高英3版第3课Blackmail 课文全文.docx

高英3版第3课Blackmail 课文全文.docx

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高英3版第3课Blackmail课文全文

Blackmail

ArthurHailey

Thechiefhouseofficer,Ogilvie,whohaddeclaredhewouldappearattheCroydonssuiteanhourafterhiscryptictelephonecallactuallytooktwicethattime.AsaresultthenervesofboththeDukeandDuchesswereexcessivelyfrayedwhenthemutedbuzzeroftheouterdooreventuallysounded.

TheDuchesswenttothedoorherself.Earliershehaddispatchedhermaidonaninventederrandand,cruelly,instructedthemoon-facedmalesecretary–whowasterrifiedofdogs–toexercisetheBedlingtonterriers.Herowntensionwasnotlessenedbytheknowledgethatbothmightreturnatanymoment.

AwaveofcigarsmokeaccompaniedOgilviein.Whenhehadfollowedhertothelivingroom,theDuchesslookedpointedlyatthehalf-burnedcigarinthefatman’smouth.“MyhusbandandIfindstrongsmokeoffensive.Wouldyoukindlyputthatout."

Thehousedetective'spiggyeyessurveyedhersardonicallyfromhisgrossjowledface.Hisgazemovedontosweepthespacious,well-appointedroom,encompassingtheDukewhofacedthemuncertainly,hisbacktoawindow.

"Prettyneatset-upyoufolksgot.”Takinghistime,Ogilvieremovedtheoffendingcigar,knockedofftheashandflippedthebutttowardanornamentalfireplaceonhisright.Hemissed,andthebuttfelluponthecarpetwhereheignoredit.

TheDuchess'slipstightened.Shesaidsharply,imagineyoudidnotcomeheretodiscussdécor".

Theobesebodyshookinanappreciativechuckle."No,ma'am,can'tsayIdid.Ilikenicethings,though."Heloweredthelevelofhisincongruousfalsettovoice."Likethatcarofyours.Theoneyoukeephereinthehotel.Jaguar,ain'tit?

"

"Aah!

"Itwasnotaspokenword,butanemissionofbreathfromtheDukeofCroydon.Hiswifeshothimaswift,warningglance.

"Inwhatconceivablewaydoesourcarconcernyou?

”

AsifthequestionfromtheDuchesshadbeenasignal,thehousedetective'smannerchanged.Heinquiredabruptly,"Whoelseisinthisplace?

"

ItwastheDukewhoanswered,"Noone.Wesentthemout."

"There'sthingsitpaystocheck."Movingwithsurprisingspeed,thefatmanwalkedaroundthesuite,openingdoorsandinspectingthespacebehindthem.Obviouslyheknewtheroomarrangementwell.Afterreopeningandclosingtheouterdoor,hereturned,apparentlysatisfied,tothelivingroom.

TheDuchesshadseatedherselfinastraight-backedOgilvieremainedstanding.

"Nowthen,"hesaid."Youtwowasinthehit-'n-run."

Shemethiseyesdirectly."Whatareyoutalkingabout?

"

"Don'tplaygames,lady.Thisisforreal."Hetookoutafreshcigarandbitofftheend,"Yousawthepapers.There'sbeenplentyonradio,too."

TwohighpointsofcolorappearedinthepalenessoftheDuchessofCroydon'scheeks."Whatyouaresuggestingisthemostdisgusting,ridiculous..."

"Itoldyou–Cutitout!

”Thewordsspatforthwithsuddensavagery,allpretenseofblandnessgone.IgnoringtheDuke,Ogilviewavedtheunlightedcigarunderhisadversary'sadversary'snose."Youlistentome,yourhigh-an'-mightiness.Thiscity'sburnin'mad–cops,mayor,everybodyelse.Whentheyfindwhodonethatlastnight,whokilledthatkidan'itsmother,thenhigh-tailedit,they'llthrowthebook,andnevermindwhoithits,orwhethertheygotfancytitlesneither.NowIknowwhatIknow,andifIdowhatbyrightsIshould,there'llbeasquadofcopsinheresofastyou'llhardlysee'em.ButIcometoyoufirst,infairness,so'syoucouldtellyoursideofittome."Thepiggyeyesblinked,thenhardened."'fyouwantittheotherway,justsayso."

TheDuchessofCroydon–threecenturiesandahalfofinbredarrogancebehindher–didnotyieldeasily.Springingtoherfeet,herfacewrathful,gray-greeneyesblazing,shefacedthegrossnessofthehousedetectivesquarely.Hertonewouldhavewitheredanyonewhoknewherwell.“Youunspeakableblackguard!

Howdareyou!

”

Eventheself-assuranceofOgilvieflickeredforaninstant.ButitwastheDukeofCroydonwhointerjected,"It'snogo,oldgirl.I'mafraid.Itwasagoodtry."FacingOgilvie,hesaid,"Whatyouaccuseusofistrue.Iamtoblame.Iwasdrivingthecarandkilledthelittlegirl."

"That'smorelikeit,"Ogilviesaid.Helitthefreshcigar."Nowwe'regettingsomewhere."

Wearily,inagestureofsurrender,theDuchessofCroydonsankbackintoherchair.Claspingherhandstoconcealtheirtrembling,sheasked."Whatisityouknow?

"

"Wellnow,I'llspellitout."Thehousedetectivetookhistime,leisurelyputtingacloudofbluecigarsmoke,hiseyessardonicallyontheDuchessasifchallengingherobjection.Butbeyondwrinklinghernoseindistaste,shemadenocomment.

OgilviepointedtotheDuke."Lastnight,earlyon,youwenttoLindy'sPlaceinIrishBayou.YoudrovethereinyourfancyJaguar,andyoutookaladyfriend.Leastways,Iguessyou'dcallherthatifyou'renottoofussy."

AsOgilvieglanced,grinning,attheDuchess,theDukesaidsharply,"Getonwithit!

"

"Well"–thesmugfatfaceswungback–"thewayIhearit,youwonahundredatthetables,thenlostitatthebar.Youwereintoasecondhundred–witharealswingingparty–whenyourwifeheregotthereinataxi."

"Howdoyouknowallthis?

"

"I'lltellyou,Duke–I'vebeeninthistownandthishotelalongtime.Igotfriendsallover.Iobligethem;theydothesameforme,likelettingmeknowwhatgives,an’where.Thereain'tmuch,outoftheway,whichpeoplewhostayinthishoteldo,Idon'tgettohearabout.Mostof’emneverknowIknow,orknowme.Theythinktheygottheirlittlesecrettuckedaway,andsotheyhave–exceptlikenow."

TheDukesaidcoldly,"Isee."

"OnethingI'dliketoknow.Igotacuriousnature,ma’am.How'dyoufigurewherehewas?

"

TheDuchesssaid,"Youknowsomuch...Isupposeitdoesn'tmatter.Myhusbandhasahabitofmakingnoteswhileheistelephoning.Afterwardheoftenforgetstodestroythem.”

Thehousedetectivecluckedhistonguereprovingly."Alittlecarelesshabitlikethat,Duke–lookatthemessitgetsyouin.Well,here'swhatIfigureabouttherest.Youan'yourwifetookoffhome,youdrivin',thoughthewaythingsturnedoutitmighthavebeenbetterifshe'dhavedrove."

"Mywifedoesn'tdrive."

Ogilvienoddedunderstandingly."Explainsthatone.Anyway,Ireckonyouwerelickered（=liquored）up,butgood..."

TheDuchessinterrupted."Thenyoudon'tknow!

Youdon'tknowanythingforsure!

Youcan'tpossiblyprove..."

"Lady,IcanproveallIneedto."

TheDukecautioned,"Betterlethimfinish,oldgirl."

"That'sright,"Ogilviesaid."Justsitan'listen.LastnightIseenyoucomein–throughthebasement,so'snottousethelobby.Lookedrightshaken,too,thepairofyou.Justcomeinmyself,an'Igottowonderingwhy.LikeIsaid,Igotacuriousnature."

TheDuchessbreathed,"Goon."

"Latelastnightthewordwasoutaboutthehit-'n-run.OnahunchIwentoverthegarageandtookaquietlook-seeatyourcar.Youmaybedon'tknow–it'sawayinacorner,behindapillarwherethejockeysdon'tseeitwhenthey'recomin'by."

TheDukelickedhislips."Isupposethatdoesn'tmatternow."

"Youmighthavesomethingthere,"Ogilvieconceded."Anyway,whatIfoundmademedosomescouting--acrossatpoliceheadquarterswheretheyknowmetoo."Hepausedtopuffagainatthecigarashislistenerswaitedsilently.Whenthecigartipwasglowingheinspectedit,thencontinued."Overtheretheygotthreethingstogoon.Theygotaheadlighttrimringwhichmustacomeoffwhenthekidan’thewomanwashit.Theygotsomeheadlightglass,andlookin’atthekid'sclothin',theyreckonthere'llbeabrushtrace."

"Awhat?

"

"Yourubclothesagainstsomethinghard,Duchess,speciallyifit'sshinylikeacarfender,say,an'itleavesamarkthesamewayasfingerprints.Thepolicelabkinpickitupliketheydoprints–dustit,an’itshows."

"That'sinteresting,"theDukesaid,asifspeakingofsomethingunconnectedwithhimself."Ididn'tknowthat."

"Notmanydo.Inthiscase,though,Ireckonitdon'tmakealoto'difference.Onyourcaryougotabustedheadlight,andthetrimring'sgone.Ain'tanydoubtthey'dmatchup,evenwithoutthebrushtracean’theblood.0hyeah,Ishouldatoldyou.There'splentyofblood,thoughitdon'tshowtoomuchontheblackpaint."

"Oh,myGod!

"Ahandtoherface,theDuchessturnedaway.

Herhusbandasked,"Whatdoyouproposetodo?

"

Thefatmanrubbedhishandstogether,lookingdownathisthick,fleshyfingers."LikeIsaid,Icometohearyoursideofit."

TheDukesaiddespairingly,“WhatcanIpossiblysay?

Youknowwhathappened.”Hemadeanattempttosquarehisshoulderswhichdidnotsucceed.“You'dbettercallthepoliceandgetitover.”

“Wellnow,there'snocallforbeinghasty.”Theincongruousfalsettovoicetookonamusingnote.“What'sdone'sbeendone.Rushinganyplaceain'tgonnabringbackthekidnoritsmotherneither.Besides,whatthey'ddotoyouacrossattheheadquarters,Duke,youwouldn'tlike.Nosir,youwouldn'tlikeitatall.”

Theothertwoslowlyraisedtheireyes.

“Iwashoping,”Ogilviesaid,“thatyoufolkscouldsuggestsomething.”

TheDukesaiduncertainly,“Idon'tunderstand.”

“Iunderstand,”theDuchessofCroydonsaid.“Youwantmoney,don'tyou?

Youcameheretoblackmailus.”

Ifsheexpectedherwordstoshock,theydidnotsucceed.Thehousedetectiveshrugged.“Whatevernamesyoucallthings,ma'am,don'tmattertome.AllIcomeforwastohelpyoupeopleoutoftrouble.ButIgottolivetoo.”

”You'dacc