Английский язык с Агатой Кристи. Убийство в Восточном Экспрессе

“I hope I’m not intruding, sir. I thought it best to come along at once, sir, and tell you the truth. I was Colonel Armstrong’s batman in the War, sir, and afterwards I was his valet in New York. I’m afraid I concealed that fact this morning. It was very wrong of me, sir, and I thought I’d better come and make a clean breast of it. But I hope, sir, that you’re not suspecting Tonio in any way. Old Tonio, sir, wouldn’t hurt a fly. And I can swear positively that he never left the carriage all last night. So, you see, sir, he couldn’t have done it. Tonio may be a foreigner, sir, but he’s a very gentle creature. Not like those nasty murdering Italians one reads about.”

He stopped (он замолчал; to stop — останавливать, задерживать; останавливаться, замолкать, делать паузу).

Poirot looked steadily at him (Пуаро смотрел на него в упор; steady — прочный, твердый; устойчивый, постоянный; непоколебимый, твердый). “Is that all you have to say (это все, что вы хотели сказать)?”

“That is all, sir (это все, сэр).”

He paused (он замер в нерешительности; to pause — делать паузу, перерыв; находиться в нерешительности, медлить); then, as Poirot did not speak (затем, так как Пуаро молчал: «не говорил»), he made an apologetic little bow (он сконфуженно поклонился; bow — поклон; apologetic — извиняющийся, чувствующий свою вину; примирительный) and after a momentary hesitation (и после минутного колебания; momentary — мгновенный; кратковременный) left the dining-car in the same quiet unobtrusive fashion (вышел из вагона-ресторана так же тихо и скромно: «в такой же тихой и спокойной манере»; fashion — образ, манера, вид) as he had come (как и вошел).

pause [pɔ:z] apologetic [ǝˌpɔlǝˈdʒetɪk] momentary [ˈmǝʋmǝnt(ǝ)rɪ]

unobtrusive [ˌʌnǝbˈtru:sɪv]

He stopped.

Poirot looked steadily at him. “Is that all you have to say?”

“That is all, sir.”

He paused; then, as Poirot did not speak, he made an apologetic little bow and after a momentary hesitation left the dining-car in the same quiet unobtrusive fashion as he had come.

“This (это),” said Dr. Constantine, “is more wildly improbable than any roman policier I have ever read (еще более сумасбродно и невозможно, чем любой детективный роман, который я когда-либо читал; wild — дикий, дикорастущий; сумасбродный, дикий, фантастический).”

“I agree (согласен),” said M. Bouc. “Of the twelve passengers in that coach, nine have been proved to have had a connection with the Armstrong case (из двенадцати пассажиров этого вагона девять, как оказалось, имели отношение к делу Армстронгов; connection — связь, соединение). What next, I ask you (что же дальше, спрашиваю я вас)? Or should I say, who next (или, мне следует сказать, кто следующий)?”

“I can almost give you the answer to your question (я почти могу ответить на ваш вопрос),” said Poirot. “Here comes our American sleuth, Mr. Hardman (вот идет наш американский сыщик, мистер Хардман; sleuth — ищейка; разг. сыщик, детектив).”

“Is he, too, coming to confess (он что, тоже идет признаваться; to confess — исповедоваться; признаваться, сознаваться)?”

improbable [ɪmˈprɒbǝb(ǝ)l] connection [kǝˈnekʃ(ǝ)n] sleuth [slu:Ɵ]

“This,” said Dr. Constantine, “is more wildly improbable than any roman policier I have ever read.”

“I agree,” said M. Bouc. “Of the twelve passengers in that coach, nine have been proved to have had a connection with the Armstrong case. What next, I ask you? Or should I say, who next?”

“I can almost give you the answer to your question,” said Poirot. “Here comes our American sleuth, Mr. Hardman.”

“Is he, too, coming to confess?”