Английский язык с Шерлоком Холмсом. Второй сборник рассказов
Шрифт:
“And how in the world did you find them?”
“It might have been difficult (это было бы трудно), but friend Lestrade held information in his hands (но у друга Лестрейда в руках была информация) the value of which he did not himself know (ценность которой он и сам не знал). The initials were, of course, of the highest importance (инициалы, конечно, имели огромнейшее значение), but more valuable still was it to know (но еще важнее было узнать) that within a week he had settled his bill at one of the most select London hotels (что на этой неделе владелец таких инициалов оплатил счет в одной из лучших лондонских гостиниц; to select — выбирать, подбирать; select — избранный; отборный).”
“How did you deduce the select (как вы определили, что это первоклассная гостиница)?”
“By the select prices (по
value ['vaelju:], eight [et], deduce [d'dju:s], item ['atm]
“It might have been difficult, but friend Lestrade held information in his hands the value of which he did not himself know. The initials were, of course, of the highest importance, but more valuable still was it to know that within a week he had settled his bill at one of the most select London hotels.”
“How did you deduce the select?”
“By the select prices. Eight shillings for a bed and eight-pence for a glass of sherry pointed to one of the most expensive hotels. There are not many in London which charge at that rate. In the second one which I visited in Northumberland Avenue, I learned by an inspection of the book that Francis H. Moulton, an American gentleman, had left only the day before, and on looking over the entries against him, I came upon the very items which I had seen in the duplicate bill.
“His letters were to be forwarded to 226 Gordon Square (его письма должны были пересылаться /по адресу/: Гордон-сквер, 226); so thither I travelled (туда я и направился), and being fortunate enough to find the loving couple at home (и поскольку мне посчастливилось застать влюбленную пару дома), I ventured to give them some paternal advice (я отважился дать им отеческий совет) and to point out to them that it would be better in every way (и обратил их внимание на то, что будет лучше во всех отношениях) that they should make their position a little clearer (если они немного разъяснят свое положение) both to the general public and to Lord St. Simon in particular (широкой публике и особенно лорду Сент-Саймону). I invited them to meet him here (я пригласил их, чтобы они встретились с ним здесь), and, as you see, I made him keep the appointment (и, как видите, я убедил лорда явиться на это свидание; appointment — встреча, свидание).”
“But with no very good result (но результат не очень хороший),” I remarked (заметил я). “His conduct was certainly not very gracious (его поведение определенно было не слишком любезно).”
“Ah, Watson,” said Holmes, smiling (сказал Холмс, улыбаясь), “perhaps you would not be very gracious either (быть может, вы тоже были бы не слишком любезны), if, after all the trouble of wooing and wedding (если бы после всех хлопот, связанных с ухаживанием и со свадьбой; to woo — ухаживать; свататься; добиваться руки /девушки/), you found yourself deprived in an instant of wife and of fortune (обнаружилось, что вы вмиг лишились и жены, и состояния). I think that we may judge Lord St. Simon very mercifully (я думаю, мы можем судить лорда Сент-Саймона очень мягко = должны быть к лорду снисходительны) and thank our stars that we are never likely to find ourselves in the same position (и благодарить судьбу: «наши звезды» за то, что, вероятно, никогда не окажемся в том же положении). Draw your chair up (подвиньте кресло поближе) and hand me my violin (и передайте мне скрипку), for the only problem we have still to solve (так
paternal [p't:nl], gracious ['res], autumnal [:'tmnl]
“His letters were to be forwarded to 226 Gordon Square; so thither I travelled, and being fortunate enough to find the loving couple at home, I ventured to give them some paternal advice and to point out to them that it would be better in every way that they should make their position a little clearer both to the general public and to Lord St. Simon in particular. I invited them to meet him here, and, as you see, I made him keep the appointment.”
“But with no very good result,” I remarked. “His conduct was certainly not very gracious.”
“Ah, Watson,” said Holmes, smiling, “perhaps you would not be very gracious either, if, after all the trouble of wooing and wedding, you found yourself deprived in an instant of wife and of fortune. I think that we may judge Lord St. Simon very mercifully and thank our stars that we are never likely to find ourselves in the same position. Draw your chair up and hand me my violin, for the only problem we have still to solve is how to while away these bleak autumnal evenings.”
The Beryl Coronet
(берилловая диадема; coronet — корона /пэров/; диадема)
“Holmes,” said I as I stood one morning in our bow-window looking down the street (сказал я, стоя однажды утром у окна и глядя на улицу; bow-window — полукруглое окно; окно с выступом; bow — дуга), “here is a madman coming along (какой-то сумасшедший идет/появился; to come along — /неожиданно/ приходить). It seems rather sad that his relatives should allow him to come out alone (очень печально, что родные позволяют ему ходить одному).”
My friend rose lazily from his armchair (мой друг лениво поднялся с кресла) and stood with his hands in the pockets of his dressing-gown (и встал /у меня за спиной/, засунув руки в карманы халата), looking over my shoulder (глядя через мое плечо). It was a bright, crisp February morning (было ясное морозное февральское утро; crisp — хрустящий; бодрящий, свежий), and the snow of the day before still lay deep upon the ground (и вчерашний снег лежал толстым слоем на земле), shimmering brightly in the wintry sun (ярко сверкая на зимнем солнце; to shimmer — мерцать; блестеть). Down the centre of Baker Street it had been ploughed into a brown crumbly band by the traffic (на середине Бейкер-стрит колеса превратили его в бурую рыхлую полосу; to plough — пахать; бороздить, рассекать; plough — плуг; crumbly — крошащийся; рассыпчатый, рыхлый; to crumble up — раскрошить, растолочь, растереть /в порошок/; traffic — движение; транспорт), but at either side and on the heaped-up edges of the foot-paths (но по краям /дороги/ и у пешеходных дорожек с сугробами по бокам; foot-path — пешеходная дорожка; тротуар; to heap up — сваливать в кучу, нагромождать; edge — кромка, край; грань, граница) it still lay as white as when it fell (он по-прежнему был таким же белым, как будто только выпал). The gray pavement had been cleaned and scraped (серый тротуар очистили; to clean — чистить; to scrape — скоблить, скрести, чистить), but was still dangerously slippery (но все же было опасно скользко; to slip — скользить), so that there were fewer passengers than usual (так что пешеходов: «пассажиров» было меньше, чем обычно). Indeed, from the direction of the Metropolitan Station no one was coming (/по направлению/ от станции подземки никто не приближался) save the single gentleman whose eccentric conduct had drawn my attention (кроме одного джентльмена, чье эксцентричное поведение и привлекло мое внимание).
relatives ['reltvz], plough [plau], eccentric [k'sentrk]
“Holmes,” said I as I stood one morning in our bow-window looking down the street, “here is a madman coming along. It seems rather sad that his relatives should allow him to come out alone.”
My friend rose lazily from his armchair and stood with his hands in the pockets of his dressing-gown, looking over my shoulder. It was a bright, crisp February morning, and the snow of the day before still lay deep upon the ground, shimmering brightly in the wintry sun. Down the centre of Baker Street it had been ploughed into a brown crumbly band by the traffic, but at either side and on the heaped-up edges of the foot-paths it still lay as white as when it fell. The gray pavement had been cleaned and scraped, but was still dangerously slippery, so that there were fewer passengers than usual. Indeed, from the direction of the Metropolitan Station no one was coming save the single gentleman whose eccentric conduct had drawn my attention.