死亡约会 Part I Chapter 5（2）

（单词翻译）

As Dr Gerard knew by experience, Americans are disposed to be a friendly race. They have notthe uneasy suspicion of the travelling Briton. To a man of Dr Gerard’s tact¹ making theacquaintance of Mr Cope presented few difficulties. The American was lonely and was, like mostof his race, disposed to friendliness². Dr Gerard’s card-case was again to the fore³.

Reading the name on it, Mr Jefferson Cope was duly impressed.

‘Why, surely, Dr Gerard, you were over in the States not very long ago?’

‘Last autumn. I was lecturing at Harvard.’

‘Of course. Yours, Dr Gerard, is one of the most distinguished⁴ names in your profession.

You’re pretty well at the head of your subject in Paris.’

‘My dear sir, you are far too kind! I protest.’

‘No, no, this is a great privilege—meeting you like this. As a matter of fact, there are severalvery distinguished people here in Jerusalem just at present. There’s yourself and there’s LordWelldon, and Sir Gabriel Steinbaum, the financier. Then there’s the veteran English archaeologist,Sir Manders Stone. And there’s Lady Westholme, who’s very prominent in English politics. Andthere’s that famous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot.’

‘Little Hercule Poirot? Is he here?’

‘I read his name in the local paper as having lately arrived. Seems to me all the world and hiswife are at the Solomon Hotel. A mighty⁵ fine hotel it is, too. And very tastefully decorated.’

Mr Jefferson Cope was clearly enjoying himself. Dr Gerard was a man who could display a lotof charm when he chose. Before long the two men had adjourned⁶ to the bar.

After a couple of highballs Gerard said: ‘Tell me, is that a typical American family to whomyou were talking?’

Jefferson Cope sipped⁸ his drink thoughtfully. Then he said: ‘Why, no, I wouldn’t say it wasexactly typical.’

‘No? A very devoted⁹ family, I thought.’

Mr Cope said slowly: ‘You mean they all seem to revolve¹⁰ round the old lady? That’s trueenough. She’s a very remarkable¹¹ old lady, you know.’

‘Indeed?’

Mr Cope needed very little encouragement. The gentle invitation was enough.

‘I don’t mind telling you, Dr Gerard, I’ve been having that family a good deal on my mindlately. I’ve been thinking about them a lot. If I may say so, it would ease my mind to talk to youabout the matter. If it won’t bore you, that is?’

Dr Gerard disclaimed¹² boredom¹³. Mr Jefferson Cope went on slowly, his pleasant clean-shavenface creased¹⁴ with perplexity.

‘I’ll tell you straight away that I’m just a little worried. Mrs Boynton, you see, is an old friendof mine. That is to say, not the old Mrs Boynton, the young one, Mrs Lennox Boynton.’

‘Ah, yes, that very charming dark-haired young lady.’

‘That’s right. That’s Nadine. Nadine Boynton, Dr Gerard, is a very lovely character. I knew herbefore she was married. She was in hospital then, working to be a trained nurse. Then she went fora vacation to stay with the Boyntons and she married Lennox.’

‘Yes?’

Mr Jefferson Cope took another sip⁷ of highball and went on:

‘I’d like to tell you, Dr Gerard, just a little of the Boynton family history.’

‘Yes? I should be most interested.’

‘Well, you see, the late Elmer Boynton—he was quite a well-known man and a very charmingpersonality—was twice married. His first wife died when Carol and Raymond were tiny toddlers.

The second Mrs Boynton, so I’ve been told, was a handsome woman when he married her, thoughnot very young. Seems odd to think she can ever have been handsome to look at her now, butthat’s what I’ve been told on very good authority. Anyway, her husband thought a lot of her andadopted her judgement on almost every point. He was an invalid¹⁵ for some years before he died,and she practically ruled the roost. She’s a very capable woman with a fine head for business. Avery conscientious¹⁶ woman, too. After Elmer died, she devoted herself absolutely to these children.

There’s one of her own, too, Ginevra—pretty red-haired girl, but a bit delicate. Well, as I wastelling you, Mrs Boynton devoted herself entirely¹⁷ to her family. She just shut out the outside worldentirely. Now I don’t know what you think, Dr Gerard, but I don’t think that’s always a verysound thing.’

‘I agree with you. It is most harmful to developing mentalities¹⁸.’

‘Yes, I should say that just about expresses it. Mrs Boynton shielded these children from theoutside world and never let them make any outside contacts. The result of that is that they’vegrown up—well, kind of nervy. They’re jumpy, if you know what I mean. Can’t make friendswith strangers. It’s bad, that.’

‘It is very bad.’

‘I’ve no doubt Mrs Boynton meant well. It was just over-devotion on her part.’