学习英语，坚持每天翻译一部分纯英文电子书。---------------------June 13th Wednesday
Agatha Christie - Third Girl（阿加莎·克里斯蒂-第三位女郎）
CHAPTER ONE
第一章
HERCULE POIROT was sitting at the breakfast table.
赫克丽·波洛坐在早餐桌旁。
At his right hand was a steaming cup of chocolate.
他的右手是一杯热气腾腾的巧克力。
He had always had a sweet tooth.
他一直喜欢吃甜食。
To accompany the chocolate was a brioche.
和巧克力一起吃的是一只奶油蛋糕。
It went agreeably with chocolate.
它和巧克力搭配得很好。
He nodded his approval.
他点头表示赞同。
This was from the fourth shop he had tried.
这是他试过的第四家店。
It was a Danish patisserie but infinitely superior to the so-called French one near by.
这是一个丹麦的露台，但远远优于附近所谓的法国露台。
That had been nothing less than a fraud.
那不过是个骗局。
He was satisfied gastronomically.
他在胃泌素方面很满意。
His stomach was at peace.
他的胃平静了。
His mind also was at peace, perhaps somewhat too much so.
他的心也很平静，也许有点太平静了。
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He had finished his Magnum Opus, an analysis of great writers of detective fiction.
他完成了他的代表作，对侦探小说的伟大作家进行了分析。
He had dared to speak scathingly of Edgar Alien Poe, he had complained of the lack of method or order in the romantic outpourings of Wilkie Collins, had lauded to the skies two American authors who were practically unknown, and had in various other ways given honour where honour was due and sternly withheld it where he considered it was not.
他胆敢说埃德加·艾琳·坡(Edgar Alien Poe)的坏话，他抱怨威尔基·柯林斯(Wilkie Collins)的浪漫之旅缺乏方法或秩序，赞扬了两位几乎不知名的美国作家，在他认为不值得尊敬的地方，他还以各种其他方式给予了荣誉。
He had seen the volume through the press, had looked upon the results and, apart from a really incredible number of printer's errors, pronounced that it was good.
他通过媒体看到了这卷书，看了看结果，除了大量的打印机错误外，他还说它是好的。
He had enjoyed this literary achievement and enjoyed the vast amount of reading he had had to do, had enjoyed snorting with disgust as he flung a book across the floor (though always remembering to rise, pick it up and dispose of it tidily in the waste-paper basket) and had enjoyed appreciatively nodding his head on the rare occasions when such approval was justified.
他享受了这一文学成就，享受了大量的阅读，厌恶地把一本书扔到地板上(尽管他总是记得站起来，把它捡起来，整齐地扔在废纸篮子里)，还喜欢在这种认可是合理的情况下，赞赏地点点头。
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And now?
现在呢？
He had had a pleasant interlude of relaxation, very necessary after his intellectual labour.
在他的智力劳动之后，他有了一段愉快的放松的插曲，这是非常必要的。
But one could not relax for ever, one had to go on to the next thing.
但是，一个人不能永远放松，一个人必须继续下一件事。
Unfortunately he had no idea what the next thing might be.
不幸的是，他不知道接下来会发生什么。
Some further literary accomplishment?
进一步的文学成就？
He thought not.
他不这么认为。
Do a thing well then leave it alone.
做好一件事，然后置之不理。
That was his maxim.
这是他的格言。
The truth of the matter was, he was bored.
事实是，他很无聊。
All this strenuous mental activity in which he had been indulging--there had been too much of it.
他一直沉溺于这种紧张的精神活动-太多了。
It had got him into bad habits, it had made him restless.
这使他养成了坏习惯，使他焦躁不安。
Vexatious!
Vexatious!
He shook his head and took another sip of chocolate.
他摇了摇头，又喝了一口巧克力。
The door opened and his well-trained servant, George, entered.
门开了，他训练有素的仆人乔治进来了.
His manner was deferential and slightly apologetic.
他的态度是恭敬的，略带歉意。
He coughed and murmured, "A —" he paused," — a — young lady has called.
他咳嗽着，喃喃地说：“A-”他停顿了一下，“一位年轻的女士打电话来了。”
" Poirot looked at him with surprise and mild distaste.
“波洛惊奇地、温和地看着他。
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"I do not see people at this hour," he said reprovingly.
“我在这个时候看不到人，”他责备地说。
"No, sir," agreed George.
“不，先生，”乔治同意。
Master and servant looked at each other.
主人和仆人互相看着。
Communication was sometimes fraught with difficulties for them.
沟通有时对他们来说充满了困难。
By inflexion or innuendo or a certain choice of words George would signify that there was something that might be elicited if the right question was asked.
通过僵化、含沙射影或某种用词的选择，乔治会表示，如果提出正确的问题，可能会引出一些东西。
Poirot considered what the right question in this case might be.
波洛考虑了在这个案子中什么是正确的问题。
"She is good-looking, this young lady?
“她长得很漂亮，这位小姐？”
" he enquired carefully.
“他仔细地问。
"In my view — no, sir, but there is no accounting for tastes.
“在我看来-没有，先生，但没有考虑口味。
" Poirot considered this reply.
“波罗考虑了这个答复。
He remembered the slight pause that George had made before the phrase -- young lady.
他想起了乔治在这句话之前所作的略带停顿-年轻的女士。
George was a delicate social recorder.
乔治是一位精巧的社会记录员。
He had been uncertain of the visitor's status but had given her the benefit of the doubt.
他对来访者的身份一直不确定，但对她却产生了怀疑。
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"You are of the opinion that she is a young lady rather than, let us say, a young person?
“你认为她是一位年轻的女士，而不是一个年轻人？”
" "I think so, sir, though it is not always easy to tell nowadays.
“我想是的，先生，不过现在说起来并不总是那么容易。
" George spoke with genuine regret.
“乔治说得很遗憾。
"Did she give a reason for wishing to see me?
“她有没有给我一个想见我的理由？
" "She said -- " George pronounced the words with some reluctance, apologising for them in advance as it were, "that she wanted to consult you about a murder she might have committed.
“她说：”乔治不情愿地说出了这些话，对他们预先表示歉意，“她想向你咨询她可能犯下的一宗谋杀案。
" Hercule Poirot stared.
“大力士·波洛盯着看。
His eyebrows rose.
他的眉毛竖起来了。
"Might have committed?
“可能犯了吗？
Does she not know?
她不知道吗？
" "That is what she said, sir.
“她是这么说的，先生。
" "Unsatisfactory, but possibly interesting," said Poirot.
“不满意，但可能很有趣，”波洛说。
"It might--have been a joke, sir," said George, dubiously.
“这可能是个玩笑，先生，”乔治怀疑地说。
"Anything is possible, I suppose," conceded Poirot, "But one would hardly think -- " He lifted his cup.
“我想，任何事都有可能，”波洛承认，“但人们几乎不会想到-”他举起了杯子。
"Show her in after five minutes.
五分钟后让她进来。
" "Yes, sir.
“是的，先生。
" George withdrew.
“乔治退了。
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page 4
Poirot finished the last sip of chocolate.
波罗喝完最后一口巧克力。
He pushed aside his cup and rose to his feet.
他把杯子推开，站起来。
He walked to the fireplace and adjusted his moustaches carefully in the mirror over the chimney piece.
他走到壁炉前，用镜子仔细地调整着他的胡须，盖在烟囱上。
Satisfied, he returned to his chair and awaited the arrival of his visitor.
他满意地回到椅子上，等待来访者的到来。
He did not know exactly what to expect.
他不知道具体的期望是什么。
He had hoped perhaps for something nearer to his own estimate of female attraction.
他曾希望能有更接近他自己对女性吸引力的估计。
The outworn phrase "beauty in distress" had occurred to him.
他突然想到了一个陈词滥调：“痛苦中的美丽”。
He was disappointed when George returned ushering in the visitor; inwardly he shook his head and sighed.
乔治回来迎接客人时，他很失望；他内心里摇了摇头，叹了口气。
Here was no beauty -- and no noticeable distress either.
这里没有美-也没有明显的痛苦。
Mild perplexity would seem nearer the mark.
温和的困惑似乎更接近目标。
"Pah!
"Pah!
" thought Poirot disgustedly.
“波洛厌恶地想。
"These girls' Do they not even try to make something of themselves?
“这些姑娘们，难道她们不想做些什么吗？”
Well made up, attractively dressed, hair that has been arranged by a good hairdresser, then perhaps she might pass.
精心打扮，穿着漂亮，由一位好美发师安排的头发，也许她会过去。
But now!
但是现在！
" His visitor was a girl of perhaps twentyodd.
“他的客人是一个二十多岁的姑娘。
Long straggly hair of indeterminate colour strayed over her shoulders.
她肩上长着不确定颜色的长发。
Her eyes, which were large, bore a vacant expression and were of a greenish blue.
她的眼睛很大，有一种茫然的表情，带着一种绿色的蓝色。
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She wore what were presumably the chosen clothes of her generation.
她穿的大概是她这一代所选的衣服。
Black high leather boots, white openwork woollen stockings of doubtful cleanliness, a skimpy skirt, and a long and sloppy pullover of heavy wool.
黑色高皮靴，白色开工羊毛长统袜，令人怀疑的清洁，一条吝啬的裙子，和一件厚重的羊毛长而邋遢的套头衫。
Anyone of Poirot's age and generation would have had only one desire.
任何一个波洛的时代和一代人都只有一个愿望。
To drop the girl into a bath as soon as possible.
尽快把女孩送进浴缸。
He had often felt this same reaction walking along the streets.
他在街上走来走去，常常感到同样的反应。
There were hundreds of girls looking exactly the same.
有几百个女孩看起来一模一样。
They all looked dirty.
他们看起来都很脏。
And yet -- a contradiction in terms -- this one had the look of having been recently drowned and pulled out of a river.
然而-一个矛盾的术语-这个看起来像是最近淹死了，从河里拖出来的样子。
Such girls, he reflected, were not perhaps really dirty.
他想，这样的女孩也许并不是真的肮脏。
They merely took enormous care and pains to look so.
他们只是花了很大的心思和痛苦才显得如此。
He rose with his usual politeness, shook hands, drew out a chair.
他像往常一样彬彬有礼地站起来，握手，拉出一把椅子。
"You demanded to see me, mademoiselle ?
“你要求见我，小姐？”
Sit down, I pray of you.
坐下，我为你祈祷。
" "Oh," said the girl, in a slightly breathless voice.
“哦，”姑娘说，声音有点喘不过气来。
She stared at him.
她盯着他看。
"Eh bien?
嗯?
" said Poirot.
“波洛说。
-------------------------------每日分隔线------------------------June 20th Wednesday
She hesitated.
她犹豫了。
"I think I'd—rather stand.
“我想我宁愿站着。
" The large eyes continued to stare doubtfully.
“大眼睛继续怀疑地盯着。
"As you please.
“随你便。
" Poirot resumed his seat and looked at her.
“波洛回了他的座位，看着她。
He waited.
他等着呢。
The girl shuffled her feet.
那女孩摇摇晃晃地走着。
She looked down on them then up again at Poirot.
她低头看着他们，然后又抬头望着波罗。
"You — you are Hercule Poirot?
“你.你就是赫尔克丽·波洛？
" "Assuredly.
" "Assuredly.
In what way can I be of use to you?
我对你有什么用处？
" "Oh, well, it's rather difficult.
“哦，嗯，这相当困难。
I mean — " Poirot felt that she might need perhaps a little assistance.
我是说-“波洛觉得她可能需要一点帮助。
He said helpfully, "My manservant told me that you wanted to consult me because you thought you 'might have committed a murder'.
他乐于助人地说：“我的男仆告诉我，你想咨询我，因为你认为你‘可能犯了谋杀罪’。”
Is that correct?
这是对的吗？
" The girl nodded.
“女孩点点头。
"That's right.
“是的。
" "Surely that is not a matter that admits of any doubt.
“当然，这不是一个不容怀疑的问题。
You must know yourself whether you have committed a murder or not.
你必须知道你是否犯了谋杀罪。
" "Well, I don't know quite how to put it.
“嗯，我不知道怎么说。
I mean — " "Come now," said Poirot kindly.
“来吧，”波洛和蔼地说。
"Sit down.
“坐下来。
Relax the muscles.
放松肌肉。
Tell me all about it.
跟我说说这件事。
" I don't think — oh dear, I don't know how to — You see, it's all so difficult.
“我不认为-哦，亲爱的，我不知道怎么做-你看，这一切都这么难。”
I've — I've changed my mind.
我改变主意了。
I don't want to be rude but — well, I think I'd better go.
我不想无礼，但是-我想我还是走吧。
" "Come now.
“来吧。
Courage.
[人名] [英格兰人姓氏] 卡里奇绰号，来源于古法语，含义是“勇气”(courage).
" "No, I can't.
“不，我不能。
I thought I could come and — and ask you, ask you what I ought to do — but I can't, you see.
我想我可以来问你，问你我该做什么，但我不能，你看。
It's all so different from — " "From what?
这和“什么”有很大的不同？
" "I'm awfully sorry and I really don't want to be rude, but — " She breathed an enormous sigh, looked at Poirot, looked away, and suddenly blurted out, "You're too old.
“我非常抱歉，我真的不想无礼，但是-”她叹了口气，望着波罗，望着别处，突然脱口而出，“你太老了。”
Nobody told me you were so old.
没人告诉我你这么老。
I really don't want to be rude but — there it is.
我真的不想无礼，但-就是这样。
You're too old.
你太老了。
I'm really very sorry.
我真的很抱歉。
" She turned abruptly and blundered out of the room, rather like a desperate moth in lamplight.
“她突然转过身来，撞出了房间，就像一只在灯光下绝望的飞蛾。”
Poirot, his mouth open, heard the bang of the front door.
波洛张开嘴，听到前门的轰鸣声。
He ejaculated: "Non (fun nom cfun nom.
他ejaculated：“没有名字cfun（有趣的名字。
.
.
.
.
"
"
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