scoundrel [ˈskaʋndr(ǝ)l], dastardly [ˈdæstǝdlɪ], decent [ˈdi:sǝnt]
"I'm sure Donald would never — would never —" sobbed Mrs. Barnard.
"Now just you pull yourself together," repeated Mr. Barnard.
He turned to the two inspectors. "I wish to God I could give you some help — but the plain fact is I know nothing — nothing at all that can help you to the dastardly scoundrel who did this. Betty was just a merry, happy girl — with a decent young fellow that she was — well, we'd have called it walking out with in my young days. Why anyone should want to murder her simply beats me — it doesn't make sense."
"You're very near the truth there, Mr. Barnard," said Crome (вы тут очень близки к правде, мистер Барнард). "I tell you what I'd like to do (я скажу вам, что бы мне хотелось сделать) — have a look over Miss Barnard's room (взглянуть на комнату мисс Барнард). There may be something (там может быть что-то) — letters (письма) — or a diary (или дневник)."
"Look over it and welcome," said Mr. Barnard (осмотрите ее и милости просим), rising (поднимаясь).
He led the way (он показал дорогу; to lead — вести). Crome followed him (Кроум последовал за ним), then Poirot (затем Пуаро), then Kelsey, and I brought up the rear (а я замыкал шествие; rear — тыл; задняя сторона).
I stopped for a minute to retie my shoelace (я остановился на минуту, чтобы снова завязать шнурок ботинка; to tie — завязывать), and as I did so (и пока я это делал), a taxi drew up outside (такси подъехало снаружи) and a girl jumped out of it (и девушка выпрыгнула из него). She paid the driver (она заплатила водителю) and hurried up the path to the house (и заторопилась по дорожке к дому), carrying a small suitcase (неся маленький чемодан). As she entered the door (когда она зашла в дверь) she saw me (она увидела меня) and stopped dead (и остановилась как вкопанная: «и остановилась намертво»).
diary [ˈdaɪǝrɪ], rear [rɪǝ], shoelace [ˈʃu:leɪs]
"You're very near the truth there, Mr. Barnard," said Crome. "I tell you what I'd like to do — have a look over Miss Barnard's room. There may be something — letters — or a diary."
"Look over it and welcome," said Mr. Barnard, rising.
He led the way. Crome followed him, then Poirot, then Kelsey, and I brought up the rear.
I stopped for a minute to retie my shoelace, and as I did so, a taxi drew up outside and a girl jumped out of it. She paid the driver and hurried up the path to the house, carrying a small suitcase. As she entered the door she saw me and stopped dead.
There was something so arresting in her pose (было что-то, приковывающее /внимание/ в ее позе; arrest — арест; задержание) that it intrigued me (что это заинтриговало меня).
"Who are you (кто вы)?" she said.
I came down a few steps (я спустился на несколько ступенек). I felt embarrassed (я чувствовал смущение) as to how exactly to reply (насчет того, как точно ответить). Should I give my name (следует ли мне назвать мою фамилию)? Or mention (или упомянуть) that I had come here with the police (что я пришел сюда с полицией)? The girl, however, gave me no time to make a decision (девушка, однако, /не/ дала мне нисколько времени принять решение; to decide — решать).
"Oh, well," she said, "I can guess (я могу догадаться)."
She pulled off the little white woollen cap (она стянула маленькую белую шерстяную шапочку) she was wearing (/которая/ была на ней надета: «/которую/ она носила») and threw it on the ground (и бросила ее на землю; to throw). I could see her better now (теперь я мог видеть ее лучше) as she turned a little (когда она повернулась слегка) so that the light fell on her (так, что свет падал на нее).
intrigue n. [ˈɪntri:ɡ] intrigue v. [ɪnˈtri:ɡ], woollen [ˈwʋlǝn], decision [dɪˈsɪʒn]
There was something so arresting in her pose that it intrigued me.
"Who are you?" she said.
I came down a few steps. I felt embarrassed as to how exactly to reply. Should I give my name? Or mention that I had come here with the police? The girl, however, gave me no time to make a decision.
"Oh, well," she said, "I can guess."
She pulled off the little white woollen cap she was wearing and threw it on the ground. I could see her better now as she turned a little so that the light fell on her.
My first impression was of the Dutch dolls (первое впечатление, /которое у меня сложилось/, было о голландских куклах) that my sisters used to play with (с которыми, бывало, играли мои сестры) in my childhood (когда я был ребенком: «в моем детстве»). Her hair was black (ее волосы были черными) and cut in a straight bob (и подстриженными прямой круглой стрижкой; to cut — резать; стричь; bob — короткая круглая стрижка /у женщин/) and a bang across the forehead (и с челкой через /весь/ лоб). Her cheekbones were high (ее скулы были высокие) and her whole figure had a queer modern angularity (и вся ее фигура имела своеобразную современную угловатость; queer — странный; необычный; angle — угол) that was not (которая не была), somehow (каким-то образом), unattractive (непривлекательной; to attract — привлекать). She was not good-looking (она не была хорошенькой) — plain rather (скорее, некрасивой; plain — уст. плоский, ровный; незамысловатый, обыкновенный; некрасивый) — but there was an intensity about her (но в ней была напряженность; intense — крепкий, сильный; интенсивный), a forcefulness (сила; force — сила) that made her a person quite impossible to overlook (которая делала ее личностью, на которую совершенно невозможно было не обратить внимание; to overlook — не заметить, просмотреть, пропустить).
"You are Miss Barnard?" I asked (вы мисс Барнард?).
"I am Megan Barnard (я Меган Барнард). You belong to the police (вы из полиции: «вы принадлежите полиции»), I suppose (я полагаю; to suppose — предполагать)."
"Well," I said, "not exactly (не совсем; exactly — точно) — — "
She interrupted me (она прервала меня). "I don't think (я не думаю) I've got anything to say to you (что мне есть, что вам сказать). My sister was a nice bright girl with no men friends (моя сестра была милой, умной девушкой без друзей-мужчин; bright — яркий; ясный; умный). Good morning (доброго /вам/ утра)."
cheekbones [ˈtʃi:kbǝʋn], angularity [ˌæŋɡju:ˈlærɪtɪ], intensity [ɪnˈtensɪtɪ]
My first impression was of the Dutch dolls that my sisters used to play with in my childhood. Her hair was black and cut in a straight bob and a bang across the forehead. Her cheekbones were high and her whole figure had a queer modern angularity that was not, somehow, unattractive. She was not good-looking — plain rather — but there was an intensity about her, a forcefulness that made her a person quite impossible to overlook.
"You are Miss Barnard?" I asked.
"I am Megan Barnard. You belong to the police, I suppose."
"Well," I said, "not exactly — "
She interrupted me. "I don't think I've got anything to say to you. My sister was a nice bright girl with no men friends. Good morning."
She gave a short laugh (она коротко засмеялась: «она издала короткий смешок»; to give a laugh) as she spoke (когда сказала /это/) and regarded me challengingly (и посмотрела на меня с вызовом). "That's the correct phrase, I believe (это правильная фраза, я полагаю)?" she said.
"I'm not a reporter (я не репортер), if that's what you're getting at (если это то, на что вы намекаете)."
"Well, what are you (а кто вы /по профессии/)?" She looked round (она посмотрела вокруг). "Where's mum and dad (где мама и папа)?"
"Your father is showing the police your sister's bedroom (ваш отец показывает полиции спальню вашей сестры). Your mother's in there (ваша мать там внутри). She's very upset (она очень расстроена)."
The girl seemed to make a decision (девушка, казалось, приняла решение).
"Come in here (заходите сюда)," she said.
She pulled open a door (она толкнула /и/ открыла дверь) and passed through (и прошла через /нее/). I followed her (я последовал за ней) and found myself in a small, neat kitchen (и оказался в маленькой: «обнаружил себя в маленькой», чистой кухне).
mum [mʌm], upset [ʌpˈset], neat [ni:t]
She gave a short laugh as she spoke and regarded me challengingly. "That's the correct phrase, I believe?" she said.
"I'm not a reporter, if that's what you're getting at."
"Well, what are you?" She looked round. "Where's mum and dad?"
"Your father is showing the police your sister's bedroom. Your mother's in there. She's very upset."
The girl seemed to make a decision.
"Come in here," she said.
She pulled open a door and passed through. I followed her and found myself in a small, neat kitchen.
I was about to shut the door behind me (я собирался закрыть дверь за собой) — but found an unexpected resistance (но обнаружил неожиданное сопротивление; to resist — сопротивляться). The next moment Poirot had slipped quietly into the room (в следующую минуту Пуаро тихо проскользнул в комнату) and shut the door behind him (и закрыл дверь за собой; to shut — закрывать; захлопывать).
"Mademoiselle Barnard?" he said with a quick bow (мадемуазель Барнард? — сказал он, быстро поклонившись: «с быстрым поклоном»).
"This is M. Hercule Poirot," I said (это мсье Эркюль Пуаро).
Megan Barnard gave him a quick (Меган Барнард бросила на него быстрый), appraising glance (оценивающий взгляд; to appraise — оценивать, расценивать).
"I've heard of you," she said (я слышала о вас). "You're the fashionable private sleuth, aren't you (вы модная частная ищейка, не так ли; sleuth —ищейка, сыщик, шпион)?"
"Not a pretty description (не /особенно/ приятное описание) — but it suffices," said Poirot (но достаточное: «оно удовлетворительное»; to suffice — быть достаточным, хватать; удовлетворять).
mademoiselle [ˌmædǝm(w)ǝˈzel], sleuth [slu:Ɵ], suffice [sǝˈfaɪs]
I was about to shut the door behind me — but found an unexpected resistance. The next moment Poirot had slipped quietly into the room and shut the door behind him.
"Mademoiselle Barnard?" he said with a quick bow.
"This is M. Hercule Poirot," I said.
Megan Barnard gave him a quick, appraising glance.
"I've heard of you," she said. "You're the fashionable private sleuth, aren't you?"
