A capable-looking hospital nurse came to us there (искусная медсестра вышла к нам туда) pulling down her starched cuffs (расправляя: «оттягивая вниз» свои накрахмаленные манжеты).
melancholy [ˈmelǝnk(ǝ)lɪ], humidity [hju:ˈmɪdǝtɪ], starch [stɑ:tʃ]
There was an air of deep and settled melancholy over Combeside when we came for the second time. This may, perhaps, have been partly due to the weather — it was a moist September day with a little humidity in the air — and partly no doubt it was the semi-shut state of autumn in the small house.
The downstairs rooms were closed and shuttered, and the room into which we were shown smelt damp and airless.
A capable-looking hospital nurse came to us there pulling down her starched cuffs.
"M. Poirot?" she said briskly (мсье Пуаро? — спросила она отрывисто; brisk — живой; отрывистый /о тоне/). "I am Nurse Capstick (я сиделка Кэпстик). I got Mr. Clarke's letter saying you were coming (я получила письмо мистера Кларка, /в котором/ говорилось, что вы едете)."
Poirot inquired after Lady Clarke's health (Пуаро осведомился о здоровье леди Кларк).
"Not bad at all really (совсем не плохо, на самом деле), all things considered (приняв все во внимание; to consider — рассматривать; принимать во внимание, учитывать)."
"All things considered (приняв все во внимание)," I presumed (я полагаю) meant considering she was under sentence of death (означало, учитывая, что она обречена на смерть: «под смертельным приговором»; sentence — приговор, осуждение).
"One can't hope for much improvement (нельзя рассчитывать на большие улучшения; to improve — улучшать/ся/), of course (конечно), but some treatment has made things a little easier for her (но некоторое лечение сделало все немного легче для нее). Dr. Logan is quite pleased with her condition (доктор Логан вполне доволен ее состоянием)."
presume [prɪˈzju:m], sentence [ˈsentǝns], improvement [ɪmˈpru:vmǝnt]
"M. Poirot?" she said briskly. "I am Nurse Capstick. I got Mr. Clarke's letter saying you were coming."
Poirot inquired after Lady Clarke's health.
"Not bad at all really, all things considered."
"All things considered," I presumed meant considering she was under sentence of death.
"One can't hope for much improvement, of course, but some treatment has made things a little easier for her. Dr. Logan is quite pleased with her condition."
"But it is true, is it not (это правда, не так ли), that she can never recover (что она никогда /не/ выздоровеет)?"
"Oh, we never actually say that," said Nurse Capstick (мы никогда, собственно, не говорим так; actually — фактически, на самом деле, в действительности), shocked by this plain speaking (потрясенная этой прямой речью; plain — прямой, откровенный /о речи, высказывании/; уст. плоский).
"I suppose (я полагаю) her husband's death was a terrible shock to her (смерть ее мужа была ужасным потрясением для нее)?"
"Well M. Poirot, if you understand what I mean (если вы понимаете, что я имею в виду), it wasn't of a shock (это не было шоком) as it would have been to anyone (каким это могло быть для любого) in full possession of health and faculties (в полном здравии: «в полном владении здоровьем и способностями»). Things are dimmed by Lady Clarke in her condition (все приглушено для леди Кларк в ее состоянии; dim — тусклый, неяркий; неясный, неотчетливый, смутный /трудноразличимый из-за расстояния, тумана и др./).''
"Pardon my asking (простите, что я спрашиваю), but was she deeply attached to her husband (но была ли она глубоко привязана к своему мужу) and he to her (а он к ней)?"
plain [pleɪn], faculty [ˈfækǝltɪ], attach [ǝˈtætʃ]
"But it is true, is it not, that she can never recover?"
"Oh, we never actually say that," said Nurse Capstick, shocked by this plain speaking.
"I suppose her husband's death was a terrible shock to her?"
"Well M. Poirot if you understand what I mean, it wasn't of a shock as it would have been to anyone in full possession of health and faculties. Things are dimmed by Lady Clarke in her condition.''
"Pardon my asking, but was she deeply attached to her husband and he to her?"
"Oh, yes, they were a very happy couple (они были очень счастливой парой). He was very worried and upset about her (он очень беспокоился и расстраивался из-за нее), poor man (бедняга). It's always worse for a doctor (это всегда хуже для доктора), you know (знаете ли). They can't buoy themselves up with false hopes (они не могут тешить себя ложными надеждами; to buoy — ставить бакены; поддерживать /энергию, надежду и т. п./). I'm afraid (я боюсь) it preyed on his mind very much to begin with (сначала это сильно мучило его; to prey — ловить, охотиться; to prey upon one's mind — мучить, терзать)."
"To begin with (сначала)? Not so much afterwards (впоследствии не сильно)?"
"One gets used to everything, doesn't one (/человек/ ко всему привыкает, не так ли)? And then Sir Carmichael had his collection (а потом у сэра Кармайкла была его коллекция). A hobby is a great consolation to a man (хобби — это большое утешение для человека; to console — успокаивать, утешать). He used to run up to sales occasionally (время от времени он ездил на аукционы), and then he and Miss Grey were busy recataloguing (и тогда он и мисс Грей были заняты составлением нового каталога) and rearranging the museum on a new system (и перестановкой музея по новой системе)."
buoy [bɔɪ], consolation [ˌkɔnsǝˈleɪʃn], catalogue [ˈkætǝlɔɡ]
"Oh, yes, they were a very happy couple. He was very worried and upset about her, poor man. It's always worse for a doctor, you know. They can't buoy themselves up with false hopes. I'm afraid it preyed on his mind very much to begin with."
"To begin with? Not so much afterwards?"
"One gets used to everything, doesn't one? And then Sir Carmichael had his collection. A hobby is a great consolation to a man. He used to run up to sales occasionally, and then he and Miss Grey were busy recataloguing and rearranging the museum on a new system."
"Oh, yes — Miss Grey. She has left, has she not (она уехала, не так ли; to leave — оставлять; уезжать)?"
"Yes — I'm very sorry about it (мне так жаль /что это произошло/) — but ladies do take these fancies sometimes (но леди иногда проявляют подобные капризы) when they're not well (когда им нездоровится; to be well — хорошо себя чувствовать). And there's no arguing with them (и там не /может/ быть споров с ними; to argue — спорить). It's better to give in (лучше уступить). Miss Grey was very sensible about it (мисс Грей была очень расстроена: «чувствительна» по этому /поводу/)."
"Has Lady Clarke always disliked her (леди Кларк всегда ее не любила)?"
"No (нет) — that is to say (то есть), not disliked (не /то, чтобы/ не любила). As a matter of fact (фактически), I think (я думаю) she rather liked her to begin with (сначала она весьма ей нравилась). But there (но, надо же; there — межд. ну, вот; надо же!), I mustn't keep you gossiping (я не должна задерживать вас сплетнями; to gossip — сплетничать; gossip — сплетня). My patient will be wondering (моя пациентка будет недоумевать) what has become of us (что с нами случилось)."
sensible [ˈsensɪbl], matter [ˈmætǝ], gossip [ˈɡɔsɪp]
"Oh, yes — Miss Grey. She has left, has she not?"
"Yes — I'm very sorry about it — but ladies do take these fancies sometimes when they're not well. And there's no arguing with them. It's better to give in. Miss Grey was very sensible about it."
"Has Lady Clarke always disliked her?"
"No — that is to say, not disliked. As a matter of fact, I think she rather liked her to begin with. But there, I mustn't keep you gossiping. My patient will be wondering what has become of us."
She led us upstairs to a room on the first floor (она провела нас наверх в комнату на втором этаже; first floor — брит. второй этаж; амер. первый этаж). What had at one time been a bedroom (то, что однажды было спальней) had been turned into a cheerful-looking sitting room (было превращено в веселую/светлую гостиную).
Lady Clarke was sitting in a big armchair near the window (леди Кларк сидела в большом кресле рядом с окном). She was painfully thin (она была болезненно худа), and her face had the grey (и ее лицо имело серый), haggard look (изможденный вид) of one who suffers much pain (того, кто много страдает от боли). She had a slightly far-away (у нее был слегка рассеянный; far-away — далекий; отсутствующий, рассеянный /о взгляде/), dreamy look (мечтательный взгляд), and I noticed (и я заметил) that the pupils of her eyes were mere pinpoints (что зрачки ее глаз были просто /с/ булавочные головки; pupil — ученик; зрачок).
"This is M. Poirot whom you wanted to see," said Nurse Capstick (это мистер Пуаро, которого вы хотели видеть) in her high (своим громким), cheerful voice (веселым голосом).
armchair [ˈɑ:mˈtʃɛǝ], pupil [ˈpju:pl], pinpoint [ˈpɪnpɔɪnt]
She led us upstairs to a room on the first floor. What had at one time been a bedroom had been turned into a cheerful-looking sitting room.
Lady Clarke was sitting in a big armchair near the window. She was painfully thin, and her face had the grey, haggard look of one who suffers much pain. She had a slightly far-away, dreamy look, and I noticed that the pupils of her eyes were mere pinpoints.
"This is M. Poirot whom you wanted to see," said Nurse Capstick in her high, cheerful voice.
"Oh, yes, M. Poirot," said Lady Clarke vaguely (мсье Пуаро, — неопределенно сказала леди Кларк). She extended her hand (она протянула свою руку).
"My friend Captain Hastings, Lady Clarke (мой друг капитан Гастингс, леди Кларк)."
"How do you do (здравствуйте/как поживаете)? So good of you both to come (так любезно с вашей стороны, что вы оба приехали)."
We sat down as her vague gesture directed (мы сели, как указал ее неопределенный жест). There was a silence (воцарилась тишина: «там была тишина»). Lady Clarke seemed to have lapsed into a dream (казалось, что леди Кларк погрузилась в сон; to lapse — опускаться).
Presently with a slight effort she roused herself (спустя некоторое время с легким усилием она пробудилась). "It was about Car, wasn't it (это было о Каре, не так ли)? About Car's death (о смерти Кара). Oh, yes."
