Текст книги "Английский с Шерлоком Холмсом. Человек с рассеченной губой / Arthur Conan Doyle. Sherlock Holmes"

convinced [kən'vɪnst], ascend [ə'send], scoundrel ['skaʋndrəl], constables ['kʌnstəblz]

“Convinced that something was amiss with him, she rushed down the steps – for the house was none other than the opium den in which you found me tonight – and running through the front room she attempted to ascend the stairs which led to the first floor. At the foot of the stairs, however, she met this Lascar scoundrel of whom I have spoken, who thrust her back and, aided by a Dane, who acts as assistant there, pushed her out into the street. Filled with the most maddening doubts and fears, she rushed down the lane and, by rare good-fortune, met in Fresno Street a number of constables with an inspector, all on their way to their beat. The inspector and two men accompanied her back, and in spite of the continued resistance of the proprietor, they made their way to the room in which Mr. St. Clair had last been seen. There was no sign of him there. In fact, in the whole of that floor there was no one to be found save a crippled wretch of hideous aspect, who, it seems, made his home there. Both he and the Lascar stoutly swore that no one else had been in the front room during the afternoon. So determined was their denial that the inspector was staggered, and had almost come to believe that Mrs. St. Clair had been deluded when, with a cry, she sprang at a small deal box which lay upon the table and tore the lid from it. Out there fell a cascade of children's bricks. It was the toy which he had promised to bring home.

“This discovery (находка), and the evident confusion which the cripple showed (и явное смущение, которое показал калека), made the inspector realize (убедили инспектора: «заставили осознать») that the matter was serious. The rooms were carefully examined (тщательно обысканы), and results all pointed to an abominable crime (и все результаты указывали на гнусное преступление). The front room was plainly furnished as a sitting-room (комната, выходящая окнами на улицу: «передняя комната» была обставлена просто, вроде гостиной) and led into a small bedroom (и вела в = рядом была небольшая спальня), which looked out upon the back of one of the wharves (окно которой выходит на задворки одной из верфей). Between the wharf and the bedroom window is a narrow strip (узкий канал), which is dry at low tide (который высыхает во время отлива: «сухой при отливе») but is covered at high tide (но покрыт = наполняется водой во время прилива) with at least four and a half feet of water (по крайней мере, на четыре с половиной фута). The bedroom window was a broad one and opened from below (было широким и открывалось снизу). On examination traces of blood were to be seen upon the windowsill (при осмотре были обнаружены следы крови на подоконнике), and several scattered drops were visible upon the wooden floor of the bedroom (и несколько разбросанных = разбрызганных капель /крови/ были видимы = найдены на деревянном полу спальни). Thrust away behind a curtain (за шторой; to thrust away – отодвигать) in the front room were all the clothes (была вся одежда) of Mr. Neville St. Clair, with the exception of his coat (за исключением его пальто). His boots (ботинки), his socks (носки), his hat (шляпа), and his watch (часы) – all were there (все было там). There were no signs of violence (не было следов насилия) upon any of these garments (на всех этих предметах одежды), and there were no other traces of Mr. Neville St. Clair (и не было других следов). Out of the window he must apparently have gone (через окно он, должно быть, ушел) for no other exit could be discovered (так как никакого другого выхода не было найдено), and the ominous bloodstains upon the sill (зловещие кровавые пятна на подоконнике) gave little promise that he could save himself by swimming (давали мало обещания, что он мог спасти себя с помощью плавания = плаванием), for the tide was at its very highest at the moment of the tragedy (потому что прилив достиг наивысшего уровня в момент трагедии).

evident ['evɪdənt], abominable [ə'bɒmɪnəbl], wharf [wɔ:f], ominous ['ɒmɪnəs]

“This discovery, and the evident confusion which the cripple showed, made the inspector realize that the matter was serious. The rooms were carefully examined, and results all pointed to an abominable crime. The front room was plainly furnished as a sitting-room and led into a small bedroom, which looked out upon the back of one of the wharves. Between the wharf and the bedroom window is a narrow strip, which is dry at low tide but is covered at high tide with at least four and a half feet of water. The bedroom window was a broad one and opened from below. On examination traces of blood were to be seen upon the windowsill, and several scattered drops were visible upon the wooden floor of the bedroom. Thrust away behind a curtain in the front room were all the clothes of Mr. Neville St. Clair, with the exception of his coat. His boots, his socks, his hat, and his watch – all were there. There were no signs of violence upon any of these garments, and there were no other traces of Mr. Neville St. Clair. Out of the window he must apparently have gone for no other exit could be discovered, and the ominous bloodstains upon the sill gave little promise that he could save himself by swimming, for the tide was at its very highest at the moment of the tragedy.

“And now as to the villains (теперь обратимся к негодяям: «что касается негодяев») who seemed to be immediately implicated in the matter (которые, видимо: «казались», были непосредственно впутаны в это дело = имели к этому непосредственное отношение). The Lascar was known to be a man of the vilest antecedents (был известен как человек подлейшего прошлого; vile – низкий, гнусный), but as by Mrs. St. Clair's story (как следует из рассказа миссис Сент-Клер), he was known to have been at the foot of the stair within a very few seconds of her husband's appearance at the window (был у подножия = внизу лестницы в течение нескольких секунд появления в окне ее мужа), he could hardly have been more than an accessory to the crime (он мог едва ли быть больше, чем соучастник = его можно считать лишь соучастником преступления). His defense was one of absolute ignorance (его защита была защитой абсолютного незнания = он все отрицал), and he protested that he had no knowledge (протестовал, что не знает: «не имеет знания») as to the doings of Hugh Boone, his lodger (относительно занятий Хью Буна, его жильца), and that he could not account in any way for the presence of the missing gentleman's clothes (и что он не мог объяснить, в любом случае, присутствие = наличие одежды пропавшего джентльмена).

villains ['vɪlənz], antecedents [,æntɪ'si:dnts], accessory [ək'sesərɪ], lodger ['lɒʤə]

“And now as to the villains who seemed to be immediately implicated in the matter. The Lascar was known to be a man of the vilest antecedents, but as by Mrs. St. Clair's story, he was known to have been at the foot of the stair within a very few seconds of her husband's appearance at the window, he could hardly have been more than an accessory to the crime. His defense was one of absolute ignorance, and he protested that he had no knowledge as to the doings of Hugh Boone, his lodger, and that he could not account in any way for the presence of the missing gentleman's clothes.

“So much for the Lascar manager (это все, что касается хозяина-Ласкара). Now for the sinister cripple (теперь обратимся к зловещему калеке) who lives upon the second floor (который живет на третьем этаже) of the opium den, and who was certainly the last human being (и, безусловно, является последним человеком: «человеческим существом») whose eyes rested upon Neville St. Clair (который видел: «чьи глаза останавливались на» Невилла Сент-Клера). His name is Hugh Boone, and his hideous face is one which is familiar to every man who goes much to the City (его отвратительное лицо знакомо каждому, кто много ходит = часто бывает в Сити). He is a professional beggar (он профессиональный нищий), though in order to avoid the police regulations (впрочем, чтобы избежать = обойти полицейские правила) he pretends to a small trade in wax vestas (он притворяется, что продает восковые спички; trade – занятие; лавка). Some little distance down Threadneedle Street (недалеко по Трэднидл-Стрит), upon the left-hand side (на левой стороне), there is, as you may have remarked (как вы могли заметить), a small angle in the wall (небольшой угол = ниша в стене). Here it is that this creature takes his daily seat (здесь это существо сидит днем: «занимает свое каждодневное место»), cross-legged with his tiny stock of matches on his lap (поджав ноги «по-турецки» с несколькими коробками спичек на коленях; stock – ассортимент), and as he is a piteous spectacle (так как он жалкое зрелище) a small rain of charity descends into the greasy leather cap (маленький дождь благотворительности = милостыни льется в его засаленную кожаную кепку) which lies upon the pavement beside him (что лежит на мостовой рядом с ним). I have watched the fellow more than once (я наблюдал за этим парнем не раз: «больше, чем однажды»), before ever I thought of making his professional acquaintance (не предполагая, что мне придется познакомиться с ним профессионально = встретиться как с преступником), and I have been surprised at the harvest (был удивлен жатве) which he has reaped in a short time (которую он пожинал в короткое время). His appearance (внешность), you see, is so remarkable (столь примечательна) that no one can pass him without observing him (что никто не может пройти мимо без наблюдения его = не обратив на него внимания). A shock of orange hair (копна оранжевых = рыжих волос), a pale face disfigured by a horrible scar (бледное лицо, обезображенное ужасным шрамом), which, by its contraction (своим сужением = сужаясь), has turned up the outer edge of his upper lip (завернул внешний край верхней губы), a bulldog chin (бульдожий подбородок), and a pair of very penetrating dark eyes (и пара очень проницательных темных глаз), which present a singular contrast to the color of his hair (которые представляют необычный контраст с цветом его волос), all mark him out from amid the common crowd of mendicants (все это выделяет его из простой толпы попрошаек) and so, too, does his wit (и это же делает его остроумие), for he is ever ready with a reply to any piece of chaff (всегда готов с ответом на всякий кусок насмешки = на любое подшучивание) which may be thrown at him by the passers-by (которое может быть брошено = сказано ему прохожими). This is the man whom we now learn to have been the lodger at the opium den (о котором мы сейчас узнали, что он жилец в опиумном притоне), and to have been the last man to see the gentleman of whom we are in quest (которого мы ищем).”

“But a cripple (но /ведь он/ калека)!” said I. “What could he have done single-handed against a man in the prime of life (что он мог сделать один: «однорукий» против человека в расцвете сил)?”

sinister ['sɪnɪstə], beggar ['beɡə], creature ['kri:tʃə], charity ['tʃærɪtɪ], scar [skɑ:], chaff [tʃɑ:f]

“So much for the Lascar manager. Now for the sinister cripple who lives upon the second floor of the opium den, and who was certainly the last human being whose eyes rested upon Neville St. Clair. His name is Hugh Boone, and his hideous face is one which is familiar to every man who goes much to the City. He is a professional beggar, though in order to avoid the police regulations he pretends to a small trade in wax vestas. Some little distance down Threadneedle Street, upon the left-hand side, there is, as you may have remarked, a small angle in the wall. Here it is that this creature takes his daily seat, cross-legged with his tiny stock of matches on his lap, and as he is a piteous spectacle a small rain of charity descends into the greasy leather cap which lies upon the pavement beside him. I have watched the fellow more than once, before ever I thought of making his professional acquaintance, and I have been surprised at the harvest which he has reaped in a short time. His appearance, you see, is so remarkable that no one can pass him without observing him. A shock of orange hair, a pale face disfigured by a horrible scar, which, by its contraction, has turned up the outer edge of his upper lip, a bulldog chin, and a pair of very penetrating dark eyes, which present a singular contrast to the color of his hair, all mark him out from amid the common crowd of mendicants and so, too, does his wit, for he is ever ready with a reply to any piece of chaff which may be thrown at him by the passers-by. This is the man whom we now learn to have been the lodger at the opium den, and to have been the last man to see the gentleman of whom we are in quest.”

“But a cripple!” said I. “What could he have done single-handed against a man in the prime of life?”

“He is a cripple in the sense that he walks with a limp (он калека в том смысле, что ходит с трудом = прихрамывает); but in other respects he appears to be a powerful and well-nurtured man (во всех других отношениях он кажется/является мощным и здоровым человеком = он, видимо…; nurtured – выращенный, обученный; to nurture – кормить, питать). Surely your medical experience would tell you (конечно ваш медицинский опыт сказал бы вам), Watson, that weakness in one limb is often compensated for by exceptional strength in the others (что слабость /в/ одной конечности часто компенсируется необычайной силой /в/ других).”

“Pray continue your narrative (пожалуйста, продолжайте ваш рассказ).”

nurtured ['nɜ:tʃəd], surely ['ʃʋəlɪ], weakness ['wi:knɪs], limb [lɪm], strength [streŋθ]

“He is a cripple in the sense that he walks with a limp; but in other respects he appears to be a powerful and well-nurtured man. Surely your medical experience would tell you, Watson, that weakness in one limb is often compensated for by exceptional strength in the others.”

“Pray continue your narrative.”

“Mrs. St. Clair had fainted at the sight of the blood upon the window (упала в обморок при виде крови на окне), and she was escorted home in a cab by the police (была сопровождена полицией в кэбе домой), as her presence could be of no help (так как ее присутствие не было необходимо) to them in their investigations (им в их расследованиях). Inspector Barton, who had charge of the case (принявший ведение этого дела: «который имел ответственность дела»), made a very careful examination of the premises (очень тщательно обыскал помещения), but without finding anything which threw any light upon the matter (но без нахождения = не найдя ничего, что могло бы пролить: «бросить» свет на это дело). One mistake had been made in not arresting Boone instantly (одна ошибка была сделана в том, что не арестовали немедленно Хью Буна), as he was allowed some few minutes (был позволен = получил возможность несколько минут) during which he might have communicated (переговорить) with his friend the Lascar, but this fault was soon remedied (эта ошибка была вскоре исправлена; remedy – средство, лекарство), and he was seized and searched (был схвачен и обыскан), without anything being found which could incriminate him (без того, чтобы было найдено что-то, что могло бы уличить его). There were, it is true (правда), some blood-stains upon his right shirt-sleeve (следы крови на правом рукаве рубашки), but he pointed to his ring-finger (указал на свой безымянный палец), which had been cut near the nail (был порезан возле ногтя), and explained that the bleeding came from there (и объяснил, что кровотечение происходило оттуда), adding that he had been to the window not long before (добавив, что он был у окна незадолго до того), and that the stains which had been observed there came doubtless from the same source (пятна /крови/, обнаруженные там, несомненно, того же происхождения: «источника»). He denied strenuously having ever seen Mr. Neville St. Clair (энергично отрицал, что когда-либо видел мистера Сент-Клера) and swore that the presence of the clothes in his room (и клялся, что присутствие в комнате его одежды; to swear – клясться) was as much a mystery to him as to the police (было для него такой же тайной, как и для полиции). As to Mrs. St. Clair's assertion that she had actually seen her husband at the window (что до утверждения = на утверждение миссис Сент-Клер, что она действительно видела мужа у окна), he declared that she must have been either mad or dreaming (он заявил, что она либо сумасшедшая, либо /ей это/ приснилось). He was removed, loudly protesting, to the police station (он был уведен, громко протестующий, в полицейский участок), while the inspector remained upon the premises (в то время как инспектор остался в помещениях) in the hope that the ebbing tide might afford some fresh clew (в надежде, что убывающий прилив может предоставить какие-нибудь свежие зацепки = улики).

sight [saɪt], remedied ['remɪdɪd], seized [si:zd], strenuously ['strenjʋəslɪ], afford [ə'fɔ:d]

“Mrs. St. Clair had fainted at the sight of the blood upon the window, and she was escorted home in a cab by the police, as her presence could be of no help to them in their investigations. Inspector Barton, who had charge of the case, made a very careful examination of the premises, but without finding anything which threw any light upon the matter. One mistake had been made in not arresting Boone instantly, as he was allowed some few minutes during which he might have communicated with his friend the Lascar, but this fault was soon remedied, and he was seized and searched, without anything being found which could incriminate him. There were, it is true, some blood-stains upon his right shirt-sleeve, but he pointed to his ring-finger, which had been cut near the nail, and explained that the bleeding came from there, adding that he had been to the window not long before, and that the stains which had been observed there came doubtless from the same source. He denied strenuously having ever seen Mr. Neville St. Clair and swore that the presence of the clothes in his room was as much a mystery to him as to the police. As to Mrs. St. Clair's assertion that she had actually seen her husband at the window, he declared that she must have been either mad or dreaming. He was removed, loudly protesting, to the police station, while the inspector remained upon the premises in the hope that the ebbing tide might afford some fresh clew.

“And it did (и действительно), though they hardly found upon the mud-bank what they had feared to find (хотя они едва нашли на грязевой отмели /то/, что они боялись найти = хотя и нашли кое-что, но совсем не то, чего они так боялись найти). It was Neville St. Clair's coat (пиджак), and not Neville St. Clair (а не Невилл Сент-Клер), which lay uncovered as the tide receded (который лежал открыто, когда прилив снизился = отхлынула вода; to uncover – обнаруживать, открывать, обнажать). And what do you think they found in the pockets (в карманах)?”

“I cannot imagine (не могу /себе/ представить).”

“No, I don't think you would guess (не думаю, что вы догадаетесь). Every pocket stuffed with pennies and halfpennies (каждый карман /был/ набит /монетами в/ пенни и полпенни) – 421 pennies and 270 halfpennies. It was no wonder (не удивительно) that it had not been swept away (не было смыто; to sweep away – смывать, сносить) by the tide. But a human body is a different matter (но человеческое тело – другое дело). There is a fierce eddy (сильный водоворот = течение) between the wharf and the house. It seemed likely enough (вполне допустимо) that the weighted coat had remained (что отягощенное пальто осталось) when the stripped body had been sucked away into the river (тогда как раздетое тело было унесено в реку; to suck – поглощать, всасывать).”

though [ðəʋ], feared [fɪəd], receded [rɪ'si:dɪd], stuffed [stʌft], wonder ['wʌndə], weighted ['weɪtɪd]

“And it did, though they hardly found upon the mud-bank what they had feared to find. It was Neville St. Clair's coat, and not Neville St. Clair, which lay uncovered as the tide receded. And what do you think they found in the pockets?”

“I cannot imagine.”

“No, I don't think you would guess. Every pocket stuffed with pennies and halfpennies – 421 pennies and 270 halfpennies. It was no wonder that it had not been swept away by the tide. But a human body is a different matter. There is a fierce eddy between the wharf and the house. It seemed likely enough that the weighted coat had remained when the stripped body had been sucked away into the river.”

“But I understand that all the other clothes (но /как/ я понимаю, вся остальная одежда) were found in the room. Would the body be dressed in a coat alone (неужели тело было одето = на трупе был только пиджак)?”

“No, sir, but the facts might be met speciously enough (но факты могли быть встречены достаточно правдоподобно = этому можно найти объяснение). Suppose (предположим) that this man Boone had thrust Neville St. Clair through the window (выбросил Невилла Сент-Клера в: «через» окно; to thrust – толкать, выбрасывать), there is no human eye (там нет человеческого глаза = свидетеля) which could have seen the deed (который мог бы видеть /это/ действие). What would he do then (что бы он сделал затем)? It would of course instantly strike him (ему сразу пришло бы в голову, конечно) that he must get rid of the tell-tale garments (что он должен избавиться от выдающей его одежды; tell-tale – указатель, доносчик). He would seize the coat (схватил бы = хватает пиджак), then, and be in the act of throwing it out (во время выкидывания его), when it would occur to him (ему пришло бы в голову) that it would swim and not sink (что он поплывет, а не потонет). He has little time (у него мало времени: «маленькое время»), for he has heard the scuffle downstairs (услышал потасовку внизу) when the wife tried to force her way up (когда жена пыталась прорваться наверх), and perhaps (возможно) he has already heard from his Lascar confederate (от своего сообщника-Ласкара) that the police are hurrying up the street (что полиция спешит /сюда/ по улице). There is not an instant to be lost (тут нет ни одного мига, чтобы был потерян = нельзя терять ни минуты). He rushes to some secret hoard (он кидается к тайному складу = углу), where he has accumulated the fruits of his beggary (где он накопил плоды своего нищенства), and he stuffs all the coins upon which he can lay his hands (набивает все монеты, на которые может положить свои руки = которые первыми попались под руку) into the pockets to make sure of the coat's sinking (в карманы, чтобы быть уверенным в погружении пиджака = что пиджак потонет). He throws it out (выбрасывает), and would have done the same with the other garments (и сделал бы то же самое с другими предметами одежды) had not he heard the rush of steps below (не услышь он шум шагов внизу), and only just had time (и имел только время) to close the window when the police appeared (закрыть окно, когда появилась полиция).”

speciously ['spi:ʃəslɪ], occur [ə'kɜ:], confederate [kən'fedərət], hoard [hɔ:d]

“But I understand that all the other clothes were found in the room. Would the body be dressed in a coat alone?”

“No, sir, but the facts might be met speciously enough. Suppose that this man Boone had thrust Neville St. Clair through the window, there is no human eye which could have seen the deed. What would he do then? It would of course instantly strike him that he must get rid of the tell-tale garments. He would seize the coat, then, and be in the act of throwing it out, when it would occur to him that it would swim and not sink. He has little time, for he has heard the scuffle downstairs when the wife tried to force her way up, and perhaps he has already heard from his Lascar confederate that the police are hurrying up the street. There is not an instant to be lost. He rushes to some secret hoard, where he has accumulated the fruits of his beggary, and he stuffs all the coins upon which he can lay his hands into the pockets to make sure of the coat's sinking. He throws it out, and would have done the same with the other garments had not he heard the rush of steps below, and only just had time to close the window when the police appeared.”

“It certainly sounds feasible (это вполне звучит правдоподобно).”

“Well, we will take it as a working hypothesis for want of a better (мы возьмем = примем это как рабочую гипотезу из-за отсутствия более хорошей). Boone, as I have told you (как я вам сказал), was arrested (арестован) and taken to the station (доставлен в участок), but it could not be shown that there had ever before been anything against him (но это не могло быть показано, что когда-либо раньше было что-то против него = его прошлая жизнь – безупречна). He had for years been known as a professional beggar (он в течение многих лет известен как профессиональный нищий), but his life appeared to have been a very quiet and innocent one (но его жизнь кажется очень тихой и безобидной). There the matter stands at present (там дело стоит сейчас = вот в каком положении находится дело в настоящий момент), and the questions which have to be solved (которые должны быть решены) – what Neville St. Clair was doing (делал: «был делающим») in the opium den, what happened to him when there (что случилось с ним, когда /он был/ там), where is he now (где он сейчас), and what Hugh Boone had to do with his disappearance (какое отношение имел к его исчезновению) – are all as far from a solution as ever (все /эти вопросы/ так далеки от решения, как всегда = по-прежнему не решены). I confess that I cannot recall any case within my experience (признаюсь, что не могу вспомнить какое-либо дело в: «внутри, в пределах» моей практике) which looked at the first glance so simple (которое выглядело бы на первый взгляд таким простым) and yet which presented such difficulties (и, тем не менее, представляло бы такие трудности).”

hypothesis [haɪ'pɒθǝsɪs], innocent ['ɪnəsənt], glance [ɡlɑ:ns]

“It certainly sounds feasible.”

“Well, we will take it as a working hypothesis for want of a better. Boone, as I have told you, was arrested and taken to the station, but it could not be shown that there had ever before been anything against him. He had for years been known as a professional beggar, but his life appeared to have been a very quiet and innocent one. There the matter stands at present, and the questions which have to be solved – what Neville St. Clair was doing in the opium den, what happened to him when there, where is he now, and what Hugh Boone had to do with his disappearance – are all as far from a solution as ever. I confess that I cannot recall any case within my experience which looked at the first glance so simple and yet which presented such difficulties.”

While Sherlock Holmes had been detailing this singular series of events (подробно рассказывал эти необычные последовательности событий), we had been whirling through the outskirts of the great town (мы мчались по окрестностям/предместьям большого города) until the last straggling houses had been left behind (пока последние разбросанные = одиночные дома были оставлены позади), and we rattled along with a country hedge upon either side of us (и мы мчались с грохотом с деревенской изгородью по обе стороны от нас). Just as he finished (закончил), however, we drove through two scattered villages (мы проехали через две отдельные деревушки; to scatter – разбрасывать, раскидывать), where a few lights still glimmered in the windows (где несколько огней еще мерцали в окнах).

whirling ['wɜ:lɪŋ], outskirts ['aʋtskɜ:ts], hedge [heʤ]

While Sherlock Holmes had been detailing this singular series of events, we had been whirling through the outskirts of the great town until the last straggling houses had been left behind, and we rattled along with a country hedge upon either side of us. Just as he finished, however, we drove through two scattered villages, where a few lights still glimmered in the windows.

“We are on the outskirts of Lee (в предместье Ли),” said my companion. “We have touched on three English counties in our short drive (мы побывали в трех английских графствах в нашей = во время нашей маленькой поездки; to touch – тронуть, прикоснуться), starting in Middlesex (начав в Мидлсексе), passing over an angle of Surrey (переехав угол Сэрри), and ending in Kent (и закончив в Кенте). See that light among the trees (видите тот огонь посреди деревьев)? That is The Cedars (это «Кедры»), and beside that lamp sits a woman (возле той лампы сидит женщина) whose anxious ears (чьи тревожные уши = настороженный слух) have already, I have little doubt (имею мало сомнений = почти не сомневаюсь), caught the clink of our horse's feet (уловил звон ног = стук копыт нашей лошади; to catch – ловить).”

“But why are you not conducting the case from Baker Street (но почему вы не ведете это дело с Бейкер-Стрит)?” I asked.

counties ['kaʋntɪz], anxious ['æŋkʃəs], horse [hɔ:s]

“We are on the outskirts of Lee,” said my companion. “We have touched on three English counties in our short drive, starting in Middlesex, passing over an angle of Surrey, and ending in Kent. See that light among the trees? That is The Cedars, and beside that lamp sits a woman whose anxious ears have already, I have little doubt, caught the clink of our horse's feet.”

“But why are you not conducting the case from Baker Street?” I asked.

“Because there are many inquiries which must be made out here (много расследований, которые должны быть проведены здесь). Mrs. St. Clair has most kindly put two rooms at my disposal (наиболее любезно предоставила две комнаты в мое распоряжение), and you may rest assured (вы можете быть уверены) that she will have nothing but a welcome for my friend and colleague (что у нее нет ничего, кроме гостеприимства для моего друга и коллеги). I hate to meet her (очень не хочу встретить ее; to hate – ненавидеть), Watson, when I have no news of her husband (когда у меня нет новостей о ее муже). Here we are (вот мы и на месте). Whoa (тпру), there, whoa!”