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儿童英语读物 The Mystery at Peacock Hall CHAPTER 4 A Whispered Warning

时间:2017-09-07 02:08来源:互联网 提供网友:qing   字体: [ ]
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    (单词翻译:双击或拖选)

“You heard Grandfather last night,” Henry said as they cleared the breakfast dishes the next morning. “Cousin Althea needs nine thousand dollars by Friday. That’s three days from now.”

The night before, Grandfather brought back groceries along with his grim news. The tax bill was indeed correct. But he would try to get Althea an extension, more time to pay. “Nine thousand dollars!” Benny exclaimed. “That’s more than I have in my piggy bank!”

“It’s more than we all have in our piggy banks,” Jessie said.

“I’ll call Mrs. McGregor,” Benny said, putting the jelly up on the cupboard. “She’ll send me my bank and I’ll give it to Althea.”

Henry stacked plates to rinse1 before washing. “That’s nice of you, Benny, but Althea probably wouldn’t take your pennies and nickels.”

“How will Grandfather help her raise that much money by Friday?” Violet wanted to know. “It seems impossible.”

Henry filled the sink with hot, soapy water. “There’s only one way: We have to find the treasure.”

“But we don’t even know what it is!” Jessie said, shaking the tablecloth2 out the back door.

“Then we’ll just have to look harder,” said Benny.

“We’ll find it,” Violet said confidently. “We can’t let Cousin Althea down.”

As soon as the dishes were done, the kids dashed upstairs. Yesterday they’d cleaned the small rooms on the third floor. Today they’d work on the second floor.

Jessie yanked back the dusty curtains in the first room. She looked out the window and into the yard below. Althea was talking to Tate. Both had slumped3 shoulders.

She wondered if Cousin Althea and the gardener were afraid. If Peacock Hall was sold, where would they go? Grandfather was in town again, looking for a way to save Peacock Hall.

The children worked hard for two hours. They also peered behind paintings for hidden wall safes, searched dressers and desks for secret compartments4, and tapped inside closets for false backs.

But their hunt turned up only dust bunnies. No treasure.

They were all grimy and tired. They needed a break.

“Let’s walk to Heather and David’s roadside stand,” Jessie suggested. “I’d like parsley for tonight’s dinner to go with those new potatoes Grandfather bought.”

   “Yeah!” Benny agreed. As much as he liked the big old house, he was glad to go outside.

After washing up, the children set off across the dandelion-spotted5 field that was a shortcut6 to the highway.

Benny skipped in the bright green grass. The warm sunshine made him giddy. He plucked a handful of dandelions and tossed them in the air.

Henry smiled at his brother. The soft spring air made him feel like running, too.

“Race you!” he challenged, and the kids were off.

By the time they reached the wooden stand at the side of the highway, they were out of breath and giggling7.

Heather Olsen was arranging ivy8 in a basket. She smiled when she heard the Aldens.

“Looks like you guys have spring fever!” she said.

Benny felt his forehead. “Not me. I’m not sick.”

“It’s an expression,” Henry told him. “It means that people feel good in the springtime.”

“What can I do for you today?” Heather asked them.

“I’d like some parsley,” said Jessie. “Grandfather bought some new potatoes. I’m going to make parsley potatoes for dinner tonight.”

Heather slipped the leafy plant into a plastic bag. “That sounds delicious. I bet you’re a good cook.”

“We all like to cook,” Jessie said.

“But I’d rather eat!” Benny put in.

Violet sniffed9. Something fragrant10 sweetened the air around the stand.

“What is that nice smell?” she asked Heather.

“Lavender. It’s often made into sachets, perfumes, and lotions11.” Heather pointed12 to a bouquet13 of dried purple flowers pinned to her sweater. “I wear it all the time.”

Violet wondered where David was today. Before she could ask, a shiny black car pulled off the highway.

A woman with stiff blond hair and pink lipstick14 stepped out of the car.

   “Hello,” the woman said, stalking across the gravel15 in spiky16 high heels. “I’m Marlene Sanders.”

Jessie perked17 up. The name sounded familiar. Where had she heard it before?

“Hello,” Heather greeted. “Welcome to my stand.”

“And you are?” Marlene demanded.

“I’m Heather Olsen.” The younger woman suddenly seemed very uncomfortable.

Marlene gave a fake smile. “Heather, who sells herbs. How cute. I’ll take some basil and thyme.”

Heather began measuring snipped18 leafy herbs into a small silver scale. “Is this enough?”

The woman pinched green stems between fingers tipped with long pink fingernails. “Your herbs are fresh?” she asked archly.

“Of course,” Heather replied. Nervously19, she tied the plastic bag with a strand20 of brown twine21.

Benny also realized Heather’s son wasn’t around. “Where’s David?” he asked.

“He’s . . . off on an errand,” Heather said, tying the twine into a tight knot.

Marlene peeled dollar bills from an expensive leather wallet. “I don’t see a business license22 anywhere.” Her tone was disapproving23.

“It’s at home,” Heather said quickly, her face pale. “If you’re finished, I have plants to water.”

“Of course. But you do know licenses24 must be displayed. It’s the law.” Marlene Sanders got back into her shiny car and drove off.

Jessie was concerned about Heather. The young woman seemed frightened.

“Are you all right?” she asked.

“I’m fine,” Heather said shortly. “I just have a lot of work to do.”

Jessie glanced at Henry, who nodded back. It was obvious Heather wanted them to leave.

“We should be going,” Jessie said. “Cousin Althea is taking us to Monticello this afternoon.”

“Tell David we said hi,” Benny said. Then he spotted a boy in a red-striped shirt coming across the field. “There he is! Hey, David!”

As soon as David saw the Aldens, he quickly turned and ran in the opposite direction into the woods.

“What’s wrong with him?” Benny said.

“He’s just shy,” Heather told him. “If you’re going to Monticello, you’d better hurry back to Peacock Hall.”

The children didn’t need another hint. When they were well away from Heather’s herb stand, they discussed the strange incident.

“David is not shy,” Violet stated. “He’s avoiding us.”

“But why?” Jessie wondered. “We’ve never done or said anything to upset him.”

“Maybe not, but his mother was plenty upset,” Henry put in. “Did you see how nervous she was when Marlene Sanders was asking a bunch of nosy25 questions?”

Jessie scratched her head. “I’ve heard that woman’s name before, but I can’t think where. You’re right, Henry. Heather definitely acted like she had something to hide.”

“Another mystery!” Benny crowed. “So far we have to find the hidden treasure and find out who climbed up to the girls’ window —”

“And figure out what’s the matter with Heather and David,” Violet finished for him. “That’s three mysteries and we only have three days.”

“One mystery a day,” Benny said, counting on his fingers.

Henry ruffled26 Benny’s hair. “You’re getting too smart! Pretty soon you’ll be solving mysteries all by yourself.”

Benny grinned, pleased with his big brother’s praise. He would start solving those mysteries right away, just as soon as he had lunch.

For her job at the Jefferson Center for Historic Plants, Cousin Althea wore a long, rosebud-sprigged cotton dress topped with a white apron27. A white ruffled cap sat on her curls.

“I love your dress,” Violet said as they were driving to Monticello.

“We all wear eighteenth-century costumes,” Althea said. “This outfit28 is fun to wear this time of year, but it’s chilly29 in the fall. Then I put on a shawl.”

She pulled into the employee parking lot. “I’ll be in there,” she said, pointing to a large building. “Roam around all you want. Meet me in the plant center at three-thirty.”

Instead of touring the house, the children wandered around the spacious30 grounds. They took the roundabout walk, bordered with beautiful spring flowers, on the west side of the mansion31.

Catching32 up with a tour group, the Aldens learned that Mr. Jefferson liked to experiment with different kinds of plants.

“He tested over two hundred and fifty varieties of vegetables,” the guide stated. “His favorite vegetable was the pea, and he grew twenty kinds of peas in his thousand-foot garden.”

Benny wrinkled his nose. He loved to eat, but green peas were not his favorite food. “Twenty kinds of peas! Yuck!”

Teasing him, Jessie said, “We’re having peas tonight for dinner!”

“It’s almost three-thirty,” Henry told them. “We’d better head back to the plant center.”

The Center for Historic Plants was enormous, with exhibits, more gardens, and a gift shop where people could buy plants and seeds grown on the estate.

Althea was working behind a cash register. She held up five fingers, meaning she would be ready in five minutes.

Violet wandered around the busy shop. She was browsing33 through a book on wildflowers when someone bumped into her.

Knocked off balance, Violet stumbled into a rack of seed packets. She caught the stand before it toppled with a crash.

“Mind your own business,” a voice whispered hoarsely34.

Still grappling with the rack, Violet couldn’t turn around to see who had spoken.

But she smelled a familiar scent35.

Lavender.
 


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 rinse BCozs     
v.用清水漂洗,用清水冲洗
参考例句:
  • Give the cup a rinse.冲洗一下杯子。
  • Don't just rinse the bottles. Wash them out carefully.别只涮涮瓶子,要仔细地洗洗里面。
2 tablecloth lqSwh     
n.桌布,台布
参考例句:
  • He sat there ruminating and picking at the tablecloth.他坐在那儿沉思,轻轻地抚弄着桌布。
  • She smoothed down a wrinkled tablecloth.她把起皱的桌布熨平了。
3 slumped b010f9799fb8ebd413389b9083180d8d     
大幅度下降,暴跌( slump的过去式和过去分词 ); 沉重或突然地落下[倒下]
参考例句:
  • Sales have slumped this year. 今年销售量锐减。
  • The driver was slumped exhausted over the wheel. 司机伏在方向盘上,疲惫得睡着了。
4 compartments 4e9d78104c402c263f5154f3360372c7     
n.间隔( compartment的名词复数 );(列车车厢的)隔间;(家具或设备等的)分隔间;隔层
参考例句:
  • Your pencil box has several compartments. 你的铅笔盒有好几个格。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The first-class compartments are in front. 头等车室在前头。 来自《简明英汉词典》
5 spotted 7FEyj     
adj.有斑点的,斑纹的,弄污了的
参考例句:
  • The milkman selected the spotted cows,from among a herd of two hundred.牛奶商从一群200头牛中选出有斑点的牛。
  • Sam's shop stocks short spotted socks.山姆的商店屯积了有斑点的短袜。
6 shortcut Cyswg     
n.近路,捷径
参考例句:
  • He was always looking for a shortcut to fame and fortune.他总是在找成名发财的捷径。
  • If you take the shortcut,it will be two li closer.走抄道去要近2里路。
7 giggling 2712674ae81ec7e853724ef7e8c53df1     
v.咯咯地笑( giggle的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • We just sat there giggling like naughty schoolchildren. 我们只是坐在那儿像调皮的小学生一样的咯咯地傻笑。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • I can't stand her giggling, she's so silly. 她吃吃地笑,叫我真受不了,那样子傻透了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
8 ivy x31ys     
n.常青藤,常春藤
参考例句:
  • Her wedding bouquet consisted of roses and ivy.她的婚礼花篮包括玫瑰和长春藤。
  • The wall is covered all over with ivy.墙上爬满了常春藤。
9 sniffed ccb6bd83c4e9592715e6230a90f76b72     
v.以鼻吸气,嗅,闻( sniff的过去式和过去分词 );抽鼻子(尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气);抱怨,不以为然地说
参考例句:
  • When Jenney had stopped crying she sniffed and dried her eyes. 珍妮停止了哭泣,吸了吸鼻子,擦干了眼泪。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The dog sniffed suspiciously at the stranger. 狗疑惑地嗅着那个陌生人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
10 fragrant z6Yym     
adj.芬香的,馥郁的,愉快的
参考例句:
  • The Fragrant Hills are exceptionally beautiful in late autumn.深秋的香山格外美丽。
  • The air was fragrant with lavender.空气中弥漫薰衣草香。
11 lotions a98fc794098c32b72112f2048a16cdf0     
n.洗液,洗剂,护肤液( lotion的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Do not use lotions or oils to lubricate the skin. 不要用润肤剂或油类来润滑皮肤。 来自辞典例句
  • They were experts at preserving the bodies of the dead by embalming them with special lotions. 他们具有采用特种药物洗剂防止尸体腐烂的专门知识。 来自辞典例句
12 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。
13 bouquet pWEzA     
n.花束,酒香
参考例句:
  • This wine has a rich bouquet.这种葡萄酒有浓郁的香气。
  • Her wedding bouquet consisted of roses and ivy.她的婚礼花篮包括玫瑰和长春藤。
14 lipstick o0zxg     
n.口红,唇膏
参考例句:
  • Taking out her lipstick,she began to paint her lips.她拿出口红,开始往嘴唇上抹。
  • Lipstick and hair conditioner are cosmetics.口红和护发素都是化妆品。
15 gravel s6hyT     
n.砂跞;砂砾层;结石
参考例句:
  • We bought six bags of gravel for the garden path.我们购买了六袋碎石用来铺花园的小路。
  • More gravel is needed to fill the hollow in the drive.需要更多的砾石来填平车道上的坑洼。
16 spiky hhczrZ     
adj.长而尖的,大钉似的
参考例句:
  • Your hairbrush is too spiky for me.你的发刷,我觉得太尖了。
  • The spiky handwriting on the airmail envelope from London was obviously hers.发自伦敦的航空信封上的尖长字迹分明是她的。
17 perked 6257cbe5d4a830c7288630659113146b     
(使)活跃( perk的过去式和过去分词 ); (使)增值; 使更有趣
参考例句:
  • The recent demand for houses has perked up the prices. 最近对住房的需求使房价上涨了。
  • You've perked up since this morning. 你今天上午精神就好多了。
18 snipped 826fea38bd27326bbaa2b6f0680331b5     
v.剪( snip的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He snipped off the corner of the packet. 他将包的一角剪了下来。 来自辞典例句
  • The police officer snipped the tape and untied the hostage. 警方把胶带剪断,松绑了人质。 来自互联网
19 nervously tn6zFp     
adv.神情激动地,不安地
参考例句:
  • He bit his lip nervously,trying not to cry.他紧张地咬着唇,努力忍着不哭出来。
  • He paced nervously up and down on the platform.他在站台上情绪不安地走来走去。
20 strand 7GAzH     
vt.使(船)搁浅,使(某人)困于(某地)
参考例句:
  • She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ears.她把一缕散发夹到了耳后。
  • The climbers had been stranded by a storm.登山者被暴风雨困住了。
21 twine vg6yC     
v.搓,织,编饰;(使)缠绕
参考例句:
  • He tied the parcel with twine.他用细绳捆包裹。
  • Their cardboard boxes were wrapped and tied neatly with waxed twine.他们的纸板盒用蜡线扎得整整齐齐。
22 license B9TzU     
n.执照,许可证,特许;v.许可,特许
参考例句:
  • The foreign guest has a license on the person.这个外国客人随身携带执照。
  • The driver was arrested for having false license plates on his car.司机由于使用假车牌而被捕。
23 disapproving bddf29198e28ab64a272563d29c1f915     
adj.不满的,反对的v.不赞成( disapprove的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • Mother gave me a disapproving look. 母亲的眼神告诉我她是不赞成的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Her father threw a disapproving glance at her. 她父亲不满地瞥了她一眼。 来自《简明英汉词典》
24 licenses 9d2fccd1fa9364fe38442db17bb0cb15     
n.执照( license的名词复数 )v.批准,许可,颁发执照( license的第三人称单数 )
参考例句:
  • Drivers have ten days' grace to renew their licenses. 驾驶员更换执照有10天的宽限期。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • Jewish firms couldn't get import or export licenses or raw materials. 犹太人的企业得不到进出口许可证或原料。 来自辞典例句
25 nosy wR0zK     
adj.鼻子大的,好管闲事的,爱追问的;n.大鼻者
参考例句:
  • Our nosy neighbours are always looking in through our windows.好管闲事的邻居总是从我们的窗口望进来。
  • My landlord is so nosy.He comes by twice a month to inspect my apartment.我的房东很烦人,他每个月都要到我公寓视察两次。
26 ruffled e4a3deb720feef0786be7d86b0004e86     
adj. 有褶饰边的, 起皱的 动词ruffle的过去式和过去分词
参考例句:
  • She ruffled his hair affectionately. 她情意绵绵地拨弄着他的头发。
  • All this talk of a strike has clearly ruffled the management's feathers. 所有这些关于罢工的闲言碎语显然让管理层很不高兴。
27 apron Lvzzo     
n.围裙;工作裙
参考例句:
  • We were waited on by a pretty girl in a pink apron.招待我们的是一位穿粉红色围裙的漂亮姑娘。
  • She stitched a pocket on the new apron.她在新围裙上缝上一只口袋。
28 outfit YJTxC     
n.(为特殊用途的)全套装备,全套服装
参考例句:
  • Jenney bought a new outfit for her daughter's wedding.珍妮为参加女儿的婚礼买了一套新装。
  • His father bought a ski outfit for him on his birthday.他父亲在他生日那天给他买了一套滑雪用具。
29 chilly pOfzl     
adj.凉快的,寒冷的
参考例句:
  • I feel chilly without a coat.我由于没有穿大衣而感到凉飕飕的。
  • I grew chilly when the fire went out.炉火熄灭后,寒气逼人。
30 spacious YwQwW     
adj.广阔的,宽敞的
参考例句:
  • Our yard is spacious enough for a swimming pool.我们的院子很宽敞,足够建一座游泳池。
  • The room is bright and spacious.这房间很豁亮。
31 mansion 8BYxn     
n.大厦,大楼;宅第
参考例句:
  • The old mansion was built in 1850.这座古宅建于1850年。
  • The mansion has extensive grounds.这大厦四周的庭园广阔。
32 catching cwVztY     
adj.易传染的,有魅力的,迷人的,接住
参考例句:
  • There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
  • Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。
33 browsing 509387f2f01ecf46843ec18c927f7822     
v.吃草( browse的现在分词 );随意翻阅;(在商店里)随便看看;(在计算机上)浏览信息
参考例句:
  • He sits browsing over[through] a book. 他坐着翻阅书籍。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Cattle is browsing in the field. 牛正在田里吃草。 来自《简明英汉词典》
34 hoarsely hoarsely     
adv.嘶哑地
参考例句:
  • "Excuse me," he said hoarsely. “对不起。”他用嘶哑的嗓子说。
  • Jerry hoarsely professed himself at Miss Pross's service. 杰瑞嘶声嘶气地表示愿为普洛丝小姐效劳。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
35 scent WThzs     
n.气味,香味,香水,线索,嗅觉;v.嗅,发觉
参考例句:
  • The air was filled with the scent of lilac.空气中弥漫着丁香花的芬芳。
  • The flowers give off a heady scent at night.这些花晚上散发出醉人的芳香。
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