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

"But you can understand," said our strange visitor, sitting down once more and passing his hand over his high white forehead, "you can understand that I am not accustomed to doing such business in my own person. Yet the matter was so delicate that I could not confide it to an agent without putting myself in his power. I have come incognito from Prague for the purpose of consulting you."

"Then, pray consult," said Holmes, shutting his eyes once more.

"The facts are briefly these: Some five years ago, during a lengthy visit to Warsaw, I made the acquaintance of the well-known adventuress, Irene Adler. The name is no doubt familiar to you."

"Kindly look her up in my index, Doctor (будьте любезны, посмотрите ее в моем каталоге, доктор; kind — добрый) ," murmured Holmes without opening his eyes (пробормотал Холмс, не открывая глаз: «без открывания своих глаз») . For many years he had adopted a system of docketing all paragraphs (много лет назад он завел систему написания всех заметок; to adopt — усыновлять, принимать; to docket — делать надпись на документе) concerning men and things (касающихся людей и вещей) , so that it was difficult to name a subject or a person (поэтому было трудно назвать объект или лицо) on which he could not at once furnish information (о которых он не мог сразу же предоставить информацию) . In this case I found her biography (в данном случае я нашел ее биографию) sandwiched in between that of a Hebrew rabbi and that of a staff-commander (помещенную между той = биографией еврейского раввина и той = биографией начальника штаба; staff-commander: staff — штаб, commander — командир, начальник) who had written a monograph upon the deep-sea fishes (который написал монографию о глубоководных рыбах; deep — глубокий; sea — море) .

concerning [kǝnˈsǝ:nɪŋ], furnish [ˈfǝ:nɪʃ], biography [baɪˈɔɡrǝfɪ]

"Kindly look her up in my index, Doctor," murmured Holmes without opening his eyes. For many years he had adopted a system of docketing all paragraphs concerning men and things, so that it was difficult to name a subject or a person on which he could not at once furnish information. In this case I found her biography sandwiched in between that of a Hebrew rabbi and that of a staff-commander who had written a monograph upon the deep-sea fishes.

"Let me see (позвольте мне посмотреть = покажите) !" said Holmes. "Hum! Born in New Jersey in the year 1858 (родилась в Нью-Джерси в 1858 году; to bear — рождать; to be born — родиться) . Contralto — hum (контральто, гм) ! La Scala, hum! Prima donna Imperial Opera of Warsaw — yes! Retired from operatic stage — ha (ушла с оперной сцены; to retire — уходить в отставку) ! Living in London — quite so (живет в Лондоне — совершенно верно) ! Your Majesty (ваше величество) , as I understand (как я понимаю) , became entangled with this young person (стали спутанными = попали в сети к этой молодой особе) , wrote her some compromising letters (писали ей компрометирующие письма) , and is now desirous of getting those letters back (и сейчас желающие получения этих писем назад = желали бы вернуть эти письма; to be desirous of — жаждать чего-либо) ."

stage [steɪʤ], quite [kwaɪt], desirous [dɪˈzaɪrǝs]

"Let me see!" said Holmes. "Hum! Born in New Jersey in the year 1858. Contralto — hum! La Scala, hum! Prima donna Imperial Opera of Warsaw — yes! Retired from operatic stage — ha! Living in London — quite so! Your Majesty, as I understand, became entangled with this young person, wrote her some compromising letters, and is now desirous of getting those letters back."

"Precisely so (именно так) . But how (но как) — "

"Was there a secret marriage (была ли тайный брак = вы тайно женились на ней) ?"

"None (нет) ."

"No legal papers or certificates (никаких юридических документов или свидетельств) ?"

"None."

marriage [ˈmærɪʤ]

"Precisely so. But how — "

"Was there a secret marriage?"

"None."

"No legal papers or certificates?"

"None."

"Then I fail to follow your Majesty (в таком случае, я не в состоянии следовать за вашим величеством = я вас не понимаю; to fail — потерпеть неудачу) . If this young person should produce her letters for blackmailing or other purposes (если эта молодая особа захочет использовать ее письма для шантажа или других целей; to produce — издавать, выпускать; blackmailing: black — черный, mail — письмо) , how is she to prove their authenticity (как она /собирается/ доказать их подлинность) ?"

"There is the writing (/есть/ /мой/ почерк) ."

"Pooh, pooh! Forgery (тьфу, подлог) ."

"My private note-paper (моя личная почтовая бумага) ."

"Stolen (украдена; to steal — красть) ."

blackmailing [ˈblækmeɪl], purpose [ˈpǝ:pǝs], authenticity [ɔ:tenˈtɪsɪtɪ], prove [pru:v], forgery [ˈfɔ:ʤrɪ]

"Then I fail to follow your Majesty. If this young person should produce her letters for blackmailing or other purposes, how is she to prove their authenticity?"

"There is the writing."

"Pooh, pooh! Forgery."

"My private note-paper."

"Stolen."

"My own seal (моя личная печать) ."

"Imitated (подделана) ."

"My photograph (моя фотография) ."

"Bought (куплена; to buy — покупать) ."

"We were both in the photograph (мы были вдвоем на фотографии) ."

"My own seal."

"Imitated."

"My photograph."

"Bought."

"We were both in the photograph."

"Oh, dear (о Боже) ! That is very bad (это очень плохо) ! Your Majesty has indeed committed an indiscretion (ваше величество действительно совершили неосторожность) ."

"I was mad — insane (я был без ума — безрассуден; mad — сумасшедший; insane — психически ненормальный) ."

insane [ɪnˈseɪn]

"You have compromised yourself seriously (вы серьезно скомпрометировали /сами/ себя) ."

"I was only Crown Prince then (я был всего лишь наследным принцем тогда) . I was young (я был молод) . I am but thirty now (мне только тридцать сейчас) ."