He went on: "I've got written evidence, written evidence. I've got their letters to me, giving me instructions as to what places to go and a list of people to call on."

"Not written evidence exactly — typewritten evidence."

"It's the same thing. Naturally a big firm of wholesale manufacturers typewrite their letters."

"Don't you know, Mr. Cust, that a typewriter can be identified? All those letters were typed by one particular machine."

"What of it (что из этого)?"

"And that machine was your own (и что эта машина была вашей собственной) — the one found in your room (той, найденной у вас в комнате)."

"It was sent me by the firm at the beginning of my job (она была послана мне компанией в начале моей работы)."

"Yes, but these letters were received afterwards (но эти письма были получены после). So it looks (так это выглядит), does it not (не так ли), as though you typed them yourself (как будто вы напечатали их сами) and posted them to yourself (и отправили их по почте самому себе)?"

"No, no! It's all part of the plot against me (это все часть заговора против меня)!"

He added suddenly (он неожиданно добавил): "Besides (кроме того), their letters would be written on the same kind of machine (их письма были бы написаны на машинке того же самого типа)."

beginning [b'n], besides [b'sadz], machine [m'i:n]

"What of it?"

"And that machine was your own — the one found in your room."

"It was sent me by the firm at the beginning of my job."

"Yes, but these letters were received afterwards. So it looks, does it not, as though you typed them yourself and posted them to yourself?"

"No, no! It's all part of the plot against me!"

He added suddenly: "Besides, their letters would be written on the same kind of machine."

"The same kind (того же типа), but not the same actual machine (но не на той же реально существующей машинке; actual — актуальный; действительный)."

Mr. Cust repeated obstinately (мистер Каст упрямо повторил): "It's a plot (это заговор; plot — заговор)!"

"And the A.B.C.'s that were found in the cupboard (и /железнодорожные справочники/ «Эй-би-си», которые были найдены в шкафу)?"

"I know nothing about them (я /не/ знаю ничего о них). I thought (я думал) they were all stockings (это все были чулки)."

"Why did you tick off the name of Mrs. Ascher in that first list of people in Andover (почему вы отметили галочкой имя миссис Эшер в первом списке людей в Эндовере)?"

"Because I decided to start with her (потому что я решил начать с нее). One must begin somewhere (нужно с чего-то начинать; somewhere — где-либо)."

"Yes that is true (да, это правда). One must begin somewhere (нужно с чего-то начинать)."

actual ['aektl], obstinately ['bstntl], tick [tk]

"The same kind, but not the same actual machine."

Mr. Cust repeated obstinately: "It's a plot!"

"And the A.B.C.'s that were found in the cupboard?"

"I know nothing about them. I thought they were all stockings."

"Why did you tick off the name of Mrs. Ascher in that first list of people in Andover?"

"Because I decided to start with her. One must begin somewhere."

"Yes, that is true. One must begin somewhere."

"I don't mean that!" said Mr. Cust (я не это имею в виду). "I don't mean what you mean (я не имею в виду то, что имеете в виду вы)!"

"But you know what I meant (а вы знаете, что я имел в виду)?"