Английский язык с Шерлоком Холмсом. Первый сборник рассказов
Шрифт:
"You can imagine from what I say (вы можете себе представить из того, что я говорю) that my poor sister (моя бедная сестра) Julia and I had no great pleasure in our lives (жили не очень весело: «имели невеликое удовольствие в наших жизнях»). No servant would stay with us (никто из слуг не хотел оставаться с нами), and for a long time we did all the work of the house (и долгое время мы делали всю работу дома = выполняли домашнюю работу). She was but thirty (ей было лишь тридцать /лет/) at the time of her death (ко времени ее смерти), and yet her hair had already begun to whiten (и однако волосы ее начали седеть), even as mine has (точно так же, как и мои)."
"Your sister is dead (умерла), then (значит:
servant ['s:vnt], death [de], whiten [watn]
"You can imagine from what I say that my poor sister Julia and I had no great pleasure in our lives. No servant would stay with us, and for a long time we did all the work of the house. She was but thirty at the time of her death, and yet her hair had already begun to whiten, even as mine has."
"Your sister is dead, then?"
"She died just two years ago, and it is of her death (это о ее смерти = как раз о ее смерти) that I wish to speak to you. You can understand (понять) that, living the life which I have described (описала), we were little likely (были мало вероятны = имели мало возможностей) to see anyone of our own age and position (видеть = встретить кого-то нашего собственного возраста и положения). We had, however (однако), an aunt (тетка), my mother's maiden sister (незамужняя сестра моей матери; maiden — дева, девица), Miss Honoria Westphail, who lives near Harrow, and we were occasionally allowed (и нам время от времени позволялось) to pay short visits (наносить короткие визиты) at this lady's house. Julia went there at Christmas (на Рождество) two years ago, and met there a half-pay major of marines (встретила там отставного: «полуоплачиваемого» майора флота), to whom she became engaged (стала помолвлена). My stepfather learned of the engagement (узнал о помолвке) when my sister returned and offered no objection to the marriage (не выразил никакой протест = не возражал против этого брака); but within a fortnight (не позднее двух недель) of the day which had been fixed for the wedding (перед днем, установленным для свадьбы), the terrible event occurred (ужасное событие случилось) which has deprived me of my only companion (которое лишило меня моей единственной компаньонки = подруги)."
age [e], major ['me], engagement [n'emnt]
Sherlock Holmes had been leaning back in his chair (сидел, откинувшись назад в своем кресле) with his eyes closed and (с закрытыми глазами) his head sunk in a cushion (и с головой на диванной подушке; to sink — падать, опускать, осесть), but he half opened his lids now (но теперь он наполовину открыл = приоткрыл веки) and glanced across at his visitor (и взглянул на свою посетительнницу).
"She died just two years ago, and it is of her death that I wish to speak to you. You can understand that, living the life which I have described, we were little likely to see anyone of our own age and position. We had, however, an aunt, my mother's maiden sister, Miss Honoria Westphail, who lives near Harrow, and we were occasionally allowed to pay short visits at this lady's house. Julia went there at Christmas two years ago, and met there a half-pay major of marines, to whom she became engaged. My stepfather learned of the engagement when my sister returned and offered no objection to the marriage; but within a fortnight of the day which had been fixed for the wedding, the terrible event occurred which has deprived me of my only companion."
Sherlock Holmes had been leaning back in his chair with his eyes closed and his head sunk in a cushion, but he half opened his lids now and glanced across at his visitor.
"Pray be precise as to details (пожалуйста, будьте точны /в том/ что касается деталей)," said he.
cushion ['kun], glanced [l:nst], precise [pr'sas]
"It is easy for me to be so (это легко для меня быть такой = точной), for every event of that dreadful time (так как каждое событие того кошмарного времени) is seared into my memory (врезалось в мою память; to sear — выжигать, иссушать). The manor house (помещичий дом) is, as I have already said (как я уже сказала), very old, and only one wing is now inhabited (только одно крыло сейчас
"Perfectly so (совершенно /так/)."
dreadful ['dredful], manor ['maen], wing [w]
"Pray be precise as to details," said he.
"It is easy for me to be so, for every event of that dreadful time is seared into my memory. The manor house is, as I have already said, very old, and only one wing is now inhabited. The bedrooms in this wing are on the ground floor, the sitting-rooms being in the central block of the buildings. Of these bedrooms the first is Dr. Roylott's, the second my sister's, and the third my own. There is no communication between them, but they all open out into the same corridor. Do I make myself plain?"
"Perfectly so."
"The windows of the three rooms open out upon the lawn (окна /всех/ трех комнат выходят на лужайку). That fatal night (той роковой ночью) Dr. Roylott had gone to his room early (ушел в свою комнату рано), though we knew that he had not retired to rest (хотя мы знали, что он не лег отдыхать = спать), for my sister was troubled (так как моя сестра была потревожена) by the smell of the strong Indian cigars (запахом крепких индийских сигар) which it was his custom to smoke (что было его обычаем = привычкой курить). She left her room, therefore (поэтому она вышла из своей комнаты; to leave — покидать, оставлять), and came into mine (и пришла в мою), where she sat for some time (где сидела какое-то время), chatting about her approaching wedding (болтая о своей приближающейся свадьбе). At eleven o'clock she rose to leave me (в одиннадцать часов она встала, чтобы покинуть меня = уйти), but she paused at the door and looked back (но задержалась у двери и оглянулась).
"'Tell me, Helen (скажи мне, Хелен),' said she, 'have you ever heard anyone whistle (ты когда-нибудь слышала, будто кто-то свистит) in the dead of the night (глухой ночью = поздно ночью)?'
lawn [l:n], night [nat], therefore ['def:]
"The windows of the three rooms open out upon the lawn. That fatal night Dr. Roylott had gone to his room early, though we knew that he had not retired to rest, for my sister was troubled by the smell of the strong Indian cigars which it was his custom to smoke. She left her room, therefore, and came into mine, where she sat for some time, chatting about her approaching wedding. At eleven o'clock she rose to leave me, but she paused at the door and looked back.
"'Tell me, Helen,' said she, 'have you ever heard anyone whistle in the dead of the night?'
"'Never (никогда),' said I.
"'I suppose that you could not possibly whistle yourself in your sleep (я полагаю = думаю, что ты не могла /возможно/ свистеть сама = тебе не случалось свистеть во сне)?'
"'Certainly not (конечно нет). But why (но почему /ты спрашиваешь/)?'
"'Because during the last few nights (потому что во время последних нескольких ночей) I have always, about three in the morning (я всегда = постоянно около трех /часов/ утром), heard a low, clear whistle (слышала тихий, отчетливый свист). I am a light sleeper (я сплю чутко), and it has awakened me (он разбудил меня). I cannot tell where it came from (не могу сказать = понять, откуда он идет = исходит), perhaps from the next room (возможно, из следующей = соседней комнаты), perhaps from the lawn (может быть, с лужайки). I thought that I would just ask you (я подумала, что просто спрошу тебя) whether you had heard it (слышала ли ты его).'