ginger ['[email protected]], engage [In'geIdZ], withdrawal [wID'drO:@l]
"You have not, I presume, a description of the dead girl?"
"She was twenty-three years of age, engaged as a waitress at the Ginger Cat café — "
"Pas ça, I wondered — if she were pretty?"
"As to that I've no information," said Inspector Crome with a hint of withdrawal. His manner said: "Really — these foreigners! All the same!"
A final look of amusement came into Poirot's eyes. "It does not seem to you important, that? Yet, pour une femme, it is of the first importance. Often it decides her destiny!"
Inspector Crome fell back on his conversational full stop (инспектор Кроум поставил точку в беседе: «прибегнул к своему полному завершению беседы»; to fall back). "Oh, yes?" he inquired politely (о да? — он вежливо осведомился).
Another silence fell (снова наступила тишина: «упала другая тишина»).
It was not until we were nearing Sevenoaks (только когда мы приближались к Севеноукс: «это не было пока мы не приблизились к Севеноукс») that Poirot opened the conversation again (Пуаро снова начал беседу; to open — открывать; начинать).
"Were you informed (вас /не/ информировали), by any chance (случайно), how and with what the girl was strangled (как и чем была задушена девушка)?"
Inspector Crome replied briefly (инспектор Кроум ответил коротко). "Strangled with her own belt (задушена собственным поясом) — a thick, knitted affair (таким толстым, вязаным: «толстой, вязаной штукой»; affair — дело; происшествие; штука, нечто), I gather (/как/ я понял)."
Poirot's eyes opened very wide (глаза Пуаро широко раскрылись). "Aha (ага)," he said. "At last we have a piece of information (наконец-то у нас есть информация: «у нас есть кусок информации») that is very definite (которая очень определенная). That tells one something, does it not (это говорит нам о чем-то, не так ли)?"
"I haven't seen it yet," said Inspector Crome coldly (я еще его не видел, — сказал инспектор Кроум холодно).
knitted ['nItId], strangle [str&Ngl], aha [V(:)'hA:]
Inspector Crome fell back on his conversational full stop. "Oh, yes?" he inquired politely.
Another silence fell.
It was not until we were nearing Sevenoaks that Poirot opened the conversation again.
"Were you informed, by any chance, how and with what the girl was strangled?"
Inspector Crome replied briefly. "Strangled with her own belt — a thick, knitted affair, I gather."
Poirot's eyes opened very wide. "Aha," he said. "At last we have a piece of information that is very definite. That tells one something, does it not?"
"I haven't seen it yet," said Inspector Crome coldly.
I felt impatient with the man's caution and lack of imagination (я почувствовал нетерпение от осторожности этого человека и отсутствия /у него/ воображения). "It gives us the hallmark of the murderer," I said (это дает нам представление об убийце: «это дает нам клеймо для убийцы»; hallmark — клеймо; проба; признак). "The girl's own belt (собственный пояс девушки). It shows the particular beastliness of his mind (это показывает особую жестокость его ума; beast — зверь)!"
Poirot shot me a glance (Пуаро бросил в меня взгляд; to shoot) I could not fathom (/который/ я не смог понять: «измерить, охватить»). On the face of it (было похоже: «на поверхности этого»), it conveyed humorous impatience (что он передавал забавное нетерпение). I thought (я подумал) that perhaps (что, возможно) it was a warning not to be too outspoken in front of the inspector (это было предупреждением не быть слишком откровенным перед инспектором; outspoken — искренний, откровенный, открытый, прямой; чистосердечный).
I relapsed into silence (я снова предался молчанию; to relapse — /снова/ впадать /в какое-либо состояние/).
At Bexhill we were greeted by Superintendent Carter (в Бексхилле нас приветствовал старший инспектор Картер). He had with him a pleasant-faced, intelligent-looking young inspector (с ним был молодой инспектор с приятным лицом, выглядящий смышленым: «выглядящий умным») called Kelsey (по имени Келси).
hallmark ['hO:lmA:k], relapse [rI'l&ps], pleasant ['plez(@)nt]
I felt impatient with the man's caution and lack of imagination. "It gives us the hallmark of the murderer," I said. "The girl's own belt. It shows the particular beastliness of his mind!"
Poirot shot me a glance I could not fathom. On the face of it, it conveyed humorous impatience. I thought that perhaps it was a warning not to be too outspoken in front of the inspector.
I relapsed into silence.
At Bexhill we were greeted by Superintendent Carter. He had with him a pleasant-faced, intelligent-looking young inspector called Kelsey.
The latter was detailed to work in with Crome over the case (последнего ввели в подробности /дела/, чтобы /он/ работал с Кроумом над этим делом; latter — недавний; последний /из двух названных/).
"You'll want to make your own inquiries, Crome," said the superintendent (вы захотите провести свои собственные расследования, Кроум, — сказал старший офицер).
"So I'll just give you the main heads of the matter (поэтому я вам просто сообщу основные детали дела; head — голова; верхняя и главная часть чего-то) and then you can get busy right away (а затем вы можете сразу /им/ заняться)."
"Thank you sir," said Crome.
"We've broken the news to her father and mother," said the superintendent (мы сообщили новость ее отцу и матери; to break the news — известить о случившемся). "Terrible shock to them, of course (ужасное потрясение для них, конечно). I left them to recover a bit (я оставил их, чтобы /они/ немного пришли в себя), before questioning them (прежде чем допрашивать их; to question — спрашивать, задавать вопросы; допрашивать), so you can start from the beginning there (так что вы можете начать там с начала)."
latter ['l&[email protected]], busy ['bIzI], recover [rI'[email protected]]
The latter was detailed to work in with Crome over the case.
"You'll want to make your own inquiries, Crome," said the superintendent.
"So I'll just give you the main heads of the matter and then you can get busy right away."
"Thank you sir," said Crome.
"We've broken the news to her father and mother," said the superintendent. "Terrible shock to them, of course. I left them to recover a bit before questioning them, so you can start from the beginning there."
"There are other members of the family (есть другие члены семьи) — yes?" asked Poirot.
''There's a sister (там есть сестра) — a typist in London (машинистка в Лондоне; to type — писать, печатать на машинке). She's been communicated with (с нею связались). And there's a young man (и там есть молодой человек) — in fact (фактически), she was supposed to be out with him last night (предполагалось, что у нее было свидание с ним прошлой ночью; to be out — не быть /дома/, выходить), I gather (/как/ я понимаю; to gather — собирать; делать вывод, умозаключение /from — из чего-л., на основании чего-л./)."
"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 проверил все вероятные канцелярские магазины)!"
"Who discovered the body, sir (кто обнаружил тело, сэр)?"
typist ['taIpIst], copy ['kOpI], discover [dIs'[email protected]]
"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 ['[email protected]:n(@)l], midnight ['mIdnaIt], behave [bI'heIv]
"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."
