AGATHA CHRISTIE

CONSULT MR PARKER PYNE

SELECTED STORIES

Are you happy?

... If not, consult Mr Parker Pyne.

NOTES

The Case of the Distressed Lady

turned out (of a person, equipment, etc) dressed, equipped; She was beautifully turned out = She was elegantly dressed.

Le Touquet

chemmy ['~emi] a card-game; a gamble ( Cf. Rus. colloq "железка").

Cobham

to get square = here: to settle one's debts.

to come into money = here: to inherit money; note also in the money - slang for 'possessing a large amount of money'.

as hard as nails an idiom meaning here 'pitiless'; 'unsympathetic'.

lounge lizard an idiom used to denote a gigolo, i.e. a man a) employed to be a woman's escort or dancing partner; b) financially supported by a woman not his wife.

exibition dancers professional dancers employed to display the skill in dancing .

practical joke a trick played on smb in order to make him appear ridiculous (Cf. Rus. "розыгрыш").

the load off my mind 'to be a load off one's mind' - an idiom, corresponding to the Russian "словно кaмень с души свалился"; "от сердца отлегло"; "гора с плеч".

that sets your mind at rest 'to set smb's mind at rest' - a set phrase meaning 'to calm smb', 'releive him from doubt, anxiety, etc'.

The cat that pulled the chestnuts out of the fire

Cristian name the name given at baptism

First... Miss Richards invested in a La Merveilleuse transformation Для начала ... Мисс Ричардс потратилась на чудесное превращение (merveilleuse - French for 'wonderful', 'marvellous')

Number Seven side parting the reference is to a certain hairstyle (cf. Rus. "модель номер семь с косым пробором").

Waterloo Station

advanced in years an idiom meaning 'old'.

Dismal Desmonds

The Case of the City Clerk

swivel chair ['swivl] a chair whose seat rotates horisontally on a swivel base (cf. Rus. "вращающийся стул").

to hit the nail on the head an idiom meaning 'to do or express smth precisely'. (Cf.Rus. "попасть в точку", "попасть не в бровь, а в глаз").

to put aside a few pounds each year 'to put aside money' - 'to keep money for future use'.

now and then an idiom meaning 'occasionally', 'from time to time'.

to lay one's hand on smb an idiom used here in the meaning 'to get possession of' (cf. Rus. " заполучить", "изловить кого-л", "добраться до кого-л").

fire-eater a person who quickly gets angry and ready to fight

spoiling for is colloquial for 'to crave or be extremely eager for' (note also the idiom 'to spoil for a fight' = "лезть в драку", "рваться в бой")

Sponge bag

hair-breadth escape usually used in the idiom 'to have a hairbreadth (or very narrow) escape' (from 'hair's breadth' = very small distance); cf. Rus. 'быть в опасном, рискованном положении'; 'быть на волосок от гибели'.

eyeglass ['aiglas] a single lens worn to assist vision, as a monocle.

buttonhole ['bVtnhoul] the hole, loop or slit through which a button is passed and fastened

Gladstone bag ['glQdsEn] a light traveling bag, opening into compartments (From W.E.Gladstone, 1809-1898, british statesman); cf. Rus. "кожаный саквояж".

ugly customer 'customer' here is colloquial for 'person' or 'fellow'. (Cf. Rus. "мерзкий тип").

Bellegarde

at bay 'to be at bay' is an idiom meaning ' to be in a desperate position, compelled to struggle fiercely' (originally used to describe a hunted animal); cf. Rus. "в отчаянном, безвыходном положении"; "припертый к стене"; "как загнанный зверь".

to give smb the slip to escape from, get away from (one's pirsuers, etc.)

like a flash = in a flash, i.e. instantly, at once.

to take in smth here: to understand; to absorb; to digest mentally.

Dijon

to shake smb off to free oneself from.

Le Bourget

Croydon

morocco [mE'rCkou] soft leather made from goatskins; 'morocco case' = here: "cафьяновый футляр"

the Order of St. Stanislaus - tenth class with laurels

Grand Duchess here: a daughter of a Russian czar or of a czar's son( = Rus. "великая княгиня"; "великая княжна")

Streatham

to let (smb) down to disappoint or betray; cf.Rus "подвести кого-л."

curio ['kjuEriou] a work of art of a strange or unusual character and valued for this reason.

THE CASE OF THE RICH WOMAN

to look down one's nose at smb/smth(colloq) an idiom meaning 'to regard with displeasure or contempt'; cf. Rus. "смотреть сверху вниз, свысока на кого-л."

he worked out a process см спец словарь по медицине

hand over fist (slang) an idiom, meaning 'rapidly; in large quantaties'

tiptop colloqual for 'the best'; 'excellent'.

You can open your mouth all right the reference is to the idiom 'to open one's mouth too wide'(colloq) = "запросить, заломить слишком высокую цену". (Here: "Вы знаете, сколько запросить"; "Вы своего не упустите")

Fools and their money are soon parted (proverb) = "У дураков деньги долго не держатся".

to make one's words good the reference is to the idiom 'to make good' meaning here 'to fulfil as a promise'; 'to succeed'

Someting in my line ? the word 'line' is used here in the meaning of 'department of activity'; 'business'.

coup [ku:] (originally French) a sudden action taken to get power, obtain a desired result, etc. (Cf. Rus. (обыкн. удачный) ход).

Oriental-looking = Oriental[,C:ri'entl] in appearance; looking like one belonging to a native race; an Asiatic. ('The Orient' = the east; the countries to the east and southeast of the Mediterranian)

in nurse's kit = dressed as a nurse; 'kit' here is colloqual for 'outfit; 'uniform'

deal chest of drawers = зд. сосновый комод

tin trunk = зд. сундук, обитый жестью

not in the least an idiom meaning 'not in the smallest degree' (Cf. Rus. "ни в малейшей степени, ничуть, нисколько").

to give smb a hand = to help smb.

to catch one's eye here: 'to attract one's attention'

'button shank' king = "пуговичный король"; 'button' here being a knob, stud, or disk with a shank (i.e. stemlike part) for sewing or attaching to a garment.

en rapport [a:Nra:'pC:r] (French) в контакте; 'to be en rapport' - быть в контакте.

to have the law on smb (colloq) to appeal to the law courts; (cf.Rus. "привлечь кого-л к суду"; "подать в суд на кого-л").

docile tool ['dousai tu:l] denotes here a person who is easily controlled (cf.Rus. "покорное орудие (в чьих-л руках)").

lunatic asylum [E'sailEm] an institution where mentally ill people are cared for. (Not much in use as a term nowadays, an institution of such kind being called now a mental home/hospital)

you were took bad the use of the Past Indefinite form of the verb instead of Participle II is characteristic of illiterate speech; see also you says.

you says the use of the -s form of the verb, normally used for the third person singular, instead of the simple form is also characteristic of illiterate speech.

strawberry mark a reddish, usually raised, birthmark on the skin.

two and four pence = one coin worth two pennies and four penny coins

to beard the swindler in his den the reference is to the idiom 'to beard a lion in his den', originating from 'Marmion' by Walter Scott:

And darest thou then

To beard the lion in his den,

The Douglas in his Hall?

And hopest thou unscathed to go?

(canto 6, XIV)

(Cf. Rus. "напасть на врага в его собственном жилище").

lambing time time in the year when most female sheep or goats give birth to their lambs.

to take a drop too much in colloquial English 'drop' has the meaning of a glass of intoxicating liquor. Thus, to take a drop too much = to take alcoholic liquors, esp. in excess. (Cf. Rus. "стал попивать", "стал прикладыватьтся к бутылке")

to make fun of to ridicule, to cause people laugh at.

the Crown the reference is to a certain pub; 'pub' being an inn or tavern, where beer and other alcoholic beverages are provided to be consumed on the premises.

penal servitude imprisonment with hard labour.

tomfoolery senseless or silly behaviour; a silly or foolish performance, matter, or thing; here: nonsense.

to make fool of smb to trick smb; to cause smb look like a fool.

at liberty = free.

Our banns are going up = we are going to announce our proposed marriage; 'banns' is a public announcement in church that two persons are to be married.

good-for-nothing = worthless (person)

Mr Nosey Parker 'a nosey parker' is colloquial for 'inquisitive person' (From Matthew Parker (1504-1575), achbishop of Canterbury, who was notorious for his extreme interest in the private life of the clergymen)

I've got him off the drink = I keep him from drinking alcohol.

to take off one's hat to (fig.) to express admiration for.