“But why could he not tell you this (но почему он не рассказал вам об этом)?”
“Well, my dear sir, knowing the vindictive character of his old associates (видите ли, дорогой сэр, зная мстительный характер своих бывших сообщников), he was trying to hide his own identity from everybody as long as he could (он старался скрывать свою личность = имя от кого
бы то ни было так долго, как только возможно). His secret was a shameful one (его тайна была постыдной), and he could not bring himself to divulge it (и он мог заставить себя раскрыть ее; to divulge — разглашать, раскрывать, обнародовать). However, wretch as he was, he was still living under the shield of British law (и все же, каким бы негодяем он ни был, он, тем не менее, находился под щитом английского закона; shield — щит; защита), and I have no doubt, Inspector, that you will see (и я не сомневаюсь, инспектор, что вы увидите) that, though that shield may fail to guard (что, хотя этот щит может и не уберечь = не уберег /гражданина/; to guard — оберегать, защищать, ограждать), the sword of justice is still there to avenge (меч правосудия покарает /преступников/; to avenge — отомстить).”
“I think you have made it all remarkable clear,” said the doctor. “No doubt the day on which he was perturbed was the day when he had seen of their release in the newspapers.”
“Quite so. His talk about a burglary was the merest blind.”
“But why could he not tell you this?”
“Well, my dear sir, knowing the vindictive character of his old associates, he was trying to hide his own identity from everybody as long as he could. His secret was a shameful one, and he could not bring himself to divulge it. However, wretch as he was, he was still living under the shield of British law, and I have no doubt, Inspector, that you will see that, though that shield may fail to guard, the sword of justice is still there to avenge.”
Such were the singular circumstances in connection with the Resident Patient and the Brook Street Doctor (таковы были странные обстоятельства /дела/ постоянного пациента
и доктора с Брук-стрит; in connection with — в связи с; касательно). From that night nothing has been seen of the three murderers by the police (с той ночи полиции /так/ ничего и не удалось узнать о трех убийцах), and it is surmised at Scotland Yard that they were among the passengers of the ill-fated steamer Norah Creina (однако в Скотланд-Ярде предполагают, что они находились среди пассажиров того злополучного парохода «Нора Крейн»), which was lost some years ago with all hands upon the Portuguese coast (который несколько лет назад затонул вместе со всей командой у португальского побережья; lost — потерянный, пропавший, погибший: lost ship — погибший корабль; hand — наемный работник; матрос), some leagues to the north of Oporto (в нескольких лигах к северу от Опорто /другое название г. Порту в Португалии/; league — лье, лига /мера длины, приблизительно равна 3 милям/). The proceedings against the page broke down for want of evidence (дело против мальчишки-слуги было закрыто за недостатком доказательств; proceedings — рассмотрение дела в суде, судебное разбирательство), and the Brook Street Mystery, as it was called (и «Загадка Брук-стрит», как ее назвали), has never until now been fully dealt with in any public print (никогда до сегодняшнего дня не освещалось полностью в открытой печати; to deal with smth. — рассматривать, заниматься /проблемой и т. д./; обсуждать что-либо; иметь дело с чем-либо).
Such were the singular circumstances in connection with the Resident Patient and the Brook Street Doctor. From that night nothing has been seen of the three murderers by the police, and it is surmised at Scotland Yard that they were among the passengers of the ill-fated steamer Norah Creina, which was lost some years ago with all hands upon the Portuguese coast, some leagues to the north of Oporto. The proceedings against the page broke down for want of evidence, and the Brook Street Mystery, as it was called, has never until now been fully dealt with in any public print.