“You know all about it, M. Poirot. You’re a very wonderful man. But even you can’t quite imagine what it was like — that awful day in New York. I was just crazy with grief; so were the servants. And Colonel Arbuthnot was there too. He was John Armstrong’s best friend.”

“He saved my life in the War,” said Arbuthnot.

“We decided then and there (там же, на месте мы решили) (perhaps we were mad (может быть, мы сошли с ума) — I don’t know (я не знаю)) that the sentence of death that Cassetti had escaped (что смертный приговор, которого Кассетти избежал; sentence — приговор суда; наказание, мера наказания; death — смерть; смертная казнь) had got to be carried out (должен был быть приведен в исполнение; to carry out — доводить до конца, завершать; выполнять). There were twelve of us (нас было двенадцать) — or rather eleven (или, точнее, одиннадцать); Susanne’s father was over in France, of course (отец Сюзанны был, конечно же, во Франции). First we thought we’d draw lots (сначала мы подумали, что мы будем тянуть жребий; to draw lots — тянуть жребий) as to who should do it (кто должен будет сделать это), but in the end we decided on this way (но в конце мы решили в пользу такого способа = выбрали этот способ). It was the chauffeur, Antonio, who suggested it (это шофер, Антонио, предложил его). Mary worked out all the details later with Hector MacQueen (позже Мэри разработала все детали/подробности с Гектором Маккуином; to work out — высчитать, вычислить; разрабатывать /план/). He’d always adored Sonia — my daughter (он всегда обожал Соню — мою дочь) — and it was he who explained to us exactly how Cassetti’s money had managed to get him off (и именно он объяснил нам, как именно деньги Кассетти помогли ему избежать /наказания/; to manage — руководить, управлять; суметь /сделать/, ухитриться; to get off — слезать, вылезать; спастись, избежать).

sentence ['sent@ns] course [kO:s] chauffeur ['S@Uf@, S@U'f@:] detail ['di:teIl]

“We decided then and there (perhaps we were mad — I don’t know) that the sentence of death that Cassetti had escaped had got to be carried out. There were twelve of us — or rather eleven; Susanne’s father was over in France, of course. First we thought we’d draw lots as to who should do it, but in the end we decided on this way. It was the chauffeur, Antonio, who suggested it. Mary worked out all the details later with Hector MacQueen. He’d always adored Sonia — my daughter — and it was he who explained to us exactly how Cassetti’s money had managed to get him off.