Arthur Conan Doyle - Английский язык с Шерлоком Холмсом. Второй сборник рассказов

confectioner [kǝnˈfekʃ(ǝ)nǝ], epicurean [ˌepɪkju(ǝ)ˈri:ǝn], mahogany [mǝˈhɔɡǝnɪ]

It was after five o’clock when Sherlock Holmes left me, but I had no time to be lonely, for within an hour there arrived a confectioner’s man with a very large flat box. This he unpacked with the help of a youth whom he had brought with him, and presently, to my very great astonishment, a quite epicurean little cold supper began to be laid out upon our humble lodging-house mahogany. There were a couple of brace of cold woodcock, a pheasant, a pâté de foie gras pie with a group of ancient and cobwebby bottles. Having laid out all these luxuries, my two visitors vanished away, like the genii of the Arabian Nights, with no explanation save that the things had been paid for and were ordered to this address.

Just before nine o’clock Sherlock Holmes stepped briskly into the room (около девяти часов Шерлок Холмс бодро вошел в комнату; just before — непосредственно перед) . His features were gravely set (его лицо было серьезным) , but there was a light in his eye which made me think (но в глазах блестел огонек, по которому я понял) that he had not been disappointed in his conclusions (что он не разочаровался в своих выводах) .

“They have laid the supper, then (итак, ужин уже на столе: «они накрыли ужин») ,” he said, rubbing his hands (сказал он, потирая руки) .

“You seem to expect company (кажется, вы ждете гостей) . They have laid for five (накрыли на пять персон) .”

“Yes, I fancy we may have some company dropping in (да, думаю, к нам зайдут кое-какие гости; to drop in — заходить, заглядывать, забегать) ,” said he. “I am surprised that Lord St. Simon has not already arrived (я удивлен, что лорд Сент-Саймон еще не пришел) . Ha! I fancy that I hear his step now upon the stairs (ага! кажется, я слышу на лестнице его шаги) .”

It was indeed our visitor of the afternoon who came bustling in (это действительно оказался наш дневной посетитель; он торопливо вошел) , dangling his glasses more vigorously than ever (еще сильнее чем прежде раскачивая пенсне; vigorously — сильно, энергично) , and with a very perturbed expression upon his aristocratic features (и его аристократические черты лица отражали сильное смятение; to perturb — смущать, тревожить; беспокоить, волновать) .

conclusion [kǝnˈklu:ʒ(ǝ)n], company [ˈkʌmpǝnɪ], bustling [ˈbʌslɪŋ]

Just before nine o’clock Sherlock Holmes stepped briskly into the room. His features were gravely set, but there was a light in his eye which made me think that he had not been disappointed in his conclusions.

“They have laid the supper, then,” he said, rubbing his hands.

“You seem to expect company. They have laid for five.”

“Yes, I fancy we may have some company dropping in,” said he. “I am surprised that Lord St. Simon has not already arrived. Ha! I fancy that I hear his step now upon the stairs.”

It was indeed our visitor of the afternoon who came bustling in, dangling his glasses more vigorously than ever, and with a very perturbed expression upon his aristocratic features.

“My messenger reached you, then (значит, мой посыльный застал вас /дома/) ?” asked Holmes.

“Yes, and I confess that the contents startled me beyond measure (да, и признаюсь, содержание /письма/ сильно поразило меня: «сверх всякой меры») . Have you good authority for what you say (у вас есть доказательства того, что вы говорите; authority — власть; авторитетный источник; основание; on good authority — из достоверных источников, по достоверным сведениям) ?”

“The best possible (самые веские: «лучшие из возможных») .”

Lord St. Simon sank into a chair (лорд опустился в кресло) and passed his hand over his forehead (и провел рукой по лбу) .

“What will the Duke say (что скажет герцог) ,” he murmured (прошептал он; to murmur — говорить тихо; шептать; бормотать) , “when he hears that one of the family has been subjected to such humiliation (когда узнает, что один из /членов/ семьи подвергся такому унижению; to humiliate — унижать, оскорблять) ?”

“It is the purest accident (это чистейшая случайность) . I cannot allow that there is any humiliation (не могу согласиться, что здесь есть что-то унизительное; to allow — позволять; признавать /справедливым, правильным/; принимать; соглашаться) .“

measure [ˈmeʒǝ], authority [ɔ:ˈƟɔrɪtɪ], murmured [ˈmǝ:mǝd]

“My messenger reached you, then?” asked Holmes.

“Yes, and I confess that the contents startled me beyond measure. Have you good authority for what you say?”

“The best possible.”

Lord St. Simon sank into a chair and passed his hand over his forehead.

“What will the Duke say,” he murmured, “when he hears that one of the family has been subjected to such humiliation?”

“It is the purest accident. I cannot allow that there is any humiliation.“

“Ah, you look on these things from another standpoint (ах, вы смотрите на эти вещи с другой точки зрения) .”

“I fail to see that anyone is to blame (я совершенно не вижу здесь виновных; to fail — потерпеть неудачу; to blame — винить, порицать) . I can hardly see how the lady could have acted otherwise (я едва понимаю, как леди могла поступить иначе = думаю, леди не могла поступить иначе) , though her abrupt method of doing it was undoubtedly to be regretted (хотя, конечно, жаль, что она действовала столь резко; to regret — сожалеть) . Having no mother, she had no one to advise her at such a crisis (так как у нее нет матери, ей не с кем было посоветоваться в такой критический момент) .”

“It was a slight, sir, a public slight (это было оскорблением, сэр, публичным оскорблением; slight — пренебрежение, неуважение) ,” said Lord St. Simon, tapping his fingers upon the table (сказал лорд Сент-Саймон, стуча пальцами по столу) .

“You must make allowance for this poor girl (вы должны сделать скидку для этой бедной девушки; allowance — денежное пособие; денежное содержание; скидка; допущение; принятие в расчет, во внимание) , placed in so unprecedented a position (оказавшейся в таком исключительном положении; unprecedented — беспрецедентный, небывалый; to place — помещать) .”