Arthur Conan Doyle - Английский язык с Шерлоком Холмсом. Знак четырех

composure [kǝmˈpǝuʒǝ], feather [ˈfeƟǝ], amiable [ˈeɪmɪǝbl], quiver [ˈkwɪvǝ]

MISS MORSTAN entered the room with a firm step and an outward composure of manner. She was a blonde young lady, small, dainty, well gloved, and dressed in the most perfect taste. There was, however, a plainness and simplicity about her costume which bore with it a suggestion of limited means. The dress was a sombre grayish beige, untrimmed and unbraided, and she wore a small turban of the same dull hue, relieved only by a suspicion of white feather in the side. Her face had neither regularity of feature nor beauty of complexion, but her expression was sweet and amiable, and her large blue eyes were singularly spiritual and sympathetic. In an experience of women which extends over many nations and three separate continents, I have never looked upon a face which gave a clearer promise of a refined and sensitive nature. I could not but observe that as she took the seat which Sherlock Holmes placed for her, her lip trembled, her hand quivered, and she showed every sign of intense inward agitation.

"I have come to you, Mr. Holmes," she said (я пришла к вам, мистер Холмс, — она сказала), "because you once enabled my employer, Mrs. Cecil Forrester, to unravel a little domestic complication (потому что вы однажды помогли моему работодателю, миссис Сесиль Форрестер, распутать небольшую семейную неурядицу; complication — сложность, осложнение). She was much impressed by your kindness and skill (ее очень впечатлили ваши доброта и мастерство)."

"Mrs. Cecil Forrester," he repeated, thoughtfully (миссис Сесиль Форрестер, — повторил он задумчиво). "I believe that I was of some slight service to her (я полагаю, что немного помог ей; slight — стройный; легкий, небольшой; service — служба, работа; помощь, услуга). The case, however, as I remember it, was a very simple one (случай, однако, насколько я помню, был очень простой)."

"She did not think so (она так не думала). But at least you cannot say the same of mine (но, по крайней мере, вы не можете так сказать о моем /случае/). I can hardly imagine anything more strange (вряд ли я могу представить что-нибудь более странное), more utterly inexplicable (более необъяснимое; utterly — весьма, крайне, чрезвычайно), than the situation in which I find myself (чем ситуация, в которой я оказалась)."

employer [ɪmˈplɔɪǝ], unravel [ʌnˈrævǝl]

"I have come to you, Mr. Holmes," she said, "because you once enabled my employer, Mrs. Cecil Forrester, to unravel a little domestic complication. She was much impressed by your kindness and skill."

"Mrs. Cecil Forrester," he repeated, thoughtfully. "I believe that I was of some slight service to her. The case, however, as I remember it, was a very simple one."

"She did not think so. But at least you cannot say the same of mine. I can hardly imagine anything more strange, more utterly inexplicable, than the situation in which I find myself."

Holmes rubbed his hands, and his eyes glistened (Холмс потер руки, а его глаза заблестели). He leaned forward in his chair with an expression of extraordinary concentration upon his clear-cut, hawk-like features (он наклонился вперед в кресле с выражением глубочайшей сосредоточенности на его резко очерченных, ястребиных чертах /лица/; extraordinary — выдающийся, замечательный; чрезвычайный; hawk — ястреб; сокол). "State your case," said he, in brisk, business tones (изложите ваше дело, — сказал он в лаконичной деловой манере; brisk — живой, оживленный; отрывистый).

I felt that my position was an embarrassing one (я почувствовал, что оказался в неловком положении; to embarrass — затруднять, мешать; смущать, ставить в неудобное положение). "You will, I am sure, excuse me," I said, rising from my chair (вы, конечно, извините меня /извините мой уход/, — сказал я, поднимаясь с кресла; chair — стул; кресло).

To my surprise, the young lady held up her gloved hand to detain me (к моему удивлению молодая леди подняла свою затянутую в перчатку руку, чтобы задержать меня; to hold — держать; to hold up — поднимать). "If your friend," she said, "would be good enough to stop (если ваш друг, — сказала она, — соизволит задержаться: «будет достаточно добр, чтобы остаться»; enough — довольно, достаточно; to stop — останавливаться; оставаться), he might be of inestimable service to me (он, возможно, окажет мне неоценимую услугу; esteem — почтение, уважение, estimable — достойный уважения, inestimable — бесценный, неоценимый)."

I relapsed into my chair (я сел обратно; to relapse — снова впадать в прежнее состояние).

glisten [ˈɡlɪs(ǝ)n], enough [ɪˈnʌf]

Holmes rubbed his hands, and his eyes glistened. He leaned forward in his chair with an expression of extraordinary concentration upon his clear-cut, hawk-like features. "State your case," said he, in brisk, business tones.

I felt that my position was an embarrassing one. "You will, I am sure, excuse me," I said, rising from my chair.

To my surprise, the young lady held up her gloved hand to detain me. "If your friend," she said, "would be good enough to stop, he might be of inestimable service to me."

I relapsed into my chair.

"Briefly," she continued, "the facts are these (вкратце, — продолжила она, — факты таковы). My father was an officer in an Indian regiment (мой отец был офицером в индийском полку) who sent me home when I was quite a child (и он отослал меня домой, когда я была совсем еще ребенком). My mother was dead, and I had no relative in England (моя мать умерла, и у меня не было родственников в Англии). I was placed, however, in a comfortable boarding establishment at Edinburgh (как бы то ни было, меня поместили в уютный пансион в Эдинбурге; to board — столоваться; жить и питаться у кого-либо за плату или труд; establishment — учреждение), and there I remained until I was seventeen years of age (и там я оставалась, пока мне не исполнилось семнадцать лет). In the year 1878 my father, who was senior captain of his regiment, obtained twelve months' leave and came home (в 1878 году мой отец, который был старшим офицером полка, получил годичный отпуск и приехал домой; captain — капитан /сухопутное и морское воинское звание/; командир, офицер; военачальник любого уровня). He telegraphed to me from London that he had arrived all safe (он телеграфировал мне из Лондона, что он благополучно прибыл: «прибыл весь невредимый»; safe — безопасный; невредимый), and directed me to come down at once, giving the Langham Hotel as his address (и дал указание сразу же приехать повидать его, в качестве адреса указав отель «Лэнем»; to come down — уменьшаться, снижаться; приезжать из столицы на периферию, из центра на окраину, с севера на юг). His message, as I remember, was full of kindness and love (его сообщение, как я помню, было полно нежности и любви). On reaching London I drove to the Langham (добравшись до Лондона, я отправилась в «Лэнем»; to drive — ездить; ехать), and was informed that Captain Morstan was staying there (где мне сообщили, что капитан Морстен остановился там), but that he had gone out the night before and had not returned (но ушел предыдущим вечером и не вернулся; to go out — выходить). I waited all day without news of him (я прождала весь день, не получив никаких известий о нем). That night, on the advice of the manager of the hotel, I communicated with the police (вечером, по совету менеджера отеля, я связалась с полицией; to communicate — говорить, сообщать), and next morning we advertised in all the papers (а на следующее утро мы дали объявление во все газеты; to advertise — рекламировать; помещать объявление). Our inquiries led to no result (наши запросы не дали никакого результата; inquiry — вопрос; запрос; наведение справок); and from that day to this no word has ever been heard of my unfortunate father (и с того дня по сей я ни слова не слыхала о моем несчастном отце; to hear — слышать). He came home with his heart full of hope, to find some peace, some comfort, and instead (он вернулся домой с сердцем, преисполненным надежды, чтобы найти покой и утешение, а вместо этого; peace — мир; спокойствие) ——" She put her hand to her throat, and a choking sob cut short the sentence (она прижала к горлу руку, и сдавленное рыдание оборвало ее фразу; to choke — душить, сдавливать горло; задыхаться от эмоций; to cut short — сокращать по времени; обрывать, внезапно прерывать).

briefly [ˈbrɪ:flɪ], senior [ˈsɪnjǝ], captain [ˈkæptɪn], throat [Ɵrǝut]

"Briefly," she continued, "the facts are these. My father was an officer in an Indian regiment who sent me home when I was quite a child. My mother was dead, and I had no relative in England. I was placed, however, in a comfortable boarding establishment at Edinburgh, and there I remained until I was seventeen years of age. In the year 1878 my father, who was senior captain of his regiment, obtained twelve months' leave and came home. He telegraphed to me from London that he had arrived all safe, and directed me to come down at once, giving the Langham Hotel as his address. His message, as I remember, was full of kindness and love. On reaching London I drove to the Langham, and was informed that Captain Morstan was staying there, but that he had gone out the night before and had not returned. I waited all day without news of him. That night, on the advice of the manager of the hotel, I communicated with the police, and next morning we advertised in all the papers. Our inquiries led to no result; and from that day to this no word has ever been heard of my unfortunate father. He came home with his heart full of hope, to find some peace, some comfort, and instead ——" She put her hand to her throat, and a choking sob cut short the sentence.

"The date?" asked Holmes, opening his note-book (точная дата, — спросил Холмс, открывая записную книжку).

"He disappeared upon the 3d of December, 1878, — nearly ten years ago (он исчез третьего декабря 1878 года, почти десять лет назад)."

"His luggage (его багаж)?"

"Remained at the hotel (остался в отеле). There was nothing in it to suggest a clue (в нем не было ничего, за что можно было бы зацепиться: «чтобы предложить/подсказать ключ»; clue — клубок, моток; ключ к разгадке чего-либо), — some clothes, some books, and a considerable number of curiosities from the Andaman Islands (одежда, книги и значительное количество сувениров с Андаманских островов; curiosity — любознательность; диковина, редкость). He had been one of the officers in charge of the convict-guard there (он был одним из офицеров, отвечавших там за охрану заключенных; charge — заряд; руководство; ответственность; convict — отбывающий наказание; заключенный; каторжник)."

"Had he any friends in town (у него были друзья в городе)?"

luggage [ˈlʌɡɪʤ], clothes [klǝuðz], curiosity [ˌkjuǝrɪˈɔsǝtɪ], island [ˈaɪlǝnd], guard [ɡɑ:d]

"The date?" asked Holmes, opening his note-book.

"He disappeared upon the 3d of December, 1878, — nearly ten years ago."

"His luggage?"

"Remained at the hotel. There was nothing in it to suggest a clue, — some clothes, some books, and a considerable number of curiosities from the Andaman Islands. He had been one of the officers in charge of the convict-guard there."