死亡约会 Part I Chapter 8（1）

（单词翻译）

Chapter 8

‘Can I speak to you a minute?’

Nadine Boynton turned in surprise, staring into the dark eager face of an entirely¹ unknownyoung woman.

‘Why, certainly.’

But as she spoke², almost unconsciously she threw a quick nervous glance over her shoulder.

‘My name is Sarah King,’ went on the other.

‘Oh, yes?’

‘Mrs Boynton, I’m going to say something rather odd to you. I talked to your sister-in-law forquite a long time the other evening.’

A faint shadow seemed to ruffle³ the serenity⁴ of Nadine Boynton’s face.

‘You talked to Ginevra?’

‘No, not to Ginevra—to Carol.’

The shadow lifted.

‘Oh, I see—to Carol.’

Nadine Boynton seemed pleased, but very much surprised. ‘How did you manage that?’

Sarah said: ‘She came to my room—quite late.’

She saw the faint raising of the pencilled brows on the white forehead. She said with someembarrassment: ‘I’m sure this must seem very odd to you.’

‘No,’ said Nadine Boynton. ‘I am very glad. Very glad indeed. It is very nice for Carol to have afriend to talk to.’

‘We—we got on very well together.’ Sarah tried to choose her words carefully. ‘In fact wearranged to—to meet again the following night.’

‘Yes.’

‘But Carol didn’t come.’

‘Didn’t she?’

Nadine’s voice was cool—reflective. Her face, so quiet and gentle, told Sarah nothing.

‘No. Yesterday she was passing through the hall. I spoke to her and she didn’t answer. Justlooked at me once, and then away again, and hurried on.’

‘I see.’

There was a pause. Sarah found it difficult to go on. Nadine Boynton said presently: ‘I’m—verysorry. Carol is—rather a nervous girl.’

Again that pause. Sarah took her courage in both hands. ‘You know, Mrs Boynton, I’m by wayof being a doctor. I think—I think it would be good for your sister-in-law not to—not to shutherself away too much from people.’

Nadine Boynton looked thoughtfully at Sarah.

She said: ‘I see. You’re a doctor. That makes a difference.’

‘You see what I mean?’ Sarah urged.

Nadine bent⁵ her head. She was still thoughtful.

‘You are quite right, of course,’ she said after a minute or two. ‘But there are difficulties. Mymother-in-law is in bad health and she has what I can only describe as a morbid⁶ dislike of anyoutsiders penetrating⁷ into her family circle.’

Sarah said mutinously⁸: ‘But Carol is a grown-up woman.’

Nadine Boynton shook her head.

‘Oh, no,’ she said. ‘In body, but not in mind. If you talked to her you must have noticed that. Inan emergency she would always behave like a frightened child.’

‘Do you think that’s what happened? Do you think she became—afraid?’

‘I should imagine, Miss King, that my mother-in-law insisted on Carol having nothing more todo with you.’

‘And Carol gave in?’

Nadine Boynton said quietly: ‘Can you really imagine her doing anything else?’

The eyes of the two women met. Sarah felt that behind the mask of conventional words theyunderstood each other. Nadine, she felt, understood the position. But she was clearly not preparedto discuss it in any way.

Sarah felt discouraged. The other evening it had seemed to her as though half the battle werewon. By means of secret meetings she would imbue⁹ Carol with the spirit of revolt—yes, andRaymond, too. (Be honest now, wasn’t it Raymond really she had had in mind all along?) Andnow, in the very first round of the battle she had been ignominiously¹⁰ defeated by that hulk ofshapeless flesh with her evil, gloating eyes. Carol had capitulated without a struggle.

‘It’s all wrong!’ cried Sarah.

Nadine did not answer. Something in her silence went home to Sarah like a cold hand laid onher heart. She thought: ‘This woman knows the hopelessness of it much better than I do. She’slived with it!’

The lift gates opened. The older Mrs Boynton emerged. She leaned on a stick and Raymondsupported her on the other side.

Sarah gave a slight start. She saw the old woman’s eyes sweep from her to Nadine and backagain. She had been prepared for dislike in those eyes—for hatred¹¹ even. She was not prepared forwhat she saw—a triumphant¹² and malicious¹³ enjoyment¹⁴.