impunity [Im'pju:nItI], vanquish ['v&NkwIS], animosity [,&nI'mOsItI]
"I ask myself," said Poirot, "what passes in itself exactly in the mind of the murderer? He kills, it would seem from his letters, pour le sport — to amuse himself. Can that really be true? And even if it is true, on what principle does he select his victims apart from the merely alphabetical one? If he kills merely to amuse himself he would not advertise the fact, since, otherwise, he could kill with impunity. But no, he seeks, as we all agree, to make the splash in the public eye — to assert his personality.
In what way has his personality been suppressed that one can connect with the two victims he has so far selected? A final suggestion: Is his motive direct personal hatred of me, of Hercule Poirot? Does he challenge me in public because I have (unknown to myself) vanquished him somewhere in the course of my career? Or is his animosity impersonal — directed against a foreigner? And if so, what again has led to that? What injury has he suffered at a foreigner's hand?"
"All very suggestive questions," said Dr. Thompson (все это очень серьезные вопросы: «весьма наводящие на мысли»; suggestive — вызывающий мысли).
Inspector Crome cleared his throat (инспектор Кроум прочистил горло). "Oh, yes (о, да)? A little unanswerable at present, perhaps (на которые пока нельзя ответить: «несколько безответные в настоящее время, возможно»; to answer)?"
"Nevertheless, my friend," said Poirot (тем не менее, друг мой), looking straight at him (глядя прямо на него), "it is there in those questions that the solution lies (именно в этих вопросах лежит решение). If we knew the exact reason (если бы мы знали точную причину) — fantastic, perhaps, to us (фантастическую, возможно, для нас) — but logical to him (но логичную для него) — of why our madman commits these crimes (почему наш сумасшедший совершает эти преступления), we should know, perhaps (мы бы узнали, возможно), who the next victim is likely to be (кто, вероятнее всего, будет следующей жертвой)."
Crome shook his head (Кроум покачал головой). "He selects them haphazard (он выбирает их наугад) — that's my opinion (вот мое мнение»)."
"The magnanimous murderer," said Poirot (великодушный убийца).
"What's that you say (что вы говорите)?"
throat [[email protected]], solution [[email protected]'lu:S(@)N], unanswerable [Vn'A:ns(@)[email protected]]
"All very suggestive questions," said Dr. Thompson.
Inspector Crome cleared his throat. "Oh, yes? A little unanswerable at present, perhaps."
"Nevertheless, my friend," said Poirot, looking straight at him, "it is there in those questions that the solution lies. If we knew the exact reason — fantastic, perhaps, to us — but logical to him — of why our madman commits these crimes, we should know, perhaps, who the next victim is likely to be."
Crome shook his head. "He selects them haphazard — that's my opinion."
"The magnanimous murderer," said Poirot.
"What's that you say?"
"I said (я сказал) — the magnanimous murderer (великодушный убийца)! Franz Ascher would have been arrested for the murder of his wife (Франц Эшер был бы арестован за убийство своей жены) — Donald Fraser might have been arrested for the murder of Betty Barnard (Дональд Фрейзер мог бы быть арестован за убийство Бетти Барнард) — if it had not been for the warning letters of A.B.C. (если бы не предупреждающие письма Эй-би-си). Is he (является ли он), then (тогда), so soft-hearted (таким мягкосердечным) that he cannot bear others to suffer for something (что он не может вынести, как другие страдают за что-то) they did not do (/чего/ они не делали)?"
"I've known stranger things happen," said Dr. Thompson (я знаю, что происходили и более странные вещи). "I've known men (я знаю людей) who've killed half a dozen victims (которые убили полдюжины жертв) all broken up (совершенно сломленными = и которые совершенно ломались) because one of their victims didn't die instantaneously (потому что одна из их жертв не умерла мгновенно) and suffered pain (а страдала от боли). All the same (все-таки/тем не менее), I don't think that that is our fellow's reason (я не думаю, что такова логика нашего товарища = что так рассуждает наш подопечный; reason — соображение, мотив). He wants the credit of these crimes for his own honour and glory (он хочет, чтобы заслуга /в совершении/ этих преступлений были его собственной честью и славой; credit — доверие; хорошая репутация, доброе имя; похвала, честь). That's the explanation, that fits best (вот объяснение, которое лучше всего подходит)."
soft-hearted ['sOft,hA:tId], instantaneously [,[email protected]'[email protected]], honour ['[email protected]]
"I said — the magnanimous murderer! Franz Ascher would have been arrested for the murder of his wife — Donald Fraser might have been arrested for the murder of Betty Barnard — if it had not been for the warning letters of A.B.C.. Is he, then, so soft-hearted that he cannot bear others to suffer for something they did not do?"
"I've known stranger things happen," said Dr. Thompson. "I've known men who've killed half a dozen victims all broken up because one of their victims didn't die instantaneously and suffered pain. All the same, I don't think that that is our fellow's reason. He wants the credit of these crimes for his own honour and glory. That's the explanation that fits best."
"We've come to no decision about the publicity business," said the Assistant Commissioner (мы не пришли к решению по поводу публичного оглашения, — сказал заместитель комиссара).
"If I may make a suggestion, sir," said Crome (можно ли мне сделать предложение, сэр). "Why not wait (почему бы не подождать) till the receipt of the next letter (до получения следующего письма)? Make it public then (сделать его публичным тогда) — special editions (экстренные выпуски), etc (/и/ т.д.). It will make a bit of a panic in the particular town named (это причинит панику в конкретном названном городе), but it will put everyone whose name begins with C on his guard (но это заставит быть настороже всех, чье имя начинается на букву «си»: «но это поставит всех, чье имя начинается с /буквы/ «си» на стражу»), and it'll put A.B.C. on his mettle (и это придаст отваги Эй-би-си; mettle — темперамент, характер; пыл, ретивость: to be on one's mettle — рваться в бой, проявлять пыл, ретивость). He'll be determined to succeed (он будет /совершенно/ решившимся достичь цели). And that's when we'll get him (и тут-то мы его возьмем)."
How little we knew (как мало мы знали) what the future held (что готовило будущее: «что содержало будущее»; to hold).
receipt [rI'si:t], guard [gA:d], mettle [metl]
"We've come to no decision about the publicity business," said the Assistant Commissioner.
"If I may make a suggestion, sir," said Crome. "Why not wait till the receipt of the next letter? Make it public then — special editions, etc. It will make a bit of a panic in the particular town named, but it will put everyone whose name begins with C on his guard, and it'll put A.B.C. on his mettle. He'll be determined to succeed. And that's when we'll get him."
How little we knew what the future held.
XIV. The Third Letter
(третье письмо)
I well remember the arrival of A.B.C.'s third letter (я хорошо помню прибытие третьего письма Эй-би-си).
I may say (я могу сказать) that all precautions had been taken (что все предосторожности были приняты) so that when A.B.C. resumed his campaign (так что, когда Эй-би-си возобновил свою компанию) there should be no unnecessary delays (не было никаких ненужных задержек). A young sergeant from Scotland Yard was attached to the house (молодой сержант из Скотланд-Ярда был прикреплен к дому) and if Poirot and I were out (и, если Пуаро и я отсутствовали) it was his duty to open anything that came (его обязанностью было вскрывать всю приходящую почту: «открывать все, что приходило») so as to be able to communicate with headquarters without loss of time (так, чтобы быть в состоянии связаться со штабом без потери времени; headquarters — штаб; главное управление, центр).
As the days succeeded each other (по мере того, как дни сменяли одни другими) we had all grown more and more on edge (мы все больше и больше раздражались: «мы все больше становились на краю»; to grow on edge — разражаться). Inspector Crome's aloof and superior manner (надменное и самодовольное поведение инспектора Кроума) grew more and more aloof and superior (становилось более и более надменным и самодовольным) as one by one his more hopeful clues petered out (по мере того, как одна за одной его наиболее надежные улики отпадали). The vague descriptions of men (расплывчатые описания мужчин) said to have been seen with Betty Barnard (/которых, как/ говорили, видели с Бетти Барнард) proved useless (оказались бесполезными). Various cars noticed in the vicinity of Bexhill and Cooden (разнообразные машины, замеченные вблизи Бексхилла и Кудена) were either accounted for (либо оказались там по уважительной причине: «в них дали отчет»; account — счет; отчет; to account for smth. — отчитываться в чем-либо) or could not be traced (либо не могли быть выслежены). The investigation of purchases of A.B.C. railway guides caused inconvenience and trouble to heaps of innocent people (расследование покупок железнодорожных справочников «Эй-би-си» причинило неудобство и беспокойство множеству невиновных людей).
resume [rI'zju:m], sergeant ['sA:[email protected]], vicinity [vI'sInItI]
I well remember the arrival of A.B.C.'s third letter.
I may say that all precautions had been taken so that when A.B.C. resumed his campaign there should be no unnecessary delays. A young sergeant from Scotland Yard was attached to the house and if Poirot and I were out it was his duty to open anything that came so as to be able to communicate with headquarters without loss of time.
As the days succeeded each other we had all grown more and more on edge. Inspector Crome's aloof and superior manner grew more and more aloof and superior as one by one his more hopeful clues petered out. The vague descriptions of men said to have been seen with Betty Barnard proved useless. Various cars noticed in the vicinity of Bexhill and Cooden were either accounted for or could not be traced. The investigation of purchases of A.B.C. railway guides caused inconvenience and trouble to heaps of innocent people.
As for ourselves (что касается нас самих), each time the postman's familiar rat-tat sounded on the door (каждый раз, когда знакомый громкий стук почтальона раздавался у двери), our hearts beat faster with apprehension (наши сердца бились быстрее от /мрачного/ предчувствия). At least (по крайней мере) that was true for me (это было правдой /по отношению/ ко мне), and I cannot but believe (и я не могу не верить) that Poirot experienced the same sensation (что Пуаро /не/ испытывал тоже ощущение).
