Английский язык с Шерлоком Холмсом. Первый сборник рассказов

Еремин Андрей

"Small, stout-built, very quick in his ways (маленький, коренастый, очень живой: «быстрый в своих путях»), no hair on his face (на лице нет волос), though he's not short of thirty (хотя ему уже около тридцати). Has a white splash of acid upon his forehead (имеет белое пятно от /ожога/ кислотой на лбу)."

stout-built [staut'blt], quick [kwk], acid ['aesd], forehead ['frd]

"At half-wages, in fact."

"Yes."

"What is he like, this Vincent Spaulding?"

"Small, stout-built, very quick in his ways, no hair on his face, though he's not short of thirty. Has a white splash of acid upon his forehead."

Holmes sat up in his chair in considerable excitement (Холмс

выпрямился в кресле в значительном волнении). "I thought as much (я думал именно так = я так и думал)," said he. "Have you ever observed that his ears are pierced for earrings (вы когда-нибудь замечали, что его уши проколоты; ear — ухо; ring — кольцо; earring — серьга)?"

considerable [kn'sdrbl], excitement [k'satmnt], pierced [pst], earring ['r]

"Yes, sir. He told me that a gypsy had done it for him when he was a lad (он сказал мне, что какой-то цыган сделал это /для него/, когда он был мальчиком = маленьким)."

gypsy ['ps], lad [laed]

"Hum (хм)!" said Holmes, sinking back in deep thought (откидываясь в глубокой мысли = раздумье). "He is still with you (он все еще с вами)?"

sinking ['sk], thought [:t]

Holmes sat up in his chair in considerable excitement. "I thought as much," said he. "Have you ever observed that his ears are pierced for earrings?"

"Yes, sir. He told me that a gypsy had done it for him when he was a lad."

"Hum!" said Holmes, sinking back in deep thought. "He is still with you?"

"Oh, yes, sir; I have only just left him (я только что оставил его = видел его)."

"And has your business been attended to in your absence (а хорошо ли он справлялся с вашими делами в ваше отсутствие; to attend to — заботиться, следить)?"

"Nothing to complain of, sir (ничего чтобы пожаловаться = не могу жаловаться, сэр). There's never very much to do of a morning (утром никогда не бывает много работы)."

absence ['aebsns], complain [km'plen], sir [s:]

"That will do, Mr. Wilson (достаточно, мистер Уилсон). I shall be happy to give you an opinion upon the subject in the course of a day or two (я буду счастлив = буду иметь удовольствие высказать вам мое мнение по этой теме через день или два; in the course of — в течение). Today is Saturday (сегодня суббота), and I hope that by Monday we may come to a conclusion (и я надеюсь, что к понедельнику мы сможем прийти к заключению = все выясним)."

opinion ['pnjn], course [k:s], Saturday ['saetd], conclusion [kn'klu:n]

"Oh, yes, sir; I have only just left him."

"And has your business been attended to in your absence?"

"Nothing to complain of, sir. There's never very much to do of a morning."

"That will do, Mr. Wilson. I shall be happy to give you an opinion upon the subject in the course of a day or two. Today is Saturday, and I hope that by Monday we may come to a conclusion."

"Well, Watson," said Holmes when our visitor had left us (когда

наш посетитель покинул нас = ушел), "what do you make of it all (что вы обо всем этом думаете: «что вы делаете из этого всего»)?"

"I make nothing of it (я ничего не думаю)," I answered frankly (ответил я откровенно). "It is a most mysterious business (это совершенно таинственное дело)."

frankly ['fraekl], mysterious [m'strs]

"As a rule (как правило)," said Holmes, "the more bizarre a thing is the less mysterious it proves to be (чем более странная вещь = случай, тем менее таинственным он оказывается). It is your commonplace, featureless crimes (это заурядные, бесцветные преступления) which are really puzzling (которые действительно озадачивают), just as a commonplace face is the most difficult to identify (так же как и заурядное лицо наиболее трудно опознать). But I must be prompt over this matter (но я должен = мне нужно быть быстрым с этим делом)."

"What are you going to do, then (что вы собираетесь делать в таком случае)?" I asked.

rule [ru:l], bizarre [b'z:], featureless ['fi:tls], identify [a'dentfa]

"Well, Watson," said Holmes when our visitor had left us, "what do you make of it all?"

"I make nothing of it," I answered frankly. "It is a most mysterious business."

"As a rule," said Holmes, "the more bizarre a thing is the less mysterious it proves to be. It is your commonplace, featureless crimes which are really puzzling, just as a commonplace face is the most difficult to identify. But I must be prompt over this matter."

"What are you going to do, then?" I asked.

"To smoke (курить)," he answered. "It is quite a three pipe problem (это как раз трехтрубочная проблема = задача на три трубки табаку), and I beg that you won't speak to me for fifty minutes (и я попрошу, чтобы вы не говорили со мной пятьдесят минут)." He curled himself up in his chair (он свернулся в своем кресле), with his thin knees drawn up to his hawk-like nose (подтянув худые колени к ястребиному носу; hawk — ястреб), and there he sat with his eyes closed and his black clay pipe (и вот = в такой позе он сидел с закрытыми глазами и своей черной глиняной трубкой) thrusting out like the bill of some strange bird (торчащей, как клюв какой-то странной птицы; to thrust out — высунуть). I had come to the conclusion (я пришел к заключению) that he had dropped asleep (что он уснул), and indeed was nodding myself (и сам уже начал дремать, клевать носом), when he suddenly sprang out of his chair with the gesture of a man (когда он внезапно вскочил со своего кресла с жестом = видом человека) who has made up his mind (который «собрал свой разум» = принял решение) and put his pipe down upon the mantelpiece (и положил свою трубку на каминную полку).