Артур Дойл - Лучшие расследования Шерлока Холмса / The Best of Sherlock Holmes

thumbed – to thumb = to leaf through the pages with one’s thumb

Schoolmastercould mean a male teacher in school, not necessarily an owner. If a schoolmaster owned the school, it was obviously a small private one, aimed for intense classical education, since boarding schools were large enough to have a headmaster and several schoolmasters. There were a few such schools those days.

Profession – here: teaching; to profess = to educate ( archaic )

Hark!= hear this!, listen! (from “hearken”)

Somersaultis a gymnastic jump with full turn head over heels.

jaunty= lively, confident, cheerful

at close gripsrefers to hand-to-hand fighting, or wrestling in tight contact with the opponent

Sir Godfrey Kneller(1646–1723) – the leading portrait painter in England in his lifetime, even the court painter to monarchs from Charles II to George I.

Sir Joshua Reynolds(1723–1792) – famous English portrait painter, promoter of the so-called “Grand Style” (idealization of the imperfect).

William Pitt(1708–1778) aka William Pitt the Elder – British Whig statesman who led Britain in several wars and tried to seek out diplomatic solution to American War of Independence. It is generally said that much of his power over the House of Commons resulted from his brilliant oratory.

Chief of the staff – here: prime military helper to a high-ranked officer, f. i. an adjutant to a general

Dewlapis hanging neck-skin of an animal or human.

Phosphorusis poisonous and caustic. It could had burned the dog’s flesh through if used as described.

Tuftis a set of gasses growing together.

Quagmireis miry ground that gives up and sinks at stepping on it.

Bog-girtmeans rounded by bog or providing an illusion of being supported by it.

By Jove – a mild oath that expresses surprise, probably of the Roman origin. “Jove” could originate from the name of “Jovis” (Jupiter), the Roman King of Gods.

purloined – to purloin means to obtain by betrayal of trust

consumptiveis sick with lung tuberculosis

R oss and Mangles – probably the name of the company came to author’s mind from one of the two notable names of his days, Ross Lowis Mangles, a civilian hero of war in Bengal, or Ross Donnelly Mangles, the Chairman of the East India Company.

North Devon lineis a still-existing railroad line, originally connecting Devon and Exeter until being connected with London and South Western Railway in the mid-XIX century and largely reconstructed. Now all these lines are parts of Southern Railway.

outré– bizarre, outlandish ( French )

outhouse – primarily, the structure over the pit toilet, but can also be a small shed in the yard of a house

box – here: enclosed lodge with seats in a theatre, quite secluded and expensive

Les Huguenots(The Huguenots) is a French opera by Giacomo Meyerbeer, being among the most popular and spectacular by size of act, orchestra and decorations.

De Reszke – a family of Polish opera singers, performing as well in “Les Huguenots”: Josephine de Reszke, the elder sister, the soprano, Jean de Reszke, the middle brother, the tenor, and Édouard de Reszke, the junior brother, the bass.