AzD_The_Stolen_Will_demo.pdf

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T HE S TOLEN

W ILL

Translation and Exercises:

Anna Kowalczyk

Series Editor:

Adam Wolański

Warsaw 2006

Reviewer:

Dariusz Kętla

Copy editor:

Natica Schmeder

Production editor:

Barbara Gluza

Cover designer:

Michał Dąbrowski

DTP:

Krzysztof Świstak

Text and illustrations

Publishing House, 2006

in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,

mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written

permission of the Publisher.

Printed in Poland

ISBN 83-88667-52-1

CHAPTER 1

CRIME AT THE NOTARY’S OFFICE

notary notariusz

“What are you thinking about?” Tom Wills asked the famous

detective. “I get the impression that you’ve just read something really

interesting in the newspaper. Is there some intriguing story that we

should look into?”

Harry Dickson put down the paper.

“I’m afraid you are wrong, my boy. I have just noticed an obituary,

which brought back some memories.”

“Have any of your relatives died?” Tom said worried.

“No, not at all . . .”

“But this death has had a great influence on you?”

“That is true. It was a man whom I met by accident and whose life

was full of adventures.”

Tom Wills picked up the newspaper and looked, intrigued, at the

detective.

Dickson knew his assistant very well so after a quiet moment he said:

“He was a slave trader!”

“A slave trader?” Tom repeated rather surprised. “Slave trading is

forbidden all around the world.”

“He stopped doing it twelve years ago, but don’t be so shocked: there

are still areas in Africa where slaves are sold in public places. I met this

man because I did him a favor and in return he told me the story of

his life. Now he is dead . . . But what’s this?” the detective asked. “It

seems that somebody has come to visit us.”

Indeed, somebody rang the doorbell and Tom ran to let the person

impression wrażenie

look into zbadać

notice zauważyć

obituary nekrolog

bring back memories

przywoływać wspomnienia

relative krewny

worry martwić się

influence wpływ

by accident przypadkowo

adventure przygoda

pick up podnieść

slave trader handlarz

niewolników

forbidden zabroniony

do somebody

a favor wyświadczyć komuś

przysługę

in return w zamian

indeed rzeczywiście

in.

A tall man came in. His face showed worry and excitement.

“My name is O’Brien, I’m a notary,” he introduced himself in a loud

voice. “May I see Mr. Dickson immediately, please? It is a matter of

great importance.”

Soon the mysterious guest was standing in front of the detective.

“This young gentleman has probably told you my name. I’ve come

to you, Mr. Dickson, in connection with a matter that my life and

honor depend on. I’m begging you to help me.”

Harry Dickson observed the guest for a moment and then said:

“Mr. O’Brien...I’ve heard that name from old Mr. Firmont, the

slave trader.”

“Firmont!” the man exclaimed. “You said Firmont but I . . .”

“...have come to talk about his case,” the detective finished with

a smile.

The notary looked at Dickson with great admiration.

“That’s incredible!” he finally said. “I’ve been told a lot about your

intuition but would you allow me to put it to the test?”

“If it makes you feel better . . .”

The notary hesitated for a moment.

“You said, Mr. Dickson, that you knew Mr. Firmont?”

“Yes, that’s true. I met him only once many years ago but I got to

know him very well.”

excitement podniecenie

immediately natychmiast

matter sprawa

mysterious tajemniczy

in connection with w związku z

depend on zależeć od

beg błagać

exclaim wykrzyknąć

case sprawa do rozwiązania

admiration podziw

incredible niesamowite

I’ve been told powiedziano mi

allow pozwolić

put somebody to a test

wystawić kogoś na próbę

hesitate wahać się

“All right, so can you tell me why I have come here?”

Dickson looked at him and said with confidence:

“You have come to see me in order to ask for advice concerning the

slave trader’s will.”

O’Brien opened his eyes wide.

“Oh, my goodness! You are marvellous!”

“I believe that the will was stolen last night. I learned from the

newspaper that Mr. Firmont has died. But you are not interested in his

person but the document presenting his final will and testament. The

fact that you are so nervous must mean that something has gone wrong.

I’ll tell you more. I would guess that you had appointed someone to

take care of the will but he was attacked and robbed.”

“Oh my God!” O’Brien exlaimed. “Are you a clairvoyant?”

“No,” the detective replied. “The blood on the sleeve of your jacket

explained this puzzle to me. It’s not your blood, though. It belongs to

the person who was attacked.”

The notary sat down on a chair truly surprised. “You’ve guessed

everything. Mr. Firmont trusted me with his will and I put it into my

safe. Yesterday, in the morning, one of his relatives came to me, informed

me of his death and asked me to guard the will more carefully. But . . .

are you listening to me?” the notary interrupted his speech when he

noticed that the detective was looking somewhere else, not at him.

“I have never listened to anybody else with greater attention,”

Dickson replied. “Please, continue.”

“The relative added that the deceased left a great fortune, mostly

in gold and jewellery. Nobody knows, however, where this treasure is

hidden. He told me also that the reading of the will should take place

today. He warned me once again that I should take great care with the

document because there were people, among the heirs, who were ready

to do anything to get the treasure.”

“Is it true that they will read out the will today?”

“Oh no, not at all!” O’Brien denied. “I also thought that it was

strange because nobody else has contacted me to make an appointment

for this date.”

“I believe you found the document and put it aside in case the

reading would take place soon.”

“Of course. I didn’t remember at first where I had put it, but finally

I found it under a pile of other documents in my safe. I put it on

a separate shelf and to increase security I asked one of my assistants

to spend the night in my office. In the morning I found him in bed

bleeding heavily.”

While listening to the notary’s story Dickson started putting on his

coat.

“We’ve got to go there immediately. This case is extremely funny!”

The notary jumped.

“Funny?” he exclaimed. “In my opinion you have used the wrong

word, Mr. Dickson!”

The detective smiled.

“Please, don’t get me wrong but I can’t help laughing. This story

brings me much satisfaction but unfortunately I can’t share my

conclusions with you yet. Let’s go, each minute is precious!”

confidence pewność siebie

in order w celu

concerning dotyczący

will testament

Oh, my goodness! O mój Boże!

marvellous cudowny

learn

: dowiedzieć się

something has gone wrong coś

poszło źle

I guess wydaje mi się

appoint mianować, wyznaczyć

take care of zaopiekować się

rob okraść

clairvoyant jasnowidz

reply odpowiedzieć

sleeve rękaw

puzzle zagadka

though jednak

belong należeć

truly naprawdę

trust zaufać

guard strzec

interrupt przerwać, przeszkodzić

attention uwaga

add dodać

deceased zmarły

jewellery biżuteria

treasure skarb

hide (hid, hidden) ukryć

warn ostrzegać

take care with uważać na

heir spadkobierca

deny zaprzeczyć

make an appointment umówić

się

put aside odłożyć

in case na wypadek jeśli

pile sterta

shelf półka

increase zwiększyć

bleed (bled, bled) krwawić

extremely nadzwyczaj

get somebody wrong źle kogoś

zrozumieć

I can’t help laughing Nie mogę

powstrzymać się od śmiechu

share dzielić się

conclusion wniosek

precious cenny

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