Arthur Conan Doyle - Английский язык с Шерлоком Холмсом. Собака Баскервилей

"If you insist upon it (если вы на этом настаиваете) ."

"There is no alternative, I assure you (выбора нет, уверяю вас) ."

staff [stɑ:f], engage [ɪnˈɡeɪdʒ], lengthen [ˈleŋƟ(ǝ)n]

"Good morning, Holmes," said the Baronet. "You look like a general who is planning a battle with his chief of the staff."

"That is the exact situation. Watson was asking for orders."

"And so do I."

"Very good. You are engaged, as I understand, to dine with our friends the Stapletons to-night."

"I hope that you will come also. They are very hospitable people, and I am sure that they would be very glad to see you."

"I fear that Watson and I must go to London."

"To London?"

"Yes, I think that we should be more useful there at the present juncture."

The Baronet's face perceptibly lengthened.

"I hoped that you were going to see me through this business. The Hall and the moor are not very pleasant places when one is alone."

"My dear fellow, you must trust me implicitly and do exactly what I tell you. You can tell your friends that we should have been happy to have come with you, but that urgent business required us to be in town. We hope very soon to return to Devonshire. Will you remember to give them that message?"

"If you insist upon it."

"There is no alternative, I assure you."

I saw by the Baronet's clouded brow (я смотрел на насупленные брови баронета; to cloud — покрывать тучами; хмуриться; cloud — облако; туча) that he was deeply hurt (/понимая/ что он глубоко задет) by what he regarded as our desertion (тем, что он расценил как наше дезертирство) .

"When do you desire to go (когда вы намерены: «желаете» ехать) ?" he asked, coldly (спросил он холодно) .

"Immediately after breakfast (сразу же после завтрака) . We will drive in to Coombe Tracey (мы поедем в Кум-Трэйси) , but Watson will leave his things as a pledge (но Ватсон оставит свои вещи как залог) that he will come back to you (что он вернется к вам) . Watson, you will send a note to Stapleton (Ватсон, вы пошлете Стэплтону записку) to tell him that you regret that you cannot come (и скажете ему, что сожалеете, что не можете прийти) ."

"I have a good mind to go to London with you (я бы поехал в Лондон с вами; to have a good mind — быть склонным /что-либо сделать/) ," said the Baronet. "Why should I stay here alone (почему я должен оставаться здесь один) ?"

"Because it is your post of duty (потому что это ваша обязанность; post — пост /часового/; duty — обязанность) . Because you gave me your word (потому что вы дали мне слово) that you would do as you were told (что вы сделаете, как вам скажут) , and I tell you to stay (а я говорю вам остаться) ."

"All right, then, I'll stay (хорошо, значит, я останусь) ."

"One more direction (еще одно указание) ! I wish you to drive to Merripit House (я хочу, чтоб вы поехали в Меррипит-хаус) . Send back your trap, however (однако /потом/ коляску отошлете) , and let them know that you intend to walk home (и дадите им знать, что намерены идти домой пешком) ."

"To walk across the moor (пешком через болота) ?"

"Yes."

desertion [dɪˈzǝ:ʃ(ǝ)n], come [kʌm], intend [ɪnˈtend]

I saw by the Baronet's clouded brow that he was deeply hurt by what he regarded as our desertion.

"When do you desire to go?" he asked, coldly.

"Immediately after breakfast. We will drive in to Coombe Tracey, but Watson will leave his things as a pledge that he will come back to you. Watson, you will send a note to Stapleton to tell him that you regret that you cannot come."

"I have a good mind to go to London with you," said the Baronet. "Why should I stay here alone?"

"Because it is your post of duty. Because you gave me your word that you would do as you were told, and I tell you to stay."

"All right, then, I'll stay."

"One more direction! I wish you to drive to Merripit House. Send back your trap, however, and let them know that you intend to walk home."

"To walk across the moor?"

"Yes."

"But that is the very thing (но это же то: «та вещь») which you have so often cautioned me not to do (что вы так часто предупреждали меня не делать; to caution — предостерегать) ."

"This time you may do it with safety (в этот раз можете сделать это смело; safety — безопасность) . If I had not every confidence in your nerve and courage (если бы у меня не было полной уверенности в вашем мужестве и храбрости; every — каждый; всевозможный; nerve — нерв; сила духа, мужество) I would not suggest it (я бы не предложил этого) , but it is essential that you should do it (но необходимо, чтобы вы сделали это) ."

"Then I will do it (тогда я сделаю это) ."

"And as you value your life (и если вы дорожите жизнью) do not go across the moor in any direction (не идите через болота ни в каком другом направлении) save along the straight path (кроме как по прямой тропинке) which leads from Merripit House to the Grimpen Road (которая ведет от Меррипит-хаус к дороге на Гримпен) , and is your natural way home (и является вашей обычной дорогой домой) ."

"I will do just what you say (я сделаю так, как вы говорите) ."

"Very good. I should be glad to get away (я был бы рад уехать) as soon after breakfast as possible (после завтрака настолько быстро, насколько возможно) , so as to reach London in the afternoon (чтобы добраться до Лондона к полудню) ."

courage [ˈkʌrɪdʒ], essential [ɪˈsenʃ(ǝ)l], afternoon [ˌɑ:ftǝˈnu:n]

"But that is the very thing which you have so often cautioned me not to do."

"This time you may do it with safety. If I had not every confidence in your nerve and courage I would not suggest it, but it is essential that you should do it."

"Then I will do it."

"And as you value your life do not go across the moor in any direction save along the straight path which leads from Merripit House to the Grimpen Road, and is your natural way home."

"I will do just what you say."

"Very good. I should be glad to get away as soon after breakfast as possible, so as to reach London in the afternoon."

I was much astounded by this programme (я был сильно удивлен таким планом) , though I remembered that Holmes had said to Stapleton on the night before (хотя помнил, что Холмс сказал Стэплтону предыдущим вечером) that his visit would terminate next day (что его пребывание /в Баскервиль-холле/ закончится на следующий день; to terminate — ограничивать; завершать) . It had not crossed my mind, however (однако мне не приходило в голову; to cross one’s mind — внезапно прийти в голову; to cross — пересекать) , that he would wish me to go with him (что он пожелает, чтобы я ехал с ним) , nor could I understand how we could both be absent at a moment (и я не мог понять, как мы оба можем отсутствовать в тот момент) which he himself declared to be critical (который он сам назвал: «объявил» критическим) . There was nothing for it, however, but implicit obedience (однако ничего не оставалось, кроме безоговорочного подчинения) ; so we bade good-bye to our rueful friend (поэтому мы попрощались с нашим опечаленным другом; to bid good-bye — сказать "прощай") , and a couple of hours afterwards we were at the station of Coombe Tracey (и пару часов спустя мы были на железнодорожной станции в Кум-Трэйси) and had dispatched the trap upon its return journey (и отослали коляску назад; return — возвращение; journey — путешествие, поездка) . A small boy was waiting upon the platform (маленький мальчик ждал на платформе) .