推理经典《一个都不留》的谋杀之谜 Ⅰ｜2024年8月号

Eight people, complete strangers to one another, receive mysterious invitations to an isolated mansion on Soldier Island. Upon arrival, they find their hosts, Mr.and Mrs. Owen, noticeably absent. They’re greeted by the housekeepers, Mr. and Mrs. Rogers, who claim the Owens will arrive later. After their first dinner together, a chilling voice from a gramophone accuses the guests and housekeepers of past crimes.

Seeds of unease and suspicion are planted among the group as they realize they’ve been deceived into coming here through someone’s scheme. That same night, one of the guests appears to choke to death and becomes the first to meet his end after drinking poisoned wine. Tension quickly mounts when Mrs. Rogers is found dead the next morning, believed to have been poisoned with a fatal dose of sleeping pills.

This nightmare situation reminds them of the grim fate of characters from the “Ten Little Soldiers” nursery rhyme, found on the wall in each guest’s room. The nursery rhyme outlines the deaths of ten soldiers one after another, and its description horrifyingly matches the mode of death in both cases like a prediction. Moreover, after each death, one of the ten soldier figurines initially spotted on the dining room table vanishes.

A harsh reality sets in when the people realize they’re being stranded on the island and eliminated by a killer among them. Can they uncover the identity and motives of the hidden murderer while forced to face their own guilty consciences? Will they seek a way to survive or—admit they deserve to die?You’ll find satisfactory answers in the story of And Then There Were None.

八个素昧平生的人收到了神秘的邀请，前往一座孤立于战士岛上的宅邸。抵达后，他们随即发现主人欧文夫妇明显不在。他们被管家罗杰斯夫妇接待，管家夫妇声称欧文夫妇稍后会到。在他们共进第一顿晚餐后，令人不寒而栗的声音从留声机传出来，指控宾客和管家过往的罪行。

当他们意识到自己是透过某人的阴谋才被骗到这里的时候，就埋下了不安和怀疑的种子。就在当晚，其中一位宾客表现出窒息而死的样子，在喝下毒酒后成为第一个迎来人生结局的人。隔天早上，紧张的态势迅速升温，罗杰斯夫人被发现时已经命丧黄泉了，她被认为遭到致命剂量的安眠药毒死。

这个恶梦般的情况让他们想起了在童谣〈十个小小战士〉中的人物们的凄惨命运，而这首童谣在每位宾客房间墙上都找得到。童谣依序勾勒出十个战士的死状，而童谣的描述与这两起案件中的死亡方式竟惊人地吻合，就像预言一样。此外，每次有人死亡后，最初在餐桌上看到的十尊战士小瓷人就会消失掉一尊。

残酷的现实开始浮现，这些人意识到自己被滞留于岛上，并遭到一名藏身其中的杀手消灭。他们能否在被迫面对自己良心愧疚的同时，揭开这名隐藏杀手的身分和动机吗？他们会寻求生存之道，还是会 ―― 承认自己该死呢？你会在《一个都不留》的故事中找到令人满意的答案。

1. noticeably  adv. 明显地；惹人注目地

Riley’s new haircut made her look noticeably different from her usual style.

莱莉的新发型让她看起来与她平日的风格明显不同。

2. accuse  vt. 指控；指责

    accuse sb of + N / V-ing　指控某人做了某事

Karen accused her coworker of lying about completing the project on time.

凯伦指责她的同事在按时完成项目这件事上撒了谎。

3. deceive v. 欺骗；蒙骗

    deceive sb into V-ing　欺骗某人使其做出某事

The politician deceived voters into supporting them with false promises.

这名政客用虚假的承诺来欺骗选民支持他。

4. choke  v.（使）窒息；（使）噎住

    choke to death　窒息而死

Elliot almost choked on his water when he heard the surprising news.

当艾略特听到这个令人惊讶的消息时，差点被水呛到了。

5. nightmare  n. 恶梦；恶梦般令人不快的事

The party turned into a nightmare when uninvited guests showed up.

当不速之客出现时，这场派对变成了一场恶梦。

6. rhyme  n. 押韵诗；押韵字；押韵

    nursery rhyme  童谣

The poet published a book of rhymes that displayed their talent for words.

这位诗人出版了一本展现他文字天赋的押韵诗集。

7. mode  n. 模式；方式

The company’s mode of operation changed after the new CEO took over.

新任执行长上任后，该公司的营运模式发生了变化。

8. prediction  n. 预言；预报

Researchers have made predictions about the country’s economic growth next year.

研究人员对该国明年度的经济成长已经做出了预报。

9. conscience  n. 良心；良知

Nora doesn’t have much of a conscience; she does whatever she likes without considering people’s feelings.

诺拉没有多少良心；她为所欲为，不考虑别人的感受。