Английский язык с Агатой Кристи. Убийства по алфавиту
Шрифт:
Fraser replied to the question. He seemed to be speaking mechanically. "She told me she was going with a girl friend to St. Leonards."
"Did you believe her?"
"I —" Suddenly the automaton came to life. "What the devil do you mean?"
His face then, menacing, convulsed by sudden passion, made me understand that a girl might well be afraid of rousing his anger.
Poirot said crisply: "Betty Barnard was killed by a homicidal murderer. Only by speaking the exact truth can you help us to get on his track."
His glance for a minute turned to Megan (его взгляд на минуту вернулся к Меган).
''That's right, Don," she said (это
Donald Fraser looked suspiciously at Poirot (Дон Фрейзер подозрительно посмотрел на Пуаро).
"Who are you (кто вы)? You don't belong to the police (вы не из полиции: «вы не принадлежите полиции»)?"
"I am better than the police," said Poirot (я лучше, чем полиция). He said it without conscious arrogance (он сказал это без сознательного высокомерия). It was (это было), to him (/для/ него), a simple statement of fact (простая констатация факта).
''Tell him," said Megan (расскажи ему).
else's ['elsz], arrogance ['aerns], conscious ['kns]
His glance for a minute turned to Megan.
''That's right, Don," she said. "It isn't a time for considering one's own feelings or anyone else's. You've got to come clean."
Donald Fraser looked suspiciously at Poirot.
"Who are you? You don't belong to the police?"
"I am better than the police," said Poirot. He said it without conscious arrogance. It was, to him, a simple statement of fact.
''Tell him," said Megan.
Donald Fraser capitulated (Дональд Фрейзер сдался). "I — wasn't sure (я — не был уверен)," he said. "I believed her when she said it (я поверил ей, когда она сказала это). Never thought of doing anything else (никогда не думал ни о чем другом). Afterwards (позже) — perhaps it was something in her manner (возможно, было что-то в поведении). I — I, well, I began to wonder (я начал сомневаться; to wonder — удивляться; интересоваться; сомневаться)."
"Yes?" said Poirot.
He had sat down opposite Donald Fraser (он сел напротив Дональда Фрейзера). His eyes, fixed on the other man's (его глаза, уставившиеся в глаза другого человека: «застывшие на /глазах/ другого человека»), seemed to be exercising a mesmeric spell (казалось, испускали гипнотические чары; to exercise — практиковать; применять; упражнять).
"I was ashamed of myself for being so suspicious (мне было стыдно за себя, /что я/ подозревал). But — but I was suspicious (но я подозревал: «но я был подозревающим») … I thought of going down to the front (я думал пойти вниз к набережной) and watching her (и проследить за ней) when she left the caf'e (когда она выйдет из кафе). I actually went there (я действительно пошел туда). Then I felt (затем
capitulate [k'ptjulet], mesmeric [mez'merk], ashamed ['emd]
Donald Fraser capitulated. "I — wasn't sure," he said. "I believed her when she said it. Never thought of doing anything else. Afterwards — perhaps it was something in her manner. I — I, well, I began to wonder."
"Yes?" said Poirot.
He had sat down opposite Donald Fraser. His eyes, fixed on the other man's, seemed to be exercising a mesmeric spell.
"I was ashamed of myself for being so suspicious. But — but I was suspicious … I thought of going down to the front and watching her when she left the caf'e. I actually went there. Then I felt I couldn't do that. Betty would see me and she'd be angry. She'd realize at once that I was watching her."
"What did you do (что вы сделали)?"
"I went over to St. Leonards (я поехал в Сент-Леонардc). Got over there by eight o'clock (добрался туда к восьми часам). Then I watched the buses (затем я следил за автобусами) — to see if she were in them (чтобы увидеть, была ли она в них). But there was no sign of her (но ее не было: «но там /не/ было никакого ее признака»).
"And then (а затем)?"
"I — I lost my head rather (я почти потерял голову; to lose — терять). I was convinced (я был убежден) she was with some man (что она с каким-то мужчиной). I thought it probable he had taken her in his car to Hastings (я посчитал вероятным, что он отвез ее на машине в Гастингс). I went on there (я поехал туда) — looked in hotels and restaurants (искал: «смотрел» в отелях и ресторанах), hung round cinemas (слонялся возле кинотеатров) — went on the pier (пошел на пирс). All damn foolishness (все дурацкая глупость). Even if she was there (даже если бы она была там) I was unlikely to find her (я бы наверняка не нашел ее), and anyway (и в любом случае), there were heaps of other places (было множество других мест) he might have taken her to instead of Hastings (/куда/ он мог ее повезти вместо Гастингса)."
convince [kn'vns], restaurant ['restr:], pier [p]
"What did you do?"
"I went over to St. Leonards. Got over there by eight o'clock. Then I watched the buses — to see if she were in them But there was no sign of her …"
"And then?"
"I — I lost my head rather. I was convinced she was with some man. I thought it probable he had taken her in his car to Hastings. I went on there — looked in hotels and restaurants, hung round cinemas — went on the pier. All damn foolishness. Even if she was there I was unlikely to find her, and anyway, there were heaps of other places he might have taken her to instead of Hastings."