Arthur Conan Doyle - Английский язык с Конан Дойлем. Этюд в багровых тонах
genius [ˈʤi:nɪǝs], manoeuvre [mǝˈnu:vǝ], amateur [ˈæmǝtǝ], sarcasm [ˈsɑ:kæz(ǝ)m]
"They say that genius is an infinite capacity for taking pains," he remarked with a smile. "It's a very bad definition, but it does apply to detective work."
Gregson and Lestrade had watched the manoeuvres of their amateur companion with considerable curiosity and some contempt. They evidently failed to appreciate the fact, which I had begun to realize, that Sherlock Holmes' smallest actions were all directed towards some definite and practical end.
"What do you think of it, sir?" they both asked.
"It would be robbing you of the credit of the case if I was to presume to help you," remarked my friend. "You are doing so well now that it would be a pity for anyone to interfere." There was a world of sarcasm in his voice as he spoke. "If you will let me know how your investigations go," he continued, "I shall be happy to give you any help I can. In the meantime I should like to speak to the constable who found the body. Can you give me his name and address?"
Lestrade glanced at his note-book (Лестрейд заглянул в свою записную книжку). "John Rance," he said (Джон Рэнс, — сказал он). "He is off duty now (он сейчас не на дежурстве). You will find him at 46, Audley Court, Kennington Park Gate (вы найдете его по адресу: Кеннингтон-парк-гейт, Одли-корт, 46)."
Holmes took a note of the address (Холмс записал адрес; to take a note — делать заметки, записывать).
"Come along, Doctor," he said (пойдемте, доктор, — сказал он; to come along — сопровождать кого-либо, идти с кем-либо); "we shall go and look him up (мы пойдем и навестим его; to look up — навещать). I'll tell you one thing which may help you in the case (я скажу вам одно, что может помочь вам в этом деле)," he continued, turning to the two detectives (продолжил он, поворачиваясь к следователям). "There has been murder done, and the murderer was a man (совершено убийство, и убийца — мужчина). He was more than six feet high (он более шести футов росту), was in the prime of life (в расцвете сил; in the prime of life — в расцвете сил; prime — расцвет, лучшая пора), had small feet for his height (у него маленькие ноги для его роста), wore coarse, square-toed boots (носит грубые башмаки с квадратными носками; to wear; toe — палец ноги; носок башмака) and smoked a Trichinopoly cigar (и курит трихинопольские сигары). He came here with his victim in a four-wheeled cab (он приехал сюда со своей жертвой в четырехколесном экипаже), which was drawn by a horse with three old shoes and one new one on his off fore leg (запряженном лошадью с тремя старыми подковами и одной новой на правом переднем копыте; to draw — тянуть; off — правый). In all probability the murderer had a florid face (по всей видимости, у убийцы налитое кровью лицо; probability — вероятность; florid — покрасневший, порозовевший; румяный), and the finger-nails of his right hand were remarkably long (а ногти его правой руки очень длинные; remarkably — удивительно; необыкновенно). These are only a few indications (приметы, конечно, немногочисленны; indication —указание; намек; признак), but they may assist you (но они могут вам помочь)."
height [haɪt], coarse [kɔ:s], wheel [wi:l]
Lestrade glanced at his note-book. "John Rance," he said. "He is off duty now. You will find him at 46, Audley Court, Kennington Park Gate."
Holmes took a note of the address.
"Come along, Doctor," he said; "we shall go and look him up. I'll tell you one thing which may help you in the case," he continued, turning to the two detectives. "There has been murder done, and the murderer was a man. He was more than six feet high, was in the prime of life, had small feet for his height, wore coarse, square-toed boots and smoked a Trichinopoly cigar. He came here with his victim in a four-wheeled cab, which was drawn by a horse with three old shoes and one new one on his off fore leg. In all probability the murderer had a florid face, and the finger-nails of his right hand were remarkably long. These are only a few indications, but they may assist you."
Lestrade and Gregson glanced at each other with an incredulous smile (Лестрейд и Грегсон глянули друг на друга с недоверчивыми улыбками).
"If this man was murdered, how was it done?" asked the former (если этот человек убит, как это было сделано? — спросил первый; former — первый из двух).
"Poison," said Sherlock Holmes curtly, and strode off (яд, — лаконично ответил Шерлок Холмс и зашагал прочь; to stride — шагать большими шагами). "One other thing, Lestrade (и еще, Лестрейд)," he added, turning round at the door (добавил он, оборачиваясь у двери): " ‘Rache,’ is the German for ‘revenge;’ so don't lose your time looking for Miss Rachel («Rache» — по-немецки «месть», так что не теряйте времени в поисках мисс Рейчел)."
With which Parthian shot he walked away (выпустив эту парфянскую стрелу, он вышел: «ушел прочь»; Parthian shot — парфянская стрела, враждебная фраза или жест, приберегаемые на конец разговора), leaving the two rivals open-mouthed behind him (оставив двух соперников стоять с открытыми ртами).
incredulous [ɪnˈkredjulǝs], revenge [rɪˈvenʤ], rival [ˈraɪv(ǝ)l]
Lestrade and Gregson glanced at each other with an incredulous smile.
"If this man was murdered, how was it done?" asked the former.
"Poison," said Sherlock Holmes curtly, and strode off. "One other thing, Lestrade," he added, turning round at the door: " ‘Rache,’ is the German for ‘revenge;’ so don't lose your time looking for Miss Rachel."
With which Parthian shot he walked away, leaving the two rivals open-mouthed behind him.
Chapter IV. What John Rance Had To Tell
(Что рассказал Джон Рэнс)
IT was one o'clock when we left No. 3, Lauriston Gardens (был час дня, когда мы вышли из дома № 3 по Лористон-гарденз; to leave — оставить, покинуть). Sherlock Holmes led me to the nearest telegraph office (Шерлок Холмс направился: «повел меня» к ближайшему телеграфу; to lead — вести, быть проводником), whence he dispatched a long telegram (откуда он отправил длинную телеграмму). He then hailed a cab (затем он подозвал кеб; to hail — звать, окликать), and ordered the driver to take us to the address given us by Lestrade (и сказал кебмену отвезти нас по адресу, данному нам Лестрейдом; to order — приказывать; to take — доставлять).
"There is nothing like first hand evidence," he remarked (нет ничего лучше свидетельства очевидца, — заметил он; first hand evidence — доказательство из первых рук); "as a matter of fact, my mind is entirely made up upon the case (собственно говоря, я уже пришел к окончательным выводам по поводу этого дела; entirely — вполне, полностью, совершенно; to make up one's mind — принять решение: «составить свой ум»), but still we may as well learn all that is to be learned (но все же мы можем с тем же успехом узнать все, что можно узнать)."
"You amaze me, Holmes (вы удивляете меня, Холмс)," said I. "Surely you are not as sure as you pretend to be of all those particulars which you gave (конечно, вы не настолько уверены, как вы притворяетесь, относительно всех тех деталей, что вы привели: «дали»)."
whence [wens], dispatch [dɪˈspæʧ], hail [heɪl]
It was one o'clock when we left No. 3, Lauriston Gardens. Sherlock Holmes led me to the nearest telegraph office, whence he dispatched a long telegram. He then hailed a cab, and ordered the driver to take us to the address given us by Lestrade.
"There is nothing like first hand evidence," he remarked; "as a matter of fact, my mind is entirely made up upon the case, but still we may as well learn all that is to be learned."
"You amaze me, Holmes," said I. "Surely you are not as sure as you pretend to be of all those particulars which you gave."
"There's no room for a mistake (ошибаться тут не в чем: «тут нет места для ошибки»; room — пространство)," he answered. "The very first thing which I observed on arriving there (самое первое, что я заметил, прибыв туда) was that a cab had made two ruts with its wheels close to the curb (это что какой-то кеб оставил две колеи около бордюра: «сделал две колеи своими колесами близко к бордюру»; curb — бордюрный камень мостовой; край тротуара). Now, up to last night, we have had no rain for a week (теперь вспомним, что до прошлой ночи: «теперь, до прошлой ночи…» дождя не было целую неделю), so that those wheels which left such a deep impression must have been there during the night (так что те колеса, что оставили такой глубокий след, должны были проехать здесь ночью). There were the marks of the horse's hoofs, too (также там были отпечатки копыт лошади), the outline of one of which was far more clearly cut than that of the other three (и контур одного из них был очерчен гораздо более отчетливо, чем трех остальных; clear — четкий, отчетливый), showing that that was a new shoe (что говорит о том: «показывая», что подкова была новой). Since the cab was there after the rain began (так как кеб был там после того, как начался дождь), and was not there at any time during the morning (а утром там его уже не было: «и не был там в любое время в течение утра»)— I have Gregson's word for that (об этом нам сказал Грегсон: «у меня есть слово Грегсона для этого»)— it follows that it must have been there during the night (следовательно, он должен был побывать там ночью), and, therefore, that it brought those two individuals to the house (и, следовательно, это он привез тех двух к дому)."