无人生还3

时间：2026-03-19 02:46:27

（单词翻译:单击）

II
Vera Claythorne, in a third-class carriage with five other travellers in it,
leaned her head back and shut her eyes. How hot it was travelling by train
today! It would be nice to get to the sea! Really a great piece of luck getting
this job. When you wanted a holiday post it nearly always meant looking
after a swarm1 of children—secretarial holiday posts were much more dif-
ficult to get. Even the agency hadn’t held out much hope.
And then the letter had come.
‘I have received your name from the Skilled Women’s
Agency together with their recommendation. I understand
they know you personally. I shall be glad to pay you the
salary you ask and shall expect you to take up your duties
on August 8th. The train is the 12.40 from Paddington and
you will be met at Oakbridge station. I enclose five £1 notes
for expenses.
Yours truly,
Una Nancy Owen.’
And at the top was the stamped address, Soldier Island, Sticklehaven,
Devon…
Soldier Island! Why, there had been nothing else in the papers lately! All
sorts of hints and interesting rumours2. Though probably they were mostly
untrue. But the house had certainly been built by a millionaire and was
said to be absolutely the last word in luxury.
Vera Claythorne, tired by a recent strenuous3 term at school, thought to
herself, ‘Being a games mistress in a third- class school isn’t much of a
catch…If only I could get a job at some decent school.’
And then, with a cold feeling round her heart, she thought: ‘But I’m
lucky to have even this. After all, people don’t like a Coroner’s Inquest,
even if the Coroner did acquit4 me of all blame!’
He had even complimented her on her presence of mind and courage,
she remembered. For an inquest it couldn’t have gone better. And Mrs
Hamilton had been kindness itself to her—only Hugo—but she wouldn’t
think of Hugo!
Suddenly, in spite of the heat in the carriage she shivered and wished
she wasn’t going to the sea. A picture rose clearly before her mind. Cyril’s
head, bobbing up and down, swimming to the rock…Up and down—up and
down…And herself, swimming in easy practised strokes after him—cleav-
ing her way through the water but knowing, only too surely, that she
wouldn’t be in time…
The sea—its deep warm blue—mornings spent lying out on the sands—
Hugo—Hugo who had said he loved her…
She must not think of Hugo…
She opened her eyes and frowned across at the man opposite her. A tall
man with a brown face, light eyes set rather close together and an arrog-
ant, almost cruel mouth.
She thought to herself:
I bet he’s been to some interesting parts of the world and seen some in-
teresting things…

分享到：


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 swarm dqlyj     
n.(昆虫)等一大群；vi.成群飞舞；蜂拥而入
参考例句：
  • There is a swarm of bees in the tree.这树上有一窝蜜蜂。
  • A swarm of ants are moving busily.一群蚂蚁正在忙碌地搬家。
2 rumours ba6e2decd2e28dec9a80f28cb99e131d     
n.传闻( rumour的名词复数 )；风闻；谣言；谣传
参考例句：
  • The rumours were completely baseless. 那些谣传毫无根据。
  • Rumours of job losses were later confirmed. 裁员的传言后来得到了证实。
3 strenuous 8GvzN     
adj.奋发的，使劲的；紧张的；热烈的，狂热的
参考例句：
  • He made strenuous efforts to improve his reading. 他奋发努力提高阅读能力。
  • You may run yourself down in this strenuous week.你可能会在这紧张的一周透支掉自己。
4 acquit MymzL     
vt.宣判无罪；(oneself)使(自己)表现出
参考例句：
  • That fact decided the judge to acquit him.那个事实使法官判他无罪。
  • They always acquit themselves of their duty very well.他们总是很好地履行自己的职责。

©2005-2010英文阅读网