Английский язык с Шерлоком Холмсом. Второй сборник рассказов

Еремин Андрей

“The second floor is inhabited by Daulat Ras, the Indian. He is a quiet, inscrutable fellow; as most of those Indians are. He is well up in his work, though his Greek is his weak subject. He is steady and methodical.

“The top floor belongs to Miles McLaren (верхний этаж принадлежит Майлсу Макларену). He is a brilliant fellow when he chooses to work (он /добивается/ выдающихся результатов, когда принимается за работу; brilliant — блестящий, выдающийся, замечательный /о человеке/; to choose — выбирать; решать/ся/) — one of the brightest intellects of the university (он

один из самых выдающихся умов университета); but he is wayward (но он своенравный), dissipated (беспутный; to dissipate — рассеивать/ся/; кутить, развлекаться; вести распутный образ жизни), and unprincipled (и беспринципный). He was nearly expelled over a card scandal in his first year (его чуть не исключили из-за какого-то карточного скандала на первом курсе). He has been idling all this term (он бездельничал весь семестр; idle — ленивый, праздный; бездействующий), and he must look forward with dread to the examination (и, должно быть, со страхом ожидает этого экзамена).”

“Then it is he whom you suspect (значит, это его вы подозреваете)?”

“I dare not go so far as that (не смею/не рискну зайти так далеко). But, of the three, he is perhaps the least unlikely (но из всех троих он, пожалуй, меньше всего маловероятен = наиболее вероятен).”

“Exactly (верно). Now, Mr. Soames, let us have a look at your servant, Bannister (а теперь, мистер Сомс, позвольте взглянуть на вашего слугу, Бэннистера).”

He was a little, white-faced (это был маленький, бледнолицый), clean-shaven (чисто выбритый; to shave), grizzly-haired fellow of fifty (с сильной проседью человек лет пятидесяти; grizzly — серый; с сильной проседью). He was still suffering from this sudden disturbance of the quiet routine of his life (он все еще страдал от этого внезапного нарушения тихого хода его жизни; routine — обычный порядок, установившаяся практика; рутина). His plump face was twitching with his nervousness (его пухлое лицо подергивалось от нервозности), and his fingers could not keep still (а его пальцы дрожали; to keep still — вести себя тихо; молчать; не шевелиться).

intellect ['ntlekt], dissipated ['dspetd], routine [ru:'ti:n]

“The top floor belongs to Miles McLaren. He is a brilliant fellow when he chooses to work — one of the brightest intellects of the university; but he is wayward, dissipated, and unprincipled. He was nearly expelled over a card scandal in his first year. He has been idling all this term, and he must look forward with dread to the examination.”

“Then it is he whom you suspect?”

“I dare not go so far as that. But, of the three, he is perhaps the least unlikely.”

“Exactly. Now, Mr. Soames, let us have a look at your servant, Bannister.”

He was a little, white-faced, clean-shaven, grizzly-haired fellow of fifty. He was still suffering from this sudden disturbance of the quiet routine of his life. His plump face was twitching with his nervousness, and his fingers could not keep still.

“We are investigating this unhappy business, Bannister (мы

расследуем это неприятное дело, Бэннистер; unhappy — несчастный, печальный, грустный),” said his master (сказал его хозяин).

“Yes, sir (да, сэр).”

“I understand (/как/ я понимаю),” said Holmes, “that you left your key in the door (вы оставили ключ в двери)?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Was it not very extraordinary that you should do this on the very day (не странно ли, что вы сделали это в тот самый день) when there were these papers inside (когда внутри находились эти бумаги)?”

“It was most unfortunate, sir (очень неудачно, сэр). But I have occasionally done the same thing at other times (но иногда я забывал ключ и раньше: «в другие времена»).”

“When did you enter the room (когда вы вошли в комнату)?”

master ['m:st], key [ki:], extraordinary [k'str:dnr; ekstr':dnr]

“We are investigating this unhappy business, Bannister,” said his master.

“Yes, sir.”

“I understand,” said Holmes, “that you left your key in the door?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Was it not very extraordinary that you should do this on the very day when there were these papers inside?”

“It was most unfortunate, sir. But I have occasionally done the same thing at other times.”

“When did you enter the room?”

“It was about half-past four (около половины пятого). That is Mr. Soames’ tea time (в это время мистер Сомс пьет чай; tea time — время вечернего чая).”

“How long did you stay (сколько вы /там/ пробыли)?”

“When I saw that he was absent (когда я увидел, что его нет), I withdrew at once (я сразу же вышел; to withdraw — ретироваться, удаляться, уходить).”

“Did you look at these papers on the table (вы заглядывали в бумаги на столе)?”

“No, sir — certainly not (нет, сэр, конечно, нет).”

“How came you to leave the key in the door (как это вы забыли ключ в двери/как так получилось, что вы…)?”

“I had the tea-tray in my hand (у меня в руке был чайный поднос). I thought I would come back for the key (я решил вернуться за ключом). Then I forgot (а потом забыл).”

“Has the outer door a spring lock (в наружной двери есть пружинный замок)?”

“No, sir (нет, сэр).”

half [h:f], withdrew [wd'dru:], thought [:t]

“It was about half-past four. That is Mr. Soames’ tea time.”

“How long did you stay?”

“When I saw that he was absent, I withdrew at once.”

“Did you look at these papers on the table?”

“No, sir — certainly not.”

“How came you to leave the key in the door?”