|
Dr. DeLator knelt down to examine the
spider which had spun a beautiful,
wheel-shaped
web across the lower half of the
back door. He said to the young man who was with him... |
|
DELATOR: |
This is a species of
Argiopidae. |
|
YOUNG MAN: |
Uncle Phil would know its exact
name. He's
sort of
a bug himself. I... I mean he won't let me kill anything,
not even a rat. Look at his house
‑
I can't even
dust
away... the
cobwebs
for him. |
|
DELATOR: |
Yes, it's rather like a setting
for a
horror show.
Suppose
you tell me what happened here. |
|
The young man
unfolded the story as he
led the way toward the
library... |
|
YOUNG MAN: |
Uncle Phil is in Europe on his
sabbatical.
He asked me to
check
the house once a week. I have the key to the front door. About an
hour ago, I arrived to inspect the house. I heard noises as I
entered. I called out. Suddenly a big man ran past me and out the
back door. I might have caught him, but I
tripped over a pile of
bird‑food cartons in the hall and
stunned myself. When I
recovered, the intruder was gone. I found the safe as you see it,
open and empty. I telephoned you
right
away from
the
house next door. |
|
DELATOR: |
What was in the safe? |
|
YOUNG MAN: |
I've no
idea, but I can write Uncle Phil. Here's the address. |
|
He produced a
folded slip of paper. DeLator read it... |
|
DELATOR: |
"Blue Lion Hotel,
Harwick, Roxburgh, Scotland". Well,
young man, before you call the police,
you
had
better improve your story. |
|
TRY TO SOLVE THIS MYSTERY |
 |
|
What
was wrong with the young man's story? |
|
stunned:
unconscious
(inconsciente,
desmayado)
spin/span/spun/spinning:
form
a web by making a thread
(entretejer
una red)
wheel-shaped:
the
shape of a wheel (con
forma de rueda)
back door: the door at the back of the house (puerta
trasera)
sort of a bug: somewhat eccentric (algo
excéntrico)
dust away: remove with the gentle motion used in removing
dust (limpiar,
eliminar, quitar)
cobweb: a dense elaborate spider web that is more
efficient than the orb web (round spider web) (red
de telarañas)
horror show: a play or
movie designed to entertain by presenting frightening scenes and
episodes (espectáculo
de horrores)
Suppose you tell me: Why don't you tell me; somewhat
more demanding and less polite than Please tell me (por
favor coménteme)
unfolded: made known;
revealed (reveló)
|
led the way: went first to show the way (se
adelantó)
sabbatical:
sabbatical year; that is, the seventh year, when a college professor is granted
leave from his duties for rest, travel, or research (año
sabático)
check: inspect for
satisfactory condition, etc. (inspeccionar,
verificar)
tripped over: stumbled upon (tropecé
con)
bird‑food cartons: cartons (large boxes)
containing boxes or packages of food for birds (cajas
de alimento para aves)
stunned myself: lost my consciousness (me
desmayé)
the house next door: the next (adjacent or neighboring) house (la
casa vecina)
I've no idea: I don't know at all (no
tengo la menor idea)
you had better: you ought to; you should; it would be wise
to (sería
mejor que usted) |
|
All
contents is for educational and informational use only. All lyrics
and recording excerpts remain the right of the original copyright holder, and no infringment is
here intended / Todo
el contenido es pura y exclusivamente para uso educativo e informativo. Todas las
letras y fragmentos musicales continúan permaneciendo al poseedor original de los derechos
autorales, no existiendo aquí intención alguna de infringir la ley. |
|
