Mr. Cust said to himself: "Hercule Poirot. I wonder if he knows — "
He walked on again.
It wouldn't do to stand staring at that poster …
He thought: "I can't go on much longer …"
Foot in front of foot … what an odd thing walking was …
Foot in front of foot — ridiculous.
Highly ridiculous (совершенно нелепо) …
But man was a ridiculous animal anyway (но человек — нелепое существо все равно) …
And he (а он), Alexander Bonaparte Cust (Александр Бонапарт Каст), was particularly ridiculous (был особенно нелеп) …
He always had been (он всегда был) …
People had always laughed at him (люди всегда смеялись над ним) …
He couldn't blame them (он не мог винить их) …
Where was he going (куда он шел)? He didn't know (он не знал). He'd come to the end (он дошел до предела). He no longer looked anywhere (он больше никуда не смотрел) but at his feet (кроме как под ноги).
Alexander [,&lIk'zA:nd@], Bonaparte ['b@Un@pA:t], anywhere ['enIwE@]
Highly ridiculous …
But man was a ridiculous animal anyway …
And he, Alexander Bonaparte Cust, was particularly ridiculous …
He always had been …
People had always laughed at him …
He couldn't blame them …
Where was he going? He didn't know. He'd come to the end. He no longer looked anywhere but at his feet.
Foot in front of foot (шаг за шагом).
He looked up (он посмотрел вверх). Lights in front of him (огни перед ним). And letters (и буквы) …
Police Station (полицейский участок).
"That's funny," said Mr. Cust (это забавно). He gave a little giggle (и слегка хихикнул: «он издал небольшое хихиканье»).
Then he stepped inside (затем он ступил внутрь). Suddenly (неожиданно), as he did so (когда он так сделал), he swayed and fell forward (он покачнулся и упал вперед).
letter ['let@], inside [In'saId], sway [sweI]
Foot in front of foot.
He looked up. Lights in front of him. And letters …
Police Station.
"That's funny," said Mr. Cust. He gave a little giggle.
Then he stepped inside. Suddenly, as he did so, he swayed and fell forward.
XXXI. Hercule Poirot Asks Questions
(Эркюль Пуаро задает вопросы)
It was a clear November day (был ясный ноябрьский день). Dr. Thompson and Chief Inspector Japp had come round (зашли доктор Томпсон и главный инспектор Джепп) to acquaint Poirot with the result of the police court proceedings in the case of Rex v. Alexander Bonaparte Cust (чтобы ознакомить Пуаро с результатом разбирательств полицейского суда по делу «Король против Александра Бонапарта Каста»; v. = vs. = versus — против).
Poirot himself had had a slight bronchial chill (у самого Пуаро была легкая простуда: «легкая бронхиальная простуда»; chill — простуда; озноб) which had prevented his attending (которая помешала ему присутствовать). Fortunately (к счастью) he had not insisted on having my company (он не настаивал на том, чтобы я составил ему компанию: «он не настаивал на /том, чтобы/ иметь мою компанию»).
proceeding [pr@'si:dIN], versus ['v@:s@s], bronchial ['brONkj@l]
It was a clear November day. Dr. Thompson and Chief Inspector Japp had come round to acquaint Poirot with the result of the police court proceedings in the case of Rex v. Alexander Bonaparte Cust.
Poirot himself had had a slight bronchial chill which had prevented his attending. Fortunately he had not insisted on having my company.
"Committed for trial," said Japp (передано в суд; to commit — совершать; передавать). "So that's that (так, такие-то дела)."
"Isn't it unusual," I asked (не правда ли, это необычно: «разве это не необычно»), "for a defence to be offered at this stage (чтобы защита была предложена на этой ступени; stage — сцена; период, ступень)? I thought prisoners always reserved their defence (я думал, заключенные всегда приберегают защиту)."
"It's the usual course," said Japp (это обычный ход /вещей/). "I suppose (я полагаю) young Lucas thought (молодой Лукас думал) he might rush it through (что он, вероятно, сможет быстро провести это /дело/; to rush — мчаться; выполнять слишком поспешно). He's a trier (он из тех, кто всегда старается взять нахрапом; trier — человек, делающий все, что в его силах; to try — пробовать, стараться, пытаться), I will say (я скажу). Insanity's the only defence possible (невменяемость является единственной возможной защитой)."
Poirot shrugged his shoulders (Пуаро пожал плечами). "With insanity there can be no acquittal (с невменяемостью там не может быть никакого оправдания). Imprisonment during His Majesty's pleasure[44] is hardly preferable to death (бессрочное заключение: «заключение пока угодно Его Величеству» является едва ли предпочтительнее смерти)."
trial ['traI@l], trier ['traI@], acquittal [@k'wItl]
"Committed for trial," said Japp. "So that's that."
"Isn't it unusual," I asked, "for a defence to be offered at this stage? I thought prisoners always reserved their defence."
"It's the usual course," said Japp. "I suppose young Lucas thought he might rush it through. He's a trier, I will say. Insanity's the only defence possible."
Poirot shrugged his shoulders. "With insanity there can be no acquittal. Imprisonment during His Majesty's pleasure is hardly preferable to death."
"I suppose (я полагаю) Lucas thought there was a chance," said Japp (Лукас думал, что тут есть шанс). "With a first-class alibi for the Bexhill murder (с первоклассным алиби для бексхиллского убийства), the whole case might be weakened (все дело могло быть ослаблено). I don't think (я не думаю) he realized how strong our case is (что он понимает, как сильно наше дело). Anyway Lucas goes in for originality (в любом случае Лукас любит оригинальничать: «Лукас увлекается оригинальностью»; to go in for — заниматься, увлекаться). He's a young man (он молодой человек), and he wanted to hit the public eye (и он хотел поразить публику)."
Poirot turned to Thompson (Пуаро повернулся к Томпсону). "What's your opinion, doctor (ваше мнение, доктор)?"
"Of Cust (о Касте)? Upon my soul (честное слово: «/клянусь/ моей душой»), I don't know what to say (я не знаю, что сказать). He's playing the sane man remarkably well (он играет нормального человека удивительно хорошо). He's an epileptic (он эпилептик), of course (конечно)."
"What an amazing denouement that was," I said (какая это была поразительная развязка).
strong [strON], epileptic [,epI'leptIk], denouement [deI'nu:mA:N]
"I suppose Lucas thought there was a chance," said Japp. "With a first-class alibi for the Bexhill murder, the whole case might be weakened. I don't think he realized how strong our case is. Anyway Lucas goes in for originality. He's a young man, and he wanted to hit the public eye."
Poirot turned to Thompson. "What's your opinion, doctor?"
"Of Cust? Upon my soul, I don't know what to say. He's playing the sane man remarkably well. He's an epileptic, of course."
"What an amazing denouement that was," I said.
"His falling into the Andover police station in a fit (/то, что/ он ввалился в полицейский участок в Эндовере в припадке)? Yes — it was a fitting dramatic curtain to the drama (это был подходящий драматический занавес для этой драмы). A.B.C. had always timed his effects well (Эй-би-си всегда хорошо расчитывал свои эффекты)."
"Is it possible to commit a crime and be unaware of it?" I asked (возможно ли совершить преступление и не осознавать этого?).
"His denials seem to have a ring of truth in them (его отрицания, кажется, звучат правдиво: «его отрицания, кажется, имеют отзвуки правды в них»; to deny — отрицать; ring — звон; отголосок; to ring — звенеть; звучать)."
Dr. Thompson smiled a little (доктор Томпсон слегка улыбнулся). "You mustn't be taken in by that theatrical 'I swear by God' pose (вы не должны поддаваться этой театральной «я клянусь Богом» позе). It's my opinion (по-моему: «это мое мнение») that Cust knows perfectly well (что Каст отлично знает: «Каст знает совершенно хорошо») he committed the murders (что он совершил эти убийства).''
"When they're as fervent as that (когда они именно такие пылкие; fervent — горячий; пылкий) they usually do," said Japp (они обычно /так и звучат/).
curtain ['k@:t@n], denial [dI'naI@l], fervent ['f@:v@nt]
"His falling into the Andover police station in a fit? Yes — it was a fitting dramatic curtain to the drama. A.B.C. had always timed his effects well."
"Is it possible to commit a crime and be unaware of it?" I asked.
"His denials seem to have a ring of truth in them."
Dr. Thompson smiled a little. "You mustn't be taken in by that theatrical 'I swear by God' pose. It's my opinion that Cust knows perfectly well he committed the murders.''
"When they're as fervent as that they usually do," said Japp.
"As to your question," went on Thompson (что касается вашего вопроса, — продолжил Томпсон), "it's perfectly possible (это совершенно возможно) for an epileptic subject in a state of somnambulism to commit an action (чтобы эпилептический больной в состоянии сомнабулизма совершил действие; «для эпилептического субъекта в состоянии сомнабулизма совершать действие»)