“Absolutely (полностью). Her people (ее семья; people — народ, нация; родные, родственники, родители) come from an estate (родом из поместья) of my late husband’s in Germany (моего покойного мужа, в Германии; late — опоздавший; покойный).”

unusual [n'ju:|l, — l] trustworthy ['trstw:d] absolutely [aebs'lu:tl]

“The train had stopped then?”

“The train had stopped.”

“You heard nothing — nothing unusual during the time, Madame?”

“I heard nothing unusual.”

“What is your maid’s name?”

“Hildegarde Schmidt.”

“She has been with you long?”

“Fifteen years.”

“You consider her trustworthy?”

“Absolutely. Her people come from an estate of my late husband’s in Germany.”

“You have been in America, I presume, Madame (вы бывали в Америке, я полагаю, мадам)?”

The abrupt change of subject (такая внезапная/неожиданная смена темы /разговора/) made the old lady raise her eyebrows (заставила пожилую даму удивиться; to raise the eyebrows — поднять брови /в знак удивления, недовольства и т.п./). “Many times (много раз; time — время; раз, случай).”

“Were you at any time acquainted (вы были когда-либо: «в какое-нибудь время» знакомы) with a family of the name of Armstrong (с семьей по фамилии Армстронг) — a family in which a tragedy occurred (семьей, в которой случилась трагедия)?”

With some emotion in her voice (с некоторым волнением в голосе) the old lady said (пожилая дама сказала): “You speak of friends of mine, Monsieur (вы говорите о моих друзьях, мсье).”

presume [pr'zju:m] abrupt ['brpt] tragedy ['traedd] emotion ['mn]

“You have been in America, I presume, Madame?”

The abrupt change of subject made the old lady raise her eyebrows. “Many times.”

“Were you at any time acquainted with a family of the name of Armstrong — a family in which a tragedy occurred?”

With some emotion in her voice the old lady said: “You speak of friends of mine, Monsieur.”

“You knew Colonel Armstrong well, then (значит, вы хорошо знали полковника Армстронга)?”

“I knew him slightly (я знала его немного), but his wife, Sonia Armstrong, was my god-daughter (но его жена, Соня Армстронг, была моей крестницей; god — бог; daughter — дочь). I was on terms of friendship with her mother (я была в дружеских отношениях = дружила с ее матерью; term — период, срок; отношения; friendship — дружба), the actress, Linda Arden (актрисой Линдой Арден). Linda Arden was a great genius (Линда Арден была очень талантливой: «колоссальным талантом»; genius — одаренность, гениальность; талант), one of the greatest tragic actresses in the world (одной из величайших трагических актрис мира). As Lady Macbeth (/в роли/ Леди Макбет), as Magda (/в роли/ Магды), there was no one to touch her (никто не мог с ней сравниться; to touch — касаться, трогать; равняться, идти в сравнение). I was not only an admirer of her art (я была не только поклонницей ее таланта: «мастерства»; to admire — восхищаться, восторгаться; art — искусство; умение, мастерство), I was a personal friend (я была ее личной = близкой подругой).”

god-daughter ['dd:t] friendship ['frendp] genius ['di:ns] admirer [d'mar]

“You knew Colonel Armstrong well, then?”

“I knew him slightly, but his wife, Sonia Armstrong, was my god-daughter. I was on terms of friendship with her mother, the actress, Linda Arden. Linda Arden was a great genius, one of the greatest tragic actresses in the world. As Lady Macbeth, as Magda, there was no one to touch her. I was not only an admirer of her art, I was a personal friend.”

“She is dead (она умерла; dead — мертвый, умерший)?”