"You did not (вы не), I think (я думаю), go to the police of your own accord (ходили в полицию по собственной воле)." Poirot slipped the remark in neatly (Пуаро ловко вставил замечание).

"Why the hell should I (какого черта я бы /пошел/)? It were no business of mine (это было не мое дело)."

blasted ['bl:std], couple [kpl], own [n]

"Told all I've got to tell once, haven't I?" he growled. "What's it to do with me, anyway? Told it to the blasted police, I 'ave, and now I've got to spit it all out again to a couple of blasted foreigners."

Poirot gave a quick amused glance in my direction and then said: "In truth I sympathize with you, but what will you? It is a question of murder, is it not? One has to be very, very careful."

"Best tell the gentleman what he wants, Bert," said the woman nervously.

"You shut your blasted mouth," roared the giant.

"You did not, I think, go to the police of your own accord." Poirot slipped the remark in neatly.

"Why the hell should I? It were no business of mine."

"A matter of opinion," said Poirot indifferently (дело в точке зрения, — сказал Пуаро безразлично; to differ — отличаться). "There has been a murder (произошло: «там было» убийство) — the police want to know (полиция хочет знать) who has been in the shop (кто был в магазине), I myself think it would have (я сам думаю, это бы) — what shall I say (как мне сказать)? — looked more natural (выглядело более естественным) if you had come forward (если бы вы сами заявили)."

"I've got my work to do (у меня работа: «у меня есть моя работа, чтобы делать»). Don't say I shouldn't have come forward in my own time (не должен же я заявлять в мое собственное /рабочее/ время) —"

"But as it was (но, как это было = вышло иначе), the police were given your name (полиции дали ваше имя) as that of a person seen to go into Mrs. Ascher's (как /имя/ человека, /которого/ видели входящим в /магазин/ миссис Эшер) and they had to come to you (и им пришлось прийти к вам). Were they satisfied with your account (были ли они удовлетворены на ваш счет)?"

"Why shouldn't they be?" demanded Bert truculently (с чего бы им не быть, — свирепо спросил Берт; truculent — жестокий, свирепый).

Poirot merely shrugged his shoulders (Пуаро просто пожал плечами).

natural ['naetrl], account ['kant], truculently ['trkjulntl]

"A matter of opinion," said Poirot indifferently. "There has been a murder — the police want to know who has been in the shop, I myself think it would have — what shall I say? — looked more natural if you had come forward."

"I've got my work to do. Don't say I shouldn't have come forward in my own time —"

"But as it was, the police were given your name as that of a person seen to go into Mrs. Ascher's and they had to come to you. Were they satisfied with your account?"

"Why shouldn't they be?" demanded Bert truculently.

Poirot merely shrugged his shoulders.

"What are you getting at, mister (на что вы намекаете, мистер; to get at — намекать)? Nobody's got anything against me (ни у кого против меня ничего /нет/)! Everyone knows who did the old girl in (все знают, кто прикончил эту старуху: «старую девочку»), that b (этот ч…) — of a husband of hers (муж ее)."

"But he was not in the street that evening (но он не был на улице в тот вечер) and you were (а вы были)."