Английский язык с Шерлоком Холмсом. Второй сборник рассказов (ASCII-IPA)
Шрифт:
The European Secretary bowed.
“You do me no more than justice, sir. Until this morning I have never breathed one word to my wife upon this matter.”
“Could she have guessed?”
“No, Mr. Holmes, she could not have guessed (нет, мистер Холмс, она не могла догадаться) — nor could anyone have guessed (никто не мог).”
“Have you lost any documents before (вы теряли документы раньше)?”
“No, sir.”
“Who is there in England who did know of the existence of this letter (кто в Англии знал о существовании
“Each member of the Cabinet was informed of it yesterday (все члены кабинета были извещены о письме вчера), but the pledge of secrecy which attends every Cabinet meeting (но обязательство хранить тайну, которое сопровождает каждое заседание кабинета; pledge — залог; заклад; обет, обещание) was increased by the solemn warning (было подкреплено официальным предупреждением; to increase — увеличивать/ся/, усиливать/ся/; solemn — торжественный; серьезный; официальный) which was given by the Prime Minister (сделанным премьер-министром). Good heavens, to think (Боже мой, подумать только) that within a few hours I should myself have lost it (что через несколько часов я сам потерял его)!”
His handsome face was distorted with a spasm of despair (его красивое лицо исказилось отчаянием; spasm — спазм, судорога; припадок, приступ), and his hands tore at his hair (а руками он схватил себя за волосы; to tear at — тащить, тянуть с силой). For a moment we caught a glimpse of the natural man (на мгновение мы увидели настоящего человека), impulsive (импульсивного), ardent (горячего), keenly sensitive (очень впечатлительного; keenly — сильно, горячо, страстно). The next the aristocratic mask was replaced (но тут аристократическая маска вернулась на место), and the gentle voice had returned (и спокойный голос ответил; to return — возвращать/ся/; возражать, отвечать).
“Besides the members of the Cabinet (кроме членов кабинета) there are two, or possibly three, departmental officials who know of the letter (два или, возможно, три чиновника департамента знают об этом письме). No one else in England, Mr. Holmes, I assure you (и больше никто в Англии, мистер Холмс, уверяю вас).”
solemn ['sOl@m], warning ['wO:nIN], ardent ['A:d(@)nt], gentle [dZentl]
“No, Mr. Holmes, she could not have guessed — nor could anyone have guessed.”
“Have you lost any documents before?”
“No, sir.”
“Who is there in England who did know of the existence of this letter?”
“Each member of the Cabinet was informed of it yesterday, but the pledge of secrecy which attends every Cabinet meeting was increased by the solemn warning which was given by the Prime Minister. Good heavens, to think that within a few hours I should myself have lost it!”
His handsome face was distorted with a spasm of despair, and his hands tore at his hair. For a moment we caught a glimpse of the natural man, impulsive, ardent, keenly sensitive. The next the aristocratic mask was replaced, and the gentle voice had returned.
“Besides the members of the Cabinet there are two, or possibly three, departmental officials who know of the letter. No one else in England, Mr. Holmes, I assure you.”
“But abroad (а
“I believe that no one abroad has seen it (полагаю, никто за границей не видел письма) save the man who wrote it (кроме человека, написавшего его). I am well convinced that his Ministers (я твердо убежден, что его министры) — that the usual official channels have not been employed (что обычные официальные каналы не были использованы).”
Holmes considered for some little time (Холмс задумался на короткое время).
“Now, sir, I must ask you more particularly what this document is (а теперь, сэр, я должен расспросить вас более подробно, что это за документ), and why its disappearance should have such momentous consequences (и почему его исчезновение будет иметь столь серьезные последствия; momentous — важный, имеющий большое значение)?”
The two statesmen exchanged a quick glance (два государственных деятеля обменялись быстрым взглядом) and the Premier’s shaggy eyebrows gathered in a frown (и косматые брови премьера нахмурились; frown — сдвинутые брови; хмурый взгляд; насупленность).
“Mr. Holmes, the envelope is a long (мистер Холмс, конверт /письма/ длинный), thin one of pale blue colour (тонкий, бледно-голубого цвета). There is a seal of red wax stamped with a crouching lion (на печати из красного сургуча изображен припавший к земле лев; wax — воск; сургуч; to stamp — штамповать, ставить печать; отпечатывать, оттискивать). It is addressed in large, bold handwriting to — (адрес написан крупным, четким почерком…; bold — отважный, смелый; четкий /о почерке/; жирный /о шрифте/)”
eyebrow ['aIbrau], frown [fraun], envelope ['env@l@up], crouching ['krautSIN]
“But abroad?”
“I believe that no one abroad has seen it save the man who wrote it. I am well convinced that his Ministers — that the usual official channels have not been employed.”
Holmes considered for some little time.
“Now, sir, I must ask you more particularly what this document is, and why its disappearance should have such momentous consequences?”
The two statesmen exchanged a quick glance and the Premier’s shaggy eyebrows gathered in a frown.
“Mr. Holmes, the envelope is a long, thin one of pale blue colour. There is a seal of red wax stamped with a crouching lion. It is addressed in large, bold handwriting to —”
“I fear, sir (боюсь, сэр),” said Holmes, “that, interesting and indeed essential as these details are (как бы ни были интересны и важны эти подробности), my inquiries must go more to the root of things (мои расспросы должны добраться до самой сути дела = мне необходимо знать самое важное; to get at the root of something — добраться до сути чего-либо). What was the letter (о чем было письмо)?”