Arthur Conan Doyle - Английский язык с Шерлоком Холмсом. Знак четырех
merchant [ˈmǝ:tʃ(ǝ)nt], companion [kǝmˈpænjǝn], sacred [ˈseɪkrɪd]
"'This pretended merchant, who travels under the name of Achmet, is now in the city of Agra, and desires to gain his way into the fort. He has with him as travelling-companion my foster-brother Dost Akbar, who knows his secret. Dost Akbar has promised this night to lead him to a side-postern of the fort, and has chosen this one for his purpose. Here he will come presently, and here he will find Mahomet Singh and myself awaiting him. The place is lonely, and none shall know of his coming. The world shall know of the merchant Achmet no more, but the great treasure of the rajah shall be divided among us. What say you to it, Sahib?'
"In Worcestershire the life of a man seems a great and a sacred thing; but it is very different when there is fire and blood all round you and you have been used to meeting death at every turn. Whether Achmet the merchant lived or died was a thing as light as air to me, but at the talk about the treasure my heart turned to it, and I thought of what I might do in the old country with it, and how my folk would stare when they saw their ne'er-do-weel coming back with his pockets full of gold moidores. I had, therefore, already made up my mind. Abdullah Khan, however, thinking that I hesitated, pressed the matter more closely.
"'Consider, Sahib,' said he, 'that if this man is taken by the commandant (подумай, сахиб, — сказал он, — что если этот человек будет схвачен комендантом) he will be hung or shot, and his jewels taken by the government (его повесят или расстреляют, а его драгоценности достанутся правительству), so that no man will be a rupee the better for them (так что никто от этого ни рупии не выгадает). Now, since we do the taking of him, why should we not do the rest as well (а раз уж мы сами его захватим, почему бы нам и все остальное самим не сделать)? The jewels will be as well with us as in the Company's coffers (драгоценностям будет столь же хорошо у нас, как и в сундуках Компании). There will be enough to make every one of us rich men and great chiefs (там будет достаточно, чтобы сделать каждого из нас богачом и важным человеком; chief — правитель; руководитель; начальник). No one can know about the matter, for here we are cut off from all men (никто не сможет об этом узнать, так как мы здесь от всех изолированы; to cut off — отрубить, отсечь; изолировать). What could be better for the purpose (условия идеальные: «что может быть лучше для этой цели»)? Say again, then, Sahib, whether you are with us (а теперь, сахиб, с нами ты), or if we must look upon you as an enemy (или нам смотреть на тебя как на врага).'
"'I am with you heart and soul,' said I (я с вами сердцем и душой, — сказал я).
"'It is well,' he answered, handing me back my firelock (хорошо, — ответил он, возвращая мне мушкет; to hand — давать, вручать). 'You see that we trust you, for your word, like ours, is not to be broken (как видишь, мы тебе доверяем, так как твое слово — как и наше — нерушимо: «не может быть сломано»). We have now only to wait for my brother and the merchant (нам теперь только остается дождаться моего брата и купца).'
"'Does your brother know, then, of what you will do?' I asked (а твой брат знает, что вы собираетесь сделать).
"'The plan is his (это его план). He has devised it (он его придумал; to devise — разрабатывать, продумывать; выдумывать). We will go to the gate and share the watch with Mahomet Singh (пойдем к воротам, будем ждать вместе с Мохаммедом Сингхом; to share — делить; разделять; watch — пристальное наблюдение; дозор, караул).'
commandant [ˈkɔmǝndænt], devise [dɪˈvaɪz]
"'Consider, Sahib,' said he, 'that if this man is taken by the commandant he will be hung or shot, and his jewels taken by the government, so that no man will be a rupee the better for them. Now, since we do the taking of him, why should we not do the rest as well? The jewels will be as well with us as in the Company's coffers. There will be enough to make every one of us rich men and great chiefs. No one can know about the matter, for here we are cut off from all men. What could be better for the purpose? Say again, then, Sahib, whether you are with us, or if we must look upon you as an enemy.'
"'I am with you heart and soul,' said I.
"'It is well,' he answered, handing me back my firelock. 'You see that we trust you, for your word, like ours, is not to be broken. We have now only to wait for my brother and the merchant.'
"'Does your brother know, then, of what you will do?' I asked.
"'The plan is his. He has devised it. We will go to the gate and share the watch with Mahomet Singh.'
"The rain was still falling steadily, for it was just the beginning of the wet season (по-прежнему шел дождь, так как сезон дождей только начинался; steadily — монотонно; неизменно; steady — устойчивый; wet — мокрый, влажный; дождливый). Brown, heavy clouds were drifting across the sky (по небу ползли темные, тяжелые тучи; brown — коричневый; бурый; хмурый; to drift — относить, гнать ветром, течением; смещаться, сдвигаться по ветру, по течению, дрейфовать), and it was hard to see more than a stone-cast (и трудно было различить что-либо на расстоянии, превышающем дистанцию броска камнем; cast — бросок). A deep moat lay in front of our door (перед нашей дверью был глубокий ров), but the water was in places nearly dried up, and it could easily be crossed (но вода местами почти пересохла, и его легко было пересечь). It was strange to me to be standing there with those two wild Punjaubees waiting for the man who was coming to his death (странно мне было стоять там с этими двумя дикими пенджабцами, поджидая человека, спешащего навстречу своей смерти).
"Suddenly my eye caught the glint of a shaded lantern at the other side of the moat (внезапно я увидел мерцающий свет затененного фонаря на другой стороне рва; to catch — ловить, поймать; glint — вспышка, сверкание; мерцающий свет; to shade — заслонять от света; затенять; скрывать, прятать). It vanished among the mound-heaps (он исчез за насыпями земли; mound — насыпь; холм; heap — груда, куча; отвал), and then appeared again coming slowly in our direction (затем снова появился, медленно приближаясь к нам).
"'Here they are!' I exclaimed (вот они! — воскликнул я).
"'You will challenge him, Sahib, as usual,' whispered Abdullah (окликните его, сахиб, как обычно, — шепнул Абдулла; to challenge — спрашивать пароль, пропуск). 'Give him no cause for fear (не дайте ему ничего заподозрить: «не давайте ему повода бояться»). Send us in with him, and we shall do the rest while you stay here on guard (пошлите нас с ним в крепость, и мы все сделаем, пока вы несете тут караул). Have the lantern ready to uncover (приготовьтесь посветить фонарем; to uncover — снимать крышку; открывать), that we may be sure that it is indeed the man (чтобы мы были уверены, что это именно он).'
steadily [ˈstedɪlɪ], lantern [ˈlæntǝn], guard [ɡɑ:d]
"The rain was still falling steadily, for it was just the beginning of the wet season. Brown, heavy clouds were drifting across the sky, and it was hard to see more than a stone-cast. A deep moat lay in front of our door, but the water was in places nearly dried up, and it could easily be crossed. It was strange to me to be standing there with those two wild Punjaubees waiting for the man who was coming to his death.
"Suddenly my eye caught the glint of a shaded lantern at the other side of the moat. It vanished among the mound-heaps, and then appeared again coming slowly in our direction.
"'Here they are!' I exclaimed.
"'You will challenge him, Sahib, as usual,' whispered Abdullah. 'Give him no cause for fear. Send us in with him, and we shall do the rest while you stay here on guard. Have the lantern ready to uncover, that we may be sure that it is indeed the man.'
"The light had flickered onwards, now stopping and now advancing (свет мерцал все ближе, то останавливаясь, то опять приближаясь; to flicker — мерцать; мигать; мелькнуть; onwards = onward — вперед; далее; to advance — двигать вперед; продвигаться вперед), until I could see two dark figures upon the other side of the moat (пока я не стал различать две темные фигуры на другой стороне рва). I let them scramble down the sloping bank (я позволил им сползти вниз по пологой стенке рва; to scramble — пробираться; протискиваться с трудом; карабкаться, взбираться; to slope — клониться; иметь наклон; bank — вал, насыпь), splash through the mire (с плеском пробраться по дну; to splash — брызгать/ся/, плескать/ся/; mire — трясина, болото; грязь, слякоть), and climb half-way up to the gate (и проползти полпути до ворот), before I challenged them (прежде чем я их окликнул).
