Сельский вампир и другие истории Отца Брауна / Vampire of the Village and other Father Brown Stories. Уровень 3

Гилберт Кит Честертон

Легко читаем по-английски

Совершенно запутались в английском? Отцу Брауну под силу и более сложные дела! Знаменитый детектив, способный потягаться с Шерлоком Холмсом и Эркюлем Пуаро, поможет вам разобраться в английском. А его создатель – Гилберт Кит Честертон – знаменитый мастер остроумных афоризмов удостоверится в том, чтобы вы провели время не только с пользой, но и с удовольствием.

В книгу вошли лучшие рассказы из различных сборников про Отца Брауна. В них скромный католический священник раскрывает на досуге сложнейшие преступления, пользуясь только своим острым умом. Мы сохранили красивый и образный стиль Г. К. Честертона, снабдив рассказы изрядным числом поясняющих комментариев.

Текст адаптирован для продолжающих изучение английского языка (уровень 3 – Intermediate). Книга содержит словарь и подробные комментарии для проверки понимания прочитанного.

Гилберт Кит Честертон

Сельский вампир и другие истории Отца Брауна / Vampire of the Village and other Father Brown Stories. Уровень 3

© Минко А. А., адаптация, словарь, 2022

© ООО «Издательство АСТ», 2022

The Vampire of the Village

At the twist of a road in the hills, where two trees stood up like pyramids much tallerthan the small village of Potter’s Pond, just a group of houses, there once walked a man in a costume of a very interesting cut and colour, wearing a bright magenta jacketand a white hat on top of black beautiful hair.

The riddle of why he was wearing clothes so old, yet wearing them with such a fashion, was but one of the many riddles[1 - was but one of the many riddles – загадка… была лишь одной из многих загадок]that were eventually solved in solving the mystery[2 - were eventually solved in solving the mystery – которые были разгаданы, когда тайна открылась]of his fate. The point here is that when he had passed the trees he seemed to have disappeared; as if he had faded into the dawn or been blown away upon the wind of morning.

It was only about a week afterwards that his body was found nearby, broken upon the rocks of a garden leading up to an old house called The Grange. Just before he had disappeared, he had been overheard apparently arguing[3 - he had been overheard apparently arguing – слышали, как он якобы ругался]with some bystanders, and callingtheir village ‘an ugly little hamlet’; and it was thought that he had provoked the local patriotism and eventually been its victim. At least the local doctor said that the skull was hit hard and that might have caused death, though probably only made with some sort of club[4 - though probably only made with some sort of club – хотя и был нанесен всего лишь какой-то дубинкой]. This fitted in well enough with the idea of an attack by rather violent villagers. But nobody ever understood how to find any particular villager; and the inquest returned a version of murder by some persons unknown.

A year or two afterwards the question was re-opened in an interesting way; a series of events which led a certain Dr Mulborough, called by his friends Mulberry because there was something rich and fruity about his body shape and rather red face[5 - there was something rich and fruity about his body shape and rather red face – было что-то насыщенное и сочное в его телосложении и довольно красном лице], travelling by train down to Potter’s Pond, with a friend whom he had often asked upon such problems. In spite of the somewhat heavy appearance of the doctor[6 - In spite of the somewhat heavy appearance of the doctor – Несмотря на несколько тяжеловесный внешний вид доктора], he had a keen eye and was really a man of very remarkable sense[7 - a man of very remarkable sense – человеком поразительного ума]; which he thought that he showed in giving advice to a little priest named Brown, whom he get familiar with over a poisoning case long ago[8 - whom he get familiar with over a poisoning case long ago – с которым он давно познакомился во время дела об отравлении]. The little pries