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Oh, yes, that's all right." But still he looked at her doubtfully. "I asked him if he'd like me to just put away his clothes. But, Ellen, he said he hadn't got any clothes!"
"No more he hasn't;" she spoke quickly, defensively. "He had the misfortune to lose his luggage. He's one dishonest folk 'ud take advantage of."
"Yes, one can see that with half an eye," Buntlng agreed.
And then there was silence for a few moments, while Mrs. Bunting put down on a little bit of paper the things she wanted her husband to go out and buy for her. She handed him the list, together with a sovereign. "Be as quick as you can," she said, "for I feel a bit hungry. I'll be going down now to see about Mr. Sleuth's supper. He only wants a glass of milk and two eggs. I'm glad I've never fallen to bad eggs!"
"Sleuth," echoed Bunting, staring at her. "What a queer name! How d'you spell it - S-l-u-t-h?"
"No," she shot out, "S-l-e - u - t - h."

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Jenkins at the garage," Miss Marple replied promptly. "He didn't exactly appropriate tools? - but he used to exchange a broken or inferior jack for a good one. And I believe he wasn't very honest over batteries - though I don't understand these things very well. I know Raymond left off dealing with him and went to the garage on the Milchester road. As for Emma," continued Miss Marple thoughtfully, "she reminds me very much of Geraldine Webb - always very quiet, almost dowdy – and bullied a good deal by her elderly mother. Quite a surprise to everybody when the mother died unexpectedly and Geraldine came into a nice sum of money and went and had her hair cut and permed, and went off on a cruise, and came back married to a very nice barrister. They had two children."
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The parallel was clear enough. Lucy said, rather uneasily: "Do you think you ought to have said what you did about Emma marrying? It seemed to upset the brothers."
Miss Marple nodded.
"Yes," she said. "So like men - quite unable to see what's going on under their eyes. I don't believe you noticed yourself."
"No," admitted Lucy. "I never thought of anything of that kind. They both seemed to me –"
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Oh, it wasn't a touch! I'll be laying my hands on some before long. My revered Papa can't live forever, mean old brute. When he pops off, I lay my hands on some real money. What about it, Lucy?"
"What are the terms?"
"Marriage if you fancy it. Women seem to, no matter how advanced and self-supporting they are. Besides, married women can't be made to give evidence against their husbands."
"Not so flattering!"
"Come off it, Lucy. Don't you realise I've fallen for you?"
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Rather to her surprise Lucy was aware of a queer fascination. There was a quality of charm about Alfred, perhaps due to sheer animal magnetism. She laughed and slipped from his encircling arm.
"This is not time for dalliance. there's dinner to think about."
"So there is, Lucy, and you're a lovely cook. What's for dinner."
"Wait and see! You're as bad as the boys!"
They entered the house and Lucy hurried to the kitchen. She was rather surprised to be interrupted in her preparations by Harold Crackenthorpe.
"Miss Eyelesbarrow, can I speak to you about something?"
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"Churston，Devon，"I read，"from Paddington 20miles.Population 656.Itsounds a fairly small place.Surely our man will be bound to be noticedthere." "Even so，another life will have been taken，"murmured Poirot."What arethe trains?I imagine train will be quicker than car." "There's a midnight train-sleeping car to Newton Abbot-gets there 6.8am，and them Churston at 7.15." "That is from Paddington?" "Paddington，yes." "We will take that，Hastings." "You'll hardly have time to get news before we start." "If we receive bad news tonight or tomorrow morning does it matterwhich?"
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"There's something in that." I put a few things together in a suitcase while Poirot once more rang upScotland Yard. A few minutes later he came into the bedroom and demanded: "Mais qu'est ce que vous faites la?" "I was packing for you.I thought it would save time." "Vous eprouvez trop d'emotion，Hastings.It affects your hands and yourwits.Is that a way to fold a coat?And regard what you have done to mypyjamas.If the hairwash breaks what will befall them?" "Good heavens，Poirot，"I cried，"this is a matter of life and death. What does it matter what happens to our clothes?" "You have no sense of proportion，Hastings.We cannot catch a trainearlier than the time that it leaves，and to ruin one's clothes will not bethe least helpful in preventing a murder."
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Poirot said gently: "But you are aware，are you not，that the firm whom you say employed youdeny the fact?" Mr Cust got excited again. "That's because they're in the conspiracy-they must be in theconspiracy." He went on: "I've got written evidence-written evidence.I've got their letters to me，giving me instructions as to what places to go to and a list of people tocall on." "Not written evidence exactly-typewritten evidence." "It's the same thing.Naturally a big firm of wholesale manufacturerstypewrite their letters."
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"Don't you know，Mr Cust，that a typewriter can be identified?All thoseletters were typed by one particular machine." "What of it?" "And that machine was your own-the one found in your room." "It was sent me by the firm at the beginning of my job." "Yes，but these letters were received afterwards.So it looks，does itnot，as though you typed them yourself and posted them to yourself?" "No，no!It's all part of the plot against me!" He added suddenly: "Besides，their letters would be written on the same kind of machine." "The same kind，but not the same actual machine."
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Art Painting Dorothy thought she would go next; so she took Toto in her arms and climbed on the Lion's back, holding tightly to his mane with one hand. The next moment it seemed as if she were flying through the air; and then, before she had time to think about it, she was safe on the other side. The Lion went back a third time and got the Tin Woodman, and then they all sat down for a few moments to give the beast a chance to rest, for his great leaps had made his breath short, and he panted like a big dog that has been running too long.
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They found the forest very thick on this side, and it looked dark and gloomy. After the Lion had rested they started along the road of yellow brick, silently wondering, each in his own mind, if ever they would come to the end of the woods and reach the bright sunshine again. To add to their discomfort, they soon heard strange noises in the depths of the forest, and the Lion whispered to them that it was in this part of the country that the Kalidahs lived.
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"Oh, good lack, what have I done! God-a-mercy, I would not hang the poor thing for the whole world! Ah, save me from this, your worship-what shall I do, what can I do?"
The justice maintained his judicial composure, and simply said:
"Doubtless it is allowable to revise the value, since it is not yet writ upon the record."
"Then in God's name call the pig eightpence, and heaven bless the day that freed my conscience of this awesome thing!"
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Miles Hendon forgot all decorum in his delight; and surprised the king and wounded his dignity by throwing his arms around him and hugging him.
The woman made her grateful adieux and started away with her pig; and when the constable opened the door for her, he followed her out into the narrow hall. The justice proceeded to write in his record-book. Hendon, always alert, thought he would like to know why the officer followed the woman out; so he slipped softly into the dusky hall and listened. He heard a conversation to this effectArt Painting

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I don't know if Mrs. Bunting told you I'd got to question a barmaid about a man who was in her place just before closing-time. Well, she's said all she knew, and it's as clear as daylight to me that the eccentric old gent she talks about was only a harmless luny. He gave her a sovereign just because she told him she was a teetotaller!" He laughed ruefully.
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Even Bunting was diverted at the notion. "Well, that's a queer thing for a barmaid to be!" he exclaimed. "She's niece to the people what keeps the public," explained Chandler; and then he went out of the front door with a cheerful "So long!"
When Bunting went back into the sitting-room Daisy had disappeared. She had gone downstairs with the tray. "Where's my girl?" he said irritably.
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With a weak cry of protest Mrs. Bunting suddenly threw out her arms as if to bar the way; she turned deadly white - but then, in an instant the supposed stranger's laugh rang out, with loud, jovial, familiar sound!
"There now, Mrs. Bunting! I never thought I'd take you in as well as all that!"
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It was Joe Chandler - Joe Chandler dressed up, as she knew he sometimes, not very often, did dress up in the course of his work.
Mrs. Bunting began laughing - laughing helplessly, hysterically, just as she had done on the morning of Daisy's arrival, when the newspaper-sellers had come shouting down the Marylebone Road.
"What's all this about?" Bunting came out
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there's Rouletabille!" The arrival of the manager of the paper was the signal for a great demonstration. Some applauded, others hissed.
The trial itself was presided over by Monsieur de Rocouz, a judge filled with the prejudice of his class, but a man honest at heart. The witnesses had been called.
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I was there, of course, as were all who had, in any way, been in touch with the mysteries of the Glandier. Monsieur Stangerson - looking many years older and almost unrecognisable - Larsan, Arthur Rance, with his face ruddy as ever, Daddy Jacques, Daddy Mathieu, who was brought into court handcuffed between two gendarmes, Madame Mathieu, in tears, the two Berniers, he two nurses, the steward, all the domestics of the chateau
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Now for quick action! It was indeed time for that, for as I was about to place my legs through the window, the man had seen me, had bounded to his feet, had sprung - as I foresaw he would - to the door of the ante-chamber, had time to open it, and fled. But I was already behind him, revolver in hand, shouting 'Help!'
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"Like an arrow I crossed the room, but noticed a letter on the table as I rushed. I almost came up with the man in the ante-room, for he had lost time in opening the door to the gallery. I flew on wings, and in the gallery was but a few feet behind him. He had taken, as I supposed he would, the gallery on his right
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Pinocchio discovers the thieves and, as a reward for faithfulness, he regains his liberty
Even though a boy may be very unhappy, he very seldom loses sleep over his worries. The Marionette, being no exception to this rule, slept on peacefully for a few hours till well along toward midnight, when he was awakened by strange whisperings and stealthy sounds coming from the yard. He stuck his nose out of the doghouse and saw four slender, hairy animals. They were Weasels, small animals very fond of both eggs and chickens. One of them left her companions and, going to the door of the doghouse, said in a sweet voice:
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Good evening, Melampo."
"My name is not Melampo," answered Pinocchio.
"Who are you, then?"
"I am Pinocchio."
"What are you doing here?"
"I'm the watchdog."
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as Daddy Jacques informed us, by the blood which had flowed from the wound on Mademoiselle Stangerson's forehead. Besides these stains, drops of blood had fallen in all directions, in line with the visible traces of the footsteps - large and black - of the murderer. Everything led to the presumption that these drops of blood had fallen from the wound of the man who had, for a moment, placed his red hand on the wall. There were other traces of the same hand on the wall, but much less distinct.
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See! - see this blood on the wall!" I could not help exclaiming. "The man who pressed his hand so heavily upon it in the darkness must certainly have thought that he was pushing at a door! That's why he pressed on it so hard, leaving on the yellow paper the terrible evidence. I don't think there are many hands in the world of that sort. It is big and strong and the fingers are nearly all one as long as the other! The thumb is wanting and we have only the mark of the palm; but if we follow the trace of the hand
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德妃向来宠爱这个小儿子，把我叫去安慰了一番，无非就是让我安心，她会为我作主之类的。
心里很是不舍得十五。跟密嫔道别时，我哭得很真诚。善良的密嫔反过来安慰我，说我迟早要嫁人出宫，去长春宫也好学着跟婆婆相处，以后嫡福晋才不敢欺侮我。十五恋恋地拉着我哭，十一岁的他已经比我高了，把我搂在怀里的样子还真像个男子汉。绛雪轩的同事们摆了桌酒替我送别。我心里很是感慨，当年争权夺利，同事就好比是仇敌，现在在这里，没有了利益冲突，却得到了珍贵情意。
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德妃知道我识字，把我派去专管书籍字画，我对古董一窍不通，只能收拾整理一下。工作很不错，又清闲又清静，想来是有点照顾性质的。我多了很多时间来仔细规划未来。
我的屋子就在淑玲隔壁。
每天晚上临睡时，淑玲都会来跟我聊天儿，有时候太晚我们就一起睡。我感觉就好像回到了大学时光。天南地北，多数是我在讲，她在听，平时绝不多话的我被她强烈的好奇心打动，把自己知道的挑着正常一点的告诉她。 Art Painting

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胤禟看天色不早，便带她抄条石子铺成的甬路出宫回府。羊肠小道，只容一人独行，走在他的身后，月光将胤禟的影子拉得修长。突然想到那一年生日筵席后，他送自己回宫时，也是这样，一前一后，两人的身影不时在地上交错。
人生的路如若可以重走，自己绝不会象当时那般地伤害他，绝对不会！
“妾发初覆额，折花门前剧。郎骑竹马来，绕床弄青梅。”尘芳脸艳红若桃，在青石路上蹦蹦跳跳，口中不断吟诵着，“八月蝴蝶皇，双飞西园草。感此伤妾心，坐愁红颜老。”
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她醉了。胤禟一路不断将她落在地上的手绢、香囊捡起来，忽见她踉跄的跌倒在地，忙跑上去道：“尘芳，可摔着了吗？”
尘芳眨着眼道：“不要叫我尘芳，叫我梅儿。我娘小时候就唤我梅儿，因为我是在梅花开放的季节出生的。”
“好，梅儿！你是枝在五月天开放的梅花！现在起来，咱们回宫去。”胤禟边哄着她，边想将她拉起身。
尘芳赖在地上道：“我不要回去，我怕见到小敏，我不要回去！”
胤禟无奈地蹲下道：“那你想怎样？”
“唱歌，你唱歌给我听。”尘芳拍手笑道：“我最喜欢听别人唱歌了！”
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尘芳还未开口，胤禟走了进来，见到婉晴和兆佳氏便笑道：“说什么呢？这般高兴。”
两人忙站了起来，独尘芳径自在整理桌上的画笔、色碟。待听了兆佳氏的话，胤禟笑道：“也好，我看这两个丫头都大了，是该放出去配人家了。”
兆佳氏笑得更欢。
“不用了。绵凝已经有人了。”尘芳冷淡地回道。
三人的笑声哑然而止，兆佳氏坐立不安，稍顷便和婉晴起身告辞。
胤禟这里摸摸，那里翻翻，不时看着尘芳，待支使开剑柔后，终于按奈不住走过去搂着她的腰道：“怎么了？哪里又不高兴了？”
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尘芳甩开他，将项上的颈圈解下，重重地扔到梳妆台上。
胤禟脸上一变，提高嗓门道：“昨儿刚戴上的，今天就当我的面卸下来，是给我脸色看吗？”“我哪里敢给贝子爷您脸色看啊？”尘芳冷笑道：“这东西铹得我脖子痛，看来是没福气戴了！”
胤禟气呼呼地转身就走，刚出了门又折回来道：“纵使要砍头也要给个理由吧！你没头没脑的生谁的气？”
“都算计到我的丫头身上了，难道我还要给什么好脸色！”
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龙飞玉又是咬了咬牙。这女人还真是狡猾，既要给自己留点希望，不一捧子打死，又不让自己轻易逃脱，一再地步步紧逼。哼，写就写，怕什么。兵法有云：兵不厌诈，他才不是那些捧着“信誉”当饭吃的生意人。
不一会儿，金多多又回来了，后面还跟着个小丫环，捧着笔墨纸砚。那小丫环半低着头，似乎不敢看龙飞玉，但龙飞玉还是看到她滴溜溜转的眼珠子。这丫环分明就是当年因为金多多而被赶出去的那个。看来当年的那场戏她也有份。
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翠浓感受到了世子看向她的那道异常热烈的视线，哪里还呆得住，放下东西便慌忙离开。金多多也不以为然，能在龙飞玉面前如此镇定自若的，恐怕也就只有像她这样没心没肺的了。
金多多旁若无人地提笔写字，还时不时地咬着笔杆思索。写了大概半柱香的功夫才停住笔，拿起纸来，轻轻吹干纸上的墨迹。
金多多拿着写好的契约，坐到龙飞玉身边。“世子，您看清楚了，这契约您一份，我一份，都是一样的。您好好看看，可有何处不妥？”
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司徒长乐见过的女子本就不多，且大多是名门千金，即使是洒脱的江湖女侠也不会有这等妩媚的风情，还来不及开口脸先红了。
这女子正是艳红，她也少见像司徒长乐这样既俊美又青涩的少年，心中暗自好笑。
“小道长的道袍还未干透，妾身这里只有小厮的衣服，小道长先将就一下吧。”
自己的道袍何时湿了？司徒长乐有些疑惑。
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“妾身为了给小道长解除药性，只能用水，所以湿了道袍，又担心湿衣服会让小道长生病，只好又帮你脱了衣服。”艳红看出了他的疑惑，故意不怀好意地笑着说，说实话，那一刻她还真有些蠢蠢欲动，只是乘人之危不是她的行事作风。
原来那孟家小姐毕竟是个千金小姐，没有途径找江湖上厉害的媚药，只找来妓院里常用的，因怕司徒长乐不能就范，下的份量重了些，但也只需大量清水便可以解除。
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看到召涵被抓，刘氏终于忍不住了，扑了过去：“不要抓我的孩子。”却被他的父亲刘扬死死抓住：“别过去，放心，还有长公主和大皇子在我们手里呢。”那楚王更是老来得子，所以才动了这般妄念，哪知此刻儿子在人家手里，一时后悔不迭，明明知道自己有事，儿子也会不安全，又怕将儿子藏得太紧引人怀疑，却是仍着了皇帝的道。
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刘氏只是哭得凄凄惨惨，我也不忍心看召涵在这场阴谋中被杀，更不想看长公主就这般香消玉殒，只是强忍悲痛，认真看着他们的一举一动。
只见场中的两拨人均是敌不动，我不动。正等得焦虑，那琴师低低地向翊枫笑道：“信亲王爷，刚刚我有个问题一直没问，你不是说待事成了，让我妹妹当皇后的吗，怎么又舍不得你那贱人正妃？”
翊枫一顿：“她终究是本王正妃，哪能说舍便舍？到时皇贵妃的位置，定是少不了你妹妹的。”
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一举一动皆是有规矩的，大汉的律法摆在那儿，王爷要是对妾身的安排不满意，自可向皇上、太后、户部执事禀明一切。至于大脚婆……大汉律法也没说大脚婆就不能当亲王妃了，况且还是御赐婚事，王爷以后不要动不动拿这个说事，否则别怪妾身不给王爷留面子。”
他被这我一番义正词严给蒙了，半天也不开口，刘氏开口叫了声：“王爷！”他这才回过神来，正要继续游说，我怒目一瞪，他一愣，嘀咕了半天，终是怏怏地坐了下去。
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刘氏这下子终于撑不住了，我估摸着大概翊枫在皇帝赐婚后就告诉她，日后定不会委屈她，定会让她和我这正妃平起平坐，哪知我进了门，也不是良善之辈。
她看了看一旁默不吭声泄了气的王爷，咬咬牙跪下磕了个头，叫了声：“王妃万安。”
见她要起身，翊枫准备过去扶一把，我冷眼瞅着他，他见我冷脸不语，叹了口气，掉过头去只是喝茶。
刘氏行过礼，接下来便是玉莺、玉燕并刘氏身旁的吉儿、祥儿四人，待她们磕过头，我照例赏了小玩意儿，看了看一旁仍是不服气的刘氏，忽生一计，于是和气地对玉莺玉燕二人说道：“玉莺玉燕，你们两个在王爷房里也不止一两天了，平日里也多亏了你们好生伺候王爷，现在王爷晋了亲王，后头却空落落的，说出来也不大像话，这样吧，我做主替你们俩开了脸，做姨娘吧。”
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