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1、CROOKEDHOUSEAgathaChristieChapter1IfirstcametoknowSophiaLeonidesinEgypttowardstheendofthewar.SheheldafairlyhighadministrativepostinoneoftheForeignOfficedepartmentsoutthere.Iknewherfirstinanofficialcapacity,andIsoonappreciatedtheefficiencythathadbroughthertothepositionsheheld,inspiteo
2、fheryouth(shewasatthattimejusttwenty-two).Besidesbeingextremelyeasytolookat,shehadaclearmindandadrysenseofhumourthatIfoundverydelightful.Webecamefriends.Shewasapersonwhomitwasextraordinarilyeasytotalktoandweenjoyedourdinnersandoccasionaldancesverymuch.AllthisIknew;itwasnotuntilIwasor
3、deredEastatthecloseoftheEuropeanwarthatIknewsomethingelse-thatIlovedSophiaandthatIwantedtomarryher.WewerediningatShepheard'swhenImadethisdiscovery.Itdidnotcometomewithanyshockofsurprise,butmoreastherecognitionofafactwithwhichIhadbeenlongfamiliar.Ilookedatherwithneweyes-butIsawwhatIha
4、dalreadyknownforalongtime.IlikedeverythingIsaw.Thedarkcrisphairthatsprangupproudlyfromherforehead,thevividblueeyes,thesmallsquarefightingchin,andthestraightnose.Ilikedthewellcutlightgreytailor-made,andthecrispwhiteshirt.ShelookedrefreshinglyEnglishandthatappealedtomestronglyafterthre
5、eyearswithoutseeingmynativeland.Nobody,Ithought,couldbemoreEnglish-andevenasIwasthinkingexactlythat,Isuddenlywonderedif,infact,shewas,orindeedcouldbe,asEnglishasshelooked.Doestherealthingeverhavetheperfectionofastageperformance?Irealisedthatmuchandfreelyaswehadtalkedtogether,discussi
6、ngideas,ourlikesanddislikes,thefuture,ourimmediatefriendsandacquaintances-Sophiahadnevermentionedherhomeorherfamily.Sheknewallaboutme(shewas,asIhaveindicated,agoodlistener)butaboutherIknewnothing.Shehad,Isupposed,theusualbackground,butshehadnevertalkedaboutit.AnduntilthismomentIhadne
7、verrealisedthefact.SophiaaskedmewhatIwasthinkingabout.Irepliedtruthfully:"You.""Isee,"shesaid.Andshesoundedasthoughshedidsee."Wemaynotmeetagainforacoupleofyears,"Isaid."Idon'tknowwhenIshallgetbacktoEngland.ButassoonasIdogetback,thefirstthingIshalldowillbetocomeandseeyouandaskyoutomar
8、ryme."Shetoo
