Английский язык с Агатой Кристи. Убийства по алфавиту

I said: "There is the A.B.C. — and the notepaper and envelope — "

"Naturally everything is being done in that line. The police have all the means at their disposal for that kind of inquiry. If anything is to be discovered on those lines have no fear but that they will discover it."

With that I was forced to rest content.

In the days that followed I found Poirot curiously disinclined to discuss the case. When I tried to reopen the subject he waved it aside with an impatient hand.

In my own mind (мысленно: «в моем собственном уме») I was afraid (я боялся)

that I fathomed his motive (что я раскрыл его мотив; to fathom — понимать; разузнавать; выяснять). Over the murder of Mrs. Ascher (по убийству миссис Эшер), Poirot had sustained a defeat (Пуаро потерпел поражение; to sustain — поддерживать; претерпевать; нести). A.B.C. had challenged him (Эй-би-си бросил ему вызов; to challenge — призывать к ответу; бросать вызов) — and A.B.C. had won (и Эй-би-си выиграл; to win — выигрывать, побеждать). My friend (мой друг), accustomed to an unbroken line of successes (привычный к непрерывной череде успехов; to break — ломать)

, was sensitive to his failure (был чувствителен к своему провалу) — so much (столь сильно) so that he could not even endure discussion of the subject (что он не мог даже вынести обсуждения этого предмета; to endure — подвергаться; длиться; терпеть).

It was, perhaps (это было, возможно), a sign of pettiness in so great a man (знаком мелочности в таком великом человеке; petty — мелкий, незначительный), but even the most sober of us is liable to have his head turned by success (но даже у самого здравомыслящего из нас может закружиться голова от успеха: «но даже самый здравомыслящий из нас склонен иметь голову, закруженную успехом»; sober — непьющий, трезвый; рассудительный; liable — обязанный; ответственный; склонный). In Poirot's case (в случае Пуаро)

the head-turning process had been going on for years (процесс головокружения продолжался годами; to go on — продолжаться). Small wonder (мало удивительного: «малое чудо») if its effects became noticeable at long last (если его последствия стали заметны спустя долгое время; to notice — замечать).

Understanding (понимая /это/), I respected my friend's weakness (я уважил слабость моего друга; weak — слабый) and I made no further reference to the case (и я больше не упоминал этот случай; to refer — ссылаться). I read in the paper the account of the inquest (в газете я прочитал отчет о расследовании)

.

fathom [ˈfæðǝm], challenge [ˈtʃælɪnʤ], endure [ɪnˈdju:ǝ]

In my own mind I was afraid that I fathomed his motive. Over the murder of Mrs. Ascher, Poirot had sustained a defeat. A.B.C. had challenged him — and A.B.C. had won. My friend, accustomed to an unbroken line of successes, was sensitive to his failure — so much so that he could not even endure discussion of the subject.

It was, perhaps, a sign of pettiness in so great a man, but even the most sober of us is liable to have his head turned by success. In Poirot's case the head-turning process had been going on for years. Small wonder if its effects became noticeable at long last.

Understanding, I respected my friend's weakness and I made no further reference to the case. I read in the paper the account of the inquest.