死亡约会 Part I Chapter 9（2）

（单词翻译）

Nadine Boynton was too young and inexperiencedat the time to appreciate the true position. She appreciates it now, but it is too late.’

‘Do you think she has given up hope?’

Dr Gerard shook his head doubtfully.

‘If she has plans no one would know about them. There are, you know, certain possibilitieswhere Cope is concerned. Man is a naturally jealous animal—and jealousy¹ is a strong force.

Lennox Boynton might still be roused from the inertia² in which he is sinking.’

‘And you think’—Sarah purposely made her tone very business-like and professional—‘thatthere’s a chance I might be able to do something about Raymond?’

‘I do.’

Sarah sighed.

‘I suppose I might have tried. Oh, well, it’s too late now, anyway. And—and I don’t like theidea.’

Gerard looked amused.

‘That is because you are English! The English have a complex about sex. They think it is “notquite nice”.’

Sarah’s indignant response failed to move him.

‘Yes, yes; I know you are very modern—that you use freely in public the most unpleasantwords you can find in the dictionary—that you are professional and entirely³ uninhibited! Tout⁴ demême, I repeat, you have the same facial characteristics as your mother and your grandmother.

You are still the blushing English Miss although you do not blush!’

‘I never heard such rubbish!’

Dr Gerard, a twinkle in his eye, and quite unperturbed, added: ‘And it makes you verycharming.’

This time Sarah was speechless.

Dr Gerard hastily raised his hat. ‘I take my leave,’ he said, ‘before you have time to begin to sayall that you think.’ He escaped into the hotel.

Sarah followed him more slowly.

There was a good deal of activity going on. Several cars loaded with luggage were in theprocess of departing. Lennox and Nadine Boynton and Mr Cope were standing⁵ by a big saloon carsuperintending arrangements. A fat dragoman was standing talking to Carol with quiteunintelligible fluency⁶.

Sarah passed them and went into the hotel.

Mrs Boynton, wrapped in a thick coat, was sitting in a chair, waiting to depart. Looking at her, aqueer revulsion of feeling swept over Sarah. She had felt that Mrs Boynton was a sinister⁷ figure,an incarnation of evil malignancy.

Now, suddenly, she saw the old woman as a pathetic ineffectual figure. To be born with such alust for power, such a desire for dominion—and to achieve only a petty domestic tyranny! If onlyher children could see her as Sarah saw her that minute—an object of pity—a stupid, malignant,pathetic, posturing⁸ old woman. On an impulse Sarah went up to her.

‘Goodbye, Mrs Boynton,’ she said. ‘I hope you’ll have a nice trip.’

The old lady looked at her. Malignancy struggled with outrage⁹ in those eyes.

‘You’ve wanted to be very rude to me,’ said Sarah.

(Was she crazy, she wondered, what on earth was urging her on to talk like this?)‘You’ve tried to prevent your son and daughter making friends with me. Don’t you think, really,that that is all very silly and childish? You like to make yourself out a kind of ogre, but really, youknow, you’re just pathetic and rather ludicrous. If I were you I’d give up all this silly play-acting. Iexpect you’ll hate me for saying this, but I mean it—and some of it may stick. You know youcould have a lot of fun still. It’s really much better to be—friendly—and kind. You could be if youtried.’

There was a pause.

Mrs Boynton had frozen into a deadly immobility. At last she passed her tongue over her drylips, her mouth opened…Still for a moment, no words came.

‘Go on,’ said Sarah encouragingly. ‘Say it! It doesn’t matter what you say to me. But think overwhat I’ve said to you.’