Agatha Christie - Hercule Poirot's Christmas / Рождество Эркюля Пуаро. Книга для чтения на английском языке

There, Mrs Alfred was getting up now. She swept round the table. Very nice that design on the taffeta; that cape suited her. A very graceful lady.

He went out to the pantry, closing the dining-room door on the gentlemen with their port.

He took the coffee tray into the drawing-room. The four ladies were sitting there rather uncomfortably, he thought. They were not talking. He handed round the coffee in silence.

He went out again. As he went into his pantry he heard the dining-room door open. David Lee came out and went along the hall to the drawing-room.

Tressilian went back into his pantry. He read the riot act [122] read the riot act – ( разг. ) устроил нагоняй to Walter. Walter was nearly, if not quite, impertinent! Tressilian, alone in his pantry, sat down rather wearily. He had a feeling of depression. Christmas Eve, and all this strain and tension… He didn’t like it!

With an effort he roused himself. He went to the drawing-room and collected the coffee-cups. The room was empty except for Lydia, who was standing half-concealed by the window curtain at the far end of the room. She was standing there looking out into the night.

From next door the piano sounded. Mr David was playing. But why, Tressilian asked himself, did Mr David play the Dead March ? For that’s what it was. Oh, indeed things were very wrong [123] indeed things were very wrong – ( зд. ) что-то было очень неправильно .

He went slowly along the hall and back into his pantry. It was then he first heard the noise from overhead: a crashing of china, the overthrowing of furniture, a series of cracks and bumps.

‘Good gracious!’ thought Tressilian. ‘Whatever is the master doing? What’s happening up there?’

And then, clear and high, came a scream – a horrible high wailing scream that died away in a choke or gurgle.

Tressilian stood there a moment paralysed, then he ran out into the hall and up the broad staircase. Others were with him. That scream had been heard all over the house.

They raced up the stairs and round the bend, past a recess with statues gleaming white and eerie, and along the straight passage to Simeon Lee’s door. Mr Farr was there already and Mrs David. She was leaning back against the wall and he was twisting at the door handle.

‘The door’s locked,’ he was saying. ‘The door’s locked!’

Harry Lee pushed past and wrested it from him. He, too, turned and twisted at the handle. ‘Father,’ he shouted. ‘Father, let us in.’

He held up his hand and in the silence they all listened. There was no answer. No sound from inside the room.

The front door bell rang, but no one paid any attention to it.

Stephen Farr said: ‘We’ve got to break the door down. It’s the only way.’

Harry said: ‘That’s going to be a tough job. These doors are good solid stuff. Come on, Alfred.’

They heaved and strained. Finally they went and got an oak bench and used it as a battering-ram. The door gave at last. Its hinges splintered and the door sank shuddering from its frame.

For a minute they stood there huddled together looking in. What they saw was a sight that no one of them ever forgot…

There had clearly been a terrific struggle. Heavy furniture was overturned. China vases lay splintered on the floor. In the middle of the hearthrug in front of the blazing fire lay Simeon Lee in a great pool of blood… Blood was splashed all round. The place was like a shambles.

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I wish I hadn’t come…– ( разг. ) Лучше бы я не возвращался

Is it worth it?– ( разг. ) А стоит ли?

the smell of the bull-ring– ( зд. ) запах корриды

was prepared for every eventuality– ( уст. ) была готова к любой неожиданности

they were not at all gay– ( разг. ) они были вовсе не веселыми

as a matter of course– ( разг. ) как и следовало ожидать

Wild West films– ( уст. ) вестерны

in a body– ( разг. ) одновременно; все вместе

she had no rigid taboos– ( разг. ) у нее не было строгих запретов на что бы то ни было

might have felt ill at ease– ( разг. ) мог почувствовать себя неловко

General Franco– генерал Франко Баамонде (1892–1975), глава испанского государства, вождь Испанской фаланги, в 1936 г. возглавил военно-фашистский мятеж против Испанской республики

It was a nuisance– ( разг. ) Это было досадно

I wonder– ( разг. ) Вот и мне интересно; мне и самому хотелось бы знать

in the midst of some sober British family– ( разг. ) среди рассудительного и спокойного британского семейства

give in to him– ( разг. ) уступать ему; подчиняться

to have his own way– ( разг. ) всегда добиваться своего; стоять на своем

some time or other– ( разг. ) хотя бы изредка

it is always liable to be upset– ( разг. ) всегда есть вероятность, что планы будут нарушены

never grudges us money– ( разг. ) не ограничивает нас в тратах

As far as money goes– ( разг. ) В том, что касается денег