死亡约会 Part I Chapter 10（2）

（单词翻译）

 

Oh, hell! Why go on thinking of people she would probably never see again? That scene theother day with the old woman—what could have possessed¹ her to march up to the old lady andspurt out a lot of nonsense. Other people must have heard some of it. She fancied that LadyWestholme had been quite close by. Sarah tried to remember exactly what it was she had said.

Something that probably sounded quite absurdly hysterical². Goodness, what a fool she had madeof herself! But it wasn’t her fault really; it was old Mrs Boynton’s. There was something about herthat made you lose your sense of proportion.

Dr Gerard entered and plumped down in a chair, wiping his hot forehead.

‘Phew! That woman should be poisoned!’ he declared.

Sarah started. ‘Mrs Boynton?’

‘Mrs Boynton! No, I meant that Lady Westholme! It is incredible to me that she has had ahusband for many years and that he has not already done so. What can he be made of, thathusband?’

Sarah laughed.

‘Oh, he’s the “huntin’, fishin’, shootin’ ” kind,’ she explained.

‘Psychologically that is very sound! He appeases³ his lust⁴ to kill on the (so- called) lowercreations.’

‘I believe he is very proud of his wife’s activities.’

The Frenchman suggested:

‘Because they take her a good deal away from home? That is understandable.’ Then he went on,‘What did you say just now? Mrs Boynton? Undoubtedly⁵ it would be a very good idea to poisonher, too. Undeniably the simplest solution of that family problem! In fact a great many womenwould be better poisoned. All women who have grown old and ugly.’

He made an expressive⁶ face.

Sarah cried out, laughing:

‘Oh, you Frenchmen! You’ve got no use for any woman who isn’t young and attractive.’

Gerard shrugged⁷ his shoulders.

‘We are more honest about it, that is all. Englishmen, they do not get up in tubes and trains forugly women—no, no.’

‘How depressing life is,’ said Sarah with a sigh.

‘There is no need for you to sigh, mademoiselle.’

‘Well, I feel thoroughly⁸ disgruntled today.’

‘Naturally.’

‘What do you mean—naturally?’ snapped Sarah.

‘You could find the reason very easily if you examine your state of mind honestly.’

‘I think it’s our fellow travelers who depress me,’ said Sarah. ‘It’s awful, isn’t it, but I do hatewomen! When they’re inefficient⁹ and idiotic¹⁰ like Miss Pierce, they infuriate me—and, whenthey’re efficient like Lady Westholme, they annoy me more still.’

‘It is, I should say, unavoidable that these two people should annoy you. Lady Westholme isexactly fitted to the life she leads and is completely happy and successful. Miss Pierce has workedfor years as a nursery governess and has suddenly come into a small legacy¹¹ which has enabled herto fulfill¹² her life-long wish and travel. So far, travel has lived up to her expectations. Consequentlyyou, who have just been thwarted¹³ in obtaining what you want, naturally resent the existence ofpeople who have been more successful in life than you are.’

‘I suppose you’re right,’ said Sarah gloomily. ‘What a horribly accurate mind-reader you are. Ikeep trying to humbug¹⁴ myself and you won’t let me.’

At this moment the others returned. The guide seemed the most exhausted¹⁵ of the three. He wasquite subdued¹⁶ and hardly exuded¹⁷ any information on the way to Amman. He did not even mentionthe Jews. For which everyone was profoundly grateful. His voluble and frenzied¹⁸ account of theiriniquities had done much to try everyone’s temper on the journey from Jerusalem.

Now the road wound upward from the Jordan, twisting and turning, with clumps¹⁹ of oleandersshowing rose-coloured flowers.

They reached Amman late in the afternoon and after a short visit to the Graeco-Roman theatrewent to bed early. They were to make an early start the next morning as it was a full day’s motorrun across the desert to Ma’an.

They left soon after eight o’clock. The party was inclined to be silent. It was a hot airless dayand by noon when a halt was made for a picnic lunch to be eaten, it was really stiflingly²⁰ hot. Theirritation of a hot day of being boxed up closely with three other human beings had got a little oneveryone’s nerves.

Lady Westholme and Dr Gerard had a somewhat irritable²¹ argument over the League of Nations.

Lady Westholme was a fervent²² supporter of the League. The Frenchman, on the other hand, choseto be witty²³ at the League’s expense. From the attitude of the League concerning Abyssinia andSpain they passed to the Litvania boundary dispute of which Sarah had never heard and from thereto the activities of the League in suppressing dope gangs.

‘You must admit they have done wonderful work. Wonderful!’ snapped Lady Westholme.

Dr Gerard shrugged his shoulders.

‘Perhaps. And at wonderful expense too!’

‘The matter is a very serious one. Under the Dangerous Drugs Act—’ The argument waged on.

Miss Pierce twittered to Sarah: ‘It is really most interesting travelling with Lady Westholme.’

Sarah said acidly: ‘Is it?’ but Miss Pierce did not notice the acerbity²⁴ and twittered happily on.

‘I’ve so often seen her name in the papers. So clever of women to go into public life and holdtheir own. I’m always so glad when a woman accomplishes something!’

‘Why?’ demanded Sarah ferociously²⁵.

Miss Pierce’s mouth fell open and she stammered²⁶ a little.

‘Oh, because—I mean—just because—well—it’s so nice that women are able to do things!’

‘I don’t agree,’ said Sarah. ‘It’s nice when any human being is able to accomplish somethingworth while! It doesn’t matter a bit whether it’s a man or a woman. Why should it?’

‘Well, of course—’ said Miss Pierce. ‘Yes, I confess—of course, looking at it in that light—’

But she looked slightly wistful.