gent [dZent], rescue ['reskju:], commercial [[email protected]'[email protected]:S(@)l]
"Well, my girl, what is it?" said Anderson. "What's your name?"
"Mary, sir — Mary Stroud."
"Well, Mary, out with it."
Mary turned her round eyes on her master.
"It's her business to take up hot water to the gents' bedrooms," said Mr. Ball, coming to the rescue. "About half a dozen gentlemen we've got staying. Some for the races and some just commercials."
"Yes, yes," said Anderson impatiently (нетерпеливо сказал Андерсон).
"Get on, lass," said Mr. Ball (продолжай, девушка). "Tell your tale (расскажи свою историю). Nothing to be afraid of (нечего бояться)."
Mary gasped (Мэри вздохнула; to gasp — дышать с трудом, задыхаться; ловить воздух), groaned (охнула) and plunged in a breathless voice into her narrative (и задыхающимся голосом начала свое повествование; to plunge — нырять, погружаться).
"I knocked on door (я постучала в дверь) and there wasn't no answer (но не было никакого ответа), otherwise I wouldn't have gone in (иначе бы я не вошла) leastways not unless gentleman had said (по крайней мере, пока джентльмен не скажет) 'Come in' (войдите), and as he didn't say nothing (а так как он ничего не сказал) I went in (я вошла) and he was there (он был там) washing his hands (мыл руки)."
breathless ['[email protected]], narrative ['n&[email protected]], leastways ['li:stweIz]
"Yes, yes," said Anderson impatiently.
"Get on, lass," said Mr. Ball. "Tell your tale. Nothing to be afraid of."
Mary gasped, groaned and plunged in a breathless voice into her narrative.
"I knocked on door and there wasn't no answer, otherwise I wouldn't have gone in leastways not unless gentleman had said 'Come in,' and as he didn't say nothing I went in and he was there washing his hands."
She paused and breathed deeply (она прервалась и глубоко перевела дыхание).
"Go on, my girl," said Anderson (продолжайте, девочка моя).
Mary looked sideways at her master (Мэри посмотрела вбок = скосила глаза на своего хозяина) and as though receiving inspiration from his slow nod (и, как будто получив вдохновение от его медленного кивка; to inspire — вдохновлять), plunged on again (снова начала).
"'It's your hot water, sir,' I said (это ваша горячая вода, сэр, — я сказала), 'and I did knock (и я на самом деле постучала),' but 'Oh,' he says (но «о», — он сказал), 'I've washed in cold,' he said (я /уже/ умылся холодной, — он сказал), and so (и так), naturally (естественно), I looks in basin (я смотрю в рукомойник), and oh! God help me, sir (и, Господи помоги мне, сэр), it were all red (это было все красное)!"
"Red?" said Anderson sharply (красное? — резко спросил Андерсон).
master ['mA:[email protected]], inspiration [,[email protected]'reIS(@)n], slow [[email protected]]
She paused and breathed deeply.
"Go on, my girl," said Anderson.
Mary looked sideways at her master and as though receiving inspiration from his slow nod, plunged on again.
"'It's your hot water, sir,' I said, 'and I did knock,' but 'Oh,' he says, 'I've washed in cold,' he said, and so, naturally, I looks in basin, and oh! God help me, sir, it were all red!"
"Red?" said Anderson sharply.
Ball struck in (Болл вмешался; to strike — ударять/ся/). "The lass told me (девушка сказала мне) that he had his coat off (что он снял пальто: «имел пальто снятым») and that he was holding the sleeve of it (и что он держал его рукав), and it was all wet (и он был весь влажный) — that's right, eh, lass (это правильно, а, девушка)?"
"Yes, sir, that's right, sir (это правильно, сэр)."
She plunged on (она продолжала): "And his face, sir (и его лицо, сэр), it looked queer (оно выглядело странным), mortal queer it looked (смертельно странным оно выглядело). Gave me quite a turn (/это/ меня совершенно потрясло)."
"When was this?" asked Anderson sharply (когда это было? — резко спросил Андерсон).
"About a quarter after five (около четверти шестого), so near as I can reckon (насколько я могу определить: «так близко, как я могу подсчитать»)."
"Over three hours ago," snapped Anderson (более трех часов назад, — резко сказал Андерсон; to snap — щелкать, лязгать, хлопать; разговаривать отрывисто, раздраженно). "Why didn't you come at once (почему вы сразу не пришли)?"
lass [l&s], mortal ['mO:[email protected]], snap [sn&p]
Ball struck in. "The lass told me that he had his coat off and that he was holding the sleeve of it, and it was all wet — that's right, eh, lass?"
"Yes, sir, that's right, sir."
She plunged on: "And his face, sir, it looked queer, mortal queer it looked. Gave me quite a turn."
"When was this?" asked Anderson sharply.
"About a quarter after five, so near as I can reckon."
"Over three hours ago," snapped Anderson. "Why didn't you come at once?"
"Didn't hear about it at once," said Ball (не сразу услышал об этом). "Not till news came along (пока новости не пришли) as there'd been another murder done (что произошло еще одно убийство). And then the lass (а затем девушка) she screams out (она закричала) as it might have been blood in the basin (что это могла быть кровь в тазу), and I asked her (и я спросил ее) what she means (что она имеет в виду), and she tells me (и она рассказывает мне). Well, it doesn't sound right to me (мне не показалось это правильным: «это не прозвучало для меня правильно») and I went upstairs myself (и я пошел наверх сам). Nobody in the room (никого в комнате). I asks a few questions (я задаю несколько вопросов) and one of the lads in courtyard says (и один из парней во дворе говорит) he saw a fellow sneaking out that way (он видел, как человек крался наружу туда: «в том направлении»; to sneak — красться) and by his description it was the right one (и по описанию, это был тот, кто нужно; right — именно тот, который нужен). So I says to the missus (так я сказал хозяйке; missus — Mrs — mistress — хозяйка /дома/) as Mary here had best go to police (что Мэри лучше пойти в полицию). She doesn't like the idea (ей не нравится эта идея), Mary doesn't (Мэри не /нравится/), and I says (и я говорю) I'll come along with her (я пойду с ней)."
Inspector Crome drew a sheet of paper towards him (инспектор Кроум протянул ему лист бумаги).
sneak [sni:k], missus ['[email protected]], sheet [Si:t]
"Didn't hear about it at once," said Ball. "Not till news came along as there'd been another murder done. And then the lass she screams out as it might have been blood in the basin, and I asked her what she means, and she tells me. Well, it doesn't sound right to me and I went upstairs myself. Nobody in the room. I asks a few questions and one of the lads in courtyard says he saw a fellow sneaking out that way and by his description it was the right one. So I says to the missus as Mary here had best go to police. She doesn't like the idea, Mary doesn't, and I says I'll come along with her."
Inspector Crome drew a sheet of paper towards him.
"Describe this man," he said (опишите этого человека). "As quick as you can (как можно быстрее: «так быстро, как вы можете»). There's no time to be lost (нельзя терять время: «там нет времени, чтобы его терять»)."
"Medium-sized, he were," said Mary (среднего роста: «среднего размера» он был). "And stooped (и сутулый; to stoop — наклоняться; сутулиться) and wore glasses (и носил очки = на нем были очки; to wear).''
"His clothes (его одежда)?"
"A dark suit (темный костюм) and a Homburg[42] hat (и хомбургская шляпа). Rather shabby-looking (довольно потрепанный; shabby — поношенный; потрепанный, протертый)."
She could add little to this description (она могла мало добавить к этому описанию).
Inspector Crome did not insist unduly (инспектор Кроум не настаивал чрезмерно; duly — должным образом; достаточно). The telephone wires were soon busy (телефонные провода были скоро заняты), but neither the inspector (но ни инспектор) nor the Chief Constable were overoptimistic (ни начальник полиции не были слишком оптимистичны).
Crome elicited the fact (Кроум выяснил тот факт; to elicit — извлекать; вытягивать, допытываться; вызывать, выявлять) that the man (что мужчина), when seen sneaking across the yard (когда его видели крадущимся по двору), had had no bag or suitcase (не имел /с собой/ ни сумки, ни чемодана). "There's a chance there (в этом есть шанс)," he said.
wore [wO:], unduly ['Vn'dju:lI], insist [In'sIst]
"Describe this man," he said. "As quick as you can. There's no time to be lost."
"Medium-sized, he were," said Mary. "And stooped and wore glasses.''
"His clothes?"
"A dark suit and a Homburg hat. Rather shabby-looking."
She could add little to this description.
Inspector Crome did not insist unduly. The telephone wires were soon busy, but neither the inspector nor the Chief Constable were overoptimistic.
Crome elicited the fact that the man, when seen sneaking across the yard, had had no bag or suitcase. "There's a chance there," he said.
Two men were dispatched to the Black Swan (двое мужчин были отправлены в «Черный лебедь»).
Mr. Ball (мистер Болл), swelling with pride and importance (раздуваясь от гордости и важности; to swell — надуваться, раздуваться), and Mary, somewhat tearful (и Мэри, слегка в слезах), accompanied them (сопровождали их).
The sergeant returned about ten minutes later (сержант пришел примерно десять минут спустя).
"I've brought the register, sir," he said (я принес регистрационную книгу, сэр). "Here's the signature (вот подпись)."
We crowded round (мы столпились вокруг). The writing was small and cramped (почерк был мелкий и тесный) — not easy to read (нелегко прочитать).
dispatch [dIs'p&tS], register ['[email protected]], signature ['[email protected]]
Two men were dispatched to the Black Swan.
Mr. Ball, swelling with pride and importance, and Mary, somewhat tearful, accompanied them.
The sergeant returned about ten minutes later.
"I've brought the register, sir," he said. "Here's the signature."
We crowded round. The writing was small and cramped — not easy to read.
"A.B.Case (Эй. Би. Кейс) — or is it Cash (или это Кэш)?" said the Chief Constable (сказал начальник полиции).
