A Matter of Honour
by Jeffrey
Archer
The
cinema door opened on to the busy pavement and Adam slipped into the main
stream of commuters who were now returning home for dinner. As he kept walking
he made certain of as little head movement as possible but his eyes never
stayed still, checking everything within 180 degrees.
He safely
reconnoitered the crowded crossing, but once his foot
touched the far pavement he froze on the spot. Just ahead of him in the fast, jostling
crowd stood a man in a raincoat. He was continually looking around. Was he
one of Rosenbaum's men, the police, or even British? There was no way of
telling whose side he was on.
Adam switched into a side road and almost knocked
over a boy selling papers. «Le soldat anglais toujours a Geneve» the headline
blared.
He stared
at the building in front of him but he knew there would be no point in his
trying to hide there. He started to move away as a large, empty touring coach
drew up and parked in front of the block. Smart blue lettering along the side
of the coach proclaimed «The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra». Adam watched as some musicians walked out of the front
door and climbed on to the coach carrying their instrument cases.
Adam
decided he wouldn't get a better opportunity He walked quickly forward and
stepped into the middle of them.
He then
continued on past them through the open hotel door. The first thing he spotted
in the crowded hall was a double bass leaning against the wall.
He glanced at the label around the neck of the case «Robin Beresford».
Adam walked over to the counter and
gestured to the clerk. «I need my room
key quickly — I've left my bow upstairs and now I'm holding
everyone up. »
«Yes, sir. What room
number? » asked the clerk.
«I think it's 312, or was
that yesterday? » said Adam.
«What name, sir? »
«Beresford — Robin
Beresford. »
The clerk handed him key 612. His only comment
was «You were three floors out. »
«Thank you, » said Adam.
Adam woke with a start.
Looking down at him was a girl who held a double bass firmly by the neck with
one hand and a bow in the other.
«Who are you? » asked
Adam, startled.
«I’m not Goldilocks,
that's for sure, » parried the girl. «More to the point, who are you? »
Adam hesitated. «If I told
you, you wouldn't believe me».
«I can't imagine why not, »
she said.
«I am Adam Scott. »
«Am I meant to swoon
and run to your side, or scream and run away? » she enquired.
Adam suddenly realized
that the girl couldn't have watched television or read a paper for at least two
days. He switched tactics. «I thought my friend Robin Beresford was meant to be
booked into this room, » he said confidently.
«And so did I until I saw
you on my bed. »
«You're Robin Beresford? »
«But Robin? »
«It's not my fault my
father wanted a boy, » she said. «And you still haven't explained what you're
doing on my bed. »
«I should have a seat if I
were you, » said Adam.
«I’ll remain on my feet,
if you don't mind, » said Robin.
«Suit yourself. What would
you like first? The good news or the bad news? »
«Try me on the bad news, »
said Robin.
«The Swiss police want to
arrest me and ...»
«What for? » interrupted
Robin.
«Murder, » said Scott.
«What's the good news? »
She asked.
«I'm innocent. »
Words:
to reconnoiter — to
make a preliminary inspection;
Goldilocks – a fairy-tale character; jostling
= pushing
bass — a musical instrument with lowest notes;
start – to make a sudden involuntary movement from
fright;
to swoon — to faint; bow – a long stick stretched with
horsehair for playing musical instrument.
READING—COMPREHENSION TEST
I.
Choose the words connected with the story from the list given
below.
Library, investigation, concert, friendship, business, crime,
break in, have a party, enjoy the music, accuse, meal, spy, uncertainty, play
the violin, suspicion, tourist agency, eye-catching headlines.
II. Choose the letter corresponding to the best answer.
1.
Where does the action take place?
a)
In France.
b)
In Britain.
c)
In Switzerland.
2. The main character is:
a)
Robin Beresford;
b)
Adam Scott;
c)
Rosenbaum.
3. What does he do for a living?
a)
He's a policeman.
b)
He's a soldier.
c)
He's a musician.
4. Where has he been?
a)
To a concert.
b)
To a meeting.
c)
To the pictures.
5. Where does he decide to go afterwards?
a)
To a restaurant.
b)
To a friend's.
c)
To a hotel.
6. What does he want to
do?
a) To enjoy himself.
b)
To hide.
c)
To have a good night's rest.
7. What does he suddenly realize?
a)
He's no longer alone in the room.
b)
His daughter, Goldilocks, is there.
c)
There's a bear in the place.
III. Among the following titles circle the most suitable for this
text.
1.
Breaking in.
2.
Tracked down.
3.
Lost in Geneva.
4.
Police in action.
IV. Right or Wrong? Justify your answer with elements taken from
the text.
1.
It was early in the morning.
2.
Adam was very watchful as soon as he was in the street.
3.
Adam noticed a man who was hurrying.
4.
He realized the man was British.
5.
He climbed on to a coach, which had parked nearby.
6.
Adam recognized a friend in the hotel.
7.
He pretended he had stayed at this hotel.
8.
Adam was awake when someone came in.
9.
The girl mistook him for one of the musicians in the orchestra.
10.
Adam imagined that his name would mean something to her.
V.
Insert the suitable preposition according to the text.
He
stared … the building … front … him but he knew there would be no point … his
trying to hide there. He started to move away as a large, empty touring coach
drew … and parked … front … the block. Smart blue lettering along the side of
the coach proclaimed «The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra». Adam watched as some musicians walked … … the front door and
climbed … … the coach carrying their instrument cases.
He then
continued … past them through the open hotel door. The first thing he spotted
in the crowded hall was a double bass leaning … the wall. He glanced … the
label around the neck … the case «Robin Beresford».
VII. Fill in the missing parts of the sentences with
the words given below.
The
cinema door opened on to the … pavement and Adam slipped into the … stream of
commuters who were now returning home for dinner. As he … walking he made
certain of as little head movement as possible but his eyes never stayed … ,
checking everything … 180 degrees.
He safely
reconnoitered the … crossing, but … his foot touched the far pavement he froze
on the spot. Just … of him in the fast, jostling crowd stood a man in a
raincoat. He was … looking around. Was he one of Rosenbaum's men, the police,
or even British? There was no … of telling whose side he … on.
AHEAD CONTINUALLY WAY BUSY
WITHIN ONCE WAS STILL
KEPT MAIN CROWDED
VIII. Recall the
vocabulary and grammar structures of the text to give English equivalents for
the following Russian sentences.
1.
Адам решил, что у него не
будет лучшей возможности.
2.
Он колебался: “Если бы я
вам сказал, вы бы мне не поверили.”
3.
Адам вдруг понял, что
девушка, должно быть, не смотрела телевидение и не читала газет, по крайней
мере, в течение двух дней.
4.
“И вы все еще не объяснили,
что вы делаете на моей кровати,” – сказала она.
5.
“Если бы я был на вашем
месте я бы сел”
6.
Робин сказала: “Я постою,
если вы не возражаете.”
7.
“Предполагалось, что мой
друг Робин Бересфорд будет размещен в этом номере,” – уверенно сказал он. “Я
тоже так думала, пока не увидела вас на своей кровати.”
8.
Робин сказала: “Я постою,
если вы не возражаете.”
IX. Think of a
possible end of this story. Express your ideas about it in written form.
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