Английский язык с Шерлоком Холмсом. Знак четырех
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"I could hear the measured tramp of their footsteps sounding through the lonely corridors (я слышал равномерную поступь их шагов, разносящуюся по пустынным коридорам; measured — мерный, метрический; мерный, размеренный; tramp — звук тяжелых шагов; топот; to sound — звучать). Suddenly it ceased, and I heard voices (внезапно шаги затихли, и я услышал голоса; to cease — переставать, прекращать; прекращаться), and a scuffle, with the sound of blows (звуки борьбы, послышались удары: «и драку со звуком ударов»; scuffle — драка, потасовка). A moment later there came, to my horror, a rush of footsteps coming in my direction (мгновением позже, к моему ужасу, послышался топот в мою сторону; rush — стремительное движение, бросок; спешка, суета), with the loud breathing of a running man (сопровождаемый громким дыханием бегущего человека). I turned my lantern down the long, straight passage (я осветил фонарем: «я повернул мой фонарь вниз на» длинный прямой проход), and there was the fat man, running like the wind, with a smear of blood across his face (и вот он был, толстяк, несущийся как ветер, с пятном крови на лице), and close at his heels, bounding like a tiger, the great black-bearded Sikh, with a knife flashing in his hand (а за ним по пятам, прыгая, как тигр, бежал огромный чернобородый сикх, поблескивая ножом в руке; close — близко; рядом). I have never seen a man run so fast as that little merchant (никогда
soften ['sfn], ere [e], bury ['ber], muscle [msl], favour ['fev]
"I could hear the measured tramp of their footsteps sounding through the lonely corridors. Suddenly it ceased, and I heard voices, and a scuffle, with the sound of blows. A moment later there came, to my horror, a rush of footsteps coming in my direction, with the loud breathing of a running man. I turned my lantern down the long, straight passage, and there was the fat man, running like the wind, with a smear of blood across his face, and close at his heels, bounding like a tiger, the great black-bearded Sikh, with a knife flashing in his hand. I have never seen a man run so fast as that little merchant. He was gaining on the Sikh, and I could see that if he once passed me and got to the open air he would save himself yet. My heart softened to him, but again the thought of his treasure turned me hard and bitter. I cast my firelock between his legs as he raced past, and he rolled twice over like a shot rabbit. Ere he could stagger to his feet the Sikh was upon him, and buried his knife twice in his side. The man never uttered moan nor moved muscle, but lay where he had fallen. I think myself that he may have broken his neck with the fall. You see, gentlemen, that I am keeping my promise. I am telling you every word of the business just exactly as it happened, whether it is in my favour or not."
He stopped, and held out his manacled hands for the whisky-and-water which Holmes had brewed for him (он остановился и протянул свои закованные в наручники руки к виски с содовой, приготовленные для него Холмсом; to manacle — надевать наручники; to brew — варить; смешивать; приготовлять). For myself, I confess that I had now conceived the utmost horror of the man (что касается меня, то признаюсь, что меня он теперь приводил в ужас: «я теперь испытывал полный ужас от этого человека»; to conceive — постигать, понимать; испытать, ощутить; utmost — самый отдаленный; крайний; величайший), not only for this cold-blooded business in which he had been concerned (не столько из-за этого хладнокровного убийства: «дела», в котором он был замешан; to concern — касаться; иметь отношение), but even more for the somewhat flippant and careless way in which he narrated it (сколько из-за того, как легкомысленно и беззаботно он об этом рассказывал; flippant — легкомысленный, несерьезный; бездумный; careless — небрежный; легкомысленный, несерьезный; to narrate —повествовать, рассказывать). Whatever punishment was in store for him (какое бы наказание его ни ждало; store — запас, резерв; to be in store — ожидать; предстоять; быть уготованным), I felt that he might expect no sympathy from me (я чувствовал, что от меня сочувствия он вряд ли дождется; to expect — ждать, ожидать). Sherlock Holmes and Jones sat with their hands upon their knees (Шерлок Холмс и Джонс сидели, положив руки на колени), deeply interested in the story, but with the same disgust written upon their faces (увлеченные историей, но с тем же отвращением, написанным на лицах). He may have observed it, for there was a touch of defiance in his voice and manner as he proceeded (вероятно, он это заметил, так как в его голосе и манере, когда он продолжил рассказ, звучала нотка вызова; touch — прикосновение, касание; примесь, налет, оттенок; defiance — вызов; to proceed — продолжать говорить).
"It was all very bad, no doubt," said he (конечно, все это было ужасно, — сказал он; doubt — сомнение). "I should like to know how many fellows in my shoes (хотелось бы мне знать, сколько парней в моем положении: «в моих туфлях») would have refused a share of this loot (отказались бы от доли в добыче) when they knew that they would have their throats cut for their pains (если бы знали, что им за мужество перережут горло; pain — боль; pains — старания, труды; усилия). Besides, it was my life or his when once he was in the fort (кроме того, когда он оказался бы в крепости, выбор был бы между моей жизнью или его). If he had got out, the whole business would come to light (если бы он убежал, все это дело получило бы огласку: «вышло на свет»; to get out — уходить, сбегать), and I should have been court-martialled and shot as likely as not (и меня бы судили полевым судом и, скорее всего, расстреляли бы; to court-martial — судить военно-полевым судом; to shoot — стрелять); for people were not very lenient at a time like that (так как люди не очень-то снисходительны в такие времена; lenient — снисходительный; мягкий;
"Go on with your story," said Holmes, shortly (продолжайте свой рассказ, — кратко сказал Холмс).
interested ['ntrstd], court-martial [k:t'm:l], lenient ['li:nnt]
He stopped, and held out his manacled hands for the whisky-and-water which Holmes had brewed for him. For myself, I confess that I had now conceived the utmost horror of the man, not only for this cold-blooded business in which he had been concerned, but even more for the somewhat flippant and careless way in which he narrated it. Whatever punishment was in store for him, I felt that he might expect no sympathy from me. Sherlock Holmes and Jones sat with their hands upon their knees, deeply interested in the story, but with the same disgust written upon their faces. He may have observed it, for there was a touch of defiance in his voice and manner as he proceeded.
"It was all very bad, no doubt," said he. "I should like to know how many fellows in my shoes would have refused a share of this loot when they knew that they would have their throats cut for their pains. Besides, it was my life or his when once he was in the fort. If he had got out, the whole business would come to light, and I should have been court-martialled and shot as likely as not; for people were not very lenient at a time like that."
"Go on with your story," said Holmes, shortly.
"Well, we carried him in, Abdullah, Akbar, and I (ну, мы занесли его, Абдулла, Акбар и я). A fine weight he was, too, for all that he was so short (и весил он немало: «хорошенького веса он был», несмотря на то, что был такой коротышка). Mahomet Singh was left to guard the door (Мохаммеда Сингха оставили охранять ворота). We took him to a place which the Sikhs had already prepared (мы отнесли его к уже подготовленному сикхами месту). It was some distance off, where a winding passage leads to a great empty hall (это было в удалении, где извилистый проход вел к огромному пустому залу), the brick walls of which were all crumbling to pieces (с осыпающимися кирпичными стенами: «кирпичные стены которого все крошились на куски»; to crumble — раскрошить; сыпаться, осыпаться). The earth floor had sunk in at one place, making a natural grave (земляной пол в одном месте просел, образовав естественную могилу; to sink — тонуть; to sink in — оседать), so we left Achmet the merchant there, having first covered him over with loose bricks (и мы оставили там Ахмета-купца, закидав его выпавшими кирпичами; to cover — накрывать, закрывать, покрывать; loose — свободный; плохо прикрепленный; шатающийся). This done, we all went back to the treasure (сделав это, мы отправились к сокровищам).
"It lay where he had dropped it (они были там, где он их бросил; to lie — лежать; to drop — капать; ронять; бросать) when he was first attacked (когда на него напали в первый раз). The box was the same which now lies open upon your table (ларец был тем же, что теперь стоит открытый на вашем столе). A key was hung by a silken cord to that carved handle upon the top (ключ был привязан: «был повешен на» шелковым шнуром к той резной ручке сверху; to hang — вешать, подвешивать; to carve — резать, вырезать). We opened it, and the light of the lantern gleamed upon a collection of gems (мы открыли его, и свет фонаря замерцал на груде драгоценностей; gem — драгоценный камень; ювелирное украшение; драгоценность; жемчужина) such as I have read of and thought about when I was a little lad at Pershore (подобной тем, о которых я читал или которые воображал себе, когда был еще подростком в Першоре; lad — мальчик; юноша; парень). It was blinding to look upon them (они слепили глаза; to blind — ослеплять; слепить глаза). When we had feasted our eyes we took them all out and made a list of them (насладившись их видом, мы их достали и составили опись; to feast — пировать, праздновать; испытывать наслаждение). There were one hundred and forty-three diamonds of the first water (там было 143 бриллианта чистейшей воды), including one which has been called, I believe, 'the Great Mogul,' and is said to be the second largest stone in existence (включая тот, что называют, кажется, «Великий Могол» и считают вторым по величине бриллиантом в мире: «в существовании»; Mogul — монгол; могол, потомок завоевателей Индии; existence — жизнь, бытие, существование). Then there were ninety-seven very fine emeralds (затем там было 97 превосходных изумрудов), and one hundred and seventy rubies, some of which, however, were small (170 рубинов, хотя некоторые из них были очень маленькие). There were forty carbuncles (там было 40 карбункулов), two hundred and ten sapphires (210 сапфиров), sixty-one agates (61 агат), and a great quantity of beryls (и много бериллов), onyxes, cats'-eyes (ониксов, кошачьего глаза), turquoises, and other stones (бирюзы и других камней), the very names of which I did not know at the time (даже названий которых я тогда не знал), though I have become more familiar with them since (хотя с тех пор я стал лучше в них разбираться; familiar — близкий, привычный; хорошо знакомый). Besides this, there were nearly three hundred very fine pearls (кроме того, там было почти три сотни прекрасных жемчужин), twelve of which were set in a gold coronet (двенадцать из которых украшали золотую диадему; to set — ставить, класть; оправлять, вставлять в оправу; украшать, обрамлять; coronet — корона; диадема). By the way, these last had been taken out of the chest and were not there when I recovered it (между прочим, ее кто-то вытащил из ларца: «эти последние были взяты из сундука», и когда я вернул его, ее там не было).
sapphire ['saefa], agate ['aet], turquoise ['t:kw:z]
"Well, we carried him in, Abdullah, Akbar, and I. A fine weight he was, too, for all that he was so short. Mahomet Singh was left to guard the door. We took him to a place which the Sikhs had already prepared. It was some distance off, where a winding passage leads to a great empty hall, the brick walls of which were all crumbling to pieces. The earth floor had sunk in at one place, making a natural grave, so we left Achmet the merchant there, having first covered him over with loose bricks. This done, we all went back to the treasure.
"It lay where he had dropped it when he was first attacked. The box was the same which now lies open upon your table. A key was hung by a silken cord to that carved handle upon the top. We opened it, and the light of the lantern gleamed upon a collection of gems such as I have read of and thought about when I was a little lad at Pershore. It was blinding to look upon them. When we had feasted our eyes we took them all out and made a list of them. There were one hundred and forty-three diamonds of the first water, including one which has been called, I believe, 'the Great Mogul,' and is said to be the second largest stone in existence. Then there were ninety-seven very fine emeralds, and one hundred and seventy rubies, some of which, however, were small. There were forty carbuncles, two hundred and ten sapphires, sixty-one agates, and a great quantity of beryls, onyxes, cats'-eyes, turquoises, and other stones, the very names of which I did not know at the time, though I have become more familiar with them since. Besides this, there were nearly three hundred very fine pearls, twelve of which were set in a gold coronet. By the way, these last had been taken out of the chest and were not there when I recovered it.