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"Certainly, mademoiselle. Sit down, will you not?"

She took a seat and hesitated for just a minute as though choosing her words.

"It is just this, Mr. Poirot (это просто так, мистер Пуаро). Mr. Clarke very generously gave you to understand just now (мистер Кларк очень щедро дал вам понять прямо сейчас) that I had left Combeside by my own wish (что я оставила Кумсайд по моему собственному желанию). He is a very kind and loyal person (он очень добрый и верный человек). But as a matter of fact (но фактически), it is not quite like that (это не совсем так). I was quite prepared to stay on (я была вполне готова оставаться) — there is any amount of work to be done in connection with the collections (там есть некое количество работы, /которое/ нужно сделать с связи с коллекциями).

It was Lady Clarke (это была леди Кларк) who wished me to leave (кто пожелал, чтобы я ушла)! I can make allowances (я могу принять во внимание; allowance — принятие в расчет, во внимание). She is a very ill woman (она очень больная женщина), and her brain is somewhat muddled with the drugs (и ее мозг несколько затуманен лекарствами; to muddle — мутить, взбалтывать) they give her (/которые/ они ей дают). It makes her suspicious and fanciful (это делает ее подозрительной и капризной; fanciful —причудливый, капризный). She took an unreasoning dislike to me (у нее возникла необоснованная неприязнь ко мне; unreasoning — неразумный, неблагоразумный, безрассудный; to reason — рассуждать, размышлять; аргументировать, обосновывать) and insisted (и настояла) that I should leave the house (что мне следует покинуть дом)."

generously ['enrsl], loyal ['ll], allowance ['lans]

"It is just this, Mr. Poirot. Mr. Clarke very generously gave you to understand just now that I had left Combeside by my own wish. He is a very kind and loyal person. But as a matter of fact, it is not quite like that. I was quite prepared to stay on — there is any amount of work to be done in connection with the collections.

It was Lady Clarke who wished me to leave! I can make allowances. She is a very ill woman, and her brain is somewhat muddled with the drugs they give her. It makes her suspicious and fanciful. She took an unreasoning dislike to me and insisted that I should leave the house."

I could not but admire the girl's courage (я не мог не восхищаться храбростью девушки). She did not attempt to gloss over facts (она не пыталась приукрасить факты; to gloss — наводить глянец; приукрашивать), as so many might have been tempted to do (что столь многие, возможно, соблазнились бы сделать), but went straight to the point with an admirable candour (но перешла сразу к сути с восхитительной искренностью; candour — сверкающая белизна; яркость, блеск; искренность, откровенность, прямота). My heart went out to her in admiration and sympathy (мое сердце потянулось: «вышло» к ней с восхищением и сочувствием).

gloss [ls], courage ['kr], candour ['kaend]

I could not but admire the girl's courage. She did not attempt to gloss over facts, as so many might have been tempted to do, but went straight to the point with an admirable candour. My heart went out to her in admiration and sympathy.

"I call it splendid of you to come and tell us this," I said (по-моему, это великолепно c вашей /стороны/: «я называю это великолепным с вашей /стороны/» прийти и рассказать нам это).