"Isn't that because you're rather biased on that subject, Poirot?" I suggested (не потому ли это, что вы слишком предвзяты в отношении этого: «этой темы», Пуаро? — предложил я). "You yourself are normally methodical and orderly (вы сами обычно методичны и упорядочены). It's almost a disease with you (это почти болезнь у вас)."

sequence ['si:kwns], methodical [m'dkl], disease [d'zi:z]

Poirot made a gesture. "It is finished. I say no more. It is over. We pass to the next murder, that of Sir Carmichael Clarke. Here the murderer goes back to his first method — the blow on the head. The same alphabetical complex — but one fact worries me a little. To be consistent the murderer should have chosen his towns in some definite sequence."

"If Andover is the 155^th name under A, then the B crime should be the 155^th also — or it should be the 156^th and the C the 157^th. Here again the towns seemed to be chosen in rather too haphazard a fashion.''

"Isn't that because you're rather biased on that subject, Poirot?" I suggested. "You yourself are normally methodical and orderly. It's almost a disease with you."

"No, it is not a disease (это не болезнь)! Quelle id'ee (фр. что за мысль)! But I admit (но я признаю) that I may be overstressing that point (что я, возможно, придаю слишком большое значение этому моменту; to overstress — перегружать, перенапрягать). Passons (фр. оставим /это/)!"

"The Churston crime gave me very little extra help (черстонское преступление мало мне помогло: «дало мне очень мало дополнительной помощи»). We were unlucky over it (нам не повезло с ним), since the letter announcing it went astray (так как письмо, возвещающее его, потерялось; to go astray — сбиться с пути), hence no preparations could be made (так что никаких приготовлений не могло быть сделано; hence — отсюда; поэтому, следовательно)."

"But by the time the D crime was announced (но к тому моменту, когда было объявлено преступление /на букву/ «ди»), a very formidable system of defence had been evolved (была развернута очень замечательная система защиты). It must have been obvious (должно было быть очевидно) that A.B.C. could not much longer hope to get away with his crimes (что Эй-би-си не мог больше надеяться выходить сухим из воды с его преступлениями; to get away — уходить; выйти сухим из воды)."

overstress ['v'stres], astray ['stre], formidable ['f:mdbl]

"No, it is not a disease! Quelle id'ee! But I admit that I may be overstressing that point. Passons!"

"The Churston crime gave me very little extra help. We were unlucky over it, since the letter announcing it went astray, hence no preparations could be made."

"But by the time the D crime was announced, a very formidable system of defence had been evolved. It must have been obvious that A.B.C. could not much longer hope to get away with his crimes."