Английский язык с Шерлоком Холмсом. Первый сборник рассказов
Шрифт:
"Convinced that something was amiss with him (уверенная, что с ним что-то неладно), she rushed down the steps (она сбежала вниз по ступенькам) — for the house was none other than the opium den (так как дом был не чем иным, как опиумным притоном) in which you found me tonight (в котором вы нашли меня сегодня вечером) — and running through the front room (пробежав через переднюю комнату) she attempted to ascend the stairs which led to the first floor (она попыталась подняться по ступеням, которые вели на второй этаж). At the foot of the stairs (у лестницы: «основания лестницы), however (однако), she met this Lascar scoundrel (она встретила этого негодяя Ласкара) of whom I have spoken (о котором я говорил), who thrust her back (который толкнул ее обратно = оттолкнул ее) and, aided by a Dane (с помощью датчанина), who acts as assistant there (который действовал в качестве помощника), pushed her out into the street (вытолкал ее на улицу). Filled with the most maddening doubts and fears (наполненная сводящими с ума сомнениями и страхами = обезумев от страха), she rushed down the lane (побежала по улочке) and, by rare good-fortune (по необыкновенной удаче = к счастью), met (встретила) in Fresno Street a number of constables with an inspector (несколько констеблей с инспектором), all on their way to their beat (все
convinced [kn'vnst], ascend ['send], scoundrel ['skaundrl], constables ['knstblz]
"Convinced that something was amiss with him, she rushed down the steps — for the house was none other than the opium den in which you found me tonight — and running through the front room she attempted to ascend the stairs which led to the first floor. At the foot of the stairs, however, she met this Lascar scoundrel of whom I have spoken, who thrust her back and, aided by a Dane, who acts as assistant there, pushed her out into the street. Filled with the most maddening doubts and fears, she rushed down the lane and, by rare good-fortune, met in Fresno Street a number of constables with an inspector, all on their way to their beat. The inspector and two men accompanied her back, and in spite of the continued resistance of the proprietor, they made their way to the room in which Mr. St. Clair had last been seen. There was no sign of him there. In fact, in the whole of that floor there was no one to be found save a crippled wretch of hideous aspect, who, it seems, made his home there. Both he and the Lascar stoutly swore that no one else had been in the front room during the afternoon. So determined was their denial that the inspector was staggered, and had almost come to believe that Mrs. St. Clair had been deluded when, with a cry, she sprang at a small deal box which lay upon the table and tore the lid from it. Out there fell a cascade of children's bricks. It was the toy which he had promised to bring home.
"This discovery (находка), and the evident confusion which the cripple showed (и явное смущение, которое показал калека), made the inspector realize (убедили инспектора: «заставили осознать») that the matter was serious (что дело серьезно). The rooms were carefully examined (комнаты были тщательно обысканы), and results all pointed to an abominable crime (и все результаты указывали на гнусное преступление). The front room was plainly furnished as a sitting-room (комната, выходящая окнами на улицу: «передняя комната» была обставлена просто, вроде гостиной) and led into a small bedroom (и вела в небольшую спальню = рядом была небольшая спальня), which looked out upon the back of one of the wharves (окно которой выходит на задворки одной из верфей). Between the wharf and the bedroom window is a narrow strip (между верфью и окном находится узкий канал), which is dry at low tide (который высыхает во время отлива: «сухой при отливе») but is covered at high tide (но покрыт = наполняется водой во время прилива) with at least four and a half feet of water (по крайней мере, на четыре с половиной фута). The bedroom window was a broad one and opened from below (было широким и открывалось снизу). On examination traces of blood were to be seen upon the windowsill (при осмотре были обнаружены следы крови на подоконнике), and several scattered drops were visible upon the wooden floor of the bedroom (и несколько разбросанных = разбрызганных капель /крови/ были видимы = найдены на деревянном полу спальни). Thrust away behind a curtain (за шторой; to thrust away — отодвигать) in the front room were all the clothes (была вся одежда) of Mr. Neville St. Clair, with the exception of his coat (за исключением его пальто). His boots (ботинки), his socks (носки), his hat (шляпа), and his watch (часы) — all were there (все было там). There were no signs of violence (не было следов насилия) upon any of these garments (на всех этих предметах одежды), and there were no other traces of Mr. Neville St. Clair (и не было других следов). Out of the window he must apparently have gone (через окно он, должно быть, ушел) for no other exit could be discovered (так как никакого другого выхода не было найдено), and the ominous bloodstains upon the sill (зловещие кровавые пятна на подоконнике) gave little promise that he could save himself by swimming (почти не оставляли надежды: «давали мало обещания», что он мог спастись с помощью плавания = плаванием), for the tide was at its very highest at the moment of the tragedy (потому что прилив достиг наивысшего уровня в момент трагедии).
evident ['evdnt], abominable ['bmnbl], wharf [w:f], ominous ['mns]
"This discovery, and the evident confusion which the cripple showed, made the inspector realize that the matter was serious. The rooms were carefully examined, and results all pointed to an abominable crime. The front room was plainly furnished as a sitting-room and led into a small bedroom, which looked out upon the back of one of the wharves. Between the wharf and the bedroom window is a narrow strip, which is dry at low tide but is covered at high tide with at least four and a half feet of water. The bedroom window was a broad one and opened from below. On examination traces of blood were to be seen upon the windowsill, and several scattered drops were visible upon the wooden floor of the bedroom. Thrust away behind a curtain in the front room were all the clothes of Mr. Neville St. Clair, with the exception of his coat. His boots, his socks, his hat, and his watch — all were there. There were no signs of violence upon any of these garments, and there were no other traces of Mr. Neville St. Clair. Out of the window he must apparently have gone for no other exit could be discovered, and the ominous bloodstains upon the sill gave little promise that he could save himself by swimming, for the tide was at its very highest at the moment of the tragedy.
"And now as to the villains (теперь обратимся к негодяям: «что касается негодяев») who seemed to be immediately implicated in the matter (которые, видимо: «казались», были непосредственно впутаны в это дело = имели к этому непосредственное отношение). The Lascar was known to be a man of the vilest antecedents (был
villains ['vlnz], antecedents [aent'si:dnts], accessory [k'sesr], lodger ['l]
"And now as to the villains who seemed to be immediately implicated in the matter. The Lascar was known to be a man of the vilest antecedents, but as by Mrs. St. Clair's story, he was known to have been at the foot of the stair within a very few seconds of her husband's appearance at the window, he could hardly have been more than an accessory to the crime. His defense was one of absolute ignorance, and he protested that he had no knowledge as to the doings of Hugh Boone, his lodger, and that he could not account in any way for the presence of the missing gentleman's clothes.
"So much for the Lascar manager (это все, что касается хозяина-Ласкара). Now for the sinister cripple (теперь обратимся к зловещему калеке) who lives upon the second floor of the opium den (который живет на третьем этаже пртиона), and who was certainly the last human being (и, безусловно, является последним человеком: «человеческим существом») whose eyes rested upon Neville St. Clair (который видел: «чьи глаза останавливались на» Невилла Сент-Клера). His name is Hugh Boone, and his hideous face is one which is familiar to every man who goes much to the City (его отвратительное лицо знакомо каждому, кто много ходит = часто бывает в Сити). He is a professional beggar (он профессиональный нищий), though in order to avoid the police regulations (впрочем, чтобы избежать = обойти полицейские правила) he pretends to a small trade in wax vestas (он притворяется, что продает восковые спички; trade — занятие; лавка). Some little distance down Threadneedle Street (недалеко по Трэднидл-стрит), upon the left-hand side (на левой стороне), there is, as you may have remarked (как вы могли заметить), a small angle in the wall (небольшой угол = ниша в стене). Here it is that this creature takes his daily seat (здесь это существо сидит днем: «занимает свое каждодневное место»), cross-legged with his tiny stock of matches on his lap (поджав ноги «по-турецки» с несколькими коробками спичек на коленях; stock — ассортимент), and as he is a piteous spectacle (так как он жалкое зрелище) a small rain of charity descends into the greasy leather cap (маленький дождь благотворительности = милостыни льется в его засаленную кожаную кепку) which lies upon the pavement beside him (что лежит на мостовой рядом с ним). I have watched the fellow more than once (я наблюдал за этим парнем не раз: «больше, чем однажды»), before ever I thought of making his professional acquaintance (не предполагая, что мне придется познакомиться с ним профессионально = встретиться как с преступником), and I have been surprised at the harvest (был удивлен жатве) which he has reaped in a short time (которую он пожинал в короткое время). His appearance (внешность), you see, is so remarkable (столь примечательна) that no one can pass him without observing him (что никто не может пройти мимо без наблюдения его = не обратив на него внимания). A shock of orange hair (копна оранжевых = рыжих волос), a pale face disfigured by a horrible scar (бледное лицо, обезображенное ужасным шрамом), which, by its contraction (который своим сужением = сужаясь), has turned up the outer edge of his upper lip (завернул внешний край верхней губы), a bulldog chin (бульдожий подбородок), and a pair of very penetrating dark eyes (и пара очень проницательных темных глаз), which present a singular contrast to the color of his hair (которые представляют необычный контраст с цветом его волос), all mark him out from amid the common crowd of mendicants (все это выделяет его из простой толпы попрошаек) and so, too, does his wit (и это же делает его остроумие), for he is ever ready with a reply to any piece of chaff (всегда готов с ответом на всякий кусок насмешки = на любое подшучивание) which may be thrown at him by the passers-by (которое может быть брошено = сказано ему прохожими). This is the man whom we now learn to have been the lodger at the opium den (мы сейчас узнали, что он жилец в опиумном притоне), and to have been the last man to see the gentleman of whom we are in quest (и последним видел человека, которого мы ищем)."
sinister ['snst], beggar ['be], creature ['kri:t], charity ['taert], scar [sk:], chaff [t:f]
"But a cripple (но /ведь он/ калека)!" said I. "What could he have done single-handed against a man in the prime of life (что он мог сделать один: «однорукий» против человека в расцвете сил)?"
"So much for the Lascar manager. Now for the sinister cripple who lives upon the second floor of the opium den, and who was certainly the last human being whose eyes rested upon Neville St. Clair. His name is Hugh Boone, and his hideous face is one which is familiar to every man who goes much to the City. He is a professional beggar, though in order to avoid the police regulations he pretends to a small trade in wax vestas. Some little distance down Threadneedle Street, upon the left-hand side, there is, as you may have remarked, a small angle in the wall. Here it is that this creature takes his daily seat, cross-legged with his tiny stock of matches on his lap, and as he is a piteous spectacle a small rain of charity descends into the greasy leather cap which lies upon the pavement beside him. I have watched the fellow more than once, before ever I thought of making his professional acquaintance, and I have been surprised at the harvest which he has reaped in a short time. His appearance, you see, is so remarkable that no one can pass him without observing him. A shock of orange hair, a pale face disfigured by a horrible scar, which, by its contraction, has turned up the outer edge of his upper lip, a bulldog chin, and a pair of very penetrating dark eyes, which present a singular contrast to the color of his hair, all mark him out from amid the common crowd of mendicants and so, too, does his wit, for he is ever ready with a reply to any piece of chaff which may be thrown at him by the passers-by. This is the man whom we now learn to have been the lodger at the opium den, and to have been the last man to see the gentleman of whom we are in quest."
"But a cripple!" said I. "What could he have done single-handed against a man in the prime of life?"
"He is a cripple in the sense that he walks with a limp (он калека в том смысле, что ходит с трудом = прихрамывает); but in other respects he appears to be a powerful and well-nurtured man (во всех других отношениях он кажется/является мощным и здоровым человеком = он, видимо…; nurtured — выращенный, обученный; to nurture — кормить, питать). Surely your medical experience would tell you (конечно, ваш медицинский опыт сказал бы вам), Watson, that weakness in one limb is often compensated for by exceptional strength in the others (что слабость /в/ одной конечности часто компенсируется необычайной силой /в/ других)."
nurtured ['n:td], surely ['ul], weakness ['wi:kns], limb [lm], strength [stre]
"Pray continue your narrative (пожалуйста, продолжайте ваш рассказ)."
"He is a cripple in the sense that he walks with a limp; but in other respects he appears to be a powerful and well-nurtured man. Surely your medical experience would tell you, Watson, that weakness in one limb is often compensated for by exceptional strength in the others."