Английский язык с Агатой Кристи. Убийства по алфавиту

The constable in his slow Hampshire voice was explaining the murder scene (констебль своим медленным гемпширским говором давал объяснение месту убийства).

"Down in a heap behind the counter (внизу, скрючившись, за прилавком: «внизу грудой за прилавком»), that's where she was (вот где она была). Doctor says as how she never knew what hit her (доктор говорит, она так и не узнала, что ударило ее). Must have been reaching up to one of the shelves (должно быть, дотягивалась до одной из полок)."

ceiling [ˈsi:lɪŋ], humbug [ˈhʌmbʌɡ], barley [ˈbɑ:lɪ]

A dingy little place. A few cheap magazines strewn about, and yesterday's newspapers — all with a day's dust on them. Behind the counter a row of shelves reaching to the ceiling and packed with tobacco and packets of cigarettes. There were also a couple of jars of peppermint humbugs and barley sugar. A commonplace little shop, one of many thousand such others.

The constable in his slow Hampshire voice was explaining the murder scene.

"Down in a heap behind the counter, that's where she was. Doctor says as how she never knew what hit her. Must have been reaching up to one of the shelves."

"There was nothing in her hand (там ничего не было в ее руках)?"

"No, sir (нет, сэр), but there was a packet of Players down beside her (но там была пачка «Плейерса» рядом с ней)."

Poirot nodded (Пуаро кивнул). His eyes swept round the small space observing (он, осматриваясь, обвел взглядом это местечко: «его глаза охватили взглядом местечко, осматривая»; to sweep — мести; охватывать взглядом) — noting (замечая).

"And the railway guide was (а железнодорожный справочник был)

— where (где)?"

"Here, sir (здесь, сэр)." The constable pointed out the spot on the counter (констебль указал место на прилавке). "It was open at the right page for Andover (он был открыт прямо на странице Эндовера: «на правильной странице Эндовера») and lying facedown (и лежал вверх обложкой: «и лежал лицом вниз»). Seems though (кажется, тем не менее) he must have been looking up the trains to London (он, должно быть, искал поезда в Лондон). If so (если так) 'twasn't an Andover man at all (то это вовсе не был человек из Эндовера; 'twasn't = it wasn't). But then

(но тогда), of course (конечно), the railway guide might have belonged to someone else (железнодорожный справочник, возможно, принадлежал кому-то еще) what had nothing to do with the murder at all (кто совсем не имел ничего общего с убийством), but just forgot it here (а просто забыл его здесь; to forget — забывать)."

beside [bɪˈsaɪd], facedown [ˈfeɪsdaʋn], belong [bɪˈlɔŋ]

"There was nothing in her hand?"

"No, sir, but there was a packet of Players down beside her."

Poirot nodded. His eyes swept round the small space observing — noting.

"And the railway guide was — where?"

"Here, sir." The constable pointed out the spot on the counter. "It was open at the right page for Andover and lying facedown. Seems though he must have been looking up the trains to London. If so 'twasn't an Andover man at all. But then, of course, the railway guide might have belonged to someone else what had nothing to do with the murder at all, but just forgot it here."

"Fingerprints?" I suggested (отпечатки пальцев? — предположил я; to suggest — предлагать, советовать; намекать, подсказывать).

The man shook his head (мужчина покачал головой). "The whole place was examined straight away, sir (все место было сразу исследовано, сэр; straight away — сразу, тот час). There weren't none (там не было никаких /отпечатков/)."

"Not on the counter itself?" asked Poirot (даже на самом прилавке? — спросил Пуаро).