Arthur Conan Doyle - Английский язык с Конан Дойлем. Этюд в багровых тонах (ASCII-IPA)

authority [O:'TOrItI], arch [A:tS], wealth [welT], suspense [s@'spens]

It was, indeed, high time that someone capable of giving advice and help should come to the aid of the sturdy old farmer and his adopted daughter. In the whole history of the settlement there had never been such a case of rank disobedience to the authority of the Elders. If minor errors were punished so sternly, what would be the fate of this arch rebel. Ferrier knew that his wealth and position would be of no avail to him. Others as well known and as rich as himself had been spirited away before now, and their goods given over to the Church. He was a brave man, but he trembled at the vague, shadowy terrors which hung over him. Any known danger he could face with a firm lip, but this suspense was unnerving. He concealed his fears from his daughter, however, and affected to make light of the whole matter, though she, with the keen eye of love, saw plainly that he was ill at ease.

He expected that he would receive some message or remonstrance from Young as to his conduct (он ожидал, что он получит какое-то сообщение или предупреждение от Янга касательно его поведения; remonstrance — выражение протеста) , and he was not mistaken, though it came in an unlooked-for manner (и он не ошибся, хотя оно пришло в такой форме, какой он не ожидал; to look for — ожидать) . Upon rising next morning he found, to his surprise, a small square of paper (поднявшись на следующее утро, он, к своему удивлению, обнаружил небольшой бумажный квадратик) pinned on to the coverlet of his bed just over his chest (приколотый к одеялу на его кровати, как раз напротив его груди; coverlet — покрывало; одеяло) . On it was printed, in bold straggling letters (на нем большими печатными буквами было неровно выведено; to print — печатать; писать печатными буквами; to straggle — быть беспорядочно разбросанным) :—

"Twenty-nine days are given you for amendment, and then (двадцать девять дней даны на то, чтобы ты исправился, а затем; amendment — исправление) ——"

The dash was more fear-inspiring than any threat could have been (многоточие после этих слов было страшнее любой угрозы: «было более вселяющим страх, чем любая угроза»; dash — тире [19] В английском на письме в качестве символа недосказанности, незавершенности действия чаще употребляется тире. ; to inspire — внушать, вселять) . How this warning came into his room puzzled John Ferrier sorely (как это предупреждение попало в комнату, немало озадачило Джона Феррьера; sorely — чрезвычайно, крайне, очень) , for his servants slept in an outhouse (так как его слуги спали в надворной постройке; outhouse — надворная постройка) , and the doors and windows had all been secured (а двери и окна были заперты) . He crumpled the paper up and said nothing to his daughter (он скомкал бумагу и ничего не сказал своей дочери) , but the incident struck a chill into his heart (но этот случай камнем лег ему на сердце; to strike — ударять; вселять; chill — холод, холодная погода; озноб; гнетущее, давящее чувство) . The twenty-nine days were evidently the balance of the month which Young had promised (очевидно, двадцать девять дней были остатком месяца, обещанного Янгом) . What strength or courage could avail against an enemy armed with such mysterious powers (сколько же силы и мужества надо, чтобы выстоять: «какие сила или мужество могли бы помочь» против врага, на стороне которого такие мистические способности: «вооруженного такими…»; to avail — помогать, быть полезным) ? The hand which fastened that pin might have struck him to the heart (рука, которая прикрепила бумажку, могла бы пронзить ему сердце; to strike — наносить удар) , and he could never have known who had slain him (а он и не узнал бы, кто его убил; to slay — убивать, лишать жизни) .

square [skwe@], warn [wO:n], sorely ['sO:lI], secure [sI'kju@]

He expected that he would receive some message or remonstrance from Young as to his conduct, and he was not mistaken, though it came in an unlooked-for manner. Upon rising next morning he found, to his surprise, a small square of paper pinned on to the coverlet of his bed just over his chest. On it was printed, in bold straggling letters:—

"Twenty-nine days are given you for amendment, and then ——"

The dash was more fear-inspiring than any threat could have been. How this warning came into his room puzzled John Ferrier sorely, for his servants slept in an outhouse, and the doors and windows had all been secured. He crumpled the paper up and said nothing to his daughter, but the incident struck a chill into his heart. The twenty-nine days were evidently the balance of the month which Young had promised. What strength or courage could avail against an enemy armed with such mysterious powers? The hand which fastened that pin might have struck him to the heart, and he could never have known who had slain him.

Still more shaken was he next morning (еще больше был он потрясен на следующее утро) . They had sat down to their breakfast when Lucy with a cry of surprise pointed upwards (они сели завтракать, когда Люси, удивленно вскрикнув, указала вверх) . In the centre of the ceiling was scrawled (посередине потолка было коряво написано) , with a burned stick apparently, the number 28 (по-видимому, концом обгорелой палки: «обгорелой палкой», число 28) . To his daughter it was unintelligible (для его дочери надпись смысла не имела: «это было непонятно») , and he did not enlighten her (а он не стал объяснять ей, что она значила: «и он не просветил ее») . That night he sat up with his gun and kept watch and ward (этой ночью он просидел со своим ружьем на страже; to sit up — не ложиться спать; бодрствовать; watch — дозор, стража, караул; ward — охрана, караул; watch and ward — ночной и дневной караул; неусыпная бдительность; to keep watch and ward — бдительно охранять) . He saw and he heard nothing (он ничего не видел и не слышал) , and yet in the morning a great 27 had been painted upon the outside of his door (и все же наутро большое число 27 было нарисовано снаружи на его двери; to paint — рисовать, писать красками) .