自考英語綜合一 上冊 lesson14
Text The Mystery of the Silver Box
The Thinking Machine turned to the worried businessman,"State your problem."
"It isn't a crime that is,a crime that can be punished by law,"Mr.Grayson said,
"but it has cost me millions,perhaps as much as ten million dollars!
Briefly,there is an information leak at my office.
My business plans have become known to others almost as soon as I have made them
My plans are large;
I have millions of dollars at stake,and the need for secrecy is great.
For years my plans have been safe,
but half a dozen times in the last eight weeks
they have become known to my competitors in the smallest detail,
and in time for them to steal my customers."
"Tell me more please,"said The Thinking Machine.
"I make machines and tools used in factories.
Recently I sent my salesmen to a new industrial area out West
to demonstrate some new machines.
At first this was a great success;
the factory owners truly liked this on-the-spot service
and bought everything the salesmen demonstrated.
But suddenly my staff there reported that wherever they went,they were too late.
My biggest business competitor
had already sent their salesmen out to demonstrate their products at a lower price
The Thinking Machine walked to the window.
"So now you want to know how and when information is leaking from your office.
Well,to whom do you tell your business plans?"
"No one,except my personal secretary,Evelyn Winthrop.
She has been with me for six years;more than five years before this leak began.
I have always trusted her."
"And she is the only one who knows your plans?"
This week,for instance,I planned to send salesmen to Oklahoma with new oil drills.
My district manager didn't know this plan.
Miss Winthrop heard of it only on the morning they were to go out.
Then I dictated to her in my office
some letters of instructions to my district managers.
That is all Miss Winthrop knew of my Oklahoma plan."
"You outlined the plan in those letters?"
"No.They merely told my managers which sales men I wanted for Oklahoma
and the costs of the various drills."
"But a careful person,knowing the content of all those letters,
could have worked out what you intended to do?"
"Yes,but no one person knew the contents of all the letters.
Miss Winthrop and I were the only two human beings who knew what was in them all.
Neither Miss Winthrop nor I left the office all day.
Yet before the day ended,I received phone calls from two managers
telling me of the unbeatable offers from my competitor."
"What is your business competitor's name?"
"Ralph Matthews,"said Mr.Grayson.
The Thinking Machine went to a desk,addressed an envelope,
got a sheet of paper and placed it inside,and sealed the envelope.
Then he turned back to Mr.Grayson,"Let us go to see Miss Winthrop now,he said.
From the office door,The Thinking Machine went straight to Miss Winthrop's desk
and handed her the envelope."Mr.Ralph Matthews asked me to give you this,"he said.
The young woman glanced up at his face frankly,took the envelope,
and turned it curiously in her hand.
"Ralph Matthews,"she repeated the names as if it sounded strange to her,
"I don't think I know him."
Nevertheless,she opened the envelope and took out the paper.
"Why,it's a blank sheet!"she remarked,puzzled.
The detective turned suddenly to Mr.Grayson
who had looked on with frank astonishment.
"May I use a telephone,please?"asked The Thinking Machine.
He picked the receiver of Miss Winthrop's phone
and held it to his ear a moment."It's busy,"he said.
He hung up,pausing for a moment to admire a beautiful silver box
right beside the telephone.
"Thank you,Miss Winthrop,"he said as he left the room.
Back in Mr.Grayson's office,the detective told him to ask Miss Winthrop
to take some dictation the next morning at 9:45.
And that night,
he arranged for a secret extension to be attached to Miss Winthrop's phone.
The next morning he was at the extension,pencil in hand,
while Mr.Grayson carried out his orders.
A little later,he asked the businessman to go with him to the secretary's desk.
"So you did know Ralph Matthews after all,"he said,
throwing onto her desk a sheet of paper he had brought with him.
The girl stopped her noisy typing and rose from her chair,trembling.
"What do you mean,sir?"she demanded weakly.
"And you might as well remove the silver box,"The Thinking Machine coutinued.
"There is no further need of the telephone connection."
