Читаем полностью

"May I suggest, Mr. Fraser (могу я предположить, мистер Фрейзер), that you should show signs of interest in the girl (что вы могли бы оказать знаки внимания: «знаки интереса» девушке)?"

approach ['prt], emerge ['m:], method ['med]

"I suggest two methods of approach. You, Miss Barnard, might try what I call the offensive approach."

"I suppose you think that suits my style?" said Megan dryly.

"Pick a quarrel with the girl — say you knew she never liked your sister — and that your sister had told you all about her. If I do not err, that will provoke a flood of recrimination. She will tell you just what she thought of your sister! Some useful fact may emerge."

"And the second method?"

"May I suggest, Mr. Fraser, that you should show signs of interest in the girl?"

"Is that necessary (это обязательно)?"

"No, it is not necessary (нет, это необязательно). It is just a possible line of exploration (это просто возможное направление исследования; to explore — исследовать; пробовать)."

"Shall I try my hand?" asked Franklin (может мне попытаться: «мне испытать руку»?). "I've (у меня) — er (э) — a pretty wide experience (изрядно богатый опыт), M. Poirot. Let me see (дайте мне подумать) what I can do with the young lady (что я могу сделать с молодой леди)."

"You've got your own part of the world to attend to," said Thora Grey rather sharply (вам нужно заняться своими заботами: «у вас есть собственная часть света, /чтобы/ позаботиться» — несколько резко сказала Тора Грей).

Franklin's face fell just a little (лицо Франклина слегка изменилось: «лицо Франклина слегка упало»). "Yes," he said. "I have (у меня есть)."

"Tout de m^eme (фр. тем не менее), I do not think (я не думаю) there is much you can do down there for the present," said Poirot (что есть много, что вы там можете сделать в настоящее время). "Mademoiselle Grey now (мадемуазель Грей, теперь), she is far more fitted (она гораздо больше подходит) —"

exploration [ekspl'ren], experience [k'sprns], attend ['tend]

"Is that necessary?"

"No, it is not necessary. It is just a possible line of exploration."

"Shall I try my hand?" asked Franklin. "I've — er — a pretty wide experience, M. Poirot. Let me see what I can do with the young lady."

"You've got your own part of the world to attend to," said Thora Grey rather sharply.

Franklin's face fell just a little. "Yes," he said. "I have."

" Tout de m^eme, I do not think there is much you can do down there for the present," said Poirot. "Mademoiselle Grey now, she is far more fitted —"

Thora Grey interrupted him (Тора Грей прервала его). "But you see, M. Poirot (вы понимаете, мсье Пуаро), I have left Devon for good (я оставила Девон навсегда; for good — навеки, навсегда)."

"Ah (а)? I did not understand (я не понял)."

"Miss Grey very kindly stayed on to help me clear up things," said Franklin (мисс Грей очень любезно осталась, чтобы помочь мне разобраться с делами). "But naturally she prefers a post in London (но, естественно, она предпочитает должность в Лондоне)."

Poirot directed a sharp glance from one to the other (Пуаро резко перевел взгляд с одного на другого).

"How is Lady Clarke?" he demanded (как /себя чувствует/ леди Кларк? —спросил он).

I was admiring the faint colour in Thora Grey's cheeks (я восхищался нежным румянцем щек Торы Грей) and almost missed Clarke's reply (и почти пропустил ответ Кларка).

clear [kl], prefer [pr'f:], direct [d'rekt]

Thora Grey interrupted him. "But you see, M. Poirot, I have left Devon for good."

"Ah? I did not understand."

"Miss Grey very kindly stayed on to help me clear up things," said Franklin. "But naturally she prefers a post in London."

Poirot directed a sharp glance from one to the other.

"How is Lady Clarke?" he demanded.

I was admiring the faint colour in Thora Grey's cheeks and almost missed Clarke's reply.