Английский язык с Конан Дойлем. Этюд в багровых тонах
Шрифт:
"It was some time before I found out where my two gentlemen were living (прошло немало времени, прежде чем я разузнал, где жили два моих джентльмена); but I inquired and inquired until at last I dropped across them (но я разузнавал и выведывал, пока, наконец, я на них не напал; to inquire — осведомляться, справляться, спрашивать, искать; to drop across — столкнуться; to drop — капать; падать). They were at a boarding-house at Camberwell (они остановились: «были» в пансионате в Кембервелле), over on the other side of the river (на другой стороне реки). When once I found them out I knew that I had them at my mercy (стоило мне найти их, и я знал, что они у меня в руках; mercy — милосердие; жалость; at somebody’s mercy — в чьей-либо милости). I had grown my beard (я отпустил бороду; to grow), and there was no chance of their recognizing me (и они не смогли бы меня узнать: «и не было шанса, что они меня узнают»). I would dog them and follow them until I saw my opportunity (я собирался везде следовать за ними, пока не увижу свой шанс; to dog — выслеживать; преследовать; opportunity — удобный случай, благоприятная возможность). I was determined that they should not escape me again (я был полон решимости, что они больше от меня не сбегут).
"They were very near doing it for all that (и все же они чуть этого не сделали). Go where they would about London (куда бы они ни отправились
inquire [n'kwa], beard [bd], earn [:n]
"It was some time before I found out where my two gentlemen were living; but I inquired and inquired until at last I dropped across them. They were at a boarding-house at Camberwell, over on the other side of the river. When once I found them out I knew that I had them at my mercy. I had grown my beard, and there was no chance of their recognizing me. I would dog them and follow them until I saw my opportunity. I was determined that they should not escape me again.
"They were very near doing it for all that. Go where they would about London, I was always at their heels. Sometimes I followed them on my cab, and sometimes on foot, but the former was the best, for then they could not get away from me. It was only early in the morning or late at night that I could earn anything, so that I began to get behind hand with my employer. I did not mind that, however, as long as I could lay my hand upon the men I wanted.
"They were very cunning, though (но они были очень хитры). They must have thought that there was some chance of their being followed (они, должно быть, подумали, что существует вероятность того, что за ними следят), for they would never go out alone, and never after nightfall (так как они никогда не выходили из дому поодиночке или после захода солнца). During two weeks I drove behind them every day (на протяжении двух недель я ездил за ними каждый день), and never once saw them separate (и ни разу не видел, чтобы они разделились). Drebber himself was drunk half the time (сам Дреббер половину времени был пьян), but Stangerson was not to be caught napping (но Стенджерсон бдительности не терял: «Стенджерсона было не застать дремлющим»; to nap — дремать). I watched them late and early, but never saw the ghost of a chance (я следил за ними с утра и до темна, но ни разу не увидел и тени шанса; late — поздно; early — рано); but I was not discouraged, for something told me that the hour had almost come (но я не терял надежды, так как что-то говорило мне, что мой час почти пробил; to discourage — лишать мужества, уверенности в себе). My only fear was that this thing in my chest might burst a little too soon (единственным моим страхом было, что эта штука у меня в груди может лопнуть немного слишком рано) and leave my work undone (и оставит мою работу незавершенной).
separate ['sepret], early [:l], discourage [ds'kr]
"They were very cunning, though. They must have thought that there was some chance of their being followed, for they would never go out alone, and never after nightfall. During two weeks I drove behind them every day, and never once saw them separate. Drebber himself was drunk half the time, but Stangerson was not to be caught napping. I watched them late and early, but never saw the ghost of a chance; but I was not discouraged, for something told me that the hour had almost come. My only fear was that this thing in my chest might burst a little too soon and leave my work undone.
"At last, one evening I was driving up and down Torquay Terrace (наконец, однажды вечером я ездил взад-вперед по Торки-Террес; terrace — терраса), as the street was called in which they boarded (как называлась улица, на которой они остановились), when I saw a cab drive up to their door (когда я увидел, как к их двери подъехал кеб). Presently some luggage was brought out (вскоре вынесли багаж), and after a time Drebber and Stangerson followed it, and drove off (а некоторое время спустя за ним вышли: «последовали» Дреббер и Стенджерсон и уехали). I whipped up my horse and kept within sight of them (я подстегнул свою лошадь и держался так, чтобы не выпускать их из виду: «в пределах поля зрения»), feeling very ill at ease (чувствуя себя очень неуютно), for I feared that they were going to shift their quarters (так как я опасался, что они собираются переехать; to shift — перемещать, передвигать; изменять, менять; quarters — жилище, жилье, квартира). At Euston Station they got out (у Юстонского вокзала они вышли), and I left a boy to hold my horse, and followed them on to the platform (я оставил мальчишку присматривать за лошадью: «держать мою лошадь» и пошел за ними на платформу). I heard them ask for the Liverpool train (я слышал, как они осведомились о поезде на Ливерпуль), and the guard answer that one had just gone and there would not be another for some hours (и как дежурный ответил, что один только что ушел и несколько часов другого не будет). Stangerson seemed to be put out at that (Стенджерсон казался обескураженным при этом известии; to put out — расстраивать), but Drebber was rather pleased than otherwise (но Дреббер был, скорее, доволен; otherwise — иначе; иным образом; наоборот). I got so close to them in the bustle that I could hear every word that passed between them (я настолько близко к ним подошел в толчее, что мог слышать каждое их слово: «каждое слово, что проходило между ними»). Drebber said that he had a little business of his own to do (Дреббер сказал, что ему надо сделать одно свое небольшое дельце), and that if the other would wait for him he would soon rejoin him (и что если второй его подождет, он скоро к нему присоединится). His companion remonstrated with him (его компаньон упрекнул его), and reminded him that they had resolved to stick together (и напомнил ему, что они решили держаться вместе). Drebber answered that the matter was a delicate one (Дреббер ответил, что вопрос был деликатный), and that he must go alone (и что он должен пойти один). I could not catch what Stangerson said to that (я не смог разобрать: «уловить», что Стенджерсон на это ответил), but the other burst out swearing (но другой разразился проклятиями), and reminded him that he was nothing more than his paid servant (и напомнил ему, что он был всего лишь: «не более чем» его платным слугой), and that he must not presume to dictate to him (и что тому не следует считать, что он может ему указывать; to presume — предполагать, полагать; допускать; отважиться, осмелиться; to dictate —
hour [au], swear [swe], bargain ['b:n]
"At last, one evening I was driving up and down Torquay Terrace, as the street was called in which they boarded, when I saw a cab drive up to their door. Presently some luggage was brought out, and after a time Drebber and Stangerson followed it, and drove off. I whipped up my horse and kept within sight of them, feeling very ill at ease, for I feared that they were going to shift their quarters. At Euston Station they got out, and I left a boy to hold my horse, and followed them on to the platform. I heard them ask for the Liverpool train, and the guard answer that one had just gone and there would not be another for some hours. Stangerson seemed to be put out at that, but Drebber was rather pleased than otherwise. I got so close to them in the bustle that I could hear every word that passed between them. Drebber said that he had a little business of his own to do, and that if the other would wait for him he would soon rejoin him. His companion remonstrated with him, and reminded him that they had resolved to stick together. Drebber answered that the matter was a delicate one, and that he must go alone. I could not catch what Stangerson said to that, but the other burst out swearing, and reminded him that he was nothing more than his paid servant, and that he must not presume to dictate to him. On that the Secretary gave it up as a bad job, and simply bargained with him that if he missed the last train he should rejoin him at Halliday's Private Hotel; to which Drebber answered that he would be back on the platform before eleven, and made his way out of the station.
"The moment for which I had waited so long had at last come (тот момент, которого я так долго ждал, наконец наступил). I had my enemies within my power (мои враги были в моей власти). Together they could protect each other (вместе они могли защитить друг друга), but singly they were at my mercy (но по отдельности они были в моей милости). I did not act, however, with undue precipitation (но я не стал действовать с неуместной поспешностью). My plans were already formed (мой план уже созрел: «мои планы были уже сформированы»). There is no satisfaction in vengeance (в мести не найти удовлетворения) unless the offender has time to realize who it is that strikes him (если у обидчика нет времени осознать, кто наносит ему удар), and why retribution has come upon him (и почему возмездие настигло его). I had my plans arranged by which I should have the opportunity (по моему плану у меня должна была быть возможность; to arrange — организовывать, подготавливать) of making the man who had wronged me (заставить человека, который причинил мне зло) understand that his old sin had found him out (понять, что он расплачивается за старые грехи: «что его прошлый грех нашел его»). It chanced that some days before (случилось так, что несколько дней назад) a gentleman who had been engaged in looking over some houses in the Brixton Road (джентльмен, который осматривал несколько домов по Брикстон-роуд) had dropped the key of one of them in my carriage (обронил ключ от одного из них у меня в кебе). It was claimed that same evening, and returned (он пришел за ним в тот же вечер и получил его обратно; to claim — требовать; заявлять о своих правах на что-либо; to return — возвращать); but in the interval I had taken a moulding of it (но за это время я успел снять с него слепок; interval — интервал, промежуток), and had a duplicate constructed (и мне с него изготовили дубликат). By means of this I had access to at least one spot in this great city (теперь: «посредством этого» у меня был доступ к хотя бы одному месту в этом огромном городе) where I could rely upon being free from interruption (где я мог быть уверен в том, что нам не помешают: «где я мог положиться на то, что буду свободен от помех»). How to get Drebber to that house was the difficult problem which I had now to solve (как доставить Дреббера в этот дом, было трудной проблемой, которую мне теперь надо было решить).
vengeance ['venns], carriage ['kaer], access ['aekss]
"The moment for which I had waited so long had at last come. I had my enemies within my power. Together they could protect each other, but singly they were at my mercy. I did not act, however, with undue precipitation. My plans were already formed. There is no satisfaction in vengeance unless the offender has time to realize who it is that strikes him, and why retribution has come upon him. I had my plans arranged by which I should have the opportunity of making the man who had wronged me understand that his old sin had found him out. It chanced that some days before a gentleman who had been engaged in looking over some houses in the Brixton Road had dropped the key of one of them in my carriage. It was claimed that same evening, and returned; but in the interval I had taken a moulding of it, and had a duplicate constructed. By means of this I had access to at least one spot in this great city where I could rely upon being free from interruption. How to get Drebber to that house was the difficult problem which I had now to solve.
"He walked down the road and went into one or two liquor shops (он пошел вниз по улице и зашел в один или парочку винных магазинчиков; liquor — спиртной напиток; liquor shop — винный магазин), staying for nearly half-an-hour in the last of them (задержавшись почти на полчаса в последнем из них). When he came out he staggered in his walk (вышел он оттуда, покачиваясь: «когда он вышел, он покачивался при ходьбе»), and was evidently pretty well on (очевидно, изрядно навеселе). There was a hansom just in front of me, and he hailed it (как раз передо мной стоял экипаж, и он его подозвал; to hail — приветствовать; звать, окликать). I followed it so close that the nose of my horse was within a yard of his driver the whole way (я поехал за ним, держась так близко, что всю дорогу нос моей лошади был всего в ярде от кучера его кеба [21] ). We rattled across Waterloo Bridge and through miles of streets (мы прогрохотали по мосту Ватерлоо и проехали несколько миль по улицам), until, to my astonishment, we found ourselves back in the Terrace in which he had boarded (когда, к моему удивлению, мы оказались опять на Террес, где он жил; to board — жить и питаться у кого-либо за плату). I could not imagine what his intention was in returning there (я и вообразить не мог, с какой целью он туда вернулся; intention — намерение, цель); but I went on and pulled up my cab a hundred yards or so from the house (я проехал немного дальше и остановил свой кеб примерно в ста ярдах от его дома). He entered it, and his hansom drove away (он вошел внутрь, а экипаж уехал). Give me a glass of water, if you please (дайте мне стакан воды, пожалуйста). My mouth gets dry with the talking (у меня пересыхает во рту, когда я говорю)."
21
hansom — экипаж, где кучер сидит сзади.