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MEETING in RIO - Reading Comprehension
MEETING in RIO - Reading Comprehension
EXERCISES
I True or False
Tick the true statements and correct the false ones
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
everybody had a gun, like the Wild West? But two names, twenty thousand dollars
and a gun that could not be an ordinary man.
I must find him. Perhaps the airline office will know where he is.
He telephoned. No reply. Of course! It was only 6.30 in the morning. Come
on, Harvey, this isnt Bristol. When in Rome So he went for a swim in Mr Costas
(or Mr Silveiras) bathing trunks. Afterwards he lay on Copacabana Beach for half an
hour thinking, and watching the little boys playing football, and two lovely girls
running in and out of the sea. Then he had breakfast more fruit and a lot of coffee.
At nine oclock he telephoned again.
Air France? Flight AF 085 from Paris yesterday. Was there a Mr Silveira on the
plane, please?
One moment sir no, sorry, no Silveira on AF 085.
Did Mr Costa, Jose Costa, arrive on that flight?
Cosciuszko, Costain, ah yes, Costa. Miss Isabella da Costa. She flew to Buenos Aires
last night. Is that your friend?
No, it isnt, hes a man. Jose Costa.
No, I dont think ah yes, here he is, at the end of the list.
Do you know his address in Rio de Janeiro, please?
Yes, here it is. Apartment 4, 18 Rua Tiradentes, Lagoa. Thats near Ipanema Beach,
do you know it?
I can find it, said Harvey, as he put down the phone.
EXERCISES
I True or False
Tick the true statements and correct the false ones
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Senhor, there is Corcovado, and Christ the Kind. He is wonderful, dont you think
so?
Harvey looked at the enormous figure on the mountain top and, worried or
not, he had to agree.
Yes, he is magnificent. How big is he?
The driver waved a hand. Who knows? Two hundred metres, three hundred
metres? Wonderful, wonderful!
Soon they came to the Rua Tiradentes and stopped outside number 18. It was a
new block of twelve apartments. The driver laughed.
Very nice house! Nice friends, eh?
Harvey paid him, took the bag and rang the bell of number 4. No answer. He
rang again. A small window in the door opened, and he could see an eye.
Yes? It was a womans voice.
I am looking for Senhor Jose Costa.
He is not here, the woman said, and shut the little window. Oh no, thought Harvey,
you cant do that, and rang the bell again and again and again. The window
opened.
I told you, he is not here, The voice was angry.
Yes, I know, but his bag I have his bag, and I think he has mine.
The window shut, and the door opened. Come in, said the voice.
Ah, thank you Harvey stopped, with his mouth open. His heart turned over.
Three or four hours passed. The sun rose and set. He could hear the sea. In front of
him was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen in his life.
Come in, I said. Her voice was not angry now.
Who I Im sorry, er Senhora Costa?
My name is Marta Costa. Jose Costa is my brother. Is that his bag?
I yes I think
Then that is your bag? She pointed to the table.
Harvey swallowed, stood up straight, and said loudly, Yes it is. Marta, will
you have dinner with me tonight?
She looked at him for several seconds but did not say anything. Her face was
serious and her eyes were dark. Then she said:
I cant do that. I dont know you. Brazilian girls cant just do what they want to, they
must
If you want to, you can. Will you? Please?
Iperhaps I Oh, its so difficult. You see, my brother
Where is he?
He went to look for you at your hotel. Hell be here soon. In fact I can hear his car.
Good. Ill give him the bag. Hell give me mine, and Ill ask him if I can take you out
tonight.
Oh, you dont understand, it may be impossible. But, she touched his hand and
smiled, thank you anyway.
Understand? said Harvey, as his heart sang, I understand very well. You are the
loveliest, most exciting girl
He stopped, because at that moment they heard the front door open.
EXERCISES
I True or False
Tick the true statements and correct the false ones
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
In front of him was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen in his life.
Her face was angry and her eyes were dark.
Marta Costa is Jose Costas mother.
Jose Costa took Harveys briefcase by mistake.
Jose Costa went to look for Harvey at his hotel.
Harvey fell in love with Marta as soon as saw her.
Did she say yes? he asked. Harvey looked at Marta but she did not look at
him.
Not exactly. I thought I should ask you first.
Costa laughed. Ah, Mr Saunders, you are certainly a gentleman. Marta
decides what to do for herself. It has nothing to do with me. I suppose
He never finished what he was saying, and Harvey never remembered clearly
what happened for the next few minutes. The door opened. A voice shouted Police!
Stand still! Four or five men came in very quickly. Jose Costa moved like lightning
to the bag and the gun appeared in his hand. There was a very loud explosion, and
Harvey saw Jose drop the gun and fall down. Marta screamed and Harvey ran to help
her.
Dont move, I said! shouted the voice, but Harvey did not stop. He had to help this
wonderful girl and keep her safe. As he put out his arms to hold here there was a loud
bang behind his ear and his legs stopped working. He looked straight into Martas
eyes and thought, God, shes beautiful. Someone has just hit me on the head. Then
he fell down into the darkness.
EXERCISES
I True or False
Tick the true statements and correct the false ones
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Years later, when Harvey remembered his journey to South America, it was the last
few days after he had met Marta that he remembered best of all. But if anyone said to
him, What did you do? he could only say, I fell in love. And there was the
Carnival.
As they left the police station they heard music in the streets, even louder than
the traffic.
The Carnival hasnt started yet, has it? Harvey said.
No, not yet. But everybody is getting ready. Its very important to them. Theres
dancing, music and singing, all day and all night. Perhaps Marta stopped. No, not
perhaps. We shall dance, you and I.
Well, they certainly danced. The Carnival started next morning. It was like the
explosion of an enormous bomb, an atom bomb, a musical hydrogen bomb. Harvey
had never seen, had never imagined anything like it. They went to see a parade on the
Avenida Presidente Vargas. It was unbelievable. Noise, music, colour, thousands and
thousands of people laughing and shouting and dancing and cheering. It seemed
endless. They went to a party at a Sporting Club. The music was fantastic. People
danced alone or together, on tables, on the stairs, on the roof of a garage, everywhere.
There was a bar and there was plenty to eat. They ate and talked and drank and talked.
Harvey was surprised by one thing, and asked Marta:
Everybody is drinking, but nobody is drunk. Why?
Drink? Drunk? Who wants that? Listen to the music!
They went to another part of the city, to some of Martas friends. There were
fireworks. Someone asked him afterwards, When did you sleep? and Harvey said, I
dont think we did. They hardly ever thought about the police, or about Jose, or the
Syndicate. They only thought about each other, and the music. Somewhere, some
time, Harvey said:
Marta, you know, I love you.
Me too.
It was enough.
EXERCISES
I True or False
Tick the true statements and correct the false ones
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Yes?
Costa? Do you know who we are?
Yes.
Good. Then listen. Tomorrow you will go to Brasilia. Go to the Brasilia Palace, the
hotel by the lake. We have reserved a room for you. The day after, visit the Palace of
Dawn, between ten and eleven in the morning. That is all.
I understand.
The other man hung up, and Harvey turned towards Marta. Well, my love.
Were going to Brasilia. Where is it, and how do we get there?
Oh, Harvey, youre mad. It is not far, only about 1 000 kilometres. The best way to
go is by bus.
Bus? Harvey was astonished.
Yes, everyone travels by bus in Brazil. Theyre very comfortable and cheap. But we
couldnt get to Brasilia in one day. Well go by air. I must pack.
*
The flight to Brasilia took two and a half hours. Before they landed, they
looked out of the window of the plane at the brown, empty country and at the new city
lying below them. Harvey was very interested.
It looks like I think it looks like he began to say.
An aeroplane, Marta said.
Yes, thats right. Have you seen it before?
Yes, I have, but everyone knows about it. Its very modern, she said proudly.
When was it built?
Only in 1956. But its not finished yet.
*
Harvey did not like Brasilia. He was not sure why, but it did not feel comfortable. The
hotel was very good and very friendly, and the buildings were new and exciting and
spectacular, but
I like old cities, he told Marta.
Then you will like Macchu Picchu, if we ever go there.
The next morning they went to the Alvorada Palace, the Palace of Dawn.
Marta told him it was the official house of the President. It was a long, low building.
The front was all glass, with a flat roof on sixteen graceful columns. In front of the
palace were gardens and two large ponds. In the righthand pond, on a platform, was a
statue of two women doing their hair. The air was clear, the sky was blue, the sun was
brilliant. They went in.
Sign the book please, said the man at the door. At the last moment, Harvey
remembered that his name was Costa. He wrote it in the book.
Senhor Costa? I have something for you.
The man gave Harvey a large envelope. He looked inside and found a bundle
of Brazilian money, about 200 000 cruzeiros, and some papers. There was a typed list
of names in Latin, together with some official papers in German. Harvey could not
understand any of them. The same name was on all the papers EXCELSIOR
BLUMENLADEN 2000 HAMBURG BRD.
Is that all? he asked.
All? The man looked surprised. Isnt there enough?
Yes, yes, Rustemeier, yes. Come along. You have my books? Please, senhorita
He put out a hand towards Marta, who moved quickly away from him and got in the
taxi. Harvey followed her. Rustemeier got in the front and told the driver to start.
On the way to the airport he spoke to them over his shoulder. He seemed to
know a lot about them, and clearly believed that they knew about him. He was noisy
and cheerful.
Yes, sorry we didnt meet before, I was out of town, you know. Im glad you
enjoyed the Carnival. Now its back to work, unfortunately. He broke off and told the
driver, very sharply, to go faster. The driver bit his lip but said nothing, and did as he
was told. There are a lot of beautiful things for you at Manaus. Were waiting for a
boat to Belem. Flowers, plants, seeds, orchids. Excellent! Some boxes of skins and
feathers. Some of them come from Iquitos in Peru, some down the Rio Negre. You
will take them to Belem and put them on a ship for Hamburg. Its a pity we have to
move them all again, but there are no boats from the Amazon to the Elbe.
This amused him, and he roared with laughter. Ha, ha, ha, no boats to the
Elbe. Not this week anyway, ha, ha! Suddenly he turned right round and looked
straight at them both. He was not laughing at all.
Some of my specimens come from the Putumayo. Do you know what
happened there?
Harvey had no idea. But Marta knew.
Terrible things happened there, eighty years ago. It was when they forced the
Indians to collect rubber. Thousands and thousands of people died in the jungle. They
called it Inferno Verde, the Green Hell.
Thats right. The Professor paused. Perhaps they didnt do their jobs
properly. And I tell you, these rivers and these forests can still be dangerous for
people who do not do what they are told. He turned round again. Harvey looked at
Marta. She looked unhappy and frightened. He pressed his knee against hers and she
squeezed his arm, but she did not smile.
The VASP Boeing 727 to Manaus was full, and to Harveys relief the
Professors seat was not near theirs. They flew above the clouds most of the way, but
during the journey the sky cleared in the west, and Harvey looked down at the
immense emptiness of the Mato Grosso.
I wonder what there is down there, he said to Marta.
Not much. Not now, anyway. Perhaps there was, once upon a time. They say
that it was once under the sea, and that the lost city of Atlantis was there, on an island.
But nobody knows.
She sounded miserable. Harvey said quietly, Marta darling, everything will
be all right. And it wont take long to go down the river to Belem. Then we shall be
free to do what we want.
Marta smiled sadly. I hope youre right.
*
At Manaus the Professor was met by an Indian driving a truck. They all
squeezed into the cab. There was not much room. The Professor laughed a lot and sat
very close to Marta, making jokes and putting his hand on her knee. His breath smelt
awful. Harvey decided he would very much like something unpleasant to happen to
the Professor, as soon as possible.
They did not go into the city, but drove from the airport out along a road
through the jungle, to a large, dirty, wooden house in a clearing. Several sheds, built
of rusty corrugated iron, stood near it. There was a sign outside saying Insituto
Botanico. The Professor laughed.
This is my ranch. They used to grow rubber here. Come and meet my
cowboys.
His cowboys were a group of men who were sitting smoking in the shade.
They were of different ages, different sizes and different colours, but the had two
things in common. They all carried guns and, without exception, looked completely
villainous. The Professor took Harvey and Marta into the house, shouting Manuela,
Manuela! A tall woman of about forty, with a stern face and a majestic figure, came
to greet them.
Costa and his sister. Said the Professor, Show them to their rooms and lets
eat.
The woman ignored Marta, but looked very keenly at Harvey. Then she picked
up his bag, took his arm with her other hand, and said:
Come with me, young man.
EXERCISES
I True or False
Tick the true statements and correct the false ones
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
He explained the system. We are dealers in things from the tropics, flowers,
butterflies, anything. I have many collectors working for me. They come here all the
time, from many different places. Nobody asks questions. Why should they? Of
course he winked they bring other, er items, and we ship them out, too, but ha
ha, not so many documents for them! We always send a man with them, in case
anything goes wrong. He takes them as his personal property. Thats your job, from
here. At Belem, theyll be put on board a ship for Hamburg, and you will hand over
the documents to another agent. At least, thats the plan at present. It may change.
Soon after that, Marta and Harvey said they were tired and went to bed.
Manuela went with them so they had no chance to talk. For one alarming moment,
Harvey thought Manuela was going to follow him into his bedroom, but he said
Good night and shut the door behind him. He did not sleep well. One thing was
worrying him badly. What did the Professor and his men think about Marta? Why
hadnt they asked her any questions? What job did they think she was supposed to do?
Struggling with these questions, he fell asleep.
*
Next morning he woke early, badly bitten by mosquitoes. Outside his door
was a man in a long chair who opened one eye as Harvey came out. Theyre
watching me, Harvey thought.
After breakfast the Professor had a phone call. The boat from Iquitos was
arriving at noon. So youll leave tomorrow, he told Harvey. Im sorry your stay was
so short. Come, we must get ready. Soon the Professors men were loading boxes
and crates onto two trucks. Some of the boxes were big and strong, others were quite
light and small, and uncovered.
Those hold the live plants. The Professor said. They are very delicate, you
must always see that they are handled very carefully. Numbers 16, 17, 18 and 19 are
rather special. Underneath them, in the soil, are some little, er objects. You
understand? The customs do not often inspect these plants, in case they damage them.
Very kind of them, eh? He roared with laughter. Are we ready? Then lets go.
They drove into the city, past the extraordinary Opera House, clean, brightly
painted, and empty. The Professor pointed. How about that, eh? Our Covent Garden.
Caruso sang there, you know. He laughed again. But only once!
Harvey looked at Marta, then asked,
Will there be time for us to see the city at all? We havent been here before.
Perhaps we could look around and come back later? And Id like to go to a Post
Office.
This was certainly true. Harvey badly wanted to contact the police, somehow,
to confirm where he was, and to send a message to his brother in Lima. But
Rustemeier looked furious.
Post Office! Youre not going to any Post Office! You stay with me, both of
you. This is work, not a holiday!
The boat was the Isabelita, a small, very dirty steamer about thirty metres
long, with a tall black funnel. On the deck there were sacks, boxes, piles of bananas,
some live chickens and a pig in a wire pen. The boat was tied up to a sort of wooden
island, which was connected to the river bank by ropes and bridges. This was one of
Manauss floating docks which were necessary, the Professor explained, because of
the way the river rose and fell. Signs on the banks showed the height of previous
floods.
Theres a lot of water in South America, said the Professor, and about half
of it comes past here. The river changes all the time. It can rise or fall ten metres very
quickly, sometimes even more.
They went into the Captains cabin, which was quite large, surpisingly clean,
and dreadfully hot. On the wall was a metal plaque which said, John Brown of
Clydenbank 1909. The room was full of people. Captain Pereira was small and quiet,
with sad, tired eyes. He seemed to know the Professor quite well, and greeted Harvey
and Marta most politely. He did not introduce anyone else. After they had drunk a can
of beer together, he said to Marta:
Perhaps you would wait here, Senhorita, and in a minute my steward will
show you your cabin.
For the next two hours Harvey worked very hard, carrying boxes, checking
lists, signing receipts and guarantees, writing down the Professors instructions for
handling the plants. There were thirty or forty other boxes from Iquitos and Leticia,
further up the river. Eventually they went back to the Captains cabin for another beer.
Marta was not there.
Wheres my sister? Harvey asked.
Oh, shell be in her cabin. Now senhores, these papers
There was a lot more signing of documents, involving a customs officer, a man in the
uniform of the Brazilian Air Force, and a policeman who gave no indication
whatever that he was aware of anything unusual in the situation. Harvey was then
informed that he was the legal owner of the entire shipment, and would be personally
responsible for transferring it to the cargo ship Forscher at Belem, where he would
receive further instructions. They drank another beer and the Brazilian officials left.
Come along, the Professor said, Ill show you where you will sleep on the
way. Its not bad. He showed Harvey into a small cabin. Here are all you papers, on
the desk. You sister is next door, Ill get her.
He went out. Suddenly Harvey had a bad shock. There in the corner was his
suitcase the leather suitcase, not so new now, which had got him into this situation.
He knew he had left it at the Professors Institute. What was it doing here? As he
stared at it, amazed, the door shut behind him. Before he could move, it was locked
from the outside. He was a prisoner!
EXERCISES
I True or False
Tick the true statements and correct the false ones
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
The next six days passed like a dream for Harvey. As the Captain had said, it
was not very interesting. The river was very wide, and they stayed a long distance
from the shore, for three very good reasons, said the Captain. The water is deeper,
there are no mosquitoes out here, and you, I hope, will choose to stay on board. But
the view is not very good. It is better to see the Amazon from the air. That is really
something. Five million square kilometers of forest, containing one third of all the
trees in the world.
Stay on board? said Harvey angrily, Of course I shall stay on board. I am
earning my money, just like you.
The Captain just smiled politely, but he seemed to become more friendly from
then on. There certainly was not much to see a few small cargo ships and one day a
Shell tanker. There was one of the paddle steamers that still work on the Amazon
which reminded Harvey of New Orleans and the Mississippi, Indian canoes in the
distance, floating trees and vegetation, flocks of birds, sometimes porpoises jumping
around them. In the early morning, especially, the river was quite still and very
beautiful.
Captain Pereira, Harvey found, was a cultivated and knowledgeable man. He
told Harvey (who pretended that he knew nothing about history) about the opening up
of Brazil, and the dangers of putting all your eggs in one basket.
People made millions out of sugar, out of coffee, then out of rubber. Then the
price dropped and poof! They were finished. In future, I hope it will be better.
He talked about the exploration of the Amazon, the fights with Indians, the
courage and determination of the explorers. Personally, Harvey had always thought
that the developers of Brazil were ruthless bandits who wanted to make a quick
fortune, but the Captain did not agree. He told Harvey about Candido Rondon, who
founded the Indian Protection Service in 1910, and whose motto was Die if
necessary, but never kill. Mostly, however, he talked about the river, which he loved.
It is the biggest river on earth, not the longest the Mississippi is longer but
the Amazon is by far the biggest. 6480 kilometres long, and I know it all. I tell you,
nowhere in the world is there such power. The first European who came down the
Amazon was one of Pizzarros men, called Orellana, and he came all the way from
Ecuador to the Atlantic because he couldnt get back upstream. The same thing can
happen today if the Indians who live on rafts are washed down the river, they often
never come back. At Monte Alegre the river is one and a half kilometers wide, a
hundred metres deep, and the speed of the current is six knots. That could generate
electricity for the whole of South America.
But though he liked the Captain, and was fascinated by his stories, Harvey was
not happy. He thought of Marta with longing and sadness. Would he ever see her
again? He thought about the handover of the Isabelitas cargo at Belem. What then?
Would he be safe? How could he protect himself? Suppose the police did not know
where he was? The Belem police might not even know he existed Captain Pimental
in Rio was a long way away.
Captain Pimental, he thought. He doesnt seem to have done much. I
suppose if he was English he would be called Sergeant Pepper. And then, in a flash,
Harvey had his idea. He went below and there in the hold, among the bananas and the
bags of nuts and the flowers, he found what he wanted. It was a sack full of small, red,
dried seeds in narrow pods. He filled a plastic bag and took it to his cabin. Then he
went to look for something in the engineers store-cupboard, and soon found that, too.
Then he worked alone for an hour in his cabin. That night, he slept a little better.
EXERCISES
I True or False
Tick the true statements and correct the false ones
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Devine laughed disbelievingly. Agreement! Who the hell do you think you
are? You get your orders, the same as anybody else. Who asked you to bring your
goddam sister with you anyway?
Thats my business. Bring her here or I dont hand anything over.
OK, OK, shell be here in half an hour. Now lets move!
He gave instructions to one of his men, who drove off. They went on
unloading. In twenty minutes the car came back and Marta got out. When she saw
Harvey she gave a little cry and ran to him. Harveys heart turned over. He took her
hands, looked into her gentle, passionate eyes, and said:
Marta. Are you all right?
Yes, Im all right.
They havent harmed you?
No, no. But oh, Im so glad youre here.
Well soon be out of this. Now listen. Take that taxi over there and go and get
a room in the centre of the city. Then go here he gave her a card from the
Tropicana Hotel and find the manager. My passport is in his safe. Leave a letter for
me in the safe, telling me where you are. Tell the manager that if anyone but me tries
to get it, anyone at all, he is to call the police. Then go and wait for me in your room.
He turned to Devine and the others. My sister is leaving, in that taxi. If anyone
follows her, the deal is off. Nobody leaves here for ten minutes.
Devines mouth twisted. Some sister, he said nastily.
Marta got in the taxi and left. At least shes safe, thought Harvey, and I shall
be finished soon. But where, oh where are the police?
EXERCISES
I True or False
Tick the true statements and correct the false ones
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
The river at Belem was so wide that it was just like the sea.
Belem looked very European and made Harvey think of Portugal.
The weather was very nice when they arrived at Belem.
After breakfast, Harvey had to unload the crates and pile them on the quay.
Harvey refused to hand over the papers before seeing Marta.
Marta was brought back safe and sound.
Right, now the papers, said Devine. Where are they? All you have to do is
endorse them all, and then you sign this declaration releasing them to me. Ill do the
rest.
Harvey took them to his cabin. The documents lay on his table in a pile.
Acting as a paperweight, to hold them down, was a large engineers oilcan, with a
long spout and a trigger to shoot out oil under pressure. Harvey sat down and said,
Where do I sign? Devine showed him and he signed everything. Devine said, OK,
thats it picked them up, and checked through them again.
Hey, wait a minute, theres something missing! The licence, the export
licence for all the stuff from Peru. Where is it?
Ah that isnt here. (Where are the police, he thought despairingly. I cant
play for time much longer.)
Not here, you dumb bastard? Devine was choking with rage. What do you
mean, not here?
Ive got it somewhere safe, said Harvey, but dont I get some money first?
He picked up the oilcan casually.
Devine gasped. Money? I dont pay your goddamn wages, you stupid fool.
You dont get much anyway. He bent forward and shouted in Harveys face, Go and
sell you sister round the docks, if you want some pocket money.
It was at that moment that Harvey Saunders, a peaceful and intelligent young
man, forgot himself, forgot the Syndicate, forgot the police, forgot everything. He
stood up and said, in a shaking voice,
Why, you ignorant, foul-mouthed, disgusting swine, Im going to break your
neck.
Devines mouth fell open. His two companions looked amazed. Captain
Pereira dropped his cigarette. Good God, thought Harvey, I said that in English.
Quickly he snatched a card from his pocket and shouted: Look at that, youll see!
And as they automatically bent forward to look at it, he lifted the oilcan like a pistol,
and squirt Devine and the two men full in the eyes.
The result was spectacular by any standards. The three men screamed terribly,
dropped everything they held, and hurled themselves backwards, clawing madly at
their eyes. They crashed into one another, fell down, rolled in agony on the floor,
weeping and cursing. Devine beat his face against an open drawer, cutting his cheek
and his chin. One of the men staggered through the door and disappeared, still
screaming. And seconds later, there was an enormous splash. Harvey picked up
Devines gun and pointed it, almost apologetically, at Captain Pereira.
Would you put your gun on the table, Captain, and then get that man pulled
out before the current takes him out to sea?
The Captain moved towards the door, but stopped as another man came in. It
was another Captain, and someone that Harvey knew already.
Captain Pimental! Good morning! I wish youd arrived a little earlier.
Ah, Mr Sanders excuse me, Saunders that was something to see.
The Captain was smiling broadly. We have the man who jumped in the river, and
now well take these bandits too. He put out his hand. Congratulations, senhor. I
dont think you needed our help at all. Tell me, what was in that oilcan?
Water, and a lot of chilli peppers, said Harvey. A sort of home-made
Tabasco sauce. It must have hurt a lot!
Theyll recover, said the Captain unsympathetically, in prison. And now,
can you come to Police Headquarters? We have some paperwork to do.
Yes, of course. But first I must find Marta.
My dear Mr Saunders, she is waiting for you there. Weve been watching you
all the time, you see. Are you surprised? He grinned. Do you not have a saying in
English, the fox sees you when you dont see the fox?
Harvey looked at him and smiled. Thank you, Captain. Tell me, have you
caught them all?
All? The Captain shrugged his shoulders. No, we can never catch them all.
Weve won a battle, but the war goes on. Still, he grinned again, if there were no
criminals, nobody would need policemen, eh? Come along.
*
A few days later Harvey, holding his famous suitcase in one hand, and Martas
hand in the other, came through the passenger barrier at Lima Airport. His brother
was waiting to meet them.
Harvey! he said. At long last. I got your telegram. It didnt say much.
Where on earth have you been?
Alan, this is Marta. We have quite a lot to tell you.
Alan smiled. Yes, I can see that. But tell me one thing first have you got the
photographs?
Photographs? asked Harvey blankly.
Yes, the photographs from my architect in Rio. That was the reason you went
there, remember?
Good heavens, yes! said Harvey in amazement. Id quite forgotten
EXERCISES
I True or False
Tick the true statements and correct the false ones
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
THE END