E - Abitur - Übung Nr. 2 - GreenButterSolutions

"What's the matter?" I asked, sitting up in bed, and trying to collect my answer scattered

thoughts (scattered).

"We are answer afraid (afraid) my mother is answer very ill (very ill).

She seems to be having some kind of fit.

answer Unfortunately (unfortunately) she has locked herself in."

"I'll come at once."

  I sprang out of bed; and, pulling on a dressing-gown, followed Lawrence along

the passage and the gallery to the answer right wing (right) of the house.

 John Cavendish joined us, and one or two of the servants were standing round in a state of

answer awe-stricken excitement (awe-stricken). Lawrence turned to his brother.

"What do you think we had better do?"

   Never, I thought, had his indecision of character been more

answer apparent (apparent).

   John rattled the handle of Mrs. Inglethorp's door

answer violently (violent), but with no effect. It was answer obviously (obvious) locked or bolted

on the inside. The answer whole household (whole) was aroused by now. The most

answer alarming (alarming) sounds were answer audible (audible) from the interior

of the room. answer Clearly (clear) something must be done.

"Try going through Mr. Inglethorp's room, sir," cried Dorcas. "Oh, the answer poor

mistress (poor)!"

answer Suddenly (sudden) I realized that Alfred Inglethorp was not with us—that he

answer alone (alone) had given no sign of his presence. John opened the door of

his room. It was answer pitch dark (pitch dark), but Lawrence was following with

the candle, and by its answer feeble (feeble) light we saw that the bed had not

been slept in, and that there was no sign of the room having been occupied.

   We went answer straight (straight) to the answer connecting

(connecting) door.

That, too, was locked or bolted on the inside. What was to be done?

"Oh, dear, sir," cried Dorcas, wringing her hands, "what ever shall we do?"

"We must try and break the door in, I suppose. It'll be a answer tough (tough)

job, though. Here, let one of the maids go down and wake Baily and tell him to go for

Dr. Wilkins at once. Now then, we'll have a try at the door.

Half a moment, though, isn't there a door into Miss Cynthia's rooms?"

"Yes, sir, but that's always bolted. It's never been undone."

"Well, we might just see."

  He ran answer rapid (rapid) down the corridor

to Cynthia's room. Mary Cavendish was there, shaking the girl—who must have been

an answer unusually sound (unusual /  sound) sleeper—and trying to wake her.

In a moment or two he was back.

  "No answer good (good).

That's bolted too. We must break in the door. I think this one is a shade less

answer solid (solid) than the one in the passage."

We strained and heaved together. The framework of the door was

answer solid (solid), and for a answer long (long) time it resisted our

efforts, but at last we felt it give beneath our weight, and

answer finally (final), with a answer resounding (resounding)

crash, it was burst answer open (open).

We stumbled in together, Lawrence still holding his candle. Mrs. Inglethorp was lying

on the bed, her answer whole (whole) form agitated by

answer violent (violent) convulsions, in one of which she must have overturned the

table beside her. As we entered, however, her limbs relaxed, and she fell back

upon the pillows.

John strode across the room, and lit the gas. Turning to Annie, one of the

housemaids, he sent her downstairs to the dining-room for brandy. Then

he went across to his mother whilst I unbolted the door that gave on the corridor.

I turned to Lawrence, to suggest that I had better leave them now that there was

no further need of my services, but the words were frozen on my lips. Never have

I seen such a ghastly look on any man's face. He was answer white

(white) as chalk, the candle he held in his shaking hand was sputtering onto the

carpet, and his eyes, petrified with terror, or some such kindred emotion, stared

answer fixedly (fixed) over my head at a point on the  

answer further (further) wall. It was as though he had seen something that turned

him to stone. I answer instinctively (instinctive) followed the direction of his eyes,

but I could see nothing answer unusual (unusual). The answer still feebly glittering

(still / feeble / flickering) ashes in the grate, and the row of answer prim (prim)

ornaments on the mantelpiece, were answer surely harmless enough (sure / harmless / enough).

The violence of Mrs. Inglethorp's attack seemed to be passing. She was able to speak in

answer short (short) gasps.

  "Better now-very answer suddenly (sudden) -

answer stupid (stupid) of me-to lock myself in."

A shadow fell on the bed and, looking up, I saw Mary Cavendish standing near the door with her arm

around Cynthia. She seemed to be supporting the girl, who looked answer utterly dazed (utter /

dazed) and answer unlike (unlike) herself. Her face was answer heavily flushed

(heavy / flushed), and she yawned answer repeatedly (repeated).

"  answer Poor (poor) Cynthia is answer quite frightened (quite / frightened)," said

Mrs. Cavendish in a answer low clear (low / clear)  voice. She herself, I noticed, was dressed

in her answer white (white) land smock. Then it must be answer later (late)

than I thought. I saw that a answer faint (faint) streak of daylight was showing through

the curtains of the windows, and that the clock on the mantelpiece pointed to close upon five o'clock.

  A answer strangled (strangled) cry from the bed startled me. A

answer fresh (fresh) access of pain seized the answer unfortunate old (unfortunate / old)

lady. The convulsions were of a violence answer terrible (terrible) to behold. Everything

was confusion. We thronged round her, answer powerless (powerless) to help or

alleviate. A answer final (final) convulsion lifted her from the bed, until she appeared

to rest upon her head and her heels, with her body arched in an answer extraordinary

(extraordinary) manner. In answer vain (vain) Mary and John tried to administer

more brandy. The moments flew. Again the body arched itself in that answer peculiar

(peculiar) fashion.

   At that moment, Dr. Bauerstein pushed his way answer authoritatively

(authoritative) into the room. For one instant he stopped answer dead (dead), staring

at the figure on the bed, and, at the answer same (same) instant, Mrs. Inglethorp cried

out in a strangled voice, her eyes fixed on the doctor:

   "Alfred—Alfred——" Then she fell back answer motionless (motionless) on the pillows.

With a stride, the doctor reached the bed, and seizing her arms worked them

answer energetically (energetic), applying what I knew to be answer artificial (artificial)

respiration. He issued a answer few short sharp (few / short / sharp) orders to the servants. An

answer imperious (imperious) wave of his hand drove us all to the door. We watched

him, answer fascinated (fascinated), though I think we all knew in our hearts that it

was answer late (late), and that nothing could be done now. I could see by

the expression on his face that he himself had answer little (little) hope.

  answer Finally (finally) he abandoned his task, shaking his head

answer gravely (grave). At that moment, we heard footsteps outside, and Dr. Wilkins, Mrs. Inglethorp's

own doctor, a answer portly fussy little (portly / fussy / little) man, came bustling in.

In a answer few (few) words Dr. Bauerstein explained how he had happened to

be passing the lodge gates as the car came out, and had run up to the house as  

answer fast (fast) as he could, whilst the car went on to fetch Dr. Wilkins. With a

answer faint (faint) gesture of the hand, he indicated the figure on the bed.

"Ve—ry answer sad  (sad). Ve—ry answer sad  (sad)," murmured

Dr. Wilkins. " answer poor dear (poor / dear) lady. Always did answer far too much

(far / too /much ) — answer far too much (far / too / much) — against my advice. I warned

her. Her heart was answer far (far) from answer strong (strong).

'Take it answer easy (easy),' I said to her, 'Take—it— answer easy

(easy)'.

But no—her zeal for answer good (good) works was answer too great

(too / great). Nature rebelled.

Na—ture—re—belled."

  Dr. Bauerstein, I noticed, was watching the answer local

(local) doctor answer narrowly (narrow). He answer still (still) kept his

eyes fixed on him as he spoke.

"The convulsions were of a answer peculiar (peculiar) violence, Dr. Wilkins. I am

answer sorry (sorry) you were not here in time to witness them. They were

answer quite (quite) — answer tetanic (tetanic) in character."

"Ah!" said Dr. Wilkins answer wisely (wise).

"I should like to speak to you in answer private (private)," said Dr. Bauerstein.

He turned to John.

"You do not object?"

" answer Certainly (certain) not."

We all trooped out into the corridor, leaving the two doctors answer alone

(alone), and I heard the key turned in the lock behind us.

   We went answer slowly (slow) down the stairs. I was answer violently excited


(violent / excited).

I have a answer certain (certain) talent for deduction, and Dr. Bauerstein's

manner had started a flock of answer wild (wild) surmises in my mind.

 Mary Cavendish laid her hand upon my arm.

"What is it? Why did Dr. Bauerstein seem so— answer peculiar (peculiar)?"

I looked at her.

  "Do you know what I think?"

"What?"

"Listen!" I looked round, the others were out of earshot. I lowered my voice to a whisper.

 "I believe she has been poisoned! I'm answer certain (certain) Dr. Bauerstein suspects it."

"What?" She shrank against the wall, the pupils of her eyes dilating answer wildly

(wild). Then, with a answer sudden (sudden) cry that startled me, she cried out:

"No, no—not that—not that!" And breaking from me, fled up the stairs.

I followed her, afraid that she was going to faint. I found her leaning against the banisters,

answer deadly pale (dead / pale).

She waved me away answer impatiently (impatient).

"No, no—leave me. I'd rather be answer alone (alone). Let me

answer just (just) be answer quiet (quiet) for a minute or two. Go down to the others."

I obeyed her (reluctant). John and Lawrence were in the dining-room. I joined them.

We were all (silent), but I suppose I voiced the thoughts of us all when I at last broke it by saying:

  "Where is Mr. Inglethorp?"

John shook his head.

 "He's not in the house."

Our eyes met. Where was Alfred Inglethorp? His absence was answer strange (strange)

and answer inexplicable (inexplicable). I remembered Mrs. Inglethorp's dying words.

What lay beneath them? What more could she have told us, if she had had time?

At last we heard the doctors descending the stairs. Dr. Wilkins was looking

(important) and (excited), and trying to conceal an (inward) exultation

under a manner of (decorous) calm. Dr. Bauerstein remained in the background, his

answer gravely bearded (grave /  bearded) face answer unchanged (unchanged).

Dr. Wilkins was the spokesman for the two. He addressed himself to John:

"Mr. Cavendish, I should like your consent to a post-mortem."

"Is that (necessary)?" asked John (grave). A spasm of pain crossed his face.

" (absolute)," said Dr. Bauerstein.

"You mean by that——?"

   "That neither Dr. Wilkins nor myself could give a death certificate under the circumstances."

John bent his head.

  "In that case, I have no alternative but to agree."

"Thank you," said Dr. Wilkins answer briskly (brisk). "We propose that it

should take place to-morrow night—or rather to-night." And he glanced at the

daylight. "Under the circumstances, I am afraid an inquest can answer hardly  

(hard) be avoided—these formalities are answer necessary (necessary), but

I beg that you won't distress yourselves."

There was a pause, and then Dr. Bauerstein drew two keys from his pocket, and

handed them to John.

"These are the keys of the two rooms. I have locked them and, in my opinion,

they would be better kept answer locked (locked) for the present."

The doctors then departed.

   I had been turning over an idea in my head, and I

felt that the moment had now come to broach it. Yet I was a

answer little chary (little / chary) of doing so. John, I knew, had a horror of any kind of publicity,

and was an answer easy going (easy going) optimist, who preferred

never to meet trouble half-way. It might be answer difficult (difficult) to

convince him of the soundness of my plan. Lawrence, on the other hand, being

answer less conventional (less / conventional), and having more

imagination, I felt I might count upon as an ally. There was no doubt that

the moment had come for me to take the lead.

"John," I said, "I am going to ask you something."

" answer Good (good)?"

"You remember my speaking of my friend Poirot? The Belgian who is

here? He has been a answer most famous (most / famous) detective."

"Yes."

"I want you to let me call him in—to investigate this matter."

"What—now? Before the post-mortem?"

"Yes, time is an advantage if—if—there has been answer foul

(foul) play."

"Rubbish!" cried Lawrence answer angrily (angry). "In my opinion

the answer whole (whole) thing is a mare's nest of Bauerstein's!

Wilkins hadn't an idea of such a thing, until Bauerstein put it into his head.

But, like all specialists, Bauerstein's got a bee in his bonnet. Poisons are his

hobby, so of course he sees them everywhere."

I confess that I was answer surprised (surprised) by Lawrence's

attitude. He was answer surprised seldom vehement (so / seldom / vehement)

about anything.

John hesitated.

"I can't feel as you do, Lawrence," he said at last, "I'm inclined to give Hastings

a answer free (free) hand, though I should prefer to wait a bit.

We don't want any answer unnecessary (unnecessary) scandal."

"No, no," I cried answer eagerly (eager), "you need have no fear

of that. Poirot is discretion itself."

" answer Very well (very / good), then, have it your own way. I leave

it in your hands. Though, if it is as we suspect, it seems a

answer clearly enough (clear / enough) case. God forgive me if I am wronging him!"

I looked at my watch. It was six o'clock. I determined to lose no time.

Five minutes' delay, however, I allowed myself. I spent it in ransacking the

library until I discovered a answer medical (medical) book which

gave a description of strychnine poisoning.