Английский язык с Шерлоком Холмсом. Собака Баскервилей
Шрифт:
"Speak out, then! What does it mean (тогда расскажите, что /все/ это значит)?"
"My unhappy brother is starving on the moor (мой несчастный брат умирает с голоду на болотах). We cannot let him perish at our very gates (мы не можем позволить ему погибнуть у самых наших ворот = у нашего порога). The light is a signal to him that food is ready for him (свет — это сигнал ему, что еда для него готова), and his light out yonder is to show the spot (а он своим светом должен показать место) to which to bring it (куда ее принести)."
"Then your brother is (значит, ваш брат) ——"
"The escaped convict, sir — Selden, the criminal (беглый каторжник, убийца Сэлдэн)."
"That's the truth, sir (это правда, сэр)," said Barrymore. "I said that it was not my secret (я говорил, что это не моя тайна) and that I could not tell it to you (и
except [k'sept], signal [snl], perish ['per]
"We have to go, Eliza. This is the end of it. You can pack our things," said the butler.
"Oh, John, John, have I brought you to this? It is my doing, Sir Henry — all mine. He has done nothing except for my sake, and because I asked him."
"Speak out, then! What does it mean?"
"My unhappy brother is starving on the moor. We cannot let him perish at our very gates. The light is a signal to him that food is ready for him, and his light out yonder is to show the spot to which to bring it."
"Then your brother is ——"
"The escaped convict, sir — Selden, the criminal."
"That's the truth, sir," said Barrymore. "I said that it was not my secret and that I could not tell it to you. But now you have heard it, and you will see that if there was a plot it was not against you."
This, then, was the explanation of the stealthy expeditions at night (вот это и было объяснением тайных хождений по ночам) and the light at the window (и света в окне). Sir Henry and I both stared at the woman in amazement (мы с сэром Генри оба уставились на женщину в изумлении). Was it possible that this stolidly respectable person (могло ли такое быть, что эта флегматичная, почтенная особа) was of the same blood (была тех же кровей) as one of the most notorious criminals in the country (что и один из самых отъявленных преступников в графстве)?
"Yes, sir, my name was Selden (да, сэр, у меня была фамилия Сэлдэн), and he is my younger brother (и он мой младший брат). We humoured him too much when he was a lad (мы слишком баловали его в детстве: «когда он был мальчиком»), and gave him his own way in everything (и разрешали делать все, что ему в голову взбредет; one’s own way — по-своему, как заблагорассудится) until he came to think that the world was made for his pleasure (пока он не пришел к мысли, что мир создан для его удовольствия), and that he could do what he liked in it (и что он может делать в нем все, что ему нравится). Then, as he grew older (потом, когда он стал старше; to grow — расти; становиться), he met wicked companions (он встретил плохих товарищей = попал в дурную компанию), and the devil entered into him (и дьявол/бес вселился: «вошел» в него) until he broke my mother's heart (пока он не разбил материнское сердце) and dragged our name in the dirt (и не вывалял наше имя в грязи; to drag — тащить, волочить). From crime to crime he sank lower and lower (от преступления к преступлению он опускался все ниже и ниже; to sink — тонуть; опускаться, падать), until it is only the mercy of God which has snatched him from the scaffold (и только милость Божия уберегла его от виселицы; to snatch — хватать; похитить); but to me, sir, he was always the little curly-headed boy (но для меня, сэр, он был всегда маленьким кудрявым мальчиком) that I had nursed and played with (с которым я нянчилась и играла), as an elder sister would (как это обычно /делает/ старшая сестра). That was why he broke prison, sir (вот почему он убежал из тюрьмы; to break — ломать; преодолевать). He knew that I was here (он знал, что я /живу/ здесь) and that we could not refuse to help him (и что мы не откажемся ему помочь).
expedition [eksp'dn], notorious [n(u)'t:rs], prison [przn]
This, then, was the explanation of the stealthy expeditions at night and the light at the window. Sir Henry and I both stared at the woman in amazement. Was it possible that this stolidly respectable person was of the same blood as one of the most notorious criminals in the country?
"Yes, sir, my name was Selden, and he is my younger brother. We humoured him too much when he was a lad, and gave him his own way in everything until he came to think that the world was made for his pleasure, and that he could do what he liked in it. Then, as he grew older, he met wicked companions, and the devil entered into him until he broke my mother's heart and dragged our name in the dirt. From crime to crime he sank lower and lower, until it is only the mercy of God which has snatched him from the scaffold; but to me, sir, he was always the little curly-headed boy that I had nursed and played with, as an elder sister would. That was why he broke prison, sir. He knew that I was here and that we could not refuse to help him.
"When he dragged himself here one night (когда
The woman's words came with an intense earnestness (слова этой женщины звучали с глубокой искренностью) which carried conviction with them (которая убеждала /в ее правоте/; to carry — нести; выражать, передавать).
"Is this true, Barrymore (это правда, Бэрримор)?"
"Yes, Sir Henry. Every word of it (да, сэр, каждое слово)."
"Well, I cannot blame you for standing by your own wife (хорошо, я не могу винить вас /в том, что/ вы помогаете свой собственной жене; to stand by — оказывать поддержу, помощь). Forget what I have said (забудьте, что я сказал). Go to your room, you two (вы оба идите в свою комнату), and we shall talk further about this matter in the morning (а утром мы продолжим разговор на эту тему)."
notorious [n(u)'t:rs], nurse [n:s], earnestness [':nstns]
"When he dragged himself here one night, weary and starving, with the warders hard at his heels, what could we do? We took him in and fed him and cared for him. Then you returned, sir, and my brother thought he would be safer on the moor than anywhere else until the hue and cry was over, so he lay in hiding there. But every second night we made sure if he was still there by putting a light in the window, and if there was an answer my husband took out some bread and meat to him. Every day we hoped that he was gone, but as long as he was there we could not desert him. That is the whole truth, as I am an honest Christian woman, and you will see that if there is blame in the matter it does not lie with my husband, but with me, for whose sake he has done all that he has."
The woman's words came with an intense earnestness which carried conviction with them.
"Is this true, Barrymore?"
"Yes, Sir Henry. Every word of it."
"Well, I cannot blame you for standing by your own wife. Forget what I have said. Go to your room, you two, and we shall talk further about this matter in the morning."
When they were gone (когда они ушли) we looked out of the window again (мы снова посмотрели в окно). Sir Henry had flung it open (сэр Генри резко открыл его; to fling — бросаться; делать быстрое, стремительное движение), and the cold night wind beat in upon our faces (и холодный ночной ветер ударил нам в лицо). Far away in the black distance (там, в темной дали; far away — далеко; distance — расстояние; даль) there still glowed that one tiny point of yellow light (все еще горела крошечная желтая точка).