Английский язык с Агатой Кристи. Убийства по алфавиту
Шрифт:
"Ah, but I want it to be more serious than that. Do you all swear to speak the truth?"
He was so solemn about it that the others, puzzled, became solemn themselves. They all swore as he demanded.
"Bon," said Poirot briskly. "Let us begin — "
"I'm ready," said Thora Grey (я готова).
"Ah, but ladies first (но дамы первые) — this time it would not be the politeness (в этот раз, пожалуй, не будет вежливости). We will start elsewhere (мы начнем с кого-нибудь еще; elsewhere —
He turned to Franklin Clarke (он повернулся к Франклину Кларку). "What (что), mon cher M. Clarke (фр. мой дорогой мсье Кларк), did you think of the hats (вы подумали о шляпках) the ladies wore at Ascot [47] this year (которые женщины носили в Эскоте в этом году)?"
Franklin Clarke stared at him (Франклин Кларк уставился на него). "Is this a joke (это шутка)?"
47
Ascot — Аскот, Эскот (место ежегодных скачек близ Виндзора).
"Certainly not (разумеется, нет)."
"Is that seriously your question (это действительно ваш вопрос)?"
politeness [p'latns], wore [w:], joke [k]
"I'm ready," said Thora Grey.
"Ah, but ladies first — this time it would not be the politeness. We will start elsewhere."
He turned to Franklin Clarke. "What, mon cher M. Clarke, did you think of the hats the ladies wore at Ascot this year?"
Franklin Clarke stared at him. "Is this a joke?"
"Certainly not."
"Is that seriously your question?"
"It is (/так и/ есть)."
Clarke began to grin (Кларк начал ухмыляться). "Well, M. Poirot (ну, мсье Пуаро), I didn't actually go to Ascot (я в действительности не ездил в Эскот), but from what I could see of them driving in cars (но я видел их, /когда они/ ехали на машинах), women's hats for Ascot were an even bigger joke (женские шляпки в Эскоте были даже большей шуткой = еще забавнее/нелепее) than the hats they wear ordinarily (чем те шляпки, которые они носят обычно)."
"Fantastic (причудливые; fantastic — фантастический, причудливый)?"
"Quite fantastic (совершенно причудливые)."
Poirot smiled and turned to Donald Fraser (Пуаро улыбнулся и повернулся к Дональду Фрейзеру). "When did you take your holiday this year, Monsieur (когда вы брали отпуск в этом году, мсье)?"
car [k:], fantastic [fn'taestk], holiday ['hlde]
"It is."
Clarke began to grin. "Well, M. Poirot, I didn't actually go to Ascot, but from what I could see of them driving in cars, women's hats for Ascot were an even bigger joke than the hats they wear ordinarily."
"Fantastic?"
"Quite fantastic."
Poirot smiled and turned to Donald Fraser. "When did you take your holiday this year, Monsieur?"
It was Fraser's turn to stare (настала:
His face quivered suddenly (его лицо неожиданно скривилось). I guessed (я догадался) that the question had brought the loss of the girl he loved back to him (что вопрос напомнил ему о потери девушки, которую он любил: «что вопрос принес потерю девушки, /которую/ он любил, назад ему»).
Poirot, however, did not seem to pay much attention to the reply (Пуаро, однако, казалось, не обратил много внимания на ответ). He turned to Thora Grey (он повернулся к Торе Грей) and I heard the slight difference in his voice (и я услышал легкое изменение в его голосе). It had tightened up (он утратил мягкость; to tighten up — затягивать). His question came sharp and clear (его вопрос прозвучал резко и четко).
"Mademoiselle (мадемуазель), in the event of Lady Clarke's death (в случае смерти леди Кларк), would you have married Sir Carmichael (вы бы вышли за сэра Кармайкла) if he had asked you (если бы он сделал вам предложение: «попросил вас»)?"
loss [ls], difference ['dfrns], event ['vent]
It was Fraser's turn to stare. "My holiday? The first two weeks in August."
His face quivered suddenly. I guessed that the question had brought the loss of the girl he loved back to him.
Poirot, however, did not seem to pay much attention to the reply. He turned to Thora Grey and I heard the slight difference in his voice. It had tightened up. His question came sharp and clear.
"Mademoiselle, in the event of Lady Clarke's death, would you have married Sir Carmichael if he had asked you?"
The girl sprang up (девушка подпрыгнула). "How dare you ask me such a question (как вы смеете задавать мне такой вопрос). It's — it's insulting (это оскорбительно; to insult — оскорблять, обижать)!"
"Perhaps (возможно). But you have sworn to speak the truth (но вы поклялись говорить правду; to swear). Eh bien (фр. ну, так) — yes or no (да или нет)?"
"Sir Carmichael was wonderfully kind to me (сэр Кармайкл был удивительно добр ко мне). He treated me almost like a daughter (он обращался со мной почти как с дочерью). And that's how I felt to him (и это то, что я чувствовала по отношению к нему = и именно так…) — just affectionate and grateful (только нежные и благодарные /чувства/; affectionate — любящий, нежный)."