Lesson-6-BLACKMAIL

Lesson6BLACKMAIL________________________________________Aimsofteaching1.thecomprehensionofthetext2.themasteryofthevocabularyandthelanguagepoints3.thefamiliarizationwiththelanguageandthewritingtechniques________________________________________Importantanddifficultpoints1.Slangyandungrammaticalexpressionssuchas“prettyneatset-up”,“nowthen”,“ain’t”andetc.2.ThetransitionfrommentalmonologueoftheDuchessandthedialoguebetweenherandOgilvie.3.Thefunctionofthestageproperty---cigar.BlackmailArthurHailey________________________________________Thechiefhouseofficer,Ogilvie,whohaddeclaredhewouldappearattheCroydonssuiteanhourafterhiscryptictelephonecallactuallytooktwicethattime.AsaresultthenervesofboththeDukeandDuchesswereexcessivelyfrayedwhenthemutedbuzzeroftheouterdooreventuallysounded.TheDuchesswenttothedoorherself.Earliershehaddispatchedhermaidonaninventederrandand,cruelly,instructedthemoon-facedmalesecretary–whowasterrifiedofdogs–toexercisetheBedlingtonterriersn..Herowntensionwasnotlessenedbytheknowledgethatbothmightreturnatanymoment.AwaveofcigarsmokeaccompaniedOgilviein.Whenhehadfollowedhertothelivingroom,theDuchesslookedpointedlyatthehalf-burnedcigarinthefatman’smouth.“MyhusbandandIfindstrongsmokeoffensive.Wouldyoukindlyputthatout.Thehousedetective'spiggyeyessurveyedhersardonicallyfromhisgrossjowledface.Hisgazemovedontosweepthespacious,well-appointedroom,encompassingtheDukewhofacedthemuncertainly,hisbacktoawindow.Prettyneatset-upyoufolksgot.”Takinghistime,Ogilvieremovedtheoffendingcigar,knockedofftheashandflippedthebutttowardanornamentalfireplaceonhisright.Hemissed,andthebuttfelluponthecarpetwhereheignoredit.TheDuchess'slipstightened.Shesaidsharply,imagineyoudidnotcomeheretodiscussdécor.Theobesebodyshookinanappreciativechuckle.No,ma'am,can'tsayIdid.Ilikenicethings,though.Heloweredthelevelofhisincongruousfalsettovoice.Likethatcarofyours.Theoneyoukeephereinthehotel.Jaguar,ain'tit?Aah!Itwasnotaspokenword,butanemissionofbreathfromtheDukeofCroydon.Hiswifeshothimaswift,warningglance.Inwhatconceivablewaydoesourcarconcernyou?”AsifthequestionfromtheDuchesshadbeenasignal,thehousedetective'smannerchanged.Heinquiredabruptly,Whoelseisinthisplace?ItwastheDukewhoanswered,Noone.Wesentthemout.There'sthingsitpaystocheck.Movingwithsurprisingspeed,thefatmanwalkedaroundthesuite,openingdoorsandinspectingthespacebehindthem.Obviouslyheknewtheroomarrangementwell.Afterreopeningandclosingtheouterdoor,hereturned,apparentlysatisfied,tothelivingroom.TheDuchesshadseatedherselfinastraight-backedOgilvieremainedstanding.Nowthen,hesaid.Youtwowasinthehit-'n-run.Shemethiseyesdirectly.Whatareyoutalkingabout?Don'tplaygames,lady.Thisisforreal.Hetookoutafreshcigarandbitofftheend,Yousawthepapers.There'sbeenplentyonradio,too.TwohighpointsofcolorappearedinthepalenessoftheDuchessofCroydon'scheeks.Whatyouaresuggestingisthemostdisgusting,ridiculous...Itoldyou–Cutitout!”Thewordsspatforthwithsuddensavagery,allpretenseofblandnessgone.IgnoringtheDuke,Ogilviewavedtheunlightedcigarunderhisadversary'sadversary'snose.Youlistentome,yourhigh-an'-mightiness.Thiscity'sburnin'mad–cops,mayor,everybodyelse.Whentheyfindwhodonethatlastnight,whokilledthatkidan'itsmother,thenhigh-tailedit,they'llthrowthebook,andnevermindwhoithits,orwhethertheygotfancytitlesneither.NowIknowwhatIknow,andifIdowhatbyrightsIshould,there'llbeasquadofcopsinheresofastyou'llhardlysee'em.ButIcometoyoufirst,infairness,so'syoucouldtellyoursideofittome.Thepiggyeyesblinked,thenhardened.'fyouwantittheotherway,justsayso.TheDuchessofCroydon–threecenturiesandahalfofinbredarrogancebehindher–didnotyieldeasily.Springingtoherfeet,herfacewrathful,gray-greeneyesblazing,shefacedthegrossnessofthehousedetectivesquarely.Hertonewouldhavewitheredanyonewhoknewherwell.“Youunspeakableblackguard!Howdareyou!”Eventheself-assuranceofOgilvieflickeredforaninstant.ButitwastheDukeofCroydonwhointerjected,It'snogo,oldgirl.I'mafraid.Itwasagoodtry.FacingOgilvie,hesaid,Whatyouaccuseusofistrue.Iamtoblame.Iwasdrivingthecarandkilledthelittlegirl.That'smorelikeit,Ogilviesaid.Helitthefreshcigar.Nowwe'regettingsomewhere.Wearily,inagestureofsurrender,theDuchessofCroydonsankbackintoherchair.Claspingherhandstoconcealtheirtrembling,sheasked.Whatisityouknow?Wellnow,I'llspellitout.Thehousedetectivetookhistime,leisurelyputtingacloudofbluecigarsmoke,hiseyessardonicallyontheDuchessasifchallengingherobjection.Butbeyondwrinklinghernoseindistaste,shemadenocomment.OgilviepointedtotheDuke.Lastnight,earlyon,youwenttoLindy'sPlaceinIrishBayou.YoudrovethereinyourfancyJaguar,andyoutookaladyfriend.Leastways,Iguessyou'dcallherthatifyou'renottoofussy.AsOgilvieglanced,grinning,attheDuchess,theDukesaidsharply,Getonwithit!Well–thesmugfatfaceswungback–thewayIhearit,youwonahundredatthetables,thenlostitatthebar.Youwereintoasecondhundred–witharealswingingparty–whenyourwifeheregotthereinataxi.Howdoyouknowallthis?I'lltellyou,Duke–I'vebeeninthistownandthishotelalongtime.Igotfriendsallover.Iobligethem;theydothesameforme,likelettingmeknowwhatgives,an’where.Thereain'tmuch,outoftheway,