Английский язык с Шерлоком Холмсом. Первый сборник рассказов

Еремин Андрей

during ['djur], whistle [wsl], whether ['wed]

"'Never,' said I.

"'I suppose that you could not possibly whistle yourself in your sleep?'

"'Certainly not. But why?'

"'Because during the last few nights I have always, about three in the morning, heard a low, clear whistle. I am a light sleeper, and it has awakened me. I cannot tell where it came from, perhaps from the next room, perhaps from the lawn. I thought that I would just ask you whether you had heard it.'

"'No, I have not (нет, не слышала). It must be those wretched gypsies in the plantation (это, должно быть, те жалкие /гнусные/ цыгане на лужайке; plantation — насаждения, лесопосадка).'

"'Very likely (очень возможно). And yet if it were on the lawn (и все-таки, если бы это было на лужайке = свист шел с лужайки), I wonder that you did not hear it also (я удивляюсь, что ты тоже не слышала его).'

"'Ah, but I sleep more heavily than you (но я сплю более тяжело = крепче, чем ты).'

"'Well, it is of no great consequence (это

не великой важности = пустяки), at any rate (во всяком случае).' She smiled back at me (улыбнулась мне в ответ = ответила улыбкой), closed my door, and a few moments later (закрыла мою дверь, и несколько мгновений спустя) I heard her key turn in the lock (я слышала /как/ ее ключ повернулся в замке)."

consequence ['knskwns], door [d:], key [ki:]

"'No, I have not. It must be those wretched gypsies in the plantation.'

"'Very likely. And yet if it were on the lawn, I wonder that you did not hear it also.'

"'Ah, but I sleep more heavily than you.'

"'Well, it is of no great consequence, at any rate.' She smiled back at me, closed my door, and a few moments later I heard her key turn in the lock."

"Indeed (действительно)," said Holmes. "Was it your custom always to lock yourselves in at night (было это вашей привычкой запирать = вы всегда запирали себя /внутри комнаты/ на ночь)?"

"Always (всегда)."

"And why (и почему)?"

"I think that I mentioned to you that the doctor kept a cheetah and a baboon (я думаю = кажется, я упомянула /вам/, что доктор держал гепарда и бабуина). We had no feeling of security (мы не имели чувства = не чувствовали себя в безопасности) unless our doors were locked (пока наши двери не были закрыты; unless — пока не, если не)."

"Quite so (несомненно: «вполне так»). Pray proceed with your statement (пожалуйста, продолжайте с вашим изложением = свой рассказ; to proceed with — возобновлять)."

"Indeed," said Holmes. "Was it your custom always to lock yourselves in at night?"

"Always."

"And why?"

"I think that I mentioned to you that the doctor kept a cheetah and a baboon. We had no feeling of security unless our doors were locked."

"Quite so. Pray proceed with your statement."

"I could not sleep that night (я не могла спать той ночью). A vague feeling of impending misfortune impressed me (смутное ощущение неминуемого несчастья охватило меня; to impress — производить впечатление, поражать). My sister and I, you will recollect, were twins (моя сестра и я, /как/ вы помните, были близнецами; to recollect — припоминать, помнить), and you know how subtle are the links (вы знаете, как тонки связи) which bind two souls (которые связывают две души) which are so closely allied (которые так близко родственны; allied — родственный, близкий, союзный). It was a wild night (была дикая = жуткая ночь). The wind was howling outside (ветер завывал снаружи), and the rain was beating and splashing against the windows (дождь бил и барабанил в окна; to beat — бить, колотить; to splash — брызгать, плескаться, шлепать). Suddenly, amid all the hubbub of the gale (внезапно, посреди всего грохота бури; hubbub — шум, гам, гвалт), there burst forth the wild scream of a terrified woman (раздался дикий крик испуганной женщины; to burst forth — внезапно возникнуть, прорываться, вырваться). I knew that it was my sister's voice (я знала, что это был голос моей сестры). I sprang from my bed (вскочила с кровати), wrapped a shawl round me (я накинула шаль; to wrap round — навивать, обматывать), and rushed into the corridor (бросилась в коридор). As I opened my door I seemed to hear a low whistle (когда я открыла дверь, мне показалось, что я слышу тихий свист), such as my sister described (какой моя сестра описывала), and a few moments later a clanging sound (и несколько мгновений спустя /услышала/ лязгающий звук), as if a mass of metal had fallen (как если бы груда металла упала = тяжелый металлический предмет упал). As I ran down the passage (пробежав по коридору /до ее комнаты/; to run down — настигнуть, сбегать /вниз/), my sister's door was unlocked (/я увидела/, что дверь /комнаты/ моей сестры незаперта = открыта), and revolved slowly upon its hinges (и поворачивалась медленно на петлях). I stared at it horror-stricken (я уставилась на нее, охваченная ужасом), not knowing what was about to issue from it (нет зная, что бы это могло значить; to be about — касаться, иметь отношение; to issue from — исходить из). By the light of the corridor-lamp (при свете коридорной лампы) I saw my sister appear at the opening (я увидела, как появилась моя сестра при открытии /двери/ = в дверях), her face blanched with terror (с лицом, побледневшим от ужаса), her hands groping for help (с руками, протянутыми за помощью; to grope — ощупывать, идти ощупью), her whole figure swaying to and fro (вся ее фигура качалась из стороны в сторону) like that of a drunkard (как /фигура/ пьяницы = словно она

была пьяна; like that — так, таким образом). I ran to her and threw my arms round her (я подбежала к ней и обняла ее), but at that moment her knees seemed to give way (но в это мгновение ее колени /показалось/ не выдержали = подогнулись) and she fell to the ground (упала на пол). She writhed as one who is in terrible pain (она корчилась, словно человек, который находится в ужасной боли = испытывает нестерпимую боль), and her limbs were dreadfully convulsed (ее конечности сильно: «ужасно» сводило судорогой). At first I thought that she had not recognized me (сначала я подумала, что она не узнала меня), but as I bent over her (но когда я наклонилась над ней) she suddenly shrieked out in a voice which I shall never forget (она внезапно вскрикнула голосом, который я никогда не забуду), 'Oh, my God (Боже мой)! Helen! It was the band (это была лента; band — лента, банда)! The speckled band (пестрая лента)!' There was something else which she would fain have said (там было что-то еще, что она сказала бы = хотела сказать; fain — охотно, с готовностью), and she stabbed with her finger into the air in the direction of the doctor's room (и она указала пальцем в сторону комнаты доктора; to stab — колоть, пронзать; air — воздух; in the direction — по направлению), but a fresh convulsion seized her (но новая судорога охватила ее; to seize — овладеть, захватить) and choked her words (оборвала ее слова; to choke — душить, заглушать, засорять). I rushed out, calling loudly for my stepfather (я выскочила, громко зовя отчима), and I met him hastening from his room in his dressing-gown (и встретила его спешащим из своей комнаты в халате). When he reached my sister's side (когда он достиг места, где была моя сестра) she was unconscious (она была без сознания), and though he poured brandy down her throat (и хотя он влил коньяку ей в рот; throat — горло, гортань) and sent for medical aid from the village (послал за медицинской помощью из деревни), all efforts were in vain (все усилия были напрасны), for she slowly sank and died without having recovered her consciousness (так как она медленно слабела и умирала, не приходя в сознание; to sink — тонуть; оседать; ослабевать). Such was the dreadful end of my beloved sister (таков был ужасный конец моей любимой сестры)."

misfortune [ms'f:tn], subtle [stl], voice [vs], band [baend], seized [si:zd]

"I could not sleep that night. A vague feeling of impending misfortune impressed me. My sister and I, you will recollect, were twins, and you know how subtle are the links which bind two souls which are so closely allied. It was a wild night. The wind was howling outside, and the rain was beating and splashing against the windows. Suddenly, amid all the hubbub of the gale, there burst forth the wild scream of a terrified woman. I knew that it was my sister's voice. I sprang from my bed, wrapped a shawl round me, and rushed into the corridor. As I opened my door I seemed to hear a low whistle, such as my sister described, and a few moments later a clanging sound, as if a mass of metal had fallen. As I ran down the passage, my sister's door was unlocked, and revolved slowly upon its hinges. I stared at it horror-stricken, not knowing what was about to issue from it. By the light of the corridor-lamp I saw my sister appear at the opening, her face blanched with terror, her hands groping for help, her whole figure swaying to and fro like that of a drunkard. I ran to her and threw my arms round her, but at that moment her knees seemed to give way and she fell to the ground. She writhed as one who is in terrible pain, and her limbs were dreadfully convulsed. At first I thought that she had not recognized me, but as I bent over her she suddenly shrieked out in a voice which I shall never forget, 'Oh, my God! Helen! It was the band! The speckled band!' There was something else which she would fain have said, and she stabbed with her finger into the air in the direction of the doctor's room, but a fresh convulsion seized her and choked her words. I rushed out, calling loudly for my stepfather, and I met him hastening from his room in his dressing-gown. When he reached my sister's side she was unconscious, and though he poured brandy down her throat and sent for medical aid from the village, all efforts were in vain, for she slowly sank and died without having recovered her consciousness. Such was the dreadful end of my beloved sister."

"One moment (один момент = позвольте спросить)," said Holmes, "are you sure about this whistle and metallic sound (вы уверены насчет этого свиста и металлического звука)? Could you swear to it (могли ли бы вы поклясться в этом = показать это под присягой)?"

"That was what the county coroner asked me at the inquiry (это было /то/, о чем следователь графства спросил меня на допросе). It is my strong impression that I heard it (это мое сильное впечатление = мне кажется, что я слышала его), and yet, among the crash of the gale and the creaking of an old house (и, тем не менее, посреди грохота бури и поскрипывания старого дома), I may possibly have been deceived (я могла, возможно, обмануться)."

"Was your sister dressed (была ли ваша сестра одета)?"

county ['kaunt], coroner ['krn], inquiry [n'kwar], gale [el]

"One moment," said Holmes, "are you sure about this whistle and metallic sound? Could you swear to it?"

"That was what the county coroner asked me at the inquiry. It is my strong impression that I heard it, and yet, among the crash of the gale and the creaking of an old house, I may possibly have been deceived."