Английский язык с Шерлоком Холмсом. Первый сборник рассказов

Еремин Андрей

"Coarse writing (грубый почерк)," murmured Holmes (пробормотал Холмс). "Surely this is not your husband's writing (конечно, это не почерк вашего мужа), madam."

"No, but the enclosure is (но вложенное /в конверт/, содержимое — его почерк)."

"I perceive also (я думаю также; to perceive — чувствовать, понимать) that whoever addressed the envelope (что кто бы ни отправил = надписал конверт) had to go and inquire as to the address (должен был пойти и узнать /ваш/ адрес)."

"How can you tell that (как вы это определили)?"

"Coarse writing," murmured Holmes. "Surely this is not your husband's writing, madam."

"No, but the enclosure is."

"I perceive also that whoever addressed the envelope had to go and inquire as to the address."

"How can you tell that?"

"The name (имя), you see, is in perfectly black ink (/написано/

совершенно черными чернилами), which has dried itself (которые высохли сами: «высушили сами себя»). The rest is of the grayish color (остальное — сероватого цвета), which shows that blotting-paper has been used (что показывает, что промокательная бумага была использована). If it had been written straight off (если бы это было написано сразу), and then blotted (и затем промокнуто), none would be of a deep black shade (никакие /слова/ были бы глубокого черного оттенка = все слова были бы одного цвета). This man has written the name (написал имя), and there has then been a pause (потом пауза) before he wrote the address, which can only mean (что может значить только) that he was not familiar with it (что он не был знаком с ним). It is, of course, a trifle (пустяк), but there is nothing so important as trifles (но нет ничего, что было бы столь важно, как пустяки). Let us now see the letter (давайте теперь посмотрим на письмо). Ha! there has been an enclosure here (здесь было вложение, приложение)!"

grayish ['re], pause [p:z], familiar [f'ml], trifle [trafl], enclosure [n'klu]

"The name, you see, is in perfectly black ink, which has dried itself. The rest is of the grayish color, which shows that blotting-paper has been used. If it had been written straight off, and then blotted, none would be of a deep black shade. This man has written the name, and there has then been a pause before he wrote the address, which can only mean that he was not familiar with it. It is, of course, a trifle, but there is nothing so important as trifles. Let us now see the letter. Ha! there has been an enclosure here!"

"Yes, there was a ring (кольцо). His signet-ring (его кольцо с печаткой)."

"And you are sure (уверены) that this is your husband's hand (рука = почерк вашего мужа)?"

"One of his hands (один из его почерков)."

"One?"

"His hand when he wrote hurriedly (почерк, когда он пишет торопливо). It is very unlike his usual writing (очень непохоже на его обычный почерк), and yet I know it well (знаю хорошо)."

"Yes, there was a ring. His signet-ring."

"And you are sure that this is your husband's hand?"

"One of his hands."

"One?"

"His hand when he wrote hurriedly. It is very unlike his usual writing, and yet I know it well."

"'Dearest do not be frightened (дорогая, не волнуйся: «не будь напугана»). All will come well (все кончится хорошо). There is a huge error (произошла огромная ошибка) which it may take some little time to rectify (которая может потребовать некоторое время для исправления). Wait in patience (жди в терпении = терпеливо). Neville.' Written in pencil (карандашом) upon the flyleaf of a book (на форзаце книги), octavo size (восьмая часть листа размером), no watermark (без водяных знаков). Hum (гм)! Posted today (отправлено

сегодня) in Gravesend by a man with a dirty thumb (человеком с грязным большим пальцем). Ha! And the flap has been gummed (и клапан /конверта/ был покрыт клеем), if I am not very much in error (если я не слишком в ошибке = ошибаюсь), by a person who had been chewing tobacco (человеком, который жевал табак). And you have no doubt (вы убеждены = не имеете сомнения) that it is your husband's hand (что это почерк вашего мужа), madam?"

"None (никакого /сомнения/). Neville wrote those words (написал те слова)."

frightened [fratnd], huge [hju:], error ['er], patience [pens], thumb [m]

"'Dearest do not be frightened. All will come well. There is a huge error which it may take some little time to rectify. Wait in patience. Neville.' Written in pencil upon the flyleaf of a book, octavo size, no watermark. Hum! Posted today in Gravesend by a man with a dirty thumb. Ha! And the flap has been gummed, if I am not very much in error, by a person who had been chewing tobacco. And you have no doubt that it is your husband's hand, madam?"

"None. Neville wrote those words."

"And they were posted today at Gravesend (были отправлены сегодня из Гревзенда). Well, Mrs. St. Clair, the clouds lighten (тучи светлеют = рассеиваются), though I should not venture to say that the danger is over (хотя я не рискую сказать, что опасность закончилась)."

"But he must be alive (он должен быть жив = должно быть, он жив), Mr. Holmes."

"Unless this is a clever forgery (если только это не ловкая подделка) to put us on the wrong scent (чтобы послать нас по ложному следу). The ring, after all (кольцо, в конце концов), proves nothing (ничего не доказывает). It may have been taken from him (оно могло быть отобрано у него)."

forgery ['f:r], scent [sent]

"No, no; it is, it is his very own writing (это его, его собственный почерк)!"

"Very well (отлично). It may, however, have been written on Monday (письмо могло быть, однако, написано в понедельник) and only posted today (а послано только сегодня)."

"And they were posted today at Gravesend. Well, Mrs. St. Clair, the clouds lighten, though I should not venture to say that the danger is over."

"But he must be alive, Mr. Holmes."

"Unless this is a clever forgery to put us on the wrong scent. The ring, after all, proves nothing. It may have been taken from him. '

"No, no; it is, it is his very own writing!"

"Very well. It may, however, have been written on Monday and only posted today."

"That is possible (это возможно)."

"If so, much may have happened between (многое могло случиться между /этими датами/)."

"Oh, you must not discourage me (вы не должны приводить меня в уныние), Mr. Holmes. I know that all is well with him (что все хорошо с ним). There is so keen a sympathy between us (между нами такое сильное «взаимочувствие») that I should know if evil came upon him (что я узнаю, если несчастье случится с ним). On the very day that I saw him last (в тот самый день, когда я видела его в последний /раз/) he cut himself in the bedroom (он порезался в спальне), and yet I in the dining-room (в столовой) rushed upstairs instantly (бросилась наверх сразу же) with the utmost certainty that something had happened (с величайшей уверенностью, что что-то случилось). Do you think that I would respond to such a trifle (ответила бы = отреагировала бы я на такой пустяк) and yet be ignorant of his death (и все же не знала бы о его смерти)?"