Arthur Conan Doyle - Английский язык с Конан Дойлем. Этюд в багровых тонах
authority [ɔ:ˈƟɔrɪtɪ], arch [ɑ:ʧ], wealth [welƟ], suspense [sǝˈspens]
It was, indeed, high time that someone capable of giving advice and help should come to the aid of the sturdy old farmer and his adopted daughter. In the whole history of the settlement there had never been such a case of rank disobedience to the authority of the Elders. If minor errors were punished so sternly, what would be the fate of this arch rebel. Ferrier knew that his wealth and position would be of no avail to him. Others as well known and as rich as himself had been spirited away before now, and their goods given over to the Church. He was a brave man, but he trembled at the vague, shadowy terrors which hung over him. Any known danger he could face with a firm lip, but this suspense was unnerving. He concealed his fears from his daughter, however, and affected to make light of the whole matter, though she, with the keen eye of love, saw plainly that he was ill at ease.
He expected that he would receive some message or remonstrance from Young as to his conduct (он ожидал, что он получит какое-то сообщение или предупреждение от Янга касательно его поведения; remonstrance — выражение протеста), and he was not mistaken, though it came in an unlooked-for manner (и он не ошибся, хотя оно пришло в такой форме, какой он не ожидал; to look for — ожидать). Upon rising next morning he found, to his surprise, a small square of paper (поднявшись на следующее утро, он, к своему удивлению, обнаружил небольшой бумажный квадратик) pinned on to the coverlet of his bed just over his chest (приколотый к одеялу на его кровати, как раз напротив его груди; coverlet — покрывало; одеяло). On it was printed, in bold straggling letters (на нем большими печатными буквами было неровно выведено; to print — печатать; писать печатными буквами; to straggle — быть беспорядочно разбросанным):—
"Twenty-nine days are given you for amendment, and then (двадцать девять дней даны на то, чтобы ты исправился, а затем; amendment — исправление)——"
The dash was more fear-inspiring than any threat could have been (многоточие после этих слов было страшнее любой угрозы: «было более вселяющим страх, чем любая угроза»; dash — тире[19]; to inspire — внушать, вселять). How this warning came into his room puzzled John Ferrier sorely (как это предупреждение попало в комнату, немало озадачило Джона Феррьера; sorely — чрезвычайно, крайне, очень), for his servants slept in an outhouse (так как его слуги спали в надворной постройке; outhouse — надворная постройка), and the doors and windows had all been secured (а двери и окна были заперты). He crumpled the paper up and said nothing to his daughter (он скомкал бумагу и ничего не сказал своей дочери), but the incident struck a chill into his heart (но этот случай камнем лег ему на сердце; to strike — ударять; вселять; chill — холод, холодная погода; озноб; гнетущее, давящее чувство). The twenty-nine days were evidently the balance of the month which Young had promised (очевидно, двадцать девять дней были остатком месяца, обещанного Янгом). What strength or courage could avail against an enemy armed with such mysterious powers (сколько же силы и мужества надо, чтобы выстоять: «какие сила или мужество могли бы помочь» против врага, на стороне которого такие мистические способности: «вооруженного такими…»; to avail — помогать, быть полезным)? The hand which fastened that pin might have struck him to the heart (рука, которая прикрепила бумажку, могла бы пронзить ему сердце; to strike — наносить удар), and he could never have known who had slain him (а он и не узнал бы, кто его убил; to slay — убивать, лишать жизни).
square [skweǝ], warn [wɔ:n], sorely [ˈsɔ:lɪ], secure [sɪˈkjuǝ]
He expected that he would receive some message or remonstrance from Young as to his conduct, and he was not mistaken, though it came in an unlooked-for manner. Upon rising next morning he found, to his surprise, a small square of paper pinned on to the coverlet of his bed just over his chest. On it was printed, in bold straggling letters:—
"Twenty-nine days are given you for amendment, and then ——"
The dash was more fear-inspiring than any threat could have been. How this warning came into his room puzzled John Ferrier sorely, for his servants slept in an outhouse, and the doors and windows had all been secured. He crumpled the paper up and said nothing to his daughter, but the incident struck a chill into his heart. The twenty-nine days were evidently the balance of the month which Young had promised. What strength or courage could avail against an enemy armed with such mysterious powers? The hand which fastened that pin might have struck him to the heart, and he could never have known who had slain him.
Still more shaken was he next morning (еще больше был он потрясен на следующее утро). They had sat down to their breakfast when Lucy with a cry of surprise pointed upwards (они сели завтракать, когда Люси, удивленно вскрикнув, указала вверх). In the centre of the ceiling was scrawled (посередине потолка было коряво написано), with a burned stick apparently, the number 28 (по-видимому, концом обгорелой палки: «обгорелой палкой», число 28). To his daughter it was unintelligible (для его дочери надпись смысла не имела: «это было непонятно»), and he did not enlighten her (а он не стал объяснять ей, что она значила: «и он не просветил ее»). That night he sat up with his gun and kept watch and ward (этой ночью он просидел со своим ружьем на страже; to sit up — не ложиться спать; бодрствовать; watch — дозор, стража, караул; ward — охрана, караул; watch and ward — ночной и дневной караул; неусыпная бдительность; to keep watch and ward — бдительно охранять). He saw and he heard nothing (он ничего не видел и не слышал), and yet in the morning a great 27 had been painted upon the outside of his door (и все же наутро большое число 27 было нарисовано снаружи на его двери; to paint — рисовать, писать красками).
Thus day followed day (и так день сменял ночь); and as sure as morning came (и столь же неумолимо: «так же верно», как наступает утро) he found that his unseen enemies had kept their register (он обнаруживал, что его невидимые враги вели свой счет; register — журнал; учетная книга; to keep a register — вести журнал), and had marked up in some conspicuous position (и метили в каком-нибудь видном месте) how many days were still left to him out of the month of grace (сколько дней еще оставалось ему от месячной отсрочки; grace — отсрочка, передышка). Sometimes the fatal numbers appeared upon the walls (иногда роковые числа появлялись на стенах), sometimes upon the floors (иногда на полу), occasionally they were on small placards stuck upon the garden gate or the railings (иногда на небольших табличках, прикрепленных к садовой калитке или ограде; to stick — натыкать, насаживать). With all his vigilance John Ferrier could not discover whence these daily warnings proceeded (несмотря на всю свою бдительность, Джон Феррьер не мог обнаружить, откуда появлялись эти ежедневные предупреждения; vigilance — бдительность; to proceed — происходить; исходить). A horror which was almost superstitious came upon him at the sight of them (почти суеверный ужас обуревал его: «находил на него» при их виде). He became haggard and restless (он осунулся и потерял покой: «он стал изможденным и беспокойным»; haggard — изможденный; осунувшийся; restless — неспокойный; тревожный), and his eyes had the troubled look of some hunted creature (а его глаза стали походить на глаза: «имели беспокойное выражение какого-то» загнанного зверя). He had but one hope in life now (у него осталась только одна надежда), and that was for the arrival of the young hunter from Nevada (а именно — что вернется из Невады молодой охотник: «и это было на прибытие из …»).
centre [ˈsentǝ], ceiling [ˈsi:lɪŋ], ward [wɔ:d], creature [ˈkri:ʧǝ]
Still more shaken was he next morning. They had sat down to their breakfast when Lucy with a cry of surprise pointed upwards. In the centre of the ceiling was scrawled, with a burned stick apparently, the number 28. To his daughter it was unintelligible, and he did not enlighten her. That night he sat up with his gun and kept watch and ward. He saw and he heard nothing, and yet in the morning a great 27 had been painted upon the outside of his door.
