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1、DUMBWITNESSAgathaChristieChapter1THEMISTRESSOFLITTLEGREENHOUSEMissArundelldiedonMay1st.ThoughherillnesswasshortherdeathdidnotoccasionmuchsurpriseinthelittlecountrytownofMarketBasing,whereshehadlivedsinceshewasagirlofsixteen.ForEmilyArundellwaswelloverseventy,thelastofafamilyoffive,andsh
2、ehadbeenknowntobeindelicatehealthformanyyearsandhadindeednearlydiedofasimilarattacktotheonethatkilledhersomeeighteenmonthsbefore.ButthoughMissArundell'sdeathsurprisednoone,somethingelsedid.Theprovisionsofherwillgaverisetovaryingemotions,astonishment,pleasurableexcitement,deepcondemnatio
3、n,fury,despair,angerandgeneralgossip.ForweeksandevenmonthsMarketBasingwastotalkofnothingelse.Everyonehadsomethingtosayaboutit,fromMrJonesatthegrocery,accordingtowhom"bloodwasthickerthanwater",toMrsLaphrey,thepost-mistress,whorepeatedadnauseamthatcertaintobesomethingbehindit."Markmywords
4、!"Whatleadtoallthesespeculationswasthefactthatthetestamentwasrecent,fromApril21st.Besides,EmilyArundell'snearestrelativeshadspenttheEasterholidayswithher,thusresultingthewildesttheories,andnicelybreakingthemonotonysocharacteristicoflifeinMarketBasing.Therewasonepersonwhomasmuchmoresuspe
5、ctedthanitwasapparent.Itwastheladycompanionofthedeceased,MissWilhelminaLawson,whoknewasmuchasanybodyelse,andproclaimedthatshewasverysurprisedwhenthewillwasread.Ofcoursealotofpeopledidn'tbelieveit.Buttherewasonlyonepersonwhoknewallaboutit:thedeceased.EmilyArundell,aswasherway,hadn'texpla
6、inedanythingtoanybody,noteventoherlawyer.OntheFridaybeforeEaster,EmilyArundellhadstoodinthehallofLittlegreenHouseandgiveninstructionstoMissLawson.MissArundellwassaying:"Nowthen,Minnie,wherehaveyouputthemall?""Well,Ithought-IhopeI'vedoneright-DrandMrsTaniosintheOakroomandTheresaintheBlue
7、roomandMrCharlesintheOldNursery-"MissArundellinterrupted:"TheresacanhavetheOldNurseryandCharleswillhavetheBlueroom.""Oh,yes-I'msorry-IthoughttheOldNurserybeingrathermoreinconvenient-""ItwilldoverynicelyforTheresa."InMissArundell'sday,womentooksecondplace.Menweretheimportantmemb