"Well," I said. "I can't see any excitement in that!"

Poirot threw me a glance of reproof. "No, because there are no curiously twisted daggers, no blackmail, no emerald that is the stolen eye of a god, no untraceable Eastern poisons. You have the melodramatic soul, Hastings. You would like, not one murder, but a series of murders."

"I admit," I said, "that a second murder in a book often cheers things up. If the murder happens in the first chapter, and you have to follow up everybody's alibi until the last page but one — well, it does get a bit tedious."

The telephone rang (телефон зазвонил; to ring) and Poirot rose to answer (и Пуаро поднялся, чтобы ответить; to rise).

"Allo," he said. "Allo. Yes, it is Hercule Poirot speaking (это говорит Эркюль Пуаро)."

He listened for a minute or two (он слушал минуту или две) and then I saw his face change (а затем я увидел, как изменилось его лицо).

His own side of the conversation was short and disjointed (с его стороны разговор: «его собственная сторона беседы» был коротким и несвязным; joint — сочленение, сустав; стык). "Mais oui (фр. ну да) … Yes, of course (да, конечно) … But yes (ну да), we will come (мы приедем) … Naturally (естественно) … It may be as you say (это может быть так, как вы говорите) … Yes, I will bring it (да, я принесу его). A tout `a l'heure then (фр. до скорого свидания, тогда)."

allo ['ael], disjointed [ds'ntd], conversation [knv'sen]

The telephone rang and Poirot rose to answer.

"Allo," he said. "Allo. Yes, it is Hercule Poirot speaking."

He listened for a minute or two and then I saw his face change.

His own side of the conversation was short and disjointed. "Mais oui … Yes, of course … But yes, we will come … Naturally … It may be as you say … Yes, I will bring it. A tout `a l'heure then."

He replaced the receiver (он положил трубку) and came across the room to me (и прошел ко мне через комнату).

"That was Japp speaking, Hastings (это говорил Джепп, Гастингс)."

"Yes?"

"He had just got back to the Yard (он только что вернулся в /Скотланд/-Ярд). There was a message from Andover (было сообщение из Эндовера)."

"Andover ?' I cried excitedly (Эндовер? — вскрикнул я взволнованно).

Poirot said slowly (Пуаро медленно сказал): "An old woman of the name of Ascher (пожилая женщина по имени Эшер) who keeps a little tobacco and newspaper shop (которая держит маленький табачный и газетный магазинчик) has been found murdered (была найдена убитой; to find — находить, обнаруживать)."

receiver [r'si:v], message ['mes], tobacco [t'baek]

He replaced the receiver and came across the room to me.

"That was Japp speaking, Hastings."

"Yes?"

"He had just got back to the Yard. There was a message from Andover."

"Andover?' I cried excitedly.

Poirot said slowly: "An old woman of the name of Ascher who keeps a little tobacco and newspaper shop has been found murdered."

I think (я думаю) I felt ever so slightly damped (я почувствовал себя слегка обескураженным; to feel; to damp — уменьшать; тушить; подавлять). My interest (мой интерес), quickened by the sound of Andover (разгоревшийся при упоминании Эндовера: «при звуке Эндовер»; to quicken — ускоряться; оживать), suffered a faint check (слегка угас: «претерпел легкую задержку/остановку»). I had expected something fantastic (я ожидал чего-нибудь фантастического) — out of the way (из ряда вон: «вне пути»)! The murder of an old woman who kept a little tobacco shop (убийство старухи, которая держала табачный магазинчик) seemed, somehow (казалось в некотором смысле: «как-то»), sordid (убогим) and uninteresting (неинтересным).