Стивен Ликок - Английский с улыбкой. Брет Гарт, Стивен Ликок. Дефективный детектив / Bret Harte, Stephen Leacock

The Great Detective rose.

He wrapped himself in a long black cloak with white whiskers and blue spectacles attached.

Completely disguised, he issued forth.

He began the search.

For four days he visited every corner of London.

He entered every saloon in the city. In each of them he drank a glass of rum. In some of them he assumed the disguise of a sailor. In others he entered as a soldier. Into others he penetrated as a clergyman. His disguise was perfect. Nobody paid any attention to him as long as he had the price of a drink.

The search proved fruitless (поиски оказались безуспешными; to prove – испытывать, пробовать /устар./; доказывать; оказываться; fruitless – бесплодный; безрезультатный, безуспешный).

Two young men were arrested under suspicion of being the Prince, only to be released (двух молодых людей приняли за Принца; они были арестованы, но /потом/ отпущены; under suspicion – по подозрению).

The identification was incomplete in each case (в обоих случаях приметы не совпадали полностью: «отождествление было неполным в каждом случае»).

One had a long wet snout but no hair on his back (у одного была длинная слюнявая морда, но не было волос на спине).

The other had hair on his back but couldn’t bark (у другого были волосы на спине, но /он/ не умел лаять).

Neither of them was the young Bourbon (ни один из них не был молодым Бурбоном).

The Great Detective continued his search (Великий Сыщик продолжал поиски).

He stopped at nothing (он не останавливался ни перед чем).

Secretly, after nightfall, he visited the home of the Prime Minister (тайно, после наступления ночи, он посетил дом премьер-министра). He examined it from top to bottom (он обследовал его сверху донизу).

The search proved fruitless.

Two young men were arrested under suspicion of being the Prince, only to be released.

The identification was incomplete in each case.

One had a long wet snout but no hair on his back.

The other had hair on his back but couldn’t bark.

Neither of them was the young Bourbon.

The Great Detective continued his search.

He stopped at nothing.

Secretly, after nightfall, he visited the home of the Prime Minister. He examined it from top to bottom.

He measured all the doors and windows (он измерил все двери и окна). He took up the flooring (поднял настил полов; to take up – поднимать). He inspected the plumbing (осмотрел водопровод). He examined the furniture (обследовал мебель). He found nothing (и не нашел ничего).

With equal secrecy he penetrated into the palace of the Archbishop (так же скрытно: «с той же таинственностью» он проник во дворец архиепископа). He examined it from top to bottom (обыскал его сверху донизу). Disguised as a choir-boy he took part in the offices of the church (переодевшись мальчиком-хористом участвовал в церковных службах; to take part – принимать участие). He found nothing (не обнаружил ничего).

Still undismayed, the Great Detective made his way into the home of the Countess of Dashleigh (все еще не теряя надежды, Великий Сыщик отправился в дом графини Дэшли; to dismay – приводить в смятение, лишать мужества; to make one’s way – направляться /куда-л./). Disguised as a housemaid, he entered the service of the Countess (переодевшись горничной, поступил на службу к графине; to enter – входить, проникать /в какое-л. помещение/; поступать /на службу/).

He measured all the doors and windows. He took up the flooring. He inspected the plumbing. He examined the furniture. He found nothing.

With equal secrecy he penetrated into the palace of the Archbishop. He examined it from top to bottom. Disguised as a choir-boy he took part in the offices of the church. He found nothing.

Still undismayed, the Great Detective made his way into the home of the Countess of Dashleigh. Disguised as a housemaid, he entered the service of the Countess.

Then at last a clue came which gave him a solution of the mystery (тут наконец и обнаружилось /то/, что дало ему ключ к решению загадки).

On the wall of the Countess’s boudoir was a large framed engraving (на стене в будуаре графини в большой раме висела гравюра).

It was a portrait (это был портрет).

Under it was a printed legend (под ним была печатная надпись; legend – легенда, предание; надпись /на монете, гравюре/):

THE PRINCE OF WURTTEMBERG (ПРИНЦ ВЮРТЕМБЕРГСКИЙ)

The portrait was that of a Dachshund (это был портрет таксы).

The long body, the broad ears, the unclipped tail, the short hind legs – all was there (длинное туловище, большие висячие уши, некупированный хвост, короткие задние ноги – все было на месте: «все было там»).

In a fraction of a second the lightning mind of the Great Detective had penetrated the whole mystery (за долю секунды молниеносному разуму Великого Сыщика открылась вся /суть/ этой загадки; to penetrate – проникать внутрь; понимать, постигать).

THE PRINCE WAS A DOG (Принц был собакой)!!!!

Then at last a clue came which gave him a solution of the mystery.

On the wall of the Countess’s boudoir was a large framed engraving.

It was a portrait.

Under it was a printed legend:

THE PRINCE OF WURTTEMBERG

The portrait was that of a Dachshund.

The long body, the broad ears, the unclipped tail, the short hind legs – all was there.

In a fraction of a second the lightning mind of the Great Detective had penetrated the whole mystery.

THE PRINCE WAS A DOG!!!!

Hastily throwing a domino over his housemaid’s dress, he rushed to the street (торопливо набросив домино поверх платья горничной, он устремился на улицу). He summoned a passing hansom, and in a few moments was at his house (он подозвал проезжавшую мимо пролетку и через несколько мгновений оказался у себя в конторе; house – дом, здание; заведение, учреждение).

“I have it,” he gasped to his secretary (я нашел ответ; to have it – найти решение, догадаться). “The mystery is solved (загадка решена). I have pieced it together (я собрал все по крупинкам; to piece together – соединять, собирать по кусочкам). By sheer analysis I have reasoned it out (посредством абсолютного анализа я пришел к решению; to reason smth. out – доходить своим умом до чего-л.).

Listen – hind legs, hair on back, wet snout, pup (слушайте: задние ноги, шерсть на спине, слюнявая морда, щенок) – eh, what? does that suggest nothing to you (а, что? это вам ни о чем не говорит; to suggest – предлагать, советовать; намекать, наводить на мысль)?”

“Nothing,” said the secretary; “it seems perfectly hopeless (ни о чем, – сказал секретарь, – /дело/ кажется мне совершенно безнадежным).”

Hastily throwing a domino over his housemaid’s dress, he rushed to the street. He summoned a passing hansom, and in a few moments was at his house.

“I have it,” he gasped to his secretary. “The mystery is solved.

I have pieced it together. By sheer analysis I have reasoned it out.

Listen – hind legs, hair on back, wet snout, pup – eh, what? does that suggest nothing to you?”

“Nothing,” said the secretary; “it seems perfectly hopeless.”

The Great Detective, now recovered from his excitement, smiled faintly (Великий Сыщик, теперь уже оправившийся от волнения, слегка улыбнулся; to recover – вновь обретать, получать обратно; оправляться /от болезни/, приходить в себя; faintly – бледно, слабо; едва, еле-еле).

“It means simply this, my dear fellow (это означает просто вот что, мой дорогой друг). The Prince of Wurttemberg is a dog, a prize Dachshund (Принц Вюртембергский – это собака, призовая такса). The Countess of Dashleigh bred him, and he is worth some 25,000 pounds (графиня Дэшли выкормила его, и он стоит около двадцати пяти тысяч фунтов) in addition to the prize of 10,000 pounds offered at the Paris dog show (вдобавок к десяти тысячам призовых, назначенных /за победу/ на парижской выставке собак; to offer – предлагать; назначать, предлагать /цену/; show – показ, демонстрация; выставка). Can you wonder that (стоит ли удивляться, что) – ”

At that moment the Great Detective was interrupted by the scream of a woman (в этот момент Великого Сыщика прервал женский крик: «крик какой-то женщины»).

“Great Heaven (великий Боже)!”

The Great Detective, now recovered from his excitement, smiled faintly.

“It means simply this, my dear fellow. The Prince of Wurttemberg is a dog, a prize Dachshund. The Countess of Dashleigh bred him, and he is worth some 25,000 pounds in addition to the prize of 10,000 pounds offered at the Paris dog show. Can you wonder that – ”

At that moment the Great Detective was interrupted by the scream of a woman.

“Great Heaven!”

The Countess of Dashleigh dashed into the room (графиня Дэшли стремительно вбежала в комнату).

Her face was wild (выражение лица ее было совершенно безумным; wild – дикий /о животных, природе и т. п./; исступленный, безудержный).

Her tiara was in disorder (тиара неуклюже сидела у нее на голове: «ее тиара была в беспорядке»).

Her pearls were dripping all over the place (жемчужины рассыпались по всей комнате: «по всему месту»; to drip – капать, падать каплями).

She wrung her hands and moaned (она заламывала: «выкручивала» руки и стонала; to wring).

“They have cut his tail,” she gasped, “and taken all the hair off his back (они купировали ему хвост, – задыхаясь /произнесла/ она, – и состригли всю шерсть со спины; to take off – убирать, удалять). What can I do? I am undone (что мне теперь делать: «что могу я сделать»? я разорена; to undo – возвращать /в прежнее положение/; разорять, доводить до разорения)!!”

“Madame,” said the Great Detective, calm as bronze, “do yourself up (мадам, – сказал Великий Сыщик, спокойный, как бронзовая /статуя/, – успокойтесь; to do up – приводить в порядок).

I can save you yet (я еще могу вас спасти).”

“You (вы)!”

“Me (я)!”

The Countess of Dashleigh dashed into the room.

Her face was wild.

Her tiara was in disorder.

Her pearls were dripping all over the place.

She wrung her hands and moaned.

“They have cut his tail,” she gasped, “and taken all the hair off his back. What can I do? I am undone!!”

“Madame,” said the Great Detective, calm as bronze, “do yourself up. I can save you yet.”

“You!”

“Me!”