Arthur Conan Doyle - Английский язык с Шерлоком Холмсом. Второй сборник рассказов (ASCII-IPA)

impulsive [Im'pVlsIv], mercy ['m@:sI], existence [Ig'zIst(@)ns]

“Quick, madam, the time grows short!”

“It was a letter of mine, Mr. Holmes, an indiscreet letter written before my marriage — a foolish letter, a letter of an impulsive, loving girl. I meant no harm, and yet he would have thought it criminal. Had he read that letter his confidence would have been forever destroyed. It is years since I wrote it. I had thought that the whole matter was forgotten. Then at last I heard from this man, Lucas, that it had passed into his hands, and that he would lay it before my husband. I implored his mercy. He said that he would return my letter if I would bring him a certain document which he described in my husband’s despatch-box. He had some spy in the office who had told him of its existence. He assured me that no harm could come to my husband. Put yourself in my position, Mr. Holmes! What was I to do?”

“Take your husband into your confidence (рассказать /об этом/ мужу: «взять вашего мужа в доверенность») .”

“I could not, Mr. Holmes, I could not (я не могла, мистер Холмс, не могла) ! On the one side seemed certain ruin (с одной стороны, /мне грозила/ неминуемая гибель) , on the other, terrible as it seemed to take my husband’s paper (с другой — как ужасно ни казалось взять бумагу мужа) , still in a matter of politics I could not understand the consequences (все же в политическом деле я не понимала последствий) , while in a matter of love and trust they were only too clear to me (тогда как в том, что касается любви и доверия, мне все было совершенно ясно; only too — чрезвычайно, крайне) . I did it, Mr. Holmes (и я сделала это, мистер Холмс) ! I took an impression of his key (я сняла слепок с его ключа) . This man, Lucas, furnished a duplicate (этот человек, Лукас, сделал дубликат; to furnish — снабжать; предоставлять) . I opened his despatch-box (я открыла чемоданчик) , took the paper (взяла бумагу) , and conveyed it to Godolphin Street (и отнесла ее на Годолфин-стрит; to convey — перевозить, переправлять) .”

“What happened there, madam (что там произошло, мадам) ?”

“I tapped at the door as agreed (я постучала в дверь, как договаривались; as agreed — согласно договоренности; to agree — соглашаться; уславливаться) . Lucas opened it (Лукас открыл ее) . I followed him into his room (я прошла за ним в его комнату) , leaving the hall door ajar behind me (оставив за собой входную дверь приоткрытой) , for I feared to be alone with the man (поскольку боялась оставаться одна с этим человеком) . I remember that there was a woman outside as I entered (помню, что какая-то женщина стояла на улице, когда я входила) . Our business was soon done (наши переговоры скоро закончились; business — дело, занятие, работа; сделка; to do business — вести дела, заключать сделки) .

terrible ['ter@bl], consequence ['kOnsIkw@ns], key [ki:], business ['bIznIs]

“Take your husband into your confidence.”

“I could not, Mr. Holmes, I could not! On the one side seemed certain ruin, on the other, terrible as it seemed to take my husband’s paper, still in a matter of politics I could not understand the consequences, while in a matter of love and trust they were only too clear to me. I did it, Mr. Holmes! I took an impression of his key. This man, Lucas, furnished a duplicate. I opened his despatch-box, took the paper, and conveyed it to Godolphin Street.”

“What happened there, madam?”

“I tapped at the door as agreed. Lucas opened it. I followed him into his room, leaving the hall door ajar behind me, for I feared to be alone with the man. I remember that there was a woman outside as I entered. Our business was soon done.

“He had my letter on his desk (мое письмо лежало у него на столе) , I handed him the document (я передала ему документ) . He gave me the letter (он отдал мне письмо) . At this instant there was a sound at the door (в это мгновение послышался шум у двери) . There were steps in the passage (раздались шаги в коридоре) . Lucas quickly turned back the drugget (Лукас быстро откинул ковер) , thrust the document into some hiding-place there (сунул документ в какой-то тайник /там/) , and covered it over (и /снова/ прикрыл ковром) .

“What happened after that is like some fearful dream (то, что произошло после этого, похоже на какой-то страшный сон) . I have a vision of a dark, frantic face (я видела темное безумное лицо; vision — зрение; вид, зрелище; взгляд) , of a woman’s voice (слышала голос женщины) , which screamed in French (которая кричала по-французски) , ‘My waiting is not in vain (мое ожидание не напрасно) . At last, at last I have found you with her (наконец-то я застала тебя с ней) !’ There was a savage struggle (произошла дикая борьба) . I saw him with a chair in his hand (я видела его со стулом в руке) , a knife gleamed in hers (в ее руке блеснул нож) . I rushed from the horrible scene (я бросилась прочь из этого ужасного места; scene — место происшествия, события; вид; картина, зрелище) , ran from the house (выбежала из дома) , and only next morning in the paper did I learn the dreadful result (и только на следующее утро из газеты я узнала о страшном результате /той драмы/) . That night I was happy, for I had my letter (в тот вечер я была счастлива, потому что у меня было письмо) , and I had not seen yet what the future would bring (и я еще не сознавала, что принесет будущее) .

savage ['s&vIdZ], scene [si:n], result [rI'zVlt]

“He had my letter on his desk, I handed him the document. He gave me the letter. At this instant there was a sound at the door. There were steps in the passage. Lucas quickly turned back the drugget, thrust the document into some hiding-place there, and covered it over.

“What happened after that is like some fearful dream. I have a vision of a dark, frantic face, of a woman’s voice, which screamed in French, ‘My waiting is not in vain. At last, at last I have found you with her!’ There was a savage struggle. I saw him with a chair in his hand, a knife gleamed in hers. I rushed from the horrible scene, ran from the house, and only next morning in the paper did I learn the dreadful result. That night I was happy, for I had my letter, and I had not seen yet what the future would bring.

“It was the next morning that I realized (на следующее утро я поняла) that I had only exchanged one trouble for another (что всего лишь поменяла одну беду на другую = избавилась от одной беды и попала в другую) . My husband’s anguish at the loss of his paper went to my heart (страдания моего мужа, вызванные пропажей бумаги, потрясли меня: «вошли в мое сердце») . I could hardly prevent myself from there and then kneeling down at his feet (я едва удержалась от того, чтобы не упасть тут же на колени к его ногам; to prevent — предотвращать; мешать, препятствовать; there and then — тотчас же, на месте) and telling him what I had done (и не рассказать ему, что я наделала) . But that again would mean a confession of the past (но опять же — это означало бы признаться в том, что было раньше: «признание прошлого») . I came to you that morning in order to understand the full enormity of my offence (я пришла к вам в то утро, чтобы осознать = и тогда я осознала всю чудовищность моего преступления) . From the instant that I grasped it (с той минуты, когда я поняла это) my whole mind was turned to the one thought (весь мой ум обратился к одной мысли) of getting back my husband’s paper (/как/ вернуть документ мужа) . It must still be where Lucas had placed it (он должен был находиться /там/, куда его положил Лукас) , for it was concealed before this dreadful woman entered the room (поскольку он был спрятан до того, как эта ужасная женщина вошла в комнату) . If it had not been for her coming (если бы не ее приход) , I should not have known where his hiding-place was (я бы не узнала, где его тайник) . How was I to get into the room (как проникнуть в его комнату) ? For two days I watched the place (два дня я следила за этим местом = за домом) , but the door was never left open (но дверь ни разу не оставили открытой) . Last night I made a last attempt (вчера вечером я сделала последнюю попытку) . What I did and how I succeeded (что я сделала и как мне /это/ удалось) , you have already learned (вы уже узнали) . I brought the paper back with me (я принесла бумагу обратно с собой) , and thought of destroying it (и думала уничтожить ее) , since I could see no way of returning it (так как не знала, каким образом вернуть ее) without confessing my guilt to my husband (не признав своей вины перед мужем) . Heavens, I hear his step upon the stair (Боже мой: «небеса», я слышу его шаги на лестнице) !”

anguish ['&NgwIS], heart [hA:t], kneeling ['ni:lIN], enormity [I'nO:mItI]

“It was the next morning that I realized that I had only exchanged one trouble for another. My husband’s anguish at the loss of his paper went to my heart. I could hardly prevent myself from there and then kneeling down at his feet and telling him what I had done. But that again would mean a confession of the past. I came to you that morning in order to understand the full enormity of my offence. From the instant that I grasped it my whole mind was turned to the one thought of getting back my husband’s paper. It must still be where Lucas had placed it, for it was concealed before this dreadful woman entered the room. If it had not been for her coming, I should not have known where his hiding-place was. How was I to get into the room? For two days I watched the place, but the door was never left open. Last night I made a last attempt. What I did and how I succeeded, you have already learned. I brought the paper back with me, and thought of destroying it, since I could see no way of returning it without confessing my guilt to my husband. Heavens, I hear his step upon the stair!”