At this moment (в этот момент) there was a solid mass of people (там была плотная масса людей) standing staring at one particular house or shop (стоящих /и/ разглядывающих один определенный дом или магазин) and it took little perspicuity to guess which that was (и требовалось немного понимания, что бы догадаться, что это был /за дом/; perspicuity — четкость, ясность; понимание). What we saw was a mass of average human beings (что мы увидели, было массой обыкновенных человеческих существ; average — средний; обыкновенный, типичный) looking with intense interest at the spot (глядящих с большим интересом на то место; intense — значительный; интенсивный) where another human being had been done to death (где другое человеческое существо было убито; to do to death — убить).
intersperse [, [email protected]' [email protected]:s], perspicuity [, [email protected]:spI'kju(:)ItI], human being ['hju:m(@)n 'bi:IN]
But if that had been his purpose it was defeated. Certainly at this moment the road bore very little likeness to its appearance on the previous evening. There were a certain number of small shops interspersed between private houses of the poorer class. I judged that ordinarily there would be a fair number of people passing up and down — mostly people of the poorer classes, with a good sprinkling of children playing on the pavements and in the road.
At this moment there was a solid mass of people standing staring at one particular house or shop and it took little perspicuity to guess which that was. What we saw was a mass of average human beings looking with intense interest at the spot where another human being had been done to death.
As we drew nearer this proved to be indeed the case (когда мы подошли ближе, это оказалось действительно так: «таким случаем»; to draw — тащить; подходить). In front of a small dingy-looking shop with its shutters now closed (перед маленьким грязноватым магазином с закрытыми теперь ставнями) stood a harassed-looking young policeman (стоял взволнованный молодой полицейский; to harass — беспокоить, волновать) who was stolidly adjuring the crowd to "pass along there." (который бесстрастно заклинал толпу «проходить мимо»; to adjure — умолять, заклинать; stolid — бесстрастный, невозмутимый, флегматичный, вялый) By the help of a colleague (при помощи сослуживца/коллеги), displacements took place (перемещения имели место = произошли, были произведены) — a certain number of people grudgingly sighed and betook themselves to their ordinary vocations (некоторое количество людей неохотно вздыхали и отправлялись по своим обычным делам; to betake — обращаться; вверять; отправляться; vocation — профессия; призвание; род занятий), and almost immediately other persons came along (и почти немедленно подходили другие люди) and took up their stand (и занимали их место; stand — остановка; место) to gaze their fill on the spot (чтобы получить свою порцию зрелища того места: «чтобы рассмотреть свою порцию на том месте») where murder had been committed (где было совершено убийство).
dingy ['dIndZI], adjuring [@' [email protected]], colleague ['kOli:g]
As we drew nearer this proved to be indeed the case. In front of a small dingy-looking shop with its shutters now closed stood a harassed-looking young policeman who was stolidly adjuring the crowd to "pass along there." By the help of a colleague, displacements took place — a certain number of people grudgingly sighed and betook themselves to their ordinary vocations, and almost immediately other persons came along and took up their stand to gaze their fill on the spot where murder had been committed.
Poirot stopped a little distance from the main body of the crowd (Пуаро остановился на некотором расстоянии от основной части толпы; body — тело; основная часть).
From where we stood (откуда мы стояли) the legend painted over the door (надпись, сделанная над дверью: «надпись, нарисованная над дверью»; legend — легенда; надпись) could be read plainly enough (достаточно хорошо читалась). Poirot repeated it under his breath (Пуаро повторил ее шепотом: «под дыханием»).
"A. Ascher (Э. Эшер). Oui, c'est peut être là (фр. да, это, вероятно, здесь) —" He broke off (он прервался; to break off). "Come, let us go inside, Hastings (идемте, давайте зайдем внутрь, Гастингс)."
I was only too ready (я был только за: «я был только слишком готов /это сделать/»).
We made our way through the crowd (мы прошли сквозь толпу) and accosted the young policeman (и обратились к молодому полицейскому; to accost — приветствовать; обращаться /к кому-л./).
legend [' [email protected]], repeat [rI'pi:t], through [Tru:]
Poirot stopped a little distance from the main body of the crowd.
From where we stood the legend painted over the door could be read plainly enough. Poirot repeated it under his breath.
"A. Ascher. Oui, c'est peut être là —" He broke off. "Come, let us go inside, Hastings."
I was only too ready.
We made our way through the crowd and accosted the young policeman.
Poirot produced the credentials (Пуаро предоставил бумаги/мандат) which the inspector had given him (которые ему дал инспектор). The constable nodded (констебль кивнул), and unlocked the door to let us pass within (и открыл дверь, чтобы позволить нам пройти внутрь). We did so (мы вошли: «мы так и сделали») and entered to the intense interest of the lookers-on (и вошли к вящему любопытству зевак).
Inside it was very dark (внутри было очень темно) owing to the shutters being closed (из-за того, что ставни были закрыты). The constable found and switched on the electric light (констебль нашел /выключатель/ и включил свет: «электрический свет»; to switch on). The bulb was a low-powered one (лампочка была маломощная) so that the interior was still dimly lit (так что интерьер все равно был неясно освещен).
I looked about me (я огляделся: «я посмотрел вокруг себя»).
credential [krI'denS(@)l], owing ['@UIN], interior [In' [email protected]]
Poirot produced the credentials which the inspector had given him. The constable nodded, and unlocked the door to let us pass within. We did so and entered to the intense interest of the lookers-on.
Inside it was very dark owing to the shutters being closed. The constable found and switched on the electric light. The bulb was a low-powered one so that the interior was still dimly lit.
I looked about me.
A dingy little place (грязное местечко: «маленькое место»). A few cheap magazines strewn about (вокруг разбросаны несколько дешевых журналов; to strew — разбрасывать; посыпать; устилать), and yesterday's newspapers (и вчерашние газеты) — all with a day's dust on them (на них всех /скопилась/ суточная пыль). Behind the counter a row of shelves (позади прилавка — ряд полок) reaching to the ceiling (достигающих потолка) and packed with tobacco and packets of cigarettes (и заполненных табаком и пачками сигарет; to pack — паковать; заполнять). There were also a couple of jars of peppermint humbugs (там также были несколько банок с мятными конфетами) and barley sugar (и ячменным сахаром). A commonplace little shop (обычный маленький магазин), one of many thousand such others (один из многих тысяч таких же других).
The constable in his slow Hampshire voice was explaining the murder scene (констебль своим медленным гемпширским говором давал объяснение месту убийства).
"Down in a heap behind the counter (внизу, скрючившись, за прилавком: «внизу грудой за прилавком»), that's where she was (вот где она была). Doctor says as how she never knew what hit her (доктор говорит, она так и не узнала, что ударило ее). Must have been reaching up to one of the shelves (должно быть, дотягивалась до одной из полок)."
ceiling ['si:lIN], humbug ['hVmbVg], barley ['bA:lI]
A dingy little place. A few cheap magazines strewn about, and yesterday's newspapers — all with a day's dust on them. Behind the counter a row of shelves reaching to the ceiling and packed with tobacco and packets of cigarettes. There were also a couple of jars of peppermint humbugs and barley sugar. A commonplace little shop, one of many thousand such others.
The constable in his slow Hampshire voice was explaining the murder scene.
"Down in a heap behind the counter, that's where she was. Doctor says as how she never knew what hit her. Must have been reaching up to one of the shelves."
"There was nothing in her hand (там ничего не было в ее руках)?"
"No, sir (нет, сэр), but there was a packet of Players down beside her (но там была пачка «Плейерса» рядом с ней)."
Poirot nodded (Пуаро кивнул). His eyes swept round the small space observing (он, осматриваясь, обвел взглядом это местечко: «его глаза охватили взглядом местечко, осматривая»; to sweep — мести; охватывать взглядом) — noting (замечая).
"And the railway guide was (а железнодорожный справочник был) — where (где)?"
"Here, sir (здесь, сэр)." The constable pointed out the spot on the counter (констебль указал место на прилавке). "It was open at the right page for Andover (он был открыт прямо на странице Эндовера: «на правильной странице Эндовера») and lying facedown (и лежал вверх обложкой: «и лежал лицом вниз»). Seems though (кажется, тем не менее) he must have been looking up the trains to London (он, должно быть, искал поезда в Лондон). If so (если так) 'twasn't an Andover man at all (то это вовсе не был человек из Эндовера; 'twasn't = it wasn't). But then (но тогда), of course (конечно), the railway guide might have belonged to someone else (железнодорожный справочник, возможно, принадлежал кому-то еще) what had nothing to do with the murder at all (кто совсем не имел ничего общего с убийством), but just forgot it here (а просто забыл его здесь; to forget — забывать)."
beside [bI'saId], facedown ['feIsdaUn], belong [bI'lON]
"There was nothing in her hand?"
"No, sir, but there was a packet of Players down beside her."
Poirot nodded. His eyes swept round the small space observing — noting.
"And the railway guide was — where?"
"Here, sir." The constable pointed out the spot on the counter. "It was open at the right page for Andover and lying facedown. Seems though he must have been looking up the trains to London. If so 'twasn't an Andover man at all. But then, of course, the railway guide might have belonged to someone else what had nothing to do with the murder at all, but just forgot it here."
"Fingerprints?" I suggested (отпечатки пальцев? — предположил я; to suggest — предлагать, советовать; намекать, подсказывать).
