Kibò Lorna Ye

The search for Lorna

Daisy Hamilton te yon detektif prive.

Daisy Hamilton was a private detective.

Li te genyen trantan epi sa fè de zan depi li se yon detektif.

She was thirty years old and had been a detective for the past two years.

Chak maten li te ale nan biwo li pou chita tann kout telefòn oswa pou resevwa kliyan ki bezwen sèvis li.

Every morning she went to her office to wait for phone calls or open the door to clients needing her services.

Pa gen anpil moun ki te ko konnen Daisy kòm detektif men detanzantan telefòn lan sonnen paske de twa moun te wè yon reklam li te mete nan jounal.

Daisy wasn't very well known yet but occasionally people telephoned her from the advertisement she had put in the local newspaper.

Yon bon maten vè onzè, yon moun frape nan pòt biwo Daisy-a.

One morning at about eleven o'clock someone knocked on her office door.

Se te yon gwo madanm ki te genyen yon gwo fouri nan kou l.

It was a fat lady who wore a fur around her neck.

“Alo, eske m ka ede w?” Daisy mande madanm lan. “Men chèz, antre chita souple.”

"Hello, can I help you?" Daisy asked the lady. "Please come and sit down."

“O mè wi! Mwen bezwen èd ou anpil.

"Oh yes indeed! I need your help desperately.

Ti pitit mwen, Lorna, disparèt. Mwen pa konnen sa pou m fè.”

Lorna, my little one has disappeared. I don't know what to do."

Daisy ofri gwo madanm lan yon tas kafe pandan lap tan pou l ba li plis detay.

Daisy offered the fat lady a cup of instant coffee and awaited the details.

Gwo madanm lage kò l sou yon chèz epi li depoze gwo sak rouj po bèt li-a sou biwo Daisy-a.

The fat lady sat down heavily and put her large red leather handbag on Daisy's desk.

“Souple di mwen tout bagay – Se madam…?”

"Please tell me everything - Mrs. ...?"

“Madan Edwina Humphries ki non mwen. Mezanmi mwen pè ke yo pral mande m lajan – Ou kwè yo pa kidnape Lorna!”

"Mrs. Edwina Humphries is my name. I am afraid they will ask me for money - I'm afraid Lorna has been kidnapped!"

“Se terib sa, madan Humpries. Eske mesye Humphries panse tou ke yo kidnape Lorna?”

"That's terrible, Mrs. Humphries. Does Mr. Humphries, too, think Lorna has been kidnapped?"

“Sa pa di mari mwen anyen si yo kidnape Lorna ou pa!”

"My husband is not interested if Lorna has been kidnapped or not!"

“Vrèman, madanm Humphries? Men eske se mari w ki papa Lorna?”

"Really, Mrs. Humphries? But is your husband Lorna's real father?"

“Mwen pa konprann sa w vle di la. Nou te achte Lorna ansanm,” madan Humprhies reponn.

"I don't know what you mean. We bought Lorna together," replied Mrs. Humphries.

“Ou te achte...madan Humphries, men ou konnen sa kont la lwa.”

"You bought ............Mrs. Humphries, that's illegal, you know."

“Men non, pa Annend!”

"No it isn't, not in India!"

“ Se Annend ou te achte Lorna?”

"You bought Lorna in India?"

Men wi! Epi l toujou ak mwen.”

Yes indeed! And she always keeps me great company, you know."

“Madan Humprhies louvri gwo sak rouj po bèt li-a pou l rale yon mouchwa.

"Mrs. Humphries opened her huge leather bag to pull out a handkerchief.

Kè Daisy sote lè l wè yon bagay kap mouvante kò li pou l soti nan sak la.

With horror Daisy saw a wiggling creature come out of that bag.

“Madan Humphries – voye sak la jete!” Daisy rele.

"Mrs. Humphries - move that away immediately!" screamed Daisy.

“Kisa? O Lorna – Mwen jwen ou finalman!” madan Humphries di. “Se nan sak mwen-an ou te kache – ala ti fi pa bon!”

"What? Oh Lorna - I've found you at last!" said Mrs. Humphries."You hid in my bag - you naughty girl!"

“Madan Humphries. Se sa-a ki Lorna-a?”

"Mrs. Humphries. This is Lorna?"

Mèwi, se koulèv marekay Bengali nou an. O mèsi pitit mwen. Non, mwen pa kwè ke m bezwen sèvis ou ankò!”

Yes, our Bengali swamp snake. Oh thank you my dear. No, I don't think I need your services any longer!"

Lè Daisy ap fèmen pòt la dèyè madan Humphries, li reflechi nan tèt li ke l pral mete nan reklam li-an : ni bèt, ni koulèv.

As Daisy shut the door after Mrs. Humphries, she made a mental note to write in the advertisement: no animals, no snakes.