Английский язык с Агатой Кристи. Убийства по алфавиту

"And then (а затем)?" I asked.

require [r'kwa], information [nf'men], face [fes]

"Could you kindly explain?" I asked.

"Not at the moment. I require first a little more information. That I can get from our Special Legion. And then — then, when I have got the answer to a certain question, I will go and see A.B.C.. We will be face to face at last — A.B.C, and Hercule Poirot — the adversaries."

"And then?" I asked.

"And then," said Poirot (а затем), "we will talk (мы будем говорить)! Je vous assure, Hastings (фр. я уверяю вас, Гастингс) — there is nothing so dangerous for anyone (там нет ничего более опасного для того) who has something to hide (кому есть что скрывать) as conversation (чем беседа)! Speech (речь), so a wise old Frenchman said to me once (как один старый мудрый француз сказал мне однажды), is an invention of man's to prevent him from thinking (это изобретение человека, чтобы мешать ему думать). It is also an infallible means of discovering (это также есть надежный способ обнаружения; infallible — не допускающий ошибок) that which he wishes to hide (того, что он хочет скрыть). A human being, Hastings (человеческое существо, Гастингс), cannot resist the opportunity to reveal himself (не может сопротивляться возможности открыться) and express his personality (и выразить свою личность) which conversation gives him (которую дает ему беседа). Every time he will give himself away (каждый раз он будет выдавать себя)."

"What do you expect Cust to tell you (что вы ожидаете, что Каст расскажет вам)?"

Hercule Poirot smiled (Эркюль Пуаро улыбнулся). "A lie (ложь)," he said. "And by it (и через нее), I shall know the truth (я узнаю правду)!"

nothing ['n], infallible [n'faelbl], personality [p:s'naelt]

"And then," said Poirot, "we will talk! Je vous assure, Hastings — there is nothing so dangerous for anyone who has something to hide as conversation! Speech, so a wise old Frenchman said to me once, is an invention of man's to prevent him from thinking. It is also an infallible means of discovering that which he wishes to hide. A human being, Hastings, cannot resist the opportunity to reveal himself and express his personality which conversation gives him. Every time he will give himself away."

"What do you expect Cust to tell you?"

Hercule Poirot smiled. "A lie," he said. "And by it, I shall know the truth!"

XXXII. And Catch a Fox

(и поймать лису)

During the next few days Poirot was very busy (в течение нескольких следующих дней Пуаро был очень занят). He made mysterious absences (он загадочно исчезал: «он совершал загадочные исчезновения»), talked very little (разговаривал очень мало), frowned to himself (хмурился сам себе = задумавшись), and consistently refused to satisfy my natural curiosity (и последовательно = решительно отказывался удовлетворить мое естественное любопытство) as to the brilliance I had (относительно блеска, который я; brilliant — искрящийся, блестящий, сверкающий; блестящий, выдающийся), according to him (согласно ему = по его мнению), displayed in the past (продемонстрировал в прошлом).

I was not invited to accompany him on his mysterious comings and goings (я не был приглашен сопровождать его в его загадочных приходах и уходах) — a fact which I somewhat resented (факт, которым я несколько возмущен; to resent — негодовать, возмущаться).

Towards the end of the week (к концу недели), however (однако), he announced his intention of paying a visit to Bexhill (он объявил о своем намерении нанести визит в Бексхилл) and neighbourhood (и окрестности) and suggested (и предложил) that I should come with him (чтобы я ехал с ним). Needless to say (не нужно говорить = конечно же), I accepted with alacrity (что я принял /предложение/ с готовностью).

absence ['aebsns], resent [r'zent], alacrity ['laekrt]

During the next few days Poirot was very busy. He made mysterious absences, talked very little, frowned to himself, and consistently refused to satisfy my natural curiosity as to the brilliance I had, according to him, displayed in the past.

I was not invited to accompany him on his mysterious comings and goings — a fact which I somewhat resented.

Towards the end of the week, however, he announced his intention of paying a visit to Bexhill and neighbourhood and suggested that I should come with him. Needless to say, I accepted with alacrity.

The invitation (приглашение), I discovered (/как/ я обнаружил), was not extended to me alone (не распространялось на меня одного). The members of our Special Legion were also invited (члены «Специального легиона» были тоже приглашены).

They were as intrigued by Poirot as I was (они были также заинтригованы Пуаро, как и я). Nevertheless (тем не менее), by the end of the day (к концу дня), I had at any rate an idea as to the direction (у меня было, по меньшей мере, представление о направлении) in which Poirot's thoughts were tending (в котором склонялись мысли Пуаро).

He first visited Mr. and Mrs. Barnard (он сначала посетил мистера и миссис Барнард) and got an exact account from her (и получил точный отчет от нее) as to the hour at which Mr. Cust had called on her (относительно часа, в котором мистер Каст зашел к ней) and exactly what he had said (и что он точно сказал). He then went to the hotel (затем он пошел в отель) at which Cust had put up (в котором Каст останавливался) and extracted a minute description of that gentleman's departure (и с добыл незначительное описание отъезда этого джентельмена; to extract — извлекать; с трудом добывать; minute — мелкий, незначительный). As far as I could judge (насколько я мог судить: «так далеко как я мог судить»), no new facts were elicited by his questions (никакие новые факты не были выявлены его вопросами) but he himself seemed quite satisfied (но он сам казался вполне удовлетворенным).

extend [ks'tend], departure [d'p:t], minute ['mnt]

The invitation, I discovered, was not extended to me alone. The members of our Special Legion were also invited.

They were as intrigued by Poirot as I was. Nevertheless, by the end of the day, I had at any rate an idea as to the direction in which Poirot's thoughts were tending.

He first visited Mr. and Mrs. Barnard and got an exact account from her as to the hour at which Mr. Cust had called on her and exactly what he had said. He then went to the hotel at which Cust had put up and extracted a minute description of that gentleman's departure. As far as I could judge, no new facts were elicited by his questions but he himself seemed quite satisfied.

Next he went to the beach to the place (затем он пошел на пляж к тому месту) where Betty Barnard's body had been discovered (где было обнаружено тело Бетти Барнард). Here he walked round in circles for some minutes (здесь он походил кругами несколько минут) studying the shingle attentively (внимательно изучая гальку). I could see little point in this (я мог видеть мало смысла в этом), since the tide covered the spot twice a day (так как прилив накрывал это место дважды в день).

However I have learnt by this time (однако к этому времени я узнал) that Poirot's actions are dictated by an idea (что действия Пуаро продиктованы идеей) — however meaningless they may seem (какими бы бессмысленными они, вероятно, /не/ казались).

He then walked from the beach to the nearest point (он затем прошел от пляжа к ближайшему месту) at which a car could have been parked (где могла бы быть припаркована машина). From there again he went to the place (оттуда он снова дошел до места) where the Eastbourne buses waited (где ждали истборнские автобусы) before leaving Bexhill (перед тем как покинуть Бексхилл).