Английский язык с Шерлоком Холмсом. Второй сборник рассказов
Шрифт:
“You do yourself an injustice (вы несправедливы к себе). The features are given to man as the means (лицо дано человеку как средство; features — черты лица) by which he shall express his emotions (с помощью которого он выражает свои эмоции), and yours are faithful servants (и ваше /лицо/ исправно выполняет эти функции: «преданный слуга»).”
tongue [t], rapport [rae'p:], injustice [n'sts]
“Perhaps not with your tongue, my dear Watson, but certainly with your eyebrows. So when I saw you throw down your paper and enter upon a train of thought, I was very happy to have the opportunity of reading it off, and eventually of breaking into it, as a proof that I had been in rapport with you.”
But I was still far from satisfied.
“In the example which you read to me,” said I, “the reasoner drew his conclusions from the actions of the man whom he observed. If I remember right, he stumbled over a heap of stones, looked up at the stars, and so on. But I have been seated quietly in my chair, and what clues can I have given you?”
“You do yourself an injustice. The features are given to man as the means by which he shall express his emotions, and yours are faithful servants.”
“Do you mean to say (вы
“Your features, and especially your eyes (по вашему лицу, особенно по глазам). Perhaps you cannot yourself recall how your reverie commenced (может быть, вы вспомните сами, как началась ваша задумчивость)?”
“No, I cannot (нет, не могу).”
“Then I will tell you (тогда я вам расскажу). After throwing down your paper (после того, как вы отбросили газету), which was the action which drew my attention to you (что явилось действием, привлекшим к вам мое внимание), you sat for half a minute with a vacant expression (вы с полминуты сидели с отсутствующим выражением; vacant — незанятый, свободный; рассеянный, отрешенный). Then your eyes fixed themselves upon your newly-framed picture of General Gordon (затем ваш взгляд остановился на недавно вставленном в раму портрете генерала Гордона), and I saw by the alteration in your face (я увидел по изменению на вашем лице) that a train of thought had been started (что начался ход мыслей). But it did not lead very far (но это продолжалось недолго: «не завело очень далеко»). Your eyes turned across to the unframed portrait of Henry Ward Beecher (вы перевели взгляд на не вставленный в раму портрет Генри Уорда Бичера; Beecher, Henry Ward /1813-1887/ — Бичер, Генри Уорд, прогрессивный протестантский проповедник; выступал против распространения рабства) which stands upon the top of your books (стоящий на ваших книгах). You then glanced up at the wall (затем вы скользнули взглядом вверх по стене), and of course your meaning was obvious (и, конечно, ваш смысл был ясен = было ясно, что вы имеете в виду). You were thinking that if the portrait were framed (вы думали, что если бы портрет был вставлен в раму) it would just cover that bare space (он как раз прикрывал бы пустое пространство) and correspond with Gordon’s picture over there (и гармонировал бы с портретом Гордона, /висящим/ вон там).”
reverie ['revr], vacant ['veknt], correspond [kr'spnd]
“Do you mean to say that you read my train of thoughts from my features?”
“Your features, and especially your eyes. Perhaps you cannot yourself recall how your reverie commenced?”
“No, I cannot.”
“Then I will tell you. After throwing down your paper, which was the action which drew my attention to you, you sat for half a minute with a vacant expression. Then your eyes fixed themselves upon your newly-framed picture of General Gordon, and I saw by the alteration in your face that a train of thought had been started. But it did not lead very far. Your eyes turned across to the unframed portrait of Henry Ward Beecher which stands upon the top of your books. You then glanced up at the wall, and of course your meaning was obvious. You were thinking that if the portrait were framed it would just cover that bare space and correspond with Gordon’s picture over there.”
“You have followed me wonderfully (вы поразительно /точно/ проследили за ходом моих мыслей)!” I exclaimed (воскликнул я).
“So far I could hardly have gone astray (до тех пор я едва ли мог сбиться с пути). But now your thoughts went back to Beecher (но затем ваши мысли вернулись к Бичеру), and you looked hard across (и вы стали пристально на него смотреть) as if you were studying the character in his features (будто изучая его характер по чертам лица). Then your eyes ceased to pucker (затем вы перестали щуриться; to pucker — морщить/ся/, собирать/ся/ в складки), but you continued to look across (но продолжали смотреть), and your face was thoughtful (и ваше лицо было задумчивым). You were recalling the incidents of Beecher’s career (вы вспоминали случаи из карьеры Бичера). I was well aware that you could not do this without thinking of the mission (я вполне понимал, что вы не можете делать этого, не думая о той миссии) which he undertook on behalf of the North (которую он взял на себя от имени Севера; to undertake — предпринимать, совершать; брать на себя ответственность) at the time of the Civil War (во времена Гражданской войны /1861-1865/), for I remember you expressing your passionate indignation at the way (поскольку я помню,
behalf [b'h:f], recalling [r'k:l], Civil War [svl'w:], turbulent ['t:bjulnt]
“You have followed me wonderfully!” I exclaimed.
“So far I could hardly have gone astray. But now your thoughts went back to Beecher, and you looked hard across as if you were studying the character in his features. Then your eyes ceased to pucker, but you continued to look across, and your face was thoughtful. You were recalling the incidents of Beecher’s career. I was well aware that you could not do this without thinking of the mission which he undertook on behalf of the North at the time of the Civil War, for I remember you expressing your passionate indignation at the way in which he was received by the more turbulent of our people. You felt so strongly about it that I knew you could not think of Beecher without thinking of that also.
“When a moment later I saw your eyes wander away from the picture (когда через минуту я увидел, что вы отводите взгляд от этого портрета; to wander — бродить; блуждать /о мыслях, взгляде и т. п./), I suspected that your mind had now turned to the Civil War (я предположил, что теперь ваши мысли направлены на Гражданскую войну), and when I observed that your lips set (а когда заметил, что ваши губы стиснуты), your eyes sparkled (глаза сверкают), and your hands clinched (а руки сжаты в кулаки), I was positive that you were indeed thinking of the gallantry (я утвердился в мысли, что вы действительно думаете о том мужестве/отваге; positive — положительный; несомненный; совершенно ясный: positive proof — несомненное доказательство) which was shown by both sides in that desperate struggle (которое проявили обе стороны в этой отчаянной борьбе). But then, again, your face grew sadder (но потом ваше лицо снова сделалось печальнее); you shook your head (вы покачали головой). You were dwelling upon the sadness and horror and useless waste of life (вы размышляли о печали, страхе и бесполезной потере жизни = о напрасно загубленных жизнях; to dwell /up/on — подробно останавливаться, задерживаться /на каком-либо вопросе и т. д./; waste — растрата; расточительство; излишняя, ненужная трата; потеря, убыль; убыток, ущерб). Your hand stole towards your own old wound (вы медленно, непроизвольно прикоснулись к своей собственной старой ране; to steal — воровать; красться, прокрадываться; скользнуть /куда-либо/), and a smile quivered on your lips (и на ваших губах дрогнула улыбка; to quiver — дрожать мелкой дрожью; трястись; трепетать), which showed me that the ridiculous side of this method of settling international questions had forced itself upon your mind (и это показало мне, что нелепая сторона данного способа решения международных проблем занимает ваши мысли: «проникла в ваш разум»; to force something upon somebody — навязывать что-либо кому-либо). At this point I agreed with you that it was preposterous (здесь я согласился с вами, что это нелепо), and was glad to find that all my deductions had been correct (и с радостью обнаружил, что все мои умозаключения были правильными).”
gallantry ['aelntr], quivered ['kwvd], ridiculous [r'dkjuls]
“When a moment later I saw your eyes wander away from the picture, I suspected that your mind had now turned to the Civil War, and when I observed that your lips set, your eyes sparkled, and your hands clinched, I was positive that you were indeed thinking of the gallantry which was shown by both sides in that desperate struggle. But then, again, your face grew sadder; you shook your head. You were dwelling upon the sadness and horror and useless waste of life. Your hand stole towards your own old wound, and a smile quivered on your lips, which showed me that the ridiculous side of this method of settling international questions had forced itself upon your mind. At this point I agreed with you that it was preposterous, and was glad to find that all my deductions had been correct.”
“Absolutely (совершенно)!” said I. “And now that you have explained it (/даже/ теперь, когда вы объяснили это), I confess that I am as amazed as before (признаюсь, я так же изумлен, как и прежде).”
“It was very superficial, my dear Watson, I assure you (мой дорогой Ватсон, это все было очень просто, уверяю вас; superficial — внешний, неглубокий, поверхностный). I should not have intruded it upon your attention (я не стал бы вмешиваться в ваши мысли: «внимание») had you not shown some incredulity the other day (если бы недавно вы не выказали некоторую недоверчивость). But the evening has brought a breeze with it (однако вечер принес с собой легкий ветерок). What do you say to a ramble through London (что вы скажете насчет прогулки по Лондону; to ramble — гулять, бродить /без определенной цели/)?”