Английский язык с Шерлоком Холмсом. Второй сборник рассказов
Шрифт:
intensely [n'tensl], glove [lv], confidence ['knfdns], politics ['pltks]
“Has my husband been here, Mr. Holmes?”
“Yes, madam, he has been here.”
“Mr. Holmes, I implore you not to tell him that I came here.”
Holmes bowed coldly, and motioned the lady to a chair.
“Your ladyship places me in a very delicate position. I beg that you will sit down and tell me what you desire, but I fear that I cannot make any unconditional promise.”
She swept across the room and seated herself with her back to the window. It was a queenly presence — tall, graceful, and intensely womanly.
“Mr. Holmes,” she said — and her white-gloved hands clasped and unclasped as she spoke — “I will speak frankly to you in the hopes that it may induce you to speak frankly in return. There is complete confidence between my husband and me on all matters save one. That one is politics. On this his lips are sealed. He tells me nothing. Now, I am aware that there was a most deplorable occurrence in our house last night. I know that a paper has disappeared.
“But because the matter is political (но,
“Madam, what you ask me is really impossible (мадам, то, что вы просите, — невозможно = вы требуете от меня невозможного; to ask — спрашивать, просить).”
She groaned and sank her face in her hands (она вздохнула и закрыла лицо ладонями; to sink — погружать/ся/, опускать/ся/).
husband ['hzbnd], thoroughly ['rl], regard [r':d]
“But because the matter is political my husband refuses to take me into his complete confidence. Now it is essential — essential, I say — that I should thoroughly understand it. You are the only other person, save only these politicians, who knows the true facts. I beg you then, Mr. Holmes, to tell me exactly what has happened and what it will lead to. Tell me all, Mr. Holmes. Let no regard for your client’s interests keep you silent, for I assure you that his interests, if he would only see it, would be best served by taking me into his complete confidence. What was this paper which was stolen?”
“Madam, what you ask me is really impossible.”
She groaned and sank her face in her hands.
“You must see that this is so, madam (вы должны понять, что это так, мадам). If your husband thinks fit to keep you in the dark over this matter (если
“I have asked him (я спрашивала его). I come to you as a last resource (я пришла к вам как к последней возможности = вы — моя последняя надежда). But without your telling me anything definite, Mr. Holmes (но если /даже/ вы не скажете мне ничего определенного, мистер Холмс), you may do a great service if you would enlighten me on one point (вы окажете мне огромную услугу, ответив на один вопрос; to enlighten — просвещать; осведомлять, информировать /о чем-либо/; проливать свет /на что-либо/).”
“What is it, madam (какой, мадам)?”
“Is my husband’s political career likely to suffer through this incident (может ли политическая карьера моего мужа пострадать из-за этого случая)?”
“Well, madam, unless it is set right (видите ли, мадам, если дело не будет улажено; to set right — приводить в порядок, исправлять) it may certainly have a very unfortunate effect (оно, конечно, может иметь очень прискорбные последствия).”
“Ah!”
She drew in her breath sharply (она резко вздохнула: «резко втянула воздух»; to draw breath — дышать; вздохнуть) as one whose doubts are resolved (как человек, чьи сомнения разрешились).
“One more question, Mr. Holmes (еще один вопрос, мистер Холмс). From an expression which my husband dropped in the first shock of this disaster (из слов: «из выражения», которые мой муж обронил в первом потрясении от этого несчастья = сразу после несчастья) I understood that terrible public consequences might arise from the loss of this document (я поняла, что ужасные государственные последствия могут возникнуть из-за пропажи этого документа).”
resource [r'z:s], career [k'r], doubt [daut], disaster [d'z:st]
“You must see that this is so, madam. If your husband thinks fit to keep you in the dark over this matter, is it for me, who has only learned the true facts under the pledge of professional secrecy, to tell what he has withheld? It is not fair to ask it. It is him whom you must ask.”
“I have asked him. I come to you as a last resource. But without your telling me anything definite, Mr. Holmes, you may do a great service if you would enlighten me on one point.”
“What is it, madam?”
“Is my husband’s political career likely to suffer through this incident?”
“Well, madam, unless it is set right it may certainly have a very unfortunate effect.”
“Ah!”
She drew in her breath sharply as one whose doubts are resolved.
“One more question, Mr. Holmes. From an expression which my husband dropped in the first shock of this disaster I understood that terrible public consequences might arise from the loss of this document.”