2024年4月6日发(作者：)

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Blackmail

Arthur Hailey

1 The chief house officer, Ogilvie, who had declared he would appear at the Croydons

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suite an hour after his cryptic telephone call actually took twice that time. As a result the

nerves of both the Duke and Duchess were excessively frayed when the muted buzzer of the

outer door eventually sounded.

2 The Duchess went to the door herself. Earlier she had dispatched her maid on an

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invented errand and, cruelly, instructed the moon-faced male secretary – who was terrified of

dogs – to exercise the Bedlington terriers. Her own tension was not lessened by the

knowledge that both might return at any moment.

3 A wave of cigar smoke accompanied Ogilvie in. When he had followed her to the living

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room, the Duchess looked pointedly at the half-burned cigar in the fat man’s mouth. “My

husband and I find strong smoke offensive. Would you kindly put that out."

4 The house detective's piggy eyes surveyed her sardonically from his gross jowled face.

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His gaze moved on to sweep the spacious, well-appointed room, encompassing the Duke

who faced them uncertainly, his back to a window.

5 "Pretty neat set-up you folks got.” Taking his time, Ogilvie removed the offending cigar,

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knocked off the ash and flipped the butt toward an ornamental fireplace on his right. He

missed, and the butt fell upon the carpet where he ignored it.

6 The Duchess's lips tightened. She said sharply, imagine you did not come here to

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discuss décor ".

7 The obese body shook in an appreciative chuckle . "No, ma'am, can't say I did. I like

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nice things, though." He lowered the level of his incongruous falsetto voice." Like that car of

yours. The one you keep here in the hotel. Jaguar, ain't it?"

8 "Aah!" It was not a spoken word, but an emission of breath from the Duke of Croydon.

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His wife shot him a swift, warning glance.

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9 "In what conceivable way does our car concern you?”

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10 As if the question from the Duchess had been a signal, the house detective's manner

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changed. He inquired abruptly, "Who else is in this place?"

11 It was the Duke who answered, "No one. We sent them out."

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12 "There's things it pays to check." Moving with surprising speed, the fat man walked

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around the suite, opening doors and inspecting the space behind them. Obviously he knew

the room arrangement well. After reopening and closing the outer door, he returned,

apparently satisfied, to the living room.

13 The Duchess had seated herself in a straight-backed Ogilvie remained standing.

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14 "Now then," he said. "You two was in the hit-'n-run ."

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15 She met his eyes directly." What are you talking about?"

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16 "Don't play games, lady. This is for real." He took out a fresh cigar and bit off the end,

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"You saw the papers. There's been plenty on radio, too."

17 Two high points of color appeared in the paleness of the Duchess of Croydon's cheeks.

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"What you are suggesting is the most disgusting, "

18 "I told you – Cut it out!” The words spat forth with sudden savagery , all pretense of

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blandness gone. Ignoring the Duke, Ogilvie waved the unlighted cigar under his adversary 's

adversary 's nose. "You listen to me, your high-an'-mightiness. This city's burnin' mad – cops,

mayor, everybody else. When they find who done that last night, who killed that kid an' its

mother, then high-tailed it, they'll throw the book, and never mind who it hits, or whether

they got fancy titles neither. Now I know what I know, and if I do what by rights I should,

there'll be a squad of cops in here so fast you'll hardly see 'em. But I come to you first, in

fairness, so's you could tell your side of it to me." The piggy eyes blinked, then hardened. " 'f

you want it the other way, just say so."

19 The Duchess of Croydon – three centuries and a half of inbred arrogance behind her –

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did not yield easily. Springing to her feet, her face wrathful, gray-green eyes blazing, she

faced the grossness of the house detective squarely. Her tone would have withered anyone

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