Unit 3
Blackmail
Arthur Hailey
(para. 48-end)
• 48-55
The action of Ogilvie
• The fat man rubbed his hands together,
looking down at his thick, fleshy fingers.
• The incongruous falsetto voice took on a
musing note.
The speech of Ogilvie
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"Like I said, I come to hear your side of it.“
"Well now, there's no call for being hasty ."
"What's done's been done. … it at all. ”
"I was hoping," Ogilvie said, "that you folks
could suggest something."
The action of Duchess
• The other two slowly raised their eyes.
• "I understand," the Duchess of Croydon said.
"You want money, don't you? You came here
to blackmail us."
The action of Duke
• The Duke said despairingly , "what can I
possibly say? You know what happened."
• attempt to square his shoulders which did not
succeed
• "You'd better call the police and get it over.“
• The other two slowly raised their eyes.
• The Duke said uncertainly, "I don't
understand."
Para. 48-55
• square his shoulders:
• To be ready or determined to do
something
• hasty:
• acting without enough thought
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took on a musing note:
Take on
to begin to have a particular quality
His voice took on a more serious tone.
muse:
to think carefully, ignoring things around you
• Rushing any place ain’t gonna bring back the
kid nor its mother neither:
• ungrammatical.
• double negative is used in uneducated speech.
• The other two slowly raised their eyes:
• Why?
• It began to dawn on them that the detective had
no intention of handing them over to the police.
• 56-61
The action of Ogilvie
• The house detective shrugged.
• "Whatever names you call things, ma'am, don't
matter to me. All I come for was to help you
people out of trouble. But I got to live too.”
• "I reckon I might.”
• "I guess you'd have to take that chance. But
there's some reasons it might not be. Something
I ain't told you yet."
The action of Duchess
• the Duchess pointed out, her poise for the
moment recovered,
The speech of Duchess
• "You'd accept money to keep silent about what
you know?”
• "But from what you say," "it would do no
good. The car would be discovered in any
case."
• "Tell us now, please"
Para. 56-61
• shrug:
• to raise shoulders (not know or care about
something. )
• But I got to live too:
• When someone is trying to extract too much
money
• poise:
• a calm and confident manner with control of
your feelings or behavior
• She seemed embarrassed for a moment but
quickly recovered her poise.
• His performance was full of maturity and poise.
• Tell us now, please:
• first civil word from the duchess. She realizes it
is best for her to cooperate.
• 62--86
Para. 62-86
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figure out:
understand, make clear
we’d become turned round:
We lost our way (opposite to the one we
intended to take)
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side street
narrow, less traveled street
who was headed out:
Somebody who was driving away from the town.
the outside towns:
small towns around a big city
Para. 62-86
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get around to:
to get started on sth. (esp. after a delay)
抽出时间来做或考虑
e.g. I hope to get round to answering your
request next week.
• I wish Bill would get around to calling his
mother.
• it won’t be yet:
• That won’t take place yet.
Para. 62-86
• Providin’ nobody twigs the car:
• Provided (or providing) that nobody notices the
car.
• twig:
• (from thieves’ slang) notice
• understand
• I don't quite twig what you are driving at.
• discreet
• careful in action to keep something secret or to
avoid causing embarrassment or difficulty for
someone
• He made a discreet reply.
Para. 62-86
• emphatically
• making it very clear what you mean by
speaking with force
• may (might, could) as well:
• with the same result,还不如
• e.g. You might as well talk to her in person.
Para. 62-86
• to holler “cops”:
• to cry “police”, to call the police
• Housewives often holler about high cost of
living.
• You people are hot
• Your are now wanted by the police.
Para. 62-86
• kept firm, tight rein on her racing mind:
• She kept firm and tight control of her mind
which is working quickly.
• Here the Duchess is thinking quickly but at the
same time keeping her thoughts under control,
not letting them run wild.
Para. 62-86
• It was essential that her thinking remain calm and
reasoned:
• It was very important for her to think calmly and
logically. Note the subjunctive mood in the “that”
clause.
• Other examples:
• 1) It is natural that beginners should make such
mistakes.
2) It is essential that everybody take part in it.
• seemingly:
• according to what appears, usu. opposed to what
actually is so
• e.g. a seemingly good luck / a seemingly nice
person
• He is seemingly very intelligent, but in fact he
isn't.
Para. 62-86
• her husband now a tense but passive spectator:
• Her husband watched anxiously and nervously,
incapable of taking an active part.
• eventuality:
• something that may possibly happen, especially
something unpleasant
• He is ready for any eventuality.
Para. 62-86
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calculated coolness:
calculated:
carefully planned to get what you want
Her mind was racing, but she deliberately
appeared to be cool.
• 公爵夫人冷静地盘算了一番：
• a slim one:
• (colloquial) a small chance
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incriminating evidence:
evidence that might prove sb. guilty of a crime
incriminate:
to make it seem as if someone has done
something wrong or illegal
• e.g. He is accused of perjury(伪证) with the
intention of incriminating his employer.
Para. 62-86
• oafish:
• a stupid, unpleasant, or awkward person,
especially a man
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e.g. Why did she marry that great oaf?
highway patrol:
police cars on highway patrol duty
roadblock:
a bar or other objects used for closing a road to stop
traffic
Para. 62-86
• to fall victim to some sharp-eyed policeman:
• to be seen and arrested by an observant and alert
policeman
• fall victim:
• e.g. He soon fell victim to her charms.
• He fell a victim to his own greed.
• Our people will never fall victims to fascism.
Para. 62-86
• it might be done:
• The car might be removed.
• but no more than waiting here for certain
detection:
• to drive the car north would be risky, but not
more risky than to wait here, because if they
did nothing, they would surely be discovered.
Para. 62-86
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backroads:
unfrequented roads.
an unlikely route:
not a route that ordinary people would take
other complications:
other factors which would make it difficult for
them to drive the car north themselves
Para. 62-86
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secondary roads:
roads not of primary importance
adept at using maps:
skilled in using maps
e.g.:
• He is adept in photography.
• He is adept at (or in) taking pictures.
Para. 62-86
• their speech and manner would betray them:
• Their speech and manner would reveal their
identity.
• betray:
• to tell a piece of information without meaning
to
• e.g.: He said he had stayed indoors all day, but
his shoes betrayed him.
• His face betrayed his fear.
Para. 62-86
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conspicuous:
easy to see or notice; likely to attract attention
Or had they?:
Had they (the risks) to be taken?
They didn’t have to take the risks of driving the
car north themselves.
87---94
Duchess
• The Duchess faced Ogilvie. "How much do you
want?"
• She said coldly, "I asked how much."
• Though it was twice what she had expected, her
expression did not change. "Assuming we paid
this grotesque amount, what would we receive
in return?"
• "And the alternative?"
Ogilvie
• The abruptness took him by surprise. "Well ... I
figure you people are pretty well fixed."
• The piggy eyes blinked. “Ten thousand dollars."
• The fat man seemed puzzled. "Like I said, I
keep quiet about what I know."
• He shrugged. "I go down the lobby. I pick up a
phone. "
Para. 87-94
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pretty well fixed:
quite rich, wealthy
assume
I assumed that he had gone for a stroll.
grotesque:
•
Strange in a way that is unpleasant or offensive
• The story was too grotesque to believe.
95---109
Ogilvie
• the
house
detective's
bulbous
countenance reddened, "Now listen,
lady
• "That's a chance you gotta..."
• Swallowing, sullenly , he complied .
• The house detective's eyes bulged.
• Ogilvie continued to stare.
• Still without speaking, the fat man licked his
lips. His beady eyes, as if unbelieving, were
focused upon her own. The silence hung.
• Then…… he gave the slightest of nods.
• The silence remained. At length Ogilvie spoke.
"This cigar bother in' you, Duchess?"
• he put it out.
Duchess
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"No," The statement was unequivocal . "We will not
pay, you."
Peremptorily she cut him off. "I will not listen. Instead,
you will listen to me." Her eyes were riveted on his face,
her handsome, high cheek boned features set in their
most imperious mold. "We would achieve nothing by
paying you, except possibly a few days' respite . You
have made that abundantly clear."
"Silence!" Her voice was a whiplash. Eyes bored into
him.
• She declared decisively, "We will not pay you ten
thousand dollars. But we will pay you twenty-five
thousand dollars. "
• "In return for that," she continued evenly, "You will
drive our car north.”
• "Twenty-five thousand dollars," she repeated. “Ten
thousand now. Fifteen thousand more when you meet us
in Chicago. "
• she watched intently,
• she nodded
Duke
•
the Duke of Croydon shifted uneasily
Para. 95--109
• unequivocal:
• expressing your opinion very clearly and firmly
• As the Duke of Croydon shifted uneasily, the house
detective’s bulbous countenance reddened:
• bulbous
• shaped like a bulb; round and fat in an ugly way
• Both the Duck and detective thought the Duchess had
refused the offer. The Duck felt very uneasy; he’d rather
pay the money to keep Ogilvie quite. Ogilvie was about
to protest and threaten her again.
Para. 95--109
• peremptorily:
• in a way that allows no discussion or refusal
• rivet
• to hold someone's interest or attention so
completely that they cannot look away or think
of anything else
• My eyes were riveted on the figure lying in the
road.
• Something in his appearance riveted our attention.
Para. 95--109
• Imperious
• expecting people to obey you and treating them as if
they are not as important as you
• respite
• a short delay allowed before something difficult or
unpleasant must be done
• His creditors agreed to give him a temporary respite
• Sentence sb. to death with 2-years’ respite.
Para. 95--109
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Eyes bored into him:
bore:
make a hole in, used here figuratively
looked at him steadily, sharply and searchingly
I think he is a dreadful bore.
This machine can bore through solid rock.
Para. 95--109
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swallowing:
swallow:
to keep from expressing or showing,
to refrain from retorting(反驳) because he is somewhat
cowered by the Duchess.
• to swallow one's words:
• take back what was said
Para. 95--109
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sullen:
silently bad-tempered, gloomy
e.g. look sullen, to wear a sullen look
comply:
act according to a demand
Para. 95--109
• vacillation:
• to keep changing your opinion or thoughts about
something, especially in a way that annoys other people
• vacillate
• She is vacillating between hope and fear.
• dally:
• to waste time or be slow
• Don't dally or we'll be late.
• The pupil always dallies over difficult math problems.
• How can you dally with such a serious problem?
Para. 95--109
• her own smallness of mind:
• her own meanness or weakness of mind.
• What she is about to do may be extremely
significant to her and her husband. She has to
take a big chance, to do something very daring,
so she must be bold, resolute and decisive. She
has to rise to the occasion（应付自如,临机处
宜）.
Para. 95--109
• When you were playing for the highest stakes,
you made the highest bid:
• Stake and bid are gambling terms.
• You had to pay the highest price when your
reputation and career were at stake（危险）.
• gamble on the fat man’s greed:
• She would take a chance on this fat man’s greed.
Para. 95--109
• She must do so in such a way as to place the outcome
beyond any doubt:
• She would offer him so much money as to make it
impossible for him to refuse to do what she would ask
him to in return, no matter how dangerous the job might
be.
Para. 95--109
• eyes bulged:
• bulge:
• to stick out from something in a round shape
Para. 95--109
• bead:
• a small piece of glass, wood, etc. with a hole
through it, that can be put on a string with others
of the same type and worn as jewelry, etc.
• She is wearing a string of green beads.
Para. 95--109
• watched intently:
• To the Duchess, it was a question of survival itself. Only
if Ogilvie agreed to drive their car north would they
have a chance to get out of the mess unscathed (not
injured).
• “This cigar botherin’ you, Duchess?”:
• If this cigar is bothering you, I’ll put it out. This shows
that he is willing to comply with the Duchess’ wishes.
• Cigar—dominance of the situation
• Rude—sardonic----self-assured,
greedy, shameless, subservient(马屁
精),
observant, alert, cunning,
professional, sophisticated,
• Imperious, vigilant, decisive,
sharp-tongue, firm, strong-willed,
intelligent, tactful , composed,
sophisticated, hypocritical
• Coward; scary; timid
Revision
• Story retelling:
• propose; rub; fleshy; despairingly; square; musing;
uncertainly; shrug; poise; turn around; understandingly;
discreetly; emphatically