Английский язык с Агатой Кристи. Убийства по алфавиту
Шрифт:
I took it from him with some interest (я взял его у него с некоторым интересом).
It was written on thickish white notepaper in printed characters (оно было написано на машинке на плотной белой писчей бумаге: «оно было написано на толстой белой писчей бумаге напечатными буквами»):
docket ['dkt], pigeonhole ['pdhl], through ['ru:]
Suddenly with a brief decisive nod of the head he crossed the room to a desk near the window. Its contents, I need hardly say, were all neatly docketed and pigeonholed so that he was able at once to lay his hand upon the paper he wanted.
He came slowly across to me, an open letter in his hand. He read it through himself, then passed it to me.
"Tell me, mon ami," he said. "What do you make of this?"
I took it from him with some interest.
It was written on thickish white notepaper in printed characters:
MR. HERCULE POIROT (мистер
Yours, etc. (ваш, /и/ т.д.) ,
A.B.C (Эй-би-си) .
fancy ['faens], perhaps [p'haeps], [praeps], etc [t'setr]
MR. HERCULE POIROT — You fancy yourself, don't you, at solving mysteries that are too difficult for our poor thick-headed British police? Let us see, Mr. Clever Poirot, just how clever you can be. Perhaps you'll find this nut too hard to crack. Look out for Andover on the 21st of the month.
Yours, etc.,
A.B.C.
I glanced at the envelope (я взглянул на конверт). That also was printed (он также был напечатан).
"Postmarked W.C.1," said Poirot (штемпель западной части /Лондона/: «проштемпелевано западным графством первым /почтовым отделением/») as I turned my attention to the postmark (когда я обратил внимание на марку). "Well (итак), what is your opinion (каково ваше мнение)?"
I shrugged my shoulders (я пожал плечами) as I handed it back to him (когда передал ему его обратно).
"Some madman or other (какой-то сумасшедший или еще /кто/), I suppose (я полагаю)."
"That is all you have to say (это все, что у вас есть сказать)?"
"Well (но) — doesn't it sound like a madman to you (по-вашему, это не похоже на сумасшедшего: «разве это не звучит как сумасшедший для вас»)?"
"Yes, my friend (да, мой друг), it does (похоже)."
envelope ['envlp], postmark ['pstm:k], shrug [r]
I glanced at the envelope. That also was printed.
"Postmarked W.C.1," said Poirot as I turned my attention to the postmark. "Well, what is your opinion?"
I shrugged my shoulders as I handed it back to him.
"Some madman or other, I suppose."
"That is all you have to say?"
"Well — doesn't it sound like a madman to you?"
"Yes, my friend, it does."
His tone was grave (его тон был серьезным; grave — серьезный, веский, важный). I looked at him curiously (я посмотрел на него заинтересованно; curious — любопытный, пытливый; необычный).
"You take this very seriously, Poirot (вы слишком серьезно к этому относитесь: «вы очень серьезно это принимаете», Пуаро)."
"A madman (сумасшедшего), mon ami (фр. мой друг), is to be taken seriously (следует принимать серьезно). A madman is a very dangerous thing (сумасшедший человек очень опасен: «это очень опасное существо»; thing — вещь, предмет; сущность; дело; обстоятельство)."
"Yes, of course (да, конечно), that is true (это правда). I hadn't considered that point (я не рассмотрел эту точку /зрения/ = не подумал об этом, не принял это во внимание). But what I meant was (но, что я имел в виду это), it sounds more like a rather idiotic kind of hoax (это больше похоже на дурацкую шутку: «это больше звучит скорее как идиотский вид розыгрыша»). Perhaps some convivial idiot (возможно, какой-то идиот навеселе) who had had one over the eight (которому одна /рюмка/ после восьми /оказалась лишней/)."
curiously ['kjursl], hoax [hks], convivial [kn'vvl]
His tone was grave. I looked at him curiously.
"You take this very seriously, Poirot."
"A madman, mon ami, is to be taken seriously. A madman is a very dangerous thing."
"Yes, of course, that is true. I hadn't considered that point. But what I meant was, it sounds more like a rather idiotic kind of hoax. Perhaps some convivial idiot who had had one over the eight."
"Comment (фр. как)? Nine (девять)? Nine what (девять чего)?"
"Nothing (ничего) — just an expression (просто выражение). I meant a fellow (я подразумевал человека; to mean — иметь в виду; подразумевать) who was tight (который напился; tight — тесный; сжатый; раз. пьяный). No, damn it (нет, проклятье: «прокляни это»), a fellow (человека) who had had a spot too much to drink (который принял слишком много: «у которого было больше порций /спиртного/, чем он мог выпить»)."