04-01-04-三十九级台阶 [10]
；it was a good way for the car to disappear.
'It's my fault，'I told him. 'That's the end of my holiday，but that's better than the end of my life！'
He looked at his watch. 'I'm in a hurry，but my house is very near. Let me give you some food and a bed. But what about your luggage？Is it in the river？'
'It's in my pocket，'I said. 'I'm from Australia，so I never carry much luggage. '
'From Australia，'he cried. 'You're just the man I need. '
We got into his car and in three minutes we were at his very comfortable house. He found some food for me. 'You've only got five minutes，I'm afraid，but you can eat properly after wards. We've got to be at the meeting at eight o'clock. You see，I'm a candidate for the election and I've got a problem tonight. I had arranged for Crumpleton，who was the Australian Prime Minister，to speak at the meeting tonight，but he's ill. I've got to speak for forty minutes，and I don't know what to say. Listen，My-you haven't told me your name-Twisdon，you say？Well，Mr Twisdon，can you talk about Australia for a few minutes？'
It seemed strange to ask a man you had met in a car crash to speak at an election meeting，but I needed his help.
'All right，'I said. 'I'm not a good speaker，but I'll speak for a bit. '
He was delighted. We got in his car，and on the way to the meeting he told me about his life. His name was Sir Harry Andrews and his uncle was in the government and had suggested politics as a job. He knew nothing about politics，but he was a friendly young man and I was glad to help him. When we arrived at the meeting，there were about five hundred people waiting. I was introduced as a'trusted Australian leader'and then Sir Harry started to speak. It was mostly about preparing for war. He said the Germans didn't want a war and that if we stopped building new warships， the Germans would do the same. I thought about Scudder's black book in my pocket.
But behind all the rubbish I could see that Sir Harry was a nice man. And he spoke very badly. I knew I wasn't a good speaker，but I would be better than him.
I simply told them everything I knew about Australia. I said that Britain and Australia must work together and be friends. I think I was rather a success.
When we were back in his car again， Sir Harry was delight－ed. 'You spoke wonderfully，Twisdon，'he said. 'Now you must stay for a few days. There's excellent fishing here. '
We had a good supper-which I needed-and sat in front of a fire in his sitting－room. I thought the time had come for me to tell the truth and see if this man could help me. 'Listen，Sir Harry，I've got something very important to say to you. You're an honest man，and I'm going to be honest too. Everything you said tonight was dangerous rubbish. ' 'Was it？I wasn't sure myself. Do you think Germany is going to start a war with us？'
'In six weeks' time you won't need to ask me that Listen， and I'll tell you a story. '
I sat in front of the fire，in that peaceful room，and told him everything. He heard about Scudder， his notebook， the milk－man， and my travels in Scotland. It was the first time I had told the truth，all of it， to anyone， and I felt better.
'So you see，' I said finally，'I'm the man the police want for the Langham Place murder. You should call them at once.
He looked at me carefully. 'I know you're not a murderer，Hannay， and I believe you're speaking the truth. I'll help you. What do you want me to do？'
'First，write to your uncle. I must contact the government before the 15th of June. '
He pulled his moustache. 'That won't help you. My uncle isn't interested in foreign politics， and I don't think he'd be－lieve you. No. I'll write to a friend of his，Sir Walter Bulli-vant， who works in the Foreign Office . He's an intelligent man and I think he'd help. What shall I say？'
So he wrote a letter to Sir Walter， saying that if a man named Twisdon came to him， he should help him. Twisdon would say the words 'Black Stone'and would whistle the song ' Annie Laurie'， to prove who he was.
He told me where Sir Walter lived， and asked me what more he could do.
'It's my fault，'I told him. 'That's the end of my holiday，but that's better than the end of my life！'
He looked at his watch. 'I'm in a hurry，but my house is very near. Let me give you some food and a bed. But what about your luggage？Is it in the river？'
'It's in my pocket，'I said. 'I'm from Australia，so I never carry much luggage. '
'From Australia，'he cried. 'You're just the man I need. '
We got into his car and in three minutes we were at his very comfortable house. He found some food for me. 'You've only got five minutes，I'm afraid，but you can eat properly after wards. We've got to be at the meeting at eight o'clock. You see，I'm a candidate for the election and I've got a problem tonight. I had arranged for Crumpleton，who was the Australian Prime Minister，to speak at the meeting tonight，but he's ill. I've got to speak for forty minutes，and I don't know what to say. Listen，My-you haven't told me your name-Twisdon，you say？Well，Mr Twisdon，can you talk about Australia for a few minutes？'
It seemed strange to ask a man you had met in a car crash to speak at an election meeting，but I needed his help.
'All right，'I said. 'I'm not a good speaker，but I'll speak for a bit. '
He was delighted. We got in his car，and on the way to the meeting he told me about his life. His name was Sir Harry Andrews and his uncle was in the government and had suggested politics as a job. He knew nothing about politics，but he was a friendly young man and I was glad to help him. When we arrived at the meeting，there were about five hundred people waiting. I was introduced as a'trusted Australian leader'and then Sir Harry started to speak. It was mostly about preparing for war. He said the Germans didn't want a war and that if we stopped building new warships， the Germans would do the same. I thought about Scudder's black book in my pocket.
But behind all the rubbish I could see that Sir Harry was a nice man. And he spoke very badly. I knew I wasn't a good speaker，but I would be better than him.
I simply told them everything I knew about Australia. I said that Britain and Australia must work together and be friends. I think I was rather a success.
When we were back in his car again， Sir Harry was delight－ed. 'You spoke wonderfully，Twisdon，'he said. 'Now you must stay for a few days. There's excellent fishing here. '
We had a good supper-which I needed-and sat in front of a fire in his sitting－room. I thought the time had come for me to tell the truth and see if this man could help me. 'Listen，Sir Harry，I've got something very important to say to you. You're an honest man，and I'm going to be honest too. Everything you said tonight was dangerous rubbish. ' 'Was it？I wasn't sure myself. Do you think Germany is going to start a war with us？'
'In six weeks' time you won't need to ask me that Listen， and I'll tell you a story. '
I sat in front of the fire，in that peaceful room，and told him everything. He heard about Scudder， his notebook， the milk－man， and my travels in Scotland. It was the first time I had told the truth，all of it， to anyone， and I felt better.
'So you see，' I said finally，'I'm the man the police want for the Langham Place murder. You should call them at once.
He looked at me carefully. 'I know you're not a murderer，Hannay， and I believe you're speaking the truth. I'll help you. What do you want me to do？'
'First，write to your uncle. I must contact the government before the 15th of June. '
He pulled his moustache. 'That won't help you. My uncle isn't interested in foreign politics， and I don't think he'd be－lieve you. No. I'll write to a friend of his，Sir Walter Bulli-vant， who works in the Foreign Office . He's an intelligent man and I think he'd help. What shall I say？'
So he wrote a letter to Sir Walter， saying that if a man named Twisdon came to him， he should help him. Twisdon would say the words 'Black Stone'and would whistle the song ' Annie Laurie'， to prove who he was.
He told me where Sir Walter lived， and asked me what more he could do.