Chapter 3 first elephant

Three Aunt Alice's "Know It All" Miss Livingston, help me find that address book. It's on your table, Mrs. Olivier, in the left corner. I don't mean that one, said Mrs. Olivier: that's what I'm using now, I mean the last one, last year's one or the previous one. Maybe it's lost?said Miss Livingston. No, I don't throw away things like the address book, because I use it often, and there are often old addresses in it that haven't been copied into the new address book.I remember like it was in a wardrobe drawer. Miss Livingston has just come in to replace Miss Sequier.Mrs. Olivia misses Miss Sekiway very much. She is considerate and sensible. She knows where Mrs. Olivia will put things and her habit of collecting things.She could remember whom Mrs. Olivier had said kind words to, and whom she had written rather disrespectful words in anger.She's just priceless, she's a lot like what's that book called?Mrs. Olivier tried to remember: Oh, yes, it was a big brown book, Queen Victoria's "Know It All", how to remove rust from linen, how to deal with curdled mayonnaise, How to start an informal letter to the bishop, etc., can be found in "Jack of All Trades".It was the best companion for Aunt Alice.

Miss Sequiewe is as easy to use as Aunt Alice's book, Miss Livingston is far behind, always standing there, with a long pale face, and pretending to be very capable, she Every muscle in the face said: I am very capable, but Mrs. Olivier doesn't think so.She only knew where her former employer kept things, and only looked where she thought Mrs. Olivier should keep things. What I'm looking for, Mrs. Olivia said stubbornly like a wayward child: It's the address book from 1970, I think it's also put together in 1969, please find it as soon as possible, okay? Of course, of course.said Miss Livingston.

She looked around blankly, as if she was looking for something she had never heard of and could only be dug up by luck from the sky. I'll go crazy if I don't get Sézière back, Madame Olivier thought, I can't handle this without Sézière. Miss Livingston began to draw out every drawer in Mrs Olivier's study. It was from last year, said Miss Livingston cheerfully: "very close, isn't it?"In 1971. I don't want one from 1971.said Mrs Olivier. A vague memory flashed through her mind. Look for that coffee table.she says. Miss Livingston looked anxiously about.

that table.Mrs. Olivia pointed. Commonly used things should not be placed on the coffee table.Miss Livingston pointed out to her employer the common sense of ordinary life. It's just possible, said Mrs. Olivier: I remember. Pushing Miss Livingston aside, she went to the coffee table and lifted the cover, looking at the fascinating marquetry inside. here. Mrs Olivier opened a round paper tea tin of Chinese Lapsang Souchong tea (distinguished from Indian tea) and pulled a curled brown booklet from the tin. here.she says. This was in 1968, Mrs. Olivier, and it was four years ago. It should be right, Mrs. Olivia grabbed it and returned to the desk.Use this first, Miss Livingston, and find out where my birthday book is.

I have no idea I seldom use it now, Mrs. Olivia said: But I used to have one, a big one, and I have been using it for many years since I started recording when I was a child.I think it's in the attic, you know, as a spare room, for the boys who come on vacation or who aren't very particular.It might be on the bedside cabinet or on the desk. oh, want me to check it out? also good.said Mrs Olivier. When Miss Livingston came out of the room she was in a better mood.She closed the door tightly, walked back to the desk, and began to look at the addresses with faded writing and the smell of tea.

Ravenk.Celia.Ravenk.Well, the third south-west, No. 14, Fisher Lane, was in Chelsea, where she lived at the time, and later on the banks of the Green near Kew Bridge. She turned a few pages back. Yes, it looks like this is her last address.No. 46, Madai Linyuan, probably near Fuhan Road, I think.Do you have a phone?The words are all blurred, but I think it's right, it should be right, Freeman has to try anyway. She went to the phone when the door opened and Miss Livingston poked her head in. will you see I found the address, Mrs. Olivia said: go find the birthday book again, it's very important.

Will you leave it at Sealy Hall? No, Mrs. Olivia said: go find it again. As the door closed she muttered: Look for as long as you like. After she dialed, she opened the door and shouted upstairs: Look for that Spanish box, you know, the brass inlaid one.I forgot where it was, probably under the table in the hall. No one was found on the first call, and the person who answered the phone was a Smith.Mrs. Potter, she was impatient and clueless, and she didn't know the current phone number of the person who used to live in this house. Mrs. Olivier checked the address book carefully and found that there were two hastily scribbled addresses covering other numbers, but not completely covering them.After trying to read it two or three times, she could vaguely make out the faint letter Ravenk among the criss-cross letters and addresses.

One of the people who answered the phone knew Celia. Goodness, she's been away for years, and she seemed to be in Newcastle last time I got a letter from her. Oh dear, said Mrs Olivier: I don't have an address over there. Neither have I, said the kind girl: she seems to be working as a veterinarian's secretary over there. It seemed hopeless.Mrs. Olivia tried a couple more times, but the information in the newer two address books was useless, so she looked forward, and when she asked for the last one, which was the address in 1967, she It's like finding a gold mine. Oh, you mean Celia, the person who answered the phone said: It's Celia.Ravenk?Or is it called Finchwell (Finchwell, the general name for finch songbird)?

Mrs. Olivier almost blurted out: No, not a mockingbird either. This girl is very capable, and the man said: I have worked here for more than a year and a half, and she is very capable. It would be even better if she could stay longer.She later moved to Harley Street, I think I have her address, I'll look for it.Mrs. So-and-so, whose name is unknown, paused for a long time.Find one, seems to be in Islington, do you think it's possible? Mrs. Olivia said it could be anywhere.She thanked Mrs. So-and-so and wrote down the address. It's really hard to find someone's address, usually they will send it to you, it's written on postcards and things like that, but I keep losing it.

Madame Olivier replied that she had the same problem.She dialed Islington's number and was answered by a low voice with a foreign accent. You want to find, um, what did you say?Who lives here? Celia.Miss Ravenk. Oh, yes, she lives here.She lives on the second floor, but she has gone out now and hasn't come back yet. Will you be back tonight? Well, I guess she'll be back soon, because she'll go home and change into evening clothes before going out. Mrs. Olivia thanked her and hung up the phone. Really, she said to herself a little irritably: These girls! She wondered how long it had been since she had seen her goddaughter Celia.They've been out of touch for a long time, and that's the problem.Celia is in London now, so is her boyfriend also in London?Or her boyfriend's mum is also in London?All these questions came rushing out of my head, Mrs. Olivier thought, God, what a headache.

What's the matter, Miss Livingston?She turned her head. Miss Livingston looked like a different person, covered in cobwebs and covered in dust from head to toe.Holding a pile of dusty booklets, she stood in the corridor angrily. I don't know if this is of any use to you, Mrs. Olivier, it's all hundreds of years old.She looked disapproving. It must be there.Mrs. Olivia said. What else do you want from me? there is none left.Mrs. Olivier said: Just put them next to the sofa, and I'll look at them tonight. Miss Livingston was still more disapproving, and said: Very well, Mrs. Olivier, I think I'll dust off the dust first. Thank you. Mrs. Olivia stopped just in time to say: Please do me a favor, dust yourself off, you have six spider threads hanging from your left ear. She glanced at her watch and dialed Islington again. This time the person who answered the phone spoke a clear and pure Anglo-Saxon accent, and Mrs. Olivia felt quite comfortable. Is it Miss Ravenk?Celia.Ravenk? Yes, I'm Celia.Ravenk. Well, I don't think you remember me very well, I'm Mrs Olivier, Aridan.Olivia.We haven't seen each other for a long time, but I'm your godmother, remember. Oh sure, I remember, long time no see. I want to know if I can meet you, or if you are free to visit me, how should I make an appointment, are you coming to have a meal, or Well, not right now, I'm at work.If it's convenient, I can go there tonight, around 7:30 or 8:00.I have an appointment later, but It would be great if you could come.said Mrs Olivier. Well, I will definitely go. I will give you the address. Mrs. Olivier gave her the address. OK, I'll go, I know the area well. Mrs. Olivia made a simple mark in the phone book, and watched Miss Livingston enter the room with a large booklet in her hands impatiently. Is this the one, Madame Olivier? How is it possible, Mrs. Olivier said: there are recipes in there. Oh my God!Miss Livingston said: No wonder. Alright, let me take a look, too.Mrs. Olivia moved the book away involuntarily: look for it again, I think it is probably in the closet next to the bathroom, pay attention to the top shelf above the bath towel, sometimes I put documents and books there .Wait, I'll go up and see for myself. Ten minutes later, Mrs. Olivier was flipping through a faded booklet.Miss Livingston stood by the door in a state of torment, and Mrs. Olivier, unable to bear the sight of suffering, said: Well, there is nothing here, you can go to the table in the restaurant, you know that old table, a bit worn out, see if you can find other address books, earlier, preferably ten years ago.Then Mrs. Olivier said: I don't think there is any need to look for it today. Miss Livingston walked away. If she left, Mrs. Olivier sat down with a sigh, and said to herself as she turned over the birthday book: who would be happier?Is it her or me?When Celia arrives I shall have a busy evening. She picked up a new notebook from the pile of books on the small coffee table next to her desk, jotted down various dates, addresses and names where applicable, checked a thing or two in the phone book, and called Hercule ．Mr. Poirot. M. Poirot? Yes ma'am, it is me. Have you made any progress?said Mrs Olivier. Sorry what's going on? I asked you yesterday, Mrs. Olivier said: Any progress? Oh sure, I'm ready to go, I'm about to start a couple of investigations. It just hasn't started yet.Mrs. Olivier didn't think highly of what men did. What about you, dear lady? I'm busy.said Mrs Olivier. Ha, what are you up to, ma'am? Collect elephants.Mrs Olivier said: If you can understand. I got you. It is not easy to find information about the past. Mrs. Olivia said: Looking back at those names, I was surprised that we remembered so many people.There are also so many boring things written in the birthday book. I really don’t know why I would ask someone to scribble in the birthday book when I was sixteen, seven or even thirty years old. In the motto that came out, some sentences are really boring. Did your investigation pay off? Not much, said Mrs Olivier: but I think I'm on the right track, and I've called my goddaughter. Ah, you want to meet her? Yes, she will come to see me.If she didn't break the appointment, she would arrive at seven or eight in the evening.In fact, it's hard to say, young people are not reliable. Was she happy to get your call? I don't know, said Mrs. Olivier: not particularly happy.Her voice was high-pitched, and now that I think about it, the last time I saw her was about six years ago, and I remember she was scary back then. scary?which aspect? I mean she's a lot tougher than me. This could be a good thing. oh, do you think so? If people decide they don't like you anymore, they're pretty sure they don't, and they'll be happy to let you feel that fact.This is when they send out more messages than they would if they were trying to be friendly. Do you mean when you are pleasing?Makes sense.You mean, when they pick and choose what you want to hear; conversely, when they hate you, they say things that make you uncomfortable.Not sure if Celia was like that, but I distinctly remember when she was five she had a nanny who used to throw boots at her. Did the nanny throw the boots at the kid, or did the kid throw the boots at the nanny? Of course the child throws the nanny.said Mrs Olivier. She hung up the phone, went to the sofa to rummage through the piles of old documents, and whispered some names. Mariana.Josephine.Pentali is right, I haven't thought of her for several years, probably passed away.Anna.Brasby, well, she lives far away She continued to watch, completely oblivious to the time, and was only startled when the doorbell rang.She went to open the door herself.