(он сел прямее) and turned once more to the girl (и еще раз повернулся к девушке). His manner was quite quiet and self-controlled (он вел себя достаточно тихо и владел собой: «его поведение было достаточно тихо и /было/ под его контролем»).
"It's true, I suppose (это правда, я полагаю)?" he said. "Betty is — dead (мертва) — killed (убита)?"
"It's true, Don."
He said as though mechanically (он сказал как будто машинально): "Have you just come down from London (ты только что приехала из Лондона)?"
"Yes. Dad phoned me (папа позвонил мне)."
"By the 9:20, I suppose?" said Donald Fraser (/поездом/ на девять двадцать, я полагаю).
convenient [k@n'vi:nI@nt], obey [@'beI], colour ['kVl@]
My friend then extracted a small flask from his pocket, poured some of its contents into a convenient cup which was hanging on the dresser and said: "Drink some of this, Mr. Fraser. It will do you good."
The young man obeyed. The brandy brought a little colour back into his face. He sat up straighter and turned once more to the girl. His manner was quite quiet and self-controlled.
"It's true, I suppose?" he said. "Betty is — dead — killed?"
"It's true, Don."
He said as though mechanically: "Have you just come down from London?"
"Yes. Dad phoned me."
"By the 9:20, I suppose?" said Donald Fraser.
His mind (его ум), shrinking from reality (избегая реальности; to shrink — избегать, уклоняться), ran for safety along these unimportant details (бежал в безопасность по этим незначительным деталям: «вдоль этих…»).
"Yes."
There was silence for a minute or two (минуту или две была тишина), then Fraser said (затем Фрейзер сказал): "The police (полиция)? Are they doing anything (они делают что-нибудь)?"
"They're upstairs now (они сейчас наверху). Looking through Betty's things (осматривают вещи Бетти), I suppose (я полагаю)."
"They've no idea who (у них нет идеи, кто) —? They don't know (они не знают) —?" He stopped (он остановился).
He had all a sensitive, shy person's (у него была, как у всех чувствительных, застенчивых людей) dislike of putting violent facts into words (нелюбовь облекать жестокие факты в слова).
Poirot moved forward a little (Пуаро немного продвинулся вперед) and asked a question (и задал вопрос). He spoke in a businesslike (он говорил деловым), matter-of-fact voice (сухим голосом; matter-of-fact — основанный на фактах, сухой, прозаичный; лишенный фантазии) as though what he asked was an unimportant detail (как-будто /то/, что он спрашивал, было незначительной деталью; important — важный).
safety ['seIftI], sensitive ['sensItIv], shy [SaI]
His mind, shrinking from reality, ran for safety along these unimportant details.
"Yes."
There was silence for a minute or two, then Fraser said: "The police? Are they doing anything?"
"They're upstairs now. Looking through Betty's things, I suppose."
"They've no idea who —? They don't know —?" He stopped.
He had all a sensitive, shy person's dislike of putting violent facts into words.
Poirot moved forward a little and asked a question. He spoke in a businesslike, matter-of-fact voice as though what he asked was an unimportant detail.
"Did Miss Barnard tell you (мисс Барнард сказала вам) where she was going last night (куда она собиралась прошлой ночью)?"
Fraser replied to the question (Фрейзер ответил на вопрос). He seemed to be speaking mechanically (казалось, он говорил машинально). "She told me (она сказала мне) she was going with a girl friend to St. Leonards (что она собирается с подружкой в Сент-Леонардс)."
"Did you believe her (вы ей поверили)?"
"I —" Suddenly the automaton came to life (неожиданно автомат вернулся к жизни). "What the devil do you mean (какого дьявола = что, черт побери, вы имеете в виду)?"
His face then (его лицо тогда), menacing (зловещее), convulsed by sudden passion (искаженное от внезапной ярости), made me understand (заставило меня понять) that a girl might well be afraid of rousing his anger (что девушка, вероятно, могла бояться пробудить его гнев; to rouse — будить; возбуждать; выводить из себя).
Poirot said crisply (Пуаро твердо сказал; crisply — решительно, твердо): "Betty Barnard was killed by a homicidal murderer (Бетти Барнард была убита маньяком-убийцей). Only by speaking the exact truth can you help us to get on his track (только говоря полную правду, вы нам можете помочь напасть на его след)."
automaton [O:'tOm@t@n], rouse [raUz], anger ['&Ng@]
"Did Miss Barnard tell you where she was going last night?"
Fraser replied to the question. He seemed to be speaking mechanically. "She told me she was going with a girl friend to St. Leonards."
"Did you believe her?"
"I —" Suddenly the automaton came to life. "What the devil do you mean?"
His face then, menacing, convulsed by sudden passion, made me understand that a girl might well be afraid of rousing his anger.
Poirot said crisply: "Betty Barnard was killed by a homicidal murderer. Only by speaking the exact truth can you help us to get on his track."
His glance for a minute turned to Megan (его взгляд на минуту вернулся к Меган).
''That's right, Don," she said (это верно, Дон). "It isn't a time for considering one's own feelings or anyone else's (не время считаться со своими чувствами или чьими-то еще). You've got to come clean (ты должен выйти чистым)."
Donald Fraser looked suspiciously at Poirot (Дон Фрейзер подозрительно посмотрел на Пуаро).
"Who are you (кто вы)? You don't belong to the police (вы не из полиции: «вы не принадлежите полиции»)?"
"I am better than the police," said Poirot (я лучше, чем полиция). He said it without conscious arrogance (он сказал это без сознательного высокомерия). It was (это было), to him (/для/ него), a simple statement of fact (простая констатация факта).
''Tell him," said Megan (расскажи ему).
else's ['elsIz], arrogance ['&r@g@ns], conscious ['kOnS@s]
His glance for a minute turned to Megan.
''That's right, Don," she said. "It isn't a time for considering one's own feelings or anyone else's. You've got to come clean."
Donald Fraser looked suspiciously at Poirot.
"Who are you? You don't belong to the police?"
"I am better than the police," said Poirot. He said it without conscious arrogance. It was, to him, a simple statement of fact.
''Tell him," said Megan.
Donald Fraser capitulated (Дональд Фрейзер сдался). "I — wasn't sure (я — не был уверен)," he said. "I believed her when she said it (я поверил ей, когда она сказала это). Never thought of doing anything else (никогда не думал ни о чем другом). Afterwards (позже) — perhaps it was something in her manner (возможно, было что-то в поведении). I — I, well, I began to wonder (я начал сомневаться; to wonder — удивляться; интересоваться; сомневаться)."
"Yes?" said Poirot.
He had sat down opposite Donald Fraser (он сел напротив Дональда Фрейзера). His eyes, fixed on the other man's (его глаза, уставившиеся в глаза другого человека: «застывшие на /глазах/ другого человека»), seemed to be exercising a mesmeric spell (казалось, испускали гипнотические чары; to exercise — практиковать; применять; упражнять).
"I was ashamed of myself for being so suspicious (мне было стыдно за себя, /что я/ подозревал). But — but I was suspicious (но я подозревал: «но я был подозревающим») … I thought of going down to the front (я думал пойти вниз к набережной) and watching her (и проследить за ней) when she left the café (когда она выйдет из кафе). I actually went there (я действительно пошел туда). Then I felt (затем я почувствовал) I couldn't do that (что я не могу сделать этого). Betty would see me (Бетти бы увидела меня) and she'd be angry (и она бы разозлилась). She'd realize at once that I was watching her (она бы сразу поняла, что я следил за ней)."
capitulate [k@'pItjuleIt], mesmeric [mez'merIk], ashamed [@'SeImd]
Donald Fraser capitulated. "I — wasn't sure," he said. "I believed her when she said it. Never thought of doing anything else. Afterwards — perhaps it was something in her manner. I — I, well, I began to wonder."
"Yes?" said Poirot.
He had sat down opposite Donald Fraser. His eyes, fixed on the other man's, seemed to be exercising a mesmeric spell.
"I was ashamed of myself for being so suspicious. But — but I was suspicious … I thought of going down to the front and watching her when she left the café. I actually went there. Then I felt I couldn't do that. Betty would see me and she'd be angry. She'd realize at once that I was watching her."
"What did you do (что вы сделали)?"
"I went over to St. Leonards (я поехал в Сент-Леонардc). Got over there by eight o'clock (добрался туда к восьми часам). Then I watched the buses (затем я следил за автобусами) — to see if she were in them (чтобы увидеть, была ли она в них). But there was no sign of her (но ее не было: «но там /не/ было никакого ее признака»).
"And then (а затем)?"
"I — I lost my head rather (я почти потерял голову; to lose — терять). I was convinced (я был убежден) she was with some man (что она с каким-то мужчиной)