Английский язык с Шерлоком Холмсом. Второй сборник рассказов (ASCII-IPA)
Шрифт:
“No, sir,” said the Prime Minister, with the quick, decisive manner for which he was famous. “We have not done so, nor is it possible that we should do so. To inform the police must, in the long run, mean to inform the public. This is what we particularly desire to avoid.”
“And why, sir?”
“Because the document in question is of such immense importance that its publication might very easily — I might almost say probably — lead to European complications of the utmost moment. It is not too much to say that peace or war may hang upon the issue. Unless its recovery can be attended with the utmost secrecy, then it may as well not be recovered at all, for all that is aimed at by those who have taken it is that its contents should be generally known.”
“I understand. Now, Mr. Trelawney Hope, I should be much obliged if you would tell me exactly the circumstances under which this document disappeared.”
“That can be done in a very few words, Mr. Holmes (это
foreign ['fOrIn], potentate ['p@ut(@)nteIt], document ['dOkjum@nt], glass [glA:s]
“That can be done in a very few words, Mr. Holmes. The letter — for it was a letter from a foreign potentate — was received six days ago. It was of such importance that I have never left it in my safe, but have taken it across each evening to my house in Whitehall Terrace, and kept it in my bedroom in a locked despatch-box. It was there last night. Of that I am certain. I actually opened the box while I was dressing for dinner and saw the document inside. This morning it was gone. The despatch-box had stood beside the glass upon my dressing-table all night. I am a light sleeper, and so is my wife. We are both prepared to swear that no one could have entered the room during the night. And yet I repeat that the paper is gone.”
“What time did you dine (в котором часу вы обедали)?”
“Half-past seven (в половине восьмого).”
“How long was it before you went to bed (сколько прошло времени, прежде чем = когда вы легли спать)?”
“My wife had gone to the theatre (моя жена ушла в театр). I waited up for her (я дожидался ее; to wait up — не ложиться спать /до чьего-либо прихода/). It was half-past eleven before we went to our room (мы ушли в спальню в половине двенадцатого).”
“Then for four hours the despatch-box had lain unguarded (значит,
“No one is ever permitted to enter that room (никому не позволено входить в эту комнату) save the house-maid in the morning (кроме горничной утром), and my valet, or my wife’s maid (и моего камердинера или камеристки моей жены), during the rest of the day (в течение остальной части). They are both trusty servants who have been with us for some time (эти двое — верные/надежные слуги, которые служат у нас некоторое время = уже давно). Besides, neither of them could possibly have known (кроме того, ни один из них не мог знать) that there was anything more valuable (что что-то более ценное) than the ordinary departmental papers in my despatch-box (чем обычные служебные бумаги, находится в моем чемоданчике; departmental — ведомственный; относящийся к деятельности отдела, департамента, правительственного учреждения).”
theatre ['TI@t@], unguarded [Vn'gA:dId], neither ['naID@], departmental [,di:pA:t'mentl]
“What time did you dine?”
“Half-past seven.”
“How long was it before you went to bed?”
“My wife had gone to the theatre. I waited up for her. It was half-past eleven before we went to our room.”
“Then for four hours the despatch-box had lain unguarded?”
“No one is ever permitted to enter that room save the house-maid in the morning, and my valet, or my wife’s maid, during the rest of the day. They are both trusty servants who have been with us for some time. Besides, neither of them could possibly have known that there was anything more valuable than the ordinary departmental papers in my despatch-box.”
“Who did know of the existence of that letter (кто знал о существовании этого письма)?”
“No one in the house (никто в доме).”
“Surely your wife knew (конечно, ваша жена знала)?”
“No, sir (нет, сэр). I had said nothing to my wife until I missed the paper this morning (я ничего не говорил жене, пока не обнаружил этим утром, что письмо пропало).”
The Premier nodded approvingly (премьер одобрительно кивнул).
“I have long known, sir (я всегда знал, сэр), how high is your sense of public duty (как велико у вас чувство общественного долга),” said he. “I am convinced that in the case of a secret of this importance (я уверен, что в таком секретном и важном деле) it would rise superior to the most intimate domestic ties (оно оказалось бы выше/сильнее самых тесных семейных уз; superior — старший /по рангу, званию и т. д./; лучший, превосходящий; intimate — внутренний; глубоко личный, интимный, сокровенный).”
The European Secretary bowed (министр по европейским делам поклонился).
“You do me no more than justice, sir (вы отдаете мне не более, чем должное, сэр = совершенно верно, сэр). Until this morning I have never breathed one word to my wife upon this matter (до сегодняшнего утра я ни словом не обмолвился жене об этом; to breathe — дышать; тихо говорить; выболтать).”
“Could she have guessed (она могла /сама/ догадаться)?”
approvingly [@'pru:vINlI], duty ['dju:tI], intimate ['IntIm@t], breathe [bri:D]
“Who did know of the existence of that letter?”
“No one in the house.”
“Surely your wife knew?”
“No, sir. I had said nothing to my wife until I missed the paper this morning.”
The Premier nodded approvingly.
“I have long known, sir, how high is your sense of public duty,” said he. “I am convinced that in the case of a secret of this importance it would rise superior to the most intimate domestic ties.”