rightly ['ratl] nursemaid ['n:smed] knowledge ['nld] hysterical [h'sterkl] denial [d'nal] despair [ds'pe] innocent ['nsnt] complicity [km'plst]

“Mon Dieu, what a tragedy. I remember now,” said M. Bouc. “There was also another death, if I remember rightly?”

“Yes, an unfortunate French or Swiss nursemaid. The police were convinced that she had some knowledge of the crime. They refused to believe her hysterical denials. Finally, in a fit of despair the poor girl threw herself from a window and was killed. It was proved afterwards that she had been absolutely innocent of any complicity in the crime.”

“It is not good to think of,” said M. Bouc.

“About six months later (месяцев шесть спустя = где-то через полгода), this man Cassetti was arrested (этот Кассетти был арестован) as the head of the gang (как главарь шайки; head — голова; глава, руководитель, начальник) who had kidnapped the child (что похитила ребенка). They had used the same methods in the past (в прошлом они уже использовали такие методы). If the police seemed likely to get on their trail (если казалось, что полиция может напасть на их след; to get on — надевать; добираться /до чего-либо, кого-либо/; trail — след, хвост), they killed their prisoner (они убивали своего пленника; prison — тюрьма; prisoner — заключенный; пленник, человек, лишенный свободы действия и т.п.), hid the body (прятали тело; to hide (hid, hidden)), and continued to extract as much money as possible (и продолжали вытягивать как можно больше денег) before the crime was discovered (до того, как преступление раскрывалось).

method ['med] prisoner ['przn] continued [kn'tnju:d] extract [k'straekt]

“About six months later, this man Cassetti was arrested as the head of the gang who had kidnapped the child. They had used the same methods in the past. If the police seemed likely to get on their trail, they killed their prisoner, hid the body, and continued to extract as much money as possible before the crime was discovered.