Читаем без скачивания Английский язык с Шерлоком Холмсом. Первый сборник рассказов - Arthur Conan Doyle

"'The other is a good three pound heavier (другой /на/ хороших три фунта тяжелее),' said she, 'and we fattened it expressly for you (мы откормили его специально для тебя).'

"'Never mind (пустяки: «не обращай внимания»). I'll have the other, and I'll take it now (возьму его сейчас),' said I.

"'Oh, just as you like (твое дело: «просто как ты хочешь»),' said she, a little huffed (слегка обиженно). 'Which is it you want, then?'

"'That white one with the barred tail, right in the middle of the flock (прямо в середине стаи).'

"'Thank you, Maggie,' says I; 'but if it is all the same to you, I'd rather have that one I was handling just now.'

"'The other is a good three pound heavier,' said she, 'and we fattened it expressly for you.'

"'Never mind. I'll have the other, and I'll take it now,' said I.

"'Oh, just as you like,' said she, a little huffed. 'Which is it you want, then?'

"'That white one with the barred tail, right in the middle of the flock.'

"'Oh, very well (очень хорошо). Kill it and take it with you (убей его и бери с собой).'

"Well, I did what she said (сделал, что она сказала), Mr. Holmes, and I carried the bird all the way (нес птицу всю дорогу) to Kilburn. I told my pal (сказал моему приятелю) what I had done (что я сделал), for he was a man that it was easy (котому было легко) to tell a thing like that to (рассказать вещь вроде этой). He laughed until he choked (смеялся, пока не подавился = до упаду), and we got a knife (взяли нож) and opened the goose (открыли = разрезали гуся). My heart turned to water (мое сердце превратилось в воду), for there was no sign of the stone (не было признака камня), and I knew that some terrible mistake had occurred (какая-то ужасная ошибка произошла). I left the bird (оставил птицу), rushed back (бросился обратно) to my sister's, and hurried into the back yard (поспешил на задний двор). There was not a bird to be seen there (там не было ни единой птицы).

pal [pæl], choked [tʃǝukt], knife [naɪf], mistake [mɪˈsteɪk]

"'Oh, very well. Kill it and take it with you.'

"Well, I did what she said, Mr. Holmes, and I carried the bird all the way to Kilburn. I told my pal what I had done, for he was a man that it was easy to tell a thing like that to. He laughed until he choked, and we got a knife and opened the goose. My heart turned to water, for there was no sign of the stone, and I knew that some terrible mistake had occurred. I left the bird, rushed back to my sister's, and hurried into the back yard. There was not a bird to be seen there.

"'Where are they all (где они все), Maggie?' I cried.

"'Gone to the dealer's (отправлены торговцу), Jem.'

"'Which dealer's (какому именно: «которому»)?'

"'Breckinridge, of Covent Garden.'

"'But was there another with a barred tail (но был ли там другой /гусь/ с полосатым хвостом)?' I asked, 'the same as the one I chose (такой же, как тот, /которого/ я выбрал)?'

"'Yes, Jem; there were two barred-tailed ones, and I could never tell them apart (я никогда не могла различить их; apart — в стороне; врозь).'

"'Where are they all, Maggie?' I cried.

"'Gone to the dealer's, Jem.'

"'Which dealer's?'

"'Breckinridge, of Covent Garden.'

"'But was there another with a barred tail?' I asked, 'the same as the one I chose?'

"'Yes, Jem; there were two barred-tailed ones, and I could never tell them apart.'

"Well, then, of course, I saw it all (понял все), and I ran off (помчался) as hard as my feet would carry me (так сильно, как мои ноги несли бы меня = со всех ног) to this man Breckinridge; but he had sold the lot at once (продал все сразу), and not one word would he tell me (ни одного слова не сказал /бы/ мне) as to where they had gone (о том, куда они ушли = кому). You heard him yourselves tonight (вы слышали его сами сегодня вечером). Well, he has always answered me like that (но он всегда отвечал мне таким образом). My sister thinks that I am going mad (я схожу с ума). Sometimes (иногда) I think that I am myself (я и сам думаю, что я сумасшедший). And now — and now I am myself a branded thief (презренный: «клейменный» вор), without ever having touched the wealth (и даже никогда не касался богатства) for which I sold my character (ради которого продал свою репутацию). God help me (да поможет мне Господь)! God help me!" He burst into convulsive sobbing (разразился судорожным рыданием), with his face buried in his hands (с лицом, зарытым/скрытым в руки = закрытым руками).

branded [ˈbrændɪd], wealth [welƟ], convulsive [kǝnˈvʌlsɪv]

There was a long silence (стояла долгая тишина), broken only by his heavy breathing (нарушаемая лишь его тяжелым дыханием) and by the measured tapping (мерным постукиванием) of Sherlock Holmes's fingertips (кончиков пальцев) upon the edge of the table (по краю стола). Then my friend rose and threw open the door (поднялся и распахнул дверь).

silence [ˈsaɪlǝns], measured [ˈmeʒǝd], edge [eʤ]

"Well, then, of course, I saw it all, and I ran off as hard as my feet would carry me to this man Breckinridge; but he had sold the lot at once, and not one word would he tell me as to where they had gone. You heard him yourselves tonight. Well, he has always answered me like that. My sister thinks that I am going mad. Sometimes I think that I am myself. And now — and now I am myself a branded thief, without ever having touched the wealth for which I sold my character. God help me! God help me!" He burst into convulsive sobbing, with his face buried in his hands.

There was a long silence, broken only by his heavy breathing and by the measured tapping of Sherlock Holmes's fingertips upon the edge of the table. Then my friend rose and threw open the door.

"Get out (убирайтесь)!" said he.

"What, sir! Oh, Heaven bless you (о, да благословит вас небо)!"

"No more words (ни слова /больше/). Get out!"

And no more words were needed (слов и не потребовалoсь). There was a rush (спешка), a clatter upon the stairs (грохот на лестнице), the bang of a door (хлопанье двери), and the crisp rattle of running footfalls from the street (четкий топот бегущих шагов /послышался/ с улицы).

clatter [ˈklætǝ], bang [bæŋ], footfalls [ˈfutfɔ:lz]

"Get out!" said he.

"What, sir! Oh, Heaven bless you!"

"No more words. Get out!"

And no more words were needed. There was a rush, a clatter upon the stairs, the bang of a door, and the crisp rattle of running footfalls from the street.

"After all (в конце концов: «после всего»), Watson," said Holmes, reaching up his hand for his clay pipe (протягивая руку за глиняной трубкой), "I am not retained by the police (не нанят полицией) to supply their deficiencies (чтобы восполнять их недостатки, промахи). If Horner were in danger (если бы Хорнер был в опасности) it would be another thing (это была бы другая вещь = дело); but this fellow will not appear against him (не будет свидетельствовать против него), and the case must collapse (дело должно провалиться = заглохнуть). I suppose that I am commuting a felony (смягчаю преступление = делаюсь укрывателем; felony — уголовное преступление), but it is just possible that I am saving a soul (но вполне может быть, что я спасаю душу). This fellow will not go wrong again (не пойдет неправильным путем снова); he is too terribly frightened (он слишком ужасно напуган). Send him to jail now (пошлите его в тюрьму сейчас), and you make him a jailbird for life (сделаете его арестантом/закоренелым преступником на всю жизнь). Besides (кроме того), it is the season of forgiveness (сейчас время прощения). Chance (случай, жизнь) has put in our way a most singular and whimsical problem (поставила на наш путь весьма странную и причудливую загадку = столкнула нас со странной и причудливой загадкой), and its solution is its own reward (ее решение — /и есть/ само по себе награда). If you will have the goodness to touch the bell (если вы будете так любезны дернуть звонок), Doctor, we will begin another investigation (начнем другое расследование), in which also a bird will be the chief feature (в котором снова птица будет главной чертой = играть основную роль)."

deficiencies [dɪˈfɪʃǝnsɪz], danger [ˈdeɪnʤǝ], jailbird [ˈʤeɪlbǝ:d], chief [tʃi:f]

"After all, Watson," said Holmes, reaching up his hand for his clay pipe, "I am not retained by the police to supply their deficiencies. If Horner were in danger it would be another thing; but this fellow will not appear against him, and the case must collapse. I suppose that I am commuting a felony, but it is just possible that I am saving a soul. This fellow will not go wrong again; he is too terribly frightened. Send him to jail now, and you make him a jailbird for life. Besides, it is the season of forgiveness. Chance has put in our way a most singular and whimsical problem, and its solution is its own reward. If you will have the goodness to touch the bell, Doctor, we will begin another investigation, in which also a bird will be the chief feature."

THE SPECKLED BAND

(ПЕСТРАЯ ЛЕНТА)

On glancing over my notes (просматривая мои записи) of the seventy odd cases (/о/ семидесяти с лишним делах) in which I have during the last eight years (в течение последних восьми лет) studied the methods of my friend Sherlock Holmes, I find many tragic (нахожу много трагического), some comic (кое-что комическое), a large number merely strange (большое количество попросту странного), but none commonplace (но ничего банального; common — обычное; place — место); for, working as he did rather for the love of his art (работая /как он делал/ скорее ради: «для любви» своего искусства) than for the acquirement of wealth (чем для приобретения богатства), he refused to associate himself with any investigation (отказывался связывать себя с каким-либо расследованием = не брался за какое-либо расследование) which did not tend towards the unusual (которое не имело тенденции/направленности к необыкновенному), and even the fantastic (даже к фантастическиму). Of all these varied cases (из всех этих разнообразных дел), however (однако), I cannot recall (я не могу воскресить /в памяти/) any which presented more singular features (которое представляло /бы/ более необычайные признаки) than that (чем то) which was associated with (было связано с) the well-known Surrey family of the Roylotts (с известным семейством Ройлоттов из графства Суррей) of Stoke Moran (из Сток-Морена). The events in question (события, о которых идет речь: «в вопросе») occurred in the early days (произошли в ранние дни = в начале) of my association with Holmes (моей дружбы с Холмсом), when we were sharing rooms as bachelors (делили комнаты как холостяки) in Baker Street. It is possible (вероятно) that I might have placed them upon record before (я мог бы записать их раньше), but a promise of secrecy was made at the time (обещание тайны было сделано = дано в то время), from which I have only been freed (от которого я был только освобожден) during the last month (в течение последнего месяца) by the untimely death (безвременной кончиной) of the lady to whom the pledge was given (дамы, которой было дано /это/ обещание). It is perhaps as well (пожалуй, также) that the facts should now come to light (фактам следует сейчас выйти на свет = можно представить это дело в истинном свете), for I have reasons (так как у меня есть основания) to know that there are widespread rumours (широко распространенные слухи) as to the death of Dr. Grimesby Roylott (относительно смерти доктора Ройлотта) which tend to make (стремятся сделать) the matter even more terrible than the truth (дело даже еще более ужасным, чем правда).