03～Chapter Ⅲ 被拒绝的Ratchett

As coffee was brought to Poirot, Bouc stood up.

咖啡被送到波洛面前时，布克站起身来。

He had started eating before Poirot and had finished some time ago.

他在波洛之前就开始吃东西了，而且已经吃完好一会儿了。

“I shall return to my compartment,” he said. “Come and have a chat later.”

“我要回我的包厢了，”他说。“一会儿过来聊聊。”

“With pleasure.”

“乐意之至”

词汇解释：

• As coffee was brought to Poirot [æz ˈkɒfi wəz brɔːt tuː ˈpwɑːroʊ]：咖啡被送到波洛面前时，描述在送来咖啡时的情景。
• “With pleasure.” [wɪθ ˈplɛʒər]：“很愉快。”，表示波洛接受了邀请，并表示很高兴。

As Poirot drank his coffee, Ratchett suddenly came and sat down opposite him.

当波洛喝咖啡的时候，拉契特突然走过来坐在他对面。

“My name is Ratchett,” he said. “Do I have the pleasure of speaking to Hercule Poirot?”

“我叫拉契特，”他说。“我有幸与埃尔库勒·波洛交谈吗？”

Poirot bowed his head.

波洛点了点头。

"Yes, Monsieur.”

"是的，先生。”

“Mr Poirot, I want you to do a job for me.”

“波洛先生，我想让你帮我办件事”

Hercule Poirot looked very surprised. “Monsieur, I accept very few cases now."

埃尔库勒·波洛看起来非常惊讶。“先生，我现在几乎不接受案子。”

“But, Mr Poirot, I can offer you a lot of money."

“但是，波洛先生，我可以给您提供很多钱。”

Hercule Poirot did not say anything for a moment, then he spoke: “What do you want, Monsieur Ratchett?”

埃尔库勒·波洛沉默了片刻，然后开口：“拉契特先生，您需要什么？”

“Mr Poirot, I’m a very rich man and men in my position have enemies. Someone has threatened to kill me."

“波洛先生，我是一个非常富有的人，而像我这样地位的人会有敌人。有人威胁要杀了我。”

From his pocket he brought out a small gun for a moment.

一会儿他从口袋里拿出一支小手枪

"I am taking great care of myself. But I want to make completely sure I am safe. I think you are the man for my money, Mr Poirot. And remember~one thing, a lot of money.”

“我正在非常小心地照顾自己。但是我想要确保自己彻底安全。我认为您是为我的钱服务的人，波洛先生。请记住一件事，我会付很多钱。”

“I am sorry, Monsieur,” Poirot said. “I cannot help you."

“很抱歉，先生，”波洛说。“我无法帮助您。”

Ratchett looked at him angrily. “Name your price, then.”

拉契特生气地看着他。“那就说出你的价格。”

Poirot shook his head.

波洛摇了摇头。

“You do not understand, Monsieur. I have made enough money. Now I only take cases which interest me.”

“先生，您不明白。我已经赚了足够的钱。现在我只会接我感兴趣的案子。”

“What’s wrong with my offer?" Ratchett demanded.

我这件事有什么问题吗？”拉契特问道。

Poirot stood up.“I am sorry to be rude—but I do not like your face, Monsieur Ratchett.”

波洛站了起来。 "我很抱歉这么无礼，但我不喜欢你的脸、

And he left the restaurant carriage.

然后他离开了餐车。

The Simplon Orient Express arrived at Belgrade (贝尔格莱德，南斯拉夫首都) at a quarter to nine that evening.

当晚九点一刻，辛普龙东方快车抵达贝尔格莱德，南斯拉夫首都。

Poirot stepped down onto the platform but did not stay there long.

波洛走下站台，但并没有在那里停留太久。

The cold was terrible and heavy snow was falling. When he returned to his compartment, the conductor was waiting for him.

寒冷刺骨，大雪纷飞。
当他回到车厢时，列车员正在等他。

“Your suitcases have been moved, Monsieur, to number one—the compartment of Monsieur Bouc."

“先生，您的行李已经被搬移到了一号车厢，就是布克先生的隔间。”

“But where is Monsieur Bouc?"

“但是布克先生在哪里？”

“He has moved into the carriage from Athens which has just been attached to the train.”

“他已经搬到了从雅典来的车厢，刚刚被连接到火车上。”

Poirot went to find his friend.

波洛去找他的朋友。

“Thank you,” he said, "but I cannot take your compartment.

“谢谢你，”他说，“但我不能占用你的车厢。

“It’s nothing,” said Bouc. “You’re going to England, so it’s better that you stay in the carriage that’s going all the way to Calais (加来，法国城市).
I’m very happy here. It’s peaceful. This carriage is empty except for myself and one Greek doctor.
Ah! My friend, what a terrible night! They’re saying there hasn’t been so much snow for years. Let’s hope it won’t delay us.”

“没关系，”布克说。“你要去英国，所以最好待在一直开到加来（法国城市）的车厢里。
我在这里过得很开心。很宁静。这个车厢只有我和一个希腊医生。
啊！我的朋友，这是个多么可怕的夜晚！他们说好多年没有这么多雪了。希望这不会耽搁我们。”

At 9.15 pm, the train left the station. Poirot said goodnight to his friend and went back to his own carriage.

晚上9点15分，火车离开了车站。波洛向朋友道了晚安，回到了自己的车厢。

By this time, the second day of the journey, people were getting to know each other better. Colonel Arbuthnot was at the door of his compartment talking to MacQueen.

到了这个时候，旅程的第二天，人们开始更加了解彼此。阿巴斯诺特上校站在他的隔间门口，正在与麦克昆交谈。

MacQueen was surprised when he saw Poirot.

麦克昆看到波洛时很惊讶。

“Hey," he called, "I thought you’d left. Your baggage has gone.

"嘿，"他叫道，"我以为你走了。你的行李不见了。

“Yes, it has been moved—that is all.” Poirot moved on along the corridor.

“是的，它被搬走了，仅此而已。” 波洛沿着走廊向前走去。

词汇解释：

• corridor. [ˈkɔːr.ɪdɔːr]：走廊, 楼道, 廊

Two doors from his compartment, the loud American lady was talking to the sheep～like lady, giving her a magazine.

在离他的隔间两扇门远的地方，那位声音大的美国女士正在和那位像绵羊一样的女士交谈，给她一本杂志。

"Do take it, my dear. I’ve got a lot of things to read.”

“拿着吧，亲爱的 我有很多东西要读”

She nodded in a friendly way to Poirot.

她友好地向波洛点头。

“You are most kind, Mrs. Hubbard,” said the sheep～like lady.

“你真是太好了，霍巴德夫人，”那位像绵羊一样的女士说。

“Not at all. I hope your head will be better in the morning.”

“没关系。我希望你的头明天会好些。”

“It is only a cold. I’ll make myself a cup of tea.”

“我只是感冒了。我会给自己泡一杯茶。”

“Do you have some pills for your headache? Are you sure? I have more than I need. Well, goodnight, my dear.”

“你有头痛的药吗？确定吗？我有多余的…好了，晚安，亲爱的。”

Mrs. Hubbard turned to Poirot as the woman left.

霍巴德夫人在那位女士离开时转向波洛。

"A nice person, she is—a Swede (瑞典人). She was very interested in what I told her about my daughter.”

“一个好人，她是个瑞典人。她对我关于我女儿的话很感兴趣。”

Poirot, by now, knew all about Mrs. Hubbard’s daughter. Everyone on the train did!

到现在，波洛已经知道了关于霍巴德夫人女儿的一切。火车上的每个人都知道！

They knew that she and her husband were teaching at a big American college in Turkey and this was Mrs. Hubbard’s first journey to the east, and what she thought of the local people and their relaxed ways.

他们知道她和丈夫在土耳其的一所大型美国大学任教，而这是 Hubbard 夫人第一次来到东方，也知道她对当地人和他们轻松的生活方式有何看法。

The next door opened and Ratchett’s valet stepped out. Poirot noticed Ratchett sitting in bed.

隔壁的门打开了，拉奇特的贴身男仆走了出来。波洛注意到拉奇特正坐在床上。

He saw Poirot and his face became dark and angry. Then the door was shut.

他看到了波洛，脸色变得阴沉而愤怒。然后门被关上了。