Arthur Conan Doyle - Английский язык с Шерлоком Холмсом. Первый сборник рассказов
thieves [Ɵi:vz], seized [si:zd], waddling [ˈwɔdlɪŋ]
"I had a friend once called Maudsley, who went to the bad, and has just been serving his time in Pentonville. One day he had met me, and fell into talk about the ways of thieves, and how they could get rid of what they stole. I knew that he would be true to me, for I knew one or two things about him; so I made up my mind to go right on to Kilburn, where he lived, and take him into my confidence. He would show me how to turn the stone into money. But how to get to him in safety? I thought of the agonies I had gone through in coming from the hotel. I might at any moment be seized and searched, and there would be the stone in my waistcoat pocket. I was leaning against the wall at the time and looking at the geese which were waddling about round my feet, and suddenly an idea came into my head which showed me how I could beat the best detective that ever lived.
"My sister had told me some weeks before (сказала мне несколькими неделями ранее) that I might have the pick of her geese (могу получить отборнейшего из ее гусей; to pick — снимать плоды; выискивать, отбирать) for a Christmas present (в качестве рождественского подарка), and I knew that she was always as good as her word (что она всегда держит слово: «так же хороша, как ее слово»). I would take my goose now, and in it I would carry (перенести) my stone to Kilburn. There was a little shed (небольшой сарай) in the yard, and behind this (за него) I drove one of the birds (загнал одну из птиц) — a fine big one, white, with a barred tail (с полосатым хвостом). I caught it (поймал его), and prying its bill open (открыл клюв), I thrust the stone down its throat (засунул камень в глотку) as far as my finger could reach (так далеко, как мог достичь мой палец). The bird gave a gulp (птица сделала большой глоток), and I felt the stone pass along its gullet (почувствовал /как/ камень проходит вдоль пищевода) and down into its crop (в зоб). But the creature flapped and struggled (создание хлопало крыльями и отбивалась), and out came my sister (вышла сестра) to know what was the matter (узнать, в чем дело). As I turned to speak to her (начал говорить с ней) the brute broke loose (животное вырвалось) and fluttered off among the others (и смешалось среди = с остальными; to flutter — перепархивать, махать).
gulp [ɡʌlp], gullet [ˈɡʌlɪt], creature [ˈkri:tʃǝ], brute [bru:t]
"My sister had told me some weeks before that I might have the pick of her geese for a Christmas present, and I knew that she was always as good as her word. I would take my goose now, and in it I would carry my stone to Kilburn. There was a little shed in the yard, and behind this I drove one of the birds — a fine big one, white, with a barred tail. I caught it, and prying its bill open, I thrust the stone down its throat as far as my finger could reach. The bird gave a gulp, and I felt the stone pass along its gullet and down into its crop. But the creature flapped and struggled, and out came my sister to know what was the matter. As I turned to speak to her the brute broke loose and fluttered off among the others.
"'Whatever were you doing with that bird (что ты делал с той птицей; whatever = все что, что бы ни), Jem?' says she.
"'Well,' said I, 'you said you'd give me one for Christmas, and I was feeling (ощупывал) which was the fattest (самый жирный).'
"'Oh,' says she, 'we've set yours aside for you (мы выбрали твоего /гуся/ отдельно для тебя). Jem's bird, we call it (птица Джема, /как/ мы ее называем). It's the big white one over yonder (вон там). There's twenty-six of them (всего двадцать шесть их = гусей), which makes (что предполагает) one for you, and one for us, and two dozen (две дюжины) for the market.'
yonder [ˈjɔndǝ], dozen [dʌzn]
"'Whatever were you doing with that bird, Jem?' says she.
"'Well,' said I, 'you said you'd give me one for Christmas, and I was feeling which was the fattest.'
"'Oh,' says she, 'we've set yours aside for you — Jem's bird, we call it. It's the big white one over yonder. There's twenty-six of them, which makes one for you, and one for us, and two dozen for the market.'
"'Thank you, Maggie,' says I; 'but if it is all the same to you (если это все равно для тебя), I'd rather have (я бы взял) that one I was handling (того, которого держал в руках) just now (как раз сейчас).'
"'The other is a good three pound heavier (другой /на/ хороших три фунта тяжелее),' said she, 'and we fattened it expressly for you (мы откормили его специально для тебя).'
"'Never mind (пустяки: «не обращай внимания»). I'll have the other, and I'll take it now (возьму его сейчас),' said I.
"'Oh, just as you like (твое дело: «просто как ты хочешь»),' said she, a little huffed (слегка обиженно). 'Which is it you want, then?'
"'That white one with the barred tail, right in the middle of the flock (прямо в середине стаи).'
"'Thank you, Maggie,' says I; 'but if it is all the same to you, I'd rather have that one I was handling just now.'
"'The other is a good three pound heavier,' said she, 'and we fattened it expressly for you.'
"'Never mind. I'll have the other, and I'll take it now,' said I.
"'Oh, just as you like,' said she, a little huffed. 'Which is it you want, then?'
"'That white one with the barred tail, right in the middle of the flock.'
"'Oh, very well (очень хорошо). Kill it and take it with you (убей его и бери с собой).'
"Well, I did what she said (сделал, что она сказала), Mr. Holmes, and I carried the bird all the way (нес птицу всю дорогу) to Kilburn. I told my pal (сказал моему приятелю) what I had done (что я сделал), for he was a man that it was easy (котому было легко) to tell a thing like that to (рассказать вещь вроде этой). He laughed until he choked (смеялся, пока не подавился = до упаду), and we got a knife (взяли нож) and opened the goose (открыли = разрезали гуся). My heart turned to water (мое сердце превратилось в воду), for there was no sign of the stone (не было признака камня), and I knew that some terrible mistake had occurred (какая-то ужасная ошибка произошла). I left the bird (оставил птицу), rushed back (бросился обратно) to my sister's, and hurried into the back yard (поспешил на задний двор). There was not a bird to be seen there (там не было ни единой птицы).
pal [pæl], choked [tʃǝukt], knife [naɪf], mistake [mɪˈsteɪk]
"'Oh, very well. Kill it and take it with you.'
"Well, I did what she said, Mr. Holmes, and I carried the bird all the way to Kilburn. I told my pal what I had done, for he was a man that it was easy to tell a thing like that to. He laughed until he choked, and we got a knife and opened the goose. My heart turned to water, for there was no sign of the stone, and I knew that some terrible mistake had occurred. I left the bird, rushed back to my sister's, and hurried into the back yard. There was not a bird to be seen there.
"'Where are they all (где они все), Maggie?' I cried.
"'Gone to the dealer's (отправлены торговцу), Jem.'
"'Which dealer's (какому именно: «которому»)?'
"'Breckinridge, of Covent Garden.'
"'But was there another with a barred tail (но был ли там другой /гусь/ с полосатым хвостом)?' I asked, 'the same as the one I chose (такой же, как тот, /которого/ я выбрал)?'
"'Yes, Jem; there were two barred-tailed ones, and I could never tell them apart (я никогда не могла различить их; apart — в стороне; врозь).'
"'Where are they all, Maggie?' I cried.
"'Gone to the dealer's, Jem.'
"'Which dealer's?'
"'Breckinridge, of Covent Garden.'
"'But was there another with a barred tail?' I asked, 'the same as the one I chose?'
"'Yes, Jem; there were two barred-tailed ones, and I could never tell them apart.'
"Well, then, of course, I saw it all (понял все), and I ran off (помчался) as hard as my feet would carry me (так сильно, как мои ноги несли бы меня = со всех ног) to this man Breckinridge; but he had sold the lot at once (продал все сразу), and not one word would he tell me (ни одного слова не сказал /бы/ мне) as to where they had gone (о том, куда они ушли = кому). You heard him yourselves tonight (вы слышали его сами сегодня вечером). Well, he has always answered me like that (но он всегда отвечал мне таким образом). My sister thinks that I am going mad (я схожу с ума). Sometimes (иногда) I think that I am myself (я и сам думаю, что я сумасшедший). And now — and now I am myself a branded thief (презренный: «клейменный» вор), without ever having touched the wealth (и даже никогда не касался богатства) for which I sold my character (ради которого продал свою репутацию). God help me (да поможет мне Господь)! God help me!" He burst into convulsive sobbing (разразился судорожным рыданием), with his face buried in his hands (с лицом, зарытым/скрытым в руки = закрытым руками).
