Ignoring the other's mocking tone, Bobby bent down and extracted the weapon. "Kind of you to mention it," he said. "If you want to know, it does make me feel happier."

"Good," said Roger. "It's loaded."

Bobby took the candle and they filed out of the attic, leaving Roger lying on the floor. Bobby locked the door. He held the pistol in his hand.

"I'll go first," he said. "We've got to be quite sure and not make a mess of things now."

"He's a qu-qu-queer chap, isn't he?" said Badger with a jerk of his head backward in the direction of the room they had left.

"He's a damned good loser,"* said Frankie. Even now, she was not quite free from the charm of that very remarkable young man, Roger Bassington-ffrench.

A rather rickety flight of steps led down to the main landing. Everything was quiet. Bobby looked over the banisters. The telephone was in the hall below.

"We'd better look into these rooms first," he said. "We don't want to be taken in the rear."*

Badger flung open each door in turn. Of the four bedrooms, three were empty. In the fourth a slender figure was lying on the bed.

"It's Moira!" cried Frankie.

The others crowded in. Moira was lying like one dead except that her breast moved up and down ever so slightly.

"Is she asleep?" asked Bobby.

"She's drugged, I think," said Frankie. She looked round. A hypodermic syringe lay on a little enamel tray on a table near the window. There was also a little spirit lamp and a type of morphia hypodermic needle.

"She'll be all right, I think," she said. "But we ought to get a doctor."

"Let's go down and telephone," said Bobby.

They adjourned to the hall below. Frankie had a half fear that the telephone wires might be cut, but her fears proved quite unfounded. They got through to the police station quite easily, but found a good deal of difficulty in explaining matters. The local police were highly disposed to regard the summons as a practical joke.*

However, they were convinced at last, and Bobby replaced the receiver with a sigh. He had explained that they also wanted a doctor, and the police constable promised to bring one along.

Ten minutes later a car arrived with an inspector, a constable, and an elderly man who had his profession stamped all over him.

Bobby and Frankie received them and after explaining matters once more in a somewhat perfunctory fashion led the way to the attic. Bobby unlocked the door — then stood dumbfounded in the doorway. In the middle of the floor was a heap of severed ropes. Underneath the broken skylight a chair had been placed on the bed which had been dragged out till it was under the skylight.

Of Roger Bassington-ffrench there was no sign.

"Talk of Houdini," said Bobby. "He must have out Houdini.* How the devil did he cut these cords?"

"He must have had a knife in his pocket," said Frankie.

"Even then, how could he get at it? Both hands were bound together behind his back."

The inspector coughed. All his former doubts had returned. He was more strongly disposed than ever to regard the whole thing as a hoax.

Frankie and Bobby found themselves telling a long story which sounded more impossible every minute.

The doctor was their salvation. On being taken to the room where Moira was lying he declared at once that she had been drugged with morphia or some preparation of opium. He did not consider her condition serious and thought she would awake naturally in four or five hours' time. He suggested taking her off then and there to a good nursing home in the neighborhood.

To this Bobby and Frankie agreed, not seeing what else could be done. Having given their own names and addresses to the inspector, who appeared to disbelieve utterly in Frankie's, they themselves were allowed to leave Tudor Cottage, and with the assistance of the inspector succeeded in gaining admission to the Seven Stars in the village.

Here, still feeling that they were regarded as criminals, they were only too thankful to go to their rooms, a double one for Bobby and Badger, and a very minute single one for Frankie.

A few minutes after they had all retired, a knock came on Bobby's door. It was Frankie.

"I've thought of something," she said. "If that fool of a police inspector persists in thinking that we made all this up, at any rate I've got evidence that I was chloroformed."

"Have you? Where?"

"In the coal bucket," said Frankie with decision.

 Questions and Tasks

1. Find the words and expressions in the chapter, read and translate the sentences.

to stare at

otherwise

to regret smth

to pretend

innocent

to keep an eye on smb

to take one’s word for smth

to ignore

to make a mess of smth

2. Use the words and expressions in a dialogue of your own.

3. Who said the following words? Where? Why?

a) I have a talent that way.

b) Why did you pretend to be Dr. Nicholson?

c) Meaning us?

d) Who is Evans?

e) My dear, you haven’t any evidence.

f) We’d better all go down together.

g) She’s drugged, I think.

h) Have you? Where?

4. Divide the chapter into three logical parts, give a title to each of them. Retell the contents of each of the parts.

5. Retell the chapter in details.

6. Did you expect such an ending of that mysterious case? What were your suppositions about the murderer and the end of the story?

 Grammar and Vocabulary Test 3

I. Chose the correct variant.

1. Be quiet! This is the weather...................for the weekend.

a. forecast b. broadcast

c. statement d. horoscope

2. One of..................days I'm going to give him a piece of my mind.

a. our b. those

c. these d. the

3. Julie had a terrible..................with her parents last night.

a. row b. discussion

c. argue d. dispute

4.................you read the instructions carefully, you'll understand what to do.

a. As far as b. Provided

c. As much as d. As well as

5. As a trusted employee, she had................to highly confidential information.

a. admission b. entrance

c. contact d. access

6. Only a mechanic could appreciate the true.............of the damage to the car.

a. extent b. rate

c. amount d. affect

7. If you are rude to customers they are.................to come back.

a. impossible b. improbable

c. incapable d. unlikely

8. You may not have to stay the night but take a toothbrush just in................

a. case b. time

c. order d. preparation

9. He was very upset by the..............of his English examination.

a. result b. failure

c. effect d. success

10. I went shopping today and bought a new winter................ .

a. costume b. outfit

c. suit d. clothing

II. Fill in the necessary Grammar form.

1. I spent ages (make) preparations for the dinner party but I needn't (bother). At the last moment, Philip (ring) to say he (not / be able) to come.

2. The police (question) the man for several hours by now, but so far they (not / get) any new information from him.

3. You shouldn't delay (make) a decision about how you are going (spend) your holiday as everything gets booked up very early.

4. As soon as he looked at her face, Tom realised he (not / forgive) yet.

5. If you want us (get) there before dark you should let us (start) at once.

6. Alan (fly) to Barcelona tonight. He (already / pack) his suitcase but he (not / call) a taxi yet. His plane (leave ) at 8 pm.

7. They seem (quarrel). I can hear their angry voices.

8. When Henry takes his final examinations next summer, he (study) four years.

9. He expected (help) by his friends.

10. Mary (not / wear) her glasses at that time, so she (not / notice) what kind of car the man (drive).

III. Translate the sentences from Russian into English.

1. - Сегодня есть интересные новости? - К сожалению, никаких новостей ещё не поступало.

2. Никто не сказал ни слова. Мы стояли и смотрели, как он открыл портфель, положил туда учебники и вышел из класса.

3. Учитель подошёл к ребятам и спросил их, в чём дело и почему они так шумят.

4. Мне дали совет коротко подстричься. Думаю, я должен последовать ему.

5. Я знаю тебя почти 10 лет, но я никогда не видел тебя такой взволнованной.

6. - Кто из них старше, Ольга или Маша? - Ольга. Она на три года старше Маши.

7. Секретарь сказал, что утренние газеты и письма уже просмотрены.

8. Моя двенадцатилетняя дочь очень мало читает. Я не могу заставить её читать больше.

9. В воскресенье я не смогу пойти с тобой в театр. Приезжает моя сестра, и мне придётся её встретить.

10. - Мы поедем на такси или пойдём пешком?

- Нам незачем спешить. У нас много времени, и мы можем пойти пешком.

IV. Read the text and answer the questions.

May 7, 1840, was the birthday of one of the most famous Russian composers of the nineteenth century: Peter Illich Tchaikovsky. The son of a mining inspector, Tchaikovsky studied music as a child and later studied composition at the St. Petersburg Conservatory. His greatest period of productivity occurred between 1876 and 1890, during which time he enjoyed the patronage of Madame von Meek, a woman he never met, who gave him a living stipend of about $ 1,000.00 a year. Madame von Meek later terminated her friendship with Tchaikovsky, as well as his living allowance, when she, herself, was facing financial difficulties. It was during the time of Madame von Meck's patronage, however, that Tchaikovsky created the music for which he is most famous, including the music for the ballets of Swan Lake and The Sleeping Beauty. Tchaikovsky's music, well known for its rich melodic and sometimes melancholy passages, was one of the first that brought serious dramatic music to dance. Before this, little attention had been given to the music behind the dance. Tchaikovsky died on November 6, 1893, ostensibly of cholera, though there are now some scholars who argue that he committed suicide.

1. With what topic is the passage primarily concerned?

a. the life and music of Tchaikovsky

b. development of Tchaikovsky's music for ballets

c. Tchaikovsky's relationship with Madame Von Meek

d. the cause of Tchaikovsky's death

2. According to the passage, all of the following describe Madame von Meek EXCEPT:

a. She had economic troubles.

b. She was generous.

c. She was never introduced to Tchaikovsky.

d. She enjoyed Tchaikovsky's music.

3. According to the passage, for what is Tchaikovsky's music most well known?

a. its repetitive and monotonous tones

b. the ballet-like quality of the music

c. the richness and melodic drama of the music

d. its lively, capricious melodies

4. According to the passage, Swan Lake and The Sleeping Beauty are

a. dances

b. songs

c. operas

d. plays

5. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?

a. Tchaikovsky's influence on ballet music

b. Tchaikovsky's unhappiness leading to suicide

c. the patronage of Madame von Meek

d. Tchaikovsky's productivity in composing