Английский язык с Агатой Кристи. Убийства по алфавиту
Шрифт:
"Any help from the A.B.C. guide?" asked Crome (какая-нибудь помощь от справочника «Эй-би-си»?).
"It's there," the superintendent nodded towards the table (он там, — старший офицер кивнул по направлению стола). "No fingerprints (никаких отпечатков пальцев). Open at the page for Bexhill (открыт на странице Бексхилла). A new copy (новая копия), I should say (я бы сказал) — doesn't seem to have been opened much (кажется, что его нечасто открывали). Not bought anywhere round here (не куплен где-нибудь здесь). I've tried all the likely stationers (я
"Who discovered the body, sir (кто обнаружил тело, сэр)?"
typist ['tapst], copy ['kp], discover [ds'kv]
"There are other members of the family — yes?" asked Poirot.
''There's a sister — a typist in London. She's been communicated with. And there's a young man — in fact, she was supposed to be out with him last night, I gather."
"Any help from the A.B.C. guide?" asked Crome.
"It's there," the superintendent nodded towards the table. "No fingerprints. Open at the page for Bexhill. A new copy, I should say — doesn't seem to have been opened much. Not bought anywhere round here. I' we tried all the likely stationers!"
"Who discovered the body, sir?"
"One of these fresh-air (один из этих, /дышащих/ свежим воздухом), early-morning (/с/ утра пораньше) old colonels (старых полковников). Colonel Jerome (полковник Джером). He was out with his dog about 6 A.M. (он вышел с собакой около шести утра). Went along the front in the direction of Cooden (прошел по направлению Кудена), and down on to the beach (и вниз к пляжу). Dog went off (собака убежала; to go off) and sniffed at something (и принюхалась к чему-то). Colonel called it (полковник позвал ее). Dog didn't come (собака не подошла). Colonel had a look (полковник посмотрел) and thought something queer was up (и подумал, что что-то странное произошло; to be up). Went over and looked (подошел и посмотрел). Behaved very properly (вел себя должным образом). Didn't touch her at all (вообще ее не трогал) and rang us up immediately (и немедленно позвонил нам)."
"And the time of death was round about midnight last night (и время смерти было примерно в полночь прошлой ночью)?"
"Between midnight and 1 A.M. (между полуночью и часом ночи) — that's pretty certain — (это достаточно определенно). Our homicidal joker is a man of his word (наш маньяк-шутник — человек слова; to joke — шутить). If he says the 25th (если он говорит двадцать пятого), it is the 25th (это двадцать пятое) — though it may have been only by a few minutes (хотя это может быть всего несколько минут)."
Crome nodded (Кроум кивнул). "Yes, that's his mentality all right (это вполне его ментальность). There's nothing else (там больше ничего)? Nobody saw anything helpful (никто /не/ видел /чего-нибудь полезного)?"
colonel ['k:nl], midnight ['mdnat], behave [b'hev]
"One of these fresh-air, early-morning old colonels. Colonel Jerome. He was out with his dog about 6 A.M.. Went along the front in the direction of Cooden, and down on to the beach. Dog went off and sniffed at something. Colonel called it. Dog didn't come. Colonel had a look and thought something queer was up. Went over and looked. Behaved very properly. Didn't touch her at all and rang us up immediately."
"And the time of death was round about midnight last night?"
"Between midnight and 1 A.M. — that's pretty certain. Our homicidal joker is a man of his word. If he says the 25th, it is the 25th — though it may have been only by a few minutes."
Crome nodded. "Yes, that's his mentality all right. There's nothing else? Nobody saw anything helpful?"
"Not as far as we know (нет,
"Well, sir (так, сэр), I'd better get down to it," said Crome (мне бы лучше заняться этим; to get down to — засесть /за работу, учебу/). "There's the caf'e (там /находится/ кафе) and there's the girl's home (а там — дом девушки). I'd better go to both of them (мне лучше сходить в оба /места/). Kelsey can come with me (Келси может пойти со мной)."
"And Mr. Poirot?" asked the superintendent (а мистер Пуаро? — спросил старший офицер).
"I will accompany you," said Poirot to Crome with a little bow (я пойду с вами, — сказал Пуаро Кроуму с легким поклоном; to accompany — сопровождать).
Crome (Кроум), I thought (/как/ я подумал), looked slightly annoyed (выглядел слегка раздраженным/раздосадованным; to annoy — досаждать; докучать, донимать, допекать, надоедать, раздражать). Kelsey, who had not seen Poirot before (Келси, который не видел Пуаро раньше), grinned broadly (широко осклабился).
caf'e ['kaefe], bow [ba], broadly ['br:dl]
"Not as far as we know. But it's early yet. Everyone who saw a girl in white walking with a man last night will be along to tell us about soon, and as I imagine there were about four or five hundred girls in white walking with young men last night, it ought to be a nice business.''
"Well, sir, I'd better get down to it," said Crome. "There's the caf'e and there's the girl's home. I'd better go to both of them. Kelsey can come with me."
"And Mr. Poirot?" asked the superintendent.
"I will accompany you," said Poirot to Crome with a little bow.
Crome, I thought, looked slightly annoyed. Kelsey, who had not seen Poirot before, grinned broadly.
It was an unfortunate circumstance (это было несчастливым обстоятельством) that the first time people saw my friend (что, когда люди видели моего друга в первый раз) they were always disposed to consider him as a joke of the first water (они всегда были расположены рассматривать его как шутку чистой воды: «первой воды»).