Arthur Conan Doyle - Английский язык с Шерлоком Холмсом. Собака Баскервилей (ASCII-IPA)

"Ha, ha, my boy, a very much more important matter than that (ха, мой, мальчик, намного более важное дело, чем это) ! What about the convict on the moor (как насчет каторжника на болотах) ?"

I started (я вскочил) . "You don't mean (не имеете ли вы в виду = не хотите же вы сказать) that you know where he is (что знаете, где он /скрывается/) ?" said I.

"I may not know exactly where he is (я могу и не знать точно где) , but I am quite sure (но я совершенно уверен) that I could help the police to lay their hands on him (что смог бы помочь полиции поймать его) . Has it never struck you (вам никогда не приходило в голову; to strike — ударять) that the way to catch that man (что способ поймать этого человека) was to find out where he got his food (это выяснить, где он берет пищу) , and so trace it to him (и таким образом выследить его) ?"

He certainly seemed to be getting uncomfortably near the truth (он, конечно, оказался в опасной близости к истине; uncomfortably — неудобно; тревожно) . "No doubt," said I; "but how do you know (несомненно, но откуда вам известно) that he is anywhere upon the moor (что он где-то на болотах) ?"

"I know it because I have seen with my own eyes (я знаю это, потому что видел своими собственными глазами) the messenger who takes him his food (посыльного, который носит ему пищу) ."

excuse [Iks'kju:s], important [Im'pO:t(@)nt], messenger ['mesIndZ@]

I had been casting round for some excuse by which I could get away from his gossip, but now I began to wish to hear more of it. I had seen enough of the contrary nature of the old sinner to understand that any strong sign of interest would be the surest way to stop his confidences.

"Some poaching case, no doubt?" said I, with an indifferent manner.

"Ha, ha, my boy, a very much more important matter than that! What about the convict on the moor?"

I started. "You don't mean that you know where he is?" said I.

"I may not know exactly where he is, but I am quite sure that I could help the police to lay their hands on him. Has it never struck you that the way to catch that man was to find out where he got his food, and so trace it to him?"

He certainly seemed to be getting uncomfortably near the truth. "No doubt," said I; "but how do you know that he is anywhere upon the moor?"

"I know it because I have seen with my own eyes the messenger who takes him his food."

My heart sank for Barrymore (мое сердце упало /от боязни/ за Бэрримора; to sink — тонуть; опускать/ся/) . It was a serious thing (это было /очень/ серьезно) to be in the power of this spiteful old busybody (оказаться во власти этого злобного старого болтуна; busybody — человек, сующий нос не в свои дела) . But his next remark (но его следующее замечание) took a weight from my mind (полностью меня успокоило; take a weight from smb.'s mind — снять тяжесть с души) .

"You'll be surprised to hear (вы удивитесь, услышав) that his food is taken to him by a child (что еду ему носит ребенок) . I see him every day (я каждый день вижу его) through my telescope upon the roof (через мой телескоп на крыше) . He passes along the same path at the same hour (он проходит по одной и той же тропе в одно и то же время) , and to whom should he be going except to the convict (а к кому он стал бы ходить, если не к каторжнику) ?"

Here was luck indeed (вот это действительно была удача) ! And yet I suppressed all appearance of interest (однако я подавил все проявления/признаки интереса) . A child (ребенок) ! Barrymore had said that our unknown was supplied by a boy (Бэрримор говорил, что нашего неизвестного снабжает мальчишка) . It was on his track, and not upon the convict's (это был его след, а не каторжника) , that Frankland had stumbled (на который наткнулся = который обнаружил Фрэнклэнд; to stumble — спотыкаться; случайно найти, натолкнуться на) . If I could get his knowledge (если б я смог вытащить из него все, что он знает: «получить все его знания») it might save me a long and weary hunt (это могло бы избавить меня от долгой и утомительной охоты; to save — спасать; избавлять) . But incredulity and indifference were evidently my strongest cards (но скептицизм и безразличие, несомненно, были моими самыми сильными картами) .

spiteful ['spaItf(@)l], busybody ['bIzI,bOdI], incredulity [,InkrI'dju:lItI]

My heart sank for Barrymore. It was a serious thing to be in the power of this spiteful old busybody. But his next remark took a weight from my mind.

"You'll be surprised to hear that his food is taken to him by a child. I see him every day through my telescope upon the roof. He passes along the same path at the same hour, and to whom should he be going except to the convict?"

Here was luck indeed! And yet I suppressed all appearance of interest. A child! Barrymore had said that our unknown was supplied by a boy. It was on his track, and not upon the convict's, that Frankland had stumbled. If I could get his knowledge it might save me a long and weary hunt. But incredulity and indifference were evidently my strongest cards.

"I should say that it was much more likely that it was the son of one of the moorland shepherds (я бы сказал, что, скорее всего, это был сын одного из местных пастухов) taking out his father's dinner (приносящий своему отцу обед) ."

The least appearance of opposition (малейшие признаки противодействия) struck fire out of the old autocrat (высекали огонь из старого деспота) . His eyes looked malignantly at me (его глаза злобно на меня взглянули) , and his grey whiskers bristled (а в седых бакенбардах щетина встала дыбом) like those of an angry cat (как у разъяренной кошки) .

"Indeed, sir!" said he (несомненно, сэр, — сказал он) , pointing out over the wide-stretching moor (указывая на растянувшиеся вширь болота) . "Do you see that Black Tor over yonder (видите ту Черную Скалу вон там) ? Well, do you see the low hill beyond (хорошо, видите низкий холм позади /нее/) with the thorn-bush upon it (с кустами боярышника на нем) ? It is the stoniest part of the whole moor (это самый каменистый участок на всех болотах) . Is that a place where a shepherd would be likely to take his station (похоже оно на такое место, где пастух пас бы своих овец; likely — вероятный; похожий; station — место, местоположение) ? Your suggestion, sir, is a most absurd one (ваше предположение, сэр, самое абсурдное) ."