Friday ['fraIdI], seaside ['si:saId], lovely ['lVvlI]
"Well, don't say goodbye as though you were going away for ever," laughed Lily.
"No, no, of course not."
"See you Friday," laughed the girl. "Where are you going this time? Seaside again?"
"No, no — er — Cheltenham."
"Well, that's nice, too. But not quite as nice as Torquay. That must have been lovely. I want to go there for my holiday next year. By the way, you must have been quite near where the murder was — the A.B.C. murder. It happened while you were down there, didn't it?"
"Er — yes. But Churston's six or seven miles away (но Черстон в шести или семи милях оттуда)."
"All the same (все равно), it must have been exciting (это, должно быть, было волнующе)! Why, you may have passed the murderer in the street (ведь вы, возможно, прошли мимо убийцы на улице)! You may have been quite near to him (вы, возможно, были совсем рядом с ним)!"
"Yes, I may (да, я, возможно /был/), of course (конечно)," said Mr. Cust with such a ghastly and contorted smile (с такой жуткой и перекошенной улыбкой; to contort — скручивать, сгибать; перекашивать) that Lily Marbury noticed it (что Лили Марбери заметила это).
"Oh, Mr. Cust, you don't look well (о, мистер Каст, вы не очень хорошо выглядите)."
"I'm quite all right (я вполне в порядке), quite all right. Goodbye, Miss Marbury (прощайте, мисс Марбери)."
smile [smaIl], contort [ [email protected]'tO:t], right [raIt]
"Er — yes. But Churston's six or seven miles away."
"All the same, it must have been exciting! Why, you may have passed the murderer in the street! You may have been quite near to him!"
"Yes, I may, of course," said Mr. Cust with such a ghastly and contorted smile that Lily Marbury noticed it.
"Oh, Mr. Cust, you don't look well."
"I'm quite all right, quite all right. Goodbye, Miss Marbury."
He fumbled to raise his hat (он повозился, чтобы приподнять шляпу; to fumble — нащупывать; теребить), caught up his suitcase (подхватил свой чемодан) and fairly hastened out of the front door (и прямо поспешил к парадной двери; fairly — четко, ясно, отчетливо, явно).
"Funny old thing," said Lily Marbury indulgently (смешной старик: «смешная старая вещь», — сказала Лили Марбери снисходительно). "Looks half batty to my mind (по-моему, выглядит полусумасшедшим; bat — летучая мышь)."
Inspector Crome said to his subordinate (инспектор Кроум сказал своему подчиненному): "Get me out a list of all stocking manufacturing firms (достаньте мне список всех фирм чулочных производителей) and circularise them (и разошлите им циркуляры). I want a list of all their agents (мне нужен список всех их агентов), you know (вы знаете), fellows who sell on commission (парней, которые торгуют по комиссии) and tout for orders (и докучают с заказами; to tout — разг. навязывать товар; докучать)."
"This the A.B.C. case, sir (это случай Эй-би-си, сэр)?"
hasten ['heIs(@)n], indulgently [In'dVldZentlI], circularise [' [email protected]: [email protected](@)raIz]
He fumbled to raise his hat, caught up his suitcase and fairly hastened out of the front door.
"Funny old thing," said Lily Marbury indulgently. "Looks half batty to my mind."
Inspector Crome said to his subordinate: "Get me out a list of all stocking manufacturing firms and circularise them. I want a list of all their agents, you know, fellows who sell on commission and tout for orders."
"This the A.B.C. case, sir?"
"Yes. One of Mr. Hercule Poirot's ideas (одна из идей мистера Эркюля Пуаро)." The inspector's tone was disdainful (тон инспектора был пренебрежительным; disdain — презрение, пренебрежение). "Probably nothing in it (вероятно, ничего в этом /нет/), but it doesn't do to neglect any chance (но не годится пренебрегать каким-либо шансом), however faint (каким бы слабым /он ни был/)."
"Right, sir (точно, сэр). Mr. Poirot done some good stuff in his time (мистер Пуаро сделал много хорошего в свое время; stuff — нечто, относящееся к чему-л.), but I think (но я думаю) he's a bit gaga now, sir (теперь он немного того, сэр; gaga — бессмысленный, глупый; слабоумный)."
"He's a mountebank," said Inspector Crome (он фигляр; mountebank — фигляр; шут). "Always posing (всегда выставляется /напоказ/). Takes in some people (некоторые люди верят: «/это/ обманывает некоторых людей»). It doesn't take in me (я не верю: «это не обманывает меня»). Now then (так, теперь), about the arrangement for Doncaster (о приготовлениях в Донкастере) …"
Tom Hartigan said to Lily Marbury (Том Хартиган сказал Лили Марбери): "Saw your old dugout this morning (видел вашего старого ископаемого утром; to dig — копать; dug out — выкопанный)."
"Who (кого)? Mr. Cust (мистера Каста)?"
gaga ['gA:gA:], mountebank ['maUntIb&Nk], dugout ['dVgaUt]
"Yes. One of Mr. Hercule Poirot's ideas." The inspector's tone was disdainful. "Probably nothing in it, but it doesn't do to neglect any chance, however faint."
"Right, sir. Mr. Poirot done some good stuff in his time, but I think he's a bit gaga now, sir."
"He's a mountebank," said Inspector Crome. "Always posing. Takes in some people. It doesn't take in me. Now then, about the arrangement for Doncaster …"
Tom Hartigan said to Lily Marbury: "Saw your old dugout this morning."
"Who? Mr. Cust?"
"Cust it was (это был Каст). At Euston (в Юстоне). Looking like a lost hen (выглядел, как потерянная курица), as usual (как обычно). I think (я думаю) the fellow's half a loony (что этот парень наполовину сумасшедший). He needs someone to look after him (ему нужен кто-то, /чтобы/ присматривать за ним). First he dropped his paper (сначала уронил газету) and then he dropped his ticket (затем уронил свой билет). I picked that up (я его подобрал) — he hadn't the faintest idea (он не имел /ни/ малейшего представления) he'd lost it (что он его потерял). Thanked me in an agitated sort of manner (поблагодарил меня как-то взволнованно: «в как бы взволнованной манере»), but I don't think he recognized me (но я не думаю, что он узнал меня)."
"Oh, well," said Lily. "He's only seen you passing in the hall (он только видел, как ты шел через холл), and not very often at that (и не очень часто к тому же)."
They danced once round the floor (они протанцевали круг по полу).
"You dance something beautiful," said Tom (ты танцуешь нечто прекрасно = ну и прекрасно же ты танцуешь).
"Go on," said Lily (продолжай) and wriggled yet a little closer (и прижалась еще немного ближе; to wriggle — извиваться; изгибаться).
drop [drOp], faintest ['feIntIst], wriggle [rIgl]
"Cust it was. At Euston. Looking like a lost hen, as usual. I think the fellow's half a loony. He needs someone to look after him. First he dropped his paper and then he dropped his ticket. I picked that up — he hadn't the faintest idea he'd lost it. Thanked me in an agitated sort of manner, but I don't think he recognized me."
"Oh, well," said Lily. "He's only seen you passing in the hall, and not very often at that."
They danced once round the floor.
"You dance something beautiful," said Tom.
"Go on," said Lily and wriggled yet a little closer.
They danced round again (они протанцевали еще круг).
"Did you say Euston or Paddington?" asked Lily abruptly (ты сказал Юстон или Пэддингтон? — резко спросила Лили). "Where you saw old Cust (где ты видел старого Каста), I mean (я имею в виду)?"
"Euston (Юстон)."
"Are you sure (ты уверен)?"
"Of course I'm sure (конечно, я уверен). What do you think (что ты думаешь)?"
"Funny (смешно). I thought (я думала) you went to Cheltenham from Paddington (в Челтнем едут из Пэддингтона)."
dance [dA:ns], saw [sO:], funny ['fVnI]
They danced round again.
"Did you say Euston or Paddington?" asked Lily abruptly. "Where you saw old Cust, I mean?"
"Euston."
"Are you sure?"
"Of course I'm sure. What do you think?"
"Funny. I thought you went to Cheltenham from Paddington."
"So you do (так и есть: «ты едешь так»). But old Cust wasn't going to Cheltenham (но старый Каст не ехал в Челтнем). He was going to Doncaster (он ехал в Донкастер)."
"Cheltenham (Челтнем)."
"Doncaster (Донкастер). I know, my girl (я знаю, девочка моя)! After all (в конце концов), I picked up his ticket (я подобрал его билет), didn't I (не так ли)?"
"Well, he told me (так, /но/ он сказал мне) he was going to Cheltenham (что он едет в Челтнем). I'm sure he did (я уверена, он так сказал)."
"Oh, you've got it wrong (ты поняла неправильно). He was going to Doncaster all right (он ехал в Донкастер, точно: «вполне»). Some people have all the luck (некоторым людям везет: «некоторые люди имеют всю удачу»). I've got a bit on Firefly for the Leger (я поставил немного на Светлячка на Леджере) and I'd love to see it run (и мне бы хотелось увидеть, как он бежит)."
ticket [' [email protected]], luck [lVk], Firefly [' [email protected]]
"So you do. But old Cust wasn't going to Cheltenham. He was going to Doncaster."
"Cheltenham."
"Doncaster. I know, my girl! After all, I picked up his ticket, didn't I?"
"Well, he told me he was going to Cheltenham. I'm sure he did."
"Oh, you've got it wrong. He was going to Doncaster all right. Some people have all the luck. I've got a bit on Firefly for the Leger and I'd love to see it run."
"I shouldn't think Mr. Cust went to race-meetings (я бы не подумала, что мистер Каст поехал на скачки); he doesn't look the kind (он не выглядит так). Oh, Tom, I hope he won't get murdered (о, Том, я надеюсь, его не убьют). It's Doncaster the A.B.C. murder's going to happen (именно в Донкастере собирается произойти убийство Эй-би-си)."
"Cust'll be all right (Каст будет в порядке). His name doesn't begin with a D (его имя не начинается с /буквы/ «ди»)."
"He might have been murdered last time (он мог бы быть убит в прошлый раз). He was down near Churston at Torquay (он был в рядом с Черстоном, в Торки) when the last murder happened (когда произошло последнее убийство)."
"Was he (он был /там/)? That's a bit of a coincidence, isn't it (это небольшое совпадение, не так ли)?"
