«The Murder of Roger Ackroyd» by Agatha Christie Глава 1. Dr. Sheppard at the Breakfast Table 

 

"Mrs.Ferrars died on the night of the 16th-17th September. I was sent for at eight o’clock in the morning on Friday the 17th. There was nothing to be done: she had been dead some hours.
It was just a few minutes after nine when I returned home. I opened the front door with my key and stopped in the hall to take off my hat and overcoat. To tell the truth, I was upset and worried: my instinct told me that there was trouble ahead.
«Is that you, James?»called my sister Caroline from the dining-room.
My sister Caroline is a person who always knows all the news. And she draws her own conclusions from the information she gets.
Mrs. Ferrars’ husband died a year ago,and Caroline is sure that his wife poisoned him. I always tell her that he died of heavy drinking, but she does not believe me.I walked into the dining-room and sat down to eggs and bacon.
«You’ve had an early call,» said Caroline.
«Yes,» I said. «Mrs.Ferrars.»
«I know,» said my sister.
«How do you know?»
«Annie told me.»
Annie is our maid. A nice girl, but talks a lot.
«Well?» said my sister.
«A bad business. Nothing to be done. She died in her sleep.»
«I know,» said my sister again.
I was surprised. «You can’t know» I said. «I didn’t know myself until I came there and I haven’t told anybody. So how could Annie know it?»
«The milkman told her. And he learned it from the Ferrars’ cook»
Just as I said. There is no need for Caroline to go out to get information. She sits at home, and the information comes to her.
«What did she die of?» continued my sister.
«An overdose of veronal. She took it for sleeplessness. Evidently she took too much by mistake.»
«Nonsense,» said Caroline. «She took it on purpose. As you know, she poisoned her husband a year ago, and since that time she’s been haunted by her crime. You will see for yourself. I am sure that she has left a letter in which she confesses everything.» 

Words to learn for Chapter 1:
1. dieof — умереть от
2. upsetandworried — расстроенный и обеспокоенный
3. trouble — неприятность, проблема
4. drawconclusions — делать выводы
5. poison — яд, отравить
6. heavydrinking — тяжелое пьянство
7. learnitfrom — узнать это от…
8. takebymistake — принять по ошибке
9. behauntedbysmth — быть преследуемым чем-то
10. confess — признаться
11. tellthetruth — сказать правду
12. totellthetruth — сказать по правде (устойчивое выражение)

13.there was nothing to be done — ничего нельзя было сделать
14. there was trouble ahead — грядут неприятности
15. on purpose — нарочно
16. she’s been haunted by her crime — ее преступление преследовало ее