Английский язык с Шерлоком Холмсом. Первый сборник рассказов
Шрифт:
majesty ['maest], hereditary [h'redtr]
The man sprang from his chair and paced up and down the room in uncontrollable agitation. Then, with a gesture of desperation, he tore the mask from his face and hurled it upon the ground. "You are right," he cried; "I am the King. Why should I attempt to conceal it?"
"Why, indeed?" murmured Holmes. "Your Majesty had not spoken before I was aware that I was addressing Wilhelm Gottsreich Sigismond von Ormstein, Grand Duke of Cassel-Felstein, and hereditary King of Bohemia."
"But you can understand (но вы можете понять = понимаете)," said our strange visitor (сказал наш странный посетитель), sitting down once more (снова
forehead ['frd], confide [kn'fad], Prague [pr:]
"Then, pray consult (тогда, пожалуйста, советуйтесь)," said Holmes, shutting his eyes once more (закрывая глаза снова).
"The facts are briefly these (факты вкратце таковы; brief — короткий): Some five years ago (примерно пять лет назад), during a lengthy visit to Warsaw (во время продолжительного посещения Варшавы; length — длительность), I made the acquaintance of the well-known adventuress, Irene Adler (я сделал знакомство = познакомился с хорошо известной авантюристкой Ирэн Адлер; adventure — приключение, похождение). The name is no doubt familiar to you (имя, без сомнения, знакомо вам)."
briefly ['bri:fl], acquaintance ['kwentns], adventuress [d'ventrs]
"But you can understand," said our strange visitor, sitting down once more and passing his hand over his high white forehead, "you can understand that I am not accustomed to doing such business in my own person. Yet the matter was so delicate that I could not confide it to an agent without putting myself in his power. I have come incognito from Prague for the purpose of consulting you."
"Then, pray consult," said Holmes, shutting his eyes once more.
"The facts are briefly these: Some five years ago, during a lengthy visit to Warsaw, I made the acquaintance of the well-known adventuress, Irene Adler. The name is no doubt familiar to you."
"Kindly look her up in my index, Doctor (будьте любезны, посмотрите ее в моем каталоге, доктор; kind — добрый)," murmured Holmes without opening his eyes (пробормотал Холмс, не открывая глаз: «без открывания своих глаз»). For many years he had adopted a system of docketing all paragraphs (много лет назад он завел систему написания всех заметок; to adopt — усыновлять, принимать; to docket — делать надпись на документе) concerning men and things (касающихся людей и вещей), so that it was difficult to name a subject or a person (поэтому было трудно назвать объект или лицо) on which he could not at once furnish information (о которых он не мог сразу же предоставить информацию). In this case I found her biography (в данном случае я нашел ее биографию) sandwiched in between that of a Hebrew rabbi and that of a staff-commander (помещенную между той = биографией еврейского раввина и той = биографией начальника штаба; staff-commander: staff — штаб, commander — командир,
concerning [kn's:n], furnish ['f:n], biography [ba'rf]
"Kindly look her up in my index, Doctor," murmured Holmes without opening his eyes. For many years he had adopted a system of docketing all paragraphs concerning men and things, so that it was difficult to name a subject or a person on which he could not at once furnish information. In this case I found her biography sandwiched in between that of a Hebrew rabbi and that of a staff-commander who had written a monograph upon the deep-sea fishes.
"Let me see (позвольте мне посмотреть = покажите)!" said Holmes. "Hum! Born in New Jersey in the year 1858 (родилась в Нью-Джерси в 1858 году; to bear — рождать; to be born — родиться). Contralto — hum (контральто, гм)! La Scala, hum! Prima donna Imperial Opera of Warsaw — yes! Retired from operatic stage — ha (ушла с оперной сцены; to retire — уходить в отставку)! Living in London — quite so (живет в Лондоне — совершенно верно)! Your Majesty (ваше величество), as I understand (как я понимаю), became entangled with this young person (стали спутанными = попали в сети к этой молодой особе), wrote her some compromising letters (писали ей компрометирующие письма), and is now desirous of getting those letters back (и сейчас желающие получения этих писем назад = желали бы вернуть эти письма; to be desirous of — жаждать чего-либо)."
stage [ste], quite [kwat], desirous [d'zars]
"Let me see!" said Holmes. "Hum! Born in New Jersey in the year 1858. Contralto — hum! La Scala, hum! Prima donna Imperial Opera of Warsaw — yes! Retired from operatic stage — ha! Living in London — quite so! Your Majesty, as I understand, became entangled with this young person, wrote her some compromising letters, and is now desirous of getting those letters back."
"Precisely so (именно так). But how (но как) — "
"Was there a secret marriage (была ли тайный брак = вы тайно женились на ней)?"
"None (нет)."
"No legal papers or certificates (никаких юридических документов или свидетельств)?"
"None."
marriage ['maer]
"Precisely so. But how — "
"Was there a secret marriage?"
"None."
"No legal papers or certificates?"
"None."
"Then I fail to follow your Majesty (в таком случае, я не в состоянии следовать за вашим величеством = я вас не понимаю; to fail — потерпеть неудачу). If this young person should produce her letters for blackmailing or other purposes (если эта молодая особа захочет использовать ее письма для шантажа или других целей; to produce — издавать, выпускать; blackmailing: black — черный, mail — письмо), how is she to prove their authenticity (как она /собирается/ доказать их подлинность)?"
"There is the writing (/есть/ /мой/ почерк)."
"Pooh, pooh! Forgery (тьфу, подлог)."
"My private note-paper (моя личная почтовая бумага)."
"Stolen (украдена; to steal — красть)."
blackmailing ['blaekmel], purpose ['p:ps], authenticity [:ten'tst], prove [pru:v], forgery ['f:r]
"Then I fail to follow your Majesty. If this young person should produce her letters for blackmailing or other purposes, how is she to prove their authenticity?"