Английский язык с Агатой Кристи. Убийства по алфавиту
Шрифт:
"What's that?" The woman looked up sharply. "A Russian did it, you say?"
"I understand that the police have arrested him."
"Did you ever now?" The woman was excited, voluble. "A foreigner."
"Mais oui. I thought perhaps you might have noticed him last night?"
"Well (ну), I don't get much chance of noticing (у меня не много возможностей замечать), and that's a fact (и это факт). The evening's our busy time (вечер — это наше напряженное время; busy — занятой, деятельный; оживленный; суетливый) and there's always a fair few passing along (и там всегда несколько /человек/, идущих мимо) and getting home after their work (и
I broke in on my cue (я вмешался со своей репликой; to break in).
"Excuse me, sir," I said to Poirot (извините меня, сэр, — я сказал Пуаро). "I think (я думаю) you have been misinformed (вас неправильно информировали; to inform). A short dark man (невысокий темный человек) I was told (мне сказали)."
An interested discussion intervened (началась интересная дискуссия; to intervene — вмешаться; происходить; возникнуть) in which the stout lady (в которой дородная леди), her lank husband (ее худощавый муж; lank — вялый; худощавый, худой) and a hoarse-voiced shop-boy (и мальчишка-продавец с хриплым голосом) all participated (все приняли участие). No less than four short dark men had been observed (не менее чем четыре невысоких темноволосых мужчины были замечены), and the hoarse boy had seen a tall fair one (а хриплый мальчишка видел высокого светловолосого), "but he hadn't got no beard," he added regretfully (но у него не было никакой бороды, — он добавил с сожалением; to regret — сожалеть).
intervene [nt'vi:n], hoarse [h:s], participate [p:'tspet]
"Well, I don't get much chance of noticing, and that's a fact. The evening's our busy time and there's always a fair few passing along and getting home after their work. A tall, fair man with a beard — no, I can't say I saw anyone of that description anywhere about."
I broke in on my cue.
"Excuse me, sir," I said to Poirot. "I think you have been misinformed. A short dark man I was told."
An interested discussion intervened in which the stout lady, her lank husband and a hoarse-voiced shop-boy all participated. No less than four short dark men had been observed, and the hoarse boy had seen a tall fair one, "but he hadn't got no beard," he added regretfully.
Finally (наконец), our purchases made (сделав наши покупки), we left the establishment (мы покинули учреждение), leaving our falsehoods uncorrected (не исправив наш обман: «оставляя неисправленным наш обман»; falsehood — обман, неправда; to correct).
"And what was the point of all that, Poirot (и в чем был смысл этого всего, Пуаро)?" I demanded somewhat reproachfully (я спросил несколько с упреком; somewhat — что-то; кое-что; как отчасти, слегка; reproach — упрек).
"Parbleu (фр. ей-богу), I wanted to estimate the chances of a stranger being noticed entering the shop opposite (я хотел измерить шансы незнакомца быть замеченным входящим в магазин напротив)."
"Couldn't you simply have asked (не могли вы просто спросить) — without all that tissue of lies (безо всей этой паутины лжи; tissue — ткань; паутина)?"
purchase ['p:ts], reproachfully [r'prtfl], tissue ['tsju:]
Finally, our purchases made, we left the establishment, leaving our falsehoods uncorrected.
"And what was the point of all that, Poirot?" I demanded somewhat reproachfully.
"Parbleu, I wanted to estimate the chances of a stranger being noticed entering the shop opposite."
"Couldn't you simply have asked — without all that tissue of lies?"
"No, mon ami (нет,
But by making a statement (но сделав = если сделать заявление) (and a somewhat out-of-the-way (и слегка странное: «далекого от пути») and preposterous one (и нелепое)) and by your contradiction of it (и вашим противоречием ему), tongues are immediately loosened (языки немедленно развязываются; to loose — освобождать; развязывать; отпускать). We know also (мы также знаем) that that particular time was a 'busy time' (что это особенное время было «напряженным временем») — that is (то есть), that everyone would be intent on their own concerns (что каждый был погружен в собственные проблемы) and that there would be a fair number of people (и что было большое количество людей) passing along the pavements (проходящих по тротуарам). Our murderer chose his time well, Hastings (наш убийца хорошо выбрал время, Гастингс; to choose — выбирать)."
appreciate ['pri:et], preposterous [pr'pstrs], loose [lu:s]
"No, mon ami. If I had 'simply asked,' as you put it, I should have got no answer at all to my questions. You yourself are English and yet you do not seem to appreciate the quality of the English reaction to a direct question. It is invariably one of suspicion and the natural result is reticence. If I had asked those people for information they would have shut up like oysters.
But by making a statement (and a somewhat out-of-the-way and preposterous one) and by your contradiction of it, tongues are immediately loosened. We know also that that particular time was a 'busy time' — that is, that everyone would be intent on their own concerns and that there would be a fair number of people passing along the pavements. Our murderer chose his time well, Hastings."
He paused (он замолк) and then added on a deep note of reproach (и затем добавил с ноткой глубокого упрека): "Is it that you have not in any degree the common sense, Hastings (разве у вас нет ни капли здравого смысла: «разве вы ни в какой степени не обладаете здравым смыслом», Гастингс)? I say to you (я вам говорю): 'Make the purchase quelconque' (сделайте покупку фр. какую-нибудь) — and you deliberately choose the strawberries (а вы намеренно выбираете клубнику; deliberate — хорошо обдуманный; намеренный)! Already they commence to creep through their bag (они уже начинают просачиваться через свой пакет; to creep — ползти; проскальзывать) and endanger your good suit (и угрожать вашему хорошему костюму)."