Английский язык с Шерлоком Холмсом. Первый сборник рассказов - Arthur Conan Doyle

"That is better," said John Clay serenely. He made a sweeping bow to the three of us and walked quietly off in the custody of the detective.

"Really, Mr. Holmes," said Mr. Merryweather as we followed them from the cellar, "I do not know how the bank can thank you or repay you. There is no doubt that you have detected and defeated in the most complete manner one of the most determined attempts at bank robbery that have ever come within my experience."

"I have had one or two little scores of my own to settle with Mr. John Clay (у меня были один или два маленьких счета, чтобы расплатиться с мистером Джоном Клэем = у меня с ним были свои старые счеты; to settle — урегулировать, привести в порядок)," said Holmes. "I have been at some small expense over this matter (я понес небольшие расходы на этом деле), which I shall expect the bank to refund (которые я ожидаю от банка возместить = которые банк легко возместит мне), but beyond that I am amply repaid (но помимо этого я уже вполне вознагражден) by having had an experience which is in many ways unique (испытав опыт = приключение, которое во многих путях уникально = единственное в своем роде), and by hearing the very remarkable narrative of the Red-headed League (и услышав очень занимательный рассказ о Союзе рыжих)."

scores [skɔ:z], expense [ɪkˈspens], refund [ri:ˈfʌnd], amply [ˈæmplɪ], unique [ju:ˈni:k]

"I have had one or two little scores of my own to settle with Mr. John Clay," said Holmes. "I have been at some small expense over this matter, which I shall expect the bank to refund, but beyond that I am amply repaid by having had an experience which is in many ways unique, and by hearing the very remarkable narrative of the Red-headed League."

"You see, Watson (видите ли, Ватсон)," he explained in the early hours of the morning (объяснил он в ранние утренние часы) as we sat over a glass of whisky and soda in Baker Street (когда мы сидели за стаканчиком виски с содовой на Бэйкер-стрит), "it was perfectly obvious from the first (было совершенно очевидно с самого начала) that the only possible object of this rather fantastic business of the advertisement of the League (что единственной возможной целью это довольного фантастичного дела с объявлением о Союзе), and the copying of the Encyclopaedia (и переписыванием энциклопедии), must be to get this not over-bright pawnbroker out of the way for a number of hours every day (должно было быть /только/ удаление этого не слишком умного: «сверхсмышленого» владельца ссудной кассы в сторону = из дома на несколько часов ежедневно). It was a curious way of managing it (это был курьезный способ исполнения этого /плана/), but, really, it would be difficult to suggest a better (но, действительно, было бы трудно предложить /что-то/ лучше). The method was no doubt suggested to Clay's ingenious mind (способ, без сомнения, был предложен = подсказан изобретательному уму Клэя) by the color of his accomplice's hair (цветом волос его сообщника). The 4 pounds a week was a lure which must draw him (четыре фунта в неделю были приманкой, которая должна вытащить его /из дома/), and what was it to them, who were playing for thousands (а что это значит для них, которые играли на тысячи = рассчитывали получить тысячи)? They put in the advertisement (они дали объявление), one rogue has the temporary office (один жулик снял временную контору), the other rogue incites the man to apply for it (другой жулик подстрекает человека = своего хозяина обратиться туда), and together they manage to secure his absence every morning in the week (а вместе они смогли обеспечить его отсутствие каждое утро в течение недели). From the time that I heard of the assistant having come for half wages (с того момента, когда я услышал о помощнике, работающем за половинное жалованье), it was obvious to me that he had some strong motive for securing the situation (для меня стало очевидным, что у него есть сильный мотив = веская причина для этого: «для обеспечения такой ситуации»)."

obvious [ˈɔbvɪǝs], curious [ˈkjuerɪǝs], suggest [sǝˈʤest], ingenious [ɪnˈʤɪnɪǝs], lure [ljuǝ], rogue [rǝuɡ], incites [ɪnˈsaɪts], secure [sɪˈkjuǝ], wage [weɪʤ]

"You see, Watson," he explained in the early hours of the morning as we sat over a glass of whisky and soda in Baker Street, "it was perfectly obvious from the first that the only possible object of this rather fantastic business of the advertisement of the League, and the copying of the Encyclopaedia, must be to get this not over-bright pawnbroker out of the way for a number of hours every day. It was a curious way of managing it, but, really, it would be difficult to suggest a better. The method was no doubt suggested to Clay's ingenious mind by the color of his accomplice's hair. The 4 pounds a week was a lure which must draw him, and what was it to them, who were playing for thousands? They put in the advertisement, one rogue has the temporary office, the other rogue incites the man to apply for it, and together they manage to secure his absence every morning in the week. From the time that I heard of the assistant having come for half wages, it was obvious to me that he had some strong motive for securing the situation."

"But how could you guess what the motive was (но как вы могли догадаться, что это была за причина)?"

"Had there been women in the house (будь /там/ женщина в доме), I should have suspected a mere vulgar intrigue (я подозревал бы лишь о пошлой интриге). That, however, was out of the question (это, однако, было вне вопроса). The man's business was a small one (бизнес = предприятие человека = нашего клиента было небольшим), and there was nothing in his house which could account for such elaborate preparations (и в доме не было ничего, что могло бы явиться причиной таким детальным приготовлениям = ради чего стоило затевать такую сложную игру), and such an expenditure as they were at (и такие расходы, какие понесли они). It must, then, be something out of the house (должно было, следовательно, быть что-то вне дома). What could it be (что это могло быть)? I thought of the assistant's fondness for photography (я подумал об увлечении помощника фотографией), and his trick of vanishing into the cellar (и этой штуке с исчезновением в погребе). The cellar (погреб)! There was the end of this tangled clew (там был конец этого запутанного клубка = вот другой конец запутанной нити). Then I made inquiries as to this mysterious assistant (затем я навел справки = расспросил о таинственном помощнике) and found that I had to deal with one of the coolest and most daring criminals in London (и обнаружил, что имею дело с одним из самых хладнокровных и дерзких преступников Лондона). He was doing something in the cellar (он делал: «был делающим» что-то в погребе) — something which took many hours a day for months on end (что-то, что занимает много часов в день месяцы напролет). What could it be, once more (еще раз = и снова — что это может быть)? I could think of nothing save that he was running a tunnel to some other building (я не мог подумать ни о чем /другом/, кроме /того/ что он рыл: «был роющим» туннель к какому-то другому зданию).

intrigue [ɪnˈtri:ɡ], elaborate [ɪˈlæbǝrǝt], expenditure [ɪkˈspendɪtʃǝ], building [ˈbɪldɪŋ]

"But how could you guess what the motive was?"

"Had there been women in the house, I should have suspected a mere vulgar intrigue. That, however, was out of the question. The man's business was a small one, and there was nothing in his house which could account for such elaborate preparations, and such an expenditure as they were at. It must, then, be something out of the house. What could it be? I thought of the assistant's fondness for photography, and his trick of vanishing into the cellar. The cellar! There was the end of this tangled clew. Then I made inquiries as to this mysterious assistant and found that I had to deal with one of the coolest and most daring criminals in London. He was doing something in the cellar — something which took many hours a day for months on end. What could it be, once more? I could think of nothing save that he was running a tunnel to some other building.

"So far I had got when we went to visit the scene of action (к такому выводу: «так далеко» я пришел = успел прийти, /к тому моменту/ когда мы отправились посмотреть место действия; so far — до сих пор, пока). I surprised you by beating upon the pavement with my stick (я удивил вас битьем по мостовой моей тростью). I was ascertaining whether the cellar stretched out in front or behind (я устанавливал, протягивался ли погреб = прокладывался ли подкоп вперед или назад). It was not in front (перед фасадом его не было). Then I rang the bell, and, as I hoped, the assistant answered it (затем я позвонил, и, как и ожидал, открыл помощник). We have had some skirmishes (у нас бывали /прежде/ кое-какие стычки), but we had never set eyes upon each other before (но мы никогда раньше не видели друг друга в лицо). I hardly looked at his face (я едва взглянул в его лицо). His knees were what I wished to see (его колени были /тем/ что я хотел увидеть). You must yourself have remarked how worn, wrinkled, and stained they were (вы сами должны были заметить, как потерты, помяты и запачканы они были). They spoke of those hours of burrowing (они говорили о тех часах рытья). The only remaining point was what they were burrowing for (единственным оставшимся пунктом было /выяснить/ куда они рыли подкоп). I walked round the corner (я свернул за угол), saw the City and Suburban Bank abutted on our friend's premises (увидел Городской и Пригородный Банк, примыкающий к дому наших друзей), and felt that I had solved my problem (и понял, что я решил проблему). When you drove home after the concert (когда вы поехали домой после концерта) I called upon Scotland Yard and upon the chairman of the bank directors (я обратился в Скотланд-Ярд и к председателю правления банка), with the result that you have seen (с результатом, который вы видели = что было дальше — вам известно)."

scene [si:n], skirmish [ˈskǝ:mɪʃ], wrinkled [rɪŋkld], burrow [ˈbǝ:rǝu], abutted [ǝˈbʌtɪd]

"So far I had got when we went to visit the scene of action. I surprised you by beating upon the pavement with my stick. I was ascertaining whether the cellar stretched out in front or behind. It was not in front. Then I rang the bell, and, as I hoped, the assistant answered it. We have had some skirmishes, but we had never set eyes upon each other before. I hardly looked at his face. His knees were what I wished to see. You must yourself have remarked how worn, wrinkled, and stained they were. They spoke of those hours of burrowing. The only remaining point was what they were burrowing for. I walked round the corner, saw the City and Suburban Bank abutted on our friend's premises, and felt that I had solved my problem. When you drove home after the concert I called upon Scotland Yard and upon the chairman of the bank directors, with the result that you have seen."

"And how could you tell that they would make their attempt tonight (как вы могли сказать мне = откуда вы знали, что они совершат попытку /ограбления/ этой ночью)?" I asked.