Английский язык с Агатой Кристи. Убийства по алфавиту
Шрифт:
domino ['dmn], whale [wel], separate ['sepret]
"He sticks to his story and he's not one to be heckled. He swears by all that's blue that he picked up Cust in the Whitecross Hotel at Eastbourne on the evening of July 24th. He was lonely and wanted someone to talk to. As far as I can see, Cust made an ideal listener. He didn't interrupt! After dinner he and Cust played dominoes. It appears Strange was a whale on dominoes and to his surprise Cust was pretty hot stuff too. Queer game, dominoes. People go mad about it. They'll play for hours. That's what Strange and Cust did apparently.
Cust wanted to go to bed but Strange wouldn't hear of it — swore they'd keep it up until midnight at least. And that's what they did do. They separated at ten minutes past midnight. And if Cust was in the Whitecross Hotel at Eastbourne at ten minutes past midnight on the morning of the 25th he couldn't very well be strangling Betty Barnard on the beach at Bexhill between midnight and one o'clock."
"The problem certainly seems insuperable," said Poirot thoughtfully (эта
"It's given Crome something to think about," said Japp (Кроуму теперь есть о чем подумать: «это дало Кроуму о чем подумать», — сказал Джепп).
"This man Strange is very positive (этот человек, Стрейндж, очень уверен)?"
"Yes. He's an obstinate devil (он упрямый дьявол). And it's difficult to see just where the flaw is (и как раз трудно понять, где изъян). Supposing (предположим) Strange is making a mistake (что Стрейндж совершает ошибку) and the man wasn't Cust (и тот человек не был Кастом) — why on earth (какого черта: «почему на земле») should he say his name is Cust (следует ему говорить, что его имя было Каст)? And the writing in the hotel register is his all right (и почерк в регистрационной книге отеля точно его). You can't say he's an accomplice (вы не можете сказать, что он соучастник) — homicidal lunatics don't have accomplices (у помешанных убийц не бывает соучастников)! Did the girl die later (умерла ли девушка позднее)? The doctor was quite firm in his evidence (доктор был достаточно тверд в своих свидетельствах), and anyway (и в любом случае) it would take some time for Cust to get out of the hotel at Eastbourne (это бы заняло Касту некоторое время, чтобы выбраться из отеля в Истборне) without being seen (без того, /чтобы/ быть замеченным) and get over to Bexhill (и добраться до Бексхилла) — fourteen miles away (в четырнадцати милях оттуда) — "
insuperable [n'sju:prbl], obstinate ['bstnt], flaw [fl:]
"The problem certainly seems insuperable," said Poirot thoughtfully. "Decidedly, it gives one to think."
"It's given Crome something to think about," said Japp.
"This man Strange is very positive?"
"Yes. He's an obstinate devil. And it's difficult to see just where the flaw is. Supposing Strange is making a mistake and the man wasn't Cust — why on earth should he say his name is Cust? And the writing in the hotel register is his all right. You can't say he's an accomplice — homicidal lunatics don't have accomplices! Did the girl die later? The doctor was quite firm in his evidence, and anyway it would take some time for Cust to get out of the hotel at Eastbourne without being seen and get over to Bexhill — fourteen miles away — "
"It is a problem (это проблема) — yes," said Poirot.
"Of course (конечно), strictly speaking (строго говоря), it oughtn't to matter (это не должно иметь значения). We've got Cust on the Doncaster murder (мы поймали Каста на донкастерском убийстве) — the bloodstained coat (запятнанное
He shook his head (он покачал головой) and got up (и встал). "Now's your chance, M. Poirot," he said (теперь ваш шанс, мсье Пуаро). "Crome's in a fog (Кроум в замешательстве: «/как/ в тумане»). Exert those cellular arrangements of yours (приведите в действие эти ваши клеточные механизмы) I used to hear so much about (о которых я так много, бывало, слышал). Show us the way he did it (покажите нам, как он это сделал)."
Japp departed (Джепп ушел).
bloodstained ['bldstend], exert ['z:t], cellular ['seljl]
"It is a problem — yes," said Poirot.
"Of course, strictly speaking, it oughtn't to matter. We've got Cust on the Doncaster murder — the bloodstained coat, the knife — not a loophole there. You couldn't bounce any jury into acquitting him. But it spoils a pretty case. He did the Doncaster murder. He did the Churston murder. He did the Andover murder. Then, by hell, he must have done the Bexhill murder. But I don't see how!"
He shook his head and got up. "Now's your chance, M. Poirot," he said. "Crome's in a fog. Exert those cellular arrangements of yours I used to hear so much about. Show us the way he did it."
Japp departed.
"What about it, Poirot?" I said (ну, что: «как насчет этого», Пуаро). "Are the little grey cells equal to the task (соответствуют ли маленькие серые клеточки заданию; equal — равный; соответствующий, подходящий)?"
Poirot answered my question by another (Пуаро ответил на мой вопрос другим /вопросом/). "Tell me, Hastings (скажите мне, Гастингс), do you consider the case ended (вы рассматриваете это дело как законченное)?"
"Well — yes, practically speaking (по сути говоря; practically — практически; и в сущности). We've got the man (мы взяли этого человека). And we've got most of the evidence (и у нас есть большая /часть/ доказательств). It's only the trimmings that are needed (требуется только гарнир; trimming — приведение в порядок; украшение, отделка /процесс и результат/; стрижка; подстригание; обновление прически; trimmings — гарнир; приправа /к блюдам/; аксессуары; to trim — подрезать, подстригать)."
Poirot shook his head (Пуаро покачал головой). "The case is ended (дело закончено)! The case (дело)! The case is the man, Hastings (дело — это человек, Гастингс). Until we know all about the man (пока мы не узнаем все о человеке), the mystery is as deep as ever (тайна так же глубока, так и всегда). It is not victory (это не победа) because we have put him in the dock (что мы посадили его на скамью подсудимых; dock — док; скамья подсудимых)!"