Agatha Christie: Английский язык с Агатой Кристи. Убийства по алфавиту

excitedly [ɪkˈsaɪtɪdlɪ], delicate [ˈdelɪkɪt], flavour [ˈfleɪvǝ]

"Not so much enterprising as careless," said Poirot. "Precisely that — careless. But let us not talk of it. You know, Hastings, in many ways I regard you as my mascot."

"Indeed?" I said. "In what ways?"

Poirot did not answer my question directly. He went on: "As soon as I heard you were coming over I said to myself: Something will arise. As in former days we will hunt together, we two. But if so it must be no common affair. It must be something" — he waved his hands excitedly — "something recherché — delicate — fine." He gave the last untranslatable word its full flavour.

"Upon my word, Poirot," I said (честное слово, Пуаро) . "Anyone would think (любой бы подумал) you were ordering a dinner at the Ritz (что вы заказывали обед в Ритц [1] Ritz — "Ритц" (лондонская фешенебельная гостиница на улице Пиккадилли (Piccadilly I). Основана швейцарцем С.Ритцом (César Ritz) в 1906 ; название её стало символом праздной роскоши); Ritz Hotel. ) ."

"Whereas (несмотря на то, что) one cannot command a crime to order (никто не может потребовать преступление на заказ; one — неопр. местоимение некто, кто-то; to command — приказывать; командовать; требовать) ? Very true (очень верно) ." He sighed (он вздохнул) . "But I believe in luck (но я верю в удачу) — in destiny (в судьбу) , if you will (если вам будет /угодно/) . It is your destiny to stand beside me (это ваша судьба стоять рядом со мной) and prevent me from committing the unforgivable error (и оберегать меня от совершения непростительной ошибки; to prevent — предотвращать, предупреждать; оберегать; to forgive — прощать) ."

"What do you call the unforgivable error (что вы называете непростительной ошибкой) ?"

"Overlooking the obvious (пропустить очевидное; to overlook — возвышаться; не заметить, пропустить) ."

whereas [wɛǝrˈæz], error [ˈerǝ], obvious [ˈɔbvɪǝs]

"Upon my word, Poirot," I said. "Anyone would think you were ordering a dinner at the Ritz."

"Whereas one cannot command a crime to order? Very true." He sighed. "But I believe in luck — in destiny, if you will. It is your destiny to stand beside me and prevent me from committing the unforgivable error."

"What do you call the unforgivable error?"

"Overlooking the obvious."

I turned this over in my mind (я прокрутил все это в голове) without quite seeing the point (не видя особого смысла; point — точка; пункт, момент; дело; суть) . "Well," I said presently (так, — сказал я вскоре; presently — вскоре; теперь; некоторое время спустя) , smiling (улыбаясь) , "has this super crime turned up yet (это сверхпреступление уже подвернулось; to turn up — поднимать вверх; находить; подвернуться) ?"

" Pas encore(фр. еще нет) . At least that (разве что…) —»

He paused (он замолк: «он сделал паузу») . A frown of perplexity creased his forehead (он нахмурился: «морщинка недоумения сморщила его лоб») . His hands automatically straightened an object or two (его руки автоматически поставили на место один или два предмета; to straighten — выпрямлять; приводить в порядок) that I had inadvertently pushed away (которые я по неосторожности сдвинул /прочь/; advertent — внимательный) .

"I am not sure," he said slowly (я не уверен, — сказал он медленно) .

There was something so odd about his tone (было что-то такое странное в его тоне) that I looked at him in surprise (что я посмотрел на него с удивлением) .

The frown still lingered (складочка все еще оставалась /на лбу/) .

frown [fraʋn], perplexity [pǝ:ˈplekɪstɪ], linger [ˈlɪŋɡǝ]

I turned this over in my mind without quite seeing the point. "Well," I said presently, smiling "has this super crime turned up yet?"

" Pas encore . At least that —"

He paused. A frown of perplexity creased his forehead. His hands automatically straightened an object or two that I had inadvertently pushed awry.

"I am not sure," he said slowly.

There was something so odd about his tone that I looked at him in surprise.

The frown still lingered.

Suddenly (неожиданно) with a brief decisive nod of the head (с коротким решительным кивком головы) he crossed the room to a desk near the window (он прошел через комнату к столу возле окна) . Its contents (его содержимое) , I need hardly say (едва ли мне нужно говорить) , were all neatly docketed (все было аккуратно подписано) and pigeonholed (и разложено по ящичкам; pigeonhole — картотечный ящик) so that he was able at once to lay his hand upon the paper (таким образом он был в состоянии сразу же положить руку на ту бумагу) he wanted (/которую/ он хотел) .

He came slowly across to me (он медленно подошел ко мне) , an open letter in his hand (/с/ распечатанным письмом в руке) . He read it through himself (он прочитал его про себя; to read) , then passed it to me (затем передал его мне) .

"Tell me, mon ami ," he said (скажите мне, друг мой) . "What do you make of this (как вы это понимаете; to make of — понимать, разбирать) ?"

I took it from him with some interest (я взял его у него с некоторым интересом) .

It was written on thickish white notepaper in printed characters (оно было написано на машинке на плотной белой писчей бумаге: «оно было написано на толстой белой писчей бумаге напечатными буквами») :

docket [ˈdɔkɪt], pigeonhole [ˈpɪdʒɪhǝʋl], through [ˈƟru:]

Suddenly with a brief decisive nod of the head he crossed the room to a desk near the window. Its contents, I need hardly say, were all neatly docketed and pigeonholed so that he was able at once to lay his hand upon the paper he wanted.

He came slowly across to me, an open letter in his hand. He read it through himself, then passed it to me.

"Tell me, mon ami ," he said. "What do you make of this?"