儿童英语读物 The Mystery of the Stolen Music CHAPTER 15 Two Confessions
时间:2018-12-06 作者:英语课 分类:45 The Mystery of the Stolen M
Everyone stared at Bob Weldon. They were too stunned 1 to speak.
Finally, Victor said, “I thought you were up to something.” He looked sad and disappointed. “But I can’t figure out where you found the score. If I couldn’t find it, and I’m the one who hid it …” His voice trailed off.
Bob let out a hollow laugh. “Believe me, it wasn’t easy!” He got to his feet. “I didn’t plan this,” he said and began to pace. “You’re the one who gave me the idea.”
Victor boomed, “I gave you the idea? That’s ridiculous!”
“Ridiculous? That’s what I thought when you couldn’t find the score. How could anyone — even you! — be that forgetful?”
“I have a lot on my mind,” Victor mumbled 2 in defense 3.
Bob ignored him. “I decided 4 then to teach you a lesson. I would find the score and hide it.”
“By sending it to Paris?” Benny asked.
“That idea came later. Why not take it and sell it? I thought. Serve everybody right. Who’d guess I did it? No one ever says thank you or notices anything else I do — unless something goes wrong. Then I get blamed.”
“Oh, Bob,” Melody said. “We couldn’t get along without you.” She reached out to touch his shoulder, but he shrugged 5 her off.
“You may know that,” he said to her. “Does anyone else? Does the great Victor Perrelli know it?”
Victor eased into a chair. “I know it,” he murmured. “I just forget to say it.”
“I contacted a dealer 6 in Paris,” Bob continued. “He offered me a lot of money. I’d be rich! Have an easy life. No more fetching and carrying for people who don’t appreciate it.”
“Where did you find the score?” Henry asked.
“I didn’t. Not at first. I searched everywhere in Victor’s room. Nothing.”
“So you wrote the notes,” Soo Lee said.
“Only one note — to Victor. I lied about receiving one myself.”
“And your room wasn’t ransacked,” Violet concluded.
“I lied about that, too,” Bob told her. “And then, Victor, you gave me your tuxedo 7 to have cleaned.”
Victor nodded. “Yes, I remember that.”
“The score was in it!” Bob said.
“Yes, yes,” Victor responded. “I remember now. I put it in the inside pocket.”
“So there it was! I decided to mail it to the dealer. The sooner it was out of the country the better. Then, tomorrow, I’d follow.” Bob sank into the chair beside Victor. “You musicians are so talented,” he said. “And everybody appreciates what you do. I have only one talent: organization. A thankless job.”
“But a necessary one,” Victor told him.
Bob murmured, “This orchestra has been my whole life.” He covered his face with his hands. “I am so sorry.”
After a tense silence, Benny turned to Melody. “What I want to know,” he said, “is who was that strange man you met in the town square, Melody?”
Melody’s face reddened. She glanced at Victor, then looked away. “I — I — ” She couldn’t seem to find the words.
Victor came to her rescue. “I think I can explain that. Melody has been feeling somewhat unappreciated, too. Am I right, my dear?”
“Well, it’s just that the schedule is so … hectic,” Melody explained. “I never seem to have time to think. I’ve been afraid that my music would suffer because of the pressure.”
“You play like an angel,” Victor assured her.
She smiled. “Thank you, Victor. Perhaps it’s just performance jitters 8.”
“But who was that strange man?” Benny asked again.
“He conducts another orchestra — one that tours less. He offered me a job,” Melody explained. “I met him to give him my resume. He gave me information about his orchestra.”
“Is that all?” Benny said.
Melody chuckled 9. “Did you think the score was in that envelope, Benny?”
Benny was embarrassed. He didn’t want Melody to know that he had suspected her. He opened his mouth to explain but nothing came out.
Violet spoke 10 up. “Soo Lee and I never thought you had stolen the score, Melody.”
“Violet’s right,” Soo Lee agreed. Then she asked, “Are you going to take the job, Melody?”
“That is the most important question I’ve heard today,” Victor said. He took a step toward Melody. “Don’t keep an old man waiting. What is your answer?”
Melody laughed. “Oh, Victor, you know the answer. How could I leave you and the orchestra?”
“What about all the touring?” Henry wanted to know.
“Well, if we didn’t tour, I never would have come to Greenfield,” Melody said. “And, most important, I never would have met the Aldens.”
Victor hugged her. He and Melody laughed and cried at the same time. Then they hugged the Aldens. Before long, the tears were gone and only the laughter remained.
Suddenly, Benny noticed that Bob Weldon was heading for the elevators. “Bob’s leaving!” he said urgently.
“Let him go,” Victor said.
“But aren’t you going to call the police?”
Victor shook his head. “Bob has made his own punishment. He will no longer be with the orchestra.”
“And word spreads fast among musicians,” Melody added. “He will never work with another orchestra.”
Just then, Mr. Alden came into the lobby. Smiling broadly, he shook hands with Victor and Melody. To his grandchildren, he said, “I’m sorry I’m late. I couldn’t get away from the mill. I hope you haven’t been bored waiting.”
The Aldens, Victor, and Melody smiled at each other.
“We kept busy,” Henry told him.
“That’s my grandchildren, all right,” Mr. Alden responded proudly. “They never waste a minute.” Then, he invited Victor and Melody to have dinner with them.
“I’d like that,” Victor said. “I am very hungry.”
“Me, too,” agreed Benny, and he led the parade into the dining room.
- He mumbled something to me which I did not quite catch. 他对我叽咕了几句话,可我没太听清楚。
- George mumbled incoherently to himself. 乔治语无伦次地喃喃自语。
- The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
- The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。
- This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
- There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
- Sam shrugged and said nothing. 萨姆耸耸肩膀,什么也没说。
- She shrugged, feigning nonchalance. 她耸耸肩,装出一副无所谓的样子。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- The dealer spent hours bargaining for the painting.那个商人为购买那幅画花了几个小时讨价还价。
- The dealer reduced the price for cash down.这家商店对付现金的人减价优惠。
- Well,you have your own tuxedo.噢,你有自己的燕尾服。
- Have I told you how amazing you look in this tuxedo?我告诉过你穿这件燕尾服看起来很棒吗?
- I always get the jitters before exams. 我考试前总是很紧张。
- The whole city had the jitters from the bombing. 全城居民都为轰炸而心神不宁。