| - Где-то около половины первого, сэр. |
| And just as I was thinking, there, now, it's Frank Carter, and Miss Nevill's away for the day and won't he be disappointed, and I was wondering if I ought to run down and tell him because it looked as though that lump of an Alfred had forgot, otherwise I thought he wouldn't have been waiting for her. |
Я тогда еще подумала: "Вот, опять пришел Фрэнк, а мисс Невил нет дома и он, конечно, расстроится". Я хотела было спуститься и сказать ему, чтобы он не ждал напрасно. |
| And just as I was hesitating, Mr. Carter, he seemed to make up his mind, and he slipped down the stairs very quick and went along the passage towards the master's surgery, and I thought to myself, the master won't like that, and I wondered if there was going to be a row. |
Но пока я так стояла и думала, он, то есть Фрэнк, наконец-то решился, быстро спустился вниз и пошел по коридору к кабинету, м-ра Морли. И я подумала, что хозяину это все не очень-то понравится, будет скандал, но тут меня позвала Эмма и я ушла, а потом я узнала, что хозяин застрелился. |
| But just then Emma called me, said whatever was I up to? and I went up again and then, afterwards, I heard the master had shot himself and, of course, it was so awful it just drove everything out of my head. But later, when that police Inspector had gone I said to Emma, I said, I didn't say anything about Mr. Carter having been up with the master this morning, and she said was he, and I told her, and she said well, perhaps I ought to tell, but anyway I said I'd better wait a bit, and she agreed, because neither of us didn't want to get Frank Carter into trouble if we could help. And then, when it came to the inquest and it come out that the master had made that mistake in a drug and really had got panicky and shot himself, quite natural-like - well, then, of course, there was no call to say anything. But reading that piece in the paper two days ago - oh! it did give me a turn! And I said to myself, if he's one of those loonies that thinks they're persecuted and goes round shooting people, well, then maybe he did shoot the master after all!" Her eyes, anxious and scared, looked hopefully at Hercule Poirot. |
Полиции я ничего не сказала, но когда газеты написали об этих выстрелах, я поговорила с Эммой и вот, решила написать вам... Ведь все говорят, что вы все знаете и вообще... - Она подняла на Пуаро испуганный взгляд, в котором все же можно было различить намек на надежду. |
| He put as much reassurance into his voice as he could. |
Посему Пуаро пришлось придать своему голосу максимально обнадеживающие интонации: |
| "You may be sure that you have done absolutely the right thing in telling me, Agnes," he said. "Well, I must say, sir, it does take a load off my mind. You see, I've kept saying to myself as perhaps I ought to tell. And then, you see, I thought of getting mixed up with the police and what mother would say. She's always been so particular about all..." "Yes, yes," said Hercule Poirot hastily. He had had, he felt, as much of Agnes's mother as he could stand for one afternoon. |
- Вы можете считать, что поступили абсолютно правильно. Агнес, я благодарю вас за то, что вы- пришли ко мне. |
| II Poirot called at Scotland Yard and asked for Japp. He was taken up to the Chief Inspector's room. |
Пуаро отправился в Скотленд - Ярд к Джаппу. |
| "I want to see Carter," said Hercule Poirot. |
- Мне нужно видеть Картера, - сразу же приступил к делу Пуаро. |
| Japp shot him a quick, sideways glance. |
Джапп быстро взглянул на друга: |
| He said: "What's the big idea?" |
- Что за грандиозная идея? |
| "You are unwilling?" |
- Вы против? |
| Japp shrugged his shoulders. |
Джапп пожал плечами: |
| He said: "Oh, I shan't make objections. |
- Нет, разумеется. |
| No good if I did. |
Да и толку что? |
| Who's the Home Secretary's little pet? |
Вы же любимчик министра внутренних дел. |
| You are. Who's got half the Cabinet in his pocket? |
Да и половина министров у вас в кармане. |
| You have. Hushing up their scandals for them." |
Сколько раз вы их спасали от скандала! |
| Poirot's mind flew for a moment to that case he had named the Case of the Augian Stables. He murmured, not without complacence: "It was ingenious, yes? You must admit it. We imagined, let us say." "Nobody but you would ever have thought of such a thing! |
В ответ ему послышалось нечто самодовольное. |
| Sometimes, Poirot, I think you haven't scruples at all!" |
- Простите, но мне иногда кажется, что вы лишены моральных устоев. |
| Poirot's face became suddenly grave. |
Лицо Пуаро неожиданно помрачнело. |
| He said: "That is not true." |
- Вы ошибаетесь. |
| "Oh, all right, Poirot, I didn't mean it. |
- Ну, не сердитесь, дружище. |
| But you're so pleased sometimes with your damned ingenuity. |
Скажите, чего ради вам вдруг понадобился этот парень? |
| What do you want to see Carter for? To ask whether he really murdered Morley?" |
Хотите спросить его, не он ли убил Морли? |
| To Japp's surprise, Poirot nodded his head emphatically. "Yes, my friend, that is exactly the reason." |
К удивлению Джаппа Пуаро кивнул головой. |
| "And I suppose you think he'll tell you if he did?" Japp laughed as he spoke. |
- И, конечно, надеетесь на то, что он признается? |
| But Hercule Poirot remained grave. |
Пуаро словно и не слышал вопроса. |
| He said: "He might tell me - yes." |
- Я думаю, он скажет мне правду. |
| Japp looked at him curiously. |
Джапп взглянул на него с любопытством: |
| He said: "You know, I've known you a long time -twenty years? Something like that. |
- Послушайте, я знаю вас давно. Лет 20?
|