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1、AgathaChristie-PoirotLosesAClientTheMistressofLittlegreenHouseMissArundelldiedonMay1st.ThoughherillnesswasshortherdeathdidnotoccasionmuchsurpriseinthelittlecountrytownofMarketBasing,whereshehadlivedsinceshewasagirlofsixteen.ForEmilyArundellwaswelloverseventy,thelastofafamilyoffi
2、ve,andshehadbeenknowntobeindelicatehealthformanyyearsandhadindeednearlydiedofasimilarattacktotheonethatkilledhersomeeighteenmonthsbefore.ButthoughMissArundell'sdeathsurprisednoone,somethingelsedid.Theprovisionsofherwillgaverisetovaryingemotions,astonishment,pleasurableexcitement
3、,deepcondemnation,fury,despair,angerandgeneralgossip.ForweeksandevenmonthsMarketBasingwastotalkofnothingMissArundellwassaying:"Nowthen,Minnie,wherehaveyouputthemall?""Well,Ithought--IhopeI'vedoneright--Dr.andMrs.TaniosintheOakroomandTheresaintheBlueroomandMr.CharlesintheOldNurse
4、ry--"MissArundellinterrupted:"TheresacanhavetheOldNurseryandCharleswillhavetheBlueroom.""Oh,yes--I'msorry--IthoughttheOldNurserybeingrathermoreinconvenient--""ItwilldoverynicelyforTheresa."InMissArundell'sday,womentooksecondplace.Menweretheimportantmembersofsociety."I'msosorryth
5、edearlittlechildrenaren'tcoming,"murmuredMissLawsonsentimentally.Shelovedchildrenandwasquiteincapableofmanagingthem."Fourvisitorswillbequiteenough,"saidMissArundell."Inanycase,Bellaspoilsherchildrenabominably.Theyneverdreamofdoingwhattheyaretold."MinnieLawsonmurmured:"Mrs.Tanios
6、isaverydevotedmother."MissArundellsaidwithgraveapproval:"Bellaisagoodwoman."MissLawsonsighedandsaid:"Itmustbeveryhardforhersometimes--livinginanoutlandishplacelikeSmyrna."EmilyArundellreplied:"Shehasmadeherbedandshemustlieonit."AndhavingutteredthisfinalVictorianpronouncementshew
7、enton:"Iamgoingtothevillagenowtospeakabouttheordersfortheweekend.""Oh,MissArundell,doletme.Imean--""Nonsense.Iprefertogomyself.Rogersneedsasharpword.Thetroublewithyouis,Minnie,thatyou'renotemphaticenough.Bob!Bob!Whereisthedog?"Awire-hairedterriercametearingdownthestairs.Hecircle
8、droundandroundhismistress,utteringshortstaccato