accompaniment [??k?mp?n?m?nt], giant [??a??nt], peer [p??]
 
      Our next interview was with Mr. Albert Riddell and was of a highly different character. Mr. Albert Riddell was a plate-layer and our conversation took place to the accompaniment of the clattering of plates and dishes by Mr. Riddell's obviously nervous wife, the growling of Mr. Riddell's dog and the undisguised hostility of Mr. Riddell himself.
      He was a big clumsy giant of a man with a broad face and small suspicious eyes. He was in the act of eating a meat pie, washed down by exceedingly black tea. He peered at us angrily over the rim of his cup.
 
      "Told all I've got to tell once, haven't I (рассказал все, что имел сказать, сразу, не так ли)?" he growled (зарычал он). "What's it to do with me, anyway (что это имеет общего со мной, так или иначе)? Told it to the blasted police, I 'ave (рассказал это чертовой полиции, уже; to blast — разрушать; оглушать; ругаться; 'ave — have), and now I've got to spit it all out again to a couple of blasted foreigners (и теперь мне приходится снова все это выкладывать парочке чертовых иностранцев; to spit it out — разг. выкладывать, говорить; to spit — плевать)."
      Poirot gave a quick amused glance in my direction (Пуаро бросил быстрый позабавленный взгляд в моем направлении; to amuse — забавлять, развлекать)and then said (и затем сказал): "In truth (поистине)I sympathize with you (я вам сочувствую), but what will you (но что вы)? It is a question of murder (речь идет об убийстве: «это вопрос убийства»), is it not (не так ли)? One has to be very, very careful (приходится быть очень, очень осторожным)."
      "Best tell the gentleman (лучше скажи джентельмену)what he wants, Bert (что он хочет, Берт)," said the woman nervously (нервно сказала женщина).
      "You shut your blasted mouth," roared the giant (/а/ ты закрой свой чертов рот, — взревел великан).
      "You did not (вы не), I think (я думаю), go to the police of your own accord (ходили в полицию по собственной воле)." Poirot slipped the remark in neatly (Пуаро ловко вставил замечание).
      "Why the hell should I (какого черта я бы /пошел/)? It were no business of mine (это было не мое дело)."
 
      blasted [?bl?:st?d], couple [k?pl], own [??n]
 
      "Told all I've got to tell once, haven't I?" he growled. "What's it to do with me, anyway? Told it to the blasted police, I 'ave, and now I've got to spit it all out again to a couple of blasted foreigners."
      Poirot gave a quick amused glance in my direction and then said: "In truth I sympathize with you, but what will you? It is a question of murder, is it not? One has to be very, very careful."
      "Best tell the gentleman what he wants, Bert," said the woman nervously.
      "You shut your blasted mouth," roared the giant.
      "You did not, I think, go to the police of your own accord." Poirot slipped the remark in neatly.
      "Why the hell should I? It were no business of mine."
 
      "A matter of opinion," said Poirot indifferently (дело в точке зрения, — сказал Пуаро безразлично; to differ — отличаться). "There has been a murder (произошло: «там было» убийство)— the police want to know (полиция хочет знать)who has been in the shop (кто был в магазине), I myself think it would have (я сам думаю, это бы)— what shall I say (как мне сказать)? — looked more natural (выглядело более естественным)if you had come forward (если бы вы сами заявили)."
      "I've got my work to do (у меня работа: «у меня есть моя работа, чтобы делать»). Don't say I shouldn't have come forward in my own time (не должен же я заявлять в мое собственное /рабочее/ время)—"
      "But as it was (но, как это было = вышло иначе), the police were given your name (полиции дали ваше имя)as that of a person seen to go into Mrs. Ascher's (как /имя/ человека, /которого/ видели входящим в /магазин/ миссис Эшер)and they had to come to you (и им пришлось прийти к вам). Were they satisfied with your account (были ли они удовлетворены на ваш счет)?"
      "Why shouldn't they be?" demanded Bert truculently (с чего бы им не быть, — свирепо спросил Берт; truculent — жестокий, свирепый).
      Poirot merely shrugged his shoulders (Пуаро просто пожал плечами).
 
      natural [?n?t??r?l], account [??ka?nt], truculently [?tr?kjul?ntl?]
 
      "A matter of opinion," said Poirot indifferently. "There has been a murder — the police want to know who has been in the shop, I myself think it would have — what shall I say? — looked more natural if you had come forward."
      "I've got my work to do. Don't say I shouldn't have come forward in my own time —"
      "But as it was, the police were given your name as that of a person seen to go into Mrs. Ascher's and they had to come to you. Were they satisfied with your account?"
      "Why shouldn't they be?" demanded Bert truculently.
      Poirot merely shrugged his shoulders.
 
      "What are you getting at, mister (на что вы намекаете, мистер; to get at — намекать)? Nobody's got anything against me (ни у кого против меня ничего /нет/)! Everyone knows who did the old girl in (все знают, кто прикончил эту старуху: «старую девочку»), that b (этот ч…)— of a husband of hers (муж ее)."
      "But he was not in the street that evening (но он не был на улице в тот вечер)and you were (а вы были)."
      "Trying to fasten it on me are you (пытаетесь мне пришить это, вы; to fasten — укрепить, привязать)? Well (ну), you won't succeed (у вас не выйдет; to succeed — следовать; преуспевать). What reason had I got to do a thing like that (по какой причине я должен совершать подобное: «вещь как эта»)? Think I wanted to pinch a tin of her bloody tobacco (думаете, я хотел стащить банку ее чертового табаку; to pinch — щипать, ущипнуть; сл. красть)? Think I'm a bloody homicidal maniac (думаете, я чертов маньяк-убийца; homicide — убийство)as they call it (как это называют)? Think I (думаете я)—?"
 
      succeed [s?k?si:d], homicidal [?h?m??sa?d(?)l], maniac [?me?n??k]
 
      "What are you getting at, mister? Nobody's got anything against me! Everyone knows who did the old girl in, that b — — of a husband of hers."
      "But he was not in the street that evening and you were."
      "Trying to fasten it on me are you? Well, you won't succeed. What reason had I got to do a thing like that? Think I wanted to pinch a tin of her bloody tobacco? Think I'm a bloody homicidal maniac as they call it? Think I — ?"
 
      He rose threateningly from his seat (он угрожающе встал со своего места; to threat). His wife bleated out (его жена проблеяла): "Bert (Берт), Bert — don't say such things (не говори так: «таких вещей»). Bert (Берт)— they'll think (они подумают)—"
      "Calm yourself, Monsieur," said Poirot (успокойтесь, мсье). "I demand only your account of your visit (мне нужен только рассказ о вашем визите: «отчет о вашем визите»; to demand — требовать; нуждаться). That you refuse (/то/, что вы отказываетесь)it seems to me (кажется мне)— what shall we say (как мы можем сказать)— a little odd (немного странным)?"
      "Who said (кто сказал)I refused anything (что я отказываюсь от чего-то)?" Mr. Riddell sank back again into his seat (мистер Риддел снова откинулся на своем месте). "I don't mind (я не возражаю)."
      "It was six o'clock (было шесть часов)when you entered the shop (когда вы зашли в магазин)?"
 
      bleat [bli:t], calm [k?:m], refuse [r??fju:z]
 
      He rose threateningly from his seat. His wife bleated out: "Bert, Bert — don't say such things. Bert — they'll think — "
      "Calm yourself, Monsieur," said Poirot. "I demand only your account of your visit. That you refuse it seems to me — what shall we say — a little odd?"
      "Who said I refused anything?" Mr. Riddell sank back again into his seat. "I don't mind."
      "It was six o'clock when you entered the shop?"
 
      "That's right (это правильно)— a minute or two after (минута или две /седьмого/), as a matter of fact (фактически). Wanted a packet of Gold Hake (хотел пачку «Голд Хейк» /«золотого хека»/). I pushed open the door (я толкнул дверь, чтобы открыть)—"
      "It was closed, then (значит, она была закрыта)?"
      ''That's right (это точно). I thought (я подумал)the shop was shut, maybe (что магазин был, наверное, закрыт). But it wasn't (но он не был). I went in (я зашел внутрь), there wasn't anyone about (там не было никого вокруг). I hammered on the counter (я постучал по прилавку; to hammer — бить; колотить)and waited a bit (и подождал немного). Nobody came (никто /не/ пришел), so I went out again (так я опять вышел). That's all (это все), and you can put it in your pipe and smoke it (и зарубите себе это на носу: «и вы можете забить это себе в трубку выкурить»; to put it in your pipe and smoke it — зарубить на носу)."
 
      gold [???ld], hammer [?h?m?], pipe [pa?p]
 
      "That's right — a minute or two after, as a matter of fact. Wanted a packet of Gold Hake. I pushed open the door —"
      "It was closed, then?"
      ''That's right. I thought the shop was shut, maybe. But it wasn't. I went in, there wasn't anyone about. I hammered on the counter and waited a bit. Nobody came, so I went out again. That's all, and you can put it in your pipe and smoke it."
 
      "You didn't see the body fallen down behind the counter (вы не видели тело, упавшее за прилавок; to fall — падать)?"
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