Hallowe'en Party / Вечеринка на Хэллоуин. Книга для чтения на английском языке

Since he knew that Mrs Oliver did not partake of spirituous liquor[33 - did not partake of spirituous liquor – не пила спиртных напитков], he could not make one of the assumptions that he might have made in any other case.

�A children’s party,’ said Mrs Oliver. �Or rather, an eleven-plus party.’

�Eleven-plus?’

�Well, that’s what they used to call it, you know, in schools. I mean they see how bright you are, and if you’re bright enough to pass your eleven-plus, you go on to a grammar school or something.

But if you’re not bright enough, you go to something called a Secondary Modern[34 - Secondary Modern [school] – государственная средняя школа с практическим уклоном для детей 11–16 лет, существовала в Великобритании до 60-х гг. XX в.]. A silly name. It doesn’t seem to mean anything.’

�I do not, I confess, really understand what you are talking about,’ said Poirot.

They seemed to have got away from parties and entered into the realms of education.

Mrs Oliver took a deep breath and began again.

�It started really,’ she said, �with the apples.’

�Ah yes,’ said Poirot, �it would. It always might with you, mightn’t it?’

He was thinking to himself of a small car on a hill and a large woman getting out of it, and a bag of apples breaking, and the apples running and cascading down the hill.

�Yes,’ he said encouragingly, �apples.

’

�Bobbing for apples,’ said Mrs Oliver. �That’s one of the things you do at a Hallowe’en party.’

�Ah yes, I think I have heard of that, yes.’

�You see, all sorts of things were being done. There was bobbing for apples, and cutting sixpence off a tumblerful of flour, and looking in a looking-glass—’

�To see your true love’s face?’ suggested Poirot knowledgeably.

�Ah,’ said Mrs Oliver, �you’re beginning to under stand at last.’

�A lot of old folklore, in fact,’ said Poirot, �and this all took place at your party.

’

�Yes, it was all a great success. It finished up with Snapdragon. You know, burning raisins in a great dish. I suppose—’ her voice faltered, �—I suppose that must be the actual time when it was done.’

�When what was done?’

�A murder. After the Snapdragon everyone went home,’ said Mrs Oliver. �That, you see, was when they couldn’t find her.