The A B C Murders / Убийство по алфавиту. Книга для чтения на английском языке

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�Couldn’t you simply have asked—without all that tissue of lies[88 - tissue of lies – паутина лжи]?’

�No, mon ami. If I had “simply asked”, as you put it, I should have got no answer at all to my questions. You yourself are English and yet you do not seem to appreciate the quality of the English reaction to a direct question. It is invariably one of suspicion and the natural result is reticence. If I had asked those people for information they would have shut up like oysters. But by making a statement (and a somewhat out of the way and preposterous one) and by your contradiction of it, tongues are immediately loosened.

We know also that that particular time was a “busy time”—that is, that everyone would be intent on their own concerns and that there would be a fair number of people passing along the pavements. Our murderer chose his time well, Hastings.’

He paused and then added on a deep note of reproach:

�Is it that you have not in any degree the common sense[89 - common sense – здравый смысл], Hastings? I say to you: “Make a purchase quelconque[90 - quelconque (фр.

) – какой-нибудь]”—and you deliberately choose the strawberries! Already they commence to creep through their bag and endanger your good suit.’

With some dismay, I perceived that this was indeed the case.

I hastily presented the strawberries to a small boy who seemed highly astonished and faintly suspicious.

Poirot added the lettuce, thus setting the seal on[91 - to set the seal on smth – закреплять] the child’s bewilderment.

He continued to drive the moral home.

�At a cheap greengrocer’s—not strawberries. A strawberry, unless fresh picked, is bound to exude juice. A banana—some apples—even a cabbage—but strawberries —’

�It was the first thing I thought of,’ I explained by way of excuse.

�That is unworthy of your imagination,’ returned Poirot sternly.

He paused on the sidewalk.

The house and shop on the right of Mrs Ascher’s was empty. A �To Let’[92 - �To Let’ – «Аренда»] sign appeared in the windows. On the other side was a house with somewhat grimy muslin curtains.

To this house Poirot betook himself and, there being no bell, executed a series of sharp flourishes with the knocker.

The door was opened after some delay by a very dirty child with a nose that needed attention.

�Good evening,’ said Poirot.