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

perform [pǝˈfɔ:m], merest [mɪǝst], parcel [pɑ:sl], value [ˈvælju:]

"Last Monday Mr. Neville St. Clair went into town rather earlier than usual, remarking before he started that he had two important commissions to perform, and that he would bring his little boy home a box of bricks. Now, by the merest chance, his wife received a telegram upon this same Monday, very shortly after his departure, to the effect that a small parcel of considerable value which she had been expecting was waiting for her at the offices of the Aberdeen Shipping Company. Now, if you are well up in your London, you will know that the office of the company is in Fresno Street, which branches out of Upper Swandam Lane, where you found me tonight. Mrs. St. Clair had her lunch, started for the City, did some shopping, proceeded to the company's office, got her packet, and found herself at exactly 4:35 walking through Swandam Lane on her way back to the station. Have you followed me so far?"

"It is very clear (это очень ясно)."

"If you remember (если помните), Monday was an exceedingly hot day (понедельник был чрезвычайно жарким днем), and Mrs. St. Clair walked slowly (шла медленно), glancing about in the hope of seeing a cab (поглядывая по сторонам в надежде увидеть кеб), as she did not like the neighborhood (так как ей не понравился район) in which she found herself (в котором она оказалась). While she was walking in this way down Swandam Lane (пока она шла таким образом по Суондем-лейн), she suddenly heard an ejaculation or cry (внезапно она услышала восклицание или крик), and was struck cold to see her husband looking down at her (и похолодела, увидев своего мужа, смотрящего на нее) and, as it seemed to her, beckoning to her from a second-floor window (и, как ей показалось, жестами манящего ее из окна второго этажа). The window was open (окно было открыто), and she distinctly saw his face (и она отчетливо видела его лицо), which she describes as being terribly agitated (которое она описывает как ужасно взволнованное). He waved his hands frantically to her (он неистово махал ей руками), and then vanished from the window so suddenly (и затем исчез из окна так внезапно) that it seemed to her that he had been plucked back by some irresistible force from behind (что ей показалось, будто он был отдернут назад какой-то непреодолимой силой). One singular point which struck her quick feminine eye (одна особая точка = деталь бросилась ее быстрому женскому глазу = привлекла ее взгляд) was that, although he wore some dark coat (что, хотя он носил темное пальто), such as he had started to town in (такое, в котором он отправился в город), he had on neither collar nor necktie (на нем нет ни воротничка, ни галстука).

ejaculation [ɪʤækjuˈleɪʃn], agitated [ˈæʤɪteɪtɪd], frantically [ˈfræntɪklɪ], necktie [ˈnektaɪ]

"It is very clear."

"If you remember, Monday was an exceedingly hot day, and Mrs. St. Clair walked slowly, glancing about in the hope of seeing a cab, as she did not like the neighborhood in which she found herself. While she was walking in this way down Swandam Lane, she suddenly heard an ejaculation or cry, and was struck cold to see her husband looking down at her and, as it seemed to her, beckoning to her from a second-floor window. The window was open, and she distinctly saw his face, which she describes as being terribly agitated. He waved his hands frantically to her, and then vanished from the window so suddenly that it seemed to her that he had been plucked back by some irresistible force from behind. One singular point which struck her quick feminine eye was that, although he wore some dark coat, such as he had started to town in, he had on neither collar nor necktie.

"Convinced that something was amiss with him (уверенная, что с ним что-то неладно), she rushed down the steps (она сбежала вниз по ступенькам) — for the house was none other than the opium den (так как дом был не чем иным, как опиумным притоном) in which you found me tonight (в котором вы нашли меня сегодня вечером) — and running through the front room (пробежав через переднюю комнату) she attempted to ascend the stairs which led to the first floor (она попыталась подняться по ступеням, которые вели на второй этаж). At the foot of the stairs (у лестницы: «основания лестницы), however (однако), she met this Lascar scoundrel (она встретила этого негодяя Ласкара) of whom I have spoken (о котором я говорил), who thrust her back (который толкнул ее обратно = оттолкнул ее) and, aided by a Dane (с помощью датчанина), who acts as assistant there (который действовал в качестве помощника), pushed her out into the street (вытолкал ее на улицу). Filled with the most maddening doubts and fears (наполненная сводящими с ума сомнениями и страхами = обезумев от страха), she rushed down the lane (побежала по улочке) and, by rare good-fortune (по необыкновенной удаче = к счастью), met (встретила) in Fresno Street a number of constables with an inspector (несколько констеблей с инспектором), all on their way to their beat (все на их пути обхода = во время обхода). The inspector and two men accompanied her back (сопроводили ее назад), and in spite of the continued resistance of the proprietor (несмотря на долгое сопротивление владельца), they made their way to the room (они прошли в помещение) in which Mr. St. Clair had last been seen (мистер Сент-Клер был увиден в последний раз). There was no sign of him there (там не было никакого его признака = и следа не было). In fact (более того), in the whole of that floor there was no one to be found (на всем этаже не нашли никого; the whole of — все) save a crippled wretch of hideous aspect (кроме покалеченного бедняги = калеки отвратительной внешности), who, it seems, made his home there (сделал свой дом там = поселился там). Both he and the Lascar stoutly swore (оба: и он, и Ласкар — упорно клялись) that no one else (более никто) had been in the front room during the afternoon (не был в помещении в течение второй половины дня). So determined was their denial (так решительно было их отрицание) that the inspector was staggered (стал сомневаться), and had almost come to believe (и почти начал верить) that Mrs. St. Clair had been deluded (была введена в заблуждение = ошиблась) when, with a cry, she sprang at a small deal box (когда с криком она бросилась к маленькому деревянному ящичку; deal — древесина, доска /обычно хвойная/) which lay upon the table (которая лежала на столе) and tore the lid from it (и сорвала крышку с него; to tear — рвать, срывать). Out there fell a cascade of children's bricks (оттуда выпал каскад = множество детских кубиков). It was the toy which he had promised to bring home (это была игрушка, которую он обещал привезти домой).

convinced [kǝnˈvɪnst], ascend [ǝˈsend], scoundrel [ˈskaundrǝl], constables [ˈkʌnstǝblz]

"Convinced that something was amiss with him, she rushed down the steps — for the house was none other than the opium den in which you found me tonight — and running through the front room she attempted to ascend the stairs which led to the first floor. At the foot of the stairs, however, she met this Lascar scoundrel of whom I have spoken, who thrust her back and, aided by a Dane, who acts as assistant there, pushed her out into the street. Filled with the most maddening doubts and fears, she rushed down the lane and, by rare good-fortune, met in Fresno Street a number of constables with an inspector, all on their way to their beat. The inspector and two men accompanied her back, and in spite of the continued resistance of the proprietor, they made their way to the room in which Mr. St. Clair had last been seen. There was no sign of him there. In fact, in the whole of that floor there was no one to be found save a crippled wretch of hideous aspect, who, it seems, made his home there. Both he and the Lascar stoutly swore that no one else had been in the front room during the afternoon. So determined was their denial that the inspector was staggered, and had almost come to believe that Mrs. St. Clair had been deluded when, with a cry, she sprang at a small deal box which lay upon the table and tore the lid from it. Out there fell a cascade of children's bricks. It was the toy which he had promised to bring home.

"This discovery (находка), and the evident confusion which the cripple showed (и явное смущение, которое показал калека), made the inspector realize (убедили инспектора: «заставили осознать») that the matter was serious (что дело серьезно). The rooms were carefully examined (комнаты были тщательно обысканы), and results all pointed to an abominable crime (и все результаты указывали на гнусное преступление). The front room was plainly furnished as a sitting-room (комната, выходящая окнами на улицу: «передняя комната» была обставлена просто, вроде гостиной) and led into a small bedroom (и вела в небольшую спальню = рядом была небольшая спальня), which looked out upon the back of one of the wharves (окно которой выходит на задворки одной из верфей). Between the wharf and the bedroom window is a narrow strip (между верфью и окном находится узкий канал), which is dry at low tide (который высыхает во время отлива: «сухой при отливе») but is covered at high tide (но покрыт = наполняется водой во время прилива) with at least four and a half feet of water (по крайней мере, на четыре с половиной фута). The bedroom window was a broad one and opened from below (было широким и открывалось снизу). On examination traces of blood were to be seen upon the windowsill (при осмотре были обнаружены следы крови на подоконнике), and several scattered drops were visible upon the wooden floor of the bedroom (и несколько разбросанных = разбрызганных капель /крови/ были видимы = найдены на деревянном полу спальни). Thrust away behind a curtain (за шторой; to thrust away — отодвигать) in the front room were all the clothes (была вся одежда) of Mr. Neville St. Clair, with the exception of his coat (за исключением его пальто). His boots (ботинки), his socks (носки), his hat (шляпа), and his watch (часы) — all were there (все было там). There were no signs of violence (не было следов насилия) upon any of these garments (на всех этих предметах одежды), and there were no other traces of Mr. Neville St. Clair (и не было других следов). Out of the window he must apparently have gone (через окно он, должно быть, ушел) for no other exit could be discovered (так как никакого другого выхода не было найдено), and the ominous bloodstains upon the sill (зловещие кровавые пятна на подоконнике) gave little promise that he could save himself by swimming (почти не оставляли надежды: «давали мало обещания», что он мог спастись с помощью плавания = плаванием), for the tide was at its very highest at the moment of the tragedy (потому что прилив достиг наивысшего уровня в момент трагедии).