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儿童英语读物 The Mystery at the Crooked House CHAPTER 8 A List of Suspects

时间:2017-09-30 03:04:25

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(单词翻译)

After hanging the Mystery Lady’s painting on the wall again, the children hurried downstairs to prepare their dinner of sweet-and-sour meatballs, mashed1 potatoes, green beans, and fruit salad. The Aldens were on their own tonight. Mrs. McGregor and Madeline were dining with an old friend, and Nola wouldn’t be back from town until later. Jessie carefully read the recipe that Madeline had left for them, so she could help instruct her brothers and sister with the meal.

While they worked in the kitchen, Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny discussed the second riddle2.

Benny was shaping the meat into little balls. “I bet the answer is an umbrella!” he said.

“That’s a good guess, Benny,” said Jessie, stirring the sweet-and-sour sauce at the stove. “An umbrella does give shade, but—”

“It doesn’t hang on a tree,” finished Benny with a sigh. Then his face suddenly brightened. “A possum hangs upside down from a tree!”

“That’s true,” said Violet, chopping bananas and apples for their fruit salad. “But possums aren’t known for their shade.”

That didn’t stop Benny. “How about a possum holding an umbrella?”

The others burst out laughing. Henry gave Benny a little pat on the back. “Keep trying, Benny!” he said. Then he went over to the stove and dropped the peeled potatoes into a pot of water.

While they were waiting for the meatballs to bake and the potatoes to boil, the Aldens sat around the kitchen table. Jessie read a chapter of The Alphabet Mystery aloud while Benny helped Violet and Henry string cranberries3 and popcorn4 for the birds.

When Jessie had finished a chapter, she went to check on the meatballs. The sauce was bubbling nicely. She poked5 a fork into the potatoes. They were ready for mashing6.

Violet laughed as she gathered up the cranberry7 and popcorn strings8. “Oh, Benny! I think you ate more popcorn than you put on the string!”

The youngest Alden couldn’t help grinning. “Figuring out riddles9 makes me hungry.”

While Henry mashed the potatoes, Jessie kept an eye on the green beans while they steamed. Violet and Benny set the table.

Benny took a break for a moment to take a look at the famous author’s inscription10 in The Alphabet Mystery: “To Margaret, All Best Wishes from Amelia Quigley Adams.”

“I can tell that Amelia Quigley Adams had a good imagination!” he said at last. “Just like the Mystery Lady.”

“How can you tell that, Benny?” asked Jessie, dishing up the meatballs.

“Because of her handwriting,” Benny pointed11 out. “See all her high loops?”

Jessie set the meatballs on the table, then she went over to take a closer look. A frown crossed her face. “How odd! The fs are crossed the same way, too. Why, it looks exactly like the Mystery Lady’s handwriting.”

Violet was pouring milk into the glasses. “Are you sure?” she gasped12.

“I can’t be certain,” admitted Jessie. “But I think so.”

“Maybe we should compare the two,” suggested Henry.

Jessie nodded. “That’s a good idea.”

Benny sat down quickly at the table. “Not until we are done eating! We don’t want our food to get cold. Do we?”

Henry laughed. “Don’t worry, Benny. We’re hungry, too!”

“Didn’t Mrs. McGregor take the shoe box back up to the attic13?” Violet asked as she passed the green beans.

Jessie nodded. “I’m sure she won’t mind if we go up for a minute.”

During dinner Benny was unusually quiet. Violet could tell something was troubling him. “What’s wrong, Benny?” she asked as she served the fruit salad for dessert.

A frown crossed Benny’s round face. “I think Madeline is right. I don’t think there is a treasure!”

“Why do you say that, Benny?” Henry wanted to know.

“The Mystery Lady fooled Mrs. McGregor,” replied Benny. “She signed the book herself. Then she pretended the famous author signed it. That was a mean trick to play on Mrs. McGregor.”

“Yes, it was,” agreed Violet.

Nobody said much for a while. As they cleared the table, Henry remarked, “I guess the Mystery Lady could have fooled Mrs. McGregor about the treasure, too.”

“We can’t be certain the handwriting is the same,” Jessie reminded them. “Not until we compare the two.”

As soon as the dishes were done, Henry took one of the flashlights that hung by the kitchen door. Then they headed up to a second flight of crooked14 stairs that led to the attic.

“Brrr!” said Violet, rubbing some warmth into her arms. “It’s freezing up here.”

“And dark, too,” added Benny, reaching out for Jessie’s hand. “It’s a good thing Henry brought the flashlight.”

Henry beamed the light over trunks and boxes, stacks of books and magazines, and old lamps and paintings. “Never mind. This won’t take long.”

Benny was the first to spot the shoe box on top of a steamer trunk in the corner. Henry held the flashlight above the shoe box while Jessie looked for the Mystery Lady’s note.

“That’s funny,” she said. “I can’t find it in here.”

Violet didn’t think it was funny at all.

“Look again, Jessie. I saw Mrs. McGregor put the note in there.”

“Aaah-chooo!” The dust was making Benny sneeze.

Violet handed Benny a tissue, while Jessie rummaged15 through the old mementos16 one more time.

“There’s no doubt about it,” Jessie said at last. “The note’s gone!”

“I can’t believe it!” Violet said a little later as they sat by the fire. Her eyes were wide with worry. “Who could have taken Mrs. McGregor’s note?”

Benny had an opinion about this. “A thief. That’s who!”

Henry threw another log on the fire. “Someone else must be looking for the hidden treasure, too!”

“That means there really is a treasure,” Benny said. “And it must be a lot more than just a coin or an old toy. I bet it’s Nola Rawlings who’s looking for it!”

Violet had been thinking the same thing. She told them, “I had a feeling someone was eavesdropping17 that first night. It’s possible Nola Rawlings heard everything Mrs. McGregor said about the hidden treasure.”

“Nola is very mysterious,” agreed Henry. “But we have no proof that it was her.”

“I just know it was!” insisted Benny.

Jessie remembered something. “What if Clarissa overheard us talking by the lake? If she did, then she would have known about the treasure, too.”

“Clarissa did leave in a big hurry,” said Henry. “And Madeline said she stopped in for a visit right after seeing us. She could have taken the note before Mrs. McGregor had a chance to put the shoe box back in the attic.”

Violet wasn’t too sure about this. “Maybe,” she said in a hesitating voice. “That was strange that she had time to visit when she was in such a hurry. But why would Clarissa do something so mean?”

Henry shrugged18. “She doesn’t seem to have a reason.”

Jessie reminded them, “We have to look at every possibility.”

“Maybe we should add someone else to our list of suspects,” declared Henry after a moment’s thought.

“Like who?” Benny wanted to know.

“Like Madeline.”

They were all so surprised by Henry’s words, they were speechless.

“Well, she wasn’t exactly happy about us looking for the treasure,” Henry explained.

Jessie thought about that. “She just doesn’t want us to get our hopes up. Don’t forget, Madeline doesn’t even believe there is a treasure.”

“Maybe she wants us to think there isn’t a treasure,” argued Henry. “Maybe she’s afraid the treasure might be worth enough to save the Crooked House.”

Violet looked confused. “I don’t understand. Madeline wants to save the Crooked House. Doesn’t she?”

Henry shrugged. “Maybe not. Mrs. McGregor told us that Madeline wanted to sell the house years ago.”

Violet nodded, looking less puzzled. “She wanted to do some traveling. Do you think that’s what she still wants? Is that what you mean, Henry?”

Henry nodded. “She might have taken the note without realizing that Jessie had made a copy of it.”

Benny’s eyes grew wide. “This is getting more and more mysterious!” he whispered.


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点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 mashed Jotz5Y     
a.捣烂的
参考例句:
  • two scoops of mashed potato 两勺土豆泥
  • Just one scoop of mashed potato for me, please. 请给我盛一勺土豆泥。
2 riddle WCfzw     
n.谜,谜语,粗筛;vt.解谜,给…出谜,筛,检查,鉴定,非难,充满于;vi.出谜
参考例句:
  • The riddle couldn't be solved by the child.这个谜语孩子猜不出来。
  • Her disappearance is a complete riddle.她的失踪完全是一个谜。
3 cranberries 78106be327439d47d10789051008c217     
n.越橘( cranberry的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • The tart flavour of the cranberries adds piquancy. 越橘的酸味很可口。
  • Look at the fresh cranberries. 你看这些新鲜的蔓越橘。 来自无师自通 校园英语会话
4 popcorn 8lUzJI     
n.爆米花
参考例句:
  • I like to eat popcorn when I am watching TV play at home.当我在家观看电视剧时,喜欢吃爆米花。
  • He still stood behind his cash register stuffing his mouth with popcorn.他仍站在收银机后,嘴里塞满了爆米花。
5 poked 87f534f05a838d18eb50660766da4122     
v.伸出( poke的过去式和过去分词 );戳出;拨弄;与(某人)性交
参考例句:
  • She poked him in the ribs with her elbow. 她用胳膊肘顶他的肋部。
  • His elbow poked out through his torn shirt sleeve. 他的胳膊从衬衫的破袖子中露了出来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
6 mashing a63b835671c73b1a5bc351bc7e34a3ad     
捣碎
参考例句:
  • Long ago, they served as a useful third set of mashing molars. 许多年前,它们可是有用的第三套磨牙系统。
  • During continuous mashing, filter 2 is filled when filter 1 is full. 在连续糖化过程中,当压滤机1填满后即填充压滤机2。
7 cranberry TvOz5U     
n.梅果
参考例句:
  • Turkey reminds me of cranberry sauce.火鸡让我想起梅果酱。
  • Actually I prefer canned cranberry sauce.事实上我更喜欢罐装的梅果酱。
8 strings nh0zBe     
n.弦
参考例句:
  • He sat on the bed,idly plucking the strings of his guitar.他坐在床上,随意地拨着吉他的弦。
  • She swept her fingers over the strings of the harp.她用手指划过竖琴的琴弦。
9 riddles 77f3ceed32609b0d80430e545f553e31     
n.谜(语)( riddle的名词复数 );猜不透的难题,难解之谜
参考例句:
  • Few riddles collected from oral tradition, however, have all six parts. 但是据收集的情况看,口头流传的谜语很少具有这完整的六部分。 来自英汉非文学 - 民俗
  • But first, you'd better see if you can answer riddles. 但是你首先最好想想你会不会猜谜语。 来自辞典例句
10 inscription l4ZyO     
n.(尤指石块上的)刻印文字,铭文,碑文
参考例句:
  • The inscription has worn away and can no longer be read.铭文已磨损,无法辨认了。
  • He chiselled an inscription on the marble.他在大理石上刻碑文。
11 pointed Il8zB4     
adj.尖的,直截了当的
参考例句:
  • He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
  • She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。
12 gasped e6af294d8a7477229d6749fa9e8f5b80     
v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 );喘息;倒抽气;很想要
参考例句:
  • She gasped at the wonderful view. 如此美景使她惊讶得屏住了呼吸。
  • People gasped with admiration at the superb skill of the gymnasts. 体操运动员的高超技艺令人赞叹。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
13 attic Hv4zZ     
n.顶楼,屋顶室
参考例句:
  • Leakiness in the roof caused a damp attic.屋漏使顶楼潮湿。
  • What's to be done with all this stuff in the attic?顶楼上的材料怎么处理?
14 crooked xvazAv     
adj.弯曲的;不诚实的,狡猾的,不正当的
参考例句:
  • He crooked a finger to tell us to go over to him.他弯了弯手指,示意我们到他那儿去。
  • You have to drive slowly on these crooked country roads.在这些弯弯曲曲的乡间小路上你得慢慢开车。
15 rummaged c663802f2e8e229431fff6cdb444b548     
翻找,搜寻( rummage的过去式和过去分词 ); 已经海关检查
参考例句:
  • I rummaged through all the boxes but still could not find it. 几个箱子都翻腾遍了也没有找到。
  • The customs officers rummaged the ship suspected to have contraband goods. 海关人员仔细搜查了一艘有走私嫌疑的海轮。
16 mementos 2cbb9a2d7a7a4ff32a8c9de3c453a3a7     
纪念品,令人回忆的东西( memento的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • The museum houses a collection of mementos, materials and documents. 博物馆保存着很多回忆录以及文献资料。
  • This meant, however, that no one was able to retrieve irreplaceable family mementos. 然而,这也意味着谁也没能把无可替代的家庭纪念品从火中救出来。
17 eavesdropping 4a826293c077353641ee3f86da957082     
n. 偷听
参考例句:
  • We caught him eavesdropping outside the window. 我们撞见他正在窗外偷听。
  • Suddenly the kids,who had been eavesdropping,flew into the room. 突然间,一直在偷听的孩子们飞进屋来。
18 shrugged 497904474a48f991a3d1961b0476ebce     
vt.耸肩(shrug的过去式与过去分词形式)
参考例句:
  • Sam shrugged and said nothing. 萨姆耸耸肩膀,什么也没说。
  • She shrugged, feigning nonchalance. 她耸耸肩,装出一副无所谓的样子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

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