Английский язык с Шерлоком Холмсом. Собака Баскервилей
Шрифт:
view [vju:], region ['ri:dn], guess [es]
"On the whole I incline to the latter view, since the matter was evidently important, and it is unlikely that the composer of such a letter would be careless. If he were in a hurry it opens up the interesting question why he should be in a hurry, since any letter posted up to early morning would reach Sir Henry before he would leave his hotel. Did the composer fear an interruption — and from whom?"
"We are coming now rather into the region of guess work," said Dr. Mortimer.
"Say, rather, into the region where we balance probabilities and choose the most likely. It is the scientific use of the imagination, but we have always some material basis on which to start our speculations. Now, you would call it a guess, no doubt, but I am almost certain that this address has been written in an hotel."
"How in the world can you say that (как
"If you examine it carefully (если вы внимательно изучите его) you will see that both the pen and the ink (вы заметите, что и перо, и чернила; both — оба) have given the writer trouble (причиняли пишущему неудобства). The pen has spluttered twice in a single word (перо дважды в одном слове разбрызгивало /чернила/), and has run dry three times in a short address (и три раза высыхало /при написании/ короткого адреса; to run dry — высохнуть, пересохнуть), showing that there was very little ink in the bottle (показывая /тем самым/, что в чернильнице: «склянке» было очень мало чернил). Now, a private pen or ink-bottle (обычно: «сейчас» собственному перу или чернильнице; private — частный, личный; собственный) is seldom allowed to be in such a state (редко позволяют быть в таком состоянии), and the combination of the two must be quite rare (а чтобы и тому и другому: «комбинации из двух» — вообще крайне редко). But you know the hotel ink and the hotel pen (но вы знаете = вам знакомы гостиничные перья и чернильницы), where it is rare to get anything else (где редко получишь что-то другое). Yes, I have very little hesitation in saying (да, я почти без колебаний утверждаю; to say — говорить; заявлять) that could we examine the waste-paper baskets of the hotels round Charing Cross (что если бы мы могли обследовать мусорные корзины гостиниц вокруг Чаринг-Кросса) until we found the remains of the mutilated Times leader (до тех пор, пока не нашли бы останки изрезанной: «искалеченной» передовицы "Таймс") we could lay our hands straight upon the person (мы смогли бы указать: «положить руки на человека») who sent this singular message (который послал это необычайное письмо; to send; message — сообщение; письмо). Halloa! Halloa! What's this (эй, эй, что это; halloa /брит./ = hello — приветствие; восклицание, удивление)?"
splutter ['splt], rare ['r], mutilate ['mju:tlet]
"How in the world can you say that?"
"If you examine it carefully you will see that both the pen and the ink have given the writer trouble. The pen has spluttered twice in a single word, and has run dry three times in a short address, showing that there was very little ink in the bottle. Now, a private pen or ink-bottle is seldom allowed to be in such a state, and the combination of the two must be quite rare. But you know the hotel ink and the hotel pen, where it is rare to get anything else. Yes, I have very little hesitation in saying that could we examine the waste-paper baskets of the hotels round Charing Cross until we found the remains of the mutilated Times leader we could lay our hands straight upon the person who sent this singular message. Halloa! Halloa! What's this?"
He was carefully examining the foolscap (он внимательно разглядывал листок; foolscap — лист писчей бумаги /стандартного размера/), upon which the words were pasted (на
"Well (ну что)?"
"Nothing," said he, throwing it down (ничего, — ответил он, бросая /листок на стол/). "It is a blank half-sheet of paper (это обычные пол-листа бумаги), without even a watermark upon it (даже без водяных знаков). I think we have drawn as much as we can from this curious letter (полагаю, мы выудили: «вытащили» из этого любопытного письма все, что возможно; to draw — тащить); and now, Sir Henry (а теперь, сэр Генри, /скажите/), has anything else of interest happened to you (еще что-нибудь интересное произошло с вами) since you have been in London (с тех пор, как вы приехали в Лондон)?"
"Why, no, Mr. Holmes. I think not (да вроде бы нет, мистер Холмс, думаю, нет)."
"You have not observed anyone follow or watch you (вы не замечали никого, кто шел бы или следил за вами)?"
"I seem to have walked (кажется, я попал) right into the thick of a dime novel (прямо в гущу /событий/ какого-то дешевого романа; dime — монета в 10 центов /в Америке и Канаде/)," said our visitor (сказал наш посетитель). "Why in thunder should anyone follow or watch me (какого черта кому-то преследовать меня или следить за мной)?"
"We are coming to that (мы /как раз/ к этому подходим). You have nothing else to report to us (у вас нет ничего больше, /чтобы/ сообщить нам) before we go into this matter (прежде чем мы /продолжим/ рассмотрение этого вопроса; to go into — войти; изучать, исследовать)?"
"Well, it depends upon (ну, это зависит от того) what you think worth reporting (что вы считаете стоящим упоминания)."
"I think anything out of the ordinary routine of life well worth reporting (я считаю все, что выходит /за рамки/ привычного жизненного уклада, стоящим упоминания; ordinary — обычный)."
curious ['kjurs], London ['lndn], routine [ru:'ti:n]
He was carefully examining the foolscap, upon which the words were pasted, holding it only an inch or two from his eyes.
"Well?"
"Nothing," said he, throwing it down. "It is a blank half-sheet of paper, without even a watermark upon it. I think we have drawn as much as we can from this curious letter; and now, Sir Henry, has anything else of interest happened to you since you have been in London?"
"Why, no, Mr. Holmes. I think not."
"You have not observed anyone follow or watch you?"
"I seem to have walked right into the thick of a dime novel," said our visitor. "Why in thunder should anyone follow or watch me?"
"We are coming to that. You have nothing else to report to us before we go into this matter?"
"Well, it depends upon what you think worth reporting."
"I think anything out of the ordinary routine of life well worth reporting."
Sir Henry smiled (сэр Генри улыбнулся).
"I don't know much of British life yet (я еще многого не знаю о жизни в Британии), for I have spent nearly all my time in the States and in Canada (поскольку провел почти всю свою жизнь: «все свое время» в Штатах и Канаде). But I hope that to lose one of your boots (но я надеюсь, что пропажа одного из ваших ботинков; to lose — терять, лишаться) is not part of the ordinary routine of life over here (не является здесь частью привычного жизненного уклада)."