Duchess, the Duke said sharply, "Get on with it!"

○26"Well" – the smug fat face swung back – "the way I hear it, you won a hundred …… 此处隐藏：5120字，全部文档内容请下载后查看。喜欢就下载吧 ……