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高级英语blackmail课文解析示例文章篇一：《<高级英语“Blackmail”课文解析>》哎呀，今天咱们就来说说高级英语里的那篇“Blackmail”吧。
这篇课文可真是像一场超级刺激的电影一样呢！一、故事中的人物课文里有好几个特别鲜明的人物呢。
首先就是那个公爵夫人，哇，她可真是个厉害的角色。
她就像是一只高傲的孔雀，穿着华丽的衣服，带着那种贵族特有的傲慢。
你看她，在面对事情的时候，总是想着怎么维护自己家族的名声，就像守着宝藏一样，这宝藏就是他们家族几百年来的声誉呀。
她说话的时候那种高高在上的感觉，真的让人觉得有点讨厌，可是又不得不佩服她的那种冷静。
然后就是那个叫奥格尔维的侦探。
他呀，就像一只狡猾的狐狸。
他知道公爵夫人和公爵的秘密，就想着从这个秘密里捞一笔。
他那胖胖的身体，看起来有点滑稽，可是他的眼睛里却透着那种精明的光。
他和公爵夫人的对话就像是一场激烈的战斗，两个人都在互相试探，互相揣摩对方的心思。
他说的每一句话都像是在给公爵夫人下套，想让她乖乖地把钱交出来。
还有公爵呢，虽然课文里对他描写得没有公爵夫人那么多，可是他就像一个影子一样，一直在背后影响着整个事情的发展。
他的错误就像一颗定时炸弹，随时都可能把他们家族的名声炸得粉碎。
二、情节的起伏这篇课文的情节就像坐过山车一样。
一开始，奥格尔维发现了公爵夫妇的秘密，然后他就大摇大摆地去见公爵夫人。
这时候，公爵夫人还不知道他的来意呢，还以为他只是来汇报一些普通的事情。
可是当奥格尔维慢慢地把秘密透露出来的时候，气氛一下子就紧张起来了。
就像突然有一片乌云遮住了阳光，房间里变得阴森森的。
公爵夫人一开始还试图用自己的身份来压奥格尔维，她觉得自己是贵族，这个小侦探肯定不敢对她怎么样。
她就像一只母狮子在保护自己的领地一样，充满了攻击性。
可是奥格尔维根本不吃这一套，他继续说着那些威胁的话。
这时候，公爵夫人开始慌了，她知道这个秘密要是被传出去，那可就不得了了。
（高级英语课文翻译）Book 1 Lesson 3 Blackmail敲诈--阿瑟?黑利负责饭店保安工作的欧吉维探长打了那个神秘的电话，本来说好一个小时后光临克罗伊敦夫妇所住的套房的，可实际上却过了两个小时才到。
结果，当外间门上的电铃终于发出沉闷的嗡嗡声时，公爵夫妇的神经都紧张到了极点。
公爵夫人亲自去开门。
此前她早已借故把女仆支开，并且狠心地给那位脸儿圆圆的、见到狗就怕得要死的男秘书派了一个要命的差事，让他牵着贝德林顿狼犬出去散步。
想到这两个人随时都会回来，她自己的紧张情绪怎么也松弛不下来。
随着欧吉维进屋的是一团雪茄烟雾。
当他随着她走进起居室时，公爵夫人目光直射着这个大肥佬嘴里叼着的那烧了半截的雪茄。
“我丈夫和我都讨厌浓烈的烟味，您行行好把它灭了吧! ”探长那双夹在面部隆起的肉堆中的猪眼睛轻蔑地将她上下打量了一番。
接着，他便移动目光，对这个宽敞豪华、设备齐全的房间扫视了一周，看到了那位正背朝窗户、神色茫然地望着他们的公爵夫人。
“你们这套房间布置得倒挺讲究的呢。
”欧吉维慢条斯理地从口中拿下雪茄，敲掉烟灰，然后将烟蒂扔向靠右边的一个装饰性壁炉，但他失了准头，烟蒂掉到地毯上，他也不去管它。
公爵夫人的嘴唇绷得紧紧的。
她没好气地说道，“我想你该不是为谈论房间布置到这儿来的吧。
”他乐得咯咯直笑，肥胖的身子也跟着抖动起来。
“不是的，夫人，怎么会呢! 不过，我确实喜爱高雅的东西。
”他压低了他那极端刺耳的尖嗓音接着说，“比如像你们那辆小轿车，就是停在饭店的那辆，美洲虎牌，是的吧?”“噢! ”这声音不像是从口中说出来的，倒像是从克罗伊敦公爵鼻子中呼出来的。
他的夫人马上瞪了他一眼，以示警告。
“我们的车子与你有什么相干呢?”公爵夫人的这句问话似乎是个信号，一听到这个信号，探长的态度马上就变了。
他猝然问道，“这儿还有别的人么?”公爵回答道，“没有。
我们早把他们都打发出去了。
”“还是检查一下的好。
”这个大胖子以敏捷得出奇的动作对整个套房前前后后地巡查了一遍，凡是有门的地方就打开往里看看。
(高级英语课文翻译)Ｂook1Lesｓｏn 3 Ｂlａckmａｉl敲诈－—阿瑟•黑利负责饭店保安工作的欧吉维探长打了那个神秘的电话,本来讲好一个小时后光临克罗伊敦夫妇所住的套房的,可实际上却过了两个小时才到。
结果,当外间门上的电铃终于发出沉闷的嗡嗡声时,公爵夫妇的神经都紧张到了极点、ﻫ公爵夫人亲自去开门、此前她早已借故把女仆支开,同时狠心地给那位脸儿圆圆的、见到狗就怕得要死的男秘书派了一个要命的差事,让她牵着贝德林顿狼犬出去散步、想到这两个人随时都会回来,她自己的紧张情绪如何也松弛不下来。
ﻫ随着欧吉维进屋的是一团雪茄烟雾。
当她随着她走进起居室时,公爵夫人目光直射着这个大肥佬嘴里叼着的那烧了半截的雪茄。
“我丈夫与我都讨厌浓烈的烟味,您行行好把它灭了吧！”ﻫ探长那双夹在面部隆起的肉堆中的猪眼睛轻蔑地将她上下打量了一番、接着,她便移动目光,对这个宽敞豪华、设备齐全的房间扫视了一周,看到了那位正背朝窗户、神色茫然地望着她们的公爵夫人、ﻫ“您们这套房间布置得倒挺讲究的呢。
”欧吉维慢条斯理地从口中拿下雪茄,敲掉烟灰,然后将烟蒂扔向靠右边的一个装饰性壁炉,但她失了准头,烟蒂掉到地毯上,她也不去管它。
公爵夫人的嘴唇绷得紧紧的、她没好气地讲道,“我想您该不是为谈论房间布置到这儿来的吧、”ﻫ她乐得咯咯直笑,肥胖的身子也跟着抖动起来、“不是的,夫人,如何会呢！只是,我确实喜爱高雅的东西、＂她压低了她那极端刺耳的尖嗓音接着讲,“比如像您们那辆小轿车,就是停在饭店的那辆,美洲虎牌,是的吧？"“噢！”这声音不像是从口中讲出来的,倒像是从克罗伊敦公爵鼻子中呼出来的。
她的夫人马上瞪了她一眼,以示警告。
“我们的车子与您有什么相干呢?" ﻫ公爵夫人的这句问话好像是个信号,一听到这个信号,探长的态度马上就变了。
她猝然问道,“这儿还有不的人么？" ﻫ公爵回答道,“没有。
我们早把她们都打发出去了。
”ﻫ“依然检查一下的好。
高级英语中的《Blackmail》主题包括：
黑市交易：文章中提到了一个黑市交易，这表明在现实生活中存在这种不道德的行为。
作者通过描述这种交易来探讨社会道德问题，并表达对社会现象的关注。
贪婪和欺骗：文章中涉及了贪婪和欺骗的主题。
主人公为了自己的利益而利用别人的弱点，这表明了人性的阴暗面。
同时，文章也揭示了贪婪和欺骗可能导致的后果。
人性的弱点：文章中的主人公展现出人性的弱点，如贪婪、自私等。
这种揭示让读者思考人类行为的本质和社会道德的问题。
道德选择：文章中主人公面临道德选择的问题。
在面对贪婪和自私的诱惑时，他选择了追求自己的利益而牺牲别人的利益。
这种道德选择引发了读者的思考，探讨什么是正确的道德选择。
社会影响：文章中的黑市交易对社会产生了负面影响。
这种非法交易的存在不仅破坏了社会秩序，还可能导致不良后果。
因此，作者呼吁读者关注社会问题，并思考如何改善社会环境。
综上所述，《Blackmail》主题涉及黑市交易、贪婪和欺骗、人性的弱点、道德选择以及社会影响等方面，旨在引起读者对社会现象的关注和思考。
Dictation--Lesson3Blackmail1.神经紧绷，紧张到了极点。
The nerves were excessively frayed.2.早已借故将女佣支开。
Earlier she had dispatched her maid on an inventederrand.3.慢条斯理地从口中拿下呛人的雪茄，敲掉烟灰，…失了准头。
Taking his time,Ogilvie removed the offending cigar,knocked off the ash and flipped the butt toward….He missed.4.乐得咯咯直笑in an appreciative chuckle5.压低了他那极端刺耳的尖嗓音He lowered the level of his incongruous falsettovoice.6.马上瞪了他一眼，以示警告。
His wife shot him a swift,warning glance.7.“我们的事与你有何相干?”"In what conceivable way does our businessconcern you?”8.“还是检查一下的好。
”"There's things it pays to check."9.肇事逃逸。
committed a hit-and-run10.“你在胡扯些什么呀?”"What are you talking about?"11.“别演了，夫人。
这可不是闹着玩儿的。
”"Don't play games,lady.This is forreal."12.面泛桃红Two high points of color appeared in the paleness of the cheeks.13.凶相毕露，先前装出的那副温和劲儿荡然无存。
Lesson 3 BlackmailI.Background knowledge related to the text (2 periods)：Arthur Hailey（1920-2004）was born and educated in Britain. He served in RAF（皇家空军）in 1939, and emigrated to Canada 1949.His famous novels: Hotel 《大饭店》, Airport《航空港》The moneychanger《钱商》II. Type of writing:Fiction/novel, to be specific, a thriller, designed to hold the interest by the use of a high degree of intriguey, adventure or suspense.III. The outline of the text (1/2 period):Part 1. Prelude (The chief house officer ...Ogilvie remained standing)Section 1. The setting, main characters, and the suspension. (The chief house ...that both might return at any moment.)Section 2. The preliminary encounter between the house detective and the Croydons. (A wave of cigar smoke...Ogilvie remained standing)Part2: Process of unveiling the crime (Now then...the Duchess turned away）Section 1. First round of clash. the Duke confessed his crime（Now then...Now we're getting somewhere).Section 2. Second round of clash.(Wearily, in a gesture...I can prove all I need to ) Ogilvie spelt out what he had found out about the activity of the Croydons and tried to confirm all the details. The Duchess tried to win back the upper hand.Section 3. The conviction was undeniable.(The Duke cautioned...the Duchess turned away ).The Croydons realized that they were convicted of the crimePart 3. The Dirty DealSection 1. Eliminating the possibility of having the car repaired in New Orleans.( Her husband asked...You people are hot).Section 2. The interior monologue of the Duchess. Her judgement, analysis and calculation of the situation, weighing the advantages and disadvantages. (The duchess ...Or had they? )Section 3. The Duchess' decision to gamble on the greed of the house detective.(The Duchess faced Ogilvie... the silence hung )Section 4. The ending.The dirty deal reached.IV. Detailed Study of the Text1. (Title) Blackmail: blackmail: to demand money from someone by threatening to tell secrets about them2. (Para. 1) The chief house officer, Ogilvie, who had declared he would appear at the Croydon’s suite an hour after his cryptic telephone call, actually took twice that time.: Ogilvie, who is the detective employed by the hotel to take care of the hotel security, made a mysterious phone call to the Croydons saying that he would be visiting them an hour later, but he was slow in coming, it actually took him two hours to come over to the Croydon s’ suite.3. (Para. 1) As a result the nerves of both the Duke and Duchess were excessively frayed when the muted buzzer of the outer door eventually sounded.: Because of all this (Ogilvie’s mysterious phone call and his slowness in coming), the Duke and Duchess became over-strained and extremely nervous, and after a long and unbearable wait, the suite’s doorbell, which was muted to reduce the noise, finally rang.4. (Para. 2) Earlier she had dispatched her maid on an invented errand: The Duchess had sent her maid out to do an errand that was not necessary. The purpose of sending the maid out was self –evident: The Croydons knew very well that Ogilvie would be here talking about something that they didn’t want the maid to overhear.5. (Para. 5) “Petty neat set-up you folks got...”:1) neat: very good, pleasant, or enjoyable 好的，令人愉快的2) set-up: here it refers to the way the furniture in the suite is arranged.Ogilvie was uneducated and his language is ungrammatical, vulgar and slangy. He was making this comment to start the conversation; at the same time, from the very beginning, he made it clear that he knew that the Croydons were rich people, so the amount of money that he was going to ask the Croydons to pay him for the favor he did them wouldn’t be a small sum.6. (Para. 6) “I imagine you did not come here to discuss decor.” : I don’t think that the purpose of your coming here is to discuss how the furniture in the suite is arranged. So come to the point and don’t beat around the bush. The duchess used the French word “decor” in the place of “set up”, she did it on purpose, from the very beginning , she wanted to be intimidating and get the upper hand.7. (Para. 7) The obese body shook in an appreciative chuckle.: Ogilvie was satisfied with the current situation. He anticipated the way the Duchess was talking to him, appreciated the fact that the Duchess was smart enough to be his adversary and was enjoying the fact that he was able to do what he liked to.8. (Para. 9) “In what conceivable way does our car concern you?” : I can’t imagine how our car would have anything to do with you.Attention should be paid to the Duchess’s educated and refined English, forming a sharp contrast with the language used by Ogilvie.9. (Para. 18) “I told you—Cut it out!” The words spat forth with sudden savagery, all pretense of blandness gone.:cut it out: stop doing what one is doing. Here Ogilvie was saying this to the Duchess because he thought the Duchess was pretending that they were innocent and he could no longer put up with what she was saying to him.Ogilvie was being very impolite now. He was his old self again, coarse and uneducated. He tried very hard to be polite, but all that politeness and blandness disappeared when the Duchess became indignant and said to him that what he was suggesting was disgusting and ridiculous.10. (Para. 18) 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.:fancy titles: Ogilvie was being sarcastic about their social status, saying that even if you have the titles of Duke and Duchess, they wouldn’t be of any help and you would still be punished by the law.Note once again the ungrammatical use of “whether they got fancy titles neither”T he grammatical use should be: “whether they have fancy titles or not”.11. (Para. 19) The Duchess of Croydon—three centuries and half of inbred arrogance behind her—did not yield easily.: The Duchess was supported by the arrogance she was born with. The reason why she was arrogant was because she inherited this from her noble family who had belonged to the nobility for about three hundred and fifty years. And as a result of all this, she didn’t give in easily.12. (Para. 19) Springing to her feet, her face wrathful, grey-green eyes blazing, she faced the grossness of the house detective squarely.: She suddenly stood up and confronted him directly and firmly, thinking that he was very unpleasant. All the dislike and anger were on her face and in her eyes.13. (Para. 21) “That’s more like it,” Ogilvie said.: That’s more acceptable. That’s more plausible. The second is more acceptable than the first one.14. (Para. 24) “Last night, early on, you went to Lindy’s Place in Irish Bayou...”:1) early on: at an early stage in a relationship, process, etc.2) Lindy’s Place: a gambling house, a casino15. (Para.24) Leastways, I guess you’d call her that if you’re not too fussy.:I think if you are not too particular about what words to use, at least you would call her your lady friend. Most likely the so-called lady friend is a prostitute.Here Ogilvie is baring all the facts and spelling out all the details for the enjoys being in a superiorposition and being cruel to his adversaries.16. (Para. 26) “Well”—the smug fat face swung back—“the way I hear it, you won a hundred at the tables, then lost it at the bar. You were into a second hundred—with a real swinging party —when you wife here got there in a taxi.”: According to what I’ve heard, you won a hundred dollars at the gambling table, then you went to the bar to spend the money you won. You didn’t stop there and were beginning to spend another one hundred dollars drinking together with a lively party of fashionable people when your wife went over in a taxi to look for you.17. (Para. 28) I got friends all over. I oblige them; they do the same for me, like letting me know what gives an’where. There ain’t much, out of the way, which people who stay in this hotel do, I don’t get to hear about .: I have friends everywhere. I help them and they help me in return, for example, they tell me what’s going on and where it’s taking place. If anybody who stays in this hotel does anythig wrong, improper or unusual, I will always get to know about it. There is much that I don’t hear about.18. (Para. 32) The house detective clucked his tongue reprovingly.: The house detective showed his disapproval by making a short low noise with his tongue.19.(Para. 37) old girl: an old woman here in the text is how the Duke addresses his wife.20. (Para. 40) “Late last night the word was out about the hit-‘n-run. On a hunch I went over the garage and took a quiet look-see at your car.”: The news about the car accident was spreading around late last night. When I heard the news, I had a feeling that something went wrong, so I went over to the garage and checked out your car.1) the word was out: The news about the car accident was spreading around2) look-see: a quick look or inspection21. (Para. 42) “You might have something there...”: There might be a point in what you say.22. (Para.42) They reckon there’ll be a brush trace.: They think if the car involved in the accident, there will be signs left behind on the car when the car hit the victims.23. (Para. 51) ... took on a musing note.: His voice sounded as if he was deep in thought. He was going to put all his cards on the table now that he had made it sufficiently clear to the Croydons that they were in his hands.24. (Para. 51) “Rushing any place ain’t gonna bring back the kid nor its mother neither.”: This sentence is ungrammatical. It should be: Rushing to the police station isn’t going to make the kid or its mother come to life again. Note the double negative here , which is used in uneducated speech.25. (Para. 56) “But I got to live too.”: a stock phrase or cliche when someone is asking to be given money or is accused of asking for too much. The correct grammar should be “I’ve got to live too”or “I have to live”.26. (Para. 64) “They may get around to searchin’ down town, but it won’t be yet.”: Sometime in the future they may get started on searching downtown but that time hasn’t come yet.get around to doing sonething : to do something that you have been intending to do for some time终于去做一直想做的事27. (Para. 74) “You people are hot.”: You people are wanted by the police.28. (Para. 75) It was essential, she knew, that her thinking remain calm and reasoned.: It was of utmost importance for her to remain calm and to think clearly and logically.29. (Para. 82) calculated coolness: On the surface, the Duchess seemed cool, but she was not really so. In fact, she was nervous and racking her brains trying to outwit him, so she deliberately appeared to be cool.30. (Para. 84) It would be hazardous, but no more than waiting here for certain detection.: To drive the car north would be risky and dangerous, but to wait here without doing anything is just as risky and dangerous. If they did nothing, the would surely be discovered.31. (Para. 85) But there would be other complications...:Complications: problems or situations that make some thing more difficult to understand or deal with32. (Para. 85) ... their speech and manner would be betray them...: The Queen’s English they speak and the aristocratic manner about them would reveal their identity easily.33. (Para. 96.) As the Duke of Croydon shifted uneasily, the house detective’s bulbous countenance reddened...: Both the Duke and Ogilvie thought the Duchess had refused to take the offer. The Duke was ill at ease for he’d rather pay the money to keep Ogilvie quiet, and Ogilvie was taken by surprise, and became kind of angry.34. (Para. 99) Her voice was whiplash.: Her voice was like a heavy blow from a whip.35. (Para 99) Eyes bored into him.: She looked at him steadily, as if she was able to see through him.bore: to make a hole in, used here figuratively36.(Para. 100) When you were playing for the highest stakes, you made the highest bid.: When your reputation, career or even freedom were at risk, you would have to pay the highest price.37.(Para. 100) She must do so in such a way as to place the outcome beyond any doubt.: Under such circumstances, she knew very well that she had to do something big; that is to say, she had to offer him much more money than he would have expected. This way she would be sure that it would be impossible for him to refuse to do what she would ask him, thus taking control of the whole situation.38. (Para.108) “This cigar botherin’ you Duchess?” : Is my cigar bothering/ofending you, Duchess? If it is the case, I’ll put it out.Ogilvie was being polite this time, and it shows that he was ready to close the deal and comply with the Duchess’s wishes.V. A detailed study of the textThe structure and main idea of the text.Part one: The Duchess’s denying the crime.Part two: Ogilvie’s presenting evidencesPart three: NegotiatingPart four: Making a dealClimax: But we will pay you twenty-five thousand dollars.Dramatic change of dominance of the situation1.before the evidence shown:Duchess Ogilviesharp, firm, arrogant, offensive, challengingdominant, controlling---- balance ----2.after the evidence shown:Duchess: Ogilvie:Surrendered, collapsed strong, dominant（gradually weak）---- off balance----3.NegotiatingDuchess: OgilvieCalm, friendly calm, friendly---- balance ----4.Making a deal:Duchess: Ogilvie:Powerful, demanding submissive, obedient---- off balance.VI. Character analysis:Ogilvie (notice that the name itself sounds awkward, awful): rude, uneducated, sardonic, self-assured, shamelessly greedy, but finally subservientthe Duchess: imperious, three centuries and a half of inbred arrogance, decisive, vigilant, very quick in response,highly educatedthe Duke: uncertain, ready to compromise, passive, despairing,VII. Rhetorical devices:Metaphor:...the nerves of both ... were excessively frayed…his wife shot him a swift, warning glance.The words spat forth with sudden savagery.I’ll spell it out.Euphemism:...and you took a lady friend.Metonymy:won 100 at the tableslost it at the barthey'll throw the book,...VIII. Questions for discussion:1. What made the Duchess jump to the conclusion that Ogilvie had come to blackmail them?2. Why did the Duchess offer Ogilvie twenty-five thousand dollars instead of the ten thousand the detective asked for? Did Ogilvie accept the Duchess’ offer?。
Lesson 3 BlackmailI.Background knowledge related to the text (2 periods)：Arthur Hailey（1920-2004）was born and educated in Britain. He served in RAF（皇家空军）in 1939, and emigrated to Canada 1949.His famous novels: Hotel 《大饭店》, Airport《航空港》The moneychanger《钱商》II. Type of writing:Fiction/novel, to be specific, a thriller, designed to hold the interest by the use of a high degree of intriguey, adventure or suspense.III. The outline of the text (1/2 period):Part 1. Prelude (The chief house officer ...Ogilvie remained standing)Section 1. The setting, main characters, and the suspension. (The chief house ...that both might return at any moment.)Section 2. The preliminary encounter between the house detective and the Croydons. (A wave of cigar smoke...Ogilvie remained standing)Part2: Process of unveiling the crime (Now then...the Duchess turned away）Section 1. First round of clash. the Duke confessed his crime（Now then...Now we're getting somewhere).Section 2. Second round of clash.(Wearily, in a gesture...I can prove all I need to ) Ogilvie spelt out what he had found out about the activity of the Croydons and tried to confirm all the details. The Duchess tried to win back the upper hand.Section 3. The conviction was undeniable.(The Duke cautioned...the Duchess turned away ).The Croydons realized that they were convicted of the crimePart 3. The Dirty DealSection 1. Eliminating the possibility of having the car repaired in New Orleans.( Her husband asked...You people are hot).Section 2. The interior monologue of the Duchess. Her judgement, analysis and calculation of the situation, weighing the advantages and disadvantages. (The duchess ...Or had they? )Section 3. The Duchess' decision to gamble on the greed of the house detective.(The Duchess faced Ogilvie... the silence hung )Section 4. The ending.The dirty deal reached.IV. Detailed Study of the Text1. (Title) Blackmail: blackmail: to demand money from someone by threatening to tell secrets about them2. (Para. 1) The chief house officer, Ogilvie, who had declared he would appear at the Croydon’s suite an hour after his cryptic telephone call, actually took twice that time.: Ogilvie, who is the detective employed by the hotel to take care of the hotel security, made a mysterious phone call to the Croydons saying that he would be visiting them an hour later, but he was slow in coming, it actually took him two hours to come over to the Croydon s’ suite.3. (Para. 1) As a result the nerves of both the Duke and Duchess were excessively frayed when the muted buzzer of the outer door eventually sounded.: Because of all this (Ogilvie’s mysterious phone call and his slowness in coming), the Duke and Duchess became over-strained and extremely nervous, and after a long and unbearable wait, the suite’s doorbell, which was muted to reduce the noise, finally rang.4. (Para. 2) Earlier she had dispatched her maid on an invented errand: The Duchess had sent her maid out to do an errand that was not necessary. The purpose of sending the maid out was self –evident: The Croydons knew very well that Ogilvie would be here talking about something that they didn’t want the maid to overhear.5. (Para. 5) “Petty neat set-up you folks got...”:1) neat: very good, pleasant, or enjoyable 好的，令人愉快的2) set-up: here it refers to the way the furniture in the suite is arranged.Ogilvie was uneducated and his language is ungrammatical, vulgar and slangy. He was making this comment to start the conversation; at the same time, from the very beginning, he made it clear that he knew that the Croydons were rich people, so the amount of money that he was going to ask the Croydons to pay him for the favor he did them wouldn’t be a small sum.6. (Para. 6) “I imagine you did not come here to discuss decor.” : I don’t think that the purpose of your coming here is to discuss how the furniture in the suite is arranged. So come to the point and don’t beat around the bush. The duchess used the French word “decor” in the place of “set up”, she did it on purpose, from the very beginning , she wanted to be intimidating and get the upper hand.7. (Para. 7) The obese body shook in an appreciative chuckle.: Ogilvie was satisfied with the current situation. He anticipated the way the Duchess was talking to him, appreciated the fact that the Duchess was smart enough to be his adversary and was enjoying the fact that he was able to do what he liked to.8. (Para. 9) “In what conceivable way does our car concern you?” : I can’t imagine how our car would have anything to do with you.Attention should be paid to the Duchess’s educated and refined English, forming a sharp contrast with the language used by Ogilvie.9. (Para. 18) “I told you—Cut it out!” The words spat forth with sudden savagery, all pretense of blandness gone.:cut it out: stop doing what one is doing. Here Ogilvie was saying this to the Duchess because he thought the Duchess was pretending that they were innocent and he could no longer put up with what she was saying to him.Ogilvie was being very impolite now. He was his old self again, coarse and uneducated. He tried very hard to be polite, but all that politeness and blandness disappeared when the Duchess became indignant and said to him that what he was suggesting was disgusting and ridiculous.10. (Para. 18) 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.:fancy titles: Ogilvie was being sarcastic about their social status, saying that even if you have the titles of Duke and Duchess, they wouldn’t be of any help and you would still be punished by the law.Note once again the ungrammatical use of “whether they got fancy titles neither”T he grammatical use should be: “whether they have fancy titles or not”.11. (Para. 19) The Duchess of Croydon—three centuries and half of inbred arrogance behind her—did not yield easily.: The Duchess was supported by the arrogance she was born with. The reason why she was arrogant was because she inherited this from her noble family who had belonged to the nobility for about three hundred and fifty years. And as a result of all this, she didn’t give in easily.12. (Para. 19) Springing to her feet, her face wrathful, grey-green eyes blazing, she faced the grossness of the house detective squarely.: She suddenly stood up and confronted him directly and firmly, thinking that he was very unpleasant. All the dislike and anger were on her face and in her eyes.13. (Para. 21) “That’s more like it,” Ogilvie said.: That’s more acceptable. That’s more plausible. The second is more acceptable than the first one.14. (Para. 24) “Last night, early on, you went to Lindy’s Place in Irish Bayou...”:1) early on: at an early stage in a relationship, process, etc.2) Lindy’s Place: a gambling house, a casino15. (Para.24) Leastways, I guess you’d call her that if you’re not too fussy.:I think if you are not too particular about what words to use, at least you would call her your lady friend. Most likely the so-called lady friend is a prostitute.Here Ogilvie is baring all the facts and spelling out all the details for the enjoys being in a superiorposition and being cruel to his adversaries.16. (Para. 26) “Well”—the smug fat face swung back—“the way I hear it, you won a hundred at the tables, then lost it at the bar. You were into a second hundred—with a real swinging party —when you wife here got there in a taxi.”: According to what I’ve heard, you won a hundred dollars at the gambling table, then you went to the bar to spend the money you won. You didn’t stop there and were beginning to spend another one hundred dollars drinking together with a lively party of fashionable people when your wife went over in a taxi to look for you.17. (Para. 28) I got friends all over. I oblige them; they do the same for me, like letting me know what gives an’where. There ain’t much, out of the way, which people who stay in this hotel do, I don’t get to hear about .: I have friends everywhere. I help them and they help me in return, for example, they tell me what’s going on and where it’s taking place. If anybody who stays in this hotel does anythig wrong, improper or unusual, I will always get to know about it. There is much that I don’t hear about.18. (Para. 32) The house detective clucked his tongue reprovingly.: The house detective showed his disapproval by making a short low noise with his tongue.19.(Para. 37) old girl: an old woman here in the text is how the Duke addresses his wife.20. (Para. 40) “Late last night the word was out about the hit-‘n-run. On a hunch I went over the garage and took a quiet look-see at your car.”: The news about the car accident was spreading around late last night. When I heard the news, I had a feeling that something went wrong, so I went over to the garage and checked out your car.1) the word was out: The news about the car accident was spreading around2) look-see: a quick look or inspection21. (Para. 42) “You might have something there...”: There might be a point in what you say.22. (Para.42) They reckon there’ll be a brush trace.: They think if the car involved in the accident, there will be signs left behind on the car when the car hit the victims.23. (Para. 51) ... took on a musing note.: His voice sounded as if he was deep in thought. He was going to put all his cards on the table now that he had made it sufficiently clear to the Croydons that they were in his hands.24. (Para. 51) “Rushing any place ain’t gonna bring back the kid nor its mother neither.”: This sentence is ungrammatical. It should be: Rushing to the police station isn’t going to make the kid or its mother come to life again. Note the double negative here , which is used in uneducated speech.25. (Para. 56) “But I got to live too.”: a stock phrase or cliche when someone is asking to be given money or is accused of asking for too much. The correct grammar should be “I’ve got to live too”or “I have to live”.26. (Para. 64) “They may get around to searchin’ down town, but it won’t be yet.”: Sometime in the future they may get started on searching downtown but that time hasn’t come yet.get around to doing sonething : to do something that you have been intending to do for some time终于去做一直想做的事27. (Para. 74) “You people are hot.”: You people are wanted by the police.28. (Para. 75) It was essential, she knew, that her thinking remain calm and reasoned.: It was of utmost importance for her to remain calm and to think clearly and logically.29. (Para. 82) calculated coolness: On the surface, the Duchess seemed cool, but she was not really so. In fact, she was nervous and racking her brains trying to outwit him, so she deliberately appeared to be cool.30. (Para. 84) It would be hazardous, but no more than waiting here for certain detection.: To drive the car north would be risky and dangerous, but to wait here without doing anything is just as risky and dangerous. If they did nothing, the would surely be discovered.31. (Para. 85) But there would be other complications...:Complications: problems or situations that make some thing more difficult to understand or deal with32. (Para. 85) ... their speech and manner would be betray them...: The Queen’s English they speak and the aristocratic manner about them would reveal their identity easily.33. (Para. 96.) As the Duke of Croydon shifted uneasily, the house detective’s bulbous countenance reddened...: Both the Duke and Ogilvie thought the Duchess had refused to take the offer. The Duke was ill at ease for he’d rather pay the money to keep Ogilvie quiet, and Ogilvie was taken by surprise, and became kind of angry.34. (Para. 99) Her voice was whiplash.: Her voice was like a heavy blow from a whip.35. (Para 99) Eyes bored into him.: She looked at him steadily, as if she was able to see through him.bore: to make a hole in, used here figuratively36.(Para. 100) When you were playing for the highest stakes, you made the highest bid.: When your reputation, career or even freedom were at risk, you would have to pay the highest price.37.(Para. 100) She must do so in such a way as to place the outcome beyond any doubt.: Under such circumstances, she knew very well that she had to do something big; that is to say, she had to offer him much more money than he would have expected. This way she would be sure that it would be impossible for him to refuse to do what she would ask him, thus taking control of the whole situation.38. (Para.108) “This cigar botherin’ you Duchess?” : Is my cigar bothering/ofending you, Duchess? If it is the case, I’ll put it out.Ogilvie was being polite this time, and it shows that he was ready to close the deal and comply with the Duchess’s wishes.V. A detailed study of the textThe structure and main idea of the text.Part one: The Duchess’s denying the crime.Part two: Ogilvie’s presenting evidencesPart three: NegotiatingPart four: Making a dealClimax: But we will pay you twenty-five thousand dollars.Dramatic change of dominance of the situation1.before the evidence shown:Duchess Ogilviesharp, firm, arrogant, offensive, challengingdominant, controlling---- balance ----2.after the evidence shown:Duchess: Ogilvie:Surrendered, collapsed strong, dominant（gradually weak）---- off balance----3.NegotiatingDuchess: OgilvieCalm, friendly calm, friendly---- balance ----4.Making a deal:Duchess: Ogilvie:Powerful, demanding submissive, obedient---- off balance.VI. Character analysis:Ogilvie (notice that the name itself sounds awkward, awful): rude, uneducated, sardonic, self-assured, shamelessly greedy, but finally subservientthe Duchess: imperious, three centuries and a half of inbred arrogance, decisive, vigilant, very quick in response,highly educatedthe Duke: uncertain, ready to compromise, passive, despairing,VII. Rhetorical devices:Metaphor:...the nerves of both ... were excessively frayed…his wife shot him a swift, warning glance.The words spat forth with sudden savagery.I’ll spell it out.Euphemism:...and you took a lady friend.Metonymy:won 100 at the tableslost it at the barthey'll throw the book,...VIII. Questions for discussion:1. What made the Duchess jump to the conclusion that Ogilvie had come to blackmail them?2. Why did the Duchess offer Ogilvie twenty-five thousand dollars instead of the ten thousand the detective asked for? Did Ogilvie accept the Duchess’ offer?。
