Lesson 10

& Chapter Nineteen: COUNCIL OF THREE

Moira returned a few minutes later. " I got her, " she said. " I've asked her to come and meet me at a little summer-house down near the river. She must have thought it very odd, but she said she'd come."

" Good, " said Bobby. " Now just where is this place exactly? " Moira described it carefully, and the way to get to it. " That's all right, " said Bobby. " You go first. I'll follow on." They adhered to this programme, Bobby lingering to have a word with Mr. Askew.

" Odd thing, " he said casually. " That lady — Mrs. Nicholson — I used to work for an uncle of hers. Canadian gentleman."

Moira's visit to him might, he felt, give rise to gossip, and the last thing he wanted was to let gossip of that kind get about and possibly find its way to Dr. Nicholson's ears.

" So that's it, is it? " said Mr. Askew. " I rather wondered."

" Yes, " said Bobby. " She recognized me and came along to hear what I was doing now. A nice, pleasant-spoken lady."

" Very pleasant indeed. She can't have much of a life living at the Grange."

" It wouldn't be my fancy, " agreed Bobby. Feeling that he had achieved his object, he strolled out into the village and with an aimless air betook himself in the direction indicated by Moira. He reached the rendezvous successfully and found her there waiting for him. Frankie had not yet put in an appearance.

Moira's glance was frankly inquiring and Bobby felt he must attempt the somewhat difficult task of explanation.

" There's an awful lot I've got to tell you, " he said, and stopped awkwardly.

" Yes."

" To begin with, " said Bobby, plunging, " I'm not really a chauffeur although I do work in a garage in London. And my name isn't Hawkins — it's Jones —Bobby Jones. I come from Marchbolt in Wales."

Moira was listening attentively, but clearly the name Marchbolt meant nothing to her. Bobby set his teeth and went bravely to the heart of the matter.

" Look here, I'm afraid I'm going to give you rather a shock. This friend of yours, Alan Carstairs — he's — well, you've got to know — he's dead."

He felt the start she gave and tactfully he averted his eyes from her face. Did she mind very much? Had she been — dash it all — keen on the fellow?

She was silent a moment or two; then she said in a low thoughtful voice, " So that's why he never came back. I wondered."

Bobby ventured to steal a look at her. His spirits rose. She looked sad and thoughtful — but that was all.

" Tell me about it, " she said.

Bobby complied. " He fell over the cliff at Marchbolt — the place where I live. I and the doctor there happened to be the ones to find him." He paused and then added, " He had your photograph in his pocket."

" Did he? " She gave a sweet, rather sad smile. " Dear Alan, he was — very faithful."

There was silence for a moment or two and then she asked, " When did all this happen? "

" About a month ago. October third, to be exact."

" That must have been just after he came down here."

" Yes. Did he mention that he was going to Wales? "

She shook her head.

" You don't know anyone called Evans, do you? " said Bobby.

" Evans? " Moira frowned, trying to think. " No, I don't think so. It's a very common name, of course, but I can't remember anybody. What is he? "

" That's just what we don't know — Oh, hullo! Here's Frankie."

Frankie came hurrying along the path. Her face, at the sight of Bobby and Mrs. Nicholson sitting chatting together, was a study in conflicting expressions.

" Hullo, Frankie, " said Bobby. " I'm glad you've come. We've got to have a great powwow. To begin with, it's Mrs. Nicholson who is the original of the photograph."

" Oh! " said Frankie blankly. She looked at Moira and suddenly laughed.

" My dear, " she said to Bobby, " now I see why the sight of Mrs. Cayman at the inquest was such a shock to you! "

" Exactly, " said Bobby. What a fool he had been! However could he have imagined for one moment that any space of time could turn a Moira Nicholson into an Amelia Cayman?

" Lord, what a fool I've been! " he exclaimed.

Moira was looking bewildered.

" There's such an awful lot to tell, " said Bobby. " And I don't quite know how to put it all."

He described the Caymans and their identification of the body.

" But I don't understand, " said Moira, bewildered. " Whose body was it really, her brother's, or Alan Carstairs's? "

" That's where the dirty work comes in, " explained Bobby.

" And then, " continued Frankie, " Bobbie was poisoned."

" Eight grains of morphia, " said Bobby reminiscently.

" Don't start on that, " said Frankie. " You're capable of going on for hours on the subject, and it's really very boring to other people. Let me explain."

She took a long breath.

" You see, " she said, " these Cayman people came to see Bobby after the inquest, to ask him if the brother — supposed — had said anything before he died, and Bobby said no. But afterward he remembered that the man had said something about somebody called Evans — so Bobby wrote and told them so. And a few days afterward he got a letter offering him a j ob in Peru or somewhere, and when he wouldn't take it, the next thing was that someone put a lot of morphia —"

" Eight grains; " said Bobby.

" — in his beer. Only, as Bobby has a most extraordinary inside or something, it didn't kill him. And so then we saw at once that Pritchard — or Carstairs, you know — must have been pushed over the cliff."

" But why? " asked Moira.

" Don't you see? Why, it seems perfectly clear to us. I expect I haven't told it very well. Anyway, we decided that he had been, and that Roger Bassington-ffrench had probably done it."

" Roger Bassington-ffrench? " Moira spoke in tones of the liveliest amazement.

" We worked it out that way. You see, he was there at the time, and your photograph disappeared, and he seemed to be the only one who could have taken it."

" I see, " said Moira thoughtfully.

" And then, " continued Frankie, " I happened to have an accident just here. An amazing coincidence, wasn't it? " She looked hard at Bobby with an admonishing eye. " So I telephoned to Bobby and suggested that he should come down here pretending to be my chauffeur and we'd look into the matter."

" So now you see how it was, " said Bobby, accepting Frankie's one discreet departure from the truth. " And the climax was when last night I strolled into the grounds of the Grange and ran right into you — the original of the mysterious photograph! "

" You recognized me very quickly, " said Moira with a faint smile.

" Yes, " said Bobby. " I would have recognized the original of that photograph anywhere."

For no particular reason Moira blushed. Then an idea seemed to strike her and she looked sharply from one to other.

" Are you telling me the truth? " she asked. " Is it really true that you came down here — by accident? Or did you come because — because —" her voice quavered in spite of herself — " you suspected my husband? "

Bobby and Frankie looked at each other. Then Bobby said, " I give you my word of honor that we'd never even heard of your husband till we came down here."

" Oh, I see." She turned to Frankie. " I'm sorry. Lady Frances, but you see I remembered that, on the evening when we came to dinner, Jasper — my husband — went on and on at you, asking you things about your accident. I couldn't think why. But I think now that perhaps he suspected it wasn't genuine."

" Well, if you really want to know, it wasn't, " said Frankie. " Whoof — now I feel better! It was all camouflaged very carefully. But it had nothing to do with your husband. The whole thing was staged because we wanted to — to — what does one call it? — get a line on* Roger Bassington-ffrench."

" Roger? " Moira frowned and smiled perplexedly. " It seems absurd, " she said frankly.

" All the same, facts are facts, " said Bobby.

" Roger? Oh, no." She shook her head. " He might be weak — or wild. He might get into debt or get mixed up in a scandal. But pushing someone over a cliff — No, I simply can't imagine it."

" Do you know, " said Frankie, " I can't very well imagine it, either."

" But he must have taken that photograph, " said Bobby stubbornly. " Listen, Mrs. Nicholson, while I go over the facts."

He did so slowly and carefully. When he had finished, she nodded her head comprehendingly.

" I see what you mean. It seems very queer." She paused a minute and then asked unexpectedly, " Why don't you ask him? "

@ Questions and Tasks

1. Find the words and expressions in the chapter, translate the sentences.

council

to adhere to smth

to give rise to gossip

to be smb’s fancy

to begin with

the heart of the matter

to be keen on smb/smth

reminiscently

to look at smb with the admonishing eye

to get a line on smb

2. Explain the meanings of the words and expressions in English.

3. Ask questions to the chapter using the active vocabulary.

4. Write down 8 wrong and true statements. Ask your fellow students to respond to them, using the conversational formulas (they were given in chapter two).

5. Make up groups of three students and restore the conversation between Bobby, Frankie and Moira Nicholson.

þ Grammar and Vocabulary Test 2

I. Chose the correct variant.

1. I'll have to..................to you, otherwise the children will hear.

a. shout b. say

c. whistle d. whisper

2. The plastic..................of my glasses is easily broken.

a. support b. holder

c. frame d. surround

3. The crime was................. in the middle of a busy street, in full view of people returning home from work.

a. achieved b. committed

c. performed d. practiced

4. The noise of the traffic prevented me from.............. to sleep.

a. falling b. starting

c. beginning d. going

5. I'm afraid I'm really................for time at the moment.

a. hurried b. short

c. pulled d. pressed

6. As there was no evidence, the judge dismissed the................

a. trial b. witness

c. court d. case

7. It is..............unlikely that the Queen will agree to open the new Town Hall.

a. mainly b. highly

c. largely d. greatly

8. I still see my old classmates now and....................

a. occasionally b. then

c. sometimes d. here

9. Money is said to be the...........................of all evil.

a. source b. reason

c. cause d. root

10. Nobody from the President down should imagine they are..............the law.

a. beyond b. over

c. within d. above

II. Fill in the necessary Grammar form.

1. The car (drive) by my mother when it (hit) by a bus. My brother (badly / injure) and (take) to hospital.

2. The doctor warned me that I (not / get) better unless I (eat) sensibly.

3. Despite police investigations, the murder (remain) a mystery up to now.

4. The marathon runner (run) for almost two hours when he (collapse) to the pavement. He received immediate medical attention.

5. - That's a big stack of bills on your desk, Sam. Haven't you paid your bills this month? - No. Nor last month. I know I (be) irresponsible about paying my bills right now, but I've been really busy. I'll take care of them soon. Generally, I (not / be) an irresponsible person.

6. - When Mary went out this morning she left her briefcase here.

- She might (mean) to leave it behind.

7. I wonder why (you / sit) there (watch) television when you (know) you ought (get) on with your work?

8. Kimora is a Japanese student who (study) English in the United States for about six months. Last Saturday she (go) to the home of one of her American friends, Jason, who (invite) Kimora to have dinner with him and his friends.

9. When I left the airport, John and his wife (still / talk) to the customs official.

They (seem) (have) some difficulty over their passports.

10. I don't remember (tell) of the decision to change the company policy on holidays. When was it decided?

III. Translate the sentences from Russian into English.

1. Прожив в Лондоне семь лет, моя подруга привыкла разговаривать по-английски со своими одноклассниками.

2. В прошлом году я жил недалеко от своей школы, и мне не приходилось вставать так рано, как сейчас.

3. Отец сказал, что не знает, когда вернётся из командировки, но пообещал, что, как только он вернётся, купит нам новый лазерный принтер.

4. Никто из нас не ожидал, что наши школьные друзья приедут так скоро. Им следовало нас предупредить.

5. - Можно мне забрать документы?

- Извините, вы не могли бы зайти за ними через полчаса? Их только что напечатали. Их сейчас просматривают.

6. Моя мама предложила, чтобы я купил себе новые часы, так как мои часы отставали на три минуты.

7. Едва я вошла в квартиру, как раздался телефонный звонок. Это была моя сестра, которая сказала, что только что приехала с Москву, чтобы осмотреть достопримечательности города.

8, - Мой друг не интересуется ни рыбалкой, ни охотой. - И я тоже.

9. Мы были уверены, что чем больше мы платим за гостиницу, тем лучше обслуживание, но мы ошибались.

10. Кому из твоих друзей продиктовали домашнее задание, после того как раздали учебники?

IV. Read the text and answer the questions.

Recent technological advances in manned and unmanned undersea vehicles along with breakthroughs in satellite technology and computer equipment have overcome some of the limitations of divers and diving equipment. Without a vehicle, divers often became sluggish and their mental concentration was limited. Because of undersea pressure that affected their speech organs, communication among divers was difficult or impossible. But today, most oceanographers make direct observations by means of instruments that are lowered into the ocean, from samples taken from the water, or from photographs made by orbiting satellites. Direct observations of the ocean floor are made not only by divers but also by deep-diving submarines and aerial photography. Some of the submarines can dive to depths of more than seven miles and cruise at depths of fifteen thousand feet. In addition, radio-equipped buoys can be operated by remote control in order " to transmit information back to land-based laboratories, often via satellite. Particularly important are data about water temperature, currents and weather. Satellite photographs can show the distribution of sea ice, oil slicks, and cloud formations over the ocean. Maps created from satellite pictures can represent the temperature and the color of the ocean's surface, enabling researchers to study the ocean currents. Furthermore, computers help oceanographers to collect and analyze data from submarines and satellites. By creating a model of the ocean's movement and characteristics, scientists can predict the patterns and possible effects of the ocean on the environment.

Recently, many oceanographers have been relying more on satellites and computers than on research ships or even submarine vehicles because they can supply a greater range of information more quickly and more efficiently. Some of mankind's most serious problems, especially those concerning energy and food, may be solved with the help of observations made possible by this new technology.

1. With what topic is the passage primarily concerned?

a. Technological advances in oceanography

b. Communication among divers

c. Direct observation of the ocean floor

d. Undersea vehicles

2. Divers have had problems in communicating underwater because

a. the pressure affected their speech organs

b. the vehicles they used have not been perfected

c. they did not pronounce clearly

d. the water destroyed their speech organs

3. This passage suggests that the successful exploration of the ocean depends upon

a. vehicles as well as divers

b. radios that divers use to communicate

c. controlling currents and the weather

d. the limitations of diving equipment

4. Which of the following are NOT shown in satellite photographs?

a. The temperature of the ocean's surface

b. Cloud formations over the ocean

c. A model of the ocean's movements

d. The location of sea ice

5. According to the author, what are some of the problems the underwater studies may eventually resolve?

a. Weather and temperature control

b. Food and energy shortages

c. Transportation and communication problems

d. Overcrowding and housing problems

CONTENTS

Introduction …………………………………………………………… 5

Lesson 1……………………………………………………………… 7

Lesson 2……………………………………………………………… 14

Lesson 3……………………………………………………………… 22

Lesson 4……………………………………………………………… 32

Lesson 5……………………………………………………………… 43

Grammar and Vocabulary Test 1 ……………………………………… 53

Lesson 6……………………………………………………………… 56

Lesson 7……………………………………………………………… 65

Lesson 8……………………………………………………………… 75

Lesson 9……………………………………………………………… 86

Lesson 10……………………………………………………………… 96

Grammar and Vocabulary Test 2 …………………………………… 100