Poirot spoke reassuringly (Пуаро сказал ободрительно; to reassure — вновь заверять; увещевать, успокаивать, подбадривать).
collide [kǝˈlaɪd] direction [d(a)ɪˈrekʃ(ǝ)n] apologize [ǝˈpɔlǝdʒaɪz] reassuring [ˌri:ǝˈʃʋ(ǝ)rɪŋ]
“He nearly ran into me, Monsieur. It was when I was returning from my compartment to that of the Princess with the rug.”
“And he came out of a compartment and almost collided with you. In which direction was he going?”
“Towards me, Monsieur. He apologised and passed on down the corridor towards the dining-car. A bell began ringing, but I do not think he answered it.” She paused and then said: “I do not understand. How is it — ”
Poirot spoke reassuringly.
“It is just a question of time (это просто вопрос о времени = мы просто выверяем время),” he said. “All a matter of routine (все это — простая формальность; matter — вещество; дело, вопрос; routine — заведенный порядок; ничего не значащая формальность). This poor conductor (/этот/ бедный проводник; poor — бедный, неимущий; бедный, несчастный), he seems to have had a busy night (у него, кажется, была напряженная ночь; busy — занятой, несвободный; напряженный, интенсивный) — first waking you (сперва /ему надо было/ разбудить вас; to wake — просыпаться; будить) and then answering bells (а затем отвечать на звонки).”
“It was not the same conductor (это был не тот же самый проводник) who woke me, Monsieur (что разбудил меня, мсье). It was another one (это был другой проводник).”
“Ah! another one (а, другой проводник)! Had you seen him before (вы его раньше видели)?”
“No, Monsieur.”
“Ah! — do you think you would recognise him (как вы думаете, вы бы его узнали) if you saw him (если бы увидели его)?”
“I think so, Monsieur (думаю да: «так», мсье).”
question [ˈkwestʃ(ǝ)n] routine [ru:ˈti:n] recognize [ˈrekǝɡnaɪz]
“It is just a question of time,” he said. “All a matter of routine. This poor conductor, he seems to have had a busy night — first waking you and then answering bells.”
“It was not the same conductor who woke me, Monsieur. It was another one.”
“Ah! another one! Had you seen him before?”
“No, Monsieur.”
“Ah! — do you think you would recognise him if you saw him?”
“I think so, Monsieur.”
Poirot murmured something in M. Bouc’s ear (Пуаро пробормотал что-то на ухо мсье Буку). The latter got up (тот: «последний» встал) and went to the door (и пошел к двери) to give an order (чтобы отдать распоряжение).
Poirot was continuing his questions in an easy, friendly manner (Пуаро продолжал /задавать/ свои вопросы в спокойной, дружеской манере; easy — легкий, нетрудный; спокойный, неторопливый).
“Have you ever been to America, Fräulein Schmidt (вы бывали в Америке, фрейлейн Шмидт)?”
“Never, Monsieur (никогда, мсье). It must be a fine country (должно быть, это прекрасная страна).”
ear [ɪǝ] friendly [ˈfrendlɪ] country [ˈkʌntrɪ]
Poirot murmured something in M. Bouc’s ear. The latter got up and went to the door to give an order.
Poirot was continuing his questions in an easy, friendly manner.
“Have you ever been to America, Fräulein Schmidt?”
“Never, Monsieur. It must be a fine country.”
“You have heard, perhaps (возможно, вы слышали), who this man who was killed really was (кем был убитый: «этот мужчина, который был убит» на самом деле) — that he was responsible for the death of a little child (что он был ответственным за смерть маленького ребенка)?”
“Yes, I have heard, Monsieur (да, я слышала, мсье). It was abominable — wicked (это было отвратительно — ужасно; wicked — злой, злобный, порочный, дурной). The good God should not allow such things (милостивый Господь не должен допускать такого; to allow — позволять, разрешать; допускать; thing — вещь; событие, действие, поступок). We are not so wicked as that in Germany (мы в Германии не настолько злые).”
Tears had come into the woman’s eyes (слезы навернулись на глазах у женщины). Her strong, motherly soul was moved (ее сильная, материнская душа была тронута; to move — двигать; трогать, волновать).
“It was an abominable crime (/да/, это было отвратительное/ужасное преступление),” said Poirot gravely (печально сказал Пуаро; grave — серьезный, веский; мрачный, печальный).
He drew a scrap of cambric from his pocket (он вытащил клочок батиста из своего кармана) and handed it to her (и вручил его ей; hand — рука, кисть руки; to hand — передавать, вручать).
responsible [rɪˈspɔnsǝb(ǝ)l] death [deƟ] abominable [ǝˈbɔmɪnǝb(ǝ)l] wicked [ˈwɪkɪd] motherly [ˈmʌðǝlɪ] cambric [ˈkeɪmbrɪk, ˈkæmbrɪk]
“You have heard, perhaps, who this man who was killed really was — that he was responsible for the death of a little child?”
“Yes, I have heard, Monsieur. It was abominable — wicked. The good God should not allow such things. We are not so wicked as that in Germany.”
Tears had come into the woman’s eyes. Her strong, motherly soul was moved.
“It was an abominable crime,” said Poirot gravely.
He drew a scrap of cambric from his pocket and handed it to her.
“Is this your handkerchief, Fräulein Schmidt (это ваш платочек, фрейлейн Шмидт)?”
There was a moment’s silence (на мгновение /воцарилась/ тишина) as the woman examined it (пока женщина рассматривала его). She looked up after a minute (мгновение спустя: «после минуты» она подняла глаза). The colour had mounted a little in her face (кровь слегка прилила к ее лицу; colour — цвет, тон; цвет лица, румянец; to mount — взбираться, восходить, подниматься).
“Ah! no, indeed (нет, в самом деле, нет). It is not mine, Monsieur (это не мой, мсье).”
“It has the initial H, you see (на нем инициал "Н", видите). That is why I thought it was yours (вот почему я подумал, что он ваш).”
“Ah! Monsieur, it is a lady’s handkerchief, that (ах, мсье, это носовой платок какой-нибудь дамы). A very expensive handkerchief (/это/ очень дорогой носовой платок). Embroidered by hand (с ручной вышивкой; to embroider — вышивать, украшать вышивкой; embroidery — вышивание; вышивка; by hand — ручным способом, вручную). It comes from Paris, I should say (из Парижа, я бы сказала).”
“It is not yours and you do not know whose it is (это не ваш /платок/, и вы не знаете, чей он)?”
“I? Oh! no, Monsieur (я? о, нет, мсье).”
handkerchief [ˈhæŋkǝtʃɪf] silence [ˈsaɪlǝns] colour [ˈkʌlǝ] expensive [ɪkˈspensɪv]
“Is this your handkerchief, Fräulein Schmidt?”
There was a moment’s silence as the woman examined it. She looked up after a minute. The colour had mounted a little in her face.
“Ah! no, indeed. It is not mine, Monsieur.”
“It has the initial H, you see. That is why I thought it was yours.”
“Ah! Monsieur, it is a lady’s handkerchief, that. A very expensive handkerchief. Embroidered by hand. It comes from Paris, I should say.”
“It is not yours and you do not know whose it is?”
“I? Oh! no, Monsieur.”
Of the three listening (из трех /человек, которые/ слышали /этот ответ/), only Poirot caught the nuance of hesitation in the reply (только Пуаро уловил нюанс/оттенок сомнения в этом ответе).
M. Bouc whispered in his ear (мсье Бук прошептал /что-то/ ему на ухо). Poirot nodded and said to the woman (Пуаро кивнул и сказал женщине = служанке):
“The three sleeping-car attendants are coming in (три проводника: «служащих» спальных вагонов /сейчас/ войдут /сюда/). Will you be so kind as to tell me (будете ли вы столь любезны сказать мне) which is the one you met last night (кто /из них/ тот самый /проводник/, которого вы встретили прошлой ночью) as you were going with the rug to the Princess (когда вы шли с пледом к княгине)?”
The three men entered (вошли трое мужчин). Pierre Michel (Пьер Мишель), the big blond conductor of the Athens-Paris coach (крупный блондин, проводник вагона Афины-Париж), and the stout burly conductor (и грузный, крепкий проводник; stout — крепкий, прочный; полный, тучный, дородный; burly — плотный, дородный; крепкий) of the Bucharest one (бухарестского вагона).
listening [ˈlɪs(ǝ)nɪŋ] caught [kɔ:t] nuance [ˈnju:ɑ:ns] hesitation [ˌhezɪˈteɪʃ(ǝ)n] burly [ˈbǝ:lɪ]
Of the three listening, only Poirot caught the nuance of hesitation in the reply.
M. Bouc whispered in his ear. Poirot nodded and said to the woman:
“The three sleeping-car attendants are coming in. Will you be so kind as to tell me which is the one you met last night as you were going with the rug to the Princess?”
The three men entered. Pierre Michel, the big blond conductor of the Athens-Paris coach, and the stout burly conductor of the Bucharest one.
Hildegarde Schmidt looked at them (Хильдегарда Шмидт взглянула на них) and immediately shook her head (и тотчас закачала головой; immediately — незамедлительно, немедленно).
“No, Monsieur,” she said. “None of these is the man I saw last night (никто из этих /людей/ не является тем, которого я видела прошлой ночью).”
“But these are the only conductors on the train (но это: «эти» — единственные проводники в этом поезде). You must be mistaken (вы, должно быть, ошибаетесь).”
“I am quite sure, Monsieur (я совершенно убеждена, мсье). These are all tall, big men (эти /люди/ — все высокие, крупные мужчины). The one I saw was small and dark (тот, которого я видела, был невысокого роста и смуглый/черноволосый). He had a little moustache (у него были маленькие усы). His voice when he said ‘Pardon’ (его голос, когда он сказал "простите") was weak, like a woman’s (был тонким, как у женщины). Indeed, I remember him very well, Monsieur (на самом деле, я помню его очень хорошо, мсье).”
immediately [ɪˈmi:dɪǝtlɪ] mistaken [mɪˈsteɪkǝn] moustache [mǝˈstɑ:ʃ]
Hildegarde Schmidt looked at them and immediately shook her head.
“No, Monsieur,” she said. “None of these is the man I saw last night.”
“But these are the only conductors on the train. You must be mistaken.”
“I am quite sure, Monsieur. These are all tall, big men. The one I saw was small and dark. He had a little moustache. His voice when he said ‘Pardon’ was weak, like a woman’s. Indeed, I remember him very well, Monsieur.”
