Inspector Crome, completely indifferent to the behaviour of Mr. Leadbetter's heart, said: "Just let me have it quite clear. This man went out towards the close of the big picture — "
"Not a Sparrow — Katherine Royal," murmured Mr. Leadbetter automatically.
"He passed you and in doing so stumbled — "
"He pretended to stumble (он притворился, что спотыкнулся), I see it now (теперь я это понимаю). Then he leaned over the seat in front (затем он перегнулся через сиденье перед /ним/) to pick up his hat (чтобы поднять его шляпу). He must have stabbed the poor fellow then (тогда он, должно быть, заколол бедного парня)."
"You didn't hear anything (вы не слышали чего-нибудь)? A cry (крика)? Or a groan (стона)?"
Mr. Leadbetter had heard nothing (мистер Ледбеттер /не/ слышал ничего) but the loud (кроме громких), hoarse accents of Katherine Royal (хриплых слов Катрин Ройал; accent — ударение; слово, речь), but in the vividness of his imagination he invented a groan (но его живое воображение нарисовало ему стон: «но в живости его воображения он изобрел стон»).
Inspector Crome took the groan at its face value (инспектор Кроум принял стон за чистую монету; to take at its face value — принимать за чистую монету) and bade him proceed (и попросил его продолжать; to bid — приказывать). "And then he went out (а затем он вышел) —"
"Can you describe him (вы можете описать его)?"
"He was a very big man (он был очень большим человеком). Six foot at least (по крайней мере, шести футов). A giant (гигант)."
accent [ˈæksǝnt], vividness [ˈvɪvɪdnǝs], groan [ɡrǝʋn]
"He pretended to stumble, I see it now. Then he leaned over the seat in front to pick up his hat. He must have stabbed the poor fellow then."
"You didn't hear anything? A cry? Or a groan?"
Mr. Leadbetter had heard nothing but the loud, hoarse accents of Katherine Royal, but in the vividness of his imagination he invented a groan.
Inspector Crome took the groan at its face value and bade him proceed. "And then he went out — "
"Can you describe him?"
"He was a very big man. Six foot at least. A giant."
"Fair or dark (светлый или темный = блондин или брюнет)?"
"I — well — I'm not exactly sure (я не совсем уверен). I think he was bald (я думаю, он был лысым). A sinister-looking fellow (зловещего /вида/ парень)."
"He didn't limp (он не хромал), did he (нет)?" asked Inspector Crome.
"Yes — yes, now you come to speak of it (теперь, когда вы начали говорить об этом) I think he did limp (я думаю, он действительно хромал). Very dark (очень темный), he might have been some kind of half-caste (он, вероятно, был своего рода полукровкой; caste — раса, род)."
"Was he in his seat the last time the lights came up (был ли он на своем месте в последний момент, /когда/ зажглись лампы)?"
"No. He came in after the big picture began (он зашел после того, /как/ картина началась)."
bald [bɔ:ld], caste [kɑ:st], light [laɪt]
"Fair or dark?"
"I — well — I'm not exactly sure. I think he was bald. A sinister-looking fellow."
"He didn't limp, did he?" asked Inspector Crome.
"Yes — yes, now you come to speak of it I think he did limp. Very dark, he might have been some kind of half-caste."
"Was he in his seat the last time the lights came up?"
"No. He came in after the big picture began."
Inspector Crome nodded (инспектор Кроум кивнул), handed Mr. Leadbetter a statement to sign (передал мистеру Ледбеттеру подписать заявление) and got rid of him (и избавился от него; to get rid of — освобождать, избавляться).
"That's about as bad a witness as you'll find," he remarked pessimistically (это самый плохой свидетель, которого можно найти: «это почти такой плохой свидетель, какого вы найдете», — отметил он пессимистично). "He'd say anything with a little leading (он сказал бы что угодно, стоит лишь его слегка направить: «с небольшим руководством»). It's perfectly clear (это совершенно ясно) that he hasn't the faintest idea (что он не имеет ни малейшего представления) what our man looks like (как наш человек выглядит). Let's have the commissionaire back (давайте позовем контролера назад)."
The commissionaire (контролер), very stiff and military (по-военному прямой: «очень прямой и военный»), came in (вошел) and stood to attention (и встал в положение «смирно»; attention — внимание; стойка «смирно»), his eyes fixed on Colonel Anderson (его взгляд замер на полковнике Андерсоне).
"Now, then (ну, так: «тогда»), Jameson (Джеймсон), let's hear your story (давайте послушаем вашу историю)."
statement [ˈsteɪtmǝnt], pessimistically [ˌpesɪˈmɪstɪkǝlɪ], military [ˈmɪlɪtǝrɪ]
Inspector Crome nodded, handed Mr. Leadbetter a statement to sign and got rid of him.
"That's about as bad a witness as you'll find," he remarked pessimistically. "He'd say anything with a little leading. It's perfectly clear that he hasn't the faintest idea what our man looks like. Let's have the commissionaire back."
The commissionaire, very stiff and military, came in and stood to attention, his eyes fixed on Colonel Anderson.
"Now, then, Jameson, let's hear your story."
Jameson saluted (Джеймсон отдал честь). "Yes, sir (да, сэр). Close of the performance, sir (/в/ конец сеанса: «представления», сэр), I was told (мне сказали) there was a gentleman taken ill, sir (там джентльмен, /которому/ стало плохо, сэр; to be taken ill — быть охваченным болезнью, заболеть). Gentleman was in the two and fourpennies (джентльмена был /на месте/ за два /шиллинга/ и четыре пенса), slumped down in his seat like (как бы развалившийся на своем сидении). Other gentlemen standing around (другие джентльмены стояли рядом). Gentleman looked bad to me, sir (по мне, джентльмен выглядел плохо, сэр). One of the gentlemen standing by put his hand to the ill gentleman's coat (один из стоящих рядом мужчин протянул свою руку к пальто заболевшего джентльмена) and drew my attention (и привлек мое внимание; to draw). Blood, sir (кровь, сэр). It was clear the gentleman was dead (было ясно, что джентльмен был мертв) — stabbed, sir (заколот, сэр). My attention was drawn to an A.B.C. railway guide, sir (мое внимание было привлечено к железнодорожному справочнику «Эй-би-си», сэр), under the seat (под сидением). Wishing to act correctly (желая вести /себя/ правильно), I did not touch same (я не прикоснулся к вышеупомянутому /справочнику/; same — одинаковый; вышеупомянутый), but reported to the police immediately (но немедленно сообщил полиции) that a tragedy had occurred (что произошла трагедия)."
"Very good, Jameson (очень хорошо, Джеймсон), you acted very properly (вы вели /себя/ очень правильно)."
"Thank you, sir (благодарю вас, сэр)."
correctly [kǝˈrektlɪ], same [seɪm], properly [ˈprɔpǝlɪ]
Jameson saluted. "Yes, sir. Close of the performance, sir, I was told there was a gentleman taken ill, sir. Gentleman was in the two and fourpennies, slumped down in his seat like. Other gentlemen standing around. Gentleman looked bad to me, sir. One of the gentlemen standing by put his hand to the ill gentleman's coat and drew my attention. Blood, sir. It was clear the gentleman was dead — stabbed, sir. My attention was drawn to an A.B.C. railway guide, sir, under the seat. Wishing to act correctly, I did not touch same, but reported to the police immediately that a tragedy had occurred."
"Very good, Jameson, you acted very properly."
"Thank you, sir."
"Did you notice a man (вы заметили человека) leaving the two and fourpennies about five minutes earlier (покинувшего /место за/ два /шиллинга/ и четыре пенса пятью минутами ранее)?"
"There were several, sir (было несколько /человек/, сэр)."
"Could you describe them (не могли бы вы описать их)?"
"Afraid not, sir (боюсь нет, сэр). One was Mr. Geoffrey Parnell (один /из них/ был мистер Джеффри Парнел). And there was a young fellow (и был молодой парень), Sam Baker (Сэм Бейкер), with his young lady (с его невестой: «молодой дамой»). I didn't notice anybody else particular (я, особенно, не заметил никого больше; particular — особенный, особый, специфический)."
"A pity (жаль: «жалость»). That'll do, Jameson (этого достаточно, Джеймсон)."
"Yes, sir (да, сэр)."
several [ˈsevǝrǝl], afraid [ǝˈfreɪd], fellow [ˈfelǝʋ]
"Did you notice a man leaving the two and fourpennies about five minutes earlier?"
"There were several, sir."
"Could you describe them?"
"Afraid not, sir. One was Mr. Geoffrey Parnell. And there was a young fellow, Sam Baker, with his young lady. I didn't notice anybody else particular."
"A pity. That'll do, Jameson."
"Yes, sir."
The commissionaire saluted and departed (контролер отдал честь и ушел).
"The medical details we've got," said Colonel Anderson (медицинские подробности у нас есть, — сказал полковник Андерсон). "We'd better have the fellow (нам бы лучше пригласить того парня) that found him next (который обнаружил его, следующим)."
A police constable came in and saluted (зашел полицейский констебль и отдал честь).
"Mr. Hercule Poirot's here, sir (мистер Эркюль Пуаро здесь, сэр), and another gentleman (и еще джентльмен)."
Inspector Crome frowned (инспектор Кроум нахмурился). "Oh, well," he said (ну, хорошо). "Better have 'em in (лучше /пригласить/ их войти: «внутрь»), I suppose (я полагаю)."
medical [ˈmedɪkǝl], another [ǝˈnʌðǝ], salute [sǝˈlu:t]
The commissionaire saluted and departed.
"The medical details we've got," said Colonel Anderson. "We'd better have the fellow that found him next."
A police constable came in and saluted.
"Mr. Hercule Poirot's here, sir, and another gentleman."
Inspector Crome frowned. "Oh, well," he said. "Better have 'em in, I suppose."
XXVII. The Doncaster Murder
(донкастерское убийство)
Coming in hard on Poirot's heels (заходя сразу же за: «по пятам» Пуаро), I just caught the fag end of Inspector Crome's remark (я только поймал самый кончик замечания инспектора Кроума; fag — сигарета; fag end — окурок; некий малозначительный остаток).
