“I do not know (я не знаю). It may be so (может быть и так). I opened the door of his compartment by mistake (я открыла дверь его купе по ошибке). I was much ashamed (мне было очень стыдно; ashamed — пристыженный). It was a most awkward mistake (это была чрезвычайно неловкая ошибка).”

matron ['metrn] missionary ['mnr] nurse [n:s] dreadful ['dredl] ashamed ['emd] awkward [':kwd]

She was, she told him, matron in a missionary school near Stamboul. She was a trained nurse.

“You know, of course, of what took place last night, Mademoiselle?”

“Naturally. It is very dreadful. And the American lady tells me that the murderer was actually in her compartment.”

“I hear, Mademoiselle, that you were the last person to see the murdered man alive?”

“I do not know. It may be so. I opened the door of his compartment by mistake. I was much ashamed. It was a most awkward mistake.”

“You actually saw him (вы действительно видели его)?”

“Yes. He was reading a book (да, он читал книгу). I apologised quickly and withdrew (я быстро извинилась и ушла; to withdraw (withdrew, withdrawn) — отнимать, отдергивать; уходить, удаляться).”

“Did he say anything to you (он вам что-нибудь сказал)?”

A slight flush showed (небольшой румянец появился; flush — внезапный прилив /воды/; внезапная краска, прилив крови /к лицу/; to show — показывать; появляться) on the worthy lady’s cheek (на щеках почтенной дамы; worthy — достойный; почтенный, достойный).

“He laughed and said a few words (он рассмеялся и сказал несколько слов). I — I did not quite catch them (я не вполне их расслышала; to catch — поймать; уловить смысл; расслышать).”

“And what did you do after that, Mademoiselle (и что вы сделали после этого, мадемуазель)?” asked Poirot, passing from the subject tactfully (тактично уходя от этой темы; subject — предмет, тема /разговора и т.п./).

actually ['aektl] apologize ['pldaz] withdrew [wd'dru:] worthy ['w:d] subject ['sbdkt]

“You actually saw him?”

“Yes. He was reading a book. I apologised quickly and withdrew.”

“Did he say anything to you?”

A slight flush showed on the worthy lady’s cheek.

“He laughed and said a few words. I — I did not quite catch them.”

“And what did you do after that, Mademoiselle?” asked Poirot, passing from the subject tactfully.

“I went in to the American lady, Mrs. Hubbard (я пошла в /купе/ к американской леди, миссис Хаббард). I asked her for some aspirin (я попросила у нее аспирина; to ask — спрашивать; (по)просить) and she gave it to me (и она дала его мне).”

“Did she ask you (спрашивала ли она у вас) whether the communicating door between her compartment and that of Mr. Ratchett was bolted (закрыта ли на засов смежная дверь между ее купе и /купе/ мистера Рэтчетта; to communicate — сообщать, передавать; сообщаться, быть смежным /о комнатах, домах и т.п.)?”

“Yes.”

“And was it (и она была /закрыта на засов/)?”

“Yes.”

“And after that (а /что вы сделали/ после того)?”

“After that I went back to my compartment (потом я вернулась в свое купе), took the aspirin (приняла аспирин; to take (took, taken) — брать; принимать /пищу, лекарство/), and lay down (и легла /спать/; to lie (lay, lain)).”

whether ['wed] communicating [k'mju:nket] aspirin ['aesprn]

“I went in to the American lady, Mrs. Hubbard. I asked her for some aspirin and she gave it to me.”

“Did she ask you whether the communicating door between her compartment and that of Mr. Ratchett was bolted?”

“Yes.”

“And was it?”

“Yes.”

“And after that?”

“After that I went back to my compartment, took the aspirin, and lay down.”

“What time was all this (в котором часу все это было)?”