Arthur Conan Doyle - Английский язык с Конан Дойлем. Этюд в багровых тонах (ASCII-IPA)
square [[email protected]], warn [wO:n], sorely ['sO:lI], secure [sI'[email protected]]
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 ['[email protected]], ceiling ['si:lIN], ward [wO:d], creature ['kri:[email protected]]
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.
Thus day followed day; and as sure as morning came he found that his unseen enemies had kept their register, and had marked up in some conspicuous position how many days were still left to him out of the month of grace. Sometimes the fatal numbers appeared upon the walls, sometimes upon the floors, occasionally they were on small placards stuck upon the garden gate or the railings. With all his vigilance John Ferrier could not discover whence these daily warnings proceeded. A horror which was almost superstitious came upon him at the sight of them. He became haggard and restless, and his eyes had the troubled look of some hunted creature. He had but one hope in life now, and that was for the arrival of the young hunter from Nevada.
Twenty had changed to fifteen and fifteen to ten (двадцать превратилось в пятнадцать, а пятнадцать — в десять), but there was no news of the absentee (но об отсутствующем не было никаких известий; absent — прилаг., отсутствующий; absentee — сущ., отсутствующий). One by one the numbers dwindled down (по одному числа убывали), and still there came no sign of him (и по-прежнему его не было: «никаких признаков его»). Whenever a horseman clattered down the road (каждый раз, когда на дороге раздавался стук копыт; horseman — всадник; to clatter — цокать), or a driver shouted at his team (или кучер кричал на свою упряжку), the old farmer hurried to the gate thinking that help had arrived at last (старый фермер спешил к калитке, думая, что наконец-то подоспела: «прибыла» помощь). At last, when he saw five give way to four and that again to three (наконец, когда он увидел, как «4» сменила «5» и уступила место «3»; to give way — уступать), he lost heart, and abandoned all hope of escape (он совсем отчаялся и потерял всякую надежду на спасение; to lose heart — падать духом; отчаиваться; to abandon — покидать, оставлять; отказываться; escape — избавление, спасение). Single-handed, and with his limited knowledge of the mountains which surrounded the settlement (в одиночку, не зная толком гор: «с его ограниченным знанием гор», окружавших поселение), he knew that he was powerless (он знал, что был бессилен). The more-frequented roads were strictly watched and guarded (основные дороги тщательно контролировались и охранялись; to frequent — часто посещать; to watch — наблюдать; караулить), and none could pass along them without an order from the Council (и никто не мог проехать по ним без разрешения/пропуска Совета; order — приказ; ордер; разрешение; пропуск). Turn which way he would (куда бы он ни кинулся: «ни повернулся»), there appeared to be no avoiding the blow which hung over him (казалось, невозможно было избежать нависшей над ним угрозы; blow — удар; to avoid — избегать, уклоняться). Yet the old man never wavered in his resolution to part with life itself (и все же старик ни разу не усомнился в своем решении скорее расстаться с жизнью: «с самой жизнью»; to waver — колебаться; дрогнуть) before he consented to what he regarded as his daughter's dishonour (чем согласиться на то, что он считал бесчестьем для своей дочери).
He was sitting alone one evening pondering deeply over his troubles (однажды вечером он сидел один, глубоко задумавшись над своими бедами), and searching vainly for some way out of them (и тщетно пытаясь найти какой-нибудь выход). That morning had shown the figure 2 upon the wall of his house (этим утром на стене дома появилась цифра 2: «то утро показало цифру 2 на стене его дома»), and the next day would be the last of the allotted time (и следующий день будет последним из отпущенного срока; to allot — предоставлять, выделять; предназначать: allot credits — предоставлять кредиты). What was to happen then (и что произойдет: «что должно было случиться» потом)? All manner of vague and terrible fancies filled his imagination (в его воображении теснились всякие смутные ужасы: «всякого рода смутные и ужасные фантазии заполнили его воображение»; all manner of — всякого рода; fancy — фантазия; мысленный образ). And his daughter — what was to become of her after he was gone (а его дочь — что будет с ней, когда его не станет)? Was there no escape from the invisible network which was drawn all round them (неужели не было выхода из невидимой паутины, затянутой вокруг них)? He sank his head upon the table and sobbed at the thought of his own impotence (он уронил голову на стол и зарыдал при мысли о своем бессилии; to sink — опускать, ронять; to sob — рыдать; всхлипывать).
absentee [,&bs(@)n'ti:], frequent [fri:'kwent], impotence ['[email protected]@ns]
Twenty had changed to fifteen and fifteen to ten, but there was no news of the absentee. One by one the numbers dwindled down, and still there came no sign of him. Whenever a horseman clattered down the road, or a driver shouted at his team, the old farmer hurried to the gate thinking that help had arrived at last. At last, when he saw five give way to four and that again to three, he lost heart, and abandoned all hope of escape. Single-handed, and with his limited knowledge of the mountains which surrounded the settlement, he knew that he was powerless. The more-frequented roads were strictly watched and guarded, and none could pass along them without an order from the Council. Turn which way he would, there appeared to be no avoiding the blow which hung over him. Yet the old man never wavered in his resolution to part with life itself before he consented to what he regarded as his daughter's dishonour.
He was sitting alone one evening pondering deeply over his troubles, and searching vainly for some way out of them. That morning had shown the figure 2 upon the wall of his house, and the next day would be the last of the allotted time. What was to happen then? All manner of vague and terrible fancies filled his imagination. And his daughter — what was to become of her after he was gone? Was there no escape from the invisible network which was drawn all round them? He sank his head upon the table and sobbed at the thought of his own impotence.
What was that (но что это)? In the silence he heard a gentle scratching sound (в тишине он услышал легкий скребущий звук; gentle — тихий, слабый)— low, but very distinct in the quiet of the night (тихий, но явственно различимый в тишине ночи). It came from the door of the house (он доносился от дверей дома). Ferrier crept into the hall and listened intently (Феррьер осторожно пробрался в холл и внимательно прислушался; to creep — ползти, медленно продвигаться; красться). There was a pause for a few moments (на несколько мгновений все стихло), and then the low insidious sound was repeated (а затем тихий вкрадчивый звук повторился; insidious — коварный; действующий тайно). Someone was evidently tapping very gently upon one of the panels of the door (по-видимому, кто-то совсем тихонько стучал по филенке двери). Was it some midnight assassin who had come to carry out the murderous orders of the secret tribunal (может, это ночной убийца, пришедший привести в исполнение приговор секретного трибунала; midnight — полуночный, полночный; murderous — смертоносный; смертельный; order — приказ)? Or was it some agent who was marking up that the last day of grace had arrived (или агент невидимой силы, отмечавший, что наступил последний день срока)? John Ferrier felt that instant death would be better (Джон Феррьер почувствовал, что моментальная смерть будет лучше) than the suspense which shook his nerves and chilled his heart (чем эта неизвестность, которая заставляла трепетать нервы и холодом сковывала сердце). Springing forward he drew the bolt and threw the door open (бросившись вперед, он отодвинул задвижку и распахнул дверь).
