Дойль Артур Конан - Секретные материалы Шерлока Холмса - 2013

УДК 811.
111(075)
ББК 81.2Англ
К 64
Адаптация по методу комментированного чтения

Е. Вьюницкой
Оформление обложки Юрия Щербакова
Иллюстрации на обложке Влада Лесникова
Конан Дойль А.
К 64 Секретные материалы Шерлока Холмса = The Case Book
of Sherlock Holmes : метод комментированного чтения /
Артур Конан Дойль. — М. : Эксмо, 2013. — 448 с. — (Ино-
странный язык: освой читая).
ISBN 978-5-699-61904-7
Это последний сборник рассказов о приключениях Шерлока Холмса.
В нем собраны удивительные и невероятные дела из архивов великого де-
тектива, о которых доктор Ватсон не осмеливался поведать публике раньше.
Знаменитый сыщик с блеском раскрывает самые запутанные преступления,
поражая читателей быстротой ума и точностью наблюдений. Теперь вы мо-
жете прочитать истории о загадочных смертях, таинственных происшест-
виях и щекотливых поручениях в оригинале и без словаря! После каждого
английского абзаца вы найдете краткий словарик с необходимыми словами
и комментарии к переводу сложных грамматических конструкций. К словам,
вызывающим затруднения при чтении, даны транскрипции. Текст снабжен
лингвострановедческими комментариями на русском языке. В конце дан
краткий грамматический справочник.
Метод комментированного чтения позволяет обходиться при чтении без
словаря, эффективно расширять свой словарный запас, запоминать грамма-
тические формы, лучше чувствовать и понимать иностранный язык.
Учебное пособие предназначено для широкого круга лиц, изучающих
иностранный язык с преподавателем и самостоятельно.
УДК 811.111(075)
ББК 81.2Англ
© Вьюницкая Е.В., адаптация по мето-

ду комментированного чтения, 2013
ISBN 978-5-699-61904-7 © ООО «Издательство «Эксмо», 2013
Введение:
как устроена эта книга
Эта книга предназначена для тех, кто изучал англий-

ский язык в школе, а также тех, кто учил его в высшем
учебном заведении или на курсах. Чтобы прочитать ее,
вам понадобятся основная лексика, которую вы проходи-
ли в школе, и ваши базовые знания об английской грам-
матике. Вы всегда можете освежить их в памяти, заглянув
в грамматические таблицы в Приложении в конце книги.
Но одной грамматики мало! Чтобы заговорить на язы-
ке, важно перестать переводить фразы с русского, почув-
ствовать строй языка, научиться воспринимать иностран-
ный текст «без подстрочника». Как это сделать? Конечно
же, начать читать на языке! И желательно выбирать ори-
гинальные тексты англоязычных авторов! На это нелегко
решиться, ведь в книжке сразу встречается столько незна-
комых слов... И даже посмотрев их все в словаре, не всегда
удается ухватить смысл фразы. Как же быть?
Мы об этом подумали! Теперь вы сможете с легко-
стью читать неадаптированные произведения англо-
язычных классиков без помощи словаря! Потому что в
самой книге вы найдете все, что вам может понадобить-
ся — а именно:
— оригинальный текст произведения;
— перевод слов, которые могут быть вам не-
известны, после каждого абзаца (или 2–3 абзацев, если
они очень маленькие или слишком простые);
— транскрипции слов, значение которых вам,
возможно, и ясно, а вот звучание — нет;
— перевод идиом и фразовых глаголов (это из-
за них понятные слова часто складываются в непонят-
ные предложения);
— комментарий к переводу сложных граммати-
ческих конструкций и устойчивых выражений;
3
Arthur Сonan Doyle. The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes
— исторические, географические, лингвисти-

ческие и страноведческие пояснения, которые сделают
текст еще понятнее и интереснее.
Вы просто читаете абзац (или несколько маленьких
абзацев) и с помощью приведенного тут же словарика
пытаетесь понять, о чем речь. Грамматически слож-
ные фразы и обороты, идиомы или просто запутанные
предложения даются ниже с подсказкой, как их лучше
перевести.
Чтобы вам легко было найти нужную информацию,
мы отметили разные разделы книги особыми значками:
— текст
— транскрипция
— словарик
грамматический комментарий-подсказка
В словарике вам встретятся еще два полезных значка:

 фразовый глагол
устойчивое выражение
В первых главах вам, скорее всего, часто придется

заглядывать в словарик и комментарии, так как вам
встретится много незнакомых слов и неизвестных кон-
струкций. Но примерно к третьей главе вы с удивлени-
ем обнаружите, что незаметно для себя уже запомнили
ключевую лексику, а встреченные ранее грамматические
конструкции легко узнаете и без труда переводите. Сно-
ва и снова встречая новые слова и выражения в тексте,
получая подсказки, как их лучше перевести, вы посте-
пенно усвоите их, запомните и включите в свой актив-
ный словарный запас. Сталкиваясь с грамматическими
конструкциями в тексте, имея перед глазами наглядные
примеры их употребления, вы легко перейдете от прак-
тики к теории и без проблем усвоите правила их упо-
требления. К концу книги вы будете удивляться, почему
в начале чтения она казалась вам такой сложной!
4
Введение: как устроена эта книга
Чтобы незнакомые слова складывались в понятные

предложения, вам нужно запомнить несколько простых
правил.
1. В английском языке почти любое слово может
оказаться почти любой частью речи. Например, cut —
это и «шрам» (существительное), и «резать» (глагол,
причем неправильный, сохраняющий одну форму на
все случаи жизни: cut — cut — cut), и «порезанный»
(прилагательное)... И никаких видимых изменений со
словом при этом не происходит! Поэтому не удивляй-
тесь, когда только что переведенное слово через пару
абзацев снова встречается вам в качестве совершенно
другой части речи.
Такая легкость при переходе из одной части речи в
другую характерна для многих английских слов, глав-
ным образом односложных (хотя постепенно в эту ка-
тегорию переходят и более длинные слова). Поэтому,
если простое на первый взгляд предложение из корот-
ких слов никак не желает складываться в осмысленный
текст, присмотритесь к нему повнимательнее: возмож-
но, знакомые слова выступают в нем в незнакомом каче-
стве. Не забудьте также, что на русский язык они могут
переводиться другими частями речи, не совпадающими
с английским вариантом.
2. В английском языке практически любой глагол
может приобрести совершенно новый смысл, если ря-
дом с ним окажется предлог или наречие. Изучению
фразовых глаголов (т.е. глаголов, которые образуют с
предлогами и наречиями устойчивые сочетания, име-
ющие новое значение) можно посвятить целую жизнь,
но и в этом случае вас всегда может удивить неожи-
данное значение какого-нибудь «нефразового» глагола.
Поэтому лучше сразу попытаться запомнить основные
значения предлогов — и тогда даже в самом сложном
случае вы сможете с легкостью перевести такое соче-
тание самостоятельно (если, конечно, значение глагола
вам также известно). Фразовые глаголы, которые встре-
чаются в тексте, отмечены значком  — он указывает
на то, что запомнить нужно именно сочетание глагол +
предлог/наречие. Другим знаком — — в тексте отме-
5
чены устойчивые выражения и словосочетания, кото-

рые нужно запоминать полностью.
3. При переводе не стоит пытаться полностью со-
хранить строй предложения, перевести все части речи
их русскими аналогами и передать все образы дослов-
но. Когда предложение переводится на русский язык,
нужно руководствоваться правилами русского языка,
пользоваться русскими образами, идиомами, эмоцио-
нальными высказываниями и выразительными средст-
вами — конечно, при условии, что вы понимаете, что
автор хотел сказать по-английски. Если нет, — восполь-
зуйтесь комментарием-подсказкой!
Имея под рукой перевод слов и выражений, под-
сказки по грамматике и переводу и таблицы, в которых
мы напоминаем вам основные грамматические правила,
вы сможете с легкостью прочитать и понять оригиналь-
ное произведение! Мы не переводим текст за вас! Мы
делаем его понятным без перевода!
Желаем вам приятного и полезного чтения!

The Adventure of the Illustrious
Client
“It can’t hurt now,” was Mr. Sherlock Holmes’s comment

when, for the tenth time in as many years, I asked his leave to re-
veal the following narrative. So it was that at last I obtained per-
mission to put on record what was, in some ways, the supreme
moment of my friend’s career.
illustrious [ɪˈlʌstriəs]
illustrious — широко известный; ask one’s leave —

просить разрешения; reveal — открыть, зд.: опубликовать; fol-
lowing — (ниже)следующий; narrative — рассказ; obtain — по-
лучить; permission — разрешение; put on record — записать;
supreme — кульминационный
Both Holmes and I had a weakness for the Turkish

bath1. It was over a smoke in the pleasant lassitude of the dry-
ing-room2 that I have found him less reticent and more human
than anywhere else. On the upper floor of the Northumberland
Avenue establishment there is an isolated corner where two
couches lie side by side, and it was on these that we lay upon
September 3, 1902, the day when my narrative begins. I had
asked him whether anything was stirring, and for answer he
had shot his long, thin, nervous arm out of the sheets which
1 Turkish bath — турецкая баня. Была популярна в Великобритании

в викторианскую эпоху. Сначала полагалось разогреть тело и прочи-
стить дыхательные органы в комнате, прогреваемой сухим паром. Отту-
да переходили в парную, затем ополаскивались в холодной воде, а после
мытья и массажа переходили в прохладную комнату, завершая процеду-
ры релаксацией.
2 drying-room — комната, с которой начиналось посещение турецкой
бани: не слишком высокая температура и сухой пар позволяли рассла-
биться и разогреть тело.
9
enveloped him and had drawn an envelope from the inside

pocket of the coat which hung beside him.
lassitude [ˈlæsɪˌtjuːd]
weakness — слабость; lassitude — зд.: расслабляющая

атмосфера; reticent — скрытный, закрытый; establishment —
заведение; couch — кушетка; side by side — бок о бок; stir —
тревожить (вызывать интерес или беспокойство); for — зд.: в
качестве; sheet — простыня; envelop — оборачивать; envelope —
конверт; hung — 3-я форма гл. hang — висел; beside — рядом
It was… that — эта усилительная конструкция, два-

жды встречающаяся в абзаце, обычно переводится на русский
язык словами «именно», «как раз», «действительно» и т.д. Эле-
менты конструкции располагаются вокруг слов, которые необ-
ходимо выделить.
I had asked him whether anything was stirring — ча-
стица whether используется, чтобы ввести в косвенной речи
вопрос (если в нем отсутствует вопросительное слово); на
русский язык обычно переводится частицей «ли»: я спросил у
него, не было ли чего-нибудь интересного.
shot his long, thin, nervous arm — глагол shoot часто
используется, чтобы указать на быстрое движение (направле-
ние которого указывает предлог), в основном из свернутого/
согнутого положения — в вытянутое/развернутое: он выбросил
длинную тонкую нервную руку.
“It may be some fussy, self-important fool; it may be

a matter of life or death,” said he as he handed me the note.
“I know no more than this message tells me.”
It was from the Carlton Club1 and dated the evening be-
fore. This is what I read:
Sir James Damery presents his compliments to Mr. Sher-
lock Holmes and will call upon him at 4:30 to-morrow. Sir James
1 Carlton Club — Карлтон-клаб. Старейший джентльменский клуб

Лондона для консерваторов, основанный в 1832 г.
10
The Adventure of the Illustrious Client
begs to say that the matter upon which he desires to consult

Mr. Holmes is very delicate and also very important. He trusts,
therefore, that Mr. Holmes will make every effort to grant this
interview, and that he will confirm it over the telephone to the
Carlton Club.1
fussy — суетливый; self-important — самодовольный;

matter — дело; hand — передавать (гл.); present one’s com-
pliments — засвидетельствовать свое почтение;  call upon
somebody — наносить кому-л. визит; beg — умолять, просить;
desire — желать (гл.); trust — рассчитывать; therefore — следо-
вательно; grant — пожаловать, зд.: осуществить; confirm — под-
твердить
“I need not say that I have confirmed it, Watson,” said

Holmes as I returned the paper. “Do you know anything of this
man Damery?”
“Only that this name is a household word in society.”
“Well, I can tell you a little2 more than that. He has rather
a reputation for arranging delicate matters which are to be kept
out of the papers. You may remember his negotiations with Sir
George Lewis3 over the Hammerford Will case. He is a man of the
world with a natural turn for diplomacy. I am bound, therefore,
to hope that it is not a false scent and that he has some real need
for our assistance.”
household word — широко известное имя; arrange —

устраивать; negotiations — переговоры; will — завещание
(сущ.); case — дело, случай (юр., мед.); natural turn — природ-
ная склонность; be bound — обязан; false scent — ложный
след; assistance — помощь
1 Письмо написано подчеркнуто вежливо, в нем использованы офи-

циальные формы, крайне редко встречающиеся в современном языке.
2 Значение little/a little, few/a few меняется в зависимости от наличия
или отсутствия артикля: a little/a few — немного; little/few — мало.
3 Sir George Lewis — сэр Джордж Льюис (1833–1911). Знаменитый ад-
вокат викторианской эпохи, специализировавшийся главным образом на
защите обвиняемых в мошенничестве. Был посвящен в рыцарское звание
и удостоен титула баронета.
11
I need not say — модальный глагол need указывает на

наличие/отсутствие объективной необходимости в том или
ином действии: нет нужды говорить…
which are to be kept out of the papers — модальный гла-
гол be to используется в значении мягкой рекомендации, обыч-
но продиктованной объективными обстоятельствами: которым
не следует попадать в газеты.
“Our?”
“Well, if you will be so good, Watson.”
“I shall be honoured.”
“Then you have the hour — 4:30. Until then we can put
the matter out of our heads.”
if you will be so good — если вы будете так добры (уст.);

until — до;  put out — выбросить
I shall be honoured — глагол shall употреблялся в ан-

глийском языке как вспомогательный глагол будущего време-
ни для 1-го лица ед. и мн. числа; в современном языке в этом
значении используют will: почту за честь.
the hour — использование неопределенного артикля —
an hour — означало бы «у вас есть час»; определенный же ар-
тикль указывает на час, упомянутый в письме: вам известно
время.
I was living in my own rooms in Queen Anne Street1

at the time, but I was round at Baker Street before the time
named. Sharp to the half-hour, Colonel Sir James Damery was
announced. It is hardly necessary to describe him, for many
will remember that large, bluff, honest personality, that broad,
clean-shaven face, and, above all, that pleasant, mellow voice.
Frankness shone from his gray Irish eyes, and good humour
1 Queen Anne Street — улица, расположенная в респектабельном рай-

оне Марлибоун в центре Лондона – там же, где Бейкер-стрит. В этом
же районе действовал офтальмологический кабинет сэра Артура Конан
Дойля.
12
played round his mobile, smiling lips. His lucent top-hat, his
dark frock-coat,1 indeed, every detail, from the pearl pin in the
black satin cravat to the lavender spats2 over the varnished
shoes, spoke of the meticulous care in dress for which he was
famous. The big, masterful aristocrat dominated the little room.
colonel [ˈkɜːnl] cravat [krəˈvæt]

meticulous [mɪˈtɪkjʊləs]
round — зд.: на месте; named — названный; sharp —

точно; colonel — полковник; hardly — едва ли; necessary —
необходимо; bluff — прямодушный; personality — манера;
clean-shaven — чисто выбритый; above all — главное; mel-
low — приятный; frankness — искренность; shone — прост.
прош. от shine — светилась; mobile — подвижный; lips — губы;
lucent — сияющий; top-hat — цилиндр; frock-coat — сюртук;
pearl — жемчуг, жемчужный; pin — булавка; satin — атлас; cra-
vat — галстук; spats — гамаши; varnished — начищенный; metic-
ulous — тщательный; masterful — контролирующий ситуацию
“Of course, I was prepared to find Dr. Watson,” he re-

marked with a courteous bow. “His collaboration may be very
necessary, for we are dealing on this occasion, Mr. Holmes, with
a man to whom violence is familiar and who will, literally, stick
at nothing. I should say that there is no more dangerous man
in Europe.”
“I have had several opponents to whom that flattering
term has been applied,” said Holmes with a smile. “Don’t you
smoke? Then you will excuse me if I light my pipe. If your man is
more dangerous than the late Professor Moriarty, or than the
living Colonel Sebastian Moran, then he is indeed worth meet-
ing. May I ask his name?”
1 frock-coat — мужской сюртук, принятый в викторианскую (и затем

эдвардианскую) эпоху, представлявший собой подобие пиджака (одно-
бортного или двубортного) с длинными, по колено, полами.
2 spats — гамаши. Подобие чехлов для обуви; надевались на щиколот-
ки и прикрывали ботинки сверху. Часто служили не только защитным, но
и декоративным элементом.
13
courteous [ˈkɜːtiəs] bow [baʊ]
prepare — готовить(ся); courteous — вежливый;

bow — поклон; collaboration — сотрудничество; deal — иметь
дело; violence — насилие; literally — буквально; stick at noth-
ing — не останавливаться ни перед чем; flattering — лестный;
apply — применять; light — зажигать; pipe — трубка; living —
ныне живущий
the late Professor Moriarty — перед одушевленным су-

ществительным или именем собственным late используется в
значении «покойный»: покойный профессор Мориарти.
worth meeting — словосочетание (be) worth doing
имеет значение «стоить, быть достойным чего-л.»: достоин
встречи.
May I ask his name? — Модальный глагол may исполь-
зуется, чтобы получить разрешение сделать что-либо: могу я
спросить его имя? В современном языке в этом значении чаще
используется глагол can.
“Have you ever heard of Baron Gruner?”

“You mean the Austrian murderer?”
Colonel Damery threw up his kid-gloved hands with a
laugh. “There is no getting past you, Mr. Holmes! Wonderful! So
you have already sized him up as a murderer?”
“It is my business to follow the details of Continental
crime. Who could possibly have read what happened at Prague
and have any doubts as to the man’s guilt! It was a purely techni-
cal legal point and the suspicious death of a witness that saved
him! I am as sure that he killed his wife when the so-called ‘acci-
dent’ happened in the Splügen Pass1 as if I had seen him do it. I
knew, also, that he had come to England and had a presentiment
that sooner or later he would find me some work to do. Well, what
has Baron Gruner been up to? I presume it is not this old tragedy
which has come up again?”
1 Splügen Pass — название альпийской горной тропы, являющейся

границей между Лепонтинскими и Ретийскими Альпами.
14
Austrian [ˈɒstrɪən] Prague [prɑːg]

suspicious [səˈspɪʃəs]
murderer — убийца; threw up — прост. прош. от

throw — зд.: всплеснул; kid-glove — лайковая перчатка;  size
up — составить мнение; follow — следить; doubt — сомнение;
as to — что касается; guilt — вина; purely — чисто; point —
пункт, вопрос; suspicious — подозрительный; witness — свиде-
тель (сущ.); so-called — так называемый; accident — несчастный
случай; as if — как будто; presentiment — предчувствие; been up
to — 3-я форма гл. be — сделал; presume — полагать
There is no getting past you — словосочетание get

past smb зд. используется в значении «ускользнуть»: ничто не
ускользнет от вас/вашего внимания.
Continental crime — в Великобритании слово conti-
nental указывает на Европу: преступления, совершенные на
континенте/в Европе.
purely technical legal point — сочетание прилагатель-
ных technical и legal подразумевает технический вопрос в юри-
спруденции: чисто формальная юридическая лазейка.
as if I had seen him do it — после глаголов восприятия
(see, hear, listen и т.д.) употребляются либо инфинитив, либо
форма глагол + ing. Выбор формы предполагает смысловое раз-
личие: глагол + ing подчеркивает процесс, а инфинитив — ре-
зультат: had seen him doing — видел, как он делал; had seen him
do — видел, как он сделал.
“No, it is more serious than that. To revenge crime is im-

portant, but to prevent it is more so. It is a terrible thing, Mr. Hol-
mes, to see a dreadful event, an atrocious situation, preparing
itself before your eyes, to clearly understand whither it will lead
and yet to be utterly unable to avert it. Can a human being be
placed in a more trying position?”
“Perhaps not.”
“Then you will sympathize with the client in whose inter-
ests I am acting.”
“I did not understand that you were merely an interme-
diary. Who is the principal?”
15
intermediary [ˌɪntəˈmiːdiəri]
revenge — отомстить; prevent — предотвратить; dread-

ful — ужасный; atrocious — омерзительный; whither — куда
(уст.); yet — все же; avert — избежать; trying — трудный, дей-
ствующий на нервы; perhaps — вероятно; sympathize (with) —
сочувствовать; merely — только; intermediary — посредник;
principal — главное действующее лицо
“Mr. Holmes, I must beg you not to press that ques-

tion. It is important that I should be able to assure him that his
honoured name has been in no way dragged into the matter.
His motives are, to the last degree, honourable and chivalrous,
but he prefers to remain unknown. I need not say that your fees
will be assured and that you will be given a perfectly free hand.
Surely the actual name of your client is immaterial?”
“I am sorry,” said Holmes. “I am accustomed to have mys-
tery at one end of my cases, but to have it at both ends is too
confusing. I fear, Sir James, that I must decline to act.”
Our visitor was greatly disturbed. His large, sensitive face
was darkened with emotion and disappointment.
chivalrous [ˈʃɪvəlrəs]
press — давить; be able to — быть в состоянии; as-

sure — уверить; in no way — никоим образом;  drag into —
вовлекать; degree — степень; chivalrous — рыцарственный; pre-
fer — предпочитать; remain — остаться; fee — гонорар; given
free hand — 3-я форма гл. give — получен зеленый свет; actual —
настоящий; immaterial — несущественный; be accustomed
to — привыкнуть; confuse — cбивать с толку; decline — откло-
нить (предложение); disturbed — обеспокоен; sensitive — под-
вижный (о лице); darken — темнеть; disappointment — разоча-
рование
I must beg you not to press — глаголы beg и pray (умо-

лять) используются в вежливых просьбах в том же значении,
что и ask: я вынужден просить вас не оказывать давления.
16
“You hardly realize the effect of your own action, Mr. Hol-
mes,” said he. “You place me in a most serious dilemma for I am
perfectly certain that you would be proud to take over the case
if I could give you the facts, and yet a promise forbids me from
revealing them all. May I, at least, lay all that I can before you?”
“By all means, so long as it is understood that I commit
myself to nothing.”
“That is understood. In the first place, you have no doubt
heard of General de Merville?”
“De Merville of Khyber1 fame? Yes, I have heard of him.”
for — так как; certain — уверен; proud — гордый; take
over — взяться (за); promise — обещание (сущ.); forbid — за-
прещать; reveal — открывать;  lay before — изложить; by all
means — конечно; so long as — насколько, до тех пор пока;
commit myself to nothing — не беру на себя никакой ответ-
ственности; in the first place — во-первых; no doubt — без
сомнений
Khyber fame — слово fame (слава) часто используется

после указания на то, чем именно знаменит тот или иной чело-
век; в данном случае генерал прославился военной операцией:
либо наступлением в Афганистан через Хайберский проход,
либо обороной одного из расположенных там фортов.
“He has a daughter, Violet de Merville, young, rich, beau-

tiful, accomplished, a wonder-woman in every way. It is this
daughter, this lovely, innocent girl, whom we are endeavouring
to save from the clutches of a fiend.”
“Baron Gruner has some hold over her, then?”
“The strongest of all holds where a woman is con-
cerned — the hold of love. The fellow is, as you may have heard,
extraordinarily handsome, with a most fascinating manner, a
gentle voice and that air of romance and mystery which means
so much to a woman. He is said to have the whole sex at his mer-
cy and to have made ample use of the fact.”
1 Khyber [ˈkʌɪbə] — Хайберский проход в горном хребте Сафехдок
близ границы между Афганистаном и Пакистаном. Имел стратегическое
значение в войнах Великобритании с Афганистаном в XIX в.
17
accomplished — зд.: утонченный; in every way — во всех

отношениях; lovely — прелестный; innocent — невинный; en-
deavour — пытаться; clutches — клещи, захват; fiend — злодей;
be concerned — когда речь заходит о; extraordinarily — чрез-
вычайно; handsome — красивый; gentle — нежный; air — зд.:
ореол; mean — значить (гл.); sex — пол; at one’s mercy —
в чьей-л. власти; ample — достаточный
a most fascinating manner — обычно перед прилага-

тельным в превосходной степени употребляется определен-
ный артикль. Но в данном случае подразумевается не сравне-
ние (самая обворожительная манера), а усиление: невероятно
обворожительная манера.
He is said — выражения типа to be said часто исполь-
зуются, когда нужно рассказать об общественном мнении или
каких-либо слухах: (о нем) говорят…
“But how came such a man to meet a lady of the stand-

ing of Miss Violet de Merville?”
“It was on a Mediterranean yachting voyage. The com-
pany, though select, paid their own passages. No doubt the pro-
moters hardly realized the Baron’s true character until it was too
late. The villain attached himself to the lady, and with such effect
that he has completely and absolutely won her heart. To say that
she loves him hardly expresses it. She dotes upon him, she is ob-
sessed by him. Outside of him there is nothing on earth. She
will not hear one word against him. Everything has been done
to cure her of her madness, but in vain. To sum up, she proposes
to marry him next month. As she is of age and has a will of iron, it
is hard to know how to prevent her.”
Mediterranean [ˌmedɪtəˈreɪniən]
yachting [ˈjɒtɪŋ]
came to — прост. прош. от come — случилось, удалось;

standing — положение; Mediterranean — средиземноморский;
though — хотя; select — избранный; passage — проезд; pro-
moters — зд.: организаторы; hardly — едва ли; until — пока
18
не; villain — злодей; attach (to) — привязаться (к); completely

and absolutely — целиком и полностью; won — 3-я форма гл.
win — завоевал; express — выражать;  dote (up) on — обожать,
молиться (на); obsess — стать наваждением; cure — исцелить;
in vain — тщетно;  sum up — подводить итоги; propose —
предлагать, делать предложение; of age — совершеннолетний;
will — воля (сущ.); prevent — помешать
Outside of him there is nothing on earth. — Этим

образным выражением характеризуется степень влюбленно-
сти героини; при переводе можно подобрать русский аналог:
на нем свет клином сошелся.
She will not hear one word against him. — Глагол will в
своем модальном значении указывает на желание/нежелание
совершать то или иное действие: она не желает слышать ни
слова против него.
“Does she know about the Austrian episode?”

“The cunning devil has told her every unsavoury pub-
lic scandal of his past life, but always in such a way as to make
himself out to be an innocent martyr. She absolutely accepts his
version and will listen to no other.”
“Dear me! But surely you have inadvertently let out the
name of your client? It is no doubt General de Merville.”
Our visitor fidgeted in his chair.
martyr [ˈmɑːtə]
cunning — коварный, хитроумный; unsavoury — «гряз-

ный», неприличный; past — прошлый;  make out — делать вы-
вод; martyr — мученик; accept — принимать; Dear me! — Боже
мой!; inadvertently — невольно; let out — выдавать; fidget — ер-
зать
“I could deceive you by saying so, Mr. Holmes, but

it would not be true. De Merville is a broken man. The strong
soldier has been utterly demoralized by this incident. He has
19
lost the nerve which never failed him on the battlefield and
has become a weak, doddering old man, utterly incapable of
contending with a brilliant, forceful rascal like this Austrian.
My client however is an old friend, one who has known the Gen-
eral intimately for many years and taken a paternal interest in
this young girl since she wore short frocks. He cannot see this
tragedy consummated without some attempt to stop it. There is
nothing in which Scotland Yard1 can act. It was his own sugges-
tion that you should be called in, but it was, as I have said, on the
express stipulation that he should not be personally involved in
the matter. I have no doubt, Mr. Holmes, with your great powers
you could easily trace my client back through me, but I must ask
you, as a point of honour, to refrain from doing so, and not to
break in upon his incognito.”
deceive — обмануть; broken — сломленный; utterly —

полностью; incident — случай; lost the nerve — прост. прош.
от lose — утратил самообладание; fail — подводить; battlefield —
поле боя; weak — слабый; doddering — дрожащий от старости/
слабости; incapable — неспособный; contend — тягаться; bril-
liant — блестящий; forceful — оказывающий влияние на дру-
гих; rascal — негодяй; intimately — близко; wore — прост. прош.
от wear — носила; frock — платье; consummate — завершаться;
attempt — попытка (сущ.); suggestion — предложение;  call
in — обратиться к; stipulation — оговорка; trace back — просле-
дить; refrain — удержаться; break in — зд.: нарушать
Holmes gave a whimsical smile.

“I think I may safely promise that,” said he. “I may add that
your problem interests me, and that I shall be prepared to look
into it. How shall I keep in touch with you?”
“The Carlton Club will find me. But in case of emergency,
there is a private telephone call, ‘XX.31.’”
Holmes noted it down and sat, still smiling, with the open
memorandum-book upon his knee.
1 Scotland Yard — название штаб-квартиры Metropolitan Police Station
(полиции Большого Лондона). Первоначально она располагалась на улице
Great Scotland Yard и сохранила свое название даже после переезда.
20
“The Baron’s present address, please?”

“Vernon Lodge, near Kingston. It is a large house. He has
been fortunate in some rather shady speculations and is a rich
man, which naturally makes him a more dangerous antagonist.”
whimsical [ˈwɪmzɪkl]
whimsical — позабавленный; add — добавить;  look

into — изучать (дело); keep in touch with — поддерживать
связь c кем-л.; in case of — в случае; emergency — экстренная
необходимость; private — личный; note down — записывать;
memorandum-book — записная книжка; present — нынешний;
shady — сомнительный
“Is he at home at present?”

“Yes.”
“Apart from what you have told me, can you give me any
further information about the man?”
“He has expensive tastes. He is a horse fancier. For a
short time he played polo at Hurlingham, but then this Prague
affair got noised about and he had to leave. He collects books
and pictures. He is a man with a considerable artistic side to his
nature. He is, I believe, a recognized authority upon Chinese pot-
tery and has written a book upon the subject.”
apart — кроме; expensive — дорогой, дорогостоящий;

taste — вкус; horse fancier — любитель лошадей; considerable —
значительный; recognized — признанный; pottery — гончарное
искусство; subject — предмет
affair got noised about — глагол get может использо-

ваться для образования страдательного залога: вокруг дела
был поднят шум / подняли шум.
“A complex mind,” said Holmes. “All great criminals have

that. My old friend Charlie Peace was a violin virtuoso. Wain-
wright was no mean artist. I could quote many more. Well, Sir
21
James, you will inform your client that I am turning my mind

upon Baron Gruner. I can say no more. I have some sources of
information of my own, and I dare say we may find some means
of opening the matter up.”
When our visitor had left us Holmes sat so long in deep
thought that it seemed to me that he had forgotten my presence.
At last, however, he came briskly back to earth.
violin [ˌvaɪəˈlɪn] virtuoso [ˌvɜːtʃʊˈəʊsəʊ]
complex — сложный; mean — плохой; quote — зд.:

перечислить; turn (up)on — обратиться; source — источник;
means — средства;  open up — открыть; forgotten — 3-я фор-
ма гл. forget — забыл; however — однако; briskly — быстро
Wainwright was no mean artist. — В английском пред-

ложении может быть только одно отрицание. Обычно это ча-
стица not в сочетании с глаголом; зд. отрицательное местои-
мение no стоит перед прилагательным, которое отрицание и
выделяет: Уэйнрайт был неплохим художником.
I dare say — эти вводные слова используются, чтобы
высказать мнение о чем-либо, и переводятся по контексту в за-
висимости от стиля: «осмелюсь предположить», «я бы сказал»,
«мне кажется» и т.д.
“Well, Watson, any views?” he asked.

“I should think you had better see the young lady herself.”
“My dear Watson, if her poor old broken father cannot
move her, how shall I, a stranger, prevail? And yet there is some-
thing in the suggestion if all else fails. But I think we must begin
from a different angle. I rather fancy that Shinwell Johnson might
be a help.”
view — мнение; move — переубедить; prevail — оказать

более сильное влияние; all else — все остальное; angle — угол
(геометр.); rather — скорее
22
you had better see — конструкция местоимение + had

better используется в значении рекомендации и переводится
соответственно: вам бы лучше повидать/вам бы следовало
повидать.
I rather fancy — fancy может использоваться и как гла-
гол, и как существительное, и в обоих случаях описывает мимо-
летное чувство или ощущение, мелькнувшую мысль, прихоть,
каприз: я бы скорее предположил…
I have not had occasion to mention Shinwell John-

son in these memoirs because I have seldom drawn my cases
from the latter phases of my friend’s career. During the first
years of the century he became a valuable assistant. Johnson,
I grieve to say, made his name first as a very dangerous villain
and served two terms at Parkhurst1. Finally he repented and
allied himself to Holmes, acting as his agent in the huge crimi-
nal underworld of London and obtaining information which
often proved to be of vital importance. Had Johnson been a
“nark” of the police he would soon have been exposed, but as
he dealt with cases which never came directly into the courts,
his activities were never realized by his companions. With the
glamour of his two convictions upon him, he had the entree
of every night-club, doss house, and gambling den in the
town, and his quick observation and active brain made him an
ideal agent for gaining information. It was to him that Sherlock
Holmes now proposed to turn.
occasion — случай; mention — упомянуть; seldom —

редко; drawn — 3-я форма гл. draw — описывал; latter — по-
следние, зд.: поздние; during — в течение; valuable — ценный;
grieve — сожалеть; repent — раскаиваться; ally — заключить
союз (гл.); underworld — «дно», преступный мир; prove to
be — оказываться; vital — жизненно важный; nark — осведоми-
1 Parkhurst — Паркхерст. Тюрьма на острове Уайт, известная строгим

режимом. Была тюрьмой для несовершеннолетних преступников, ожи-
давших пересылки в Австралию. Во второй половине XIX в. Паркхерст в
течение трех лет был женской тюрьмой, но с 1869 г. превратился в муж-
скую.
23
тель; expose — разоблачать; dealt — прост. прош. от deal — имел

дело; court — суд; glamour — глянец; conviction — приговор;
entree — вход, доступ; doss house — ночлежка; gambling den —
игорный притон; observation — наблюдательность; propose —
предлагать
It was not possible for me to follow the immediate steps

taken by my friend, for I had some pressing professional busi-
ness of my own, but I met him by appointment that evening at
Simpson’s, where, sitting at a small table in the front window and
looking down at the rushing stream of life in the Strand, he told
me something of what had passed.
“Johnson is on the prowl,” said he. “He may pick up some
garbage in the darker recesses of the underworld, for it is down
there, amid the black roots of crime, that we must hunt for this
man’s secrets.”
“But if the lady will not accept what is already known, why
should any fresh discovery of yours turn her from her purpose?”
prowl [praʊl]
pressing — неотложный; by appointment — по догово-

ренности; rushing — бурный; stream — поток; on the prowl —
в поисках, (идти) по следу; garbage — мусор; recesses — закоул-
ки; amid — среди; root — корень; purpose — цель
“Who knows, Watson? Woman’s heart and mind are

insoluble puzzles to the male. Murder might be condoned or
explained, and yet some smaller offence might rankle. Baron
Gruner remarked to me —”
“He remarked to you!”
“Oh, to be sure, I had not told you of my plans. Well, Wat-
son, I love to come to close grips with my man. I like to meet him
eye to eye and read for myself the stuff that he is made of. When
I had given Johnson his instructions I took a cab out to Kingston
and found the Baron in a most affable mood.”
24
insoluble — неразрешимый; condone — одобрять не-

что, порицаемое другими; offence — оскорбление, нарушение;
rankle — не давать покоя; to be sure — конечно; affable — дру-
желюбный
the male — прилагательное male означает «мужской»

и используется в случаях, когда речь идет о мужском поле
(в биологическом смысле); определенный артикль превращает
прилагательное в существительное с обобщающим значением:
мужчины, мужской пол.
I love to come to close grips with my man — игра слов:
выражение come to grips означает «приступить к рассмотрению
или решению проблемы». Холмс использует и переносное зна-
чение, и прямой перевод (войти в тесный контакт): я люблю
поближе познакомиться с моим объектом.
the stuff that he is made of — слово stuff имеет значение
«эта штука», «все такое» и т.д., поэтому часто переводится по
контексту: из чего он сделан/как он устроен.
“Did he recognize you?”

“There was no difficulty about that, for I simply sent in
my card. He is an excellent antagonist, cool as ice, silky voiced and
soothing as one of your fashionable consultants, and poisonous
as a cobra. He has breeding in him — a real aristocrat of crime
with a superficial suggestion of afternoon tea and all the cruelty
of the grave behind it. Yes, I am glad to have had my attention
called to Baron Adelbert Gruner.”
aristocrat [ˈærɪstəˌkræt]
recognize — узнать (кого-л.); sent — прост. прош. от

send — послал; soothing — располагающий к себе; poisonous —
ядовитый; breeding — воспитание; superficial — внешний, ка-
жущийся
“You say he was affable?”

“A purring cat who thinks he sees prospective mice.
Some people’s affability is more deadly than the violence of coars-
25
er souls. His greeting was characteristic. ‘I rather thought I should

see you sooner or later, Mr. Holmes,’ said he. ‘You have been en-
gaged, no doubt by General de Merville, to endeavour to stop my
marriage with his daughter, Violet. That is so, is it not?’
“I acquiesced.
“’My dear man,’ said he, ‘you will only ruin your own well-
deserved reputation. It is not a case in which you can possibly
succeed. You will have barren work, to say nothing of incurring
some danger. Let me very strongly advise you to draw off at once.’
acquiesced [ˌækwiˈest]
prospective — перспективный; mice — мн ч. от mouse —

мыши; deadly — смертельно опасный; sooner or later — рано
или поздно; engage — нанимать; acquiesce — нехотя признавать;
deserved — заслуженный; succeed — преуспеть; barren — зд.:
неблагодарный; incur — претерпевать (вследствие своих дейст-
вий); draw off — убраться (с пути)
“‘It is curious,’ I answered, ‘but that was the very advice

which I had intended to give you. I have a respect for your
brains, Baron, and the little which I have seen of your personal-
ity has not lessened it. Let me put it to you as man to man. No
one wants to rake up your past and make you unduly uncom-
fortable. It is over, and you are now in smooth waters, but if you
persist in this marriage you will raise up a swarm of powerful
enemies who will never leave you alone until they have made
England too hot to hold you. Is the game worth it? Surely you
would be wiser if you left the lady alone. It would not be pleas-
ant for you if these facts of your past were brought to her notice.’
intend — намереваться; respect — уважение; personal-

ity — личность; lessen — уменьшить;  rake up — ворошить,
копаться (в прошлом); unduly — в излишней степени; in smooth
waters — в безопасности; persist — настаивать; swarm — рой;
leave smb alone — оставить в покое; be worth — стоить, быть
достойным; notice — внимание
26
until they have made England — перфектная фор-

ма (have made) после until указывает на результат, который
будет достигнут в будущем времени: пока они не превратят
Англию…
“The Baron has little waxed tips of hair under his nose,
like the short antennae of an insect. These quivered with amuse-
ment as he listened, and he finally broke into a gentle chuckle.
“’Excuse my amusement, Mr. Holmes,’ said he, ‘but it is re-
ally funny to see you trying to play a hand with no cards in it.
I don’t think anyone could do it better, but it is rather pathetic all
the same. Not a colour card there, Mr. Holmes, nothing but the
smallest of the small.’
“‘So you think.’
waxed — обработанный воском; tip — кончик; anten-

nae — усики; quiver — подрагивать; amusement — веселость;
chuckle — смешок; pathetic — жалкий; all the same — все рав-
но; colour card — карта-картинка
play a hand with no cards in it — hand имеет значение

не только «рука», но и «карты, имеющиеся на руках». Фраза
означает «играете, не имея на руках хороших карт».
“’So I know. Let me make the thing clear to you, for my

own hand is so strong that I can afford to show it. I have been
fortunate enough to win the entire affection of this lady. This
was given to me in spite of the fact that I told her very clearly
of all the unhappy incidents in my past life. I also told her that
certain wicked and designing persons — I hope you recognize
yourself — would come to her and tell her these things, and I
warned her how to treat them. You have heard of post-hypnotic
suggestion, Mr. Holmes? Well you will see how it works for a man
of personality can use hypnotism without any vulgar passes or
tomfoolery. So she is ready for you and, I have no doubt, would
give you an appointment, for she is quite amenable to her fa-
ther’s will — save only in the one little matter.’
27
amenable [əˈmiːnəbəl]
afford — позволить себе; affection — любовь; in spite

of — несмотря на; incident — несчастный случай; designing —
изобретательный; warn — предупреждать; treat — обращаться
с; suggestion — зд.: внушение; tomfoolery — шутовство; ame-
nable — послушный; save — кроме
“Well, Watson, there seemed to be no more to say, so I

took my leave with as much cold dignity as I could summon, but,
as I had my hand on the door-handle, he stopped me.
“’By the way, Mr. Holmes,’ said he, ‘did you know Le Brun,
the French agent?’
“‘Yes,’ said I.
“‘Do you know what befell him?’
“’I heard that he was beaten by some Apaches in the
Montmartre district and crippled for life.’
“’Quite true, Mr. Holmes. By a curious coincidence he
had been inquiring into my affairs only a week before. Don’t do
it, Mr. Holmes; it’s not a lucky thing to do. Several have found that
out. My last word to you is, go your own way and let me go mine.
Good-bye!’
took one’s leave — прост. прош. от take — удалил-

ся (уст.); befell — прост. прош от befall — выпало (на долю);
apache — хулиган; cripple — калечить (гл.); coincidence — сов-
падение; found out — прост. прош. от find — выяснили
“So there you are, Watson. You are up to date now.”

“The fellow seems dangerous.”
“Mighty dangerous. I disregard the blusterer, but this is
the sort of man who says rather less than he means.”
“Must you interfere? Does it really matter if he marries
the girl?”
“Considering that he undoubtedly murdered his last wife,
I should say it mattered very much. Besides, the client! Well, well,
28
we need not discuss that. When you have finished your coffee you
had best come home with me, for the blithe Shinwell will be there
with his report.”
blithe [blaɪð]
you are up to date — теперь у вас есть вся информация;

mighty — крайне; disregard — относиться пренебрежительно;
blusterer — тот, кто угрожает и запугивает; interfere — вмеши-
ваться; besides — кроме того; blithe — беззаботный
We found him sure enough, a huge, coarse, red-faced,

scorbutic man, with a pair of vivid black eyes which were the only
external sign of the very cunning mind within. It seems that he
had dived down into what was peculiarly his kingdom, and be-
side him on the settee was a brand which he had brought up in
the shape of a slim, flame-like young woman with a pale, intense
face, youthful, and yet so worn with sin and sorrow that one read
the terrible years which had left their leprous mark upon her.
settee [seˈtiː]
scorbutic = scurvy — цинга, зд.: анемичный; external —

внешний; cunning — хитроумный;  dive down — нырнуть, по-
грузиться; peculiarly — зд.: определенно; settee — двухместный
диванчик; slim — стройный; flame — пламя; intense — напря-
женный; worn — изнуренный; sin — грех; sorrow — горе
“This is Miss Kitty Winter,” said Shinwell Johnson, waving

his fat hand as an introduction. “What she don’t know1 — well,
there, she’ll speak for herself. Put my hand right on her, Mr. Hol-
mes, within an hour of your message.”
1 Это не первый и не последний раз, когда малообразованные герои

Конан Дойля допускают в речи ошибки. Правильно было бы сказать she
doesn’t. Помощники Шерлока Холмса будут делать ошибки и дальше: так
автор подчеркивает их необразованность.
29
“I’m easy to find,” said the young woman. “Hell, London,

gets me every time. Same address for Porky Shinwell. We’re old
mates, Porky, you and I. But, by cripes! there is another who
ought to be down in a lower hell than we if there was any justice
in the world! That is the man you are after, Mr. Holmes.”
Holmes smiled. “I gather we have your good wishes, Miss
Winter.”
wave — махать; introduction — введение, представле-

ние; speak for onerself — говорить за себя; Porky — зд.: Тол-
стяк; (by) cripes — Богом клянусь! (выражает удивление, гнев,
негодование); justice — справедливость, правосудие; be af-
ter — охотиться, разыскивать; gather — полагать (уст.)
“If I can help to put him where he belongs, I’m yours to

the rattle,” said our visitor with fierce energy. There was an inten-
sity of hatred in her white, set face and her blazing eyes such as
woman seldom and man never can attain.
“You needn’t go into my past, Mr. Holmes. That’s neither
here nor there. But what I am Adelbert Gruner made me. If I
could pull him down!” She clutched frantically with her hands
into the air. “Oh, if I could only pull him into the pit where he
has pushed so many!”
“You know how the matter stands?”
to the rattle — зд.: с потрохами; fierce — яростный;

set — застывший (прил.); blazing — сверкающий; seldom —
редко; attain — достичь; neither here nor there — ни при чем;
clutch — сжимать; frantically — судорожно; pull — тянуть; pit —
яма; push — толкать; how the matter stands — как обстоит дело
if I could only pull him — if only используется в начале

предложения в тех же случаях, что и I wish — для выражения
пожелания: если бы только я могла утянуть его…
“Porky Shinwell has been telling me. He’s after some

other poor fool and wants to marry her this time. You want to
stop it. Well, you surely know enough about this devil to pre-
30
vent any decent girl in her senses wanting to be in the same

parish with him.”
“She is not in her senses. She is madly in love. She has
been told all about him. She cares nothing.”
“Told about the murder?”
“Yes.”
“My Lord, she must have a nerve!”
“She puts them all down as slanders.”
decent — приличный; in one’s senses — в своем уме;

parish — церковный приход; be in love — быть влюбленным;
 put down as — считать чем-л.; slander — клевета
poor fool — прилагательное poor используется перед

ругательствами, превращая их в грубоватое выражение сочув-
ствия: poor devil — бедняга, poor fool — дурочка.
she must have a nerve — выражение have a nerve указыва-
ет на самообладание, крепкие нервы: должно быть, у нее крепкие
нервы.
“Couldn’t you lay proofs before her silly eyes?”

“Well, can you help us do so?”
“Ain’t I a proof myself? If I stood before her and told her
how he used me —”
“Would you do this?”
“Would I? Would I not!”
“Well, it might be worth trying. But he has told her most
of his sins and had pardon from her, and I understand she will not
reopen the question.”
proof — доказательство; ain’t = am/are/is/have/has not;

pardon — прощение
Would I not! — Инверсия может придать фразе про-

тивоположный смысл: I would not — я не буду (этого делать);
Would I not! — Еще бы я этого не сделала!
31
“I’ll lay he didn’t tell her all,” said Miss Winter. “I caught a
glimpse of one or two murders besides the one that made such
a fuss. He would speak of someone in his velvet way and then
look at me with a steady eye and say: ‘He died within a month.’ It
wasn’t hot air, either. But I took little notice — you see, I loved
him myself at that time. Whatever he did went with me, same as
with this poor fool! There was just one thing that shook me. Yes,
by cripes! if it had not been for his poisonous, lying tongue that
explains and soothes, I’d have left him that very night. It’s a book
he has — a brown leather book with a lock, and his arms in gold
on the outside. I think he was a bit drunk that night, or he would
not have shown it to me.”
lay — поручиться (уст.); caught a glimpse — прост.

прош. от catch — видела мельком; besides — кроме; fuss — суета;
velvet — бархат(ный); steady — спокойный; within — в течение;
hot air — пустое хвастовство; took notice — прост. прош.
от take — обращать внимание; whatever — что бы ни; shook —
прост. прош. от shake — потрясло; lying — лживый; tongue —
язык; soothe — успокаивать; leather — кожа(ный); lock — замок;
arms — герб; drunk — 3-я форма гл. drink — пьян
It wasn’t hot air, either. — В конце отрицательного

предложения either имеет значение «также не»: и это были не
пустые слова.
took little notice — little часто используется в значении
отрицательного слова: обращать мало внимания = (почти) не
обращать внимания.
he would not have shown it — перфектная форма (have
shown) после would указывает на то, что речь идет о нереальном
условии, т.к. действие происходило в прошлом; при переводе
используется частица «бы»: он бы не показал.
“What was it, then?”

“I tell you, Mr. Holmes, this man collects women, and
takes a pride in his collection, as some men collect moths or but-
terflies. He had it all in that book. Snapshot photographs, names,
details, everything about them. It was a beastly book — a book
32
no man, even if he had come from the gutter, could have put to-
gether. But it was Adelbert Gruner’s book all the same. ‘Souls I
have ruined.’ He could have put that on the outside if he had been
so minded. However, that’s neither here nor there, for the book
would not serve you, and, if it would, you can’t get it.”
take pride in — гордиться; moth — мотылек; snap-

shot — любительский снимок; beastly — чудовищный; gutter —
трущобы, низшие социальные слои; put together — составлять;
all the same — все равно; ruin — (по)губить; however — одна-
ко; neither here nor there — не имеет значения; serve — слу-
жить
“Where is it?”
“How can I tell you where it is now? It’s more than a year
since I left him. I know where he kept it then. He’s a precise, tidy
cat of a man in many of his ways, so maybe it is still in the pigeon-
hole of the old bureau in the inner study. Do you know his house?”
“I’ve been in the study,” said Holmes.
“Have you, though? You haven’t been slow on the job
if you only started this morning. Maybe dear Adelbert has met
his match this time. The outer study is the one with the Chinese
crockery in it — big glass cupboard between the windows. Then
behind his desk is the door that leads to the inner study — a small
room where he keeps papers and things.”
bureau [ˈbjʊərəʊ] Chinese [ˌtʃaɪˈniːz]
since — с тех пор как; left — прост. прош. от leave —

оставила; kept — прост. прош. от keep — держал, хранил; pre-
cise — точный, аккуратный; pigeon-hole — потайное отделение;
study — кабинет (сущ.); match — достойный противник; crock-
ery — посуда; cupboard — буфет, комод
“Is he not afraid of burglars?”

“Adelbert is no coward. His worst enemy couldn’t say that
of him. He can look after himself. There’s a burglar alarm at night.
33
Besides, what is there for a burglar — unless they got away with all
this fancy crockery?”
“No good,” said Shinwell Johnson with the decided voice
of the expert. “No fence wants stuff of that sort that you can nei-
ther melt nor sell.”
burglar — взломщик; coward — трус;  look after —

(по)заботиться; burglar alarm — сигнализация; fancy — причуд-
ливый; no good — плохо; fence — скупщик краденого; melt —
плавить
“Quite so,” said Holmes. “Well, now, Miss Winter, if you

would call here tomorrow evening at five, I would consider in
the meanwhile whether your suggestion of seeing this lady
personally may not be arranged. I am exceedingly obliged
to you for your cooperation. I need not say that my clients will
consider liberally —
“None of that, Mr. Holmes,” cried the young woman. “I am
not out for money. Let me see this man in the mud, and I’ve got
all I’ve worked for — in the mud with my foot on his cursed face.
That’s my price. I’m with you tomorrow or any other day so long
as you are on his track. Porky here can tell you always where to
find me.”
I did not see Holmes again until the following evening
when we dined once more at our Strand restaurant. He shrugged
his shoulders when I asked him what luck he had had in his inter-
view. Then he told the story, which I would repeat in this way. His
hard, dry statement needs some little editing to soften it into the
terms of real life.
call — заходить; consider — обдумывать; in the

meanwhile — тем временем; arrange — устраивать; exceed-
ingly — чрезвычайно; obliged (to) — обязан; liberally — ще-
дро; be out for — искать, стремиться; mud — грязь; cursed —
проклятый; price — цена; so long as — столько… сколько
(о времени); track — след; shrug — пожимать плечами; re-
peat — повторять; dry — сухой; statement — изложение; edit-
ing — обработка
34
“There was no difficulty at all about the appointment,”

said Holmes, “for the girl glories in showing abject filial obe-
dience in all secondary things in an attempt to atone for her
flagrant breach of it in her engagement. The General phoned
that all was ready, and the fiery Miss W. turned up according to
schedule, so that at half-past five a cab deposited us outside 104
Berkeley Square, where the old soldier resides — one of those
awful gray London castles which would make a church seem
frivolous. A footman showed us into a great yellow-curtained
drawing-room, and there was the lady awaiting us, demure,
pale, self-contained, as inflexible and remote as a snow image
on a mountain.
abject [ˈæbdʒekt]
appointment — назначение, договоренность о встрече;

 glory in — охотно делать что-л.; abject — полнейший; obedi-
ence — послушание; secondary — второстепенный; attempt —
попытка; atone — компенсировать; flagrant — бескомпро-
миссный; breach — нарушение; engagement — помолвка;
fiery — огненный; schedule — схема, расписание; castle — за-
мок; frivolous — легкомысленный; footman — лакей; curtain —
занавеска; demure — скромная и сдержанная (о женщинах);
inflexible — зд.: неподвижный; remote — далекий
“I don’t quite know how to make her clear to you, Wat-

son. Perhaps you may meet her before we are through, and you
can use your own gift of words. She is beautiful, but with the
ethereal other-world beauty of some fanatic whose thoughts
are set on high. I have seen such faces in the pictures of the old
masters of the Middle Ages. How a beast-man could have laid
his vile paws upon such a being of the beyond I cannot imag-
ine. You may have noticed how extremes call to each other, the
spiritual to the animal, the cave-man to the angel. You never
saw a worse case than this.
make clear — разъяснить; perhaps — возможно; be

through — закончить; gift — дар; ethereal — воздушный; oth-
35
er-world = of the beyond — потусторонний, неземной; vile —

нечестивый; paw — лапа; extremes — крайности; call to each
other — притягиваться; spiritual — духовный; cave-man — пе-
щерный человек
She knew what we had come for, of course — that vil-

lain had lost no time in poisoning her mind against us. Miss
Winter’s advent rather amazed her, I think, but she waved us
into our respective chairs like a reverend abbess receiving two
rather leprous mendicants. If your head is inclined to swell, my
dear Watson, take a course of Miss Violet de Merville.
“‘Well, sir,’ said she in a voice like the wind from an iceberg,
‘your name is familiar to me. You have called, as I understand, to
malign my fiancé, Baron Gruner. It is only by my father’s request
that I see you at all, and I warn you in advance that anything you
can say could not possibly have the slightest effect upon my mind.’
advent [ˈædvent] malign [məˈlaɪn]

fiancé [fiˈɒnseɪ]
villain — злодей; lost no time in (doing smth) — прост.

прош. от lose — быстро сделал; poison — отравлять (гл.);
advent — зд.: появление; amaze — поражать; reverend — препо-
добный (в т.ч. обращение); abbess — аббатиса; leprous — прока-
женный; mendicant — попрошайка; incline — быть склонным;
swell — пухнуть; malign — порочить; fiancé — жених; request —
просьба; warn — предупреждать
waved us into our respective chairs — глаголы, описы-

вающие движения (wave, gesture, etc), часто используются, что-
бы указать на конкретное движение: приветствие, приглаше-
ние сесть, прощание и т.д. Здесь: жестом пригласила нас сесть
на свои места.
“I was sorry for her, Watson. I thought of her for the mo-
ment as I would have thought of a daughter of my own. I am
not often eloquent. I use my head, not my heart. But I really did
36
plead with her with all the warmth of words that I could find in
my nature. I pictured to her the awful position of the woman
who only wakes to a man’s character after she is his wife — a
woman who has to submit to be caressed by bloody hands and
lecherous lips. I spared her nothing — the shame, the fear, the
agony, the hopelessness of it all. All my hot words could not bring
one tinge of colour to those ivory cheeks or one gleam of emo-
tion to those abstracted eyes. I thought of what the rascal had
said about a post-hypnotic influence. One could really believe
that she was living above the earth in some ecstatic dream. Yet
there was nothing indefinite in her replies.
eloquent — красноречивый; plead — умолять; warmth —

тепло(та); picture — рисовать (гл.);  wake (up) to — осознавать;
submit — покоряться; caress — ласкать; lecherous — похотли-
вый; spare — щадить, приберегать; tinge — зд.: пятно; ivory —
слоновая кость; rascal — мошенник, негодяй; indefinite — нео-
пределенный
there was nothing indefinite — два отрицания в одном

предложении (местоимение nothing + отрицательная пристав-
ка in-) используются для усиления утверждения: не было ни-
каких неясностей.
“’I have listened to you with patience, Mr. Holmes,’ said

she. ‘The effect upon my mind is exactly as predicted. I am aware
that Adelbert, that my fiancé, has had a stormy life in which he
has incurred bitter hatreds and most unjust aspersions. You are
only the last of a series who have brought their slanders before
me. Possibly you mean well, though I learn that you are a paid
agent who would have been equally willing to act for the Baron
as against him. But in any case I wish you to understand once
for all that I love him and that he loves me, and that the opinion
of all the world is no more to me than the twitter of those birds
outside the window. If his noble nature has ever for an instant
fallen, it may be that I have been specially sent to raise it to its
true and lofty level. I am not clear’ — here she turned eyes upon
my companion — ‘who this young lady may be.’
37
patience — терпение; predict — предсказывать; be

aware — осознавать; stormy — бурный; incur — претерпевать
(в результате действий); unjust — несправедливый; aspersion —
зд.: обличение; slanders — клевета; mean well — иметь благие
намерения; equally — в равной степени; willing — готовый,
желающий; act for/against — действовать в чьих-л. интересах/
против кого-л.; twitter — щебетание; fallen — 3-я форма гл.
fall — пала; raise — поднять; lofty — высокий; I am not clear —
зд.: я не понимаю
a series — существительное series не изменяется в за-

висимости от числа; здесь оно употребляется в единственном
числе, поэтому перед ним использован неопределенный ар-
тикль.
“I was about to answer when the girl broke in like a

whirlwind. If ever you saw flame and ice face to face, it was those
two women.
“‘I’ll tell you who I am,’ she cried, springing out of her
chair, her mouth all twisted with passion — ‘I am his last mistress.
I am one of a hundred that he has tempted and used and ruined
and thrown into the refuse heap, as he will you also. Your refuse
heap is more likely to be a grave, and maybe that’s the best. I tell
you, you foolish woman, if you marry this man he’ll be the death
of you. It may be a broken heart or it may be a broken neck, but
he’ll have you one way or the other. It’s not out of love for you I’m
speaking. I don’t care a tinker’s curse whether you live or die. It’s
out of hate for him and to spite him and to get back on him for
what he did to me. But it’s all the same, and you needn’t look at
me like that, my fine lady, for you may be lower than I am before
you are through with it.’
refuse [ˈrefjuːs] (сущ.)
be about to (do) — собираться сделать что-л.; broke

in — прост. прош. от break — вмешалась; whirlwind — смерч;
twisted — перекошенный; mistress — любовница; tempt — иску-
38
шать; refuse heap — свалка; grave — могила; broken — разбитый,

сломанный; out of — из-за; care — заботиться (гл.); tinker — лу-
дильщик; spite — насолить; get back on — отомстить
springing out — глагол spring происходит от суще-

ствительного «пружина» и подразумевает резкое энергичное
движение, направление которого определяет предлог: выско-
чила (из).
“’I should prefer not to discuss such matters,’ said Miss

de Merville coldly. ‘Let me say once for all that I am aware of three
passages in my fiancé’s life in which he became entangled with
designing women, and that I am assured of his hearty repent-
ance for any evil that he may have done.’
“’Three passages!’ screamed my companion. ‘You fool! You
unutterable fool!’
“’Mr. Holmes, I beg that you will bring this interview to
an end,’ said the icy voice. ‘I have obeyed my father’s wish in see-
ing you, but I am not compelled to listen to the ravings of this
person.’
prefer — предпочитать; passage — эпизод; entangle —

спутывать; designing — изобретательный; repentance — раска-
яние; unutterable — крайний (обычно о негативных явлениях),
зд.: непроходимый; bring to an end — завершать; obey — слу-
шаться, подчиняться; compel — принуждать; ravings — бред(ни)
“With an oath Miss Winter darted forward, and if I had

not caught her wrist she would have clutched this maddening
woman by the hair. I dragged her towards the door and was
lucky to get her back into the cab without a public scene, for she
was beside herself with rage. In a cold way I felt pretty furious
myself, Watson, for there was something indescribably annoy-
ing in the calm aloofness and supreme self-complaisance of
the woman whom we were trying to save. So now once again
you know exactly how we stand, and it is clear that I must plan
some fresh opening move, for this gambit won’t work. I’ll keep
39
in touch with you, Watson, for it is more than likely that you will
have your part to play, though it is just possible that the next
move may lie with them rather than with us.”
oath — ругательство; dart — метнуться; wrist — запя-

стье; clutch — схватить; maddening — невозможный, сводя-
щий с ума; drag — тащить; beside onerself with — вне себя от;
rage — ярость; pretty — довольно, весьма; furious — в ярости;
annoy — раздражать; aloofness — отстраненность; supreme —
зд.: выдающийся; self-complaisance — зд.: самоуверенность,
самодовольство; once again — снова; opening move — ход в
начале партии; gambit — гамбит (в шахматах: ход, позволяю-
щий получить преимущество); keep in touch — поддерживать
связь; part — роль (сущ.); move — ход (в игре); lie with smb —
по чьей-л. инициативе
And it did. Their blow fell — or his blow rather, for nev-
er could I believe that the lady was privy to it. I think I could show
you the very paving-stone upon which I stood when my eyes
fell upon the placard, and a pang of horror passed through my
very soul. It was between the Grand Hotel and Charing Cross Sta-
tion, where a one-legged news-vendor displayed his evening
papers. The date was just two days after the last conversation.
There, black upon yellow, was the terrible news-sheet:
MURDEROUS ATTACK UPON SHERLOCK HOLMES
I think I stood stunned for some moments. Then I have
a confused recollection of snatching at a paper, of the remon-
strance of the man, whom I had not paid, and, finally, of standing
in the doorway of a chemist’s shop while I turned up the fateful
paragraph. This was how it ran:
blow — удар (сущ.); fell — прост. прош. от fall — об-

рушился; rather — точнее, скорее; privy to — в курсе чего-л.;
paving-stone — плитка мостовой; placard — плакат, зд.: газет-
ный лоток; pang of — укол (о боли и неприятных чувствах);
news-vendor — продавец газет; display — выставлять; conversa-
tion — беседа; stunned — ошеломленный; confused — сбивчи-
вый; snatch — хватать; remonstrance — бурный протест; chem-
ist’s shop — аптека; fateful — роковой
40
And it did. — Глагол do часто употребляется для того,

чтобы заменить последний использованный смысловой глагол
(зд. — фразовый глагол lie with them); при переводе обычно по-
вторяется смысловой глагол или используются иные способы
подтверждения: так и было.
my very soul — перед существительным very имеет зна-
чение «(тот) самый»: до самой (глубины) души. Обычно перед
very в этих случаях используется определенный артикль, но
здесь его заменяет местоимение my.
We learn with regret that Mr. Sherlock Holmes, the

well-known private detective, was the victim this morning of a
murderous assault which has left him in a precarious position.
There are no exact details to hand, but the event seems to have
occurred about twelve o’clock in Regent Street, outside the Café
Royal. The attack was made by two men armed with sticks, and
Mr. Holmes was beaten about the head and body, receiving in-
juries which the doctors describe as most serious. He was car-
ried to Charing Cross Hospital and afterwards insisted upon
being taken to his rooms in Baker Street. The miscreants who
attacked him appear to have been respectably dressed men,
who escaped from the bystanders by passing through the Café
Royal and out into Glasshouse Street behind it. No doubt they
belonged to that criminal fraternity which has so often had oc-
casion to bewail the activity and ingenuity of the injured man.
miscreants [ˈmɪskriənts]
regret — сожаление; victim — жертва; assault — атака;

precarious — опасный; to hand — под рукой; occur — происхо-
дить; stick — палка, трость; beaten — 3-я форма гл. beat — избит;
injury — травма; afterwards — впоследствии;  insist (up)on —
настаивать; miscreant — преступник; escape — сбегать, убегать;
bystander — проходивший мимо; belong (to) — принадлежать;
fraternity — братство; bewail — жаловаться
appear to have been — глагол appear часто использу-

ется в значении «казаться»; здесь он служит для выражения
неуверенности в описании событий.
41
I need not say that my eyes had hardly glanced over

the paragraph before I had sprung into a hansom1 and was on
my way to Baker Street. I found Sir Leslie Oakshott, the famous
surgeon, in the hall and his brougham2 waiting at the curb.
“No immediate danger,” was his report. “Two lacerated
scalp wounds and some considerable bruises. Several stitches
have been necessary. Morphine has been injected and quiet is es-
sential, but an interview of a few minutes would not be absolutely
forbidden.”
With this permission I stole into the darkened room. The
sufferer was wide awake, and I heard my name in a hoarse whis-
per. The blind was three-quarters down, but one ray of sunlight
slanted through and struck the bandaged head of the injured
man. A crimson patch had soaked through the white linen com-
press. I sat beside him and bent my head.
lacerated [ˈlæsəreɪtɪd]
wound [wuːnd] linen [ˈlɪnɪn]
glance — взглянуть; sprung — прост. прош. от spring —

вскочил; surgeon — хирург; curb — тротуар, обочина; immedi-
ate — непосредственный; lacerated — резаный (о ране); wound —
рана (сущ.); bruise — синяк; stitch — шов; quiet — покой;
essential — необходимый, жизненно важный; forbidden — 3-я
форма гл. forbid — запрещенный; stole — прост. прош. от steal —
(про)крался; wide awake — сна ни в одном глазу; hoarse — хри-
плый; blind — штора (сущ.); ray — луч; slant — двигаться по
диагонали; bandaged — перевязанный; crimson — багровый;
soak — просочиться
1 hansom [ˈhænsəm] — хэнсом. Разновидность двухколесного двух-
местного кэба с кучерским сиденьем позади экипажа и окошком в задней

стенке. Был изобретен в 1834 г. Джозефом Хэнсомом, в честь которого и
получил свое название.
2 brougham [ˈbruːəm] — брогэм. Разновидность кэба: четырехколе-
сный, двухместный (иногда с дополнительными откидными сиденьями),

с местом возницы впереди и окном в передней части. Был изобретен в
XIX в. Свое название получил в честь лорда Брогама: по разным данным,
он либо изобрел его, либо ввел в моду.
42
“All right, Watson. Don’t look so scared,” he muttered in

a very weak voice. “It’s not as bad as it seems.”
“Thank God for that!”
“I’m a bit of a single-stick expert, as you know. I took
most of them on my guard. It was the second man that was too
much for me.”
“What can I do, Holmes? Of course, it was that damned
fellow who set them on. I’ll go and thrash the hide off him if you
give the word.”
“Good old Watson! No, we can do nothing there unless the
police lay their hands on the men. But their get-away had been
well prepared. We may be sure of that. Wait a little. I have my plans.
The first thing is to exaggerate my injuries. They’ll come to you for
news. Put it on thick, Watson. Lucky if I live the week out — con-
cussion — delirium — what you like! You can’t overdo it.”
scared — испуганный; mutter — бормотать; hide —

шкура (сущ.); thrash the hide off — спустить шкуру; give/say
the word — распорядиться, приказать; unless — если только не;
lay hands on — добраться до; get-away — побег; exaggerate —
преувеличивать; put on thick — сгустить краски; concussion —
контузия, сотрясение; delirium — горячка
single-stick expert — в конструкции существительное

+ существительное главным всегда будет последнее: специа-
лист по борьбе с использованием одной трости.
took most of them on my guard — в предыдущей фразе
речь шла о схватке, а словосочетание on my guard означает «на-
стороже», так что them указывает на атаки/удары: большинст-
во ударов/атак я отразил.
overdo — приставка over- всегда указывает на излишнее
усердие; при переводе используется приставка «пере-»: переста-
раться.
“But Sir Leslie Oakshott?”

“Oh, he’s all right. He shall see the worst side of me. I’ll
look after that.”
“Anything else?”
43
“Yes. Tell Shinwell Johnson to get that girl out of the way.
Those beauties will be after her now. They know, of course, that
she was with me in the case. If they dared to do me in it is not
likely they will neglect her. That is urgent. Do it to-night.”
“I’ll go now. Anything more?”
“Put my pipe on the table — and the tobacco-slipper.1
Right! Come in each morning and we will plan our campaign.”
I arranged with Johnson that evening to take Miss Winter
to a quiet suburb and see that she lay low until the danger
was past.
be after — охотиться;  do in — убить; neglect — пре-

небрегать; urgent — срочный; slipper — матерчатая туфля; sub-
urb — пригород; lay low — вести себя тише воды ниже травы;
until — до тех пор пока
see that she lay low until the danger was past — глагол
see часто используется в значении «проследить, убедиться»;
фраза указывает на результат, который будет достигнут к
определенному моменту: проследить, чтобы она вела себя тихо
до тех пор, пока опасность не минует.
For six days the public were under the impression

that Holmes was at the door of death. The bulletins were very
grave and there were sinister paragraphs in the papers. My con-
tinual visits assured me that it was not so bad as that. His wiry
constitution and his determined will were working wonders.
He was recovering fast, and I had suspicions at times that he
was really finding himself faster than he pretended even to me.
There was a curious secretive streak in the man which led to
many dramatic effects, but left even his closest friend guessing
as to what his exact plans might be. He pushed to an extreme
the axiom that the only safe plotter was he who plotted alone.
I was nearer him than anyone else, and yet I was always con-
scious of the gap between.
1 В рассказе The Musgrave Ritual упоминается, что Шерлок Холмс дер-

жал табак в носке персидской туфли.
44
bulletin [ˈbʊlətɪn]
bulletin — сводка новостей; grave — серьезный; sinis-

ter — зловещий; wiry — жилистый (худой, но крепкий); consti-
tution — телосложение; will — воля; work wonders — творить
чудеса; recover — выздоравливать; pretend — притворяться;
streak — особенность характера; guess — гадать, предполагать;
extreme — крайность; plotter — заговорщик; be conscious
of — осознавать; gap — пропасть
the public were under the impression — существитель-

ное public формально употребляется в единственном числе.
Однако оно подразумевает группу людей, поэтому после него
обычно используется глагол в форме множественного числа:
публика была под впечатлением, что…/у публики создавалось
впечатление.
On the seventh day the stitches were taken out, in

spite of which there was a report of erysipelas1 in the evening
papers. The same evening papers had an announcement which I
was bound, sick or well, to carry to my friend. It was simply that
among the passengers on the Cunard2 boat Ruritania, starting
from Liverpool on Friday, was the Baron Adelbert Gruner, who had
some important financial business to settle in the States before
his impending wedding to Miss Violet de Merville, only daughter
of, etc., etc. Holmes listened to the news with a cold, concentrated
look upon his pale face, which told me that it hit him hard.
“Friday!” he cried. “Only three clear days. I believe the ras-
cal wants to put himself out of danger’s way. But he won’t, Watson!
By the Lord Harry, he won’t! Now, Watson, I want you to do some-
thing for me.”
in spite of — несмотря на; be bound — быть должным;

settle — уладить; impending — надвигающийся; rascal — негодяй
1 erysipelas [ˌerɪˈsɪpɪləs]— рожа (мед.). Острое инфекционное забо-

левание, вызываемое стрептококком Streptococcus pyogenes.
2 Cunard — британско-американская пароходная компания, полу-
чившая свое название в честь одного из основателей, Сэмюэла Кунарда.
45
“I am here to be used, Holmes.”

“Well, then, spend the next twenty-four hours in an inten-
sive study of Chinese pottery.”
He gave no explanations and I asked for none. By long ex-
perience I had learned the wisdom of obedience. But when I had
left his room I walked down Baker Street, revolving in my head
how on earth I was to carry out so strange an order. Finally I drove
to the London Library in St. James’s Square, put the matter to my
friend Lomax, the sub-librarian, and departed to my rooms with
a goodly volume under my arm.
pottery — керамика; obedience — послушание; re-

volve — прокручивать;  carry out — выполнять; sub-librari-
an — помощник библиотекаря; depart — отправляться; vol-
ume — том
sub-librarian — приставка sub– указывает на нечто

низшее по иерархии, положению или значимости; зд.: помощ-
ник библиотекаря.
It is said that the barrister who crams up a case with

such care that he can examine an expert witness upon the Mon-
day has forgotten all his forced knowledge before the Saturday.
Certainly I should not like now to pose as an authority upon ce-
ramics. And yet all that evening, and all that night with a short
interval for rest, and all next morning, I was sucking in knowl-
edge and committing names to memory. There I learned of the
hall-marks of the great artist-decorators, of the mystery of cy-
clical dates, the marks of the Hung-wu1 and the beauties of the
Yung-lo, the writings of Tang-ying, and the glories of the primi-
tive period of the Sung and the Yuan. I was charged with all this
information when I called upon Holmes next evening. He was out
of bed now, though you would not have guessed it from the pub-
1 Hung-wu — это девиз правления первого императора династии
Мин, Чжу Юаньчжана ( 1368–1398). Ниже упоминаются различные эпохи

династии Мин, прославившейся многоцветной керамикой, а также дина-
стии Сун и Юань.
46
lished reports, and he sat with his much-bandaged head resting

upon his hand in the depth of his favourite armchair.
ceramics [səˈræmɪks]
barrister — адвокат, имеющий право выступать в выс-

шем суде; cram up — зд.: заталкивать в голову; witness — свиде-
тель (сущ.); forgotten — 3-я форма гл. forget — забыл; forced —
вынужденный; suck in — всасывать; commit — помещать;
hall-mark — характерная особенность; glory — качество, вызы-
вающее восхищение; charge — заряжать; rest — лежать, поко-
иться (гл.); depth — глубина
“Why, Holmes,” I said, “if one believed the papers, you

are dying.”
“That,” said he, “is the very impression which I intended to
convey. And now, Watson, have you learned your lessons?”
“At least I have tried to.”
“Good. You could keep up an intelligent conversation
on the subject?”
“I believe I could.”
“Then hand me that little box from the mantelpiece.”
intend — намереваться; convey — внушать; at least —

по крайней мере; keep up a conversation — поддерживать бесе-
ду; subject — тема, предмет; hand — передавать (гл.); mantel-
piece — каминная полка
Why — если слово why отделено запятой, оно исполь-

зуется для выражения удивления и переводится любым рус-
ским аналогом: «ну надо же», «ничего себе» и т.д.
He opened the lid and took out a small object most

carefully wrapped in some fine Eastern silk. This he unfolded,
and disclosed a delicate little saucer of the most beautiful deep-
blue colour.
47
“It needs careful handling, Watson. This is the real egg-

shell pottery of the Ming dynasty. No finer piece ever passed
through Christie’s. A complete set of this would be worth a king’s
ransom — in fact, it is doubtful if there is a complete set outside
the imperial palace of Peking. The sight of this would drive a real
connoisseur wild.”
“What am I to do with it?”
Holmes handed me a card upon which was printed: “Dr.
Hill Barton, 369 Half Moon Street.”
connoisseur [ˌkɒnəˈsɜː]
lid — крышка; wrap — обертывать; unfold — развора-

чивать; disclose — раскрывать; saucer — блюдце; handling —
обращение; egg-shell pottery — тонкий китайский фарфор;
set — комплект, набор; ransom — выкуп; sight — вид; connois-
seur — знаток
drive a real connoisseur wild — глагол drive часто ис-

пользуется в значении «привести в какое-л. состояние»: сведет
с ума настоящего знатока.
“That is your name for the evening, Watson. You will call
upon Baron Gruner. I know something of his habits, and at half-
past eight he would probably be disengaged. A note will tell
him in advance that you are about to call, and you will say that
you are bringing him a specimen of an absolutely unique set of
Ming china. You may as well be a medical man, since that is a part
which you can play without duplicity. You are a collector, this set
has come your way, you have heard of the Baron’s interest in the
subject, and you are not averse to selling at a price.”
“What price?”
“Well asked, Watson. You would certainly fall down badly
if you did not know the value of your own wares. This saucer was
got for me by Sir James, and comes, I understand, from the collec-
tion of his client. You will not exaggerate if you say that it could
hardly be matched in the world.”
48
duplicity [djuːˈplɪsəti]
habit — привычка; disengaged — незанятый; in ad-

vance — заранее; specimen — образец; duplicity — обман, мо-
шенничество; not to be averse to (doing) smth — быть не прочь;
 fall down — проколоться (перен.); value — ценность (прям. и
перен.); ware = pottery; exaggerate — преувеличивать; match —
быть ровней, соответствовать
“I could perhaps suggest that the set should be valued

by an expert.”
“Excellent, Watson! You scintillate to-day. Suggest Chris-
tie or Sotheby.1 Your delicacy prevents your putting a price for
yourself.”
“But if he won’t see me?”
“Oh, yes, he will see you. He has the collection mania in
its most acute form — and especially on this subject, on which
he is an acknowledged authority. Sit down, Watson, and I will dic-
tate the letter. No answer needed. You will merely say that you are
coming, and why.”
scintillate — блистать; prevent — мешать; acute —

острый; merely — просто, только
It was an admirable document, short, courteous, and

stimulating to the curiosity of the connoisseur. A district mes-
senger was duly dispatched with it. On the same evening, with
the precious saucer in my hand and the card of Dr. Hill Barton in
my pocket, I set off on my own adventure.
The beautiful house and grounds indicated that Baron
Gruner was, as Sir James had said, a man of considerable wealth.
A long winding drive, with banks of rare shrubs on either
side, opened out into a great gravelled square adorned with
statues. The place had been built by a South African gold king
1 Sotheby’s, Christie’s — всемирно известные аукционные дома, специ-

ализирующиеся на продаже произведений искусства и антиквариата.
49
in the days of the great boom, and the long, low house with
the turrets at the corners, though an architectural nightmare,
was imposing in its size and solidity. A butler, who would have
adorned a bench of bishops, showed me in and handed me
over to a plush-clad footman, who ushered me into the Baron’s
presence.
courteous [ˈkɜːtiəs]
winding [ˈwaɪndɪŋ]
admirable — восхитительный; courteous — галантный;

district — округ, окружной; duly — должным образом; wind-
ing — извилистый; drive — въезд (для карет или автомобилей);
bank — длинный ряд; shrub — кустарник; adorn — украшать;
turret — башенка, выступающая вверх из стены здания; night-
mare — кошмар; imposing — впечатляющий; butler — дворец-
кий; bishop — епископ; clad (in) — одетый в; footman — лакей;
usher — вежливо проводить, пригласить
He was standing at the open front of a great case which

stood between the windows and which contained part of his Chi-
nese collection. He turned as I entered with a small brown vase
in his hand.
“Pray sit down, Doctor,” said he. “I was looking over my
own treasures and wondering whether I could really afford to add
to them. This little Tang specimen, which dates from the seventh
century, would probably interest you. I am sure you never saw fin-
er workmanship or a richer glaze. Have you the Ming saucer with
you of which you spoke?”
I carefully unpacked it and handed it to him. He seated
himself at his desk, pulled over the lamp, for it was growing
dark, and set himself to examine it. As he did so the yellow light
beat upon his own features, and I was able to study them at my
ease.
front — фасад; case — шкаф-витрина; afford — позво-

лить себе; workmanship — работа, произведение (ремесленни-
ка); glaze — глазурь; desk — письменный стол
50
Pray sit down — слова beg и pray используются в нача-

ле предложения в повелительном наклонении для выражения
формальной просьбы: прошу вас, садитесь.
it was growing dark — глагол grow указывает на посте-
пенное приобретение какого-л. качества или состояния; при
переводе он обычно опускается: темнело.
He was certainly a remarkably handsome man. His Eu-

ropean reputation for beauty was fully deserved. In figure he was
not more than of middle size, but was built upon graceful and ac-
tive lines. His face was swarthy, almost Oriental, with large, dark,
languorous eyes which might easily hold an irresistible fasci-
nation for women. His hair and moustache were raven black,
the latter short, pointed, and carefully waxed. His features were
regular and pleasing, save only his straight, thin-lipped mouth. If
ever I saw a murderer’s mouth it was there — a cruel, hard gash
in the face, compressed, inexorable, and terrible. He was ill-
advised to train his moustache away from it, for it was Nature’s
danger-signal, set as a warning to his victims. His voice was en-
gaging and his manners perfect. In age I should have put him
at little over thirty, though his record afterwards showed that he
was forty-two.
swarthy [ˈswɔːði] languorous [ˈlæŋɡərəs]
remarkably — необычайно; deserve — заслуживать;

graceful — изящный; swarthy — смуглый; languorous — уми-
ротворенный; irresistible — непреодолимый; fascination —
очарование; moustache — усы; raven black — черный, как
вороново крыло; the latter — последний (из двух упомянутых);
pointed — заостренный; regular — правильный; save — кроме;
gash — глубокий разрез; compressed — сжатый; inexorable —
неостановимый; train — зд.: приучить; victim — жертва; engag-
ing — обволакивающий
He was ill-advised — в качестве приставки ill- ука-

зывает, что что-то было сделано плохо или неправильно: ill-
mannered — с дурными манерами; he was ill-advised — ему дали
дурной совет.
51
“Very fine — very fine indeed!” he said at last. “And you

say you have a set of six to correspond. What puzzles me is that
I should not have heard of such magnificent specimens. I only
know of one in England to match this, and it is certainly not likely
to be in the market. Would it be indiscreet if I were to ask you, Dr.
Hill Barton, how you obtained this?”
“Does it really matter?” I asked with as careless an air as
I could muster. “You can see that the piece is genuine, and, as to
the value, I am content to take an expert’s valuation.”
correspond — соответствовать; puzzle — ставить в ту-

пик; magnificent — великолепный; indiscreet — нескромный;
obtain — получать; muster — изобразить (о чувствах); con-
tent — довольный; valuation — оценка
“Very mysterious,” said he with a quick, suspicious flash

of his dark eyes. “In dealing with objects of such value, one natu-
rally wishes to know all about the transaction. That the piece is
genuine is certain. I have no doubts at all about that. But sup-
pose — I am bound to take every possibility into account —
that it should prove afterwards that you had no right to sell?”
“I would guarantee you against any claim of the sort.”
“That, of course, would open up the question as to what
your guarantee was worth.”
“My bankers would answer that.”
“Quite so. And yet the whole transaction strikes me as
rather unusual.”
suspicious — подозрительный; flash — блеск; deal

with — иметь дело с; transaction — купля-продажа; genuine —
подлинный; suppose — предполагать; take into account — при-
нимать во внимание; prove — оказываться; claim — претензия,
требование; strike — поражать
“You can do business or not,” said I with indifference. “I

have given you the first offer as I understood that you were a
connoisseur, but I shall have no difficulty in other quarters.”
52
“Who told you I was a connoisseur?”

“I was aware that you had written a book upon the subject.”
“Have you read the book?”
“No.”
“Dear me, this becomes more and more difficult for
me to understand! You are a connoisseur and collector with a
very valuable piece in your collection, and yet you have never
troubled to consult the one book which would have told you
of the real meaning and value of what you held. How do you
explain that?”
“I am a very busy man. I am a doctor in practice.”
offer — предложение; quarter — определенный человек

или группа людей; trouble — удосужиться (гл.); meaning — зна-
чение
“That is no answer. If a man has a hobby he follows it up,

whatever his other pursuits may be. You said in your note that
you were a connoisseur.”
“So I am.”
“Might I ask you a few questions to test you? I am obliged
to tell you, Doctor — if you are indeed a doctor — that the inci-
dent becomes more and more suspicious. I would ask you what do
you know of the Emperor Shomu1 and how do you associate him
with the Shoso-in near Nara?2 Dear me, does that puzzle you? Tell
me a little about the Northern Wei dynasty3 and its place in the
history of ceramics.”
 follow up — стараться узнать больше; pursuit — по-

пытка добиться чего-л.; connoisseur — знаток; be obliged —
быть обязанным; puzzle — озадачить
1 Shomu — Сёму, 45-й японский император (724–749).

2 Shoso-in — сокровищница японских императоров при храме Тодай-
дзи в Наре, в которой хранятся драгоценности и диковинки, начиная с
времен императора Сёму.
3 Northern Wei dynasty — китайская династия Северная Вэй, извест-
ная самым долгим правлением, объединением Китая и покровительством

искусствам.
53
I sprang from my chair in simulated anger.

“This is intolerable, sir,” said I. “I came here to do you a fa-
vour, and not to be examined as if I were a schoolboy. My knowl-
edge on these subjects may be second only to your own, but I
certainly shall not answer questions which have been put in so
offensive a way.”
He looked at me steadily. The languor had gone from his
eyes. They suddenly glared. There was a gleam of teeth from be-
tween those cruel lips.
sprang — прост. прош. от spring — вскочил; intoler-

able — невыносимо; favour — услуга; be second to — уступать
(кому-л.); offensive — оскорбительный; glare — сердито смо-
треть; gleam — (от)блеск
“What is the game? You are here as a spy. You are an em-
issary of Holmes. This is a trick that you are playing upon me. The
fellow is dying I hear, so he sends his tools to keep watch upon
me. You’ve made your way in here without leave, and, by God!
you may find it harder to get out than to get in.”
He had sprung to his feet, and I stepped back, bracing
myself for an attack, for the man was beside himself with rage. He
may have suspected me from the first; certainly this cross-exam-
ination had shown him the truth; but it was clear that I could not
hope to deceive him. He dived his hand into a side-drawer and
rummaged furiously. Then something struck upon his ear, for he
stood listening intently.
“Ah!” he cried. “Ah!” and dashed into the room behind him.
emissary [ˈemɪsəri] suspect [səˈspekt] (гл.)
emissary — посланник; tool — орудие; keep watch —

караулить; leave — разрешение (сущ.); brace oneself for — го-
товиться к; rage — ярость; suspect — подозревать (гл.); cross-
examination — допрос; deceive — обмануть; rummage — шарить;
struck — прост. прош. от strike — зд.: донеслось; intently — на-
пряженно; dash — метнуться
54
Two steps took me to the open door, and my mind

will ever carry a clear picture of the scene within. The window
leading out to the garden was wide open. Beside it, looking
like some terrible ghost, his head girt with bloody bandages,
his face drawn and white, stood Sherlock Holmes. The next in-
stant he was through the gap, and I heard the crash of his body
among the laurel bushes outside. With a howl of rage the mas-
ter of the house rushed after him to the open window.
And then! It was done in an instant, and yet I clearly
saw it. An arm — a woman’s arm — shot out from among the
leaves. At the same instant the Baron uttered a horrible cry —
a yell which will always ring in my memory. He clapped his two
hands to his face and rushed round the room, beating his head
horribly against the walls. Then he fell upon the carpet, rolling
and writhing, while scream after scream resounded through
the house.
ghost — призрак; girt — 3-я форма гл. gird — обернута;

drawn — изнуренный (о лице); instant — мгновение; crash —
треск; laurel — лавр; howl — вопль; rush — бросаться (гл.); ut-
ter — издавать (о звуке); clap — хлопнуть, прижать; carpet —
ковер; writhe — извиваться (обычно от боли)
resounded — приставка re- указывает на повторяюще-

еся действие: снова и снова звучали/отдавались.
“Water! For God’s sake, water!” was his cry.

I seized a carafe from a side-table and rushed to his aid.
At the same moment the butler and several footmen ran in from
the hall. I remember that one of them fainted as I knelt by the
injured man and turned that awful face to the light of the lamp.
The vitriol was eating into it everywhere and dripping from the
ears and the chin. One eye was already white and glazed. The
other was red and inflamed. The features which I had admired a
few minutes before were now like some beautiful painting over
which the artist has passed a wet and foul sponge. They were
blurred, discoloured, inhuman, terrible.
55
carafe [kəˈræf]
seize — хватать; carafe — кувшин, графин; side-table —

журнальный/кофейный столик; aid — помощь; faint — падать в
обморок; knelt — прост. прош. от kneel — опустился на колени;
injure — травмировать; vitriol — серная кислота1; drip — сте-
кать; inflamed — воспаленный; foul — грязный; sponge — мо-
чалка; blurred — размытый
In a few words I explained exactly what had occurred,

so far as the vitriol attack was concerned. Some had climbed
through the window and others had rushed out on to the lawn,
but it was dark and it had begun to rain. Between his screams the
victim raged and raved against the avenger. “It was that hell-cat,
Kitty Winter!” he cried. “Oh, the she-devil! She shall pay for it! She
shall pay! Oh, God in heaven, this pain is more than I can bear!”
occur — происходить; climb — взбираться; lawn — га-

зон; rave — бушевать; avenger — мститель; bear — выносить,
терпеть
she-devil — когда нужно подчеркнуть, что имеется в

виду женский пол, к одушевленному существительному добав-
ляют местоимение she; обычно так делают, когда речь идет о
профессиях (she-doctor) или о животных (she-wolf).
I bathed his face in oil, put cotton wadding on the raw

surfaces, and administered a hypodermic of morphia. All sus-
picion of me had passed from his mind in the presence of this
shock, and he clung to my hands as if I might have the power
even yet to clear those dead-fish eyes which glazed up at me.
I could have wept over the ruin had I not remembered very
clearly the vile life which had led up to so hideous a change. It
was loathsome to feel the pawing of his burning hands, and
1 (oil of) vitriol [ˈvɪtriəl] — серная кислота (уст.). Сейчас ее называют

sulphuric/sulfuric acid.
56
I was relieved when his family surgeon, closely followed by a

specialist, came to relieve me of my charge. An inspector of po-
lice had also arrived, and to him I handed my real card. It would
have been useless as well as foolish to do otherwise, for I was
nearly as well known by sight at the Yard as Holmes himself.
Then I left that house of gloom and terror. Within an hour I was
at Baker Street.
hypodermic [ˌhaɪpəˈdɜːmɪk]
cotton wadding — вата; raw — лишенный кожи; sur-

face — поверхность; administer — давать лекарство; hypoder-
mic — шприц; mind — сознание, разум; hideous — ужасный;
loathsome — отвратительный; pawing — зд.: хватка; relieve — ос-
вободить от; charge — подопечный; otherwise — иначе; known
by sight — 3-я форма гл. know — знали в лицо; gloom — уныние
I could have wept over the ruin had I not remembered —

инверсия (изменение порядка слов) во второй части предло-
жения используется вместо частицы if, т.е. вводит условие: я
мог бы заплакать над этими повреждениями, не помни я/если
бы я не помнил…
Holmes was seated in his familiar chair, looking very pale

and exhausted. Apart from his injuries, even his iron nerves had
been shocked by the events of the evening, and he listened with
horror to my account of the Baron’s transformation.
“The wages of sin, Watson — the wages of sin!” said he.
“Sooner or later it will always come. God knows, there was sin
enough,” he added, taking up a brown volume from the table.
“Here is the book the woman talked of. If this will not break off the
marriage, nothing ever could. But it will, Watson. It must. No self-
respecting woman could stand it.”
“It is his love diary?”
exhausted — измотанный; apart from — кроме; ac-

count — отчет; wage of sin — расплата (книжн.); respect — ува-
жать; stand — терпеть, выносить; diary — дневник
57
“Or his lust diary. Call it what you will. The moment the
woman told us of it I realized what a tremendous weapon was
there if we could but lay our hands on it. I said nothing at the
time to indicate my thoughts, for this woman might have given
it away. But I brooded over it. Then this assault upon me gave
me the chance of letting the Baron think that no precautions
need be taken against me. That was all to the good. I would
have waited a little longer, but his visit to America forced my
hand. He would never have left so compromising a document
behind him. Therefore we had to act at once. Burglary at night
is impossible. He takes precautions. But there was a chance in
the evening if I could only be sure that his attention was en-
gaged. That was where you and your blue saucer came in. But I
had to be sure of the position of the book, and I knew I had only
a few minutes in which to act, for my time was limited by your
knowledge of Chinese pottery. Therefore I gathered the girl up
at the last moment. How could I guess what the little packet was
that she carried so carefully under her cloak? I thought she had
come altogether on my business, but it seems she had some of
her own.”
lust — похоть; tremendous — страшный; weapon —

оружие, орудие; lay hands on — заполучить; indicate — обозна-
чать;  give away — выдавать; brood — обдумывать; assault —
нападение; precautions — меры предосторожности; all to the
good — к лучшему; left behind — 3-я форма гл. leave — оставил
(после ухода/отъезда); burglary — кража со взломом; compro-
mise — компрометировать; saucer — блюдце; limit — ограничи-
вать; cloak — плащ
“He guessed I came from you.”

“I feared he would. But you held him in play just long
enough for me to get the book, though not long enough for
an unobserved escape. Ah, Sir James, I am very glad you have
come!”
Our courtly friend had appeared in answer to a previous
summons. He listened with the deepest attention to Holmes’s ac-
count of what had occurred.
58
“You have done wonders — wonders!” he cried when he

had heard the narrative. “But if these injuries are as terrible as Dr.
Watson describes, then surely our purpose of thwarting the mar-
riage is sufficiently gained without the use of this horrible book.”
Holmes shook his head.
guess — догадаться; held — прост. прош. от hold —

держал; unobserved — незамеченный; escape — побег; court-
ly — светский; summons — вызов; narrative — рассказ; suffi-
ciently — достаточно; purpose — цель; thwart — предотвратить;
shook — прост. прош. от shake — покачал
Holmes shook his head — глагол shake используется,

когда выполняется покачивающее, встряхивающее движение.
Он встречается в ряде устойчивых выражений: shake hands —
пожать руку, shake one’s head — покачать головой.
“Women of the De Merville type do not act like that. She

would love him the more as a disfigured martyr. No, no. It is
his moral side, not his physical, which we have to destroy. That
book will bring her back to earth — and I know nothing else
that could. It is in his own writing. She cannot get past it.”
Sir James carried away both it and the precious saucer.
As I was myself overdue, I went down with him into the street.
A brougham was waiting for him. He sprang in, gave a hurried
order to the cockaded coachman, and drove swiftly away. He
flung his overcoat half out of the window to cover the armorial
bearings upon the panel, but I had seen them in the glare of our
fanlight none the less. I gasped with surprise. Then I turned
back and ascended the stair to Holmes’s room.
armorial [ɑːˈmɔːrɪəl]
disfigure — калечить, уродовать; martyr — мученик;

side — сторона; destroy — разрушить;  bring back — воз-
вращать; else — что-то кроме; writing — почерк (сущ.);  get
past — пережить; be overdue — задержаться; cockade — кокар-
59
да; swiftly — быстро; flung — прост. прош. от fling — набросил;

armorial bearings — геральдические знаки; fanlight — окно над
дверцей; none the less — тем не менее; gasp — задохнуться;
ascend — подниматься
“I have found out who our client is,” I cried, bursting

with my great news. “Why, Holmes, it is—”
“It is a loyal friend and a chivalrous gentleman,” said Hol-
mes, holding up a restraining hand. “Let that now and forever be
enough for us.”
I do not know how the incriminating book was used. Sir
James may have managed it. Or it is more probable that so deli-
cate a task was entrusted to the young lady’s father. The effect, at
any rate, was all that could be desired.
chivalrous [ˈʃɪvəlrəs]
 found out — прост. прош. от find — выяснил;

burst — врываться; chivalrous — галантный, рыцарственный;
restrain — сдерживать; incriminating — компрометирующий;
task — задача; entrust — вверять (что-л.); at any rate — в лю-
бом случае
Three days later appeared a paragraph in the Morning

Post to say that the marriage between Baron Adelbert Gruner
and Miss Violet de Merville would not take place. The same
paper had the first police-court hearing of the proceedings
against Miss Kitty Winter on the grave charge of vitriol-throw-
ing. Such extenuating circumstances came out in the trial
that the sentence, as will be remembered, was the lowest that
was possible for such an offence. Sherlock Holmes was threat-
ened with a prosecution for burglary, but when an object is
good and a client is sufficiently illustrious, even the rigid British
law becomes human and elastic. My friend has not yet stood in
the dock.
60
extenuating [ɪkˈstenjʊeɪtɪŋ]
circumstances [ˈsɜːkəmˌstænsɪz]
take place — иметь место; hearing — слушанье; pro-

ceeding — судебный процесс; grave — серьезный; charge — об-
винение; extenuating circumstances — смягчающие обстоятель-
ства; trial — суд; sentence — приговор; offence — преступление;
threaten — угрожать; prosecution — судебное преследование;
sufficiently — достаточно; the dock — место для обвиняемого
в зале суда
The Adventure of the Blanched
Soldier1
The ideas of my friend Watson, though limited, are ex-

ceedingly pertinacious. For a long time he has worried me to
write an experience of my own. Perhaps I have rather invited this
persecution, since I have often had occasion to point out to him
how superficial are his own accounts and to accuse him of pan-
dering to popular taste instead of confining himself rigidly to
facts and figures. “Try it yourself, Holmes!” he has retorted, and
I am compelled to admit that, having taken my pen in my hand,
I do begin to realize that the matter must be presented in such a
way as may interest the reader. The following case can hardly fail
to do so, as it is among the strangest happenings in my collection
though it chanced that Watson had no note of it in his collection.
Speaking of my old friend and biographer, I would take this op-
portunity to remark that if I burden myself with a companion in
my various little inquiries it is not done out of sentiment or caprice,
but it is that Watson has some remarkable characteristics of his
own to which in his modesty he has given small attention amid
his exaggerated estimates of my own performances. A confed-
erate who foresees your conclusions and course of action is al-
ways dangerous, but one to whom each development comes as
a perpetual surprise, and to whom the future is always a closed
book, is indeed an ideal helpmate.
pertinacious [ˌpɜːtɪˈneɪʃəs]
estimate [ˈestɪmət] perpetual [pəˈpetʃuəl]
pertinacious — упорный; worry — зд.: побуждать; per-

secution — преследование;  point out — указать, подчеркнуть;
superficial — искусственный; accuse — обвинять; pander —
1 Это один из двух рассказов сборника, в которых повествование

о расследовании ведется от лица самого Шерлока Холмса (второй — The
Lion’s Mane).
62
The Adventure of the Blanched Soldier
потакать (неодобр.); instead of — вместо того, чтобы; rigid-

ly — строго; figures — цифры; retort — отвечать, огрызаться;
compel — вынуждать; following — следующий; fail — не смочь
что-л. сделать, провалить; note — заметка, запись; burden — об-
ременять (гл.); modesty — скромность; amid — среди; exagger-
ate — преувеличивать; estimate — вывод, догадка (основанная
на фактах); performance — выполнение работы; foresee — пред-
видеть; conclusion — вывод; perpetual — постоянный
I do begin to realize — глагол do используется в утвер-

дительных предложениях для усиления и обычно переводится
словами «действительно», «в самом деле» и т.д.: я и правда на-
чинаю понимать.
I find from my notebook that it was in January, 1903,

just after the conclusion of the Boer War,1 that I had my visit
from Mr. James M. Dodd, a big, fresh, sunburned, upstanding
Briton. The good Watson had at that time deserted me for a
wife, the only selfish action which I can recall in our associa-
tion. I was alone.
It is my habit to sit with my back to the window and to
place my visitors in the opposite chair, where the light falls full
upon them. Mr. James M. Dodd seemed somewhat at a loss how
to begin the interview. I did not attempt to help him, for his si-
lence gave me more time for observation. I have found it wise to
impress clients with a sense of power, and so I gave him some of
my conclusions.
conclusion — завершение, заключение; sunburn — за-

гар; upstanding — зд.: прямой; Briton — британец2; desert —
покидать (гл.); selfish — эгоистичный; recall — припомнить;
opposite — противоположный; somewhat — в некоторой сте-
пени; attempt — пытаться (гл.); observation — наблюдение;
wise — мудро
1 Имеется в виду Вторая англо-бурская война (1899–1902).

2 Briton — изначально термин относился к древним кельтским пле-
менам бриттов, но теперь используется и для обозначения жителей Вели-
кобритании в целом.
63
seemed somewhat at a loss — глагол seem часто ис-

пользуется, чтобы передать неуверенность говорящего, и пе-
реводится словами «казалось», «как будто» и т.д.: казалось, не-
сколько растерялся.
“From South Africa, sir, I perceive.”

“Yes, sir,” he answered, with some surprise.
“Imperial Yeomanry,1 I fancy.”
“Exactly.”
“Middlesex Corps, no doubt.”
“That is so. Mr. Holmes, you are a wizard.”
I smiled at his bewildered expression.
“When a gentleman of virile appearance enters my room
with such tan upon his face as an English sun could never give,
and with his handkerchief in his sleeve instead of in his pocket, it
is not difficult to place him. You wear a short beard, which shows
that you were not a regular. You have the cut of a riding-man.
As to Middlesex, your card has already shown me that you are
a stockbroker from Throgmorton Street. What other regiment
would you join?”
virile [ˈvɪraɪl]
perceive — понимать (что-л.); fancy — воображать,

представлять себе; bewildered — ошарашенный; virile — полный
жизненных сил; appearance — внешность; tan — загар; handker-
chief — носовой платок; sleeve — рукав; beard — борода; regu-
lar — человек, находящийся на регулярной службе (сущ.); cut —
выправка; stockbroker — биржевой брокер; regiment — полк
“You see everything.”

“I see no more than you, but I have trained myself to no-
tice what I see. However, Mr. Dodd, it was not to discuss the sci-
1 Imperial Yeomanry — добровольческий кавалерийский полк, создан-

ный в 1899 г. и участвовавший в боевых действиях во время Второй англо-
бурской войны.
64
ence of observation that you called upon me this morning. What

has been happening at Tuxbury Old Park?”
“Mr. Holmes–!”
“My dear sir, there is no mystery. Your letter came with
that heading, and as you fixed this appointment in very press-
ing terms it was clear that something sudden and important had
occurred.”
notice — замечать; mystery — тайна; heading — «шап-

ка» письма1; appointment — договоренность о встрече; press-
ing — настойчивый; sudden — внезапный
“Yes, indeed. But the letter was written in the afternoon,

and a good deal has happened since then. If Colonel Emsworth
had not kicked me out—”
“Kicked you out!”
“Well, that was what it amounted to. He is a hard nail, is
Colonel Emsworth. The greatest martinet in the Army in his day,
and it was a day of rough language, too. I couldn’t have stuck the
colonel if it had not been for Godfrey’s sake.”
I lit my pipe and leaned back in my chair.
“Perhaps you will explain what you are talking about.”
My client grinned mischievously.
“I had got into the way of supposing that you knew eve-
rything without being told,” said he. “But I will give you the facts,
and I hope to God that you will be able to tell me what they mean.
I’ve been awake all night puzzling my brain, and the more I think
the more incredible does it become.
Colonel [ˈkɜːnəl] martinet [ˌmɑːtɪˈnet]
indeed — действительно; since — с тех пор; Colo-

nel — полковник;  kick out — выгнать (взашей);  amount
to — соответствовать; martinet — очень строгий человек; for
one’s sake — ради; lit — прост. прош. от light — зажег; grin —
1 По правилам британского этикета, письмо должно начинаться с

вводной части, т.е. «шапки», в которой указано, где и когда оно написано.
65
ухмыляться (гл.); mischievously — лукаво; suppose — полагать;

mean — означать; awake — бодрствующий; puzzle — озадачи-
вать; incredible — невероятный
“When I joined up in January, 1901 — just two years

ago — young Godfrey Emsworth had joined the same squadron.
He was Colonel Emsworth’s only son — Emsworth the Crimean
V. C.1 — and he had the fighting blood in him, so it is no won-
der he volunteered. There was not a finer lad in the regiment.
We formed a friendship — the sort of friendship which can only
be made when one lives the same life and shares the same joys
and sorrows. He was my mate — and that means a good deal
in the Army. We took the rough and the smooth together for
a year of hard fighting. Then he was hit with a bullet from an
elephant gun in the action near Diamond Hill outside Pretoria.
I got one letter from the hospital at Cape Town2 and one from
Southampton. Since then not a word — not one word, Mr. Hol-
mes, for six months and more, and he my closest pal.
Crimean [kraɪˈmiːən]
Southampton [saʊθˈ(h)am(p)tən]
 join up/in — вступить в армию; squadron — эска-

дрон; no wonder — неудивительно; volunteer — записаться до-
бровольцем; lad — парень; share — делить; sorrow — несчастье;
mate = pal — приятель; a good deal — много; bullet — пуля;
elephant gun — крупнокалиберное ружье
the rough and the smooth — определенный артикль

превращает прилагательные в существительные с обобщаю-
щим значением: и когда приходилось нелегко, и когда все шло
гладко.
1 V.C. = Victoria Cross — Крест Виктории, высшая воинская награда

Великобритании. Учреждена в 1856 г., как раз после окончания Крымской
войны.
2 Pretoria, Cape Town — Претория и Кейптаун, крупные города в Юж-
ной Африке.
66
“Well, when the war was over, and we all got back, I wrote
to his father and asked where Godfrey was. No answer. I waited
a bit and then I wrote again. This time I had a reply, short and
gruff. Godfrey had gone on a voyage round the world, and it was
not likely that he would be back for a year. That was all.
“I wasn’t satisfied, Mr. Holmes. The whole thing seemed
to me so damned unnatural. He was a good lad, and he would not
drop a pal like that. It was not like him. Then, again, I happened to
know that he was heir to a lot of money, and also that his father
and he did not always hit it off too well. The old man was some-
times a bully, and young Godfrey had too much spirit to stand it.
No, I wasn’t satisfied, and I determined that I would get to the root
of the matter. It happened, however, that my own affairs needed a
lot of straightening out, after two years’ absence, and so it is only
this week that I have been able to take up Godfrey’s case again.
But since I have taken it up I mean to drop everything in order to
see it through.”
a bit — немного; reply — ответ; gruff — грубый; sat-

isfy — удовлетворять; drop — бросать; heir — наследник;  hit
it off — ладить; bully — человек, который запугивает других;
spirit — сила духа; stand — терпеть, выносить; get to the root —
докопаться до сути; affair — дело; straighten out — зд.: уладить;
absence — отсутствие;  take up — взяться; case — случай, дело;
since — так как; in order to — чтобы;  see through — зд.:
разобраться
happened to know — happen + инфинитив указыва-

ет на то, что действие произошло непреднамеренно: случайно
узнал.
Mr. James M. Dodd appeared to be the sort of person

whom it would be better to have as a friend than as an enemy.
His blue eyes were stern and his square jaw had set hard as
he spoke.
“Well, what have you done?” I asked.
“My first move was to get down to his home, Tuxbury
Old Park, near Bedford, and to see for myself how the ground
67
lay. I wrote to the mother, therefore — I had had quite enough

of the curmudgeon of a father — and I made a clean frontal
attack: Godfrey was my chum, I had a great deal of interest
which I might tell her of our common experiences, I should
be in the neighbourhood, would there be any objection, et
cetera? In reply I had quite an amiable answer from her and an
offer to put me up for the night. That was what took me down
on Monday.
curmudgeon [kɜːˈmʌdʒən]
et cetera [et ˈsetrə] amiable [ˈeɪmiəbəl]
stern — суровый; square — квадратный; jaw — челюсть;

move — ход (об игре); how the ground lay — как обстояли дела;
therefore — следовательно; curmudgeon — человек, обычно
пожилой, который легко раздражается; frontal attack — лобо-
вая атака; chum — близкий друг; experience — опыт, события
прошлого; neighbourhood — соседство; objection — возраже-
ние; et cetera = etc — и так далее; amiable — любезный
appeared to be — словосочетание appear to be указыва-

ет на обнаружение в ком-л./чем-л. новых качеств и переводит-
ся словом «оказываться»: оказался…
set hard — глагол set + прилагательное указывает на
превращение, трансформацию: застыла/стала жесткой.
“Tuxbury Old Hall is inaccessible — five miles1 from

anywhere. There was no trap at the station, so I had to walk,
carrying my suitcase, and it was nearly dark before I arrived. It
is a great wandering house, standing in a considerable park.
I should judge it was of all sorts of ages and styles, starting on a
half-timbered Elizabethan2 foundation and ending in a Victo-
1 mile [maɪl] — миля. Британская единица измерения расстояния.
1 миля = 1,609 км.

2 Elizabethan — елизаветинский стиль, характерный для английского
Ренессанса. В архитектуре он воплощен в прямоугольных высоких домах

с симметричными или асимметричными башнями.
68
rian1 portico. Inside it was all panelling and tapestry and half-
effaced old pictures, a house of shadows and mystery. There
was a butler, old Ralph, who seemed about the same age as
the house, and there was his wife, who might have been older.
She had been Godfrey’s nurse, and I had heard him speak of her
as second only to his mother in his affections, so I was drawn
to her in spite of her queer2 appearance. The mother I liked
also — a gentle little white mouse of a woman. It was only the
colonel himself whom I barred.
tapestry [ˈtæpɪstri]
inaccessible — недосягаемый; trap — экипаж3; suit-

case — портфель, чемоданчик; wandering — зд.: расшатанный;
considerable — значительный; judge — судить (гл.); timber —
брус, строительный лес; foundation — основание; portico —
портик4; tapestry — гобелен; efface — исчезать; butler — дво-
рецкий; nurse — няня; affection — привязанность; drawn — 3-я
форма гл. draw — привлечен; in spite of — несмотря на; bar —
зд.: не угодить
“We had a bit of barney right away, and I should have

walked back to the station if I had not felt that it might be
playing his game for me to do so. I was shown straight into his
study, and there I found him, a huge, bow-backed man with
a smoky skin and a straggling gray beard, seated behind his
littered desk. A red-veined nose jutted out like a vulture’s
1 Victorian — викторианский стиль, общее название для архитектур-

ных стилей второй половины XIX в. В этот период популярна неоготика,
характерны эклектические мотивы, восточные веяния, а также использо-
вание новых материалов.
2 queer — в современном английском queer часто используется в зна-
чении «нетрадиционной сексуальной ориентации», поэтому для перевода
слова «странный» лучше использовать синонимы — odd, strange, funny.
3 trap — двухколесный (реже четырехколесный) экипаж, рассчитан-
ный на 2–4 человек.
4 portico [ˈpɔːtɪkəʊ] — вход в здание с фронтоном и колоннами или
крытая колоннада.
69
beak, and two fierce gray eyes glared at me from under tufted
brows. I could understand now why Godfrey seldom spoke of
his father.
“’Well, sir,’ said he in a rasping voice, ‘I should be inter-
ested to know the real reasons for this visit.’
barney — громкая ссора; right away — сразу; play

smb’s game — играть кому-л. на руку; study — кабинет (сущ.);
bow-backed — сутулый; straggle — неаккуратно расти; beard —
борода; littered — уставленный; desk — письменный стол;
jut (out) — выдаваться; vulture — стервятник; beak — клюв;
fierce — яростный; glare — сердито смотреть; tuft — клочок
(о траве, волосах); rasping — скрипучий
I should have walked back to the station if I had not

felt — это условное предложение описывает нереальное усло-
вие (в прошлом). Условие во второй части фразы, выраженное
в Past Perfect (had not felt), осталось нереализованным, поэтому
не произошло и действие, выраженное во времени Future in
the Past (should have walked): мне следовало бы уйти обратно на
станцию, если бы я не чувствовал.
“I answered that I had explained them in my letter to

his wife.
“’Yes, yes, you said that you had known Godfrey in Africa.
We have, of course, only your word for that.’
“’I have his letters to me in my pocket.’
“’Kindly let me see them.’
“He glanced at the two which I handed him, and then he
tossed them back.
“Well, what then?’ he asked.
“’I was fond of your son Godfrey, sir. Many ties and
memories united us. Is it not natural that I should wonder at his
sudden silence and should wish to know what has become of
him?’
glance — взглянуть; toss — бросать; be fond of — лю-

бить, быть привязанным; ties — узы; sudden — внезапный
70
“’I have some recollections, sir, that I had already cor-

responded with you and had told you what had become of him.
He has gone upon a voyage round the world. His health was in a
poor way after his African experiences, and both his mother and
I were of opinion that complete rest and change were needed.
Kindly pass that explanation on to any other friends who may be
interested in the matter.’
“’Certainly,’ I answered. ‘But perhaps you would have the
goodness to let me have the name of the steamer and of the line
by which he sailed, together with the date. I have no doubt that I
should be able to get a letter through to him.’
“My request seemed both to puzzle and to irritate my
host. His great eyebrows came down over his eyes, and he tapped
his fingers impatiently on the table. He looked up at last with the
expression of one who has seen his adversary make a dangerous
move at chess, and has decided how to meet it.
adversary [ˈædvəsəri]
recollection — воспоминание; correspond — переписы-

ваться; change — перемена (сущ.); steamer — пароход; puzzle —
озадачить; irritate — раздражать; tap — постукивать пальцами;
adversary — враг, оппонент; move — ход (в игре)
pass on — предлог on, используемый с глаголом, ука-

зывает на продолжение действия: передайте дальше.
“’Many people, Mr. Dodd,’ said he, ‘would take offence at

your infernal pertinacity and would think that this insistence
had reached the point of damned impertinence.’
“’You must put it down, sir, to my real love for your son.’
“’Exactly. I have already made every allowance upon that
score. I must ask you, however, to drop these inquiries. Every fam-
ily has its own inner knowledge and its own motives, which cannot
always be made clear to outsiders, however well-intentioned. My
wife is anxious to hear something of Godfrey’s past which you are
in a position to tell her, but I would ask you to let the present and
71
the future alone. Such inquiries serve no useful purpose, sir, and
place us in a delicate and difficult position.’
pertinacity [ˌpɜːtɪˈnæsəti]
offence — оскорбление; infernal — дьявольский; per-

tinacity — упорство; insistence — настойчивость; imperti-
nence — наглость;  put down to — объяснять, приписывать;
made allowance — прост. прош. от make — учел; score — счет;
drop — бросить; inquiries — расспросы; make clear — объя-
снять; intention — намерение; be anxious (to do) — стремиться;
let alone — оставить в покое
“So I came to a dead end, Mr. Holmes. There was no

getting past it. I could only pretend to accept the situation and
register a vow inwardly that I would never rest until my friend’s
fate had been cleared up. It was a dull evening. We dined qui-
etly, the three of us, in a gloomy, faded old room. The lady
questioned me eagerly about her son, but the old man seemed
morose and depressed. I was so bored by the whole proceed-
ing that I made an excuse as soon as I decently could and
retired to my bedroom. It was a large, bare room on the ground
floor1, as gloomy as the rest of the house, but after a year of
sleeping upon the veldt, Mr. Holmes, one is not too particular
about one’s quarters. I opened the curtains and looked out into
the garden, remarking that it was a fine night with a bright half-
moon. Then I sat down by the roaring fire with the lamp on a
table beside me, and endeavoured to distract my mind with a
novel. I was interrupted, however, by Ralph, the old butler, who
came in with a fresh supply of coals.
morose [məˈrəʊs]
1 ground floor — первый этаж. Обычно на первом этаже находились

кухня, гостиная, приемные и т.д. Жилые комнаты располагались выше,
поэтому отсчет этажей (1-й, 2-й и т.д.) традиционно начинается со второ-
го. Таким образом, 2-й этаж = 1st floor и т.д.
72
dead end — тупик; pretend — притворяться; accept —

принимать; vow — клясться (гл.); inwardly — внутренне; fate —
судьба; dull — скучный; gloomy — мрачный; morose — угрю-
мый; proceeding — процедура; made an excuse — прост. прош.
от make — извинился; as soon as — как только; decently —
прилично; veldt — вельд (травянисто-кустарниковая саванна в
Южной Африке); particular — зд.: придирчивый; endeavour —
стараться; interrupt — прерывать; coal — уголь
“’I thought you might run short in the night-time, sir. It

is bitter weather and these rooms are cold.’
“He hesitated before leaving the room, and when I looked
round he was standing facing me with a wistful look upon his
wrinkled face.
“’Beg your pardon, sir, but I could not help hearing what
you said of young Master Godfrey at dinner. You know, sir, that my
wife nursed him, and so I may say I am his foster-father1. It’s natural
we should take an interest. And you say he carried himself well, sir?’
“’There was no braver man in the regiment. He pulled me
out once from under the rifles of the Boers,2 or maybe I should
not be here.’
“The old butler rubbed his skinny hands.
run short — испытывать нехватку; hesitate — коле-

баться; face — оказаться напротив; wistful — ностальгический;
wrinkled — морщинистый; carry oneself — держать себя; ri-
fle — ружье; rub — тереть
“’Yes, sir, yes, that is Master Godfrey all over. He was al-
ways courageous. There’s not a tree in the park, sir, that he has
not climbed. Nothing would stop him. He was a fine boy — and
oh, sir, he was a fine man.’
1 foster-father — приемный отец. Слово foster указывает обычно на

опекуна, который заботится о ребенке временно, не оформляя юридиче-
ских прав на него. Когда речь идет о полноценном усыновлении, употре-
бляется глагол adopt (и прилагательное adopted).
2 Boers [bɔːz] — буры. Так называли выходцев из Голландии, обосно-
вавшихся в Южной Африке.
73
“I sprang to my feet.
“’Look here!’ I cried. ‘You say he was. You speak as if he
were dead. What is all this mystery? What has become of God-
frey Emsworth?’
“I gripped the old man by the shoulder, but he shrank
away.
“’I don’t know what you mean, sir. Ask the master about
Master Godfrey. He knows. It is not for me to interfere.’
courageous [kəˈreɪdʒəs]
all over — полностью; courageous — отважный; climb —

взбираться; sprang — прост. прош. от spring — вскочил; grip —
хватать; shrank away — прост. прош. от shrink — отпрянул; in-
terfere — вмешиваться
as if he were dead — после as if глагол be всегда употре-

бляется в форме were: как будто он умер.
What has become of Godfrey Emsworth? — Выраже-
ние become of (случиться с) обычно употребляется в будущем
времени (что случится/будет с кем-л.) или в форме Present Per-
fect — чтобы узнать, что произошло с кем-то, кого давно не
видели.
“He was leaving the room, but I held his arm.

“’Listen,’ I said. ‘You are going to answer one question
before you leave if I have to hold you all night. Is Godfrey dead?”
“He could not face my eyes. He was like a man hypnotized.
The answer was dragged from his lips. It was a terrible and unex-
pected one.
“’I wish to God he was!’ he cried, and, tearing himself free
he dashed from the room.
tear — (вы)рвать(ся); dash — броситься
You are going to answer one question before you leave

if I have to hold you — форма be going to указывает на будущее
время. Зд. она использована в качестве повелительного накло-
74
нения, более мягкого, чем приказ, выражаемый Future Simple.

Перед if опущено усиление, однако оно подразумевается на-
стоятельностью просьбы: вы ответите мне на один вопрос,
прежде чем уйти, даже если мне придется держать вас.
“You will think, Mr. Holmes, that I returned to my chair

in no very happy state of mind. The old man’s words seemed
to me to bear only one interpretation. Clearly my poor friend
had become involved in some criminal or, at the least, disrepu-
table transaction which touched the family honour. That stern
old man had sent his son away and hidden him from the world
lest some scandal should come to light. Godfrey was a reckless
fellow. He was easily influenced by those around him. No doubt
he had fallen into bad hands and been misled to his ruin. It was
a piteous business, if it was indeed so, but even now it was my
duty to hunt him out and see if I could aid him. I was anxiously
pondering the matter when I looked up, and there was Godfrey
Emsworth standing before me.”
piteous [ˈpɪtiəs]
state of mind — настроение; bear — нести (в т.ч. в/на

себе, перен.); clearly — очевидно; involve in — вовлекать в; dis-
reputable — позорный; touch — трогать, затрагивать; stern — су-
ровый; sent away — 3-я форма гл. send — отослал; hidden — 3-я
форма гл. hide — спрятал; lest — чтобы не; reckless — отчаян-
ный; influence — влиять (гл.); ruin — (по)гибель; piteous — вы-
зывающий жалость, сочувствие; hunt out — выследить; aid —
помочь (гл.); ponder — обдумывать
misled — приставка mis- указывает на то, что дейст-

вие было выполнено неправильно: (был) направлен на невер-
ный путь.
My client had paused as one in deep emotion.

“Pray continue,” I said. “Your problem presents some very
unusual features.”
75
“He was outside the window, Mr. Holmes, with his face
pressed against the glass. I have told you that I looked out at the
night. When I did so I left the curtains partly open. His figure was
framed in this gap. The window came down to the ground and I
could see the whole length of it, but it was his face which held my
gaze. He was deadly pale — never have I seen a man so white.
I reckon ghosts may look like that; but his eyes met mine, and they
were the eyes of a living man. He sprang back when he saw that I
was looking at him, and he vanished into the darkness.
pray — прошу (уст.);  press against — прижимать к;

curtain — занавеска; partly — частично; frame — обрамлять;
gaze — (пристальный) взгляд; pale — бледный; met — прост.
прош. от meet — встретили; vanish — исчезать
mine — абсолютное притяжательное местоимение

(мой), которое может употребляться самостоятельно, без су-
ществительного. Обычно такие местоимения можно узнать по
окончанию -s (yours, ours и т.д.), но mine — исключение.
“There was something shocking about the man, Mr. Hol-

mes. It wasn’t merely that ghastly face glimmering as white as
cheese in the darkness. It was more subtle than that — some-
thing slinking, something furtive, something guilty — some-
thing very unlike the frank, manly lad that I had known. It left a
feeling of horror in my mind.
“But when a man has been soldiering for a year or two
with brother Boer as a playmate, he keeps his nerve and acts
quickly. Godfrey had hardly vanished before I was at the window.
There was an awkward catch, and I was some little time before
I could throw it up.1 Then I nipped through and ran down the
garden path in the direction that I thought he might have taken.
ghastly — бледный2; glimmer — светиться; subtle —

тонкий, неуловимый; slink — двигаться украдкой; furtive — вти-
1 Классическое английское окно — раздвижное, которое открывает-

ся вверх.
2 В отличие от pale, ghastly указывает на нездоровую бледность, выз-
ванную переживаниями или болезнью.
76
хомолку; guilty — виновный; playmate — товарищ по играм1;

nerve — самообладание; catch — задвижка (сущ.); throw — бро-
сать, дергать; nip — быстро двигаться; path — тропинка
“It was a long path and the light was not very good, but
it seemed to me something was moving ahead of me. I ran on
and called his name, but it was no use. When I got to the end of
the path there were several others branching in different direc-
tions to various outhouses. I stood hesitating, and as I did so I
heard distinctly the sound of a closing door. It was not behind
me in the house, but ahead of me, somewhere in the darkness.
That was enough, Mr. Holmes, to assure me that what I had seen
was not a vision. Godfrey had run away from me, and he had shut
a door behind him. Of that I was certain.
ahead — впереди; no use — без толку; branch — раз-

ветвляться (гл.); outhouse — здания на территории усадьбы;
distinctly — отчетливо; assure — уверить; shut — 3-я форма гл.
shut — захлопнул
“There was nothing more I could do, and I spent an un-

easy night turning the matter over in my mind and trying to find
some theory which would cover the facts. Next day I found the
colonel rather more conciliatory, and as his wife remarked that
there were some places of interest in the neighbourhood, it gave
me an opening to ask whether my presence for one more night
would incommode them. A somewhat grudging acquiescence
from the old man gave me a clear day in which to make my obser-
vations. I was already perfectly convinced that Godfrey was in hid-
ing somewhere near, but where and why remained to be solved.
“The house was so large and so rambling that a regiment
might be hid away in it and no one the wiser. If the secret lay
there it was difficult for me to penetrate it. But the door which I
1 Слово mate означает «приятель» и входит в состав многих слож-

ных существительных, первая часть которых указывает, где и как именно
произошло знакомство: classmate — одноклассник, roommate — сосед по
комнате, и т.д.
77
had heard close was certainly not in the house. I must explore the
garden and see what I could find. There was no difficulty in the
way, for the old people were busy in their own fashion and left me
to my own devices.
conciliatory [kənˈsɪliətri]
acquiescence [ˌækwiˈesəns]
cover — охватывать; conciliatory — уступчивый; open-

ing — возможность; incommode — причинить неудобство;
grudging — неохотный; acquiescence — согласие; solve — ре-
шать (задачу и т.д.); rambling — огромный (о доме); regiment —
полк; penetrate — проникнуть; devices — зд.: занятия
no one the wiser — устойчивое выражение none the

wiser указывает на ситуации, когда даже после объяснения
остаются вопросы и сомнения. Здесь уместен перевод «никто
бы и не заметил».
“There were several small outhouses, but at the end of

the garden there was a detached building of some size — large
enough for a gardener’s or a gamekeeper’s residence. Could this
be the place whence the sound of that shutting door had come?
I approached it in a careless fashion as though I were strolling
aimlessly round the grounds. As I did so, a small, brisk, bearded
man in a black coat and bowler hat — not at all the gardener
type — came out of the door. To my surprise, he locked it after
him and put the key in his pocket. Then he looked at me with
some surprise on his face.
detached building — отдельно стоящее здание; game-

keeper — егерь; whence — откуда (уст.); careless — беззабот-
ный; fashion — манера; stroll — прогуливаться; brisk — шу-
стрый; bowler hat — шляпа-котелок
“’Are you a visitor here?’ he asked.

“I explained that I was and that I was a friend of God-
frey’s.
78
“’What a pity that he should be away on his travels, for he

would have so liked to see me,’ I continued.
“’Quite so. Exactly,’ said he with a rather guilty air. ‘No
doubt you will renew your visit at some more propitious time.’
He passed on, but when I turned I observed that he was standing
watching me, half-concealed by the laurels at the far end of the
garden.
propitious [prəˈpɪʃəs]
quite so = exactly — точно; air — зд.: оттенок; propi-

tious — подходящий; conceal — скрывать(ся); laurel — лавр
I explained that I was and that I was a friend of

Godfrey’s. — Первое I was относится к вопросу незнакомца,
а второе — к утверждению героя: Я объяснил, что да (гость)
и что я друг Годфри.
“I had a good look at the little house as I passed it, but

the windows were heavily curtained, and, so far as one could see,
it was empty. I might spoil my own game and even be ordered
off the premises if I were too audacious, for I was still conscious
that I was being watched. Therefore, I strolled back to the house
and waited for night before I went on with my inquiry. When all
was dark and quiet I slipped out of my window and made my way
as silently as possible to the mysterious lodge.
premises [ˈpremɪsɪz] audacious [ɔːˈdeɪʃəs]
so far as — насколько; spoil — испортить; premises —

угодья; audacious — напористый; therefore — следовательно;
inquiry — расследование; lodge — флигель
“I have said that it was heavily curtained, but now I found
that the windows were shuttered as well. Some light, however,
was breaking through one of them, so I concentrated my atten-
79
tion upon this. I was in luck, for the curtain had not been quite
closed, and there was a crack in the shutter, so that I could see
the inside of the room. It was a cheery place enough, a bright
lamp and a blazing fire. Opposite to me was seated the little man
whom I had seen in the morning. He was smoking a pipe and
reading a paper.”
“What paper?” I asked.
My client seemed annoyed at the interruption of his
narrative.
shutter — закрыть ставнем; attention — внимание; be

in luck — везти (об удаче); crack — щель; cheery — жизнеутвер-
ждающий; blaze — ярко гореть; annoy — раздражать(ся); inter-
ruption — вмешательство; narrative — рассказ
“Can it matter?” he asked.

“It is most essential.”
“I really took no notice.”
“Possibly you observed whether it was a broad-leafed
paper or of that smaller type which one associates with week-
lies.”
“Now that you mention it, it was not large. It might have
been the Spectator. However, I had little thought to spare upon
such details, for a second man was seated with his back to the win-
dow, and I could swear that this second man was Godfrey. I could
not see his face, but I knew the familiar slope of his shoulders. He
was leaning upon his elbow in an attitude of great melancholy,
his body turned towards the fire. I was hesitating as to what I
should do when there was a sharp tap on my shoulder, and there
was Colonel Emsworth beside me.
matter — иметь значение (гл.); essential — чрезвы-

чайно важный; took no notice — прост. прош. от take — не
обратил внимания; broad-leafed — с широкими страница-
ми; weekly — еженедельное издание; mention — упоминать;
spare — тратить; swear — клясться; slope — наклон; elbow —
локоть; attitude — манера; sharp — резкий; tap — постукива-
ние, хлопок; beside — рядом
80
“This way, sir!” said he in a low voice. He walked in si-

lence to the house, and I followed him into my own bedroom. He
had picked up a time-table in the hall.
“There is a train to London at 8:30,” said he. “The trap will
be at the door at eight.”
“He was white with rage, and, indeed, I felt myself in so
difficult a position that I could only stammer out a few incoher-
ent apologies in which I tried to excuse myself by urging my anxi-
ety for my friend.”
“The matter will not bear discussion,” said he abruptly.
“You have made a most damnable intrusion into the privacy of
our family. You were here as a guest and you have become a spy. I
have nothing more to say, sir, save that I have no wish ever to see
you again.”
anxiety [æŋˈzaɪəti]
this way — сюда; low — тихий; silence — тишина; time-

table — расписание; trap — экипаж; rage — ярость; incoher-
ent — путаный; anxiety — беспокойство; abruptly — резко; in-
trusion — вторжение; privacy — частная жизнь; save — кроме
could only stammer out — глагол stammer (заикаться)

описывает манеру речи, а фразовый глагол stammer out — ма-
неру и результат: сумел только выдавить из себя.
“At this I lost my temper, Mr. Holmes, and I spoke with

some warmth.
“’I have seen your son, and I am convinced that for some
reason of your own you are concealing him from the world. I have
no idea what your motives are in cutting him off in this fashion,
but I am sure that he is no longer a free agent. I warn you, Colonel
Emsworth, that until I am assured as to the safety and well-being
of my friend I shall never desist in my efforts to get to the bottom
of the mystery, and I shall certainly not allow myself to be intimi-
dated by anything which you may say or do.’
81
warmth — зд.: горячность; convinced — убеждать; cut

off — отрезать; free agent — зд.: сам себе хозяин; warn — пре-
дупреждать; as to — что касается; well-being — благополучие;
desist — прекратить; bottom — дно; intimidate — пугать
lost my temper — выражение lose one’s temper означает

«утратить самообладание, взорваться, не выдержать».
“The old fellow looked diabolical, and I really thought he

was about to attack me. I have said that he was a gaunt, fierce old
giant, and though I am no weakling I might have been hard put
to it to hold my own against him. However, after a long glare of
rage he turned upon his heel and walked out of the room. For my
part, I took the appointed train in the morning, with the full in-
tention of coming straight to you and asking for your advice and
assistance at the appointment for which I had already written.”
be about (to do) — быть на грани того, чтобы что-л.

сделать; gaunt — тощий; though — хотя; weakling — слабак;
hold one’s own — удерживать позиции; glare — сердитый взгляд;
heel — каблук; for my part — со своей стороны; intention —
намерение
Such was the problem which my visitor laid before me.

It presented, as the astute reader will have already perceived,
few difficulties in its solution, for a very limited choice of alter-
natives must get to the root of the matter. Still, elementary as it
was,1 there were points of interest and novelty about it which
may excuse my placing it upon record. I now proceeded, using
my familiar method of logical analysis, to narrow down the pos-
sible solutions.
“The servants,” I asked; “how many were in the house?”
“To the best of my belief there were only the old butler
and his wife. They seemed to live in the simplest fashion.”
1 В рассказах Артура Конан Дойля Шерлок Холмс не говорил своему

другу и компаньону «Это элементарно!». Даже эта фраза, хоть и содержит
в себе слово elementary, не адресована доктору Ватсону.
82
present — представлять; astute — ушлый; perceive —

понимать; solution — решение; for — так как; get to the root —
добраться до сути; novelty — новизна; excuse — извинить (гл.);
proceed — продолжать; narrow — сужать (гл.); the best of my
belief — зд.: насколько я помню; fashion — образ, манера
“There was no servant, then, in the detached house?”

“None, unless the little man with the beard acted as such.
He seemed, however, to be quite a superior person.”
“That seems very suggestive. Had you any indication that
food was conveyed from the one house to the other?”
“Now that you mention it, I did see old Ralph carrying a
basket down the garden walk and going in the direction of this
house. The idea of food did not occur to me at the moment.”
superior — превосходящий; suggestive — многообеща-

ющий; convey — доставлять; walk — дорожка; occur to — при-
ходить в голову
Now that you mention it — словосочетание now that

you do/did smth означает, что указанное действие напомнило о
чем-то: теперь, когда вы упомянули об этом…
“Did you make any local inquiries?”

“Yes, I did. I spoke to the station-master and also to the
innkeeper in the village. I simply asked if they knew anything of
my old comrade, Godfrey Emsworth. Both of them assured me
that he had gone for a voyage round the world. He had come
home and then had almost at once started off again. The story
was evidently universally accepted.”
“You said nothing of your suspicions?”
“Nothing.”
“That was very wise. The matter should certainly be in-
quired into. I will go back with you to Tuxbury Old Park.”
“To-day?”
local inquiries — зд.: расспросы на месте; station-

master — начальник станции; innkeeper — хозяин гостиницы;
83
almost — почти; at once — сразу;  start off — отправлять-

ся (в путь); evidently — очевидно; accept — принимать; suspi-
cion — подозрение; wise — мудрый
It happened that at the moment I was clearing up the

case which my friend Watson has described as that of the Ab-
bey School, in which the Duke of Greyminster was so deeply
involved.1 I had also a commission from the Sultan of Turkey
which called for immediate action, as political consequences
of the gravest kind might arise from its neglect. Therefore
it was not until the beginning of the next week, as my diary
records, that I was able to start forth on my mission to Bed-
fordshire in company with Mr. James M. Dodd. As we drove to
Eustonn we picked up a grave and taciturn gentleman of iron-
gray aspect, with whom I had made the necessary arrange-
ments.
 clear up — разгадать; Duke — герцог; involve — во-

влекать; commission — поручение;  call for — взывать, требо-
вать; immediate — немедленный; consequences — последствия;
neglect — пренебрежение (сущ.); therefore — следовательно;
diary records — дневниковые записи; start forth — отправляться
(в путь); grave — серьезный; taciturn — молчаливый; arrange-
ments — приготовления
“This is an old friend,” said I to Dodd. “It is possible that

his presence may be entirely unnecessary, and, on the other
hand, it may be essential. It is not necessary at the present stage
to go further into the matter.”
The narratives of Watson have accustomed the reader,
no doubt, to the fact that I do not waste words or disclose my
thoughts while a case is actually under consideration. Dodd
seemed surprised, but nothing more was said, and the three of
us continued our journey together. In the train I asked Dodd one
more question which I wished our companion to hear.
1 Среди рассказов о Шерлоке Холмсе описания такого дела нет. Веро-

ятно, речь идет о рассказе The Adventure of the Priory School.
84
“You say that you saw your friend’s face quite clearly at the
window, so clearly that you are sure of his identity?”
“I have no doubt about it whatever. His nose was pressed
against the glass. The lamplight shone full upon him.”
presence — присутствие; on the other hand — с другой

стороны; essential — жизненно важный; stage — этап; further —
дальше; narrative — рассказ; accustom — привыкать; waste —
тратить впустую; disclose — раскрыть (перен.); while — пока;
consideration — размышление; journey — путешествие; iden-
tity — личность; whatever — зд.: ни малейшего; shone — прост.
прош. от shine — светить(ся)
the three of us — определенный артикль может упо-

требляться перед количественным числительным в значении
«все»: все трое.
“It could not have been someone resembling him?”

“No, no, it was he.”
“But you say he was changed?”
“Only in colour. His face was — how shall I describe it? —
it was of a fish-belly whiteness. It was bleached.”
“Was it equally pale all over?”
“I think not. It was his brow which I saw so clearly as it was
pressed against the window.”
“Did you call to him?”
“I was too startled and horrified for the moment. Then I
pursued him, as I have told you, but without result.”
resemble — напоминать; belly — живот; bleached —

отбеленный; all over — везде; brow — лоб; startle — поражать;
pursue — преследовать
My case was practically complete, and there was only

one small incident needed to round it off. When, after a consid-
erable drive, we arrived at the strange old rambling house which
my client had described, it was Ralph, the elderly butler, who
opened the door. I had requisitioned the carriage for the day and
85
had asked my elderly friend to remain within it unless we should

summon him. Ralph, a little wrinkled old fellow, was in the con-
ventional costume of black coat and pepper-and-salt trousers,
with only one curious variant. He wore brown leather gloves,
which at sight of us he instantly shuffled off, laying them down
on the hall-table as we passed in. I have, as my friend Watson may
have remarked, an abnormally acute set of senses, and a faint
but incisive scent was apparent. It seemed to centre on the hall
table. I turned, placed my hat there, knocked it off, stooped to
pick it up, and contrived to bring my nose within a foot of the
gloves. Yes, it was undoubtedly from them that the curious tarry
odour was oozing. I passed on into the study with my case com-
plete. Alas, that I should have to show my hand so when I tell
my own story! It was by concealing such links in the chain that
Watson was enabled to produce his meretricious finales.
meretricious [ˌmerəˈtrɪʃəs]
complete — завершенный;  round off — благополуч-

но завершить; considerable — значительный; drive — поездка
(сущ.); elderly — пожилой; requisition — реквизировать, зд.: за-
бирать; within — внутри; unless — пока не; summon — вызы-
вать; wrinkled — морщинистый; conventional — обычный; vari-
ant — зд.: отклонение; leather — кожа(ный); gloves — перчатки;
shuffle off — стряхнуть; acute — острый (перен.); faint — слабый;
incisive — отчетливый; apparent — очевидный;  knock off —
сшибать; stoop — наклоняться; contrive — ухитряться; tarry —
дегтярный; odour — запах; alas — увы; show one’s hand — рас-
крыть карты; conceal — скрывать; link — звено; chain — цепь;
meretricious — показной
acute set of senses — существительное set означает

«набор, комплект» и часто переводится по контексту: все мои
чувства отличаются остротой.
Colonel Emsworth was not in his room, but he came

quickly enough on receipt of Ralph’s message. We heard his
quick, heavy step in the passage. The door was flung open and
86
he rushed in with bristling beard and twisted features, as terri-

ble an old man as ever I have seen. He held our cards in his hand,
and he tore them up and stamped on the fragments.
“Have I not told you, you infernal busybody, that you are
warned off the premises? Never dare to show your damned face
here again. If you enter again without my leave I shall be within
my rights if I use violence. I’ll shoot you, sir! By God, I will! As to you,
sir,” turning upon me, “I extend the same warning to you. I am fa-
miliar with your ignoble profession, but you must take your reput-
ed talents to some other field. There is no opening for them here.”
receipt [rɪˈsiːt] ignoble [ɪɡˈnəʊbl]
on receipt — по получении; flung open — 3-я фор-

ма гл. fling — распахнута рывком; bristling — рассерженный;
twisted — перекошенный; tore up — прост. прош. от tear —
разорвал; stamp — топтать ногами; infernal — дьявольский;
busybody — любитель совать нос в чужие дела; dare — сметь;
leave — разрешение (сущ.); violence — насилие; shoot — застре-
лить; extend — распространять; warning — предупреждение;
ignoble — постыдный; opening — возможность (сущ.)
warned off the premises — здесь опущен глагол to keep:

warned to keep off the premises — предупреждал, чтобы вы дер-
жались подальше от поместья.
If you enter again without my leave I shall be within my
rights — это условное предложение с реальным условием; по-
сле if настоящее время использовано в значении будущего, а во
второй части предложения употребляется Future Simple с вспо-
могательным глаголом для 1-го лица shall: если вы снова сюда
явитесь без моего разрешения, я буду в своем праве…
“I cannot leave here,” said my client firmly, “until I hear

from Godfrey’s own lips that he is under no restraint.”
Our involuntary host rang the bell.
“Ralph,” he said, “telephone down to the county police
and ask the inspector to send up two constables. Tell him there
are burglars in the house.”
87
“One moment,” said I. “You must be aware, Mr. Dodd, that

Colonel Emsworth is within his rights and that we have no legal
status within his house. On the other hand, he should recognize
that your action is prompted entirely by solicitude for his son.
I venture to hope that if I were allowed to have five minutes con-
versation with Colonel Emsworth I could certainly alter his view
of the matter.”
leave — покидать (гл.); until — пока не; restraint — ог-

раничение; involuntary — невольный; burglar — взломщик;
recognize — зд.: осознать; prompt — подсказывать; solicitude —
беспокойство; venture — осмеливаться; allow — позволять; con-
versation — беседа; alter — изменить что-л.
“I am not so easily altered,” said the old soldier. “Ralph,

do what I have told you. What the devil are you waiting for? Ring
up the police!”
“Nothing of the sort,” I said, putting my back to the door.
“Any police interference would bring about the very catastrophe
which you dread.” I took out my notebook and scribbled one
word upon a loose sheet. “That,” said I as I handed it to Colonel
Emsworth, “is what has brought us here.”
He stared at the writing with a face from which every ex-
pression save amazement had vanished.
“How do you know?” he gasped, sitting down heavily in
his chair.
“It is my business to know things. That is my trade.”
 ring up — звонить по телефону (брит.); interfer-

ence — вмешательство; dread — страшиться; notebook —
блокнот; scribble — нацарапать; loose — зд.: вырванный;
stare — уставиться; amazement — изумление; gasp — охнуть;
trade — ремесло
putting my back to the door — put относится к тем

глаголам, которые обычно переводятся по контексту; зд. по-
дойдет значение «прислоняться»: прислоняясь спиной к две-
ри.
88
He sat in deep thought, his gaunt hand tugging at his

straggling beard. Then he made a gesture of resignation.
“Well, if you wish to see Godfrey, you shall. It is no do-
ing of mine, but you have forced my hand. Ralph, tell Mr. Godfrey
and Mr. Kent that in five minutes we shall be with them.”
At the end of that time we passed down the garden path
and found ourselves in front of the mystery house at the end.
A small bearded man stood at the door with a look of considerable
astonishment upon his face.
“This is very sudden, Colonel Emsworth,” said he. “This will
disarrange all our plans.”
“I can’t help it, Mr. Kent. Our hands have been forced. Can
Mr. Godfrey see us?”
tug — тянуть; straggling — неряшливый; resignation —

смирение; doing — поступок; force one’s hand — заставлять;
path — дорожка; found ourselves — прост. прош. от find — ока-
зались; mystery — таинственный; astonishment — изумление;
sudden — внезапно; disarrange — разрушать
if you wish to see Godfrey, you shall — это условное

предложение с реальным условием; глагол shall употребляется
с местоимением 2-го лица, чтобы подчеркнуть решимость го-
ворящего: если вы хотите увидеть Годфри, вы его увидите.
I can’t help it — словосочетание can’t help (doing) озна-
чает «быть не в силах удержаться от». Зд. имеется в виду «по-
мешать».
“Yes, he is waiting inside.” He turned and led us into a

large plainly furnished front room. A man was standing with his
back to the fire, and at the sight of him my client sprang forward
with outstretched hand.
“Why, Godfrey, old man, this is fine!”
But the other waved him back.
“Don’t touch me, Jimmie. Keep your distance. Yes, you
may well stare! I don’t quite look the smart Lance-Corporal Ems-
worth, of B Squadron, do I?”
89
furnished — обставленный; front room — гостиная; at

the sight — при виде; sprang — прост. прош. от spring — бросил-
ся; outstretched — протянутый; touch — трогать; stare — при-
стально смотреть, пялиться; Lance-Corporal — ефрейтор
Why — в начале предложения why, выделенное запя-

той, используется для выражения удивления и переводится
«ну и ну!», «вот это да!» и т.д.
waved him back — глаголы wave, gesture, nod и т.д. часто
используются, чтобы описать невербальный приказ или пред-
ложение. Предлог поясняет, каким именно было распоряжение:
взмахом руки остановил его.
His appearance was certainly extraordinary. One could

see that he had indeed been a handsome man with clear-cut
features sunburned by an African sun, but mottled in patches
over this darker surface were curious whitish patches which had
bleached his skin.
“That’s why I don’t court visitors,” said he. “I don’t mind
you, Jimmie, but I could have done without your friend. I sup-
pose there is some good reason for it, but you have me at a dis-
advantage.”
“I wanted to be sure that all was well with you, Godfrey. I
saw you that night when you looked into my window, and I could
not let the matter rest till I had cleared things up.”
“Old Ralph told me you were there, and I couldn’t help
taking a peep at you. I hoped you would not have seen me, and I
had to run to my burrow when I heard the window go up.”
extraordinary — необычный; indeed — действительно;

features — черты лица; sunburned — загоревший; mottled —
пятнистый; in patches — местами; surface — поверхность;
bleach — выбелить; court — зд.: привечать; mind — возражать
(против); let rest — оставить в покое; peep — взгляд украдкой
(сущ.); burrow — нора
I could have done without your friend — фразовый

глагол do without означает «обходиться (без)»; could have done
90
указывает на то, что речь идет о нереальном условии: я мог бы

обойтись без твоего друга (но уже ничего не поделать).
you have me at a disadvantage — фраза говорит о том,
что героя застали в невыгодном для него положении: ты застал
меня врасплох.
couldn’t help taking a peep — конструкция take + суще-
ствительное указывает на однократное действие и переводится
глаголом: не мог не заглянуть.
“But what in heaven’s name is the matter?”

“Well, it’s not a long story to tell,” said he, lighting a ciga-
rette. “You remember that morning fight at Buffelsspruit, outside
Pretoria, on the Eastern railway line? You heard I was hit?”
“Yes, I heard that but I never got particulars.”
“Three of us got separated from the others. It was very
broken country, you may remember. There was Simpson — the
fellow we called Baldy Simpson — and Anderson, and I. We were
clearing brother Boer, but he lay low and got the three of us. The
other two were killed. I got an elephant bullet through my shoul-
der. I stuck on to my horse, however, and he galloped several
miles before I fainted and rolled off the saddle.
what is the matter? — в чем дело?; in heaven’s name —

ради всего святого; light — зажигать (гл.); hit — зд.: ранен; par-
ticulars — подробности; separate — отделять; clear — зд.: зачи-
щать, выбивать (кого-л. откуда-л.); lay low — прост. прош. от
lie — залег; stuck — прост. прош. от stick — застрял; faint — те-
рять сознание, падать в обморок
I stuck on to my horse — предлог on указывает на про-

должение действия: так и застрял в седле.
he galloped several miles — обычно, когда речь идет о
животных, используют местоимение it. Однако если упомина-
ются животные, пол которых известен, употребляются местои-
мения he/she: он проскакал галопом несколько миль.
“When I came to myself it was nightfall, and I raised

myself up, feeling very weak and ill. To my surprise there was a
91
house close beside me, a fairly large house with a broad step
and many windows. It was deadly cold. You remember the kind of
numb cold which used to come at evening, a deadly, sickening
sort of cold, very different from a crisp healthy frost. Well, I was
chilled to the bone, and my only hope seemed to lie in reaching
that house. I staggered to my feet and dragged myself along,
hardly conscious of what I did. I have a dim memory of slowly
ascending the steps, entering a wide-opened door, passing into
a large room which contained several beds, and throwing myself
down with a gasp of satisfaction upon one of them. It was un-
made, but that troubled me not at all. I drew the clothes over my
shivering body and in a moment I was in a deep sleep.
came to myself — прост. прош. от come — пришел в

себя; nightfall — сумерки; weak — слабый; close beside — сов-
сем рядом; fairly — довольно; step — крыльцо; numb — зд.:
отупляющий; sickening — тошнотворный; crisp — хрустящий;
frost — мороз; chill — промораживать; reach — добираться;
hardly — едва (ли); conscious — сознающий; dim — смутный; as-
cend — подниматься; satisfaction — удовлетворение; unmade —
неубранный (о постели); drew — прост. прош. от draw — натя-
нул; clothes — зд.: простыни; shivering — дрожащий
cold, frost, chill — эти слова-синонимы означают

«холод» и употребляются и как существительные, и как гла-
голы. Cold — самое нейтральное из них. Frost — это легкий мо-
роз, при котором бывает иней; свежий и бодрящий морозец.
Chill — холод, который может пробирать от ветра, промозглой
погоды или от жути.
I staggered to my feet — глагол stagger (запинаться) опи-
сывает характер действия и может относиться как к движению,
так и к требующему усилий действию: я кое-как поднялся на ноги.
“It was morning when I wakened, and it seemed to me

that instead of coming out into a world of sanity I had emerged
into some extraordinary nightmare. The African sun flooded
through the big, curtainless windows, and every detail of the
great, bare, whitewashed dormitory stood out hard and clear.
92
In front of me was standing a small, dwarf-like man with a huge,

bulbous head, who was jabbering excitedly in Dutch, waving
two horrible hands which looked to me like brown sponges.
Behind him stood a group of people who seemed to be in-
tensely amused by the situation, but a chill came over me as
I looked at them. Not one of them was a normal human being.
Every one was twisted or swollen or disfigured in some strange
way. The laughter of these strange monstrosities was a dreadful
thing to hear.
bulbous [ˈbʌlbəs]
waken — проснуться; instead of — вместо того что-

бы; sanity — здоровье, здравомыслие; emerge — зд.: оказать-
ся; nightmare — кошмар; flood — заливать (гл.); bare — голый;
whitewashed — побеленный; dormitory — общая спальня; stood
out — прост. прош. от stand — выступала; dwarf — гном, карлик;
bulbous — луковицеобразный; jabber — лопотать; Dutch — гол-
ландский; sponge — губка; behind — позади; intensely — глубо-
ко; twisted — скрюченный; swollen — раздувшийся
“It seemed that none of them could speak English, but

the situation wanted clearing up, for the creature with the big
head was growing furiously angry, and, uttering wild-beast cries,
he had laid his deformed hands upon me and was dragging me
out of bed, regardless of the fresh flow of blood from my wound.
The little monster was as strong as a bull, and I don’t know what
he might have done to me had not an elderly man who was
clearly in authority been attracted to the room by the hubbub.
He said a few stern words in Dutch, and my persecutor shrank
away. Then he turned upon me, gazing at me in the utmost
amazement.
none — никто (из); want — нуждаться;  clear up —

прояснять; for — так как; utter — издавать, произносить;
beast — зверь; drag — тащить; regardless — несмотря на; flow —
поток; elderly — пожилой; attract — привлекать; hubbub — шум
93
возбужденных голосов; stern — суровый; persecutor — пресле-

дователь; shrank away — прост. прош. от shrink — отпрянул
what he might have done to me had not an elderly

man — это условное предложение с нереальным условием, во
второй части которого вместо частицы if использована инвер-
сия: что бы он со мной сделал, не появись пожилой человек.
“‘How in the world did you come here?’ he asked in

amazement. ‘Wait a bit! I see that you are tired out and that
wounded shoulder of yours wants looking after. I am a doc-
tor, and I’ll soon have you tied up. But, man alive! you are in far
greater danger here than ever you were on the battlefield. You
are in the Leper Hospital, and you have slept in a leper’s bed.’
“Need I tell you more, Jimmie? It seems that in view of
the approaching battle all these poor creatures had been evacu-
ated the day before. Then, as the British advanced, they had been
brought back by this their medical superintendent, who assured
me that, though he believed he was immune to the disease, he
would none the less never have dared to do what I had done. He
put me in a private room, treated me kindly, and within a week or
so I was removed to the general hospital at Pretoria.
disease [dɪˈziːz]
a bit — немного;  tired out — измотан;  look af-

ter — присмотреть, позаботиться; tie up — перевязывать; battle-
field — поле боя; Leper — прокаженный; in view of — в свете;
approach — приближаться; advance — наступать (гл.); superin-
tendent — зд.: смотритель; disease — болезнь; none the less —
тем не менее; private — личный; treat — обращаться (с кем-л.)
in the world, man alive — усилительные конструкции.

Вторая редко встречается, а первая наряду с on earth часто ис-
пользуется после вопросительного слова для эмоционально-
го усиления и переводится по контексту: ради всего святого,
в конце концов и т.д.
94
“So there you have my tragedy. I hoped against hope,

but it was not until I had reached home that the terrible signs
which you see upon my face told me that I had not escaped.
What was I to do? I was in this lonely house. We had two serv-
ants whom we could utterly trust. There was a house where
I could live. Under pledge of secrecy, Mr. Kent, who is a sur-
geon, was prepared to stay with me. It seemed simple enough
on those lines. The alternative was a dreadful one — segrega-
tion for life among strangers with never a hope of release. But
absolute secrecy was necessary, or even in this quiet country-
side there would have been an outcry, and I should have been
dragged to my horrible doom. Even you, Jimmie — even you
had to be kept in the dark. Why my father has relented I can-
not imagine.”
hope against hope — надеяться вопреки всему;

not until — не ранее чем; sign — знак; escape — спастись; ut-
terly — полностью; trust — доверять; pledge — клятва; sur-
geon — (военный) врач; segregation — сегрегация, отделение;
release — избавление; outcry — громкий протест; drag — та-
щить; doom — судьба; even — даже; in the dark — в потемках, в
неведении; relent — передумать
Colonel Emsworth pointed to me.

“This is the gentleman who forced my hand.” He unfolded
the scrap of paper on which I had written the word “Leprosy.” “It
seemed to me that if he knew so much as that it was safer that he
should know all.”
“And so it was,” said I. “Who knows but good may come of
it? I understand that only Mr. Kent has seen the patient. May I ask,
sir, if you are an authority on such complaints, which are, I under-
stand, tropical or semi-tropical in their nature?”
“I have the ordinary knowledge of the educated medical
man,” he observed with some stiffness.
point — указывать; unfold — разворачивать; scrap —

клочок; leprosy — проказа (мед.); complaint — жалоба; stiff-
ness — скованность
95
“I have no doubt, sir, that you are fully competent, but

I am sure that you will agree that in such a case a second opin-
ion is valuable. You have avoided this, I understand, for fear that
pressure should be put upon you to segregate the patient.”
“That is so,” said Colonel Emsworth.
“I foresaw this situation,” I explained, “and I have brought
with me a friend whose discretion may absolutely be trusted.
I was able once to do him a professional service, and he is ready
to advise as a friend rather than as a specialist. His name is Sir
James Saunders.”
The prospect of an interview with Lord Roberts1 would
not have excited greater wonder and pleasure in a raw subaltern
than was now reflected upon the face of Mr. Kent.
doubt — сомнение; opinion — мнение; avoid — избе-

гать; pressure — давление; foresaw — прост. прош. от foresee —
предвидел; discretion — скрытность; advise — советовать; rather
(than) — скорее (чем); prospect — перспектива; wonder — изум-
ление; subaltern — офицер званием младше капитана; reflect —
отражать(ся)
“I shall indeed be proud,” he murmured.

“Then I will ask Sir James to step this way. He is at present
in the carriage outside the door. Meanwhile, Colonel Emsworth,
we may perhaps assemble in your study, where I could give the
necessary explanations.”
And here it is that I miss my Watson. By cunning ques-
tions and ejaculations of wonder he could elevate my simple art,
which is but systematized common sense, into a prodigy. When I
tell my own story I have no such aid. And yet I will give my process
of thought even as I gave it to my small audience, which included
Godfrey’s mother in the study of Colonel Emsworth.
proud — горд; murmur — бормотать; at present —

сейчас; carriage — экипаж; meanwhile — тем временем; as-
semble — собраться; study — кабинет (сущ.); miss — не хватать
1 Lord Roberts — граф Фредерик Робертс (1832–1914). Фельдмаршал,

один из величайших военачальников викторианской эпохи.
96
(кого-л.); cunning — хитроумный; ejaculation — восклицание;

elevate — поднимать; but — всего лишь; common sense — здра-
вый смысл; prodigy — зд.: нечто невероятное; aid — помощь;
audience — аудитория
“That process,” said I, “starts upon the supposition that

when you have eliminated all which is impossible, then what-
ever remains, however improbable, must be the truth. It may
well be that several explanations remain, in which case one
tries test after test until one or other of them has a convinc-
ing amount of support. We will now apply this principle to the
case in point. As it was first presented to me, there were three
possible explanations of the seclusion or incarceration of this
gentleman in an outhouse of his father’s mansion. There was
the explanation that he was in hiding for a crime, or that he was
mad and that they wished to avoid an asylum, or that he had
some disease which caused his segregation. I could think of no
other adequate solutions. These, then, had to be sifted and bal-
anced against each other.
asylum [əˈsaɪləm]
supposition — предположение; eliminate — исключить;

whatever — что бы ни; remain — оставаться; improbable — не-
вероятный; explanation — объяснение; convincing — убедитель-
ный; support — зд.: доказательства; apply — применить; case
in point — рассматриваемый случай; seclusion — изоляция;
incarceration — заточение; mansion — поместье; in hiding —
в бегах; asylum — сумасшедший дом; solution — решение; sift —
зд.: подробно изучать
“The criminal solution would not bear inspection. No

unsolved crime had been reported from that district. I was sure
of that. If it were some crime not yet discovered, then clearly it
would be to the interest of the family to get rid of the delin-
quent and send him abroad rather than keep him concealed at
home. I could see no explanation for such a line of conduct.
97
bear — выдерживать; unsolved — нераскрытый; dis-

trict — район; get rid of — избавляться от; delinquent — пре-
ступник (обычно о молодых людях); conceal — скрывать; con-
duct — поведение
“Insanity was more plausible. The presence of the sec-

ond person in the outhouse suggested a keeper. The fact that
he locked the door when he came out strengthened the sup-
position and gave the idea of constraint. On the other hand,
this constraint could not be severe or the young man could not
have got loose and come down to have a look at his friend. You
will remember, Mr. Dodd, that I felt round for points, asking you,
for example, about the paper which Mr. Kent was reading. Had
it been the Lancet or the British Medical Journal it would have
helped me. It is not illegal, however, to keep a lunatic upon pri-
vate premises so long as there is a qualified person in attend-
ance and that the authorities have been duly notified. Why,
then, all this desperate desire for secrecy? Once again I could
not get the theory to fit the facts.
insanity — безумие; plausible — вероятный; presence —

присутствие; suggest — предполагать; keeper — надзиратель;
strengthen — усиливать; constraint — ограничение свободы;
severe — суровый; loose — свободный; round — равный; luna-
tic — безумец; so long as — пока; in attendance — в ответе;
duly — должным образом; notify — уведомлять; desperate — от-
чаянный
“There remained the third possibility, into which, rare

and unlikely as it was, everything seemed to fit. Leprosy is not
uncommon in South Africa. By some extraordinary chance this
youth might have contracted it. His people would be placed
in a very dreadful position, since they would desire to save him
from segregation. Great secrecy would be needed to prevent ru-
mours from getting about and subsequent interference by the
authorities. A devoted medical man, if sufficiently paid, would
easily be found to take charge of the sufferer. There would be
98
no reason why the latter should not be allowed freedom after

dark. Bleaching of the skin is a common result of the disease. The
case was a strong one — so strong that I determined to act as
if it were actually proved. When on arriving here I noticed that
Ralph, who carries out the meals, had gloves which are impreg-
nated with disinfectants, my last doubts were removed. A single
word showed you, sir, that your secret was discovered, and if I
wrote rather than said it, it was to prove to you that my discre-
tion was to be trusted.”
possibility — вероятность; youth — молодой человек;

contract — подхватить, заразиться; one’s people — семья; pre-
vent — предотвратить; rumours — слухи; subsequent — после-
дующий; interference — вмешательство; devoted — преданный;
sufficiently — удовлетворительно; take charge of — взять от-
ветственность над; reason — причина; prove — доказывать; on
arriving — по прибытии; impregnate — пропитывать; discov-
er — обнаруживать; discretion — скрытность
I was finishing this little analysis of the case when the

door was opened and the austere figure of the great dermatolo-
gist was ushered in. But for once his sphinx-like features had re-
laxed and there was a warm humanity in his eyes. He strode up
to Colonel Emsworth and shook him by the hand.
“It is often my lot to bring ill-tidings and seldom good,”
said he. “This occasion is the more welcome. It is not leprosy.”
“What?”
austere — серьезный; usher = show — провожать (ку-

да-л.); strode up — прост. прош. от stride — (про)шагал; lot —
доля, удел; ill-tidings — плохие новости (уст.); welcome — зд.:
приятный
“A well-marked case of pseudo-leprosy or ichthyosis, a

scale-like affection of the skin, unsightly, obstinate, but possi-
bly curable, and certainly non-infective. Yes, Mr. Holmes, the co-
incidence is a remarkable one. But is it coincidence? Are there
not subtle forces at work of which we know little? Are we as-
99
sured that the apprehension from which this young man has no
doubt suffered terribly since his exposure to its contagion may
not produce a physical effect which simulates that which it fears?
At any rate, I pledge my professional reputation — But the lady
has fainted! I think that Mr. Kent had better be with her until
she recovers from this joyous shock.”
scale — чешуя; affection — зд.: поражение; unsight-

ly — уродливый (это слово вежливее, чем ugly); obstinate — зд.:
стойкий; curable — излечимый; coincidence — совпадение; re-
markable — необычный; subtle — неуловимый; apprehension —
дурное предчувствие; contagion — заражение; at any rate — в
любом случае; pledge — клясться; faint — падать в обморок; re-
cover — приходить в себя; joyous — радостный
Mr. Kent had better be with her — устойчивое словосо-

четание smb had better do smth — мягкая рекомендация, кото-
рая обычно переводится словами «лучше бы», «надо бы» и т.д.:
мистеру Кенту лучше побыть с ней.
The Adventure of the Mazarin1
Stone2
It was pleasant for Dr. Watson to find himself once

more in the untidy room of the first floor in Baker Street
which had been the starting-point of so many remarkable
adventures. He looked round him at the scientific charts upon
the wall, the acid-charred bench of chemicals, the violin-case
leaning in the corner, the coal-scuttle, which contained of
old the pipes and tobacco. Finally, his eyes came round to
the fresh and smiling face of Billy, the young but very wise
and tactful page, who had helped a little to fill up the gap
of loneliness and isolation which surrounded the saturnine
figure of the great detective.
saturnine [ˈsætənaɪn]
once more — снова; untidy — неопрятный; remark-

able — выдающийся; chart — карта, схема; acid — кислота;
charred — обожженный; bench — рабочий стол; case — фут-
ляр; lean — прислонять(ся); coal-scuttle — ящик для угля;
pipe — трубка;  came round — прост. прош. от come — зд.:
наткнулись; page — зд.: слуга; a little — немного;  fill up —
заполнять; gap — пропасть; surround — окружать; saturnine —
мрачный
“It all seems very unchanged, Billy. You don’t change, ei-
ther. I hope the same can be said of him?”
Billy glanced with some solicitude at the closed door of
the bedroom.
1 Mazarin [ˈmæzərɪn] — Жюль Мазарини (1602–1661). Французский
кардинал, дипломат и политик, коллекционер драгоценностей и произве-
дений искусства.
2 Этот рассказ был переделан из пьесы, поэтому в нем повествование
ведется от 3-го лица.
101
“I think he’s in bed and asleep,” he said.

It was seven in the evening of a lovely summer’s day, but
Dr. Watson was sufficiently familiar with the irregularity of his
old friend’s hours to feel no surprise at the idea.
“That means a case, I suppose?”
solicitude [səˈlɪsɪˌtjuːd]
glance — бросать взгляд (гл.); solicitude — забота;

lovely — чудный; sufficiently — достаточно; familiar — знако-
мый; hours — зд.: режим; surprise — удивление; case — случай,
дело
“Yes, sir, he is very hard at it just now. I’m frightened

for his health. He gets paler and thinner, and he eats nothing.
‘When will you be pleased to dine, Mr. Holmes?’ Mrs. Hudson
asked. ‘Seven-thirty, the day after to-morrow,’ said he. You know
his way when he is keen on a case.”
“Yes, Billy, I know.”
be hard at — погружаться (в); pale — бледный; thin —

худой; the day after to-morrow — послезавтра; keen — глубоко
заинтересован
When will you be pleased to dine, Mr. Holmes? —

Фраза выстроена подчеркнуто вежливо: не When you are going
to dine? (Когда вы будете обедать?), а когда вы соблаговолите
отобедать?
“He’s following someone. Yesterday he was out as a

workman looking for a job. To-day he was an old woman. Fairly
took me in, he did, and I ought to know his ways by now.” Bil-
ly pointed with a grin to a very baggy parasol which leaned
against the sofa. “That’s part of the old woman’s outfit,” he said.
“But what is it all about, Billy?”
102
The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone
Billy sank his voice, as one who discusses great secrets

of State. “I don’t mind telling you, sir, but it should go no farther.
It’s this case of the Crown diamond.”
“What — the hundred-thousand-pound1 burglary?”
parasol [ˈpærəsɒl] burglary [ˈbɜːɡləri]
follow — следить; as — как, в качестве; took in —

прост. прош. от take — обманул; point — указывать; grin —
усмешка; baggy — обвисший; parasol — зонтик от солнца; out-
fit — костюм; what is it all about? — в чем дело?; sank — прост.
прош. от sink — зд: понизил; mind — возражать; farther —
дальше; diamond — бриллиант; pound — фунт; burglary —
кража со взломом
I ought to know his ways by now — модальный глагол

ought (to) имеет значение «следовало бы»: мне бы теперь-то уж
следовало бы лучше знать его штучки.
Billy sank his voice, as one who discusses great secrets —
местоимение one используется как для того, чтобы не повто-
рять недавно упомянутое существительное, так и для выска-
зываний, имеющих обобщающий смысл, в значении «человек»
(любой): Билли понизил голос как человек, обсуждающий ве-
личайшие тайны.
Crown diamond — в конструкции существительное +
существительное главным будет последнее существительное,
а остальные будут его определениями: бриллиант Короны (ко-
ролевской семьи).
“Yes, sir. They must get it back, sir. Why, we had the
Prime Minister and the Home Secretary both sitting on that
very sofa. Mr. Holmes was very nice to them. He soon put them
at their ease and promised he would do all he could. Then there
is Lord Cantlemere —”
“Ah!”
1 pound [paʊnd] — фунт, британская денежная единица.
103
“Yes, sir, you know what that means. He’s a stiff ’un, sir,
if I may say so. I can get along with the Prime Minister, and I’ve
nothing against the Home Secretary, who seemed a civil, oblig-
ing sort of man, but I can’t stand his Lordship. Neither can Mr.
Holmes, sir. You see, he don’t believe1 in Mr. Holmes and he was
against employing him. He’d rather he failed.”
 get back — получить обратно; Home Secretary —

министр внутренних дел; both — оба; that very (э)тот самый;
put smb at ease — успокоить; mean — означать; stiff — жест-
кий; un = one; get along (with) — ладить; against — против;
civil — вежливый; obliging — отзывчивый; can’t stand smb/
smth — не выносить кого-л./чего-л.; his Lordship — его свет-
лость (обращение); neither — также не; employ — нанимать;
fail — терпеть неудачу
He’d rather — конструкция местоимение + ’d rather

на русский язык переводится глаголом «предпочитать»: он бы
предпочел…
“And Mr. Holmes knows it?”

“Mr. Holmes always knows whatever there is to know.”
“Well, we’ll hope he won’t fail and that Lord Cantlemere
will be confounded. But I say, Billy, what is that curtain for across
the window?”
“Mr. Holmes had it put up there three days ago. We’ve
got something funny behind it.”
Billy advanced and drew away the drapery which
screened the alcove of the bow window2.
Dr. Watson could not restrain a cry of amazement.
There was a facsimile of his old friend, dressing-gown and all,
the face turned three-quarters towards the window and down-
1 Чтобы подчеркнуть, что слуге не хватает образования, автор в

прямой речи передает нечеткое произношение (un) и делает грамматиче-
ские ошибки (he don’t believe вместо he doesn’t believe). Такие ошибки будут
встречаться в прямой речи некоторых героев и далее.
2 bow window [ˌbəʊ ˈwɪndəʊ] — круглый эркер, выступающая часть
стены здания, обычно остекленная.
104
ward, as though reading an invisible book, while the body was

sunk deep in an armchair. Billy detached the head and held it
in the air.
alcove [ˈælkəʊv]
facsimile [fækˈsɪməli] towards [təˈwɔːdz]
whatever — что бы ни; confounded — зд.: посрамлен;

curtain — занавеска; across — через;  put up — зд.: вешать;
advance — двигаться вперед (гл.);  drew away — прост. прош.
от draw — отдернул; drapery — драпировка; screen — скры-
вать; alcove — ниша; bow window — эркер; restrain — сдержать;
amazement — изумление; facsimile — точная копия; dressing-
gown — халат; and all — и прочее; towards — к, по направлению
к; as though — как будто; invisible — невидимый; while — в то
время как; sunk — 3-я форма гл. sink — утопало; detach — отсо-
единять; held — прост. прош. от hold — держал
what is that curtain for? — Предлог for указывает на

цель, назначение: для чего эта занавеска?
Mr. Holmes had it put up — конструкция have smth done
указывает на то, что действие было произведено кем-то по воле/
приказу другого лица; при переводе используются глаголы «рас-
порядиться», «попросить», «велеть»: мистер Холмс велел пове-
сить ее.
“We put it at different angles, so that it may seem more

lifelike. I wouldn’t dare touch it if the blind were not down. But
when it’s up you can see this from across the way.”
“We used something of the sort once before.”
“Before my time,” said Billy. He drew the window curtains
apart and looked out into the street. “There are folk who watch
us from over yonder. I can see a fellow now at the window. Have
a look for yourself.”
Watson had taken a step forward when the bedroom
door opened, and the long, thin form of Holmes emerged, his
face pale and drawn, but his step and bearing as active as ever.
With a single spring he was at the window, and had drawn the
blind once more.
105
“That will do, Billy,” said he. “You were in danger of your
life then, my boy, and I can’t do without you just yet. Well, Wat-
son, it is good to see you in your old quarters once again. You
come at a critical moment.”
angle — угол (геометр.); lifelike — зд.: (как) живой;

dare — сметь; blind — штора; way — зд.: улица; drew apart —
прост. прош. от draw — раздвинул; folk — люди (просторечн.);
yonder — там, (от)туда (уст.); fellow — парень; have a look —
взглянуть; taken — 3-я форма гл. take — зд.: сделал; form —
фигура; emerge — появляться; drawn — изможденный; bear-
ing — манера; осанка; as… as… — так(ой)… как(ой)…; as
ever — как всегда; spring — прыжок (сущ.); That will do — до-
вольно, хватит;  do without — обходиться без; danger — опа-
сность; do without — обходиться (без); quarters — квартира,
жилье; critical — решающий
I can’t do without you just yet — словосочетание not

just yet указывает на то, что время для чего-л. еще не пришло:
я пока не могу без вас обойтись.
“So I gather.”
“You can go, Billy. That boy is a problem, Watson. How far
am I justified in allowing him to be in danger?”
“Danger of what, Holmes?”
“Of sudden death. I’m expecting something this evening.”
“Expecting what?”
“To be murdered, Watson.”
“No, no, you are joking, Holmes!”
“Even my limited sense of humour could evolve a bet-
ter joke than that. But we may be comfortable in the meantime,
may we not? Is alcohol permitted? The gasogene1 and cigars
are in the old place. Let me see you once more in the custom-
ary armchair. You have not, I hope, learned to despise my pipe
and my lamentable tobacco? It has to take the place of food
these days.”
1 gasogene [ˈgæsədʒiːn] – сифон. Устройство для газирования воды.
106
lamentable [ˈlæməntəbl]
gather — (пред)полагать (уст.); how far — насколько;

sudden — внезапный; expect — ожидать; even — даже; limit-
ed — ограниченный; evolve — выработать; in the meantime —
тем временем; permit — разрешать(ся); customary — обычный;
despise — презирать; pipe — трубка; lamentable — жалкий
justified in allowing — после словосочетания be justi-

fied in всегда употребляется форма глагол + ing; это выражение
означает «иметь основания/право для того, чтобы»: имею пра-
во позволять.
“But why not eat?”

“Because the faculties become refined when you starve
them. Why, surely, as a doctor, my dear Watson, you must admit
that what your digestion gains in the way of blood supply is
so much lost to the brain. I am a brain, Watson. The rest of me
is a mere appendix. Therefore, it is the brain I must consider.”
“But this danger, Holmes?”
faculties — чувства, способности; starve — морить го-

лодом; admit — признать; digestion — пищеварение; gain — по-
лучать; in the way of — в отношении; blood supply — крово-
снабжение; so much — зд.: настолько же; lost — прост. прош. от
lose — потеряно; appendix — приложение; therefore — следова-
тельно; consider — учитывать
“Ah, yes, in case it should come off, it would perhaps be

as well that you should burden your memory with the name and
address of the murderer. You can give it to Scotland Yard, with my
love and a parting blessing. Sylvius is the name — Count Ne-
gretto Sylvius. Write it down, man, write it down! 136 Moorside
Gardens, N. W.1 Got it?”
1 N.W. = North Western postal area; в остальном адрес вымышленный.
107
Watson’s honest face was twitching with anxiety. He knew

only too well the immense risks taken by Holmes and was well
aware that what he said was more likely to be under-statement
than exaggeration. Watson was always the man of action, and he
rose to the occasion.
exaggeration [ɪɡˌzædʒəˈreɪʃn]
in case — на случай;  come off — удаваться; bur-

den — обременить (гл.); parting — прощальный; blessing —
благословение; count — граф;  write down — записывать;
twitch — дергаться; immense — огромный; be aware — осоз-
навать; under-statement — преуменьшение; exaggeration — пре-
увеличение;  rose to — прост. прош. от rise — среагировал (ча-
сто на провокацию)
it would perhaps be as well — словосочетание be (just)

as well используется в случаях, когда события приняли неожи-
данный, но далеко не худший оборот: наверное, было бы тоже
неплохо.
“Count me in, Holmes. I have nothing to do for a day or

two.”
“Your morals don’t improve, Watson. You have added fib-
bing to your other vices. You bear every sign of the busy medical
man, with calls on him every hour.”
“Not such important ones. But can’t you have this fel-
low arrested?”
“Yes, Watson, I could. That’s what worries him so.”
“But why don’t you?”
“Because I don’t know where the diamond is.”
“Ah! Billy told me — the missing Crown jewel!”
“Yes, the great yellow Mazarin stone. I’ve cast my net and I
have my fish. But I have not got the stone. What is the use of taking
them? We can make the world a better place by laying them by
the heels. But that is not what I am out for. It’s the stone I want.”
“And is this Count Sylvius one of your fish?”
108
count (smb) in — включать в планы; improve —

улучшать(ся); fibbing — мелкая ложь; vice — порок; bear —
нести (зд.: на себе); sign — (при)знак; worry — беспокоить;
cast — забрасывать; net — сеть; use — польза (сущ.); lay by the
heels — зд.: схватить; be out for — охотиться
Not such important ones. — Местоимение one исполь-

зуется, чтобы избежать повторения последнего упомянутого
существительного (зд. calls): Не такие уж важные вызовы.
can’t you have this fellow arrested? — have + smb + прича-
стие II указывают на действие, которое совершается по чьей-л.
воле: вы не могли бы устроить, чтобы этого парня арестовали?
It’s the stone I want — конструкция it is… that упо-
требляется в английском языке для смыслового усиления;
при переводе используются слова «именно», «как раз» и т.д.
В данном случае слово that опущено, но смысл тот же: мне
нужен именно камень.
one of your fish — у слова fish две формы множествен-
ного числа: fishes и fish. Зд. использовано множественное число:
одна из ваших рыбок.
“Yes, and he’s a shark. He bites. The other is Sam Merton

the boxer. Not a bad fellow, Sam, but the Count has used him.
Sam’s not a shark. He is a great big silly bull-headed gudgeon.
But he is flopping about in my net all the same.”
“Where is this Count Sylvius?”
gudgeon [ˈgʌdʒən]
shark — акула; bite — кусаться; bull-headed — тупого-

ловый; gudgeon — пескарь; flop — трепыхаться
“I’ve been at his very elbow all the morning. You’ve seen
me as an old lady, Watson. I was never more convincing. He actu-
ally picked up my parasol for me once. ‘By your leave, madame,’
said he — half-ltalian, you know, and with the Southern graces
109
of manner when in the mood, but a devil incarnate in the other

mood. Life is full of whimsical happenings, Watson.”
“It might have been tragedy.”
incarnate [ɪnˈkɑːnət]
at one’s elbow — рядом; as — в качестве; convincing —

убедительный;  pick up — подбирать; by your leave — с вашего
позволения; half– — наполовину; graces — зд.: обходительность;
mood — настроение; incarnate — во плоти; whimsical — развле-
кательный
It might have been tragedy. — Глагол might указывает

на невысокую степень вероятности события, которое так и не
произошло (на это указывает перфектная форма have been):
это могла быть трагедия.
“Well, perhaps it might. I followed him to old Strauben-

zee’s workshop in the Minories. Straubenzee made the air-
gun — a very pretty bit of work, as I understand, and I rather
fancy it is in the opposite window at the present moment.
Have you seen the dummy? Of course, Billy showed it to you.
Well, it may get a bullet through its beautiful head at any mo-
ment. Ah, Billy, what is it?”
The boy had reappeared in the room with a card upon a
tray. Holmes glanced at it with raised eyebrows and an amused
smile.
“The man himself. I had hardly expected this. Grasp the
nettle, Watson! A man of nerve. Possibly you have heard of his
reputation as a shooter of big game. It would indeed be a trium-
phant ending to his excellent sporting record if he added me to
his bag. This is a proof that he feels my toe very close behind
his heel.”
“Send for the police.”
triumphant [traɪˈʌmfənt] toe [təʊ]
110
follow — следить; workshop — мастерская; air-gun —

духовое ружье; fancy — предполагать (гл.); opposite — проти-
воположный; dummy — манекен; bullet — пуля; tray — под-
нос; glance — взглянуть; hardly — едва ли; grasp — хватать(ся);
nettle — крапива; shooter — стрелок; game — дичь; proof —
доказательство; toe — палец ноги; behind — сзади; heel — ка-
блук, пятка
bit of work — существительное work является неисчи-

сляемым. Слова bit и piece позволяют выделить часть неисчи-
сляемого существительного: хорошая работа (в смысле резуль-
тат работы, произведение).
Grasp the nettle — это выражение используется в слу-
чаях, когда нужно справиться со сложной и неприятной ситу-
ацией: мужайтесь.
feels my toe very close behind his heel — образ возник
из выражения on one’s heels — следовать за кем-л. по пятам: он
чувствует, что я буквально наступаю ему на пятки.
“I probably shall. But not just yet. Would you glance

carefully out of the window, Watson, and see if anyone is hang-
ing about in the street?”
Watson looked warily round the edge of the curtain.
“Yes, there is one rough fellow near the door.”
“That will be Sam Merton — the faithful but rather fatu-
ous Sam. Where is this gentleman, Billy?”
“In the waiting-room, sir.”
“Show him up when I ring.”
“Yes, sir.”
“If I am not in the room, show him in all the same.”
“Yes, sir.”
fatuous [ˈfætjuəs]
not just yet — еще не сейчас;  hang about — болтать-

ся, слоняться (без дела); warily — настороженно; edge — край;
rough — крепкий; faithful — верный; fatuous — глупый; wait-
ing-room — приемная; ring — звонить;  show in — проводить
111
I probably shall. — Глагол shall служил для образова-

ния будущего времени для 1-го лица (ед. и мн. числа), здесь он
использован в этом качестве: я, возможно, так и сделаю.
see if anyone is hanging about — if вводит вопрос в кос-
венной речи в тех случаях, когда вопросительное слово отсут-
ствует: посмотрите, не болтается ли…
That will be Sam Merton — употребление глагола will
указывает на то, что это предположение: that is Sam Merton —
это Сэм Мертон; that will be Sam Merton — это наверняка Сэм
Мертон.
Show him up, show him in — глагол show использован в
значении «проводить куда-л.». В первом случае предлог up ука-
зывает на то, что гостя надо будет провести с первого этажа (на
котором располагались приемные и др. общие помещения) на
второй, где располагались личные комнаты. Show in — прово-
дить внутрь.
Watson waited until the door was closed, and then he

turned earnestly to his companion.
“Look here, Holmes, this is simply impossible. This is a des-
perate man, who sticks at nothing. He may have come to murder
you.”
“I should not be surprised.”
“I insist upon staying with you.”
“You would be horribly in the way.”
“In his way?”
“No, my dear fellow — in my way.”
“Well, I can’t possibly leave you.”
“Yes, you can, Watson. And you will, for you have never
failed to play the game. I am sure you will play it to the end. This
man has come for his own purpose, but he may stay for mine.”
earnestly [ˈɜːnɪstli]
until — пока не; earnestly — серьезно; desperate — отча-

янный; stick at nothing — пойти на все; insist (up)on — наста-
ивать (на); be in the way — мешать; leave — оставлять; fail —
не смочь, терпеть неудачу; purpose — цель
112
Holmes took out his notebook and scribbled a few lines.

“Take a cab to Scotland Yard and give this to Youghal of the C. I.
D. Come back with the police. The fellow’s arrest will follow.”
“I’ll do that with joy.”
“Before you return I may have just time enough to find
out where the stone is.” He touched the bell. “I think we will go
out through the bedroom. This second exit is exceedingly useful.
I rather want to see my shark without his seeing me, and I have,
as you will remember, my own way of doing it.”
scribble — черкнуть; C.I.D. — Criminal Investigation

Department;  come back — возвращаться;  find out — вы-
яснить; touch — трогать; bell — колокольчик; exit — выход; ex-
ceedingly — чрезвычайно; rather — скорее; without — без
without his seeing me — глагол после without всегда

употребляется в форме глагол + ing: чтобы он меня не видел.
It was, therefore, an empty room into which Billy, a min-

ute later, ushered Count Sylvius. The famous game-shot, sports-
man, and man-about-town was a big, swarthy fellow, with a for-
midable dark moustache shading a cruel, thin-lipped mouth,
and surmounted by a long, curved nose like the beak of an
eagle. He was well dressed, but his brilliant necktie, shining pin,
and glittering rings were flamboyant in their effect. As the door
closed behind him he looked round him with fierce, startled
eyes, like one who suspects a trap at every turn. Then he gave a
violent start as he saw the impassive head and the collar of the
dressing-gown which projected above the armchair in the win-
dow. At first his expression was one of pure amazement. Then the
light of a horrible hope gleamed in his dark, murderous eyes. He
took one more glance round to see that there were no witnesses,
and then, on tiptoe, his thick stick half raised, he approached the
silent figure. He was crouching for his final spring and blow when
a cool, sardonic voice greeted him from the open bedroom door:
swarthy [ˈswɔːði] suspect [səˈspekt] (гл.)
113
empty — пустой; usher — провожать; man-about-

town — светский лев; swarthy — смуглый; formidable — огром-
ный; moustache — усы; shade — затенять; cruel — жестокий;
lip — губа; surmount — возвышаться; curved — изогнутый;
beak — клюв; eagle — орел; necktie — галстук; pin — булавка;
glittering — сверкающий; flamboyant — кричащий; fierce — ре-
шительный; startled — зд.: настороженный; suspect — подо-
зревать (гл.); trap — ловушка; impassive — неподвижный; col-
lar — воротник; amazement — изумление; gleam — светиться;
witness — свидетель (сущ.); on tiptoe — на цыпочках; stick —
трость; approach — приближаться; crouch — зд.: собираться;
spring — прыжок (сущ.)
gave a violent start — give + существительное описы-

вает однократное действие: give a smile — улыбнуться, give a
start — вздрогнуть, и т.д.
“Don’t break it, Count! Don’t break it!”

The assassin staggered back, amazement in his con-
vulsed face. For an instant he half raised his loaded cane once
more, as if he would turn his violence from the effigy to the origi-
nal; but there was something in that steady gray eye and mocking
smile which caused his hand to sink to his side.
“It’s a pretty little thing,” said Holmes, advancing towards
the image. “Tavernier, the French modeller, made it. He is as good
at waxworks as your friend Straubenzee is at air-guns.”
“Air-guns, sir! What do you mean?”
“Put your hat and stick on the side-table. Thank you!
Pray take a seat. Would you care to put your revolver out also?
Oh, very good, if you prefer to sit upon it. Your visit is really most
opportune, for I wanted badly to have a few minutes’ chat with
you.”
assassin [əˈsæsɪn] effigy [ˈefɪdʒiː]

opportune [ˈɒpətjuːn]
break — ломать, разбивать; assassin — убийца;

 stagger back — отшатнуться; convulsed — перекошенный;
114
loaded — зд.: тяжелый; cane — трость; as if — как будто;

violence — злость; насилие; effigy — чучело, манекен; mock-
ing — насмешливый; sink — зд.: опуститься; towards — по на-
правлению к; waxworks — восковые фигуры; mean — иметь в
виду;  put out — выкладывать; prefer — предпочитать; op-
portune — удачный
Pray take a seat. Would you care… — Pray и beg в нача-

ле побудительного предложения — это формальные варианты
please. Would you care — подчеркнуто вежливая форма: Не бу-
дете ли вы так любезны…
The Count scowled, with heavy, threatening eyebrows.

“I, too, wished to have some words with you, Holmes.
That is why I am here. I won’t deny that I intended to assault
you just now.”
Holmes swung his leg on the edge of the table.
“I rather gathered that you had some idea of the sort in
your head,” said he. “But why these personal attentions?”
“Because you have gone out of your way to annoy me.
Because you have put your creatures upon my track.”
“My creatures! I assure you no!”1
“Nonsense! I have had them followed. Two can play at
that game, Holmes.”
“It is a small point, Count Sylvius, but perhaps you would
kindly give me my prefix when you address me. You can under-
stand that, with my routine of work, I should find myself on fa-
miliar terms with half the rogues’ gallery, and you will agree that
exceptions are invidious.”
scowl — хмуриться; deny — отрицать; intend — наме-

реваться; assault — нападать; swung — прост. прош. от swing —
качнул; edge — край; personal attentions — знаки внимания;
annoy — докучать, раздражать; creature — зд.: прихвостни;
track — след; assure — уверять; nonsense — чушь; small point —
1 Игра слов: прямой перевод слова creature — творение. Холмс шо-

кирован идеей, что граф может счесть полицейских его «творениями», то
есть последователями и учениками.
115
мелочь; prefix — обращение, используемое перед фамилией

(зд. мистер); routine of work — текущая работа; on familiar
terms — хорошо знакомый; rogue — негодяй; exception —
исключение; invidious — проблематичный
you have gone out of your way to annoy me — устой-

чивое выражение go out of way to do smth имеет значение «при-
ложить дополнительные усилия, чтобы сделать что-л.»: вы из
кожи вон вылезли, чтобы досадить мне.
Two can play at that game — герой подразумевает, что
обе стороны могут использовать одни и те же приемы.
“Well, Mr. Holmes, then.”

“Excellent! But I assure you you are mistaken about my al-
leged agents.”
Count Sylvius laughed contemptuously.
“Other people can observe as well as you. Yesterday there
was an old sporting man. To-day it was an elderly woman. They
held me in view all day.”
“Really, sir, you compliment me. Old Baron Dowson said
the night before he was hanged that in my case what the law
had gained the stage had lost. And now you give my little imper-
sonations your kindly praise?”
“It was you — you yourself?”
Holmes shrugged his shoulders. “You can see in the cor-
ner the parasol which you so politely handed to me in the Mino-
ries before you began to suspect.”
contemptuously [kənˈtemptjʊəsli]
alleged — предполагаемый; contemptuously — оскорби-

тельно; observe — наблюдать; in view — в поле зрения; hang —
вешать; case — случай; gain — приобретать; stage — сцена;
lost — 3-я форма гл. lose — потеряла; impersonation — зд.: ли-
цедейство; praise — похвала; shrug — пожимать плечами; po-
litely — вежливо; hand — передать (гл.)
116
“If I had known, you might never —”

“Have seen this humble home again. I was well aware
of it. We all have neglected opportunities to deplore. As it hap-
pens, you did not know, so here we are!”
The Count’s knotted brows gathered more heavily over
his menacing eyes. “What you say only makes the matter worse.
It was not your agents but your play-acting, busybody self! You
admit that you have dogged me. Why?”
“Come now, Count. You used to shoot lions in Algeria.”
“Well?”
“But why?”
“Why? The sport — the excitement — the danger!”
“And, no doubt, to free the country from a pest?”
“Exactly!”
Algeria [ælˈdʒɪərɪə]
humble — скромный; be aware (of) — сознавать; ne-

glect — пренебрегать; opportunity — возможность; deplore — зд.:
сожалеть; as it happens — как бы то ни было; here we are —
и вот результат; knotted — зд.: густой; menacing — зловещий;
busybody — любитель совать нос в чужие дела; dog — преследо-
вать (гл.); shoot — стрелять; free — освободить; pest — паразиты
If I had known, you might never… have seen — это

условное предложение, в котором не произошедшее событие
в прошлом, выраженное в Past Perfect, могло бы повлиять на
другое событие в прошлом. Но условие не было выполнено, и
действие так и не совершилось: если бы я знал, вы могли бы...
никогда больше не увидеть.
It was not your agents but your play-acting — форма ед.
числа was использована потому, что соотносится с play-acting:
это не ваши агенты, это была ваша актерская игра.
“My reasons in a nutshell!”

The Count sprang to his feet, and his hand involuntarily
moved back to his hip-pocket.
117
“Sit down, sir, sit down! There was another, more practical,
reason. I want that yellow diamond!”
Count Sylvius lay back in his chair with an evil smile.
“Upon my word!” said he.
“You knew that I was after you for that. The real reason
why you are here to-night is to find out how much I know about
the matter and how far my removal is absolutely essential. Well,
I should say that, from your point of view, it is absolutely essen-
tial, for I know all about it, save only one thing, which you are
about to tell me.”
“Oh, indeed! And pray, what is this missing fact?”
“Where the Crown diamond now is.”
reason — причина; in a nutshell — в двух словах; invol-

untarily — невольно; hip-pocket — задний карман;  lay back —
прост. прош. от lie — зд.: откинулся; upon my word — честное
слово!, клянусь Богом!; be after — охотиться за;  find out —
выяснить; how far — насколько; removal — устранение; essen-
tial — необходимый; point of view — точка зрения; save —
кроме; missing — недостающий
The Count looked sharply at his companion. “Oh, you

want to know that, do you? How the devil should I be able to tell
you where it is?”
“You can, and you will.”
“Indeed!”
“You can’t bluff me, Count Sylvius.” Holmes’s eyes, as he
gazed at him, contracted and lightened until they were like two
menacing points of steel. “You are absolute plate-glass. I see to
the very back of your mind.”
“Then, of course, you see where the diamond is!”
Holmes clapped his hands with amusement, and then
pointed a derisive finger. “Then you do know. You have admit-
ted it!”
“I admit nothing.”
“Now, Count, if you will be reasonable we can do busi-
ness. If not, you will get hurt.”
118
Count Sylvius threw up his eyes to the ceiling. “And you

talk about bluff!” said he.
Holmes looked at him thoughtfully like a master chess-
player who meditates his crowning move. Then he threw open
the table drawer and drew out a squat notebook.
indeed — в самом деле; bluff — обмануть; блеф; con-

tract — сузиться; plate-glass — стеклянная пластина; see
to the very back of mind — видеть насквозь; clap — хлопать;
derisive — выражающий удовлетворение или насмешку; rea-
sonable — разумный; do business — зд.: договориться; threw
up — прост. прош. от throw — поднял, возвел; ceiling — по-
толок; thoughtfully — задумчиво; chess-player — шахматист;
meditate — обдумывать; crowning — решающий, триумфаль-
ный; threw open — прост. прош. от throw — резко открыл;
drawer — выдвижной ящик стола;  drew out — прост. прош.
от draw — вытащил
“Do you know what I keep in this book?”

“No, sir, I do not!”
“You!”
“Me!”
“Yes, sir, you! You are all here — every action of your vile
and dangerous life.”
“Damn you, Holmes!” cried the Count with blazing eyes.
“There are limits to my patience!”
“It’s all here, Count. The real facts as to the death of old
Mrs. Harold, who left you the Blymer estate, which you so rapidly
gambled away.”
vile — порочный; damn — черт возьми; blazing — свер-

кающий; limit — предел; patience — терпение; death — смерть;
estate — поместье; gamble away — проигрывать что-л. (в азар-
тные игры)
“You are dreaming!”

“And the complete life history of Miss Minnie Warrender.”
119
“Tut!1 You will make nothing of that!”

“Plenty more here, Count. Here is the robbery in the train
de-luxe to the Riviera on February 13, 1892. Here is the forged
check in the same year on the Credit Lyonnais.”
“No, you’re wrong there.”
“Then I am right on the others! Now, Count, you are a
card-player. When the other fellow has all the trump, it saves time
to throw down your hand.”
dream — зд.: бредить; complete — полный; plenty — до-

статочно; robbery — грабеж; forged — поддельный; be wrong —
ошибаться; the others — остальные; trump — козырь; save — бе-
речь;  throw down — сбросить; hand — карты на руках
“What has all this talk to do with the jewel of which you
spoke?”
“Gently, Count. Restrain that eager mind! Let me get to
the points in my own humdrum fashion. I have all this against
you; but, above all, I have a clear case against both you and your
fighting bully in the case of the Crown diamond.”
“Indeed!”
“I have the cabman who took you to Whitehall2 and the
cabman who brought you away. I have the commissionaire who
saw you near the case. I have Ikey Sanders, who refused to cut it
up for you. Ikey has peached, and the game is up.”
The veins stood out on the Count’s forehead. His dark,
hairy hands were clenched in a convulsion of restrained emotion.
He tried to speak, but the words would not shape themselves.
“That’s the hand I play from,” said Holmes. “I put it all upon
the table. But one card is missing. It’s the king of diamonds. I don’t
know where the stone is.”
forehead [ˈfɒrɪd]
1 tut — звукоподражание, используется для выражения неодобрения,

насмешки или раздражения.
2 Whitehall — Уайтхолл. Улица в Лондоне, ведущая от Парламентской
площади к Чаринг-Кросс и Трафальгарской площади. Название использу-
ется как синоним британского правительства.
120
be/have to do with — иметь отношение к; jewel — дра-

гоценность (ювелирн.); restrain — сдерживать; point — пункт;
humdrum — обычный, занудный; above all — прежде всего;
bully — тот, кто запугивает; refuse — отказать(ся); cut up — раз-
резать; peach — доносить, передавать информацию; forehead —
лоб; clench — сжимать; shape — оформлять(ся)
Restrain that eager mind — eager означает «с рвением,

с энтузиазмом». Смысл можно передать средствами русского
языка: придержите полет мысли/придержите эту счастливую
мысль.
the words would not shape themselves — глагол would
указывает на (не)желание совершать то или иное действие: сло-
ва никак не находились.
“You never shall know.”

“No? Now, be reasonable, Count. Consider the situation.
You are going to be locked up for twenty years. So is Sam Mer-
ton. What good are you going to get out of your diamond? None
in the world. But if you hand it over — well, I’ll compound a
felony. We don’t want you or Sam. We want the stone. Give that
up, and so far as I am concerned you can go free so long as you
behave yourself in the future. If you make another slip — well, it
will be the last. But this time my commission is to get the stone,
not you.”
“But if I refuse?”
“Why, then — alas! — it must be you and not the stone.”
Billy had appeared in answer to a ring.
“I think, Count, that it would be as well to have your friend
Sam at this conference. After all, his interests should be repre-
sented. Billy, you will see a large and ugly gentleman outside the
front door. Ask him to come up.”
 lock up — запирать; hand over — передавать; com-

pound — обходиться без судебного преследования; felony —
тяжкое преступление;  give up — отдавать, сдаваться; so
far as I am concerned — в том что касается меня; behave (one-
self) — вести себя; slip — ошибка; commission — поручение;
121
refuse — отказывать(ся); alas — увы; in answer — в ответ;

ring — звонок; as well — зд.: неплохо; conference — совещание;
represent — представлять; ugly — уродливый;  come up —
подниматься
You never shall know. — Глагол shall используется во

2-м и 3-м лице для того, чтобы выразить твердую решимость,
уверенность: вы никогда не узнаете.
“If he won’t come, sir?”

“No violence, Billy. Don’t be rough with him. If you tell
him that Count Sylvius wants him he will certainly come.”
“What are you going to do now?” asked the Count as Billy
disappeared.
“My friend Watson was with me just now. I told him that I
had a shark and a gudgeon in my net; now I am drawing the net
and up they come together.”
The Count had risen from his chair, and his hand was be-
hind his back. Holmes held something half protruding from the
pocket of his dressing-gown.
“You won’t die in your bed, Holmes.”
“I have often had the same idea. Does it matter very
much? After all, Count, your own exit is more likely to be per-
pendicular than horizontal. But these anticipations of the fu-
ture are morbid. Why not give ourselves up to the unrestrained
enjoyment of the present?”
violence — насилие; rough — грубый; draw — тащить;

risen — 3-я форма гл. rise — поднялся; back — спина; protrud-
ing — выступающий; die — умирать; matter — иметь значение;
after all — в конце концов; exit — зд.: кончина; perpendicular —
прямой, вертикальный; anticipation — предвкушение; mor-
bid — нездоровый; give oneself up — отдаться
your own exit is more likely to be perpendicular than

horizontal — Холмс намекает на смерть на виселице: ваша соб-
ственная кончина скорее произойдет в вертикальном положе-
нии, чем в горизонтальном.
122
A sudden wild-beast light sprang up in the dark, men-

acing eyes of the master criminal. Holmes’s figure seemed to
grow taller as he grew tense and ready.
“It is no use your fingering your revolver, my friend,” he
said in a quiet voice. “You know perfectly well that you dare not
use it, even if I gave you time to draw it. Nasty, noisy things, re-
volvers, Count. Better stick to air-guns. Ah! I think I hear the fairy
footstep of your estimable partner. Good day, Mr. Merton. Rather
dull in the street, is it not?”
sudden — внезапный; beast — зверь; master — мастер,

выдающийся специалист; tense — напряженный; no use — нет
смысла; finger — сжимать (гл.); dare — сметь; even — даже;
nasty — мерзкий; noisy — шумный; stick to — придерживаться
(использования) чего-л.; fairy — легкий; estimable — почтен-
ный, уважаемый; dull — уныло
seemed to grow taller — глагол grow часто указывает

на приобретение некоторого качества и переводится на рус-
ский язык словами «становиться», «превращаться». Глагол
seem выражает неуверенность и на русский язык переводится
словом «казалось»: казалось, он стал выше.
The prize-fighter, a heavily built young man with a stu-

pid, obstinate, slab-sided face, stood awkwardly at the door,
looking about him with a puzzled expression. Holmes’s debo-
nair manner was a new experience, and though he vaguely felt
that it was hostile, he did not know how to counter it. He turned
to his more astute comrade for help.
“What’s the game now, Count? What’s this fellow want?
What’s up?” His voice was deep and raucous.
The Count shrugged his shoulders, and it was Holmes
who answered.
“If I may put it in a nutshell, Mr. Merton, I should say it
was all up.”
The boxer still addressed his remarks to his associate.
“Is this cove trying to be funny, or what? I’m not in the
funny mood myself.”
123
vaguely [ˈveɪɡli] raucous [ˈrɔːkəs]
heavily built — крепко сбитый; obstinate — упрямый;

slab-sided — с выступающими скулами; awkwardly — неуклюже;
puzzled — озадаченный; debonair — раскованный, уверенный;
experience — опыт; though — хотя; vaguely — смутно; hostile —
враждебный; counter — противостоять; astute — хитрый; rau-
cous — грубый; put it in a nutshell — объяснить в двух словах;
all up — все раскрыто; associate — сообщник; cove — парень
(уст.); mood — настроение
If I may put it in a nutshell — глагол may используется,

когда нужно получить разрешение на то или иное действие:
если мне позволено будет разъяснить это.
“No, I expect not,” said Holmes. “I think I can promise you

that you will feel even less humorous as the evening advances.
Now, look here, Count Sylvius. I’m a busy man and I can’t waste
time. I’m going into that bedroom. Pray make yourselves quite
at home in my absence. You can explain to your friend how the
matter lies without the restraint of my presence. I shall try over
the Hoffman1 ‘Barcarole’ upon my violin. In five minutes I shall re-
turn for your final answer. You quite grasp the alternative, do you
not? Shall we take you, or shall we have the stone?”
Holmes withdrew, picking up his violin from the corner
as he passed. A few moments later the long-drawn, wailing notes
of that most haunting of tunes came faintly through the closed
door of the bedroom.
“What is it, then?” asked Merton anxiously as his compan-
ion turned to him. “Does he know about the stone?”
“He knows a damned sight too much about it. I’m not
sure that he doesn’t know all about it.”
“Good Lord!” The boxer’s sallow face turned a shade
whiter.
1 Hoffman — Казимир Гофман (1842–1911). Польский композитор,

пианист и педагог.
124
anxiously [ˈæŋkʃəsli]
expect — ожидать; promise — обещать; less — менее;

advance — наступать; absence — отсутствие; restraint — сте-
снение; grasp — ухватить; withdrew — прост. прош. от with-
draw — удалился; long-drawn — зд.: тягучий; wailing — ноющий;
haunt — назойливо преследовать; tune — мелодия; faintly —
слабо; damned sight — чертовски; Good Lord! — Боже!; sal-
low — изжелта-бледный; shade — тон
Now, look here — в начале предложения now означает

«итак», а look — «слушайте»; и то и другое используется для
привлечения внимания собеседника: итак, послушайте.
“Ikey Sanders has split on us.”

“He has, has he? I’ll do him down a thick ‘un for that if I
swing for it.”
“That won’t help us much. We’ve got to make up our
minds what to do.”
“Half a mo’,” said the boxer, looking suspiciously at the
bedroom door. “He’s a leary cove that wants watching. I suppose
he’s not listening?”
“How can he be listening with that music going?”
“That’s right. Maybe somebody’s behind a curtain. Too
many curtains in this room.” As he looked round he suddenly saw
for the first time the effigy in the window, and stood staring and
pointing, too amazed for words.
“Tut! it’s only a dummy,” said the Count.
“A fake, is it? Well, strike me! Madame Tussaud1 ain’t in it.
It’s the living spit of him, gown and all. But them curtains Count!”
split — 3-я форма гл. split — раскололся;  do down —

зд.: отделать; swing — качаться (зд.: на виселице); make up one’s
mind — принимать решение; half a mo(ment) — минуточку; sus-
1 Madame Tussaud — Anna Maria Tussaud (1761–1850), Анна Мария

Тюссо. Мастер по изготовлению восковых фигур и основатель музея вос-
ковых фигур Madame Tussaud’s.
125
piciously — с подозрением; leary = lively; want — зд.: нуждаться;

watching — наблюдение;  look round — оглядываться; effigy =
dummy — манекен; stare — глазеть; point — указывать (паль-
цем); amazed — потрясенный; fake — подделка; ain’t = am/are/
is/have/has not; living spit — зд.: вылитый
strike me — эмоциональные высказывания перево-

дятся русскими аналогами: «разрази меня гром!», «чтоб мне
провалиться!» и т.д.
Madame Tussaud ain’t in it — герой подразумевает, что
работам из музея мадам Тюссо далеко до этой восковой фигуры.
“Oh, confound the curtains! We are wasting our time,

and there is none too much. He can lag us over this stone.”
“The deuce he can!”
“But he’ll let us slip if we only tell him where the swag is.”
“What! Give it up? Give up a hundred thousand quid?”
“It’s one or the other.”
Merton scratched his short-cropped pate.
“He’s alone in there. Let’s do him in. If his light were out
we should have nothing to fear.”
The Count shook his head.
“He is armed and ready. If we shot him we could hardly
get away in a place like this. Besides, it’s likely enough that the
police know whatever evidence he has got. Hallo! What was that?”
lag over — зд.: помешать; slip — ускользнуть; swag —

«хлам» (уст., наименование краденого);  give up — сдавать(ся);
quid — фунт (денежн.); scratch — чесать; short-cropped — ко-
ротко подстриженный; pate — макушка;  do in — убить;
shook — прост. прош. от shake — покачал; hardly — едва ли;
 get away — убраться; besides — кроме того
confound, deuce — оба слова относятся к сравнительно
мягким ругательствам и могут переводиться любым не слишком
резким эмоциональным высказыванием: пропади пропадом/
черт возьми. В современном языке чаще употребляется damn.
If his light were out — словосочетание light were out ис-
пользуется в жаргонном значении: если его «загасить».
126
likely enough — enough часто используется после при-

лагательных и наречий, чтобы указать на высокую интенсив-
ность того или иного качества: очень похоже/весьма вероятно.
the police know — у глагола know отсутствует окончание
-s, т.к. в английском языке существительное police (полиция) по-
дразумевает группу людей, т.е. множественное число. Сущест-
вительные, означающие совокупность людей (police, government,
committee), обычно используются по правилам множественного
числа: полиция знает = полицейские знают.
There was a vague sound which seemed to come from

the window. Both men sprang round, but all was quiet. Save for
the one strange figure seated in the chair, the room was certainly
empty.
“Something in the street,” said Merton. “Now look here,
guv’nor, you’ve got the brains. Surely you can think a way out of
it. If slugging is no use then it’s up to you.”
“I’ve fooled better men than he,” the Count answered.
“The stone is here in my secret pocket. I take chances leaving it
about. It can be out of England to-night and cut into four pieces
in Amsterdam before Sunday. He knows nothing of Van Seddar.”
vague [veɪɡ]
vague — неотчетливый; both — оба; empty — пустой;

guv’nor = governor — «начальник»; slugging — зд.: насилие
(slug — сильный удар); up to you — на твое усмотрение; fool —
дурачить; take chances — рисковать
“I thought Van Seddar was going next week.”

“He was. But now he must get off by the next boat1. One
or other of us must slip round with the stone to Lime Street and
tell him.”
“But the false bottom ain’t ready.”
1 Слово boat переводится «лодка», но в английском языке оно обыч-

но используется для обозначения любого небольшого корабля — лодки,
яхты, катера и т.д.
127
“Well, he must take it as it is and chance it. There’s not

a moment to lose.” Again, with the sense of danger which be-
comes an instinct with the sportsman, he paused and looked
hard at the window. Yes, it was surely from the street that the
faint sound had come.
“As to Holmes,” he continued, “we can fool him easily
enough. You see, the damned fool won’t arrest us if he can get
the stone. Well, we’ll promise him the stone. We’ll put him on the
wrong track about it, and before he finds that it is the wrong track
it will be in Holland and we out of the country.”
 get off — уезжать, убираться; boat — корабль;  slip

round — проскользнуть; false bottom — двойное дно; chance —
рискнуть (гл.); lose — терять; hard — напряженно; faint — сла-
бый; as to — что касается; won’t = will not; promise — обещать;
track — след
“That sounds good to me!” cried Sam Merton with a

grin.
“You go on and tell the Dutchman to get a move on him.
I’ll see this sucker and fill him up with a bogus confession. I’ll tell
him that the stone is in Liverpool. Confound that whining music; it
gets on my nerves! By the time he finds it isn’t in Liverpool it will
be in quarters and we on the blue water. Come back here, out of
a line with that keyhole. Here is the stone.”
“I wonder you dare carry it.”
“Where could I have it safer? If we could take it out of
Whitehall someone else could surely take it out of my lodgings.”
“Let’s have a look at it.”
Count Sylvius cast a somewhat unflattering glance at
his associate and disregarded the unwashed hand which was ex-
tended towards him.
“What — d’ye think I’m going to snatch it off you? See
here, mister, I’m getting a bit tired of your ways.”
sound — звучать; grin — ухмылка;  go on — продол-

жать; Dutchman — голландец; get a move — поторопиться;
sucker — «лопух»;  fill up — наполнять; bogus — фальши-
128
вый; whining — ноющий; get on one’s nerves — действовать

на нервы; quarters — штаб; blue water — открытое море; out of
a line — с линии, с дороги; keyhole — замочная скважина; lodg-
ings — жилье; cast a glance — бросить взгляд; somewhat — до
некоторой степени; unflattering — нелестный; disregard — игно-
рировать; extend — протягивать(ся); snatch off — выхватывать;
ways — манеры
“Well, well, no offence, Sam. We can’t afford to quarrel.

Come over to the window if you want to see the beauty properly.
Now hold it to the light! Here!”
“Thank you!”
With a single spring Holmes had leaped from the dum-
my’s chair and had grasped the precious jewel. He held it now in
one hand, while his other pointed a revolver at the Count’s head.
The two villains staggered back in utter amazement. Before they
had recovered Holmes had pressed the electric bell.
“No violence, gentlemen — no violence, I beg of you!
Consider the furniture! It must be very clear to you that your po-
sition is an impossible one. The police are waiting below.”
The Count’s bewilderment overmastered his rage and
fear.
“But how the deuce —?” he gasped.
no offence — без обид; afford — позволить себе;

quarrel — ссориться (гл.); spring — прыжок; leap — прыгнуть,
броситься (гл.); grasp — хватать (гл.); villain — злодей; stagger
back — пятиться; utter — полнейший; recover — прийти в себя;
consider — зд.: помнить (о); furniture — мебель; clear — ясно;
bewilderment — изумление, оторопь; overmaster — превосхо-
дить; rage — ярость
“Your surprise is very natural. You are not aware that a

second door from my bedroom leads behind that curtain. I fan-
cied that you must have heard me when I displaced the figure,
but luck was on my side. It gave me a chance of listening to
your racy conversation which would have been painfully con-
strained had you been aware of my presence.”
129
The Count gave a gesture of resignation.

“We give you best, Holmes. I believe you are the devil
himself.”
“Not far from him, at any rate,” Holmes answered with a
polite smile.
Sam Merton’s slow intellect had only gradually appreci-
ated the situation. Now, as the sound of heavy steps came from
the stairs outside, he broke silence at last.
“A fair cop!” said he. “But, I say, what about that bloomin’
fiddle! I hear it yet.”
“Tut, tut!” Holmes answered. “You are perfectly right. Let
it play! These modern gramophones are a remarkable invention.”
fancy — воображать (гл.); displace — занять чье-л. место;

racy — захватывающий; constrain — сдерживать; resignation —
смирение; give best — отдать должное; at any rate — в любом
случае; polite — вежливый; gradually — постепенно; appreciate —
оценивать; heavy — тяжелый; steps — шаги; broke silence —
прост. прош. от break — нарушил молчание; fair cop — прокол,
провал; blooming — треклятый; invention — изобретение
would have been painfully constrained had you been

aware of my presence — условие (had been aware of my presence),
выраженное временем Past Perfect, не было реализовано, поэ-
тому действие, выраженное с помощью Future in the Past (would
have been constrained), также не произошло. Обычно условие
вводится частицей if, но здесь ее заменяет инверсия: (разго-
вор) был бы очень сдержанным, если бы вы знали о моем при-
сутствии.
There was an inrush of police, the handcuffs clicked

and the criminals were led to the waiting cab. Watson lingered
with Holmes, congratulating him upon this fresh leaf added to
his laurels. Once more their conversation was interrupted by the
imperturbable Billy with his card-tray.
“Lord Cantlemere sir.”
“Show him up, Billy. This is the eminent peer who repre-
sents the very highest interests,” said Holmes. “He is an excellent
130
and loyal person, but rather of the old regime. Shall we make him
unbend? Dare we venture upon a slight liberty? He knows, we
may conjecture, nothing of what has occurred.”
The door opened to admit a thin, austere figure with a
hatchet face and drooping mid-Victorian1 whiskers of a glossy
blackness which hardly corresponded with the rounded shoul-
ders and feeble gait. Holmes advanced affably, and shook an
unresponsive hand.
laurels [ˈlɒrəlz]
imperturbable [ˌɪmpəˈtɜːbəbl] peer [pɪə]
inrush — вторжение; handcuffs — наручники; click —

щелкать; linger — задержаться; congratulate — поздравлять;
leaf — лист; laurels — лавры; interrupt — прерывать; imper-
turbable — невозмутимый; eminent — уважаемый; peer — пэр;
represent — представлять; of the old regime — старомодный;
unbend — расслабленный; venture — отважиться; slight — лег-
кий; liberty — вольность; conjecture — предположить; aus-
tere — суровый; hatchet face — длинное лицо с острым носом
и подбородком; drooping — свисающий; whiskers — бакенбар-
ды; glossy — блестящий; correspond — соотноситься; round(ed)
shoulders — сутулость; feeble — слабый; gait — походка; affa-
bly — приветливо; unresponsive — зд.: вялый
mid-Victorian — приставка mid- означает «в середи-

не», часто употребляется с различными временными перио-
дами: mid-summer — середина лета; mid-thirties — середина
тридцатых; mid-Victorian — середина правления королевы
Виктории.
“How do you do, Lord Cantlemere? It is chilly for the

time of year, but rather warm indoors. May I take your overcoat?”
“No, I thank you; I will not take it off.”
Holmes laid his hand insistently upon the sleeve.
1 Victorian — имеется в виду эпоха правления королевы Виктории

(1837–1901). В этот период, в частности, существовала мода на пышные
бакенбарды.
131
“Pray allow me! My friend Dr. Watson would assure you

that these changes of temperature are most insidious.”
His Lordship shook himself free with some impatience.
“I am quite comfortable, sir. I have no need to stay. I have
simply looked in to know how your self-appointed task was pro-
gressing.”
“It is difficult — very difficult.”
“I feared that you would find it so.”
There was a distinct sneer in the old courtier’s words and
manner.
“Every man finds his limitations, Mr. Holmes, but at least
it cures us of the weakness of self-satisfaction.”
“Yes, sir, I have been much perplexed.”
courtier [ˈkɔːtiə] perplexed [pəˈplekst]
chilly — морозно; overcoat — пальто;  take off — сни-

мать; insistently — настойчиво; sleeve — рукав; allow — позво-
лить; assure — уверять; insidious — коварный; impatience — не-
терпение;  look in — заглядывать; progress — продвигаться
(гл.); distinct — отчетливый; sneer — насмешка; courtier — при-
дворный; limitations — границы, предел; at least — по крайней
мере; cure — излечивать; self-satisfaction — самодовольство;
perplex — оказаться в тупике
self-appointed task — self- в начале слова обычно пере-

водится как «само-» (напр., self-defense — самооборона); зд.: за-
дача, которую вы сами себе поставили.
“No doubt.”
“Especially upon one point. Possibly you could help me
upon it.”
“You apply for my advice rather late in the day. I thought
that you had your own all-sufficient methods. Still, I am ready to
help you.”
“You see, Lord Cantlemere, we can no doubt frame a case
against the actual thieves.”
132
“When you have caught them.”

“Exactly. But the question is — how shall we proceed
against the receiver?”
“Is this not rather premature?”
“It is as well to have our plans ready. Now, what would you
regard as final evidence against the receiver?”
“The actual possession of the stone.”
“You would arrest him upon that?”
“Most undoubtedly.”
doubt — сомнение; point — пункт; apply for — обра-

щаться за; advice — совет; late in the day — слишком позд-
но (чтобы действовать); all-sufficient — на все случаи жизни;
frame — сфабриковать; proceed against — возбудить дело; pre-
mature — преждевременно; regard as — рассматривать (как);
evidence — улика; receiver — зд.: вор; possession — владение
When you have caught them — перфектная конструк-

ция (have caught) всегда указывает на результат, который в дан-
ном случае, возможно, будет достигнут в будущем: когда вы их
поймаете.
arrest him upon that — предлог upon указывает на осно-
вание для ареста: арестуем на этом основании.
Holmes seldom laughed, but he got as near it as his old

friend Watson could remember.
“In that case, my dear sir, I shall be under the painful ne-
cessity of advising your arrest.”
Lord Cantlemere was very angry. Some of the ancient fires
flickered up into his sallow cheeks.
“You take a great liberty, Mr. Holmes. In fifty years of of-
ficial life I cannot recall such a case. I am a busy man, sir, engaged
upon important affairs, and I have no time or taste for foolish
jokes. I may tell you frankly, sir, that I have never been a believer
in your powers, and that I have always been of the opinion that
the matter was far safer in the hands of the regular police force.
Your conduct confirms all my conclusions. I have the honour, sir,
to wish you good-evening.”
133
conduct [ˈkɒndʌkt] (сущ.)
seldom — редко; necessity — необходимость; flicker

(up) — вспыхивать; sallow — желтоватый; recall — припом-
нить; engaged — занятый; affair — дело; taste — вкус; frankly —
откровенно; conduct — поведение (сущ.); confirm — подтвер-
ждать; conclusion — вывод
In fifty years — предлог in указывает на ограничение

по времени: in an hour — в течение часа; in fifty years — за пять-
десят лет.
Holmes had swiftly changed his position and was be-

tween the peer and the door.
“One moment, sir,” said he. “To actually go off with the
Mazarin stone would be a more serious offence than to be found
in temporary possession of it.”
“Sir, this is intolerable! Let me pass.”
“Put your hand in the right-hand pocket of your overcoat.”
“What do you mean, sir?”
“Come — come, do what I ask.”
An instant later the amazed peer was standing, blink-
ing and stammering, with the great yellow stone on his shaking
palm.
“What! What! How is this, Mr. Holmes?”
swiftly — быстро; change — менять; offence — преступ-

ление; temporary — временный; intolerable — невыносимый;
pass — пройти; mean — иметь в виду; instant — миг; blink —
моргать; stammer — запинаться; palm — ладонь
“Too bad, Lord Cantlemere, too bad!” cried Holmes. “My

old friend here will tell you that I have an impish habit of practi-
cal joking. Also that I can never resist a dramatic situation. I took
the liberty — the very great liberty, I admit — of putting the
stone into your pocket at the beginning of our interview.”
134
The old peer stared from the stone to the smiling face
before him.
“Sir, I am bewildered. But — yes — it is indeed the Mazarin
stone. We are greatly your debtors, Mr. Holmes. Your sense of hu-
mour may, as you admit, be somewhat perverted, and its exhibi-
tion remarkably untimely, but at least I withdraw any reflection I
have made upon your amazing professional powers. But how —”
impish — зд.: раздражающий; habit — привычка; prac-

tical joke — розыгрыш; resist — противостоять; admit — при-
знавать; stare — уставиться; debtor — должник; somewhat — до
некоторой степени; perverted — извращенный; exhibition —
проявление; untimely — несвоевременно; withdraw — брать
назад
Too bad — используется в случаях, когда нужно выра-

зить сожаление или сочувствие; переводится словами «плохо»,
«неудачно» и т.д.
“The case is but half finished; the details can wait. No

doubt, Lord Cantlemere, your pleasure in telling of this success-
ful result in the exalted circle to which you return will be some
small atonement for my practical joke. Billy, you will show his
Lordship out, and tell Mrs. Hudson that I should be glad if she
would send up dinner for two as soon as possible.”
wait — ждать; successful — успешный; exalted — важ-

ный; atonement — извинение
The Adventure of the Three
Gables1
I don’t think that any of my adventures with Mr. Sherlock

Holmes opened quite so abruptly, or so dramatically, as that
which I associate with The Three Gables. I had not seen Holmes
for some days and had no idea of the new channel into which
his activities had been directed. He was in a chatty mood that
morning, however, and had just settled me into the well-worn
low armchair on one side of the fire, while he had curled down
with his pipe in his mouth upon the opposite chair, when our
visitor arrived. If I had said that a mad bull had arrived it would
give a clearer impression of what occurred.
abruptly — резко; dramatically — эффектно; channel —

канал; direct — направлять; chatty — болтливый; mood — на-
строение; worn — потертый; curl — свернуться; pipe — трубка;
opposite — противоположный; occur — произойти
The door had flown open and a huge negro had burst
into the room. He would have been a comic figure if he had not
been terrific, for he was dressed in a very loud gray check suit with
a flowing salmon-coloured tie. His broad face and flattened nose
were thrust forward, as his sullen dark eyes, with a smouldering
gleam of malice in them, turned from one of us to the other.
“Which of you gen’l’men is Masser Holmes?” he asked.
Holmes raised his pipe with a languid smile.
salmon [ˈsæmən] malice [ˈmælɪs]
 flown open — 3-я форма от fly — распахнулась;

burst — 3-я форма от burst — ворвался; loud — зд.: кричащий;
1 gable — выступающее окно в крыше с отдельным скатом. Известно

как «чердачное окно» или «скворечник».
136
The Adventure of the Three Gables
check — клетчатый; flowing — развевающийся; salmon — ло-

сось; tie — галстук; flattened — сплющенный; thrust — зд.: вы-
ступали; sullen — мрачный; smoulder — тлеть; gleam — блеск;
malice — злоба; languid — ленивый
He would have been a comic figure if he had not been

terrific — условное предложение с нереальным условием: усло-
вие, выраженное Past Perfect (had not been terrific), не было вы-
полнено, и ситуация, предложенная в первой части предло-
жения (would have been), осталась гипотетической: он был бы
комической фигурой, не внушай он ужас.
“Oh! it’s you, is it?” said our visitor, coming with an un-
pleasant, stealthy step round the angle of the table. “See here,
Masser Holmes, you keep your hands out of other folks’ busi-
ness. Leave folks to manage their own affairs. Got that, Masser
Holmes?”
“Keep on talking,” said Holmes. “It’s fine.”
“Oh! it’s fine, is it?” growled the savage. “It won’t be so
damn fine if I have to trim you up a bit. I’ve handled your kind
before now, and they didn’t look fine when I was through with
them. Look at that, Masser Holmes!”
stealthy — крадущийся; step — шаг; angle — угол1; Mass-

er = Mister;  keep out of — держаться подальше (от); folk(s) —
люди (просторечн.); manage — управлять(ся); affair — дело;
growl — рычать; savage — дикарь; trim up — зд.: разукрасить;
handle — иметь дело; your kind — такие, как вы; be through
with — заканчивать
Got that — многозначный глагол get часто использует-

ся в английском языке в самых разных значениях; зд. он озна-
чает «понять»: это ясно?
Keep on talking — устойчивое выражение keep on do-
ing означает «продолжать делать что-л.»: продолжайте гово-
рить.
1 angle — геометрический угол или, как здесь, угол стола. Угол комна-
ты или улицы — это corner.
137
It won’t be so damn fine if I have to trim you up a bit — это

условное предложение с реальным условием; после if в значении
будущего времени всегда употребляется настоящее; модальный
глагол have to указывает на вынужденный характер действия:
(вам) не будет так чертовски прекрасно, если мне придется вас
слегка разукрасить.
He swung a huge knotted lump of a fist under my

friend’s nose. Holmes examined it closely with an air of great
interest.
“Were you born so?” he asked. “Or did it come by de-
grees?”
It may have been the icy coolness of my friend, or it may
have been the slight clatter which I made as I picked up the pok-
er. In any case, our visitor’s manner became less flamboyant.
“Well, I’ve given you fair warnin’,” said he. “I’ve a friend
that’s interested out Harrow way — you know what I’m mean-
ing — and he don’t intend to have no buttin’ in by you. Got that?
You ain’t the law, and I ain’t the law either, and if you come in I’ll
be on hand also. Don’t you forget it.”1
flamboyant [flæmˈbɔɪənt]
swung — прост. прош. от swing — покачал; knotted —

узловатый; lump — ком; fist — кулак; examine — изучать; air —
оттенок; by degrees — постепенно; clatter — лязг; poker — ко-
черга; in any case — в любом случае; flamboyant — эффектный;
fair — честный; warning — предупреждение; intend — наме-
реваться;  butt in — встревать; law — закон; on hand — зд.:
в деле; forget — забывать
I ain’t the law either — в конце отрицательного пред-

ложения either используется в значении «также не»: я тоже не
(представляю) закон.
1 Автор сознательно допускает ошибки в речи этого персонажа (ис-

пользует глагол mean во времени Continuous, двойные отрицания и т.д.),
подчеркивая его необразованность.
138
“I’ve wanted to meet you for some time,” said Holmes.

“I won’t ask you to sit down, for I don’t like the smell of you, but
aren’t you Steve Dixie, the bruiser?”
“That’s my name, Masser Holmes, and you’ll get put
through it for sure if you give me any lip.”
“It is certainly the last thing you need,” said Holmes, star-
ing at our visitor’s hideous mouth. “But it was the killing of young
Perkins outside the Holborn Bar — What! you’re not going?”
The negro had sprung back, and his face was leaden.
“I won’t listen to no such talk,” said he. “What have I to do with
this ‘ere Perkins, Masser Holmes? I was trainin’ at the Bull Ring in
Birmingham when this boy done gone get into trouble.”
smell — запах; bruiser — боксер-профессионал; give

smb a lip — не проявлять должного уважения; hideous — урод-
ливый; leaden — свинцовый
get put through — зд. глагол get употребляется вместо

глагола be для образования страдательного залога.
“Yes, you’ll tell the magistrate about it, Steve,” said Hol-
mes. “I’ve been watching you and Barney Stockdale —”
“So help me the Lord! Masser Holmes —”
“That’s enough. Get out of it. I’ll pick you up when I want
you.”
“Good-mornin’, Masser Holmes. I hope there ain’t no
hard feelin’s about this ‘ere visit?”
“There will be unless you tell me who sent you.”
“Why, there ain’t no secret about that, Masser Holmes. It
was that same gen’l’man that you have just done gone mention.”
magistrate — мировой судья;  get out (of) — выби-

раться (из);  pick up — зд.: находить; unless — если не; men-
tion — упоминать
Good-mornin’ — в английском слова good morning/

night/evening/afternoon используются не только для приветст-
вия, но и как фраза при прощании.
139
“And who set him on to it?”

“S’elp me. I don’t know, Masser Holmes. He just say, ‘Ste-
ve, you go see Mr. Holmes, and tell him his life ain’t safe if he go
down Harrow way.’ That’s the whole truth.” Without waiting for any
further questioning, our visitor bolted out of the room almost as
precipitately as he had entered. Holmes knocked out the ashes
of his pipe with a quiet chuckle.
“I am glad you were not forced to break his woolly head,
Watson. I observed your manoeuvres with the poker. But he is re-
ally rather a harmless fellow, a great muscular, foolish, blustering
baby, and easily cowed, as you have seen. He is one of the Spencer
John gang and has taken part in some dirty work of late which I
may clear up when I have time. His immediate principal, Barney,
is a more astute person. They specialize in assaults, intimidation,
and the like. What I want to know is, who is at the back of them
on this particular occasion?”
precipitately [prɪˈsɪpɪtətli]
 set on — натравить; s’elp = Jesus help; further — даль-

нейший; bolt out (of) — выбегать (из); precipitately — внезап-
но;  knock out — выбивать; ashes — пепел; chuckle — смешок;
bluster — говорить громко и агрессивно, чтобы не показать
страх; cow — запугивать (гл.); gang — шайка; take part — при-
нимать участие;  clear up — расследовать; immediate — не-
посредственный; principal — начальник; astute — хитрый; as-
sault — нападение; intimidation — запугивание; the like — тому
подобное; particular — конкретный
“But why do they want to intimidate you?”

“It is this Harrow Weald case. It decides me to look into
the matter, for if it is worth anyone’s while to take so much trou-
ble, there must be something in it.”
“But what is it?”
“I was going to tell you when we had this comic interlude.
Here is Mrs. Maberley’s note. If you care to come with me we will
wire her and go out at once.”
140
intimidate — запугать; case — дело, случай (юр., мед.);

decide — зд.: убедить; be worth — быть достойным; while —
время; interlude — интерлюдия; note — записка; wire — телег-
рафировать (гл.)
If you care to come with me — if you care to do smth —

устаревшая и очень вежливая форма побуждения к действию:
Если вы соизволите отправиться со мной.
DEAR MR. SHERLOCK HOLMES [I read]:

I have had a succession of strange incidents occur to me
in connection with this house, and I should much value your ad-
vice. You would find me at home any time to-morrow. The house
is within a short walk of the Weald Station. I believe that my late
husband, Mortimer Maberley, was one of your early clients.
Yours faithfully,
MARY MABERLEY.
The address was “The Three Gables, Harrow Weald.”
“So that’s that!” said Holmes. “And now, if you can spare
the time, Watson, we will get upon our way.”
succession — последовательность; occur — происхо-

дить; connection — связь; value — ценить; walk — прогулка;
late — покойный; spare time — располагать временем
A short railway journey, and a shorter drive, brought us

to the house, a brick and timber villa, standing in its own acre of
undeveloped grassland. Three small projections above the up-
per windows made a feeble attempt to justify its name. Behind
was a grove of melancholy, half-grown pines, and the whole as-
pect of the place was poor and depressing. None the less, we
found the house to be well furnished, and the lady who received
us was a most engaging elderly person, who bore every mark of
refinement and culture.
“I remember your husband well, madam,” said Holmes,
“though it is some years since he used my services in some tri-
fling matter.”
141
“Probably you would be more familiar with the name of

my son Douglas.”
Holmes looked at her with great interest.
melancholy [ˈmelənkəli] aspect [ˈæspekt]
drive — поездка; brick — кирпич; timber — брус; undevel-

oped — необработанный; projection — выступ; feeble — слабый;
justify — оправдать; grove — роща; melancholy — печальный;
aspect — вид; none the less — тем не менее; furnished — об-
ставленный; engaging — приятный в общении; bore — прост.
прош. от bear — несла (на себе); refinement — утонченность;
trifling — пустяковый
“Dear me! Are you the mother of Douglas Maberley?

I knew him slightly. But of course all London knew him. What a
magnificent creature he was! Where is he now?”
“Dead, Mr. Holmes, dead! He was attaché at Rome, and he
died there of pneumonia last month.”
“I am sorry. One could not connect death with such a man.
I have never known anyone so vitally alive. He lived intensely —
every fibre of him!”
“Too intensely, Mr. Holmes. That was the ruin of him. You
remember him as he was — debonair and splendid. You did not
see the moody, morose, brooding creature into which he devel-
oped. His heart was broken. In a single month I seemed to see my
gallant boy turn into a worn-out cynical man.”
“A love affair — a woman?”
“Or a fiend. Well, it was not to talk of my poor lad that I
asked you to come, Mr. Holmes.”
“Dr. Watson and I are at your service.”
pneumonia [njuːˈməʊniə]
Dear me! — Боже мой!; slightly — слегка; pneumonia —

пневмония; vitally — полный жизненных сил; ruin — погибель;
debonair — привлекательный, ухоженный; moody — угрюмый;
142
morose — мрачный; brooding — подавленный; broken — 3-я

форма гл. break — разбитый; gallant — отважный, галантный;
worn-out — измотанный; love affair — любовная связь; fiend —
дьявол; be at one’s service — быть к чьим-л. услугам
it was not to talk of my poor lad that I asked you to

come — усилительная конструкция it is… that позволяет
выделить слова, на которые ставится смысловое ударение;
обычно переводится словом «именно» или другим усилени-
ем: я пригласила вас не для того, чтобы говорить о моем бед-
ном мальчике.
“There have been some very strange happenings.

I have been in this house more than a year now, and as I wished
to lead a retired life I have seen little of my neighbours. Three
days ago I had a call from a man who said that he was a house
agent. He said that this house would exactly suit a client of his,
and that if I would part with it money would be no object. It
seemed to me very strange as there are several empty houses
on the market which appear to be equally eligible, but natu-
rally I was interested in what he said. I therefore named a price
which was five hundred pounds more than I gave. He at once
closed with the offer, but added that his client desired to buy the
furniture as well and would I put a price upon it. Some of this
furniture is from my old home, and it is, as you see, very good, so
that I named a good round sum. To this also he at once agreed.
I had always wanted to travel, and the bargain was so good a
one that it really seemed that I should be my own mistress for
the rest of my life.
happening — событие; retired — уединенный; neigh-

bour — сосед; call — визит; suit — подходить (гл.); part — рас-
ставаться (гл.); object — зд.: препятствие; as — так как; eligible —
зд.: доступный; therefore — следовательно; at once — сразу;
put a price — назначать цену; bargain — сделка; mistress — хо-
зяйка1; the rest of — остаток
1 Слово mistress также имеет значение «любовница», поэтому при пе-

реводе необходимо обращать внимание на контекст.
143
“Yesterday the man arrived with the agreement all

drawn out. Luckily I showed it to Mr. Sutro, my lawyer, who lives
in Harrow. He said to me, ‘This is a very strange document. Are
you aware that if you sign it you could not legally take anything
out of the house — not even your own private possessions?’
When the man came again in the evening I pointed this out,
and I said that I meant only to sell the furniture.
“’No, no, everything,’ said he.
“‘But my clothes? My jewels?’
“‘Well, well, some concession might be made for your
personal effects. But nothing shall go out of the house un-
checked. My client is a very liberal man, but he has his fads
and his own way of doing things. It is everything or nothing with
him.’
agreement — соглашение; aware — сознавать; pos-

sessions — имущество; point out — указывать; meant —
прост. прош. от mean — предполагать; jewel — украшение;
concession — уступка; unchecked — непроверенный; fad —
прихоть
“‘Then it must be nothing,’ said I. And there the matter

was left, but the whole thing seemed to me to be so unusual that
I thought —”
Here we had a very extraordinary interruption.
Holmes raised his hand for silence. Then he strode
across the room, flung open the door, and dragged in a great
gaunt woman whom he had seized by the shoulder. She entered
with ungainly struggle like some huge awkward chicken, torn,
squawking, out of its coop.
“Leave me alone! What are you a-doin’ of?” she screeched.
“Why, Susan, what is this?”
“Well, ma’am, I was comin’ in to ask if the visitors was stay-
in’ for lunch when this man jumped out at me.”
“I have been listening to her for the last five minutes, but
did not wish to interrupt your most interesting narrative. Just a
little wheezy, Susan, are you not? You breathe too heavily for that
kind of work.”
144
breathe [briːð]
interruption — прерывание; strode — прост. прош. от

stride — (про)шагал; flung open — прост. прош. от fling — рас-
пахнул; drag — тащить; gaunt — тощий; seize — хватать; strug-
gle — борьба; awkward — неуклюжий; squawk — кудахтать;
coop — вольер; leave smb alone — оставить в покое; narra-
tive — рассказ; wheezy — тяжело дышащий; breathe — дышать
Susan turned a sulky but amazed face upon her cap-

tor. “Who be you, anyhow, and what right have you a-pullin’ me
about like this?”
“It was merely that I wished to ask a question in your pres-
ence. Did you, Mrs. Maberley, mention to anyone that you were
going to write to me and consult me?”
“No, Mr. Holmes, I did not.”
“Who posted your letter?”
“Susan did.”
“Exactly. Now, Susan, to whom was it that you wrote
or sent a message to say that your mistress was asking advice
from me?”
“It’s a lie. I sent no message.”
“Now, Susan, wheezy people may not live long, you know.
It’s a wicked thing to tell fibs. Whom did you tell?”
sulky — угрюмый; amazed — потрясенный; captor — за-

хватчик; presence — присутствие; mention — упоминать; post —
отсылать почтой (гл.); advice — совет; fibs — ложь
“Susan!” cried her mistress, “I believe you are a bad,

treacherous woman. I remember now that I saw you speaking to
someone over the hedge.”
“That was my own business,” said the woman sullenly.
“Suppose I tell you that it was Barney Stockdale to whom
you spoke?” said Holmes.
“Well, if you know, what do you want to ask for?”
145
“I was not sure, but I know now. Well now, Susan, it will
be worth ten pounds to you if you will tell me who is at the back
of Barney.”
“Someone that could lay down a thousand pounds for
every ten you have in the world.”
“So, a rich man? No; you smiled — a rich woman. Now
we have got so far, you may as well give the name and earn the
tenner.”
“I’ll see you in hell first.”
“Oh, Susan! Language!”
treacherous — предательский; hedge — изгородь; sul-

lenly — угрюмо; be worth — стоить (чего-л.); at the back of —
за кем-л.;  lay down — выкладывать; earn — зарабатывать;
tenner — десятка (купюра)
“I am clearing out of here. I’ve had enough of you all. I’ll
send for my box to-morrow.” She flounced for the door.
“Good-bye, Susan. Paregoric1 is the stuff.... Now,” he con-
tinued, turning suddenly from lively to severe when the door had
closed behind the flushed and angry woman, “this gang means
business. Look how close they play the game. Your letter to me
had the 10 P.M. postmark. And yet Susan passes the word to Bar-
ney. Barney has time to go to his employer and get instructions;
he or she — I incline to the latter from Susan’s grin when she
thought I had blundered — forms a plan. Black Steve is called in,
and I am warned off by eleven o’clock next morning. That’s quick
work, you know.”
“But what do they want?”
“Yes, that’s the question. Who had the house before you?”
clear out — уезжать; flounce — быстро шагать; lively —

оживленный; severe — строгий; flush — раскраснеться; gang —
банда; employer — работодатель; the latter — последний (упомя-
нутый); grin — усмешка; blunder — совершать промах
1 paregoric [ˌpærɪˈgɒrɪk] — средство на основе опиума и камфоры,

использовалось против диареи и от кашля.
146
“A retired sea captain called Ferguson.”

“Anything remarkable about him?”
“Not that ever I heard of.”
“I was wondering whether he could have buried some-
thing. Of course, when people bury treasure nowadays they do it
in the Post-Office bank. But there are always some lunatics about.
It would be a dull world without them. At first I thought of some
buried valuable. But why, in that case, should they want your fur-
niture? You don’t happen to have a Raphael or a first folio Shake-
speare without knowing it?”
“No, I don’t think I have anything rarer than a Crown Der-
by1 tea-set.”
retired — в отставке; remarkable — примечательный;

bury — закапывать; lunatic — безумец; first folio — первое из-
дание; tea-set — чайный сервиз
a Raphael — неопределенный артикль перед именем

художника указывает на произведение этого автора: картина
Рафаэля.
“That would hardly justify all this mystery. Besides, why

should they not openly state what they want? If they covet your
tea-set, they can surely offer a price for it without buying you out,
lock, stock, and barrel. No, as I read it, there is something which
you do not know that you have, and which you would not give
up if you did know.”
“That is how I read it,” said I.
“Dr. Watson agrees, so that settles it.”
“Well, Mr. Holmes, what can it be?”
“Let us see whether by this purely mental analysis we can
get it to a finer point. You have been in this house a year.”
“Nearly two.”
justify — зд.: оправдать; state — заявлять (гл.); covet —

сильно желать; lock, stock, and barrel — целиком и полностью;
1 Crown Derby — Royal Crown Derby Company, старейшая английская

фарфоровая компания (с 1750), производитель костяного фарфора.
147
 give up — отдавать; that settles it — это решает дело; get it
to a finer point — прояснить
“All the better. During this long period no one wants

anything from you. Now suddenly within three or four days you
have urgent demands. What would you gather from that?”
“It can only mean,” said I, “that the object, whatever it may
be, has only just come into the house.”
“Settled once again,” said Holmes. “Now, Mrs. Maberley,
has any object just arrived?”
“No, I have bought nothing new this year.”
“Indeed! That is very remarkable. Well, I think we had best
let matters develop a little further until we have clearer data. Is
that lawyer of yours a capable man?”
“Mr. Sutro is most capable.”
all the better — тем лучше; urgent — срочный; de-

mand — требование; gather — делать вывод (уст.); indeed —
в самом деле; let — позволять; matter — дело; data — данные;
capable — зд.: надежный
“Have you another maid, or was the fair Susan, who has
just banged your front door, alone?”
“I have a young girl.”
“Try and get Sutro to spend a night or two in the house.
You might possibly want protection.”
“Against whom?”
“Who knows? The matter is certainly obscure. If I can’t
find what they are after, I must approach the matter from the
other end and try to get at the principal. Did this house-agent
man give any address?”
“Simply his card and occupation. Haines-Johnson, Auc-
tioneer and Valuer.”
“I don’t think we shall find him in the directory. Honest
business men don’t conceal their place of business. Well, you will
let me know any fresh development. I have taken up your case,
and you may rely upon it that I shall see it through.”
148
maid — горничная; bang — грохнуть, стукнуть; want —

нуждаться; obscure — темный; be after — искать, охотиться;
approach — приближаться;  get at — добраться до; occupa-
tion — занятие; directory — адресная книга; conceal — скры-
вать; rely (up)on — полагаться на
As we passed through the hall Holmes’s eyes, which

missed nothing, lighted upon several trunks and cases which
were piled in a corner. The labels shone out upon them.
“’Milano.’ ‘Lucerne.’ These are from Italy.”
“They are poor Douglas’s things.”
“You have not unpacked them? How long have you had
them?”
“They arrived last week.”
“But you said — why, surely this might be the missing
link. How do we know that there is not something of value there?”
“There could not possibly be, Mr. Holmes. Poor Douglas
had only his pay and a small annuity. What could he have of
value?”
Holmes was lost in thought.
miss — пропускать; light — зажигать(ся); trunk — че-

модан; case — чемоданчик; pile — сваливать в кучу; label —
ярлык; shone — прост. прош. от shine — сияли; link — звено;
pay — жалованье; annuity — годовой доход; lost in thought —
в задумчивости
“Delay no longer, Mrs. Maberley,” he said at last. “Have

these things taken upstairs to your bedroom. Examine them
as soon as possible and see what they contain. I will come tomor-
row and hear your report.”
It was quite evident that The Three Gables was under very
close surveillance, for as we came round the high hedge at the
end of the lane there was the negro prize-fighter standing in the
shadow. We came on him quite suddenly, and a grim and menac-
ing figure he looked in that lonely place. Holmes clapped his hand
to his pocket.
149
“Lookin’ for your gun, Masser Holmes?”

“No, for my scent-bottle, Steve.”
“You are funny, Masser Holmes, ain’t you?”
“It won’t be funny for you, Steve, if I get after you. I gave
you fair warning this morning.”
delay — откладывать (гл.); evident — очевидный; sur-

veillance — слежка; hedge — изгородь; grim — мрачный; menac-
ing — зловещий; clap — хлопать; scent — духи;  get after = be
after — охотиться за; warning — предупреждение
Have these things taken upstairs to your bedroom. —

Глагол have указывает на то, что действие будет выполнено по
чьему-л. распоряжению другими лицами: распорядитесь под-
нять эти вещи в вашу спальню.
“Well, Masser Holmes, I done gone think over what you

said, and I don’t want no more talk about that affair of Masser
Perkins. S’pose I can help you, Masser Holmes, I will.”
“Well, then, tell me who is behind you on this job.”
“So help me the Lord! Masser Holmes, I told you the
truth before. I don’t know. My boss Barney gives me orders and
that’s all.”
“Well, just bear in mind, Steve, that the lady in that
house, and everything under that roof, is under my protection.
Don’t forget it.”
“All right, Masser Holmes. I’ll remember.”
“I’ve got him thoroughly frightened for his own skin,
Watson,” Holmes remarked as we walked on. “I think he would
double-cross his employer if he knew who he was. It was lucky I
had some knowledge of the Spencer John crowd, and that Steve
was one of them. Now, Watson, this is a case for Langdale Pike,
and I am going to see him now. When I get back I may be clearer
in the matter.”
Lord = God; bear in mind — иметь в виду; roof — кры-

ша; thoroughly — основательно; skin — кожа, шкура; double-
cross — обмануть (гл.)
150
I saw no more of Holmes during the day, but I could well

imagine how he spent it, for Langdale Pike was his human book
of reference upon all matters of social scandal. This strange, lan-
guid creature spent his waking hours in the bow window of a
St. James’s Street club and was the receiving station as well as
the transmitter for all the gossip of the metropolis. He made,
it was said, a four-figure income by the paragraphs which he
contributed every week to the garbage papers which cater to
an inquisitive public. If ever, far down in the turbid depths of Lon-
don life, there was some strange swirl or eddy, it was marked
with automatic exactness by this human dial upon the surface.
Holmes discreetly helped Langdale to knowledge, and on occa-
sion was helped in turn.
imagine — вообразить; book of reference — справоч-

ник; languid — томный; waking hours — часы бодрствования;
bow window — эркер; receiving station — приемник; transmit-
ter — передатчик; gossip — сплетни; four-figure — четырех-
значный; income — доход; garbage paper — бульварная газета;
cater — поставлять; turbid — мутный (о жидкости); swirl —
водоворот; eddy — протока; mark — отмечать; exactness —
точность; dial — зд.: счетчик, регистратор; in turn — в свою
очередь
When I met my friend in his room early next morning,

I was conscious from his bearing that all was well, but none
the less a most unpleasant surprise was awaiting us. It took the
shape of the following telegram.
Please come out at once. Client’s house burgled in the
night. Police in possession. SUTRO.
Holmes whistled. “The drama has come to a crisis, and
quicker than I had expected. There is a great driving-power at the
back of this business, Watson, which does not surprise me after
what I have heard. This Sutro, of course, is her lawyer. I made a
mistake, I fear, in not asking you to spend the night on guard. This
fellow has clearly proved a broken reed. Well, there is nothing for
it but another journey to Harrow Weald.”
151
crisis [ˈkraɪsɪs]
bearing — манера; none the less — тем не менее;

shape — форма; burgle — вломиться и обокрасть; whistle — сви-
стеть; crisis — кульминация; broken reed — неэффективный
We found The Three Gables a very different establish-

ment to the orderly household of the previous day. A small group
of idlers had assembled at the garden gate, while a couple of
constables were examining the windows and the geranium beds.
Within we met a gray old gentleman, who introduced himself
as the lawyer together with a bustling, rubicund inspector, who
greeted Hoimes as an old friend.
“Well, Mr. Holmes, no chance for you in this case, I’m afraid.
Just a common, ordinary burglary, and well within the capacity
of the poor old police. No experts need apply.”
“I am sure the case is in very good hands,” said Holmes.
“Merely a common burglary, you say?”
“Quite so. We know pretty well who the men are and
where to find them. It is that gang of Barney Stockdale, with the
big nigger in it — they’ve been seen about here.”
rubicund [ˈruːbɪkənd]
establishment — заведение; idler — зевака; assemble —

собираться; couple — пара; bed — клумба; introduce oneself —
представиться; bustling — шумный; rubicund — краснолицый;
burglary — кража со взломом; capacity — силы, способность
No experts need apply. — Зд. experts — существитель-

ное в притяжательном падеже, need — существительное, а ap-
ply — глагол: Помощь экспертов не требуется.
“Excellent! What did they get?”

“Well, they don’t seem to have got much. Mrs. Maberley
was chloroformed and the house was — Ah! here is the lady herself.”
152
Our friend of yesterday, looking very pale and ill, had en-
tered the room, leaning upon a little maidservant.
“You gave me good advice, Mr. Holmes,” said she, smiling
ruefully. “Alas, I did not take it! I did not wish to trouble Mr. Sutro,
and so I was unprotected.”
“I only heard of it this morning,” the lawyer explained.
“Mr. Holmes advised me to have some friend in the house.
I neglected his advice, and I have paid for it.”
“You look wretchedly ill,” said Holmes. “Perhaps you are
hardly equal to telling me what occurred.”
“It is all here,” said the inspector, tapping a bulky note-
book.
“Still, if the lady is not too exhausted —”
maidservant — служанка; rueful — извиняющийся;

alas — увы; trouble — беспокоить (гл.); neglect — пренебречь;
equal to — быть в состоянии; tap — постукивать (пальцем);
bulky — большой; exhaust — изнурять
“There is really so little to tell. I have no doubt that wick-

ed Susan had planned an entrance for them. They must have
known the house to an inch1. I was conscious for a moment of
the chloroform rag which was thrust over my mouth, but I have
no notion how long I may have been senseless. When I woke, one
man was at the bedside and another was rising with a bundle
in his hand from among my son’s baggage, which was partially
opened and littered over the floor. Before he could get away I
sprang up and seized him.”
“You took a big risk,” said the inspector.
“I clung to him, but he shook me off, and the other may
have struck me, for I can remember no more. Mary the maid heard
the noise and began screaming out of the window. That brought
the police, but the rascals had got away.”
entrance — вход; rag — тряпка; thrust — 3-я форма гл.

thrust — наброшена; notion — понятие; bundle — тюк, связка;
1 inch [ɪntʃ] — дюйм. Британская единица измерения расстояния.

1 дюйм = 2,5 см.
153
litter — рассыпать; sprang up — прост. прош. от spring — вско-

чила; seize — хватать; clung — прост. прош. от cling — вцепи-
лась; shook off — прост. прош. от shake — стряхнул
“What did they take?”

“Well, I don’t think there is anything of value missing. I
am sure there was nothing in my son’s trunks.”
“Did the men leave no clue?”
“There was one sheet of paper which I may have torn
from the man that I grasped. It was lying all crumpled on the floor.
It is in my son’s handwriting.”
“Which means that it is not of much use,” said the inspec-
tor. “Now if it had been in the burglar’s—”
“Exactly,” said Holmes. “What rugged common sense!
None the less, I should be curious to see it.”
The inspector drew a folded sheet of foolscap1 from his
pocketbook.
of value — ценный; miss — пропадать; clue — улика;

sheet — лист; torn — 3-я форма гл. tear — вырвала; crumpled —
скомканный; handwriting — почерк; folded — сложенный
“I never pass anything, however trifling,” said he with

some pomposity. “That is my advice to you, Mr. Holmes. In twen-
ty-five years’ experience I have learned my lesson. There is always
the chance of finger-marks or something.”
Holmes inspected the sheet of paper.
“What do you make of it, Inspector?”
“Seems to be the end of some queer novel, so far as I
can see.”
“It may certainly prove to be the end of a queer tale,” said
Holmes. “You have noticed the number on the top of the page. It is
two hundred and forty-five. Where are the odd two hundred and
forty-four pages?”
“Well, I suppose the burglars got those. Much good may
it do them!”
1 foolscap — лист бумаги большого формата.
154
trifling — пустяковый; pomposity — пафос; inspect —

изучать;  make of — истолковать; queer — странный; prove
to be — оказываться; odd — недостающий; burglar — взломщик
Much good may it do them! — инверсия (изменение

порядка слов) в утвердительном предложении полностью ме-
няет значение фразы, придавая ей ироничный оттенок: It does
them much good! — Это принесло им большую пользу!; Much
good may it do them! — Много же им с этого толку!
“It seems a queer thing to break into a house in order

to steal such papers as that. Does it suggest anything to you,
Inspector?”
“Yes, sir, it suggests that in their hurry the rascals just grabbed
at what came first to hand. I wish them joy of what they got.”
“Why should they go to my son’s things?” asked Mrs. Maberley.
“Well, they found nothing valuable downstairs, so they tried
their luck upstairs. That is how I read it. What do you make of it,
Mr. Holmes?”
in order to — с тем чтобы; steal — красть
“I must think it over, Inspector. Come to the window,

Watson.” Then, as we stood together, he read over the fragment
of paper. It began in the middle of a sentence and ran like this:
“…face bled considerably from the cuts and blows, but it
was nothing to the bleeding of his heart as he saw that lovely face,
the face for which he had been prepared to sacrifice his very life,
looking out at his agony and humiliation. She smiled — yes, by
Heaven! she smiled, like the heartless fiend she was, as he looked
up at her. It was at that moment that love died and hate was born.
Man must live for something. If it is not for your embrace, my lady,
then it shall surely be for your undoing and my complete revenge.”
think over — обдумать; bled — прост. прош. от bleed —

сочилось кровью; cut — порез; blow — удар; sacrifice — жертво-
вать; agony — боль; humiliation — унижение; embrace — объя-
тие; undoing — уничтожение; revenge — месть
155
“Queer grammar!” said Holmes with a smile as he hand-

ed the paper back to the inspector. “Did you notice how the ‘he’
suddenly changed to ‘my’? The writer was so carried away by
his own story that he imagined himself at the supreme moment
to be the hero.”
“It seemed mighty poor stuff,” said the inspector as he
replaced it in his book. “What! are you off, Mr. Holmes?”
“I don’t think there is anything more for me to do now that
the case is in such capable hands. By the way, Mrs. Maberley, did
you say you wished to travel?”
“It has always been my dream, Mr. Holmes.”
“Where would you like to go — Cairo, Madeira, the Riviera?”
“Oh if I had the money I would go round the world.”
Cairo [ˈkaɪərəʊ] Madeira [məˈdɪərə]
suddenly — внезапно;  carry away — захватывать; su-

preme moment — кульминация
poor stuff — слово stuff используется в английском

языке для любых неодушевленных существительных и пере-
водится по контексту; зд. речь идет о произведении: написано
так себе.
“Quite so. Round the world. Well, good-morning. I may

drop you a line in the evening.” As we passed the window I
caught a glimpse of the inspector’s smile and shake of the head.
“These clever fellows have always a touch of madness.” That was
what I read in the inspector’s smile.
“Now, Watson, we are at the last lap of our little journey,”
said Holmes when we were back in the roar of central London once
more. “I think we had best clear the matter up at once, and it
would be well that you should come with me, for it is safer to have
a witness when you are dealing with such a lady as Isadora Klein.”
We had taken a cab and were speeding to some address
in Grosvenor Square. Holmes had been sunk in thought, but he
roused himself suddenly.
156
“By the way, Watson, I suppose you see it all clearly?”

“No, I can’t say that I do. I only gather that we are going to
see the lady who is behind all this mischief.”
drop a line — черкнуть пару строк; caught a

glimpse — прост. прош. от catch — заметил; shake — покачи-
вание; touch — оттенок; lap — отрезок пути; roar — шум (тол-
пы); once more — снова;  clear up — решить (задачу); deal
with — иметь дело с; sunk in thought — погружен в мысли;
gather — полагать
we had best clear the matter up at once — конструк-

ция местоимение + had better означает рекомендацию сделать
что-л.; используя превосходную степень вместо сравнитель-
ной, герой усиливает свое высказывание: нам лучше бы ре-
шить дело немедленно.
“Exactly! But does the name Isadora Klein convey noth-

ing to you? She was, of course, the celebrated beauty. There
was never a woman to touch her. She is pure Spanish, the real
blood of the masterful Conquistadors, and her people have
been leaders in Pernambuco1 for generations. She married the
aged German sugar king, Klein, and presently found herself
the richest as well as the most lovely widow upon earth. Then
there was an interval of adventure when she pleased her own
tastes. She had several lovers, and Douglas Maberley, one of the
most striking men in London, was one of them. It was by all
accounts more than an adventure with him. He was not a soci-
ety butterfly but a strong, proud man who gave and expected
all. But she is the ‘belle dame sans merci’2 of fiction. When her
caprice is satisfied the matter is ended, and if the other party
in the matter can’t take her word for it she knows how to bring
it home to him.”
1 Pernambuco [ˌpɜːnæmˈbuːkuː] — Пернамбуку. Штат на востоке
Бразилии на Атлантическом побережье.
2 belle dame sans merci — беспощадная красавица (фр.). В литературе
так называют прекрасную даму, которой поклоняется рыцарь. Со време-
нем термин также приобрел значение «смерть».
157
convey — вызывать мысли; touch — сравняться; pure —

чистый; aged — пожилой; found oneself — прост. прош. от
find — оказалась; interval — зд.: ряд, серия; striking — вызы-
вающий интерес; by all accounts — судя по всему; satisfy —
удовлетворять; party — сторона, участник; bring smth home
to smb — донести мысль
her people — people в сочетании с притяжательным

местоимением означает «семья»: ее семья.
“Then that was his own story —”

“Ah! you are piecing it together now. I hear that she is
about to marry the young Duke of Lomond, who might almost
be her son. His Grace’s ma might overlook the age, but a big
scandal would be a different matter, so it is imperative — Ah!
here we are.”
It was one of the finest corner-houses of the West End.
A machine-like footman took up our cards and returned with
word that the lady was not at home. “Then we shall wait until she
is,” said Holmes cheerfully.
The machine broke down.
“Not at home means not at home to you,” said the foot-
man.
“Good,” Holmes answered. “That means that we shall not
have to wait. Kindly give this note to your mistress.”
He scribbled three or four words upon a sheet of his note-
book, folded it, and handed it to the man.
piece together — складывать из частей; His Grace —

его светлость; overlook — смотреть сквозь пальцы; impera-
tive — очень важный; footman — лакей; cheerfully — бодро;
 broke down — прост. прош. от break — сломался; scribble —
нацарапать
who might almost be her son — модальный глагол

might указывает на невысокую вероятность события, а almost
(почти) подчеркивает, что это предположение: который годит-
ся ей в сыновья.
158
“What did you say, Holmes?” I asked.

“I simply wrote: ‘Shall it be the police, then?’ I think that
should pass us in.”
It did — with amazing celerity. A minute later we were
in an Arabian Nights drawing-room, vast and wonderful, in a
half gloom, picked out with an occasional pink electric light. The
lady had come, I felt, to that time of life when even the proudest
beauty finds the half light more welcome. She rose from a settee
as we entered: tall, queenly, a perfect figure, a lovely mask-like
face, with two wonderful Spanish eyes which looked murder at
us both.
“What is this intrusion — and this insulting message?”
she asked, holding up the slip of paper.
“I need not explain, madame. I have too much respect for
your intelligence to do so — though I confess that intelligence
has been surprisingly at fault of late.”
celerity — быстрота; vast — просторный; gloom — мрак;

settee — двухместный диван; look murder — испепелять взгля-
дом; intrusion — вторжение; insulting — оскорбительный; re-
spect — уважение; intelligence — ум; confess — признавать(ся);
at fault — провиниться; of late — в последнее время
“How so, sir?”

“By supposing that your hired bullies could frighten me
from my work. Surely no man would take up my profession if it
were not that danger attracts him. It was you, then, who forced
me to examine the case of young Maberley.”
“I have no idea what you are talking about. What have I to
do with hired bullies?”
Holmes turned away wearily.
“Yes, I have underrated your intelligence. Well, good-
afternoon!”
“Stop! Where are you going?”
“To Scotland Yard.”
We had not got halfway to the door before she had over-
taken us and was holding his arm. She had turned in a moment
from steel to velvet.
159
hire — нанимать; bully — тот, кто запугивает;  take

up — браться за; attract — привлекать; underrate — недооце-
нить; velvet — бархат
“Come and sit down, gentlemen. Let us talk this matter

over. I feel that I may be frank with you, Mr. Holmes. You have the
feelings of a gentleman. How quick a woman’s instinct is to find it
out. I will treat you as a friend.”
“I cannot promise to reciprocate, madame. I am not the
law, but I represent justice so far as my feeble powers go. I am
ready to listen, and then I will tell you how I will act.”
“No doubt it was foolish of me to threaten a brave man
like yourself.”
“What was really foolish, madame, is that you have placed
yourself in the power of a band of rascals who may blackmail or
give you away.”
“No, no! I am not so simple. Since I have promised to be
frank, I may say that no one, save Barney Stockdale and Susan,
his wife, have the least idea who their employer is. As to them,
well, it is not the first—” She smiled and nodded with a charming
coquettish intimacy.
frank — искренний;  find out — выяснять; treat

smb — обращаться с кем-л.; reciprocate — отвечать тем же;
represent — представлять, воплощать; justice — правосудие;
feeble — слабый; threaten — угрожать; blackmail — шантажи-
ровать;  give away — выдать; save — кроме; employer — на-
ниматель
“I see. You’ve tested them before.”

“They are good hounds who run silent.”
“Such hounds have a way sooner or later of biting the
hand that feeds them. They will be arrested for this burglary. The
police are already after them.”
“They will take what comes to them. That is what they are
paid for. I shall not appear in the matter.”
“Unless I bring you into it.”
160
“No, no, you would not. You are a gentleman. It is a wom-

an’s secret.”
“In the first place, you must give back this manuscript.”
hound — гончая; silent — тихий; way — манера; bite —

кусать; feed — кормить;  give back — отдать
She broke into a ripple of laughter and walked to the

fireplace. There was a calcined mass which she broke up with
the poker. “Shall I give this back?” she asked. So roguish and ex-
quisite did she look as she stood before us with a challenging
smile that I felt of all Holmes’s criminals this was the one whom
he would find it hardest to face. However, he was immune from
sentiment.
“That seals your fate,” he said coldly. “You are very
prompt in your actions, madame, but you have overdone it on
this occasion.”
She threw the poker down with a clatter.
“How hard you are!” she cried. “May I tell you the whole
story?”
“I fancy I could tell it to you.”
 broke into — прост. прош. от break — разразилась;

calcined — распадающийся (от жара);  broke up — разломала;
poker — кочерга; roguish — плутовской; exquisite — прекра-
сный; challenging — вызывающий; face — столкнуться с (гл.);
immune from — устойчивый к; seal one’s fate — решить судь-
бу; prompt — проворный; clatter — лязг
“But you must look at it with my eyes, Mr. Holmes. You

must realize it from the point of view of a woman who sees all her
life’s ambition about to be ruined at the last moment. Is such a
woman to be blamed if she protects herself?”
“The original sin was yours.”
“Yes, yes! I admit it. He was a dear boy, Douglas, but it
so chanced that he could not fit into my plans. He wanted mar-
riage — marriage, Mr. Holmes — with a penniless commoner.
161
Nothing less would serve him. Then he became pertinacious.

Because I had given he seemed to think that I still must give,
and to him only. It was intolerable. At last I had to make him
realize it.”
“By hiring ruffians to beat him under your own window.”
pertinacious [ˌpɜːtɪˈneɪʃəs]
ruin — разрушить; blame — винить; sin — грех;

chance — случаться; fit = serve — подходить; commoner — про-
столюдин; pertinacious — упорный; intolerable — невыноси-
мый; hire — нанимать
The original sin was yours. — Игра слов: original sin оз-
начает «первородный грех», но зд. этот термин указывает, что
в создавшейся ситуации виновата сама дама.
“You do indeed seem to know everything. Well, it is true.

Barney and the boys drove him away, and were, I admit, a little
rough in doing so. But what did he do then? Could I have believed
that a gentleman would do such an act? He wrote a book in which
he described his own story. I, of course, was the wolf; he the lamb.
It was all there, under different names, of course; but who in all
London would have failed to recognize it? What do you say to
that, Mr. Holmes?”
“Well, he was within his rights.”
“It was as if the air of Italy had got into his blood and
brought with it the old cruel Italian spirit. He wrote to me and
sent me a copy of his book that I might have the torture of an-
ticipation. There were two copies, he said — one for me, one for
his publisher.”
 drove away — прост. прош. от drive — отвадили;

rough — жесткий; lamb — ягненок; fail — не смочь; recognize —
узнавать; within — в (пределах); cruel — жестокий; spirit — дух;
sent — прост. прош. от send — послал; copy — экземпляр; tor-
ture — пытка; anticipation — ожидание
162
“How did you know the publisher’s had not reached

him?”
“I knew who his publisher was. It is not his only novel, you
know. I found out that he had not heard from Italy. Then came
Douglas’s sudden death. So long as that other manuscript was in
the world there was no safety for me. Of course, it must be among
his effects, and these would be returned to his mother. I set the
gang at work. One of them got into the house as servant. I wanted
to do the thing honestly. I really and truly did. I was ready to buy
the house and everything in it. I offered any price she cared to ask.
I only tried the other way when everything else had failed. Now,
Mr. Holmes, granting that I was too hard on Douglas — and, God
knows, I am sorry for it! — what else could I do with my whole
future at stake?”
heard from — прост. прош. от hear — получал вести;

safety — безопасность; effects — личные вещи; set at work —
браться за работу; grant — допускать; at stake — на кону
Sherlock Holmes shrugged his shoulders.

“Well, well,” said he, “I suppose I shall have to compound
a felony as usual. How much does it cost to go round the world in
first-class style?”
The lady stared in amazement.
“Could it be done on five thousand pounds?”
“Well, I should think so, indeed!”
“Very good. I think you will sign me a check for that, and I
will see that it comes to Mrs. Maberley. You owe her a little change
of air. Meantime, lady” — he wagged a cautionary forefinger —
“have a care! Have a care! You can’t play with edged tools forever
without cutting those dainty hands.”
shrug — пожимать плечами; compound — отказаться

от судебного преследования за вознаграждение; felony — тяж-
кое преступление; stare — уставиться; owe — задолжать; wag —
взмахнуть; forefinger — указательный палец; edged — острый;
dainty — изящный
The Adventure of the Sussex
Vampire
Holmes had read carefully a note which the last post had
brought him. Then, with the dry chuckle which was his nearest
approach to a laugh, he tossed it over to me.
“For a mixture of the modern and the mediaeval, of the
practical and of the wildly fanciful, I think this is surely the limit,”
said he. “What do you make of it, Watson?”
vampire [ˈvæmpaɪə]
note — записка; brought — 3-я форма гл. bring — при-

несла; dry — сухой; chuckle — смешок; approach — приближе-
ние; toss — бросать; mixture — смесь; fanciful — воображаемый;
limit — предел; make of — делать вывод
the modern and the mediaeval — определенный ар-

тикль превращает прилагательное в существительное с обо-
бщенным значением: современность и средневековье.
I read as follows:
46, OLD JEWRY, Nov. 19th. Re. Vampires
SIR: Our client, Mr. Robert Ferguson, of Ferguson and
Muirhead, tea brokers, of Mincing Lane, has made some inquiry
from us in a communication of even date concerning vampires.
As our firm specializes entirely upon the assessment of machin-
ery the matter hardly comes within our purview, and we have
therefore recommended Mr. Ferguson to call upon you and lay
the matter before you. We have not forgotten your successful ac-
tion in the case of Matilda Briggs. We are, sir,
Faithfully yours,
MORRISON, MORRISON, AND DODD.
per E. J. C.
164
The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire
purview [ˈpɜːvjuː]
inquiry — расследование; communication — связь; even

date — объективная информация; concern — иметь отношение
к; assessment — исследование; machinery — оборудование; mat-
ter — дело; purview — компетенция; therefore — следовательно;
 call (up)on — зайти; forgotten — 3-я форма гл. forget — забыли
“Matilda Briggs was not the name of a young woman,

Watson,” said Holmes in a reminiscent voice. “It was a ship which
is associated with the giant rat of Sumatra,1 a story for which
the world is not yet prepared. But what do we know about vam-
pires? Does it come within our purview either? Anything is bet-
ter than stagnation, but really we seem to have been switched
on to a Grimms’ fairy tale. Make a long arm, Watson, and see
what V has to say.”
reminiscent — склонный к воспоминаниям; associate —

связывать; yet — еще, пока; stagnation — застой; switch on — зд.:
перенестись; make a long arm — вытянуть руку; V — зд.: ста-
тья V (в справочнике)
I leaned back and took down the great index volume

to which he referred. Holmes balanced it on his knee, and his
eyes moved slowly and lovingly over the record of old cases,
mixed with the accumulated information of a lifetime.
“Voyage of the Gloria Scott,”2 he read. “That was a bad
business. I have some recollection that you made a record of
it, Watson, though I was unable to congratulate you upon the
1 Sumatra [sʊˈmɑːtrə] — Суматра, остров Малайского архипелага.

Гигантская крыса — предположительно гигантская горная/суматранская
крыса. История «Матильды Бриггс» и гигантской крысы не входит ни в
один сборник рассказов о Шерлоке Холмсе.
2 Имеется в виду рассказ The ‘Gloria Scott’ из сборника The Memoirs of
Sherlock Holmes.
165
result.1 Victor Lynch, the forger. Venomous lizard or gila.2 Re-

markable case, that! Vittoria, the circus belle. Vanderbilt and
the Yeggman. Vipers. Vigor, the Hammersmith3 wonder. Hullo!
Hullo! Good old index. You can’t beat it. Listen to this, Watson.
Vampirism in Hungary. And again, Vampires in Transylvania.” He
turned over the pages with eagerness, but after a short intent
perusal he threw down the great book with a snarl of disap-
pointment.
viper [ˈvaɪpə] Hungary [ˈhʌŋgəri]

perusal [pəˈruːzl]
lean back — откинуться; index — алфавитный; vol-

ume — том; refer — ссылаться; knee — колено; case — дело,
случай; accumulated — накопленный; lifetime — (вся) жизнь;
recollection — воспоминание; congratulate — поздравить; forg-
er — изготовитель фальшивых документов; venomous — ядови-
тый; lizard — ящерица; remarkable — примечательный; belle —
красавица; yeggman — взломщик сейфов (уст.); viper — гадюка;
beat — победить; Hungary — Венгрия; eagerness — энтузиазм;
intent — напряженный; perusal — чтение; snarl — фырканье
“Rubbish, Watson, rubbish! What have we to do with

walking corpses who can only be held in their grave by stakes
driven through their hearts? It’s pure lunacy.”
“But surely,” said I, “the vampire was not necessarily a dead
man? A living person might have the habit. I have read, for exam-
ple, of the old sucking the blood of the young in order to retain
their youth.”
“You are right, Watson. It mentions the legend in one of
these references. But are we to give serious attention to such
1 На протяжении всего цикла произведений Холмс несколько раз от-

зывается о рассказах, написанных Ватсоном, с насмешкой или иронией.
2 gila [ˈhiːlə] (monster) — аризонский ядозуб. Ядовитая ящерица,
обитающая на юго-западе США и в Мексике.
3 Hammersmith — Хаммерсмит. Западная часть лондонского округа
Hammersmith and Fulham в западной части Лондона, на северном берегу
Темзы. В конце XIX в. был промышленным районом.
166
things? This agency stands flat-footed upon the ground, and

there it must remain. The world is big enough for us. No ghosts
need apply. I fear that we cannot take Mr. Robert Ferguson very se-
riously. Possibly this note may be from him and may throw some
light upon what is worrying him.”
rubbish — чушь; corpse — труп; held — 3-я форма гл.

hold — удерживать; grave — могила; stake — кол; lunacy — без-
умие; habit — привычка; suck — сосать; in order to — для
того чтобы; retain — сохранить; youth — молодость; mention —
упоминать; reference — ссылка; stand flat-footed upon the
ground — твердо стоять на земле; remain — оставаться; ghost —
призрак; throw light upon — пролить свет
are we to give serious attention — модальный глагол be

to указывает на мягкую рекомендацию: следует ли нам всерьез
обратить внимание.
He took up a second letter which had lain unnoticed

upon the table while he had been absorbed with the first. This he
began to read with a smile of amusement upon his face which
gradually faded away into an expression of intense interest and
concentration. When he had finished he sat for some little time
lost in thought with the letter dangling from his fingers. Finally,
with a start, he aroused himself from his reverie.
“Cheeseman’s, Lamberley. Where is Lamberley, Watson?”
“lt is in Sussex, South of Horsham.”
lain — 3-я форма гл. lie — лежало; unnoticed — не-

замеченный; absorbed — поглощен; amusement — веселье,
развлечение;  fade away — медленно исчезать; lost in
thought — 3-я форма гл. lose — погружен в размышления; dan-
gle — свисать; with a start — вздрогнув; arouse — очнуться;
reverie — размышление
“Not very far, eh? And Cheeseman’s?”

“I know that country, Holmes. It is full of old houses which
are named after the men who built them centuries ago. You get
167
Odley’s and Harvey’s and Carriton’s — the folk are forgotten but
their names live in their houses.”
“Precisely,” said Holmes coldly. It was one of the peculiar-
ities of his proud, self-contained nature that though he docketed
any fresh information very quietly and accurately in his brain, he
seldom made any acknowledgment to the giver. “I rather fancy
we shall know a good deal more about Cheeseman’s, Lamberley,
before we are through. The letter is, as I had hoped, from Robert
Ferguson. By the way, he claims acquaintance with you.”
“With me!”
“You had better read it.”
He handed the letter across. It was headed with the ad-
dress quoted.
peculiarity [pɪˌkjuːliˈærəti]
folk — люди; forgotten — 3-я форма гл. forget — забыты;

precisely = accurately — точно; peculiarity — особенность; dock-
et — сортировать (гл.); seldom — редко; acknowledgment — бла-
годарность; fancy — воображать; be through — заканчивать;
claim — утверждать, претендовать; acquaintance — знакомство;
hand — передавать; head — озаглавливать; quote — цитировать
DEAR MR HOLMES [it said]:

I have been recommended to you by my lawyers, but in-
deed the matter is so extraordinarily delicate that it is most diffi-
cult to discuss. It concerns a friend for whom I am acting. This gen-
tleman married some five years ago a Peruvian lady the daughter
of a Peruvian merchant, whom he had met in connection with
the importation of nitrates. The lady was very beautiful, but the
fact of her foreign birth and of her alien religion always caused a
separation of interests and of feelings between husband and wife,
so that after a time his love may have cooled towards her and he
may have come to regard their union as a mistake. He felt there
were sides of her character which he could never explore or un-
derstand. This was the more painful as she was as loving a wife
as a man could have — to all appearance absolutely devoted.
168
merchant [ˈmɜːtʃənt]
nitrates [ˈnaɪtreɪts] alien [ˈeɪliən]
lawyer — юрист; extraordinarily — необычайно; con-

cern — затрагивать; Peruvian — перуанский; merchant — купец;
in connection with — в связи с; nitrate — удобрение; foreign —
иностранный; alien — чужой; cool — охладить (гл.); regard —
рассматривать как; explore — исследовать; painful — болезнен-
но; as… as — так(ой)… как(ой); to all appearance — судя по
всему; devoted — преданный
as she was as loving a wife as a man could have — вто-

рое и третье as здесь составляют оборот as…as, а первое озна-
чает «так как»: так как она была настолько любящей женой,
насколько только может иметь мужчина.
Now for the point which I will make more plain when
we meet. Indeed, this note is merely to give you a general idea
of the situation and to ascertain whether you would care to
interest yourself in the matter. The lady began to show some cu-
rious traits quite alien to her ordinarily sweet and gentle dispo-
sition. The gentleman had been married twice and he had one
son by the first wife. This boy was now fifteen, a very charming
and affectionate youth, though unhappily injured through an
accident in childhood. Twice the wife was caught in the act of
assaulting this poor lad in the most unprovoked way. Once she
struck him with a stick and left a great weal on his arm.
ascertain [ˌæsˈteɪn] weal [wiːl]
point — пункт; plain — ясный; ascertain — выяснить;

curious — странный; trait — черта характера; gentle — мягкий;
disposition — поведение; twice — дважды; affectionate — лю-
бящий; youth — молодой человек; injure — травмировать; ac-
cident — несчастный случай; assault — нападать; in unprovoked
way — без причины; struck — прост. прош. от strike — ударила;
weal — рубец
169
whether you would care to interest yourself — whether

(ли) вводит вопрос в косвенной речи, если вопросительное
слово отсутствует; care в данном случае делает вопрос еще бо-
лее вежливым: соблаговолите ли вы заинтересоваться.
This was a small matter, however, compared with her

conduct to her own child, a dear boy just under one year of age.
On one occasion about a month ago this child had been left
by its nurse for a few minutes. A loud cry from the baby, as of
pain, called the nurse back. As she ran into the room she saw
her employer, the lady, leaning over the baby and apparently
biting his neck. There was a small wound in the neck from which
a stream of blood had escaped. The nurse was so horrified that
she wished to call the husband, but the lady implored her not to
do so and actually gave her five pounds as a price for her silence.
No explanation was ever given, and for the moment the matter
was passed over.

apparently [əˈpærəntli]
compare with — сравнивать; conduct — поведение;

occasion — случай; loud — громкий; employer — наниматель;
lean over — склоняться; apparently — очевидно; bite — кусать;
stream — струя; escape — зд.: вытекать; implore — умолять;
price — цена; silence — зд.: молчание; explanation — объясне-
ние; for the moment — на тот момент;  pass over — замять
It left, however, a terrible impression upon the nurse’s

mind, and from that time she began to watch her mistress
closely and to keep a closer guard upon the baby, whom she
tenderly loved. It seemed to her that even as she watched the
mother, so the mother watched her, and that every time she was
compelled to leave the baby alone the mother was waiting to
get at it. Day and night the nurse covered the child, and day and
night the silent, watchful mother seemed to be lying in wait as
a wolf waits for a lamb. It must read most incredible to you,
170
and yet I beg you to take it seriously, for a child’s life and a
man’s sanity may depend upon it.
impression — впечатление; watch — наблюдать; close-

ly — пристально; keep guard — охранять; tenderly — нежно;
compel — вынуждать; get at — добраться до; cover — зд.: при-
сматривать; watchful — бдительный; lie in wait — сидеть в заса-
де; lamb — ягненок; take it seriously — серьезно воспринимать;
sanity — здравый рассудок;  depend (up)on — зависеть от
It must read most incredible — модальный глагол must

указывает на высокую степень вероятности и переводится сло-
вами «должно быть», «наверное» и т.д. it + глаголы look, sound,
read указывают на основания для какого-л. суждения: возмож-
но, мой рассказ кажется (букв. читается) невероятным.
At last there came one dreadful day when the facts

could no longer be concealed from the husband. The nurse’s
nerve had given way; she could stand the strain no longer, and
she made a clean breast of it all to the man. To him it seemed
as wild a tale as it may now seem to you. He knew his wife to
be a loving wife, and, save for the assaults upon her stepson, a
loving mother. Why, then, should she wound her own dear little
baby? He told the nurse that she was dreaming, that her sus-
picions were those of a lunatic, and that such libels upon her
mistress were not to be tolerated. While they were talking a sud-
den cry of pain was heard. Nurse and master rushed together to
the nursery. Imagine his feelings, Mr. Holmes, as he saw his wife
rise from a kneeling position beside the cot and saw blood upon
the child’s exposed neck and upon the sheet. With a cry of horror,
he turned his wife’s face to the light and saw blood all round her
lips. It was she — she beyond all question — who had drunk
the poor baby’s blood.
dreadful — ужасный; no longer — более не; con-

ceal — скрывать; husband — муж; give way — уступать, сда-
ваться; stand — выносить, выдерживать; strain — напряжение;
make a clean breast — облегчить душу; tale — сказка; save —
кроме; assault — нападение; stepson — пасынок; wound — ра-
171
нить (гл.); dream — зд.: бредить; suspicion — подозрение; luna-

tic — безумец; libel — клевета; tolerate — терпеть, мириться с;
rush — бросаться; nursery — детская; cot — детская кроватка;
sheet — простыня; lip — губа; beyond all question — вне вся-
ких сомнений; drunk — 3-я форма гл. drink — пила
So the matter stands. She is now confined to her room.

There has been no explanation. The husband is half demented.
He knows, and I know, little of vampirism beyond the name. We
had thought it was some wild tale of foreign parts. And yet here
in the very heart of the English Sussex — well, all this can be
discussed with you in the morning. Will you see me? Will you use
your great powers in aiding a distracted man? If so, kindly wire
to Ferguson, Cheeseman’s, Lamberley, and I will be at your rooms
by ten o’clock.
Yours faithfully,
ROBERT FERGUSON.
P. S. I believe your friend Watson played Rugby for Black-
heath1 when I was three-quarter2 for Richmond3. It is the only per-
sonal introduction which I can give.
so the matter stands — так обстоят дела; confine —

заточать; demented — вне себя (от горя, страха); beyond —
зд.: кроме; foreign — зарубежный; aid — помогать (гл.); dis-
tracted — зд.: сбитый с толку; wire — телеграфировать (гл.);
introduction — зд.: рекомендация
the very heart — перед существительными very с опре-

деленным артиклем означает «(тот) самый»: в самом сердце.
“Of course I remembered him,” said I as I laid down the

letter. “Big Bob Ferguson, the finest three-quarter Richmond ever
1 Blackheath F.C. — старейший в мире открытый клуб регбистов,

основанный в 1858 г. Располагался в лондонском районе Blackheath.
2 Three-quarter — трехчетвертной. В регби это крайняя позиция
(справа или слева) в защите.
3 Richmond F.C. — клуб регбистов городка Richmond (Ричмонд) непо-
далеку от Лондона.
172
had. He was always a good-natured chap. It’s like him to be so

concerned over a friend’s case.”
Holmes looked at me thoughtfully and shook his head.
“I never get your limits, Watson,” said he. “There are un-
explored possibilities about you. Take a wire down, like a good
fellow. ‘Will examine your case with pleasure.’”
“Your case!”
“We must not let him think that this agency is a home for
the weak-minded. Of course it is his case. Send him that wire and
let the matter rest till morning.”
 lay down — отложить (в сторону); chap — парень;

shook — прост. прош. от shake — покачал; unexplored — неис-
следованный; possibility — возможность; take a wire down — от-
правлять телеграмму; weak-minded — слабоумный; send — от-
правлять; wire — телеграмма (сущ.)
I never get your limits — limits зд. означает «пределы

возможностей»/«скрытые свойства»: вы всегда находите, чем
меня удивить.
like a good fellow — это словосочетание обычно ис-
пользуется в неформальных просьбах и переводится как «будь
добр»/«будь умницей».
Promptly at ten o’clock next morning Ferguson strode

into our room. I had remembered him as a long, slab-sided man
with loose limbs and a fine turn of speed which had carried
him round many an opposing back. There is surely nothing in
life more painful than to meet the wreck of a fine athlete whom
one has known in his prime. His great frame had fallen in, his
flaxen hair was scanty, and his shoulders were bowed. I fear that
I roused corresponding emotions in him.
“Hullo, Watson,” said he, and his voice was still deep and
hearty. “You don’t look quite the man you did when I threw you
over the ropes into the crowd at the Old Deer Park1. I expect I have
changed a bit also. But it’s this last day or two that has aged me.
1 Old Deer Park — парк в Ричмонде, в котором расположен домашний

стадион Ричмондского клуба регбистов.
173
I see by your telegram, Mr. Holmes, that it is no use my pretend-

ing to be anyone’s deputy.”
“It is simpler to deal direct,” said Holmes.
strode into — прост. прош. от stride — вошел в; loose —

зд.: гибкий; turn of speed — высокая скорость; carry — нести;
opposing back — защита противника; wreck — «развалина»;
prime — расцвет (перен.); frame — форма (тела); fallen in —
3-я форма гл. fall — зд.: развалилась; flaxen — светло-желтый;
scanty — зд.: редкий; bow — сутулиться; rouse — разбудить; cor-
responding — соответствующий; hearty — сердечный; threw —
прост. прош. от throw — бросил; ropes — канаты; a bit — слегка;
age — стареть, старить; no use — нет смысла; pretend — при-
творяться; deputy — представитель
slab-sided — slab означает «плоский кусок чего-л.

твердого». Здесь английское сложное прилагательное означает
«с крепкими боками»: подтянутый.
“Of course it is. But you can imagine how difficult it is

when you are speaking of the one woman whom you are bound
to protect and help. What can I do? How am I to go to the police
with such a story? And yet the kiddies have got to be protect-
ed. Is it madness, Mr. Holmes? Is it something in the blood? Have
you any similar case in your experience? For God’s sake, give me
some advice, for I am at my wit’s end.”
“Very naturally, Mr. Ferguson. Now sit here and pull your-
self together and give me a few clear answers. I can assure you
that I am very far from being at my wit’s end, and that I am confi-
dent we shall find some solution. First of all, tell me what steps
you have taken. Is your wife still near the children?”
be bound (to) — быть обязанным; similar — похожий;

advice — совет; at one’s wit’s end — в тупике; pull oneself to-
gether — взять себя в руки; assure — уверять; confident — уве-
рен; solution — решение; take steps — предпринимать шаги
How am I to go, kiddies have got to be protected — мо-

дальный глагол be to указывает на необходимость действия,
174
have (got) to — на вынужденный характер действия: как я дол-

жен идти; детишек нужно защитить.
“We had a dreadful scene. She is a most loving woman,

Mr. Holmes. If ever a woman loved a man with all her heart and
soul, she loves me. She was cut to the heart that I should have
discovered this horrible, this incredible, secret. She would not
even speak. She gave no answer to my reproaches, save to gaze
at me with a sort of wild, despairing look in her eyes. Then she
rushed to her room and locked herself in. Since then she has re-
fused to see me. She has a maid who was with her before her
marriage, Dolores by name — a friend rather than a servant.
She takes her food to her.”
“Then the child is in no immediate danger?”
“Mrs. Mason, the nurse, has sworn that she will not leave
it night or day. I can absolutely trust her. I am more uneasy about
poor little Jack, for, as I told you in my note, he has twice been as-
saulted by her.”
soul — душа; cut to the heart — глубоко ранить; in-

credible — невероятный; reproach — упрек; despair — отчаяние;
look — вид; refuse — отказываться; maid — горничная; mar-
riage — брак; by name — по имени; rather than — скорее чем;
take — зд.: приносить; immediate — прямой, непосредственный;
sworn — 3-я форма гл. swear — поклялась; leave — оставлять;
trust — доверять; be uneasy — беспокоиться
a most loving woman — неопределенный артикль пе-

ред прилагательным в превосходной степени употребляется
потому, что это не сравнение, а характеристика: очень любя-
щая женщина.
She would not even speak. — Would используется здесь
для указания на (не)желание совершать то или иное действие в
прошлом: она даже не желала говорить.
“But never wounded?”

“No, she struck him savagely. It is the more terrible as
he is a poor little inoffensive cripple.” Ferguson’s gaunt features
175
softened as he spoke of his boy. “You would think that the dear
lad’s condition would soften anyone’s heart. A fall in childhood
and a twisted spine, Mr. Holmes. But the dearest, most loving
heart within.”
Holmes had picked up the letter of yesterday and was
reading it over. “What other inmates are there in your house, Mr.
Ferguson?”
“Two servants who have not been long with us. One sta-
blehand, Michael, who sleeps in the house. My wife, myself, my
boy Jack, baby, Dolores, and Mrs. Mason. That is all.”
wound — ранить; struck — 3-я форма гл. strike — уда-

рила; inoffensive — безобидный; cripple — калека; gaunt —
изможденный; soften — смягчаться; condition — состояние;
fall — падение (сущ.); twisted — искривленный; spine — позво-
ночник; within — внутри; inmate — обитатель; stablehand —
конюх
“I gather that you did not know your wife well at the
time of your marriage?”
“I had only known her a few weeks.”
“How long had this maid Dolores been with her?”
“Some years.”
“Then your wife’s character would really be better known
by Dolores than by you?”
“Yes, you may say so.”
Holmes made a note.
“I fancy,” said he, “that I may be of more use at Lamberley
than here. It is eminently a case for personal investigation. If the
lady remains in her room, our presence could not annoy or in-
convenience her. Of course, we would stay at the inn.”
Ferguson gave a gesture of relief.
gather — полагать; fancy — воображать (гл.); emi-

nently — зд.: в огромной мере; investigation — расследование;
remain — оставаться; presence — присутствие; annoy — раздра-
жать; inconvenience — доставлять неудобство (гл.); relief — об-
легчение
176
“It is what I hoped, Mr. Holmes. There is an excellent

train at two from Victoria1 if you could come.”
“Of course we could come. There is a lull at present. I
can give you my undivided energies. Watson, of course, comes
with us. But there are one or two points upon which I wish to be
very sure before I start. This unhappy lady, as I understand it, has
appeared to assault both the children, her own baby and your
little son?”
“That is so.”
“But the assaults take different forms, do they not? She
has beaten your son.”
“Once with a stick and once very savagely with her hands.”
“Did she give no explanation why she struck him?”
“None save that she hated him. Again and again she
said so.”
“Well, that is not unknown among stepmothers. A post-
humous jealousy, we will say. Is the lady jealous by nature?”
“Yes, she is very jealous — jealous with all the strength of
her fiery tropical love.”
posthumous [ˈpɒstjʊməs]
excellent — превосходный; lull — затишье, скука;

undivided — зд.: полностью; beaten — 3-я форма гл. beat —
била; once — однажды; none — никакой; stepmother — мачеха;
posthumous — посмертный; jealousy — ревность; fiery — ог-
ненный
has appeared to assault both the children — глаголы ap-

pear и seem часто используются для выражения неуверенности:
кажется, она напала на обоих детей.
take different forms, do they not? — Обычно в раздели-
тельных вопросах используется сокращенная отрицательная
форма (don’t they). Полная форма отрицания подчеркивает ви-
тиеватость фразы: принимает разные формы, не так ли?
1 Victoria = London Victoria Station — железнодорожный вокзал в Лон-

доне, с которого отправляются поезда в Кент, Суррей и Сассекс.
177
“But the boy — he is fifteen, I understand, and probably

very developed in mind, since his body has been circumscribed
in action. Did he give you no explanation of these assaults?”
“No, he declared there was no reason.”
“Were they good friends at other times?”
“No, there was never any love between them.”
“Yet you say he is affectionate?”
“Never in the world could there be so devoted a son. My
life is his life. He is absorbed in what I say or do.”
Once again Holmes made a note. For some time he sat
lost in thought.
“No doubt you and the boy were great comrades before
this second marriage. You were thrown very close together, were
you not?”
“Very much so.”
“And the boy, having so affectionate a nature, was devot-
ed, no doubt, to the memory of his mother?”
“Most devoted.”
developed — развитый; in mind — умственно; since —

так как; circumscribe — ограничивать; declare — заявлять;
reason — причина; at other times — прежде; affectionate —
любящий; devoted — преданный; absorb — поглощать; doubt —
сомнение; comrade — приятель, товарищ;  thrown together —
прост. прош. от throw — ладили; memory — память
“He would certainly seem to be a most interesting lad.

There is one other point about these assaults. Were the strange
attacks upon the baby and the assaults upon your son at the
same period?”
“In the first case it was so. It was as if some frenzy had
seized her, and she had vented her rage upon both. In the second
case it was only Jack who suffered. Mrs. Mason had no complaint
to make about the baby.”
“That certainly complicates matters.”
“I don’t quite follow you, Mr. Holmes.”
“Possibly not. One forms provisional theories and waits
for time or fuller knowledge to explode them. A bad habit, Mr.
178
Ferguson, but human nature is weak. I fear that your old friend
here has given an exaggerated view of my scientific methods.
However, I will only say at the present stage that your problem
does not appear to me to be insoluble, and that you may expect
to find us at Victoria at two o’clock.”
scientific [ˌsaɪənˈtɪfɪk]
frenzy — необузданная эмоция; seize — охватывать;

vent — выплескивать (чувства); rage — ярость; suffer — стра-
дать; complaint — жалоба (сущ.); complicate — усложнять;
follow — следить; provisional — предварительный; explode —
опровергать; weak — слабый; exaggerated — преувеличенный;
scientific — научный; stage — этап; appear — казаться; insolu-
ble — неразрешимый
It was evening of a dull, foggy November day when,

having left our bags at the Chequers, Lamberley, we drove
through the Sussex clay of a long winding lane and finally
reached the isolated and ancient farmhouse in which Ferguson
dwelt. It was a large, straggling building, very old in the centre,
very new at the wings with towering Tudor chimneys1 and a
lichen-spotted, high-pitched roof of Horsham slabs2. The door-
steps were worn into curves, and the ancient tiles which lined
the porch were marked with the rebus of a cheese and a man
after the original builder. Within, the ceilings were corrugated
with heavy oaken beams, and the uneven floors sagged into
sharp curves. An odour of age and decay pervaded the whole
crumbling building.
winding [ˈwaɪndɪŋ] Tudor [ˈtjuːdə]

lichen [ˈlaɪken]/[ˈlɪtʃən] rebus [ˈriːbəs]
1 Многочисленные печные трубы, которые архитекторы старались

оформлять в едином стиле, — характерная черта домов тюдоровской эпохи.
2 Horsham slabs — разновидность песчаника, добываемого в городке
Хоршем в Западном Сассексе.
179
foggy — туманный; drove — прост. прош. от drive — еха-

ли; clay — глина; winding — извилистый; farmhouse — главное
здание на ферме, «усадьба»; dwelt — прост. прош. от dwell — об-
итал; straggling — разросшийся; wing — крыло; tower — вы-
ситься; chimney — печная труба; lichen-spotted — поросший
лишайником; high-pitched — крутой; doorsteps — крыльцо;
worn — вытертый; curve — изгиб; tile — плитка; porch — пор-
тик; rebus — изображение, давшее название дому (уст.); origi-
nal — первоначальный; ceiling — потолок; corrugated — волни-
стый; oaken — дубовый; beam — балка; uneven — неровный;
sag — размягчаться; odour — запах; decay — упадок; pervade —
распространяться; crumbling — рассыпающийся
having left our bags — перфектная форма причастия

(having left) указывает на предшествование по отношению к
действию в главном предложении; часто переводится деепри-
частием: оставив наши сумки.
There was one very large central room into which Fer-
guson led us. Here, in a huge old-fashioned fireplace with an
iron screen behind it dated 1670, there blazed and spluttered
a splendid log fire.
The room, as I gazed round, was a most singular mix-
ture of dates and of places. The half-panelled walls may well have
belonged to the original yeoman1 farmer of the seventeenth
century. They were ornamented, however, on the lower part
by a line of well-chosen modern water-colours; while above,
where yellow plaster took the place of oak, there was hung a
fine collection of South American utensils and weapons, which
had been brought, no doubt, by the Peruvian lady upstairs. Hol-
mes rose, with that quick curiosity which sprang from his eager
mind, and examined them with some care. He returned with his
eyes full of thought.
“Hullo!” he cried. “Hullo!”
1 yeoman — йомен. Так называли свободных фермеров — собствен-
ников земли. Название относится прежде всего к Елизаветинской эпохе

(XVII в.), что соответствует предложенной в тексте датировке.
180
A spaniel had lain in a basket in the corner. It came

slowly forward towards its master, walking with difficulty. Its
hind legs moved irregularly and its tail was on the ground. It
licked Ferguson’s hand.
utensils [juːˈtenslz] hind [haɪnd]
old-fashioned — старомодный; fireplace — камин; be-

hind — позади; blaze — сверкать; splutter — зд.: потрескивать;
 gaze round — оглядеться; singular — примечательный; be-
long to — принадлежать; water-colour — акварель; above — над,
выше; plaster — штукатурка; utensils — утварь; weapon — ору-
жие; rose — прост. прош. от rise — поднялся; curiosity — лю-
бопытство; full of thought — задумчивый; lain — 3-я форма гл.
lie — лежал; basket — корзина; forward — вперед (направление);
towards — по направлению к; hind legs — задние лапы; irregu-
larly — неправильно; tail — хвост; lick — лизать
“What is it, Mr. Holmes?”

“The dog. What’s the matter with it?”
“That’s what puzzled the vet. A sort of paralysis. Spinal
meningitis1, he thought. But it is passing. He’ll be all right soon —
won’t you, Carlo?”
A shiver of assent passed through the drooping tail. The
dog’s mournful eyes passed from one of us to the other. He knew
that we were discussing his case.
“Did it come on suddenly?”
“In a single night.”
“How long ago?”
“It may have been four months ago.”
“Very remarkable. Very suggestive.”
spaniel [ˈspænjəl] towards [təˈwɔːdz]

paralysis [pəˈræləsɪs]
1 meningitis [ˌmenɪnˈdʒaɪtɪs] — менингит (мед.). Воспаление оболо-

чек головного и спинного мозга. В данном случае ветеринар предполагает
воспалительный процесс именно в спинном мозге.
181
puzzle — озадачивать; spinal — спинномозговой;

pass — проходить; shiver — дрожь; assent — одобрение; droop-
ing — свисающий; mournful — траурный; ago — назад (о време-
ни); suggestive — многообещающий
“What do you see in it, Mr. Holmes?”

“A confirmation of what I had already thought.”
“For God’s sake, what do you think, Mr. Holmes? It may
be a mere intellectual puzzle to you, but it is life and death to me!
My wife a would-be murderer — my child in constant danger!
Don’t play with me, Mr. Holmes. It is too terribly serious.”
The big Rugby three-quarter was trembling all over. Hol-
mes put his hand soothingly upon his arm.
confirmation — подтверждение; already — уже; for

God’s sake — ради Бога; mere — всего лишь; puzzle — загадка;
constant — постоянный tremble — дрожать; soothingly — успо-
каивающе
a would-be murderer — would-be перед существитель-

ным указывает на будущее состояние: would-be student — буду-
щий студент, would-be murderer — будущий убийца.
“I fear that there is pain for you, Mr. Ferguson, whatever
the solution may be,” said he. “I would spare you all I can. I can-
not say more for the instant, but before I leave this house I hope
I may have something definite.”
“Please God you may! If you will excuse me, gentlemen, I
will go up to my wife’s room and see if there has been any change.”
He was away some minutes, during which Holmes re-
sumed his examination of the curiosities upon the wall. When
our host returned it was clear from his downcast face that he
had made no progress. He brought with him a tall, slim, brown-
faced girl.
whatever — как(ой) бы ни; solution — решение;

spare — щадить; for the instant — на данный момент; defi-
nite — определенный; resume — продолжить (занятие); curios-
182
ity — зд.: редкость, диковинка; host — хозяин; downcast — по-

давленный; progress — успехи; slim — стройный
Please God you may! — Модальный глагол may под-

тверждает предыдущее высказывание (смогу сказать что-ни-
будь определенно), please God выражает пожелание: дай Бог
чтобы так!
“The tea is ready, Dolores,” said Ferguson. “See that your

mistress has everything she can wish.”
“She verra ill,”1cried the girl, looking with indignant eyes
at her master. “She no ask for food. She verra ill. She need doctor. I
frightened stay alone with her without doctor.”
Ferguson looked at me with a question in his eyes.
“I should be so glad if I could be of use.”
“Would your mistress see Dr. Watson?”
“I take him. I no ask leave. She needs doctor.”
“Then I’ll come with you at once.”
see — зд.: убедиться; indignant — негодующий; with-

out — без; be of use — пригодиться; take — зд.: проводить;
ask leave — просить разрешение; at once — сразу
I followed the girl, who was quivering with strong

emotion, up the staircase and down an ancient corridor. At
the end was an iron-clamped and massive door. It struck me
as I looked at it that if Ferguson tried to force his way to his
wife he would find it no easy matter. The girl drew a key from
her pocket, and the heavy oaken planks creaked upon their
old hinges. I passed in and she swiftly followed, fastening the
door behind her.
On the bed a woman was lying who was clearly in a high
fever. She was only half conscious, but as I entered she raised
a pair of frightened but beautiful eyes and glared at me in ap-
1 Verra = very. Правильно фраза звучала бы She is very ill. Здесь и да-
лее, слегка коверкая слова и пренебрегая грамматикой, автор подчеркива-
ет акцент перуанки и тот факт, что английский для нее не родной.
183
prehension. Seeing a stranger, she appeared to be relieved and

sank back with a sigh upon the pillow. I stepped up to her with a
few reassuring words, and she lay still while I took her pulse and
temperature. Both were high, and yet my impression was that the
condition was rather that of mental and nervous excitement than
of any actual seizure.
quiver — дрожать; staircase — лестница; iron-clamped —

зд.: с металлическими петлями; matter — дело; pocket — карман;
oaken — дубовый; creak — скрипеть; hinge — петля; swiftly —
быстро; fasten — запирать; fever — лихорадка, жар; conscious —
в сознании; glare — глядеть; apprehension — беспокойство;
relieve — испытать облегчение; sank back — прост. прош. от
sink — откинулась обратно; sigh — вздох; pillow — подушка1;
reassure — успокаивать; both — оба, и… и; mental — душевный;
seizure — приступ
It struck me — глагол strike (обычно в прошедшем

времени) используется в безличных предложениях в значении
«осенило», «пришло в голову».
force his way to his wife — глагол force указывает на то,
что действие осуществляется силой или принуждением: вло-
миться к жене.
“She lie like that one day, two day. I ‘fraid she die,” said
the girl.
The woman turned her flushed and handsome face to-
wards me.
“Where is my husband?”
“He is below and would wish to see you.”
“I will not see him. I will not see him.” Then she seemed
to wander off into delirium. “A fiend! A fiend! Oh, what shall I do
with this devil?”
“Can I help you in any way?”
“No. No one can help. It is finished. All is destroyed. Do
what I will, all is destroyed.”
1 В отличие от cushion, pillow обычно означает именно спальную по-

душку, ту, на которой спят.
184
The woman must have some strange delusion. I could

not see honest Bob Ferguson in the character of fiend or devil.
“Madame,” I said, “your husband loves you dearly. He is
deeply grieved at this happening.”
flushed — раскрасневшийся; below — внизу;  wan-

der off — зд.: проваливаться; delirium — горячка; fiend — зло-
дей; destroy — разрушать; delusion — заблуждение; grieve —
скорбеть
Do what I will — зд. инверсия вводит условие: что бы

я ни делала.
must have some strange delusion — модальный глагол
must указывает на высокую степень вероятности: похоже, была
в каком-то странном заблуждении.
Again she turned on me those glorious eyes.

“He loves me. Yes. But do I not love him? Do I not love
him even to sacrifice myself rather than break his dear heart?
That is how I love him. And yet he could think of me — he could
speak of me so.”
“He is full of grief, but he cannot understand.”
“No, he cannot understand. But he should trust.”
“Will you not see him?” I suggested.
“No, no, I cannot forget those terrible words nor the look
upon his face. I will not see him. Go now. You can do nothing for
me. Tell him only one thing. I want my child. I have a right to my
child. That is the only message I can send him.” She turned her face
to the wall and would say no more.
I returned to the room downstairs, where Ferguson and
Holmes still sat by the fire. Ferguson listened moodily to my ac-
count of the interview.
glorious — прекрасный; sacrifice — жертвовать; rather

than — скорее чем; look — вид; right to — право на; message —
сообщение; moodily — угрюмо; account — отчет
do I not love him? — В английском языке вопрос

обычно формулируется в утвердительной форме. Отрица-
185
тельная форма используется для эмоционального усиления:

разве я не люблю его?
he should trust — глагол should используется, чтобы вы-
разить рекомендацию: ему следовало бы доверять.
“How can I send her the child?” he said. “How do I know

what strange impulse might come upon her? How can I ever for-
get how she rose from beside it with its blood upon her lips?”
He shuddered at the recollection. “The child is safe with Mrs.
Mason, and there he must remain.”
A smart maid, the only modern thing which we had seen
in the house, had brought in some tea. As she was serving it the
door opened and a youth entered the room. He was a remark-
able lad, pale-faced and fair-haired, with excitable light blue
eyes which blazed into a sudden flame of emotion and joy as they
rested upon his father. He rushed forward and threw his arms
round his neck with the abandon of a loving girl.
shudder — передернуться; recollection — воспо-

минание; as — в то время, пока; serve — подавать; remark-
able — примечательный; fair-haired — светловолосый; excit-
able — зд.: выразительный; blaze — сверкать; flame — огонь;
 rest (up)on — останавливаться на; threw his arms round
his neck — прост. прош. от throw — обнял; with abandon —
самозабвенно
“Oh, daddy,” he cried, “I did not know that you were

due yet. I should have been here to meet you. Oh, I am so glad
to see you!”
Ferguson gently disengaged himself from the embrace
with some little show of embarrassment.
“Dear old chap,” said he, patting the flaxen head with a
very tender hand. “I came early because my friends, Mr. Holmes
and Dr. Watson, have been persuaded to come down and spend
an evening with us.”
“Is that Mr. Holmes, the detective?”
“Yes.”
186
due — должен (быть); gently — мягко; disengage from —

зд.: высвобождаться; embrace — объятие; show — проявление;
embarrassment — смущение; pat — похлопать; flaxen — светло-
желтый; tender — нежный; persuade — убеждать
The youth looked at us with a very penetrating and, as

it seemed to me, unfriendly gaze.
“What about your other child, Mr. Ferguson?” asked Hol-
mes. “Might we make the acquaintance of the baby?”
“Ask Mrs. Mason to bring baby down,” said Ferguson. The
boy went off with a curious, shambling gait which told my surgi-
cal eyes that he was suffering from a weak spine. Presently he
returned, and behind him came a tall, gaunt woman bearing in
her arms a very beautiful child, dark-eyed, golden-haired, a won-
derful mixture of the Saxon1 and the Latin. Ferguson was evi-
dently devoted to it, for he took it into his arms and fondled it
most tenderly.
“Fancy anyone having the heart to hurt him,” he mut-
tered as he glanced down at the small, angry red pucker upon
the cherub throat.
penetrating — проницательный; gaze — пристальный

взгляд; make acquaintance — знакомиться; shambling — ле-
нивый; gait — походка; surgical — хирургический; weak — сла-
бый; spine — позвоночник; gaunt — тощий; evidently — явно;
fondle — ласкать; mutter — бормотать; angry — яркий; puck-
er — складка; cherub — ангелочек; throat — горло
the Saxon and the Latin — определенный артикль ука-

зывает на то, что имеются в виду народы. Слово Latin указыва-
ет на народы, языки которых произошли от латинского. В рус-
ском языке ему нет соответствия, поэтому при переводе лучше
конкретизировать: саксы и латиноамериканцы.
1 Saxon — саксы, древнегерманские племена. В древности англы,
саксы и юты заселили Британию, став ее первым населением. Британцев

иногда называют саксами — в тех же случаях, что германские народы —
гуннами, а восточно-европейские — славянами.
187
It was at this moment that I chanced to glance at Hol-

mes and saw a most singular intentness in his expression. His
face was as set as if it had been carved out of old ivory, and his
eyes, which had glanced for a moment at father and child, were
now fixed with eager curiosity upon something at the other side
of the room. Following his gaze I could only guess that he was
looking out through the window at the melancholy, dripping
garden. It is true that a shutter had half closed outside and ob-
structed the view, but none the less it was certainly at the win-
dow that Holmes was fixing his concentrated attention. Then he
smiled, and his eyes came back to the baby. On its chubby neck
there was this small puckered mark. Without speaking, Holmes
examined it with care. Finally he shook one of the dimpled fists
which waved in front of him.
intentness — напряженное внимание; set — застыв-

ший; carved — вырезанный; ivory — слоновая кость; melan-
choly — печальный; dripping — промокший; shutter — ставень;
obstruct — загораживать; chubby — пухлый; dimpled — с ямоч-
ками; fist — кулак; wave — махать
It was at this moment that I chanced to glance, it was

certainly at the window that Holmes was fixing — в обоих слу-
чаях употребляется усилительная конструкция it is… that.
На русский язык она обычно переводится словом «именно»:
именно в этот момент мне случилось взглянуть; именно на окне
Холмс сконцентрировал…
“Good-bye, little man. You have made a strange start in

life. Nurse, I should wish to have a word with you in private.”
He took her aside and spoke earnestly for a few minutes.
I only heard the last words, which were: “Your anxiety will soon, I
hope, be set at rest.” The woman, who seemed to be a sour, silent
kind of creature, withdrew with the child.
“What is Mrs. Mason like?” asked Holmes.
“Not very prepossessing externally, as you can see, but a
heart of gold, and devoted to the child.”
188
prepossessing [ˌpriːpəˈzesɪŋ]
have a word with — поговорить; in private — нае-

дине;  took aside — прост. прош. от take — отвел в сторон-
ку; anxiety — беспокойство; set at rest — унять, успокоить;
sour — кислый; withdrew — прост. прош. от withdraw — ушла;
prepossessing — привлекательный
“Do you like her, Jack?” Holmes turned suddenly upon

the boy. His expressive mobile face shadowed over, and he
shook his head.
“Jacky has very strong likes and dislikes,” said Ferguson,
putting his arm round the boy. “Luckily I am one of his likes.”
The boy cooed and nestled his head upon his father’s
breast. Ferguson gently disengaged him.
“Run away, little Jacky,” said he, and he watched his son
with loving eyes until he disappeared. “Now, Mr. Holmes,” he con-
tinued when the boy was gone, “I really feel that I have brought
you on a fool’s errand, for what can you possibly do save give me
your sympathy? It must be an exceedingly delicate and complex
affair from your point of view.”
shadow over — омрачаться; shook — прост. прош. от

shake — покачал; likes and dislikes — симпатии и антипатии;
coo — ворковать (в т.ч. перен.); nestle — удобно разместить(ся);
breast — грудь; until — пока (не); fool’s errand — трата време-
ни; save — кроме; exceedingly — чрезвычайно; complex — слож-
ный; affair — дело
“It is certainly delicate,” said my friend with an amused

smile, “but I have not been struck up to now with its complex-
ity. It has been a case for intellectual deduction, but when this
original intellectual deduction is confirmed point by point by
quite a number of independent incidents, then the subjective
becomes objective and we can say confidently that we have
189
reached our goal. I had, in fact, reached it before we left Baker

Street, and the rest has merely been observation and confirma-
tion.”
amused — веселый; struck — 3-я форма гл. strike — по-

ражен; up to now — до сего момента; confirm — подтверждать;
a number (of) — некоторое количество; confidently — уверен-
но; goal — цель; in fact — на самом деле
the subjective becomes objective — определенный ар-

тикль преобразует прилагательное в существительное с обоб-
щающим значением: субъективное (мнение) превращается в
объективное.
Ferguson put his big hand to his furrowed forehead.

“For heaven’s sake, Holmes,” he said hoarsely; “if you can
see the truth in this matter, do not keep me in suspense. How do I
stand? What shall I do? I care nothing as to how you have found
your facts so long as you have really got them.”
“Certainly I owe you an explanation, and you shall have
it. But you will permit me to handle the matter in my own way? Is
the lady capable of seeing us, Watson?”
“She is ill, but she is quite rational.”
forehead [ˈfɒrɪd]/[ˈfɔːˌhed] suspense [səˈspens]
furrowed — исчерченный морщинами; forehead — лоб;

hoarsely — хрипло; suspense — неизвестность; stand — выдер-
живать; so long as — пока; owe — задолжать; permit — позво-
лять; handle — управлять; capable (of) — способен; rational —
разумный
I care nothing as to how you have found — nothing вы-

ступает в качестве отрицательного слова: меня (совсем) не вол-
нует, как вы их обнаружили.
you shall have it — глагол shall употребляется с 2-м и
3-м лицом для выражения твердой решимости: вы непременно
(его) получите.
190
“Very good. It is only in her presence that we can clear

the matter up. Let us go up to her.”
“She will not see me,” cried Ferguson.
“Oh, yes, she will,” said Holmes. He scribbled a few lines
upon a sheet of paper. “You at least have the entrée, Watson. Will
you have the goodness to give the lady this note?”
I ascended again and handed the note to Dolores, who
cautiously opened the door. A minute later I heard a cry from
within, a cry in which joy and surprise seemed to be blended. Do-
lores looked out.
“She will see them. She will leesten,” said she.
At my summons Ferguson and Holmes came up. As we
entered the room Ferguson took a step or two towards his wife,
who had raised herself in the bed, but she held out her hand to
repulse him. He sank into an armchair, while Holmes seated him-
self beside him, after bowing to the lady, who looked at him with
wide-eyed amazement.
 clear up — прояснить; scribble — нацарапать;

sheet — листок; at least — по крайней мере; entrée — право
войти; will you have the goodness — не будете ли вы так до-
бры; ascend — подниматься; cautiously — осторожно; blend —
смешиваться; summons — вызов (офиц.);  held out — прост.
прош. от hold — вытянула; repulse — отстранить; sank —
прост. прош. от sink — опустился; bow — кланяться; amaze-
ment — изумление
She will not see me — глагол will используется здесь,

чтобы выразить (не)желание совершить действие: она не захо-
чет меня видеть.
“I think we can dispense with Dolores,” said Holmes.

“Oh, very well, madame, if you would rather she stayed I can see
no objection. Now, Mr. Ferguson, I am a busy man with many
calls, and my methods have to be short and direct. The swiftest
surgery is the least painful. Let me first say what will ease your
mind. Your wife is a very good, a very loving, and a very ill-used
woman.”
191
Ferguson sat up with a cry of joy.

“Prove that, Mr. Holmes, and I am your debtor forever.”
“I will do so, but in doing so I must wound you deeply in
another direction.”
“I care nothing so long as you clear my wife. Everything on
earth is insignificant compared to that.”
“Let me tell you, then, the train of reasoning which
passed through my mind in Baker Street. The idea of a vampire
was to me absurd. Such things do not happen in criminal prac-
tice in England. And yet your observation was precise. You had
seen the lady rise from beside the child’s cot with the blood upon
her lips.”
“I did.”
 dispense with — обходиться без; objection — воз-

ражение; call — вызов; swift — быстрый; surgery — хирурги-
ческая операция; ease — облегчить; ill-use — дурно обходиться
(с); prove — доказывать; debtor — должник; wound — ранить;
insignificant — неважный; compare to — сравнивать; the train
of reasoning — логическая цепочка; observation — наблюдение;
precise — точный
“Did it not occur to you that a bleeding wound may be

sucked for some other purpose than to draw the blood from
it? Was there not a queen in English history who sucked such a
wound to draw poison from it?”1
“Poison!”
“A South American household. My instinct felt the
presence of those weapons upon the wall before my eyes ever
saw them. It might have been other poison, but that was what
occurred to me. When I saw that little empty quiver beside
the small birdbow, it was just what I expected to see. If the
child were pricked with one of those arrows dipped in cu-
1 Имеется в виду Элеонора Кастильская (1241–1290), первая жена
Эдуарда I Длинноногого (1239–1307). Во время крестового похода король

был ранен ассасином, кинжал предположительно был отравлен. По одной
из версий, именно Элеонора высосала яд из раны.
192
rare1 or some other devilish drug, it would mean death if the

venom were not sucked out.
bleeding — кровоточащий; suck — (вы)сосать; pur-

pose — цель; draw — вытянуть; poison — яд; household —
утварь; presence — присутствие; empty — пустой; quiver —
колчан; birdbow — небольшой легкий лук; prick — колоть;
arrow — стрела; dip — окунать; drug — снадобье; mean — оз-
начать; venom — яд
If the child were pricked — в условных предложениях

глагол be во всех числах и лицах употребляется в форме were:
если бы ребенка укололи.
“And the dog! If one were to use such a poison, would

one not try it first in order to see that it had not lost its power?
I did not foresee the dog, but at least I understand him and he
fitted into my reconstruction.
“Now do you understand? Your wife feared such an attack.
She saw it made and saved the child’s life, and yet she shrank from
telling you all the truth, for she knew how you loved the boy and
feared lest it break your heart.”
“Jacky!”
“I watched him as you fondled the child just now. His face
was clearly reflected in the glass of the window where the shutter
formed a background. I saw such jealousy, such cruel hatred, as I
have seldom seen in a human face.”
“My Jacky!”
“You have to face it, Mr. Ferguson. It is the more painful
because it is a distorted love, a maniacal exaggerated love for
you, and possibly for his dead mother, which has prompted his
action. His very soul is consumed with hatred for this splendid
child, whose health and beauty are a contrast to his own weak-
ness.”
1 curare [kjʊˈrɑːri] — кураре. Общее название для нескольких раз-
новидностей южноамериканских ядов, которыми индейцы смазывают

кончики стрел и дротиков. Кураре вызывал паралич и последующую ас-
фиксию (удушье).
193
foresee — предвидеть; fit — подходить; shrank — прост.

прош. от shrink — увильнула; lest — как бы не; fondle — ласкать;
reflect — отражать(ся); background — фон; jealousy — ревность;
seldom — редко; face — признать (гл.); distorted — извращен-
ный; prompt — подсказать (гл.)
“Good God! It is incredible!”

“Have I spoken the truth, madame?”
The lady was sobbing, with her face buried in the pillows.
Now she turned to her husband.
“How could I tell you, Bob? I felt the blow it would be to
you. It was better that I should wait and that it should come from
some other lips than mine. When this gentleman, who seems to
have powers of magic, wrote that he knew all, I was glad.”
“I think a year at sea would be my prescription for Mas-
ter Jacky,” said Holmes, rising from his chair. “Only one thing is still
clouded, madame. We can quite understand your attacks upon
Master Jacky. There is a limit to a mother’s patience. But how did
you dare to leave the child these last two days?”
“I had told Mrs. Mason. She knew.”
“Exactly. So I imagined.”
Ferguson was standing by the bed, choking, his hands
outstretched and quivering.
incredible — невероятный; sob — всхлипывать; blow —

удар; come from — исходить (из); prescription — предписание;
clouded — не прояснено; limit — предел; dare — осмелиться;
choke — задыхаться; quiver — дрожать
“This, I fancy, is the time for our exit, Watson,” said Hol-
mes in a whisper. “If you will take one elbow of the too faithful
Dolores, I will take the other. There, now,” he added as he closed
the door behind him, “I think we may leave them to settle the
rest among themselves.”
I have only one further note of this case. It is the letter
which Holmes wrote in final answer to that with which the narra-
tive begins. It ran thus:
194
exit — выход, уход; whisper — шепот; elbow — локоть;

faithful — преданный; settle — улаживать; the rest — осталь-
ное; further — дальнейший; narrative — рассказ; thus — таким
образом
BAKER STREET,
Nov. 21st.
Re Vampires
SIR:
Referring to your letter of the 19th, I beg to state that I
have looked into the inquiry of your client, Mr. Robert Ferguson,
of Ferguson and Muirhead, tea brokers, of Mincing Lane, and that
the matter has been brought to a satisfactory conclusion. With
thanks for your recommendation, I am, sir,
Faithfully yours,
SHERLOCK HOLMES.
referring to — касательно; state — заявить, сообщить;

inquiry — расследование; satisfactory — удовлетворительный;
conclusion — завершение
The Adventure of the Three
Garridebs
It may have been a comedy, or it may have been a

tragedy. It cost one man his reason, it cost me a blood-letting,
and it cost yet another man the penalties of the law. Yet there
was certainly an element of comedy. Well, you shall judge for
yourselves.
I remember the date very well, for it was in the same
month that Holmes refused a knighthood for services which
may perhaps some day be described. I only refer to the matter in
passing, for in my position of partner and confidant I am obliged
to be particularly careful to avoid any indiscretion. I repeat, how-
ever, that this enables me to fix the date, which was the latter end
of June, 1902, shortly after the conclusion of the South African
War1. Holmes had spent several days in bed, as was his habit from
time to time, but he emerged that morning with a long foolscap2
document in his hand and a twinkle of amusement in his austere
gray eyes.
austere [ɔːˈstɪə]
cost — стоить; reason — рассудок; blood-letting —

кровопускание; penalty — наказание; judge — судить (гл.);
same — тот (же) самый; refuse — отказывать(ся); knight-
hood — рыцарское звание; service — услуга; refer to — со-
слаться на; in passing — мельком; confidant — доверенное
лицо; be obliged — должен; avoid — избегать; indiscretion —
несдержанность; enable — давать возможность; conclusion —
1 South African War — вторая англо-бурская война (1899–1902), в ко-

торой Великобритания одержала победу над бурскими республиками
Трансвааль и Оранжевая. Считается первой войной «нового образца»,
в которой были применены тактика выжженной земли и концентрацион-
ные лагеря, а также новые виды оружия (пулеметы) и снаряжения (форма
цвета хаки и колючая проволока).
2 foolscap [ˈfuːlsˌkæp] — бумага большого формата: 432343 мм.
196
The Adventure of the Three Garridebs
окончание; habit — привычка; from time to time — время

от времени; emerge — появляться; twinkle — огонек, искорка;
amusement — веселье; austere — серьезный
may have been — модальный глагол may указывает на

не очень высокую степень вероятности события и переводится
словами «может быть», «возможно» и т.д.; перфектная форма
have been указывает на то, что фраза относится к событиям
прошлого: возможно, это была…
“There is a chance for you to make some money, friend

Watson,” said he. “Have you ever heard the name of Garrideb?”
I admitted that I had not.
“Well, if you can lay your hand upon a Garrideb, there’s
money in it.”
“Why?”
“Ah, that’s a long story — rather a whimsical one, too.
I don’t think in all our explorations of human complexities we
have ever come upon anything more singular. The fellow will be
here presently for cross-examination, so I won’t open the matter
up till he comes. But, meanwhile, that’s the name we want.”
The telephone directory lay on the table beside me, and
I turned over the pages in a rather hopeless quest. But to my
amazement there was this strange name in its due place. I gave
a cry of triumph.
whimsical [ˈwɪmzɪkəl]
admit — признавать; lay hand (up)on — зд.: найти;

whimsical — забавный; explorations — расследования; com-
plexity — затруднение; singular — выдающийся; cross-exami-
nation — допрос; meanwhile — тем временем; quest — поиски;
amazement — изумление; due — положенный
gave a cry — конструкция give + существительное

используется для выражения однократного действия: give a
smile — улыбнуться, give a cry — вскрикнуть.
197
“Here you are, Holmes! Here it is!”

Holmes took the book from my hand.
“‘Garrideb, N.,’” he read, “‘136 Little Ryder Street, W.1’ Sorry
to disappoint you, my dear Watson, but this is the man himself.
That is the address upon his letter. We want another to match
him.”
Mrs. Hudson had come in with a card upon a tray. I took
it up and glanced at it.
“Why, here it is!” I cried in amazement. “This is a different
initial. John Garrideb, Counsellor at Law,2 Moorville, Kansas, U. S. A.”
disappoint — разочаровывать; match — зд.: «в пару»;

tray — поднос
Here you are, Here it is — эти высказывания использу-

ются, когда получен некий результат: что-то нашли, принесли,
закончили и т.д. Переводятся словами «ну вот!», «готово», «вот
оно» и т.д.
Holmes smiled as he looked at the card. “I am afraid you

must make yet another effort, Watson,” said he. “This gentleman
is also in the plot already, though I certainly did not expect to see
him this morning. However, he is in a position to tell us a good
deal which I want to know.”
A moment later he was in the room. Mr. John Garrideb,
Counsellor at Law, was a short, powerful man with the round,
fresh, clean-shaven face characteristic of so many American men
of affairs. The general effect was chubby and rather childlike, so
that one received the impression of quite a young man with a
broad set smile upon his face. His eyes, however, were arresting.
Seldom in any human head have I seen a pair which bespoke a
more intense inward life, so bright were they, so alert, so respon-
sive to every change of thought. His accent was American, but
was not accompanied by any eccentricity of speech.
1 W = W (Western and Paddington), postcode area.

2 Counsellor at Law — американский термин обозначающий того, кого
в Великобритании называют «барристер» — адвокат, имеющий право вы-
ступать на судебных процессах.
198
effort — усилие; plot — зд.: дело; though — хотя; in po-

sition — в состоянии; a good deal — много(е); shaven — 3-я
форма гл. shave — выбритый; men of affairs — деловые люди;
chubby — пухлый; receive — получать; set — застывший; ar-
resting — зд.: примечательный; bespoke — прост. прош. от be-
speak — свидетельствовать о; alert — настороженный; respon-
sive to — отвечающий на
“Mr. Holmes?” he asked, glancing from one to the other.

“Ah, yes! Your pictures are not unlike you, sir, if I may say so. I be-
lieve you have had a letter from my namesake, Mr. Nathan Gar-
rideb, have you not?”
“Pray sit down,” said Sherlock Holmes. “We shall, I fancy,
have a good deal to discuss.” He took up his sheets of foolscap.
“You are, of course, the Mr. John Garrideb mentioned in this
document. But surely you have been in England some time?”
“Why do you say that, Mr. Holmes?” I seemed to read sud-
den suspicion in those expressive eyes.
“Your whole outfit is English.”
glance — смотреть; namesake — однофамилец; pray —

пожалуйста (уст.); sheet — листок; mention — упоминать; sus-
picion — подозрение; outfit — костюм
the Mr. John Garrideb — определенный артикль перед

именем используется в значении «тот самый»: тот самый Джон
Гарридеб.
Mr. Garrideb forced a laugh. “I’ve read of your tricks,

Mr. Holmes, but I never thought I would be the subject of them.
Where do you read that?”
“The shoulder cut of your coat, the toes of your boots —
could anyone doubt it?”
“Well, well, I had no idea I was so obvious a Britisher.
But business brought me over here some time ago, and so, as
you say, my outfit is nearly all London. However, I guess your
time is of value, and we did not meet to talk about the cut of
199
my socks. What about getting down to that paper you hold in

your hand?”
Holmes had in some way ruffled our visitor, whose chub-
by face had assumed a far less amiable expression.
toes [təʊz] amiable [ˈeɪmiəbl]
shoulder — плечо; cut — покрой; coat — пиджак; toe —

носок ботинка; doubt — сомнение; obvious — очевидный; val-
ue — ценность; sock — носок;  get down to — приступать;
ruffle — вывести из равновесия; amiable — дружелюбный
forced a laugh — глагол force указывает на то, что дей-

ствие потребовало усилий: выдавил из себя смех.
shoulder cut — в конструкциях существительное + су-
ществительное главным всегда будет последнее; остальные —
его определения: покрой плеча.
“Patience! Patience, Mr. Garrideb!” said my friend in a

soothing voice. “Dr. Watson would tell you that these little di-
gressions of mine sometimes prove in the end to have some
bearing on the matter. But why did Mr. Nathan Garrideb not
come with you?”
“Why did he ever drag you into it at all?” asked our visitor
with a sudden outflame of anger. “What in thunder had you to
do with it? Here was a bit of professional business between two
gentlemen, and one of them must needs call in a detective! I saw
him this morning, and he told me this fool-trick he had played
me, and that’s why I am here. But I feel bad about it, all the same.”
digressions [daɪˈɡreʃnz]
patience — терпение; soothe — успокаивать; digres-

sion — отвлечение; in the end — в конце концов; have
bearing on — оказывать влияние;  drag into — втягивать;
outflame — вспышка; have to do with — иметь отношение к;
must needs — должен; fool-trick — дурацкая шутка
200
What in thunder — в вопросительных предложениях

могут использоваться усиления (on earth, in thunder), которые
переводятся по контексту; зд.: какого черта.
feel bad — словосочетание feel bad указывает на душев-
ный дискомфорт. Когда речь идет о здоровье, чаще используют-
ся ill или unwell.
“There was no reflection upon you, Mr. Garrideb. It was

simply zeal upon his part to gain your end — an end which is,
I understand, equally vital for both of you. He knew that I had
means of getting information, and, therefore, it was very natural
that he should apply to me.”
Our visitor’s angry face gradually cleared.
“Well, that puts it different,” said he. “When I went to see
him this morning and he told me he had sent to a detective, I just
asked for your address and came right away. I don’t want police
butting into a private matter. But if you are content just to help
us find the man, there can be no harm in that.”
be reflection upon — указывать на промахи; zeal —

стремление; gain one’s end — добиться цели; vital — важный;
means — средства; therefore — следовательно; apply — обра-
титься; gradually — постепенно; that puts it different — это
меняет дело;  butt into — встревать; be content — удовлет-
вориться
“Well, that is just how it stands,” said Holmes. “And now,

sir, since you are here, we had best have a clear account from
your own lips. My friend here knows nothing of the details.”
Mr. Garrideb surveyed me with not too friendly a gaze.
“Need he know?” he asked.
“We usually work together.”
“Well, there’s no reason it should be kept a secret. I’ll give
you the facts as short as I can make them. If you came from Kansas
I would not need to explain to you who Alexander Hamilton Gar-
rideb was. He made his money in real estate, and afterwards in
the wheat pit at Chicago, but he spent it in buying up as much
201
land as would make one of your counties, lying along the Arkan-
sas River, west of Fort Dodge. It’s grazing-land and lumber-land
and arable-land and mineralized-land, and just every sort of land
that brings dollars to the man that owns it.
Chicago [ʃɪˈkɑːgəʊ]
how it stands — как обстоят дела; since — так как; sur-

vey — оглядывать (гл.); explain — объяснять; real estate — не-
движимость; afterwards — затем; wheat pit — зд.: пшеничное
поле;  buy up — скупать; county — графство; grazing-land —
пастбище; lumber-land — вырубка; arable-land — поле (для зер-
новых культур); own — владеть (гл.)
we had best have a clear account — конструкция ме-

стоимение + ’d rather/better означает мягкую рекомендацию;
best (лучше всего) делает ее более настоятельной: нам лучше
услышать внятный рассказ.
“He had no kith nor kin — or, if he had, I never heard

of it. But he took a kind of pride in the queerness of his name.
That was what brought us together. I was in the law at Topeka1,
and one day I had a visit from the old man, and he was tickled
to death to meet another man with his own name. It was his pet
fad, and he was dead set to find out if there were any more Gar-
ridebs in the world. ‘Find me another!’ said he. I told him I was a
busy man and could not spend my life hiking round the world
in search of Garridebs. ‘None the less,’ said he, ‘that is just what
you will do if things pan out as I planned them.’ I thought he was
joking, but there was a powerful lot of meaning in the words, as
I was soon to discover.
kith and kin — семья, близкие; pride — гордость;

queerness — странность; brought together — прост. прош. от
bring — свело; tickle — зд.: радовать; to death — до смерти;
pet fad — «конек», фетиш;  find out — выяснить; hike — зд.:
1 Topeka [təˈpiːkə] — Топека. Столица американского штата Канзас.
202
рыскать; in search of — в поисках; none the less — тем не

менее;  pan out — складываться (о событиях); meaning — зна-
чение; discover — обнаружить
was dead set — прилагательное dead используется для

эмоционального усиления и переводится словами «полностью,
абсолютно»: полон решимости.
“For he died within a year of saying them, and he left

a will behind him. It was the queerest will that has ever been
filed in the State of Kansas. His property was divided into three
parts and I was to have one on condition that I found two Gar-
ridebs who would share the remainder. It’s five million dollars
for each if it is a cent, but we can’t lay a finger on it until we all
three stand in a row.
“It was so big a chance that I just let my legal practice
slide and I set forth looking for Garridebs. There is not one in the
United States. I went through it, sir, with a fine-toothed comb and
never a Garrideb could I catch. Then I tried the old country. Sure
enough there was the name in the London telephone directory.
I went after him two days ago and explained the whole matter
to him. But he is a lone man, like myself, with some women rela-
tions, but no men. It says three adult men in the will. So you see
we still have a vacancy, and if you can help to fill it we will be very
ready to pay your charges.”
for — так как; within — в течение; will — завещание

(гл.); file — зд.: оглашать; property — собственность; on condi-
tion — при условии; share — разделить; remainder — остаток;
lay a finger on — прикоснуться; in a row — в ряд; slide — ка-
титься по наклонной;  set forth — отправляться; fine-toothed
comb — частый гребень; the old country — Великобритания;
directory — справочник (с адресами и телефонами);  went af-
ter — прост. прош. от go — отправился за; lone — одинокий;
relation — родственник; adult — взрослый; charge — гонорар
let my legal practice slide — словосочетание let smth

do smth означает «позволить чему-л. произойти»: я позволил
своей юридической практике сойти на нет.
203
sure enough — в конце предложения enough использу-

ется, чтобы указать на высокую интенсивность чего-л.: вполне
уверен.
“Well, Watson,” said Holmes with a smile, “I said it was

rather whimsical, did I not? I should have thought, sir, that your
obvious way was to advertise in the agony columns of the
papers.”
“I have done that, Mr. Holmes. No replies.”
“Dear me! Well, it is certainly a most curious little prob-
lem. I may take a glance at it in my leisure. By the way, it is cu-
rious that you should have come from Topeka. I used to have a
correspondent — he is dead now — old Dr. Lysander Starr, who
was mayor in 1890.”
“Good old Dr. Starr!” said our visitor. “His name is still hon-
oured. Well, Mr. Holmes, I suppose all we can do is to report to
you and let you know how we progress. I reckon you will hear
within a day or two.” With this assurance our American bowed
and departed.
Holmes had lit his pipe, and he sat for some time with a
curious smile upon his face.
“Well?” I asked at last.
“I am wondering, Watson — just wondering!”
“At what?”
Holmes took his pipe from his lips.
obvious — очевидный; advertise — дать объявление;

agony column — колонка в газете, в которую читатели обра-
щаются за советом или в поисках людей; reply — ответ; dear
me! — Боже мой!; leisure — свободное время; by the way —
кстати; mayor — мэр; honour — почитать (гл.); report — от-
читываться; progress — продвигаться (гл.); reckon — думать,
полагать; assurance — заверение; bow — кивать (гл.); depart —
отбывать; lit — 3-я форма гл. light — зажег; wonder — удив-
ляться (гл.)
a most curious little problem — неопределенный ар-

тикль перед превосходной степенью прилагательного указыва-
204
ет на то, что это не сравнение, а характеристика: очень любо-

пытный случай.
take a glance — конструкция take/have + существитель-
ное описывает однократное действие: взгляну.
“I was wondering, Watson, what on earth could be the

object of this man in telling us such a rigmarole of lies. I nearly
asked him so — for there are times when a brutal frontal attack
is the best policy — but I judged it better to let him think he
had fooled us. Here is a man with an English coat frayed at the
elbow and trousers bagged at the knee with a year’s wear, and
yet by this document and by his own account he is a provincial
American lately landed in London. There have been no adver-
tisements in the agony columns. You know that I miss nothing
there. They are my favourite covert for putting up a bird, and
I would never have overlooked such a cock pheasant as that.
I never knew a Dr. Lysander Starr, of Topeka. Touch him where
you would he was false. I think the fellow is really an American,
but he has worn his accent smooth with years of London. What is
his game, then, and what motive lies behind this preposterous
search for Garridebs? It’s worth our attention, for, granting that
the man is a rascal, he is certainly a complex and ingenious one.
We must now find out if our other correspondent is a fraud also.
Just ring him up, Watson.”
rigmarole [ˈrɪɡmərəʊl]
object — цель; rigmarole — длинная запутанная

история; brutal — жестокий; frontal attack — лобовая атака;
judge — рассудить; fool — дурачить; fray — протираться; el-
bow — локоть; bag — вытягиваться (гл.); knee — колено; land —
высаживаться; advertisement — объявление; covert — секрет;
 put up — разместить (объявление); overlook — проглядеть;
cock pheasant — самец фазана; worn — прост. прош. от wear —
износил; preposterous — глупейший; be worth — быть достой-
ным; grant — признавать; rascal — негодяй; ingenious — неза-
урядный; fraud — мошенник; ring up — звонить по телефону
205
I did so, and heard a thin, quavering voice at the other

end of the line.
“Yes, yes, I am Mr. Nathan Garrideb. Is Mr. Holmes there? I
should very much like to have a word with Mr. Holmes.”
My friend took the instrument and I heard the usual syn-
copated dialogue.
“Yes, he has been here. I understand that you don’t
know him.... How long? ... Only two days! ... Yes, yes, of course, it
is a most captivating prospect. Will you be at home this even-
ing? I suppose your namesake will not be there?.. Very good, we
will come then, for I would rather have a chat without him... Dr.
Watson will come with me... I understand from your note that
you did not go out often... Well, we shall be round about six.
You need not mention it to the American lawyer... Very good.
Good-bye!”
quavering — дрожащий; syncopated — сбивчивый; cap-

tivating — захватывающий; prospect — перспектива
It was twilight of a lovely spring evening, and even Lit-

tle Ryder Street, one of the smaller offshoots from the Edgware
Road, within a stone-cast of old Tyburn Tree1 of evil memory,
looked golden and wonderful in the slanting rays of the set-
ting sun. The particular house to which we were directed was
a large, old-fashioned, Early Georgian edifice, with a flat brick
face broken only by two deep bay windows2 on the ground
floor. It was on this ground floor that our client lived, and,
indeed, the low windows proved to be the front of the huge
room in which he spent his waking hours. Holmes pointed
as we passed to the small brass plate which bore the curious
name.
1 Tyburn Tree — наименование огромной трехногой виселицы, воз-
двигнутой в 1571 г. Местечко Tyburn в Лондоне было местом проведения
казней с 1196 по 1783 г. В настоящее время на этом месте (точнее, совсем
рядом) воздвигнута Мраморная арка (Marble Arch). О прошлом этого ме-
ста напоминают 2 латунные таблички, в форме треугольника, вмонтиро-
ванные в мостовую.
2 bay window — эркер, выступающая из стены застекленная часть зда-
ния.
206
“Up some years, Watson,” he remarked, indicating its dis-

coloured surface. “It’s his real name, anyhow, and that is some-
thing to note.”
edifice [ˈedɪfɪs]
twilight — сумерки; offshoot — ответвление; slanting —

косой; ray — луч; setting — заходящий; brick — кирпичный;
face — фасад; prove to be — оказываться; waking hours — часы
бодрствования; point — указать; brass — медный, латунный;
plate — табличка; bore — прост. прош. от bear — несла (зд.: на
себе); up some years — зд.: ей несколько лет; discoloured — вы-
цветший; surface — поверхность
It was on this ground floor that our client lived — уси-

лительная конструкция it is… that обычно переводится словом
«именно»: наш клиент жил именно на первом этаже.
The house had a common stair, and there were a num-

ber of names painted in the hall, some indicating offices and
some private chambers. It was not a collection of residential
flats, but rather the abode of Bohemian bachelors. Our client
opened the door for us himself and apologized by saying that
the woman in charge left at four o’clock. Mr. Nathan Garrideb
proved to be a very tall, loose-jointed, round-backed person,
gaunt and bald, some sixty-odd years of age. He had a cadav-
erous face, with the dull dead skin of a man to whom exercise
was unknown. Large round spectacles and a small projecting
goat’s beard combined with his stooping attitude to give him
an expression of peering curiosity. The general effect, however,
was amiable, though eccentric.
stair — лестница; a number of — некоторое число; in-

dicate — указывать; chambers — покои; residential — жилой;
abode — дом; bachelor — холостяк; loose-jointed — разбол-
танный в суставах; round-backed — сутулый; gaunt — тощий;
bald — лысый; odd — с хвостиком; cadaverous — истощенный;
dull — тусклый; projecting — выступающий; stoop — сутулить-
ся; peering — пытливый
207
The room was as curious as its occupant. It looked like

a small museum. It was both broad and deep, with cupboards
and cabinets all round, crowded with specimens, geological
and anatomical. Cases of butterflies and moths flanked each
side of the entrance. A large table in the centre was littered with
all sorts of debris, while the tall brass tube of a powerful micro-
scope bristled up among them. As I glanced round I was sur-
prised at the universality of the man’s interests. Here was a case
of ancient coins. There was a cabinet of flint instruments. Behind
his central table was a large cupboard of fossil bones. Above
was a line of plaster skulls with such names as “Neanderthal,”1
“Heidelberg,”2 “Cro-Magnon”3 printed beneath them. It was clear
that he was a student of many subjects. As he stood in front of
us now, he held a piece of chamois leather in his right hand with
which he was polishing a coin.
cupboard [ˈkʌbəd] chamois [ˈʃæmwɑː]
cupboard — комод; cabinet — шкаф; crowded — перегру-

женный; specimen — образец; case — зд.: витрина; moth — мо-
тылек; litter — сорить; debris — осколки, обломки; tube — труб-
ка; flint — кремневый; fossil — ископаемый; plaster — гипсовый;
skull — череп; chamois — замшевый
“Syracusan — of the best period,” he explained, hold-

ing it up. “They degenerated greatly towards the end. At their
best I hold them supreme, though some prefer the Alexan-
drian school. You will find a chair here, Mr. Holmes. Pray allow
1 Neanderthal — неандерталец, или homo neanderthalensis. Древний
вид человека, получившего свое название в честь ущелья Неандерталь,

где в 1856 г. был обнаружен череп неандертальца.
2 Heidelberg — гейдельбергский человек. Считается европейской раз-
новидностью homo erectus (человека прямоходящего). Название получено

в честь находки, сделанной в 1907 г. близ города Гейдельберг.
3 Cro-Magnon — кроманьонец (Homme de Cro-Magnon). Древний вид
человека. Название получил в честь грота Кроманьон, где в 1868 г. было

обнаружено несколько скелетов.
208
me to clear these bones. And you, sir — ah, yes, Dr. Watson —
if you would have the goodness to put the Japanese vase to
one side. You see round me my little interests in life. My doctor
lectures me about never going out, but why should I go out
when I have so much to hold me here? I can assure you that the
adequate cataloguing of one of those cabinets would take me
three good months.”
at their best — зд.: лучшие образцы; hold su-

preme — считать лучшими, отдавать первенство; if you would
have the goodness — если вы будете так добры
Holmes looked round him with curiosity.

“But do you tell me that you never go out?” he said.
“Now and again I drive down to Sotheby’s or Christie’s.
Otherwise I very seldom leave my room. I am not too strong,
and my researches are very absorbing. But you can imagine,
Mr. Holmes, what a terrific shock — pleasant but terrific — it
was for me when I heard of this unparalleled good fortune.
It only needs one more Garrideb to complete the matter, and
surely we can find one. I had a brother, but he is dead, and fe-
male relatives are disqualified. But there must surely be others
in the world. I had heard that you handled strange cases, and
that was why I sent to you. Of course, this American gentle-
man is quite right, and I should have taken his advice first, but
I acted for the best.”
now and again — время от времени; research — иссле-

дование; absorbing — всепоглощающий; unparalleled — беспре-
цедентный; disqualified — зд.: не в счет; handle — иметь дело;
advice — совет; for the best — из лучших побуждений
“I think you acted very wisely indeed,” said Holmes. “But
are you really anxious to acquire an estate in America?”
“Certainly not, sir. Nothing would induce me to leave my
collection. But this gentleman has assured me that he will buy
me out as soon as we have established our claim. Five million
209
dollars was the sum named. There are a dozen specimens in the
market at the present moment which fill gaps in my collection,
and which I am unable to purchase for want of a few hundred
pounds. Just think what I could do with five million dollars. Why,
I have the nucleus of a national collection. I shall be the Hans
Sloane1 of my age.”
be anxious (to do) — стремиться; acquire — получить;

induce — побудить; buy out — выкупить (долю); claim — требо-
вание, предъявление прав; fill gaps — заполнять пробелы; pur-
chase — купить; want — нехватка (сущ.); nucleus — ядро; age —
зд.: век, время
His eyes gleamed behind his great spectacles. It was

very clear that no pains would be spared by Mr. Nathan Garrideb
in finding a namesake.
“I merely called to make your acquaintance, and there
is no reason why I should interrupt your studies,” said Holmes.
“I prefer to establish personal touch with those with whom I do
business. There are few questions I need ask, for I have your very
clear narrative in my pocket, and I filled up the blanks when this
American gentleman called. I understand that up to this week
you were unaware of his existence.”
“That is so. He called last Tuesday.”
gleam — блестеть; pains — усилия; spare — жалеть;

merely — только; make acquaintance — знакомиться; in-
terrupt — прерывать; touch — контакт; narrative — рассказ;
blank — пробел; existence — существование
“Did he tell you of our interview to-day?”

“Yes, he came straight back to me. He had been very
angry.”
“Why should he be angry?”
1 Sloane, Hans, 1st Baronet (1660–1753) — сэр Ганс Слоан. Ирландский
врач и коллекционер. На основе его коллекции в 1753 г. был создан Бри-

танский музей.
210
“He seemed to think it was some reflection on his

honour. But he was quite cheerful again when he returned.”
“Did he suggest any course of action?”
“No, sir, he did not.”
straight — прямо; reflection — зд.: сомнения
He seemed to think it was some reflection on his

honour. — Глагол seem часто используется для выражения не-
уверенности, предположения: по-видимому, он думал, что я
усомнился в его честности.
“Has he had, or asked for, any money from you?”

“No, sir, never!”
“You see no possible object he has in view?”
“None, except what he states.”
“Did you tell him of our telephone appointment?”
“Yes, sir, I did.”
Holmes was lost in thought. I could see that he was puz-
zled.
“Have you any articles of great value in your collection?”
“No, sir. I am not a rich man. It is a good collection, but not
a very valuable one.”
“You have no fear of burglars?”
“Not the least.”
“How long have you been in these rooms?”
“Nearly five years.”
Holmes’s cross-examination was interrupted by an
imperative knocking at the door. No sooner had our client un-
latched it than the American lawyer burst excitedly into the
room.
object — цель; have in view — иметь в виду; article —

предмет; value — ценность; burglar — взломщик; not the
least — ни в малейшей степени; cross-examination — допрос;
unlatch — отпирать; burst — врываться
211
“Here you are!” he cried, waving a paper over his head.

“I thought I should be in time to get you. Mr. Nathan Garrideb,
my congratulations! You are a rich man, sir. Our business is
happily finished and all is well. As to you, Mr. Holmes, we can
only say we are sorry if we have given you any useless trouble.”
He handed over the paper to our client, who stood star-
ing at a marked advertisement. Holmes and I leaned forward and
read it over his shoulder. This is how it ran:
HOWARD GARRIDEB
CONSTRUCTOR OF AGRICULTURAL MACHINERY
Binders, reapers, steam and hand plows, drills, harrows,
farmer’s carts, buckboards, and all other appliances.
Estimates for Artesian Wells
Apply Grosvenor Buildings, Aston
wave — махать; in time — вовремя; congratulation —

поздравление;  hand over — передавать; binder — сноповя-
залка; reaper — жатвенная машина; plow — плуг; drill — дрель;
harrow — борона; buckboard — открытая повозка; appliance —
приспособление
“Glorious!” gasped our host. “That makes our third man.”

“I had opened up inquiries in Birmingham,” said the
American, “and my agent there has sent me this advertisement
from a local paper. We must hustle and put the thing through. I
have written to this man and told him that you will see him in his
office to-morrow afternoon at four o’clock.”
“You want me to see him?”
“What do you say, Mr. Holmes? Don’t you think it would
be wiser? Here am I, a wandering American with a wonderful
tale. Why should he believe what I tell him? But you are a Brit-
isher with solid references, and he is bound to take notice of
what you say. I would go with you if you wished, but I have a very
busy day to-morrow, and I could always follow you if you are in
any trouble.”
Glorious! — отлично!; gasp — судорожно вздохнуть;

hustle — действовать быстро; put smth through — разведать;
212
wandering — бродячий; tale — сказка; references — рекоменда-

ции; be bound — быть обязанным; take notice — обращать
внимание
You want me to see him? — Устойчивое выражение

want smb do smth подразумевает приказ или просьбу сделать
что-л.: вы хотите, чтобы я с ним повидался?
“Well, I have not made such a journey for years.”

“It is nothing, Mr. Garrideb. I have figured out our con-
nections. You leave at twelve and should be there soon after
two. Then you can be back the same night. All you have to do
is to see this man, explain the matter, and get an affidavit of
his existence. By the Lord!” he added hotly, “considering I’ve
come all the way from the centre of America, it is surely little
enough if you go a hundred miles in order to put this matter
through.”
“Quite so,” said Holmes. “I think what this gentleman says
is very true.”
affidavit [ˌæfɪˈdeɪvɪt]
 figure out — рассчитать; connections — зд.: путь;

affidavit — аффидевит1
Mr. Nathan Garrideb shrugged his shoulders with a dis-

consolate air. “Well, if you insist I shall go,” said he. “It is certainly
hard for me to refuse you anything, considering the glory of
hope that you have brought into my life.”
“Then that is agreed,” said Holmes, “and no doubt you will
let me have a report as soon as you can.”
“I’ll see to that,” said the American. “Well,” he added look-
ing at his watch, “I’ll have to get on. I’ll call to-morrow, Mr. Na-
1 Аффидевит — письменное показание под присягой, заверенное

нотариусом (или другим юристом, имеющим соответствующие полно-
мочия).
213
than, and see you off to Birmingham. Coming my way, Mr. Hol-
mes? Well, then, good-bye, and we may have good news for you
to-morrow night.”
shrug — пожимать плечами; disconsolate — край-

не недовольный; air — оттенок; insist — настаивать; refuse —
отказать(ся); as soon as — как только; see — проследить, убе-
диться; watch — часы;  see off — провожать
I noticed that my friend’s face cleared when the Ameri-

can left the room, and the look of thoughtful perplexity had
vanished.
“I wish I could look over your collection, Mr. Garrideb,”
said he. “In my profession all sorts of odd knowledge comes use-
ful, and this room of yours is a storehouse of it.”
Our client shone with pleasure and his eyes gleamed
from behind his big glasses.
“I had always heard, sir, that you were a very intelli-
gent man,” said he. “I could take you round now if you have the
time.”
perplexity — озадаченность; vanish — исчезать; look

over — осмотреть; odd — зд.: неожиданный; storehouse — склад;
shone — прост. прош. от shine — засиял
“Unfortunately, I have not. But these specimens are

so well labelled and classified that they hardly need your per-
sonal explanation. If I should be able to look in to-morrow, I
presume that there would be no objection to my glancing
over them?”
“None at all. You are most welcome. The place will, of
course, be shut up, but Mrs. Saunders is in the basement up to
four o’clock and would let you in with her key.”
“Well, I happen to be clear to-morrow afternoon. If you
would say a word to Mrs. Saunders it would be quite in order. By
the way, who is your house-agent?”
Our client was amazed at the sudden question.
214
label — снабжать ярлыками; objection — возраже-

ние; shut up — закрывать; basement — цокольный этаж; in or-
der — в порядке; house-agent — зд.: агент, подыскавший жилье;
amaze — поражать
“Holloway and Steele, in the Edgware Road. But why?”

“I am a bit of an archaeologist myself when it comes
to houses,” said Holmes, laughing. “I was wondering if this was
Queen Anne or Georgian.”
“Georgian, beyond doubt.”
“Really. I should have thought a little earlier. However, it
is easily ascertained. Well, good-bye, Mr. Garrideb, and may you
have every success in your Birmingham journey.”
The house-agent’s was close by, but we found that it was
closed for the day, so we made our way back to Baker Street. It
was not till after dinner that Holmes reverted to the subject.
a bit of — немного; come to — заходить (о речи); be-

yond doubt — вне всяких сомнений; ascertain — убедиться; re-
vert to — возвращаться к (теме и т.д.)
I should have thought — модальный глагол should ис-

пользован здесь в значении рекомендации; перфектная форма
(have thought) говорит о том, что рекомендация несколько за-
поздала: мне следовало подумать.
“Our little problem draws to a close,” said he. “No doubt

you have outlined the solution in your own mind.”
“I can make neither head nor tail of it.”
“The head is surely clear enough and the tail we should
see to-morrow. Did you notice nothing curious about that adver-
tisement?”
“I saw that the word ‘plough’ was misspelt.”1
“Oh, you did notice that, did you? Come, Watson, you
improve all the time. Yes, it was bad English but good Ameri-
1 plough (брит.) = plow (амер.)
215
can. The printer had set it up as received. Then the buckboards.

That is American also. And artesian wells are commoner with
them than with us. It was a typical American advertisement, but
purporting to be from an English firm. What do you make of
that?”
purport [pəˈpɔːt]
draw to a close — близится к финалу; outline —

намечать; solution — решение; make head or tail of
smth — понять, разобраться; neither… nor — ни… ни; im-
prove — улучшать(ся); printer — типографский работник;
receive — получать; purport — претендовать, притворяться;
make of — делать вывод
misspelt — приставка mis- указывает на то, что нечто

было сделано неправильно: неверно написано.
“I can only suppose that this American lawyer put it in

himself. What his object was I fail to understand.”
“Well, there are alternative explanations. Anyhow, he
wanted to get this good old fossil up to Birmingham. That is very
clear. I might have told him that he was clearly going on a wild-
goose chase, but, on second thoughts, it seemed better to clear
the stage by letting him go. To-morrow, Watson — well, to-mor-
row will speak for itself.”
Holmes was up and out early. When he returned at lunch-
time I noticed that his face was very grave.
suppose — предполагать;  put in — разместить;

fail — не смочь; anyhow — в любом случае; fossil — ископаемое;
wild-goose chase — семь верст киселя хлебать; on second
thoughts — по размышлении; stage — сцена; grave — серьезный
“This is a more serious matter than I had expected, Wat-

son,” said he. “It is fair to tell you so, though I know it will only be
an additional reason to you for running your head into danger.
216
I should know my Watson by now. But there is danger, and you

should know it.”
“Well, it is not the first we have shared, Holmes. I hope it
may not be the last. What is the particular danger this time?”
“We are up against a very hard case. I have identified Mr.
John Garrideb, Counsellor at Law. He is none other than ‘Killer’ Ev-
ans, of sinister and murderous reputation.”
“I fear I am none the wiser.”
fair — честно; though — хотя; additional — дополни-

тельный; by now — к настоящему времени; share — (раз)де-
лить; particular — особый; be up — зд.: ввязываться; sinister —
зловещий
I am none the wiser — выражение none the wiser гово-

рит о том, что после объяснений все равно остались вопросы:
мне это ничего не прояснило.
“Ah, it is not part of your profession to carry about a

portable Newgate Calendar1 in your memory. I have been
down to see friend Lestrade at the Yard. There may be an occa-
sional want of imaginative intuition down there, but they lead
the world for thoroughness and method. I had an idea that we
might get on the track of our American friend in their records.
Sure enough, I found his chubby face smiling up at me from the
rogues’ portrait gallery. ‘James Winter, alias Morecroft, alias Kill-
er Evans,’ was the inscription below.” Holmes drew an envelope
from his pocket. “I scribbled down a few points from his dossier:
Aged forty-four. Native of Chicago. Known to have shot three
men in the States. Escaped from penitentiary through political
influence. Came to London in 1893. Shot a man over cards in
a night-club in the Waterloo Road in January, 1895. Man died,
but he was shown to have been the aggressor in the row.
Dead man was identified as Rodger Prescott, famous as forger
1 the Newgate Calendar — Ньюгейтский календарь. В середине XVIII в.
это был ежемесячный сборник отчетов о казнях, выпускаемый сотрудни-
ками тюрьмы Ньюгейт. К концу XVIII в. он вылился в 5-томное издание,
содержащее биографии знаменитых преступников.
217
and coiner in Chicago. Killer Evans released in 1901. Has been

under police supervision since, but so far as known has led
an honest life. Very dangerous man, usually carries arms and is
prepared to use them. That is our bird, Watson — a sporting
bird, as you must admit.”
penitentiary [ˌpenɪˈtenʃəri]
portable — переносной; occasional — случающийся

время от времени; want — нехватка; imaginative — изобрета-
тельный; thoroughness — дотошность; get on the track — на-
пасть на след; rogue — зд.: преступник; inscription — надпись;
scribble — нацарапать; native — уроженец (сущ.); penitentia-
ry — тюрьма строгого режима; forger — изготовитель подделок;
coiner — фальшивомонетчик; release — выпускать; supervi-
sion — наблюдение; since — с тех пор; sporting — зд.: достойный
противник; admit — признать
he was shown to have been the aggressor in the row —

в предложении использован страдательный залог, а перфек-
тная форма (have been) указывает на предшествующие собы-
тия. Слово row зд. использовано в значении «ссора, драка»;
не следует путать его с выражением in the row (в ряд, подряд).
“But what is his game?”

“Well, it begins to define itself. I have been to the house
agent’s. Our client, as he told us, has been there five years. It
was unlet for a year before then. The previous tenant was a
gentleman at large named Waldron. Waldron’s appearance was
well remembered at the office. He had suddenly vanished and
nothing more been heard of him. He was a tall, bearded man
with very dark features. Now, Prescott, the man whom Killer Ev-
ans had shot, was, according to Scotland Yard, a tall, dark man
with a beard. As a working hypothesis, I think we may take it that
Prescott, the American criminal, used to live in the very room
which our innocent friend now devotes to his museum. So at last
we get a link, you see.”
218
hypothesis [haɪˈpɒθəsɪs]
define — прояснять(ся); be unlet — освобождать (квар-

тиру); previous — предыдущий; tenant — жилец; vanish — ис-
чезать; bearded — бородатый; according to — в соответствии с;
innocent — зд.: ничего не подозревающий; link — связь
used to live — конструкция used to + глагол указывает

на привычное действие в прошлом; при переводе используют-
ся слова «обычно», «прежде» и т.д.: раньше жил.
“And the next link?”

“Well, we must go now and look for that.”
He took a revolver from the drawer and handed it to me.
“I have my old favourite with me. If our Wild West friend
tries to live up to his nickname, we must be ready for him. I’ll give
you an hour for a siesta, Watson, and then I think it will be time for
our Ryder Street adventure.”
 look for — искать; drawer — выдвижной ящик;

hand — передавать (гл.);  live up to — соответствовать (чему-
л.); nickname — прозвище
It was just four o’clock when we reached the curious

apartment of Nathan Garrideb. Mrs. Saunders, the caretaker,
was about to leave, but she had no hesitation in admitting us,
for the door shut with a spring lock, and Holmes promised to
see that all was safe before we left. Shortly afterwards the outer
door closed, her bonnet passed the bow window, and we knew
that we were alone in the lower floor of the house. Holmes made
a rapid examination of the premises. There was one cupboard in
a dark corner which stood out a little from the wall. It was behind
this that we eventually crouched while Holmes in a whisper out-
lined his intentions.
caretaker — домоправительница; be about to do —

собираться сделать что-л.; hesitation — колебание; spring
219
lock — пружинный замок; bonnet — шляпка; bow window —

эркер; premises — зд.: окрестности; crouch — скорчиться; out-
line — обрисовать
“He wanted to get our amiable friend out of his room —

that is very clear, and, as the collector never went out, it took
some planning to do it. The whole of this Garrideb invention
was apparently for no other end. I must say, Watson, that there is
a certain devilish ingenuity about it, even if the queer name of
the tenant did give him an opening which he could hardly have
expected. He wove his plot with remarkable cunning.
“But what did he want?”
amiable — любезный; invention — выдумка; end —

цель; ingenuity — изобретательность; opening — возможность;
wove — прост. прош. от weave — сплел; plot — заговор; cun-
ning — коварство (сущ.)
it took some planning — выражение it took smth озна-

чает «потребовало»: это потребовало целого плана.
“Well, that is what we are here to find out. It has noth-

ing whatever to do with our client, so far as I can read the situ-
ation. It is something connected with the man he murdered —
the man who may have been his confederate in crime. There
is some guilty secret in the room. That is how I read it. At first I
thought our friend might have something in his collection more
valuable than he knew — something worth the attention of a
big criminal. But the fact that Rodger Prescott of evil memory
inhabited these rooms points to some deeper reason. Well,
Watson, we can but possess our souls in patience and see
what the hour may bring.”
confederate [kənˈfedərət]
 find out — выяснять; have to do with — иметь от-

ношение к; so far as — насколько; connect with — объединять;
220
confederate — сообщник; inhabit — населять; possess one’s soul

in patience — набраться терпения
That hour was not long in striking. We crouched closer

in the shadow as we heard the outer door open and shut. Then
came the sharp, metallic snap of a key, and the American was
in the room. He closed the door softly behind him, took a sharp
glance around him to see that all was safe, threw off his over-
coat, and walked up to the central table with the brisk manner of
one who knows exactly what he has to do and how to do it. He
pushed the table to one side, tore up the square of carpet on
which it rested, rolled it completely back, and then, drawing a
jemmy from his inside pocket, he knelt down and worked vig-
orously upon the floor. Presently we heard the sound of sliding
boards, and an instant later a square had opened in the planks.
Killer Evans struck a match, lit a stump of candle, and vanished
from our view.
shadow — тень; sharp — резкий; snap — щелчок; took

glance around — прост. прош. от take — обвел взглядом;  threw
off — прост. прош. от throw — сбросил; overcoat — пальто; tore
up — прост. прош. от tear — вздернул; square — квадрат; rest —
покоиться; roll — скатывать; jemmy — отмычка; knelt — прост.
прош. от kneel — опустился на колени; vigorously — энергич-
но; slide — скользить, отъезжать; instant — мгновение; struck a
match — прост. прош. от strike — чиркнул спичкой; lit — прост.
прош. от — зажег; stump of candle — огарок
That hour was not long in striking. — The hour struck

соответствует русскому «час пробил»: этот час не замедлил
пробить.
Clearly our moment had come. Holmes touched my

wrist as a signal, and together we stole across to the open trap-
door. Gently as we moved, however, the old floor must have
creaked under our feet, for the head of our American, peering
anxiously round, emerged suddenly from the open space. His
221
face turned upon us with a glare of baffled rage, which gradu-

ally softened into a rather shamefaced grin as he realized that
two pistols were pointed at his head.
“Well, well!” said he coolly as he scrambled to the surface.
“I guess you have been one too many for me, Mr. Holmes. Saw
through my game, I suppose, and played me for a sucker from
the first. Well, sir, I hand it to you; you have me beat and—”
touch — коснуться; wrist — запястье; stole — прост.

прош. от steal — прокрались; trap-door — люк; creak — скри-
петь; peer — вглядываться; emerge — возникать; glare — недо-
брый взгляд; baffled — сбитый с толку; gradually — постепенно;
grin — ухмылка; scramble — карабкаться;  saw through —
прост. прош. от see — видели насквозь; play for a sucker — об-
вести вокруг пальца; from the first — с самого начала
Gently as we moved — инверсия и as обычно вводят

противопоставление во второй части предложения и на рус-
ский язык переводятся конструкцией «как бы ни»: как бы тихо
мы ни двигались.
you have been one too many for me — герой употребляет
выражение one too many (перебрать, выпить лишнего), имея в
виду, что Шерлок Холмс для него — слишком серьезный про-
тивник: вы — это было слишком для меня.
In an instant he had whisked out a revolver from his

breast and had fired two shots. I felt a sudden hot sear as if a
red-hot iron had been pressed to my thigh. There was a crash
as Holmes’s pistol came down on the man’s head. I had a vi-
sion of him sprawling upon the floor with blood running down
his face while Holmes rummaged him for weapons. Then my
friend’s wiry arms were round me, and he was leading me to
a chair.
“You’re not hurt, Watson? For God’s sake, say that you are
not hurt!”
shot — выстрел; felt — прост. прош. от feel — почувст-

вовал; sear — ожог; as if — как будто; red-hot — раскаленный;
thigh — бедро;  came down on — прост. прош. от come — об-
222
рушился на; had a vision of him = saw him (книжн.); rummage —

обыскать; wiry — сильный
whisked out — глагол whisk описывает быстрое дви-

жение и переводится по контексту: выхватил.
It was worth a wound — it was worth many wounds —

to know the depth of loyalty and love which lay behind that cold
mask. The clear, hard eyes were dimmed for a moment, and the
firm lips were shaking. For the one and only time I caught a
glimpse of a great heart as well as of a great brain. All my years of
humble but single-minded service culminated in that moment
of revelation.
“It’s nothing, Holmes. It’s a mere scratch.”
He had ripped up my trousers with his pocket-knife.
wound [wuːnd]
be worth — быть достойным; wound — рана (сущ.);

depth — глубина; dim — затуманиться; shake — дрожать;
caught a glimpse — прост. прош. от catch — мельком увидел;
single-minded — зд.: самоотверженный; revelation — откры-
тие; scratch — царапина;  rip up — разрывать; trousers —
брюки
“You are right,” he cried with an immense sigh of relief.

“It is quite superficial.” His face set like flint as he glared at our
prisoner, who was sitting up with a dazed face. “By the Lord, it
is as well for you. If you had killed Watson, you would not have
got out of this room alive. Now, sir, what have you to say for
yourself?”
He had nothing to say for himself. He only sat and scowled.
I leaned on Holmes’s arm, and together we looked down into the
small cellar which had been disclosed by the secret flap. It was
still illuminated by the candle which Evans had taken down with
him. Our eyes fell upon a mass of rusted machinery, great rolls of
223
paper, a litter of bottles, and, neatly arranged upon a small table,

a number of neat little bundles.
sigh — вздох; relief — облегчение; superficial — повер-

хностный; set like flint — застывший как кремень; dazed — оша-
рашенный; for yourself — зд.: в свою защиту; scowl — смотреть
угрюмо; lean on — опираться; cellar — погреб; flap — крышка;
rusted — ржавый; machinery — механизм; roll — свиток; lit-
ter — груда; neatly — аккуратно; arrange — зд.: складывать;
bundle — сверток
“A printing press — a counterfeiter’s outfit,” said Hol-

mes.
“Yes, sir,” said our prisoner, staggering slowly to his feet
and then sinking into the chair. “The greatest counterfeiter Lon-
don ever saw. That’s Prescott’s machine, and those bundles on the
table are two thousand of Prescott’s notes worth a hundred each
and fit to pass anywhere. Help yourselves, gentlemen. Call it a
deal and let me beat it.”
Holmes laughed.
“We don’t do things like that, Mr. Evans. There is no bolt-
hole for you in this country. You shot this man Prescott, did you
not?”
counterfeiter — фальшивомонетчик; outfit — снаряже-

ние; stagger — спотыкаться; sink — упасть; fit — годиться; help
yourself — угощайтесь; call it a deal — сойдемся на этом; beat
it — убраться прочь; bolthole — укромное место
“Yes, sir, and got five years for it, though it was he who
pulled on me. Five years — when I should have had a medal the
size of a soup plate. No living man could tell a Prescott from
a Bank of England, and if I hadn’t put him out he would have
flooded London with them. I was the only one in the world who
knew where he made them. Can you wonder that I wanted to get
to the place? And can you wonder that when I found this crazy
boob of a bug-hunter with the queer name squatting right on
the top of it, and never quitting his room, I had to do the best I
224
could to shift him? Maybe I would have been wiser if I had put
him away. It would have been easy enough, but I’m a soft-heart-
ed guy that can’t begin shooting unless the other man has a
gun also. But say, Mr. Holmes, what have I done wrong, anyhow?
I’ve not used this plant. I’ve not hurt this old stiff. Where do you
get me?”
though — хотя; size — размер; tell from — отличать от;

 put out — зд.: остановить; flood — наводнить; boob — недо-
разумение; bug-hunter — охотник за жуками; squat — незакон-
но вселиться; shift — подвинуть; put away — убить; shooting —
стрельба; unless — если только не; plant — зд.: устройство;
stiff — сухарь
tell a Prescott from a Bank of England — неопределен-

ный артикль означает, что имеется в виду продукция Прескот-
та и банка соответственно: отличить купюру Прескотта от ку-
пюры банка Англии.
“Only attempted murder, so far as I can see,” said Hol-

mes. “But that’s not our job. They take that at the next stage.
What we wanted at present was just your sweet self. Please give
the Yard a call, Watson. It won’t be entirely unexpected.”
So those were the facts about Killer Evans and his re-
markable invention of the three Garridebs. We heard later that
our poor old friend never got over the shock of his dissipated
dreams. When his castle in the air fell down, it buried him be-
neath the ruins. He was last heard of at a nursing-home in Brix-
ton. It was a glad day at the Yard when the Prescott outfit was
discovered, for, though they knew that it existed, they had never
been able, after the death of the man, to find out where it was.
Evans had indeed done great service and caused several worthy
C. I. D. men to sleep the sounder, for the counterfeiter stands
in a class by himself as a public danger. They would willingly
have subscribed to that soup-plate medal of which the criminal
had spoken, but an unappreciative bench took a less favourable
view, and the Killer returned to those shades from which he had
just emerged.
225
attempt — пытаться; invention — выдумка;  got

over — прост. прош. от get — оправился; dissipated — роскош-
ный; castle — замок; bury — похоронить; beneath — под; nurs-
ing-home — лечебница по уходу за больными и престарелыми;
cause — быть причиной; sounder — крепче; willingly — охотно;
subscribe — собирать средства по подписке; unappreciative —
неблагодарный; bench — суд
They take that at the next stage. — Местоимение they

указывает на полицейских: они подключатся на следующем
этапе.
The Problem of Thor Bridge
Somewhere in the vaults of the bank of Cox and Co., at

Charing Cross, there is a travel-worn and battered tin dispatch-
box with my name, John H. Watson, M. D.,1 Late Indian Army,
painted upon the lid. It is crammed with papers, nearly all of
which are records of cases to illustrate the curious problems which
Mr. Sherlock Holmes had at various times to examine. Some, and
not the least interesting, were complete failures, and as such will
hardly bear narrating, since no final explanation is forthcoming.
A problem without a solution may interest the student, but can
hardly fail to annoy the casual reader. Among these unfinished
tales is that of Mr. James Phillimore, who, stepping back into his
own house to get his umbrella, was never more seen in this world.
No less remarkable is that of the cutter Alicia, which sailed one
spring morning into a small patch of mist from where she never
again emerged, nor was anything further ever heard of herself
and her crew2. A third case worthy of note is that of Isadora Per-
sano, the well-known journalist and duellist, who was found stark
staring mad with a match box in front of him which contained
a remarkable worm said to be unknown to science. Apart from
these unfathomed cases, there are some which involve the se-
crets of private families to an extent which would mean conster-
nation in many exalted quarters if it were thought possible that
they might find their way into print. I need not say that such a
breach of confidence is unthinkable, and that these records will
be separated and destroyed now that my friend has time to turn
his energies to the matter. There remain a considerable residue of
cases of greater or less interest which I might have edited before
had I not feared to give the public a surfeit which might react
upon the reputation of the man whom above all others I revere.
In some I was myself concerned and can speak as an eye-witness,
1M.D. = Doctor of Medicine.

2 Говоря о кораблях и лодках, в английском языке используется ме-
стоимение she.
227
while in others I was either not present or played so small a part

that they could only be told as by a third person. The following
narrative is drawn from my own experience.
vault — сейф; travel-worn — потрепанный; battered —

обшарпанный; tin — жестяной; dispatchbox — ящик для доку-
ментов; late — зд.: отставной; lid — крышка; crammed — наби-
тый; examine — изучать; failure — провал; bear — выдерживать;
narrating — рассказ; forthcoming — грядущий; annoy — раз-
дражать; mist — туман; emerge — появляться; crew — экипаж;
stark — явно; stare — разглядывать; match box — спичечный
коробок; worm — червь; unfathomed — нераскрытый; extent —
степень; consternation — переполох; exalted — высший, важ-
ный; print — печать; breach — нарушение; confidence — дове-
рие; residue — остаток; surfeit — лишнее; above all — более
всего; revere — уважать, восхищаться; eye-witness — очевидец
they might find their way — глагол might указывает

на невысокую степень вероятности: если бы они все же нашли
способ.
had I not feared — инверсия используется вместо части-
цы if, чтобы ввести условие: если бы я не боялся.
It was a wild morning in October, and I observed as I was

dressing how the last remaining leaves were being whirled from
the solitary plane tree which graces the yard behind our house.
I descended to breakfast prepared to find my companion in de-
pressed spirits, for, like all great artists, he was easily impressed
by his surroundings. On the contrary, I found that he had nearly
finished his meal, and that his mood was particularly bright and
joyous, with that somewhat sinister cheerfulness which was
characteristic of his lighter moments.
joyous [ˈdʒɔɪəs]
remaining — оставшийся; whirl — кружить; solitary —

одинокий; plane tree — платан; grace — украшать (гл.); descend —
спускаться; depressed spirits — подавленное состояние; artist —
228
художник; surroundings — окружающая обстановка; on the

contrary — напротив; mood — настроение; joyous — радостный;
sinister — зловещий; cheerfulness — приподнятое настроение
“You have a case, Holmes?” I remarked.

“The faculty of deduction is certainly contagious, Wat-
son,” he answered. “It has enabled you to probe my secret. Yes,
I have a case. After a month of trivialities and stagnation the
wheels move once more.”
“Might I share it?”
“There is little to share, but we may discuss it when you
have consumed the two hard-boiled eggs with which our new
cook has favoured us. Their condition may not be unconnected
with the copy of the Family Herald1 which I observed yesterday
upon the hall-table. Even so trivial a matter as cooking an egg
demands an attention which is conscious of the passage of
time and incompatible with the love romance in that excellent
periodical.”
contagious [kənˈteɪdʒəs] conscious [ˈkɒnʃəs]

incompatible [ˌɪnkəmˈpætəbl]
faculty — способность; contagious — заразный; en-

able — дать возможность; probe — попытаться выяснить; stag-
nation — застой; wheel — колесо; share — разделить; consume —
проглотить; hard-boiled eggs — яйца вкрутую; cook — кухарка;
condition — состояние; demand — требовать; attention — вни-
мание; be conscious — осознавать; passage of time — течение
времени; incompatible — не соревнующийся
the wheels move once more — это образное выражение

означает «начать работать после долгого бездействия»: колеси-
ки снова завертелись.
when you have consumed — перфектная конструкция
(have consumed) указывает на то, что результат будет достигнут
в будущем: когда вы съедите.
1 Family Herald = The Family Herald: A Domestic Magazine of Useful
Information & Amusement (1843–1940) — еженедельное издание, сборник
рассказов.
229
may not be unconnected — в английском предложении

используется только одно отрицание; два — это уже усиление
утверждения: не может быть несвязанным = наверняка связано.
A quarter of an hour later the table had been cleared

and we were face to face. He had drawn a letter from his pocket.
“You have heard of Neil Gibson, the Gold King?” he said.
“You mean the American Senator?”
“Well, he was once Senator for some Western state, but
is better known as the greatest gold-mining magnate in the
world.”
“Yes, I know of him. He has surely lived in England for
some time. His name is very familiar.”
“Yes, he bought a considerable estate in Hampshire some
five years ago. Possibly you have already heard of the tragic end
of his wife?”
“Of course. I remember it now. That is why the name is
familiar. But I really know nothing of the details.”
quarter — четверть; drawn — 3-я форма гл. draw — вы-

тащил; once — когда-то; gold-mining — золотые рудники; famil-
iar — знакомый; estate — поместье
some five years ago — some часто используется, чтобы

выразить неуверенность в сообщаемой информации: пример-
но пять лет назад.
Holmes waved his hand towards some papers on a

chair. “I had no idea that the case was coming my way or I
should have had my extracts ready,” said he. “The fact is that
the problem, though exceedingly sensational, appeared to
present no difficulty. The interesting personality of the ac-
cused does not obscure the clearness of the evidence. That
was the view taken by the coroner’s1 jury and also in the
1 coroner [ˈkɒrənə] — коронер. Чиновник, выносящий решения по

случаям внезапной и/или насильственной смерти (в т.ч. в катастрофах),
выдающий свидетельства о смерти, занимающийся опознанием и т.д.
230
police-court1 proceedings. It is now referred to the Assizes2

at Winchester. I fear it is a thankless business. I can discover
facts, Watson, but I cannot change them. Unless some entirely
new and unexpected ones come to light I do not see what my
client can hope for.”
extract [ˈekstrækt] (сущ.)

present [prɪˈzent] (гл.)
present — представлять (гл.); personality — личность;

accused — обвиняемый; obscure — скрывать; evidence — улики;
jury — присяжные; proceeding — слушание; refer to — переда-
вать в; discover — обнаружить; unless — если только не
“Your client?”
“Ah, I forgot I had not told you. I am getting into your
involved habit, Watson, of telling a story backward. You had best
read this first.”
The letter which he handed to me, written in a bold, mas-
terful hand, ran as follows:
CLARIDGE’S HOTEL,
October 3rd.
DEAR MR. SHERLOCK HOLMES:
I can’t see the best woman God ever made go to her
death without doing all that is possible to save her. I can’t explain
things — I can’t even try to explain them, but I know beyond all
doubt that Miss Dunbar is innocent. You know the facts — who
doesn’t? It has been the gossip of the country. And never a voice
raised for her! It’s the damned injustice of it all that makes me
crazy. That woman has a heart that wouldn’t let her kill a fly. Well,
I’ll come at eleven to-morrow and see if you can get some ray of
light in the dark. Maybe I have a clue and don’t know it. Anyhow,
1 police-court (magistrate court) — суды низшей ступени в Англии и

Уэльсе. Дела рассматриваются мировыми судьями и местным судьей.
2 Assisez [əˈsʌɪz] — ассизы. Заседания суда Королевской скамьи в
Англии и Уэльсе. Периодически собирались для рассмотрения дел, глав-
ным образом уголовных.
231
all I know and all I have and all I am are for your use if only you can
save her. If ever in your life you showed your powers, put them
now into this case.
Yours faithfully,
J. NEIL GIBSON.
 get into — начинать; habit — привычка; backward —

в обратном направлении; bold — уверенный; as follows — следу-
ющее (о подробностях чего-л.); beyond all doubt — вне всяких
сомнений; innocent — невиновный; gossip — сплетни; injus-
tice — несправедливость; fly — муха; ray — луч; clue — ключ к
разгадке; anyhow — в любом случае
“There you have it,” said Sherlock Holmes, knocking out

the ashes of his after-breakfast pipe and slowly refilling it. “That
is the gentleman I await. As to the story, you have hardly time to
master all these papers, so I must give it to you in a nutshell if
you are to take an intelligent interest in the proceedings. This
man is the greatest financial power in the world, and a man, as I
understand, of most violent and formidable character. He married
a wife, the victim of this tragedy, of whom I know nothing save
that she was past her prime, which was the more unfortunate
as a very attractive governess superintended the education of
two young children. These are the three people concerned, and
the scene is a grand old manor house, the centre of a historical
English state. Then as to the tragedy. The wife was found in the
grounds nearly half a mile from the house, late at night, clad in
her dinner dress, with a shawl over her shoulders and a revolver
bullet through her brain. No weapon was found near her and
there was no local clue as to the murder. No weapon near her,
Watson — mark that! The crime seems to have been committed
late in the evening, and the body was found by a gamekeeper
about eleven o’clock, when it was examined by the police and
by a doctor before being carried up to the house. Is this too con-
densed, or can you follow it clearly?”
 knock out — выбивать; ashes — пепел; pipe — трубка;

await — ожидать (уст.); master — освоить (гл.); in a nutshell —
232
в двух словах; victim — жертва; unfortunate — неудачный; at-

tractive — привлекательный; concerned — задействованный;
manor house — усадьба; grounds — территория (усадьбы);
clad in — одетый в; dinner dress — вечернее платье; weapon —
оружие; mark that — обратите внимание; gamekeeper — егерь;
condensed — насыщенный
refilling it — приставка re- указывает на повтор дейст-

вия: набивая ее снова.
if you are to take an intelligent interest — модаль-
ный глагол be to используется в значении мягкой рекомен-
дации, особенно когда необходимость действия определяется
внешними обстоятельствами: если вам нужно вникнуть осоз-
нанно.
past her prime — устойчивое выражение in one’s prime
означает «в расцвете лет/сил»; past one’s prime — это антоним:
увядающая.
“It is all very clear. But why suspect the governess?”

“Well, in the first place there is some very direct evidence.
A revolver with one discharged chamber and a calibre which cor-
responded with the bullet was found on the floor of her ward-
robe.” His eyes fixed and he repeated in broken words, “On —
the — floor — of — her — wardrobe.” Then he sank into silence,
and I saw that some train of thought had been set moving which
I should be foolish to interrupt. Suddenly with a start he emerged
into brisk life once more. “Yes, Watson, it was found. Pretty damn-
ing, eh? So the two juries thought. Then the dead woman had a
note upon her making an appointment at that very place and
signed by the governess. How’s that? Finally there is the motive.
Senator Gibson is an attractive person. If his wife dies, who more
likely to succeed her than the young lady who had already by
all accounts received pressing attentions from her employer?
Love, fortune, power, all depending upon one middle-aged life.
Ugly, Watson — very ugly!”
discharged chamber — пустое «гнездо» (камора в бара-

бане револьвера); wardrobe — гардероб; sank — прост. прош.
233
от sink — погрузился; train of thought — работа мысли; with

a start — вздрогнув; make an appointment — назначить
встречу; sign — подписывать; succeed — наследовать; by all
accounts — судя по всему; receive — получать; pressing — на-
стойчивый; attentions — знаки внимания; employer — рабо-
тодатель
set moving — глагол set с причастиями и прилагатель-

ными означает «привести в какое-л. состояние»: set moving —
запустить.
“Yes, indeed, Holmes.”

“Nor could she prove an alibi. On the contrary, she had to
admit that she was down near Thor Bridge — that was the scene
of the tragedy — about that hour. She couldn’t deny it, for some
passing villager had seen her there.”
“That really seems final.”
alibi [ˈælɪbaɪ]
nor — также не; deny — отрицать; for — так как
“And yet, Watson — and yet! This bridge — a single

broad span of stone with balustraded sides — carries the
drive over the narrowest part of a long, deep, reed-girt sheet of
water. Thor Mere it is called. In the mouth of the bridge lay the
dead woman. Such are the main facts. But here, if I mistake not, is
our client, considerably before time.”
yet — все же; span — переход (через реку); with bal-

ustraded sides — с перилами; reed-girt — заросший камышом;
sheet of water — полотно воды; mouth — устье; considerably —
значительно; before time — раньше времени
carries the drive — слово drive указывает на то, что

мост предназначен для проезда автомобилей и/или карет.
234
Billy had opened the door, but the name which he an-
nounced was an unexpected one. Mr. Marlow Bates was a stran-
ger to both of us. He was a thin, nervous wisp of a man with
frightened eyes and a twitching, hesitating manner — a man
whom my own professional eye would judge to be on the brink
of an absolute nervous breakdown.
“You seem agitated, Mr. Bates,” said Holmes. “Pray sit
down. I fear I can only give you a short time, for I have an appoint-
ment at eleven.”
“I know you have,” our visitor gasped, shooting out short
sentences like a man who is out of breath. “Mr. Gibson is coming.
Mr. Gibson is my employer. I am manager of his estate. Mr. Holmes,
he is a villain — an infernal villain.”
“Strong language, Mr. Bates.”
stranger — незнакомец; wisp of a man — хрупкий че-

ловек; twitching — дерганый; hesitating — нерешительный; on
the brink — на грани; nervous breakdown — нервный срыв;
agitated — взбудораженный; gasp — глотать воздух;  shoot
out — выстреливать; sentence — предложение (грамм.); be out
of breath — задыхаться; villain — злодей; infernal — дьяволь-
ский; strong language — сильные выражения
“I have to be emphatic, Mr. Holmes, for the time is so

limited. I would not have him find me here for the world. He
is almost due now. But I was so situated that I could not come
earlier. His secretary, Mr. Ferguson, only told me this morning of
his appointment with you.”
“And you are his manager?”
“I have given him notice. In a couple of weeks I shall
have shaken off his accursed slavery. A hard man, Mr. Holmes,
hard to all about him. Those public charities are a screen to
cover his private iniquities. But his wife was his chief victim. He
was brutal to her — yes, sir, brutal! How she came by her death
I do not know, but I am sure that he had made her life a misery
to her. She was a creature of the tropics, a Brazilian by birth, as
no doubt you know.”
“No, it had escaped me.”
235
emphatic — выразительный; limited — ограничен-

ный; due — должен прийти; so situated — в таком положении;
notice — предупреждение об уходе;  shake off — стряхнуть;
accursed — проклятый; slavery — рабство; charity — благотво-
рительность; screen — ширма; cover — скрыть; iniquity — без-
нравственный поступок; brutal — жестокий; misery — несча-
стье; escape — ускользнуть
I would not have him find me here for the world — вы-
ражение have smb do smth обычно используется в отрицатель-
ных предложениях и указывает на то, что кому-л. не будет по-
зволено сделать что-л.: я ни за что не допущу, чтобы он нашел
меня здесь.
“Tropical by birth and tropical by nature. A child of the

sun and of passion. She had loved him as such women can love,
but when her own physical charms had faded — I am told that
they once were great — there was nothing to hold him. We all
liked her and felt for her and hated him for the way that he treat-
ed her. But he is plausible and cunning. That is all I have to say to
you. Don’t take him at his face value. There is more behind. Now
I’ll go. No, no, don’t detain me! He is almost due.”
With a frightened look at the clock our strange visitor
literally ran to the door and disappeared.
“Well! Well!” said Holmes after an interval of silence. “Mr.
Gibson seems to have a nice loyal household. But the warning
is a useful one, and now we can only wait till the man himself ap-
pears.”
passion — страсть; fade — увядать; hold — удерживать;

felt for — прост. прош. от feel — сочувствовали; treat — обращать-
ся с; plausible — притворно искренний; face value — на первый
взгляд; detain — задерживать; literally — буквально; interval —
период; household — домочадцы; warning — предупреждение
Sharp at the hour we heard a heavy step upon the stairs,

and the famous millionaire was shown into the room. As I looked
236
upon him I understood not only the fears and dislike of his man-
ager but also the execrations which so many business rivals
have heaped upon his head. If I were a sculptor and desired to
idealize the successful man of affairs, iron of nerve and leathery
of conscience, I should choose Mr. Neil Gibson as my model. His
tall, gaunt, craggy figure had a suggestion of hunger and ra-
pacity. An Abraham Lincoln keyed to base uses instead of high
ones would give some idea of the man. His face might have been
chiselled in granite, hard-set, craggy, remorseless, with deep
lines upon it, the scars of many a crisis. Cold gray eyes, looking
shrewdly out from under bristling brows, surveyed us each in
turn. He bowed in perfunctory fashion as Holmes mentioned
my name, and then with a masterful air of possession he drew
a chair up to my companion and seated himself with his bony
knees almost touching him.
sharp — ровно; execration — ненависть; rival — кон-

курент; heap (upon) — изливать; man of affairs — бизнесмен;
choose — выбрать; gaunt — худой; craggy — потрепанный;
suggestion — зд.: намек; rapacity — неустанное беспокойство;
keyed — сосредоточившийся; chiselled — зд.: застывший; re-
morse — раскаяние; shrewdly — решительно; bristling — зд.:
сердито насупленный; survey — изучать; bow — кланяться;
perfunctory — легкий; air — манера; drew — прост. прош. от
draw — вытащил
An Abraham Lincoln — неопределенный артикль ука-

зывает на то, что это уподобление известному персонажу: на-
стоящий Авраам Линкольн.
“Let me say right here, Mr. Holmes,” he began, “that mon-

ey is nothing to me in this case. You can burn it if it’s any use
in lighting you to the truth. This woman is innocent and this
woman has to be cleared, and it’s up to you to do it. Name your
figure!”
“My professional charges are upon a fixed scale,” said
Holmes coldly. “I do not vary them, save when I remit them al-
together.”
237
“Well, if dollars make no difference to you, think of the

reputation. If you pull this off every paper in England and America
will be booming you. You’ll be the talk of two continents.”
“Thank you, Mr. Gibson, I do not think that I am in need of
booming. It may surprise you to know that I prefer to work anony-
mously, and that it is the problem itself which attracts me. But we
are wasting time. Let us get down to the facts.”
“I think that you will find all the main ones in the press
reports. I don’t know that I can add anything which will help you.
But if there is anything you would wish more light upon — well,
I am here to give it.”
burn — жечь; up to you — на ваше усмотрение;

name — называть (гл.); figure — сумма; charges — оплата; fixed
scale — фиксированная шкала; vary — менять; save — кроме;
remit — отсылать деньги;  pull off — справляться; boom —
восхвалять; attract — привлекать; waste — тратить зря;  get
down to — браться за что-л.; add — добавить
You can burn it if it’s any use in lighting you to the

truth. — Игра слов: устойчивое выражение money to burn
(шальные деньги) используется в буквальном значении: Хоть
жгите их, если это как-то поможет вам осветить путь к правде.
“Well, there is just one point.”

“What is it?”
“What were the exact relations between you and Miss
Dunbar?”
The Gold King gave a violent start and half rose from his
chair. Then his massive calm came back to him.
“I suppose you are within your rights — and maybe doing
your duty — in asking such a question, Mr. Holmes.”
“We will agree to suppose so,” said Holmes.
“Then I can assure you that our relations were entirely
and always those of an employer towards a young lady whom he
never conversed with, or ever saw, save when she was in the com-
pany of his children.”
238
Holmes rose from his chair.

“I am a rather busy man, Mr. Gibson,” said he, “and I have
no time or taste for aimless conversations. I wish you good
morning.”
relations — отношения; rose — прост. прош. от rise —

поднялся; calm — невозмутимость; within — в (пределах); as-
sure — уверить; converse — разговаривать; taste — вкус; aim-
less — бессмысленный
gave a violent start — конструкция give + существи-

тельное описывает однократное действие: сильно вздрогнуть.
I wish you good morning — выражения good morning/
afternoon/evening/night служат как для приветствия, так и для
прощания. Холмс дает понять, что разговор окончен.
Our visitor had risen also, and his great loose figure tow-
ered above Holmes. There was an angry gleam from under those
bristling brows and a tinge of colour in the sallow cheeks.
“What the devil do you mean by this, Mr. Holmes? Do you
dismiss my case?”
“Well, Mr. Gibson, at least I dismiss you. I should have
thought my words were plain.”
“Plain enough, but what’s at the back of it? Raising the
price on me, or afraid to tackle it, or what? I’ve a right to a plain
answer.”
“Well, perhaps you have,” said Holmes. “I’ll give you one.
This case is quite sufficiently complicated to start with without
the further difficulty of false information.”
“Meaning that I lie.”
“Well, I was trying to express it as delicately as I could, but
if you insist upon the word I will not contradict you.”
tower — выситься; gleam — блеск; tinge — пятно; sal-

low — изжелта-бледный; mean — подразумевать; dismiss — от-
казываться; отпускать; plain — ясный; tackle — браться за ре-
шение; sufficiently — достаточно; complicated — запутанный; to
start with — для начала;  insist (up)on — настаивать; contra-
dict — противоречить
239
Do you dismiss my case? — at least I dismiss you — игра

слов: глагол dismiss имеет значения «отвергнуть, отказать(ся)»
и «отпустить, позволить уйти»: Вы не беретесь за мое дело? —
По крайней мере я не берусь вас задерживать.
I sprang to my feet, for the expression upon the mil-

lionaire’s face was fiendish in its intensity, and he had raised his
great knotted fist. Holmes smiled languidly and reached his
hand out for his pipe.
“Don’t be noisy, Mr. Gibson. I find that after breakfast even
the smallest argument is unsettling. I suggest that a stroll in the
morning air and a little quiet thought will be greatly to your ad-
vantage.”
With an effort the Gold King mastered his fury. I could
not but admire him, for by a supreme self-command he had
turned in a minute from a hot flame of anger to a frigid and con-
temptuous indifference.
“Well, it’s your choice. I guess you know how to run your
own business. I can’t make you touch the case against your will.
You’ve done yourself no good this morning, Mr. Holmes, for I have
broken stronger men than you. No man ever crossed me and was
the better for it.”
contemptuous [kənˈtemptjʊəs]
sprang — прост. прош. от spring — вскочил; fiend-

ish — дьявольский; knotted — узловатый; fist — кулак; lan-
guidly — лениво; reach out — вытягивать; unsettling — выби-
вающий из колеи; stroll — пешая прогулка; master — обуздать
(гл.); fury — ярость; admire — восхищаться; supreme — очень
сильный; flame — пламя; frigid — холодно-недружелюбный;
contemptuous — насмешливый; will — воля (сущ.); no good —
ничего хорошего; cross — перечить; be the better for — идти
на пользу
I could not but admire — выражение could not but +

глагол переводится словами «не мог не»: не мог не восхититься.
240
“So many have said so, and yet here I am,” said Holmes,
smiling. “Well, good-morning, Mr. Gibson. You have a good deal
yet to learn.”
Our visitor made a noisy exit, but Holmes smoked in
imperturbable silence with dreamy eyes fixed upon the ceil-
ing.
“Any views, Watson?” he asked at last.
“Well, Holmes, I must confess that when I consider that
this is a man who would certainly brush any obstacle from his
path, and when I remember that his wife may have been an ob-
stacle and an object of dislike, as that man Bates plainly told us, it
seems to me —”
“Exactly. And to me also.”
imperturbable [ˌɪmpəˈtɜːbəbl]
a good deal — многое; imperturbable — невозмути-

мый; ceiling — потолок; views — зд.: версии; confess — при-
знаться; consider — учитывать; brush — смести; obstacle — пре-
пятствие; path — путь
“But what were his relations with the governess, and

how did you discover them?”
“Bluff, Watson, bluff! When I considered the passion-
ate, unconventional, unbusinesslike tone of his letter and con-
trasted it with his self-contained manner and appearance, it was
pretty clear that there was some deep emotion which centred
upon the accused woman rather than upon the victim. We’ve
got to understand the exact relations of those three people if we
are to reach the truth. You saw the frontal attack which I made
upon him, and how imperturbably he received it. Then I bluffed
him by giving him the impression that I was absolutely certain,
when in reality I was only extremely suspicious.”
bluff — блеф; unconventional — неподобающий; ac-

cused — обвиняемый; frontal attack — лобовая атака; suspi-
cious — испытывающий подозрения
241
“Perhaps he will come back?”

“He is sure to come back. He must come back. He can’t
leave it where it is. Ha! isn’t that a ring? Yes, there is his footstep.
Well, Mr. Gibson, I was just saying to Dr. Watson that you were
somewhat overdue.”
The Gold King had reentered the room in a more chas-
tened mood than he had left it. His wounded pride still showed
in his resentful eyes, but his common sense had shown him that
he must yield if he would attain his end.
“I’ve been thinking it over, Mr. Holmes, and I feel that
I have been hasty in taking your remarks amiss. You are justi-
fied in getting down to the facts, whatever they may be, and
I think the more of you for it. I can assure you, however, that
the relations between Miss Dunbar and me don’t really touch
this case.”
“That is for me to decide, is it not?”
“Yes, I guess that is so. You’re like a surgeon who wants
every symptom before he can give his diagnosis.”
“Exactly. That expresses it. And it is only a patient who has
an object in deceiving his surgeon who would conceal the facts
of his case.”
diagnosis [ˌdaɪəɡˈnəʊsɪs]
ring — звонок; overdue — задерживаться; chastened —

уверенный; wounded — раненый; resentful — возмущенный;
common sense — здравый смысл; yield — подчиниться; at-
tain one’s end — добиться цели; hasty — поспешный; amiss —
вести к проблемам;  get down to — браться за; touch — касать-
ся; surgeon — врач1; patient — пациент; deceive — обманывать;
conceal — скрывать
I think the more of you — more зд. употребляется в

значении «лучше»: я думаю о вас (еще) лучше.
1 Surgeon означает «хирург», «военный врач» — в отличие от physician,
что переводится «терапевт».
242
“That may be so, but you will admit, Mr. Holmes, that
most men would shy off a bit when they are asked point-blank
what their relations with a woman may be — if there is really
some serious feeling in the case. I guess most men have a little
private reserve of their own in some corner of their souls where
they don’t welcome intruders. And you burst suddenly into it.
But the object excuses you, since it was to try and save her. Well,
the stakes are down and the reserve open, and you can explore
where you will. What is it you want?”
“The truth.”
The Gold King paused for a moment as one who marshals
his thoughts. His grim, deep-lined face had become even sadder
and more grave.
 shy off — скрыть из стеснения; point-blank — пря-

молинейно; private reserve — личная информация; soul — душа;
welcome — приветствовать (гл.); intruder — незваный гость;
burst — врываться; stakes — ограждения; marshal — приводить
в порядок; grave — серьезный
“I can give it to you in a very few words, Mr. Holmes,”

said he at last. “There are some things that are painful as well
as difficult to say, so I won’t go deeper than is needful. I met
my wife when I was gold-hunting in Brazil. Maria Pinto was the
daughter of a government official at Manaos, and she was very
beautiful. I was young and ardent in those days, but even now,
as I look back with colder blood and a more critical eye, I can
see that she was rare and wonderful in her beauty. It was a
deep rich nature, too, passionate, whole-hearted, tropical, ill-
balanced, very different from the American women whom I had
known. Well, to make a long story short, I loved her and I mar-
ried her. It was only when the romance had passed — and it
lingered for years — that I realized that we had nothing — ab-
solutely nothing — in common. My love faded. If hers had faded
also it might have been easier. But you know the wonderful way
of women! Do what I might, nothing could turn her from me. If
I have been harsh to her, even brutal as some have said, it has
243
been because I knew that if I could kill her love, or if it turned to

hate, it would be easier for both of us. But nothing changed her.
She adored me in those English woods as she had adored me
twenty years ago on the banks of the Amazon. Do what I might,
she was as devoted as ever.
ardent — чувствительный; rare — необыкновенный; ill-

balanced — неуравновешенный; to make a long story short —
короче говоря; linger — длиться;  turn from — отвратить;
harsh — резкий; adore — обожать
“Then came Miss Grace Dunbar. She answered our ad-

vertisement and became governess to our two children. Per-
haps you have seen her portrait in the papers. The whole world
has proclaimed that she also is a very beautiful woman. Now, I
make no pretence to be more moral than my neighbours, and
I will admit to you that I could not live under the same roof with
such a woman and in daily contact with her without feeling a
passionate regard for her. Do you blame me, Mr. Holmes?”
“I do not blame you for feeling it. I should blame you if
you expressed it, since this young lady was in a sense under your
protection.”
“Well, maybe so,” said the millionaire, though for a mo-
ment the reproof had brought the old angry gleam into his eyes.
“I’m not pretending to be any better than I am. I guess all my life
I’ve been a man that reached out his hand for what he wanted,
and I never wanted anything more than the love and possession
of that woman. I told her so.”
proclaim — объявлять; make pretence — притво-

ряться; neighbour — сосед; roof — крыша; blame — винить;
express — выражать; in a sense — в некотором смысле; re-
proof — упрек; pretend — притворяться; possession — обла-
дание
“Oh, you did, did you?”

Holmes could look very formidable when he was moved.
244
“I said to her that if I could marry her I would, but that

it was out of my power. I said that money was no object and
that all I could do to make her happy and comfortable would be
done.”
“Very generous, I am sure,” said Holmes with a sneer.
“See here, Mr. Holmes. I came to you on a question of
evidence, not on a question of morals. I’m not asking for your
criticism.”
“It is only for the young lady’s sake that I touch your case
at all,” said Holmes sternly. “I don’t know that anything she is ac-
cused of is really worse than what you have yourself admitted, that
you have tried to ruin a defenceless girl who was under your roof.
Some of you rich men have to be taught that all the world cannot
be bribed into condoning your offences.”
formidable — внушительный; moved — эмоционально

задет; out of my power — не в моей власти; generous — ще-
дро; sneer — усмешка; see here — послушайте; on a question —
по вопросу; for one’s sake — ради кого-л.; sternly — сурово;
ruin — погубить; bribe — подкупить; condone — потакать; of-
fence — оскорбление, нарушение
To my surprise the Gold King took the reproof with

equanimity.
“That’s how I feel myself about it now. I thank God that my
plans did not work out as I intended. She would have none of it,
and she wanted to leave the house instantly.”
“Why did she not?”
“Well, in the first place, others were dependent upon
her, and it was no light matter for her to let them all down by
sacrificing her living. When I had sworn — as I did — that she
should never be molested again, she consented to remain. But
there was another reason. She knew the influence she had over
me, and that it was stronger than any other influence in the world.
She wanted to use it for good.”
equanimity — спокойствие;  work out — срабаты-

вать; instantly — немедленно; in the first place — во-первых;
245
be dependent (upon) — зависеть; light matter — легко;  let

down — подвести; sacrifice — жертвовать; living — заработок;
sworn — 3-я форма гл. swear — поклялся; molest — докучать;
consent — соглашаться; for good — во благо
She would have none of it — would указывает на (не)

желание совершать то или иное действие в прошлом: ничего
этого она бы не потерпела.
“How?”
“Well, she knew something of my affairs. They are large,
Mr. Holmes — large beyond the belief of an ordinary man. I can
make or break — and it is usually break. It wasn’t individuals
only. It was communities, cities, even nations. Business is a hard
game, and the weak go to the wall. I played the game for all it
was worth. I never squealed myself, and I never cared if the other
fellow squealed. But she saw it different. I guess she was right. She
believed and said that a fortune for one man that was more than
he needed should not be built on ten thousand ruined men who
were left without the means of life. That was how she saw it, and
I guess she could see past the dollars to something that was more
lasting. She found that I listened to what she said, and she be-
lieved she was serving the world by influencing my actions. So
she stayed — and then this came along.”
beyond the belief — невероятно; go to the wall — по-

терять все; be worth — стоить, быть достойным; squeal — зд.:
ныть; fortune — состояние (фин.); means of life — средства к
существованию; lasting — долгий; serve — служить
I can make or break — and it is usually break. — Выра-

жение make or break (пан или пропал) буквально означает «сде-
лать или сломать». На этом значении герой и строит игру слов:
я могу договориться или сломать — и обычно я ломаю.
It wasn’t individuals only. — Зд. используется глагол was,
т.к. речь идет не об individuals, а о явлении: это было не только
с отдельными людьми.
246
“Can you throw light upon that?”

The Gold King paused for a minute or more, his head sunk
in his hands, lost in deep thought.
“It’s very black against her. I can’t deny that. And women
lead an inward life and may do things beyond the judgment of
a man. At first I was so rattled and taken aback that I was ready
to think she had been led away in some extraordinary fashion that
was clean against her usual nature. One explanation came into my
head. I give it to you, Mr. Holmes, for what it is worth. There is no
doubt that my wife was bitterly jealous. There is a soul-jealousy
that can be as frantic as any body-jealousy, and though my wife
had no cause — and I think she understood this — for the latter,
she was aware that this English girl exerted an influence upon
my mind and my acts that she herself never had. It was an influ-
ence for good, but that did not mend the matter. She was crazy
with hatred and the heat of the Amazon was always in her blood.
She might have planned to murder Miss Dunbar — or we will say
to threaten her with a gun and so frighten her into leaving us.
Then there might have been a scuffle and the gun gone off and
shot the woman who held it.”
throw light upon — пролить свет; black against — зд.:

факты против; inward — внутренний; beyond — за пределами;
judgment — суждение; rattle — потрясти; taken aback — прост.
прош. от take — шокирован; for what it is worth — чего бы оно
ни стоило; jealous — ревнивый; soul — душа; frantic — безумный;
cause — основание; latter — последний (из упомянутых); be
aware — осознавать; exert — оказывать (влияние); mend — зд.:
улучшать; threaten — угрожать; gun — оружие; scuffle — потасовка
frighten her into leaving us — глаголы frighten, force, talk

и т.д. + into doing smth означают «вынудить кого-л. сделать что-л.
с помощью определенного воздействия»: запугать ее и заставить
от нас съехать.
“That possibility had already occurred to me,” said Hol-

mes. “Indeed, it is the only obvious alternative to deliberate
murder.”
247
“But she utterly denies it.”

“Well, that is not final — is it? One can understand that
a woman placed in so awful a position might hurry home still in
her bewilderment holding the revolver. She might even throw it
down among her clothes, hardly knowing what she was doing,
and when it was found she might try to lie her way out by a total
denial, since all explanation was impossible. What is against such
a supposition?”
“Miss Dunbar herself.”
occur to — приходить в голову; deliberate — предна-

меренный; utterly — полностью; awful — ужасный; bewilder-
ment — смятение; throw — бросить; hardly — едва ли; denial —
отрицание; supposition — предположение
lie her way out — в выражении find one’s way out пер-
вое слово может меняться, чтобы указать, какой именно вы-
ход удалось найти: lie her way out — выкрутиться с помощью
лжи.
“Well, perhaps.”
Holmes looked at his watch. “I have no doubt we can get
the necessary permits this morning and reach Winchester by the
evening train. When I have seen this young lady it is very pos-
sible that I may be of more use to you in the matter, though I
cannot promise that my conclusions will necessarily be such as
you desire.”
permit — разрешение; be of more use — оказаться по-

лезнее; conclusion — вывод; desire — желать
There was some delay in the official pass, and instead

of reaching Winchester that day we went down to Thor Place,
the Hampshire estate of Mr. Neil Gibson. He did not accompa-
ny us himself, but we had the address of Sergeant Coventry, of
the local police, who had first examined into the affair. He was
a tall, thin, cadaverous man, with a secretive and mysterious
248
manner which conveyed the idea that he knew or suspected

a very great deal more than he dared say. He had a trick, too,
of suddenly sinking his voice to a whisper as if he had come
upon something of vital importance, though the information
was usually commonplace enough. Behind these tricks of man-
ner he soon showed himself to be a decent, honest fellow who
was not too proud to admit that he was out of his depth and
would welcome any help.
sergeant [ˈsɑːdʒənt]
delay — проволочка; pass — пропуск; instead of —

вместо того чтобы; accompany — сопровождать; cadaver-
ous — болезненно худой; secretive — таинственный; con-
vey — внушать; suspect — подозревать; whisper — шепот;
vital — жизненно важный; commonplace — заурядный; de-
cent — порядочный; out of one’s depth — в слишком сложной
для себя ситуации
“Anyhow, I’d rather have you than Scotland Yard, Mr.

Holmes,” said he. “If the Yard gets called into a case, then the local
loses all credit for success and may be blamed for failure. Now,
you play straight, so I’ve heard.”
“I need not appear in the matter at all,” said Holmes to the
evident relief of our melancholy acquaintance. “If I can clear it up
I don’t ask to have my name mentioned.”
“Well, it’s very handsome of you, I am sure. And your
friend, Dr. Watson, can be trusted, I know. Now, Mr. Holmes, as we
walk down to the place there is one question I should like to ask
you. I’d breathe it to no soul but you.” He looked round as though
he hardly dare utter the words. “Don’t you think there might be a
case against Mr. Neil Gibson himself?”
“I have been considering that.”
lose — терять; credit — заслуги; blame — винить; re-

lief — облегчение; acquaintance — знакомый;  clear up — про-
яснить; mention — упоминать; trust — доверять; breathe — зд.:
249
шепнуть; but — кроме; utter — произнести; consider — обду-

мывать
I’d rather — местоимение + ’d rather означает «предпо-

честь»: я бы предпочел.
“You’ve not seen Miss Dunbar. She is a wonderful fine

woman in every way. He may well have wished his wife out of the
road. And these Americans are readier with pistols than our folk
are. It was his pistol, you know.”
“Was that clearly made out?”
“Yes, sir. It was one of a pair that he had.”
“One of a pair? Where is the other?”
“Well, the gentleman has a lot of firearms of one sort
and another. We never quite matched that particular pistol —
but the box was made for two.”
“If it was one of a pair you should surely be able to
match it.”
“Well, we have them all laid out at the house if you would
care to look them over.”
“Later, perhaps. I think we will walk down together and
have a look at the scene of the tragedy.”
 made out — прост. прош. от make — установлено;

firearms — огнестрельное оружие; match — найти соответствие
(зд.: пару)
the other — определенный артикль указывает на то,

что пистолетов было всего два: один и еще один, другой.
This conversation had taken place in the little front

room of Sergeant Coventry’s humble cottage which served
as the local police-station. A walk of half a mile or so across a
wind-swept heath, all gold and bronze with the fading ferns,
brought us to a side-gate opening into the grounds of the Thor
Place estate. A path led us through the pheasant preserves,
and then from a clearing we saw the widespread, half-tim-
250
bered house, half Tudor1 and half Georgian2, upon the crest
of the hill. Beside us there was a long, reedy pool, constrict-
ed in the centre where the main carriage drive passed over a
stone bridge, but swelling into small lakes on either side. Our
guide paused at the mouth of this bridge, and he pointed to
the ground.
serve — служить; wind-swept — продуваемый ветром;

heath — пустырь; fade — вянуть; fern — папоротник; pheas-
ant — фазан; preserve — вольер; clearing — опушка; wide-
spread — обширный; timbered — деревянный; crest — вершина;
reedy — заросший камышом; pool — пруд; constricted — сжа-
тый; swell — раздуваться
“That was where Mrs. Gibson’s body lay. I marked it by

that stone.”
“I understand that you were there before it was moved?”
“Yes, they sent for me at once.”
“Who did?”
“Mr. Gibson himself. The moment the alarm was given
and he had rushed down with others from the house, he insisted
that nothing should be moved until the police should arrive.”
“That was sensible. I gathered from the newspaper report
that the shot was fired from close quarters.”
“Yes, sir, very close.”
“Near the right temple?”
“Just behind it, sir.”
“How did the body lie?”
1 Tudor — здания тюдоровского периода (1485–1603) имели характер-

ный облик: покрытые известью стены с темными деревянными балками,
верхние этажи слегка нависают над нижним, двустворчатые окна, множе-
ство печных труб (из-за множества каминов) с одинаковым орнаментом.
Здания часто имели несколько крыльев и строились симметричными.
2 Georgian — георгианским периодом (1714–1837) называют эпоху
правления Ганноверской династии, когда на престоле друг друга последо-
вательно сменили четыре короля Георга. Здания этой эпохи представляли
собой простую коробку в 1–2 этажа, по центру здания — прямоугольная
дверь, украшенная декоративным портиком, симметрично расположен-
ные прямоугольные окна, карниз на здании, две каминные трубы с двух
сторон здания.
251
“On the back, sir. No trace of a struggle. No marks. No

weapon. The short note from Miss Dunbar was clutched in her
left hand.”
mark — отметить; sent — прост. прош. от send — по-

слали; at once — сразу; alarm — тревога; rush — броситься;
sensible — разумный; close quarters — близкое расстояние;
temple — висок; trace — след; struggle — борьба; clutch — за-
жать
moved — зд. глагол move использован в двух значени-

ях: «унести, убрать» и «трогать, перемещать».
“Clutched, you say?”

“Yes, sir, we could hardly open the fingers.”
“That is of great importance. It excludes the idea that
anyone could have placed the note there after death in order
to furnish a false clue. Dear me! The note, as I remember, was
quite short:
“I will be at Thor Bridge at nine o’clock.”
“G. DUNBAR.
Was that not so?”
“Yes, sir.”
open — зд.: разжать; exclude — исключать; in order

to — чтобы; furnish — предоставить; Dear me! — Боже мой!
“Did Miss Dunbar admit writing it?”

“Yes, sir.”
“What was her explanation?”
“Her defence was reserved for the Assizes. She would say
nothing.”
“The problem is certainly a very interesting one. The point
of the letter is very obscure, is it not?”
“Well, sir,” said the guide, “it seemed, if I may be so bold as
to say so, the only really clear point in the whole case.”
Holmes shook his head.
252
“Granting that the letter is genuine and was really writ-

ten, it was certainly received some time before — say one hour or
two. Why, then, was this lady still clasping it in her left hand? Why
should she carry it so carefully? She did not need to refer to it in
the interview. Does it not seem remarkable?”
“Well, sir, as you put it, perhaps it does.”
reserve — придерживать; problem — случай, загадка;

obscure — темный; bold — смелый; grant — допускать; genu-
ine — подлинный; receive — получать; clasp — сжимать; refer
to — ссылаться на; remarkable — примечательно; perhaps —
возможно
“I think I should like to sit quietly for a few minutes and

think it out.” He seated himself upon the stone ledge of the
bridge, and I could see his quick gray eyes darting their ques-
tioning glances in every direction. Suddenly he sprang up again
and ran across to the opposite parapet, whipped his lens from
his pocket, and began to examine the stonework.
“This is curious,” said he.
“Yes, sir, we saw the chip on the ledge. I expect it’s been
done by some passer-by.”
The stonework was gray, but at this one point it showed
white for a space not larger than a sixpence1. When examined
closely one could see that the surface was chipped as by a sharp
blow.
 think out — обдумать; ledge — край; dart — «стре-

лять» (перен.); opposite — противоположный; lens — лупа;
stonework — каменная поверхность; space — пространство;
surface — поверхность; chipped — выщербленный; blow —
удар (гл.)
whipped his lens — глагол whip происходит от сущест-

вительного «хлыст» и по аналогии означает быстрое хлесткое
движение: whipped his lens — выхватил свою лупу.
1 sixpence [ˈsɪkspəns] — небольшая серебряная монета достоинст-

вом в 6 пенсов. Имела хождение в Великобритании до 1971 г.
253
it showed white — подобные конструкции переводятся

безличными предложениями: там виднелось что-то белое.
“It took some violence to do that,” said Holmes thought-

fully. With his cane he struck the ledge several times without
leaving a mark. “Yes, it was a hard knock. In a curious place, too.
It was not from above but from below, for you see that it is on
the lower edge of the parapet.”
“But it is at least fifteen feet1 from the body.”
“Yes, it is fifteen feet from the body. It may have nothing
to do with the matter, but it is a point worth noting. I do not think
that we have anything more to learn here. There were no foot-
steps, you say?”
“The ground was iron hard, sir. There were no traces at all.”
“Then we can go. We will go up to the house first and look
over these weapons of which you speak. Then we shall get on to
Winchester, for I should desire to see Miss Dunbar before we go
farther.”
violence — зд.: сильный удар; cane — трость; struck —

прост. прош. от strike — ударил; knock — удар; above — сверху;
below — снизу; edge — край; footsteps — следы;  look over —
осмотреть
Mr. Neil Gibson had not returned from town, but we saw
in the house the neurotic Mr. Bates who had called upon us in
the morning. He showed us with a sinister relish the formidable
array of firearms of various shapes and sizes which his employer
had accumulated in the course of an adventurous life.
“Mr. Gibson has his enemies, as anyone would expect
who knew him and his methods,” said he. “He sleeps with a loaded
revolver in the drawer beside his bed. He is a man of violence, sir,
and there are times when all of us are afraid of him. I am sure that
the poor lady who has passed was often terrified.”
1 foot [fʊt] (мн. ч. feet) — фут. Британская единица измерения рассто-

яния. 1 фут = 30,48 см.
254
“Did you ever witness physical violence towards her?”

“No, I cannot say that. But I have heard words which were
nearly as bad — words of cold, cutting contempt, even before
the servants.”
neurotic [njʊˈrɒtɪk]
call (upon) — наносить визит; sinister — мрачный; rel-

ish — удовлетворение; array — множество; accumulate — нако-
пить; enemy — враг; expect — ожидать; loaded — заряженный;
drawer — выдвижной ящик; pass — зд.: скончаться; nearly — по-
чти; cutting — намеренно жестокий; contempt — пренебреже-
ние; servant — слуга
“Our millionaire does not seem to shine in private life,”

remarked Holmes as we made our way to the station. “Well, Wat-
son, we have come on a good many facts, some of them new
ones, and yet I seem some way from my conclusion. In spite
of the very evident dislike which Mr. Bates has to his employer,
I gather from him that when the alarm came he was undoubt-
edly in his library. Dinner was over at 8:30 and all was normal up
to then. It is true that the alarm was somewhat late in the even-
ing, but the tragedy certainly occurred about the hour named in
the note. There is no evidence at all that Mr. Gibson had been out
of doors since his return from town at five o’clock. On the other
hand, Miss Dunbar, as I understand it, admits that she had made
an appointment to meet Mrs. Gibson at the bridge. Beyond this
she would say nothing, as her lawyer had advised her to reserve
her defence. We have several very vital questions to ask that
young lady, and my mind will not be easy until we have seen her.
I must confess that the case would seem to me to be very black
against her if it were not for one thing.”
shine — блистать;  come on — зд.: набрести; in spite

of — несмотря на; undoubtedly — несомненно; library — би-
блиотека; up to — до, до того времени; occur — происходить;
name — называть; on the other hand — с другой стороны; be-
yond — сверх, кроме; vital — жизненно важный
255
I seem some way from my conclusion — слова some

way from my conclusion указывают на то, что, хотя герой «пока
не пришел к определенному выводу», он уверен, что придет
к нему.
“And what is that, Holmes?”

“The finding of the pistol in her wardrobe.”
“Dear me, Holmes!” I cried, “that seemed to me to be the
most damning incident of all.”
“Not so, Watson. It had struck me even at my first per-
functory reading as very strange, and now that I am in closer
touch with the case it is my only firm ground for hope. We must
look for consistency. Where there is a want of it we must suspect
deception.”
“I hardly follow you.”
“Well now, Watson, suppose for a moment that we visu-
alize you in the character of a woman who, in a cold, premedi-
tated fashion, is about to get rid of a rival. You have planned
it. A note has been written. The victim has come. You have your
weapon. The crime is done. It has been workmanlike and com-
plete. Do you tell me that after carrying out so crafty a crime
you would now ruin your reputation as a criminal by forget-
ting to fling your weapon into those adjacent reed-beds which
would forever cover it, but you must needs carry it carefully
home and put it in your own wardrobe, the very first place that
would be searched? Your best friends would hardly call you a
schemer, Watson, and yet I could not picture you doing anything
so crude as that.”
perfunctory [pəˈfʌŋktəri]
premeditated [priːˈmedɪˌteɪtɪd]
adjacent [əˈdʒeɪsnt]
damning — зд.: обвиняющий; struck — 3-я форма гл.

strike — поразило; perfunctory — небрежный; ground — основа-
ние; consistency — прочность; want — нужда; deception — улов-
ка; suppose — предположить; premeditated — преднамеренный;
256
get rid of — избавиться; rival — соперник;  carry out — вы-

полнять; crafty — мастерски; criminal — преступник; fling —
выбросить; adjacent — близлежащий; must needs — должен;
search — обыскивать; schemer — мастер сложных комбинаций;
crude — топорный
“In the excitement of the moment —”

“No, no, Watson, I will not admit that it is possible. Where
a crime is cooly premeditated, then the means of covering it are
coolly premeditated also. I hope, therefore, that we are in the
presence of a serious misconception.”
“But there is so much to explain.”
“Well, we shall set about explaining it. When once
your point of view is changed, the very thing which was so
damning becomes a clue to the truth. For example, there is this
revolver. Miss Dunbar disclaims all knowledge of it. On our
new theory she is speaking truth when she says so. Therefore,
it was placed in her wardrobe. Who placed it there? Someone
who wished to incriminate her. Was not that person the actual
criminal? You see how we come at once upon a most fruitful
line of inquiry.”
misconception — недоразумение; point of view —

точка зрения; disclaim — отрицать; incriminate — обвинить;
actual — действительный; fruitful — плодотворный; inquiry —
расследование
we shall set about explaining — глагол set означает на-

чало какого-л. действия (приступить); shall здесь используется
как вспомогательный глагол для образования будущего време-
ни для 1-го лица: мы приступим к объяснению.
We were compelled to spend the night at Winchester,

as the formalities had not yet been completed, but next morn-
ing, in the company of Mr. Joyce Cummings, the rising bar-
rister who was entrusted with the defence, we were allowed
to see the young lady in her cell. I had expected from all that
257
we had heard to see a beautiful woman, but I can never forget

the effect which Miss Dunbar produced upon me. It was no
wonder that even the masterful millionaire had found in her
something more powerful than himself — something which
could control and guide him. One felt, too, as one looked at
the strong, clear-cut, and yet sensitive face, that even should
she be capable of some impetuous deed, none the less there
was an innate nobility of character which would make her
influence always for the good. She was a brunette, tall, with
a noble figure and commanding presence, but her dark eyes
had in them the appealing, helpless expression of the hunted
creature who feels the nets around it, but can see no way out
from the toils. Now, as she realized the presence and the help
of my famous friend, there came a touch of colour in her wan
cheeks and a light of hope began to glimmer in the glance
which she turned upon us.
impetuous [ɪmˈpetʃuəs] innate [ˌɪˈneɪt]
compel — вынуждать; barrister — адвокат, выступа-

ющий в высшем суде; entrust — доверять; cell — камера; no
wonder — не удивительно; clear-cut — зд.: с четкими черта-
ми; sensitive — чувственный; be capable of — быть способ-
ным (на); impetuous — импульсивный; none the less — тем
не менее; innate — врожденный; nobility — благородство;
commanding — сильный; presence — внешность, манера; ap-
pealing — умоляющий; hunted — затравленный; net — сеть;
toils — невзгоды; wan — бледный, изможденный; glimmer —
светиться
“Perhaps Mr. Neil Gibson has told you something of what

occurred between us?” she asked in a low, agitated voice.
“Yes,” Holmes answered, “you need not pain yourself by
entering into that part of the story. After seeing you, I am prepared
to accept Mr. Gibson’s statement both as to the influence which
you had over him and as to the innocence of your relations with
him. But why was the whole situation not brought out in court?”
258
“It seemed to me incredible that such a charge could be

sustained. I thought that if we waited the whole thing must clear
itself up without our being compelled to enter into painful details
of the inner life of the family. But I understand that far from clear-
ing it has become even more serious.”
“My dear young lady,” cried Holmes earnestly, “I beg you
to have no illusions upon the point. Mr. Cummings here would
assure you that all the cards are at present against us, and that
we must do everything that is possible if we are to win clear. It
would be a cruel deception to pretend that you are not in very
great danger. Give me all the help you can, then, to get at the
truth.”
“I will conceal nothing.”
“Tell us, then, of your true relations with Mr. Gibson’s wife.”
pain — причинять боль (гл.); accept — принимать;

statement — утверждение; both… and — и… и; innocence —
невинность; brought out — 3-я форма гл. bring — представлен;
court — суд; incredible — невероятный; charge — обвинение;
sustain — поддерживать;  clear up — проясняться; decep-
tion — обман; conceal — скрывать
“She hated me, Mr. Holmes. She hated me with all the
fervour of her tropical nature. She was a woman who would do
nothing by halves, and the measure of her love for her husband
was the measure also of her hatred for me. It is probable that
she misunderstood our relations. I would not wish to wrong
her, but she loved so vividly in a physical sense that she could
hardly understand the mental, and even spiritual, tie which
held her husband to me, or imagine that it was only my desire
to influence his power to good ends which kept me under his
roof. I can see now that I was wrong. Nothing could justify me
in remaining where I was a cause of unhappiness, and yet it
is certain that the unhappiness would have remained even if I
had left the house.”
fervour [ˈfɜːvə]
259
fervour — сила, накал; by halves — наполовину;

wrong — быть несправедливым к кому-л.; spiritual — духов-
ный; tie — узы; good ends — благие цели; justify — оправдать;
cause — причина; remain — оставаться
“Now, Miss Dunbar,” said Holmes, “I beg you to tell us

exactly what occurred that evening.”
“I can tell you the truth so far as I know it, Mr. Holmes, but
I am in a position to prove nothing, and there are points — the
most vital points — which I can neither explain nor can I imagine
any explanation.”
“If you will find the facts, perhaps others may find the ex-
planation.”
“With regard, then, to my presence at Thor Bridge that
night, I received a note from Mrs. Gibson in the morning. It lay on
the table of the schoolroom, and it may have been left there by
her own hand. It implored me to see her there after dinner, said
she had something important to say to me, and asked me to leave
an answer on the sundial in the garden, as she desired no one to
be in our confidence. I saw no reason for such secrecy, but I did as
she asked, accepting the appointment. She asked me to destroy
her note and I burned it in the schoolroom grate. She was very
much afraid of her husband, who treated her with a harshness
for which I frequently reproached him, and I could only imagine
that she acted in this way because she did not wish him to know
of our interview.”
sundial [ˈsʌnˌdaɪəl]
prove — доказывать; neither… nor — ни… ни; with

regard to — что касается; lay — прост. прош. от lie — лежала;
left — 3-я форма гл. leave — оставлена; implore — умолять; sun-
dial — солнечные часы; confidence — зд.: секрет; accept — со-
глашаться; destroy — уничтожить; grate — каминная решетка;
treat — обращаться с; harshness — резкость; frequently — часто;
reproach — упрекать
260
“Yet she kept your reply very carefully?”

“Yes. I was surprised to hear that she had it in her hand
when she died.”
“Well, what happened then?”
“I went down as I had promised. When I reached the
bridge she was waiting for me. Never did I realize till that mo-
ment how this poor creature hated me. She was like a mad wom-
an — indeed, I think she was a mad woman, subtly mad with the
deep power of deception which insane people may have. How
else could she have met me with unconcern every day and yet
had so raging a hatred of me in her heart? I will not say what she
said. She poured her whole wild fury out in burning and horrible
words. I did not even answer — I could not. It was dreadful to
see her. I put my hands to my ears and rushed away. When I left
her she was standing, still shrieking out her curses at me, in the
mouth of the bridge.”
subtly — слегка; deception — притворство, обман;

insane — помешанный; unconcern — беззаботность; raging —
кипящий (перен.);  pour out — изливать; rush — броситься;
shriek out — выкрикивать; curse — проклятие
Never did I realize till that moment — инверсия ис-

пользуется для смыслового усиления: до того момента я даже
не подозревала…
“Where she was afterwards found?”

“Within a few yards1 from the spot.”
“And yet, presuming that she met her death shortly after
you left her, you heard no shot?”
“No, I heard nothing. But, indeed, Mr. Holmes, I was so agi-
tated and horrified by this terrible outbreak that I rushed to get
back to the peace of my own room, and I was incapable of notic-
ing anything which happened.”
1 yard [jɑːd] — ярд. Британская единица измерения расстояния.
1 ярд = 0,9144 м.
261
“You say that you returned to your room. Did you leave it
again before next morning?”
“Yes, when the alarm came that the poor creature had
met her death I ran out with the others.”
“Did you see Mr. Gibson?”
“Yes, he had just returned from the bridge when I saw
him. He had sent for the doctor and the police.”
“Did he seem to you much perturbed?”
“Mr. Gibson is a very strong, self-contained man. I do
not think that he would ever show his emotions on the surface.
But I, who knew him so well, could see that he was deeply con-
cerned.”
afterwards — затем; spot — точка, место; presume —

предполагать; shortly — вскоре; shot — выстрел; agitated —
взволнованный; outbreak — взрыв (перен.); peace — покой;
incapable — неспособный; leave — покидать; perturbed — по-
трясенный; self-contained — сдержанный; on the surface — зд.:
наружу
poor creature — слова creature и thing часто использу-

ются после прилагательного, выражающего отношение гово-
рящего к тому или иному человеку; обычно такое словосоче-
тание переводится одним словом: poor creature — бедняжка.
“Then we come to the all-important point. This pistol

that was found in your room. Had you ever seen it before?”
“Never, I swear it.”
“When was it found?”
“Next morning, when the police made their search.”
“Among your clothes?”
“Yes, on the floor of my wardrobe under my dresses.”
“You could not guess how long it had been there?”
“It had not been there the morning before.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I tidied out the wardrobe.”
“That is final. Then someone came into your room and
placed the pistol there in order to inculpate you.”
262
all-important — самый важный; swear — клясться;

search — обыск (сущ.); wardrobe — гардероб; guess — предпо-
ложить; tidy out — наводить порядок; inculpate — обвинить
“It must have been so.”

“And when?”
“It could only have been at meal-time, or else at the hours
when I would be in the schoolroom with the children.”
“As you were when you got the note?”
“Yes, from that time onward for the whole morning.”
“Thank you, Miss Dunbar. Is there any other point which
could help me in the investigation?”
“I can think of none.”
“There was some sign of violence on the stonework of the
bridge — a perfectly fresh chip just opposite the body. Could you
suggest any possible explanation of that?”
“Surely it must be a mere coincidence.”
“Curious, Miss Dunbar, very curious. Why should it appear
at the very time of the tragedy, and why at the very place?”
onward — далее; none — ни один; chip — скол; sug-

gest — предлагать; coincidence — совпадение
at the very time, at the very place — перед существи-

тельным very с артиклем the имеет значение «тот самый»: в то
самое время, в том самом месте.
“But what could have caused it? Only great violence

could have such an effect.”
Holmes did not answer. His pale, eager face had sudden-
ly assumed that tense, far-away expression which I had learned
to associate with the supreme manifestations of his genius. So
evident was the crisis in his mind that none of us dared to speak,
and we sat, barrister, prisoner, and myself, watching him in a
concentrated and absorbed silence. Suddenly he sprang from his
chair, vibrating with nervous energy and the pressing need for
action.
263
“Come, Watson, come!” he cried.

“What is it, Mr. Holmes?”
“Never mind, my dear lady. You will hear from me, Mr.
Cummings. With the help of the god of justice I will give you a case
which will make England ring. You will get news by to-morrow,
Miss Dunbar, and meanwhile take my assurance that the clouds
are lifting and that I have every hope that the light of truth is
breaking through.”
cause — стать причиной; eager — горящий энтузиаз-

мом; assume — принимать; tense — напряженный; far-away —
отсутствующий; supreme — сильнейший; manifestation —
проявление; dare — осмеливаться; prisoner — заключенный;
pressing — острый, сильный; ring — зд.: гудеть; assurance —
уверение; lift — зд.: расходиться;  break through — проби-
ваться
It was not a long journey from Winchester to Thor Place,

but it was long to me in my impatience, while for Holmes it was
evident that it seemed endless; for, in his nervous restlessness
he could not sit still, but paced the carriage or drummed with
his long, sensitive fingers upon the cushions beside him. Sud-
denly, however, as we neared our destination he seated himself
opposite to me — we had a first-class carriage to ourselves —
and laying a hand upon each of my knees he looked into my eyes
with the peculiarly mischievous gaze which was characteristic
of his more imp-like moods.
impatience — нетерпение; while — в то время как; rest-

lessness — беспокойство; still — смирно, спокойно; pace — ша-
гать, мерить шагами; drum — барабанить; sensitive — чувст-
вительный; cushion — диванная подушка; destination — пункт
назначения; knee — колено; peculiarly — особый; mischie-
vous — лукавый, озорной; gaze — взгляд; imp-like — проказли-
вый; mood — настроение
“Watson,” said he, “I have some recollection that you go

armed upon these excursions of ours.”
264
It was as well for him that I did so, for he took little care for
his own safety when his mind was once absorbed by a problem
so that more than once my revolver had been a good friend in
need. I reminded him of the fact.
“Yes, yes, I am a little absent-minded in such matters. But
have you your revolver on you?”
I produced it from my hip-pocket, a short, handy, but very
serviceable little weapon. He undid the catch, shook out the car-
tridges, and examined it with care.
recollection — воспоминание; armed — вооруженный;

 as well — также; safety — безопасность; once — раз, когда;
absorbed — поглощенный; remind — напоминать; absent-mind-
ed — рассеянный; handy — удобный; catch — затвор (сущ.);
 shook out — прост. прош. от shake — вытряхнул; cartridge —
патрон; with care — тщательно
friend in need — это цитата из пословицы A friend in

need is a friend indeed (букв. друг в нужную минуту — настоя-
щий друг). По аналогии с ней словосочетание можно переве-
сти «настоящий друг».
“It’s heavy — remarkably heavy,” said he.

“Yes, it is a solid bit of work.”
He mused over it for a minute.
“Do you know, Watson,” said he, “I believe your revolver
is going to have a very intimate connection with the mystery
which we are investigating.”
“My dear Holmes, you are joking.”
“No, Watson, I am very serious. There is a test before us. If
the test comes off, all will be clear. And the test will depend upon
the conduct of this little weapon. One cartridge out. Now we will
replace the other five and put on the safety-catch. So! That in-
creases the weight and makes it a better reproduction.”
I had no glimmer of what was in his mind, nor did he
enlighten me, but sat lost in thought until we pulled up in the
little Hampshire station. We secured a ramshackle trap, and in
a quarter of an hour were at the house of our confidential friend,
the sergeant.
265

ramshackle [ˈræmˌʃækl]
heavy — тяжелый; solid — крепкий;  muse over —

раздумывать о; intimate — тесный; connection — связь; mys-
tery — тайна;  come off — удаваться; conduct — поведение;
replace — возвращать на место; put on the safety-catch — ста-
вить на предохранитель; increase — увеличить; reproduction —
копия; glimmer — зд.: догадка; enlighten — просветить;  pull
up — тормозить; secure — заполучить; ramshackle — ветхий;
trap — карета
I had no glimmer of what was in his mind, nor did he

enlighten me — nor (также не) используется, чтобы подтвер-
дить предыдущее отрицание: у меня не было ни единой догад-
ки, что у него на уме, а он (тоже) не стал меня просвещать.
“A clue, Mr. Holmes? What is it?”

“It all depends upon the behaviour of Dr. Watson’s re-
volver,” said my friend. “Here it is. Now, officer, can you give me ten
yards of string?”
The village shop provided a ball of stout twine.
“I think that this is all we will need,” said Holmes. “Now, if
you please, we will get off on what I hope is the last stage of our
journey.”
The sun was setting and turning the rolling Hampshire
moor into a wonderful autumnal panorama. The sergeant, with
many critical and incredulous glances, which showed his deep
doubts of the sanity of my companion, lurched along beside
us. As we approached the scene of the crime I could see that my
friend under all his habitual coolness was in truth deeply agitated.
moor [mɔː] habitual [həˈbɪtʃuəl]
behaviour — поведение; string — бечевка; stout — креп-

кий; twine — шпагат;  get off — зд.: приступать; stage — этап;
set — садиться (о солнце); rolling — неровный; moor — тор-
266
фяник; incredulous — недоверчивый; sanity — психическое здо-

ровье; approach — приближаться; habitual — привычный; cool-
ness — хладнокровие
lurched along — глагол lurch означает резкое «подпры-

гивающее» движение, а предлог along указывает на направле-
ние движения: подпрыгивал рядом (с нами).
“Yes,” he said in answer to my remark, “you have seen

me miss my mark before, Watson. I have an instinct for such
things, and yet it has sometimes played me false. It seemed
a certainty when first it flashed across my mind in the cell at
Winchester, but one drawback of an active mind is that one can
always conceive alternative explanations which would make
our scent a false one. And yet — and yet — Well, Watson, we
can but try.”
miss one’s mark — промахиваться; play smb false —

обмануть; flash across one’s mind — промелькнуть в голове;
drawback — слабое место; conceive — выдумать, изобрести;
scent — запах, след (охотн.)
can but try — конструкция can but + глагол означает

«не мочь не», «мочь только сделать что-л.»: можем только по-
пробовать.
As he walked he had firmly tied one end of the string

to the handle of the revolver. We had now reached the scene
of the tragedy. With great care he marked out under the guid-
ance of the policeman the exact spot where the body had been
stretched. He then hunted among the heather and the ferns
until he found a considerable stone. This he secured to the other
end of his line of string, and he hung it over the parapet of the
bridge so that it swung clear above the water. He then stood on
the fatal spot, some distance from the edge of the bridge, with
my revolver in his hand, the string being taut between the weap-
on and the heavy stone on the farther side.
267
tie — привязывать; handle — рукоятка;  mark out —

зд.: отметить; guidance — руководство; stretched — распростер-
тый; hunt — рыскать; heather — вереск; fern — папоротник;
secure — прикрепить; hung — прост. прош. от hang — свесил;
fatal — роковой; edge — край; taut — натянутый; farther —
дальний
“Now for it!” he cried.

At the words he raised the pistol to his head, and then
let go his grip. In an instant it had been whisked away by the
weight of the stone, had struck with a sharp crack against the par-
apet, and had vanished over the side into the water. It had hardly
gone before Holmes was kneeling beside the stonework, and a
joyous cry showed that he had found what he expected.
“Was there ever a more exact demonstration?” he cried.
“See, Watson, your revolver has solved the problem!” As he spoke
he pointed to a second chip of the exact size and shape of the first
which had appeared on the under edge of the stone balustrade.
weight [weɪt] balustrade [ˌbæləˈstreɪd]
Now for it — приступаем!; raise — поднимать;  let

go — отпускать; grip — хватка; instant — миг; whisk — рвануть-
ся; weight — вес; crack — треск; vanish — исчезать; kneel — сто-
ять на коленях; expect — ожидать; point — указывать
“We’ll stay at the inn to-night,” he continued as he rose

and faced the astonished sergeant. “You will, of course, get a
grappling-hook1 and you will easily restore my friend’s revolver.
You will also find beside it the revolver, string and weight with
which this vindictive woman attempted to disguise her own
crime and to fasten a charge of murder upon an innocent vic-
tim. You can let Mr. Gibson know that I will see him in the morn-
ing, when steps can be taken for Miss Dunbar’s vindication.”
1 grappling-hook — захват. Веревка с металлическим крючком на

конце.
268
Late that evening, as we sat together smoking our pipes

in the village inn, Holmes gave me a brief review of what had
passed.
“I fear, Watson,” said he, “that you will not improve any
reputation which I may have acquired by adding the case of the
Thor Bridge mystery to your annals. I have been sluggish in mind
and wanting in that mixture of imagination and reality which is
the basis of my art. I confess that the chip in the stonework was
a sufficient clue to suggest the true solution, and that I blame
myself for not having attained it sooner.
sufficient [səˈfɪʃənt]
inn — гостиница; astonished — пораженный; restore —

зд.: вернуть; vindictive — мстительный; attempt — пытаться
(гл.); disguise — скрыть; fasten — «повесить» (перен.); charge
of murder — обвинение в убийстве; vindication — оправдание
(юр.); improve — улучшать; acquire — добиваться; sluggish —
заторможенный; want in — испытывать нехватку; sufficient —
достаточный; solution — решение
“It must be admitted that the workings of this unhappy

woman’s mind were deep and subtle, so that it was no very
simple matter to unravel her plot. I do not think that in our
adventures we have ever come across a stranger example of
what perverted love can bring about. Whether Miss Dunbar
was her rival in a physical or in a merely mental sense seems
to have been equally unforgivable in her eyes. No doubt she
blamed this innocent lady for all those harsh dealings and
unkind words with which her husband tried to repel her too
demonstrative affection. Her first resolution was to end her
own life. Her second was to do it in such a way as to involve her
victim in a fate which was worse far than any sudden death
could be.
subtle — тонкий; unravel — раскрыть; plot — заго-

вор;  come across — встречать; perverted — извращенный;

269
 bring about — приносить; harsh — резкий, грубый; repel —

избегать; affection — любовь; resolution — решение; fate —
судьба
“We can follow the various steps quite clearly, and they
show a remarkable subtlety of mind. A note was extracted very
cleverly from Miss Dunbar which would make it appear that she
had chosen the scene of the crime. In her anxiety that it should
be discovered she somewhat overdid it by holding it in her
hand to the last. This alone should have excited my suspicions
earlier than it did.
follow — проследить; extract — получать; chosen — 3-я

форма от choose — выбрала; anxiety — рвение; discover — обна-
ружить; somewhat — в какой-то степени; alone — само по себе
overdid — глагол do в английском языке может озна-

чать практически что угодно; приставка over- означает «пере-»,
«слишком»: перестаралась.
should have excited my suspicions earlier than it did —
should have excited означает, что сожаление несколько запоздало:
(это) должно было бы возбудить мои подозрения раньше.
“Then she took one of her husband’s revolvers — there

was, as you saw, an arsenal in the house — and kept it for her
own use. A similar one she concealed that morning in Miss
Dunbar’s wardrobe after discharging one barrel, which she
could easily do in the woods without attracting attention. She
then went down to the bridge where she had contrived this
exceedingly ingenious method for getting rid of her weapon.
When Miss Dunbar appeared she used her last breath in pour-
ing out her hatred, and then, when she was out of hearing,
carried out her terrible purpose. Every link is now in its place
and the chain is complete. The papers may ask why the mere
270
was not dragged in the first instance, but it is easy to be wise

after the event, and in any case the expanse of a reed-filled
lake is no easy matter to drag unless you have a clear percep-
tion of what you are looking for and where. Well, Watson, we
have helped a remarkable woman, and also a formidable man.
Should they in the future join their forces, as seems not unlikely,
the financial world may find that Mr. Neil Gibson has learned
something in that schoolroom of sorrow where our earthly les-
sons are taught.”
similar — такой же; conceal — прятать; discharge one

barrel — зд.: сделать один выстрел; attract attention — привле-
кать внимание; contrive — осуществить что-л. трудное; out
of hearing — вне пределов слышимости;  сarry out — осу-
ществлять; purpose — намерение; link — звено; chain — цепь;
mere — озеро; expanse — большая площадь; perception — чет-
кое представление; remarkable — необыкновенный; formida-
ble — ужасный; sorrow — горе; earthly — земной
used her last breath in pouring out her hatred — игра

слов: breath часто означает не только «дыхание», но и «силы», а
также «слова». Словосочетанием last breath Холмс дает понять,
что героиня использовала и последние силы, и последние сло-
ва, чтобы излить свою ненависть.
The Adventure of the Creeping
Man
Mr. Sherlock Holmes was always of opinion that I should

publish the singular facts connected with Professor Presbury, if
only to dispel once for all the ugly rumours which some twenty
years ago agitated the university and were echoed in the learned
societies of London. There were, however, certain obstacles in
the way, and the true history of this curious case remained en-
tombed in the tin box which contains so many records of my
friend’s adventures. Now we have at last obtained permission to
ventilate the facts which formed one of the very last cases han-
dled by Holmes before his retirement from practice. Even now a
certain reticence and discretion have to be observed in laying
the matter before the public.
be of opinion — считать; singular — невероятный;

connect with — связать с; if only — если только; dispel — раз-
веять; once for all — раз и навсегда; rumours — слухи; agi-
tate — будоражить; learned societies — ученые общества; obsta-
cle — препятствие; entombed — погребенный; tin — жестяной;
obtain — добиться; permission — разрешение; ventilate — выра-
зить (мнение); retirement — отставка; reticence = discretion —
скрытность; observe — наблюдать
It was one Sunday evening early in September of the

year 1903 that I received one of Holmes’s laconic messages:
Come at once if convenient — if inconvenient come all
the same.
S. H.
(in)convenient — (не)удобно; all the same — все равно
The relations between us in those latter days were pe-

culiar. He was a man of habits, narrow and concentrated habits,
272
The Adventure of the Creeping Man
and I had become one of them. As an institution I was like the

violin, the shag tobacco1, the old black pipe, the index books,
and others perhaps less excusable. When it was a case of active
work and a comrade was needed upon whose nerve he could
place some reliance, my role was obvious. But apart from this
I had uses. I was a whetstone for his mind. I stimulated him. He
liked to think aloud in my presence. His remarks could hardly
be said to be made to me — many of them would have been as
appropriately addressed to his bedstead — but none the less,
having formed the habit, it had become in some way helpful
that I should register and interject. If I irritated him by a certain
methodical slowness in my mentality, that irritation served only
to make his own flame-like intuitions and impressions flash up
the more vividly and swiftly. Such was my humble role in our
alliance.
peculiar — странный; institution — важная традиция;

violin — скрипка; pipe — трубка; index book — адресная книга;
excusable — извинительный; comrade — товарищ; reliance —
надежность; obvious — очевидный; apart from — кроме того;
whetstone — точильный камень; aloud — вслух; as appropriate-
ly — с тем же успехом; bedstead — каркас кровати; none the
less — тем не менее; interject — вмешиваться, перебивать; irri-
tate — раздражать; flash up — вспыхивать; humble — скромный;
alliance — союз
When I arrived at Baker Street I found him huddled up

in his armchair with updrawn knees, his pipe in his mouth and
his brow furrowed with thought. It was clear that he was in the
throes of some vexatious problem. With a wave of his hand
he indicated my old armchair, but otherwise for half an hour
he gave no sign that he was aware of my presence. Then with
a start he seemed to come from his reverie, and with his usual
whimsical smile he greeted me back to what had once been
my home.
1 shag tobacco — махорка. Разновидность крепкого дешевого табака,

применявшегося для самокруток.
273
vexatious [vekˈseɪʃəs]
huddle up — свернуться; updrawn — вздернутый;

furrow — насупить; in the throes of — в тисках чего-л.
(о мысли, ситуации); vexatious — обременительный (перен.);
wave — взмах (сущ.); indicate — указывать; otherwise — иначе;
sign — знак; with a start — вздрогнув; reverie — задумчи-
вость; whimsical — странный; once — когда-то
“You will excuse a certain abstraction of mind, my dear

Watson,” said he. “Some curious facts have been submitted to
me within the last twenty-four hours, and they in turn have
given rise to some speculations of a more general character.
I have serious thoughts of writing a small monograph upon the
uses of dogs in the work of the detective.”
“But surely, Holmes, this has been explored,” said I.
“Bloodhounds — sleuth-hounds—”
abstraction — отвлеченность; in turn — в свою оче-

редь; speculations — соображения; general — общий; explore —
исследовать; bloodhounds — гончие, sleuth-hounds — ищейки
have been submitted to me — в страдательном залоге

глагол submit часто употребляется в значении «передавать ин-
формацию»: были мне переданы.
“No, no, Watson, that side of the matter is, of course,

obvious. But there is another which is far more subtle. You may
recollect that in the case which you, in your sensational way,
coupled with the Copper Beeches, I was able, by watching the
mind of the child, to form a deduction as to the criminal habits
of the very smug and respectable father.”1
“Yes, I remember it well.”
1 Имеется в виду рассказ The Adventure of the Copper Beeches из сбор-

ника The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.
274
subtle — тонкий; recollect — припомнить; sensation-

al — эффектный; coupled — зд.: связанный; copper — медный;
beech — бук; watch — наблюдать; as to — что касается; habit —
привычка; smug — самодовольный
“My line of thoughts about dogs is analogous.

A dog reflects the family life. Whoever saw a frisky dog in a
gloomy family, or a sad dog in a happy one? Snarling people
have snarling dogs, dangerous people have dangerous ones.
And their passing moods may reflect the passing moods of
others.”
I shook my head. “Surely, Holmes, this is a little far-
fetched,” said I.
He had refilled his pipe and resumed his seat, taking no
notice of my comment.
analogous [əˈnæləɡəs]
reflect — отражать; whoever — кто-нибудь; frisky — ве-

селый; gloomy — мрачный; snarl — рычать; passing moods —
смены настроений; shook — прост. прош. от shake — покачал;
far-fetched — маловероятный; resume — снова занять (место);
take notice — обратить внимание
refilled — приставка re- указывает на повтор какого-л.

действия: снова набил.
“The practical application of what I have said is very

close to the problem which I am investigating. It is a tangled
skein, you understand, and I am looking for a loose end. One
possible loose end lies in the question: Why does Professor Pres-
bury’s wolfhound, Roy, endeavour to bite him?”
I sank back in my chair in some disappointment. Was it
for so trivial a question as this that I had been summoned from my
work? Holmes glanced across at me.
275
endeavour [ɪnˈdevə]
application — применение; problem — загадка; inves-

tigate — расследовать; tangled — запутанный; skein — моток
пряжи; loose end — конец нити (прям. и перен.); wolfhound —
волкодав; endeavour — пытаться; bite — укусить; sank back —
прост. прош. от sink — откинулся; disappointment — разочаро-
вание; summon — вызывать
sank back, glanced across — предлог после глагола

указывает на направление того или иного действия: откинулся
назад, взглянул через (комнату).
“The same old Watson!” said he. “You never learn that the
gravest issues may depend upon the smallest things. But is it
not on the face of it strange that a staid, elderly philosopher —
you’ve heard of Presbury, of course, the famous Camford1 physi-
ologist? — that such a man, whose friend has been his devoted
wolfhound, should now have been twice attacked by his own
dog? What do you make of it?”
“The dog is ill.”
grave — серьезный; issue — дело;  depend (up)on —

зависеть (от); on the face of it — сразу, на первый взгляд;
staid — серьезный и скучный; elderly — пожилой; devoted —
преданный; twice — дважды; own — собственный
“Well, that has to be considered. But he attacks no one

else, nor does he apparently molest his master, save on very
special occasions. Curious, Watson — very curious. But young Mr.
Bennett is before his time if that is his ring. I had hoped to have
a longer chat with you before he came.”
1 Camford — условное наименование, объединяющее названия двух

старейших и самых известных университетов Великобритании: Oxford и
Cambridge (ср. Oxbridge). Зд. Camford — название университетского го-
родка.
276
There was a quick step on the stairs, a sharp tap at the

door and a moment later the new client presented himself. He was
a tall, handsome youth about thirty, well dressed and elegant, but
with something in his bearing which suggested the shyness of
the student rather than the self-possession of the man of the
world. He shook hands with Holmes, and then looked with some
surprise at me.
apparently [əˈpærəntli]
consider — учесть; else — еще, кроме; nor — также не;

molest — докучать; save — кроме; before (one’s) time — раньше
(назначенного) времени; tap — стук; youth — молодой человек;
bearing — манера; shyness — застенчивость; self-possession —
самообладание; shook hands with — прост. прош. от shake —
пожимать руку; surprise — удивление
“This matter is very delicate, Mr. Holmes,” he said. “Con-

sider the relation in which I stand to Professor Presbury both
privately and publicly. I really can hardly justify myself if I speak
before any third person.”
“Have no fear, Mr. Bennett. Dr. Watson is the very soul of
discretion, and I can assure you that this is a matter in which I am
very likely to need an assistant.”
“As you like, Mr. Holmes. You will, I am sure, understand
my having some reserves in the matter.”
relation — отношение; both — и… и; hardly — едва ли;

justify — оправдаться; discretion — тактичность; assure — уве-
рять; likely — вероятно
“You will appreciate it, Watson, when I tell you that

this gentleman, Mr. Trevor Bennett, is professional assistant to
the great scientist, lives under his roof, and is engaged to his
only daughter. Certainly we must agree that the professor has
every claim upon his loyalty and devotion. But it may best be
277
shown by taking the necessary steps to clear up this strange

mystery.”
“I hope so, Mr. Holmes. That is my one object. Does Dr.
Watson know the situation?”
“I have not had time to explain it.”
“Then perhaps I had better go over the ground again be-
fore explaining some fresh developments.”
appreciate — оценить; roof — крыша; be engaged

to — быть помолвленным с; claim (up)on — требовать; loyalty —
верность; devotion — преданность; take steps — предпринять
шаги;  clear up — прояснить; go over the ground —
зд.: пройтись по основам
my one object — one зд. используется в значении

«единственный»; обычно в таких случаях one употребляется с
определенным артиклем, но здесь это невозможно, т.к. исполь-
зовано притяжательное местоимение: моя единственная цель.
“I will do so myself,” said Holmes, “in order to show that

I have the events in their due order. The professor, Watson, is a
man of European reputation. His life has been academic. There
has never been a breath of scandal. He is a widower with one
daughter, Edith. He is, I gather, a man of very virile and posi-
tive, one might almost say combative, character. So the matter
stood until a very few months ago.
virile [ˈvɪraɪl] combative [ˈkɒmbətɪv]
in order to — чтобы; due — должный; order — поря-

док; a breath of — намек на; widower — вдовец; gather — пола-
гать; virile — сильный; positive — положительный; combative —
воинственный; so the matter stood — так обстояли дела
“Then the current of his life was broken. He is sixty-one

years of age, but he became engaged to the daughter of Profes-
sor Morphy, his colleague in the chair of comparative anatomy.
278
It was not, as I understand, the reasoned courting of an elderly

man but rather the passionate frenzy of youth, for no one could
have shown himself a more devoted lover. The lady, Alice Mor-
phy, was a very perfect girl both in mind and body, so that there
was every excuse for the professor’s infatuation. None the less,
it did not meet with full approval in his own family.”
comparative [kəmˈpærətɪv]
infatuation [ɪnˌfætjuˈeɪʃn]
current — течение; broken — 3-я форма гл. break — на-

рушено; chair — зд.: кафедра; comparative anatomy — сравни-
тельная анатомия; reasoned — обдуманный; courting — уха-
живание; rather — скорее, вероятнее; passionate — страстный;
frenzy — порыв; devoted — преданный; excuse — зд.: основание;
infatuation — любовное наваждение; approval — одобрение
“We thought it rather excessive,” said our visitor.

“Exactly. Excessive and a little violent and unnatural. Pro-
fessor Presbury was rich, however, and there was no objection
upon the part of the father. The daughter, however, had other
views, and there were already several candidates for her hand,
who, if they were less eligible from a worldly point of view, were
at least more of an age. The girl seemed to like the professor in
spite of his eccentricities. It was only age which stood in the
way.
eligible [ˈelɪdʒəbl]
excessive — чрезмерный; objection — возражение;

upon the part of — со стороны; views — взгляды; eligible —
подходящий для брака; worldly — жизненный; in spite of —
несмотря на; eccentricities — чудачества; stood in the way —
прост. прош. от stand — стоял на пути
more of an age — имеется в виду, что другие кандида-

ты больше подходят по возрасту.
279
“About this time a little mystery suddenly clouded the

normal routine of the professor’s life. He did what he had never
done before. He left home and gave no indication where he
was going. He was away a fortnight and returned looking rath-
er travel-worn. He made no allusion to where he had been,
although he was usually the frankest of men. It chanced, how-
ever, that our client here, Mr. Bennett, received a letter from a
fellow student in Prague, who said that he was glad to have
seen Professor Presbury there, although he had not been able
to talk to him. Only in this way did his own household learn
where he had been.
cloud — омрачать (гл.); routine — распорядок жизни; in-

dication — указание; fortnight — две недели; rather — довольно;
travel-worn — вымотанный путешествием; allusion — упомина-
ние; although — хотя; frank — искренний; chance — случаться;
receive — получать; fellow student — сокурсник; household —
домочадцы
“Now comes the point. From that time onward a curi-

ous change came over the professor. He became furtive and sly.
Those around him had always the feeling that he was not the
man that they had known, but that he was under some shadow
which had darkened his higher qualities. His intellect was not af-
fected. His lectures were as brilliant as ever. But always there was
something new, something sinister and unexpected. His daugh-
ter, who was devoted to him, tried again and again to resume
the old relations and to penetrate this mask which her father
seemed to have put on. You, sir, as I understand, did the same —
but all was in vain. And now, Mr. Bennett, tell in your own words
the incident of the letters.”
the point — суть; onward — и далее; came over —

прост. прош. от come — произошла; furtive — замкнутый;
sly — скрытный; shadow — тень; affect — зд.: пострадать; bril-
liant — блестящий; sinister — зловещий; resume — восстано-
вить; penetrate — проникнуть (за);  put on — надеть; in
vain — тщетно
280
“You must understand, Dr. Watson, that the professor

had no secrets from me. If I were his son or his younger brother
I could not have more completely enjoyed his confidence. As
his secretary I handled every paper which came to him, and I
opened and subdivided his letters. Shortly after his return all
this was changed. He told me that certain letters might come to
him from London which would be marked by a cross under the
stamp. These were to be set aside for his own eyes only. I may
say that several of these did pass through my hands, that they
had the E. C.1 mark, and were in an illiterate handwriting. If
he answered them at all the answers did not pass through my
hands nor into the letterbasket in which our correspondence
was collected.”
confidence — доверие; handle — отвечать за; subdi-

vide — сортировать; shortly — вскоре; cross — крест; stamp —
марка; illiterate — неграмотный; handwriting — почерк; col-
lect — собирать
“And the box,” said Holmes.

“Ah, yes, the box. The professor brought back a little
wooden box from his travels. It was the one thing which sug-
gested a Continental tour, for it was one of those quaint carved
things which one associates with Germany. This he placed in his
instrument cupboard. One day, in looking for a canula2, I took up
the box. To my surprise he was very angry, and reproved me in
words which were quite savage for my curiosity. It was the first
time such a thing had happened, and I was deeply hurt. I endeav-
oured to explain that it was a mere accident that I had touched
the box, but all the evening I was conscious that he looked at me
harshly and that the incident was rankling in his mind.” Mr. Ben-
nett drew a little diary book from his pocket. “That was on July
2d,” said he.
1 E.C. — Eastern Central / London EC postcode area.

2 canula = cannula [ˈkænjʊlə] — канюля. Тонкая трубка, которая вво-
дится в тело для введения или выведения жидкости или получения мате-
риала для анализа.
281
wooden — деревянный; quaint — затейливый; carved —

резной; cupboard — шкаф; reprove — отчитывать; savage — гру-
бый; curiosity — любопытство; hurt — задет; endeavour — пы-
таться; mere — только; accident = incident — случайность; be
conscious — осознавать; harshly — резко; rankle — долго беспо-
коить; diary book — ежедневник
Continental tour — поездки в Европу (с Британских

островов) называются поездками на континент.
“You are certainly an admirable witness,” said Holmes.

“I may need some of these dates which you have noted.”
“I learned method among other things from my great
teacher. From the time that I observed abnormality in his behav-
iour I felt that it was my duty to study his case. Thus I have it
here that it was on that very day, July 2d, that Roy attacked the
professor as he came from his study into the hall. Again, on July
11th, there was a scene of the same sort, and then I have a note
of yet another upon July 20th. After that we had to banish Roy
to the stables. He was a dear, affectionate animal — but I fear I
weary you.”
witness — свидетель; method — зд.: методичность; be-

haviour — поведение; duty — долг; case — случай; thus — таким
образом; study — кабинет (сущ.); note — запись; banish — из-
гнать; stables — конюшня; affectionate — любящий; weary —
утомлять
Mr. Bennett spoke in a tone of reproach, for it was very

clear that Holmes was not listening. His face was rigid and his
eyes gazed abstractedly at the ceiling. With an effort he recov-
ered himself.
“Singular! Most singular!” he murmured. “These details
were new to me, Mr. Bennett. I think we have now fairly gone over
the old ground, have we not? But you spoke of some fresh devel-
opments.”
282
reproach — упрек; rigid — застывший; gaze — уста-

виться; effort — усилие; singular — необычно; murmur — бор-
мотать
The pleasant, open face of our visitor clouded over,

shadowed by some grim remembrance. “What I speak of oc-
curred the night before last,” said he. “I was lying awake about
two in the morning, when I was aware of a dull muffled sound
coming from the passage. I opened my door and peeped out.
I should explain that the professor sleeps at the end of the pas-
sage—”
“The date being?” asked Holmes.
Our visitor was clearly annoyed at so irrelevant an inter-
ruption.
“I have said, sir, that it was the night before last — that is,
September 4th.”
Holmes nodded and smiled.
“Pray continue,” said he.
cloud = shadow — омрачать; grim — мрачный; awake —

бодрствовать; dull — глухой; muffled — приглушенный; pas-
sage — коридор;  peep out — выглядывать; annoy — раздра-
жать; irrelevant — неуместный; interruption — вмешательство
“He sleeps at the end of the passage and would have to

pass my door in order to reach the staircase. It was a really ter-
rifying experience, Mr. Holmes. I think that I am as strong-nerved
as my neighbours, but I was shaken by what I saw. The passage
was dark save that one window halfway along it threw a patch of
light. I could see that something was coming along the passage,
something dark and crouching. Then suddenly it emerged into
the light, and I saw that it was he. He was crawling, Mr. Holm-
es — crawling! He was not quite on his hands and knees. I should
rather say on his hands and feet, with his face sunk between his
hands. Yet he seemed to move with ease. I was so paralyzed by
the sight that it was not until he had reached my door that I was
283
able to step forward and ask if I could assist him. His answer was
extraordinary. He sprang up, spat out some atrocious word at
me, and hurried on past me, and down the staircase. I waited
about for an hour, but he did not come back. It must have been
daylight before he regained his room.”
staircase — лестница; experience — зд.: момент; neigh-

bour — сосед; shaken — 3-я форма гл. shake — потрясен; threw —
прост. прош. от throw — отбрасывало; patch — пятно; crouch —
пригибаться; emerge — оказываться; crawl — передвигаться на
четвереньках; ease — легкость; not until — не ранее чем; assist —
помочь;  spat out — прост. прош. от spit — выплюнул; atro-
cious — мерзкий
“Well, Watson, what make you of that?” asked Holm-

es with the air of the pathologist who presents a rare speci-
men.
“Lumbago,1 possibly. I have known a severe attack make
a man walk in just such a way, and nothing would be more trying
to the temper.”
“Good, Watson! You always keep us flat-footed on the
ground. But we can hardly accept lumbago, since he was able to
stand erect in a moment.”
 make of — делать вывод; air — выражение; patholo-

gist — патологоанатом; rare — редкий; specimen — образец; at-
tack — приступ (сущ.); try — подвергать испытанию (гл.); tem-
per — характер; flat-footed on the ground — твердо стоять на
земле (перен.); erect — прямо
“He was never better in health,” said Bennett. “In fact, he

is stronger than I have known him for years. But there are the
facts, Mr. Holmes. It is not a case in which we can consult the
police, and yet we are utterly at our wit’s end as to what to do,
and we feel in some strange way that we are drifting towards
1 lumbago [lʌmˈbeɪgəʊ] — люмбаго. Острая боль в области поясни-

цы.
284
disaster. Edith — Miss Presbury — feels as I do, that we cannot

wait passively any longer.”
“It is certainly a very curious and suggestive case. What
do you think, Watson?”
utterly — совершенно; at one’s wit’s end — в растерян-

ности; drift — зд.: двигаться; towards — к; disaster — катастро-
фа; suggestive — многообещающий
“Speaking as a medical man,” said I, “it appears to be

a case for an alienist. The old gentleman’s cerebral processes
were disturbed by the love affair. He made a journey abroad in
the hope of breaking himself of the passion. His letters and the
box may be connected with some other private transaction —
a loan, perhaps, or share certificates, which are in the box.”
“And the wolfhound no doubt disapproved of the finan-
cial bargain. No, no, Watson, there is more in it than this. Now,
I can only suggest —”
alienist [ˈeɪlɪənɪst]
alienist — психиатр (уст.); cerebral — мозговой (мед.);

disturb — тревожить; break oneself of — зд.: излечиться; trans-
action — операция (фин.); loan — кредит; share certificates —
свидетельство о покупке доли в компании; no doubt — без сом-
нений; bargain — сделка
appears to be a case — глаголы appear и seem часто ис-

пользуются в значении «казаться»: похоже, это дело…
What Sherlock Holmes was about to suggest will never

be known, for at this moment the door opened and a young lady
was shown into the room. As she appeared Mr. Bennett sprang
up with a cry and ran forward with his hands out to meet those
which she had herself outstretched.
“Edith, dear! Nothing the matter, I hope?”
285
“I felt I must follow you. Oh, Jack, I have been so dread-

fully frightened! It is awful to be there alone.”
“Mr. Holmes, this is the young lady I spoke of. This is my
fiancée.”
be about to — собираться (что-л. сделать); forward —

вперед; nothing the matter — ничего не случилось; follow —
следовать; dreadfully — ужасно; alone — один; fiancée — невеста1
was shown into the room — глагол show с предлогом

переводится как «проводить», причем предлог указывает, куда
именно провожают: show in — проводить в (дом и т.д.), show
out — проводить к выходу, и т.д.
“We were gradually coming to that conclusion, were

we not, Watson?” Holmes answered with a smile. “I take it, Miss
Presbury, that there is some fresh development in the case, and
that you thought we should know?”
Our new visitor, a bright, handsome girl of a conventional
English type, smiled back at Holmes as she seated herself beside
Mr. Bennett.
“When I found Mr. Bennett had left his hotel I thought I
should probably find him here. Of course, he had told me that he
would consult you. But, oh, Mr. Holmes, can you do nothing for
my poor father?”
gradually — постепенно; come to conclusion — прийти

к выводу; I take it — я полагаю; fresh development — новый по-
ворот (в деле); conventional — обычный
smiled back — предлог back после глагола часто озна-

чает ответное действие: улыбнулась в ответ.
can you do nothing — вопрос Can’t you do anything озна-
чал бы «не можете ли вы чего-нибудь сделать?; can you do nothing
переводится «(неужели) вы ничего не можете сделать?»
1 fiancée [fiˈɒnseɪ] — женщина, с которой мужчина помолвлен. Неве-
ста на свадьбе называется bride.
286
“I have hopes, Miss Presbury, but the case is still ob-

scure. Perhaps what you have to say may throw some fresh light
upon it.”
“It was last night, Mr. Holmes. He had been very strange all
day. I am sure that there are times when he has no recollection of
what he does. He lives as in a strange dream. Yesterday was such a
day. It was not my father with whom I lived. His outward shell was
there, but it was not really he.”
“Tell me what happened.”
obscure — темный; throw light (up)on — пролить

свет; recollection — воспоминание; outward shell — внешняя
оболочка
“I was awakened in the night by the dog barking most

furiously. Poor Roy, he is chained now near the stable. I may say
that I always sleep with my door locked; for, as Jack — as Mr. Ben-
nett — will tell you, we all have a feeling of impending danger.
My room is on the second floor. It happened that the blind was
up in my window, and there was bright moonlight outside. As I
lay with my eyes fixed upon the square of light, listening to the
frenzied barkings of the dog, I was amazed to see my father’s
face looking in at me. Mr. Holmes, I nearly died of surprise and
horror. There it was pressed against the windowpane, and one
hand seemed to be raised as if to push up the window. If that
window had opened, I think I should have gone mad. It was
no delusion, Mr. Holmes. Don’t deceive yourself by thinking so.
I dare say it was twenty seconds or so that I lay paralyzed and
watched the face. Then it vanished, but I could not — I could not
spring out of bed and look out after it. I lay cold and shivering
till morning. At breakfast he was sharp and fierce in manner, and
made no allusion to the adventure of the night. Neither did I, but
I gave an excuse for coming to town — and here I am.”
awaken — будить; bark — лаять; chain — сажать на

цепь (гл.); impending — надвигающийся1; blind — штора;
1 Слово impending обычно применяется для описания именно непри-

ятных и устрашающих событий.
287
moonlight — лунный свет; frenzied — истерический; amaze —

поражать; windowpane — оконное стекло; as if — как будто;
 push up — толкнуть, открыть; delusion — галлюцинация; de-
ceive — обманывать; vanish — исчезать; shiver — дрожать; nei-
ther — также не; excuse — предлог
looking in at me — два предлога подряд нужны, чтобы

точно описать произошедшее: look in — смотреть (снаружи) в
(комнату); look at — смотреть на кого-л./что-л.: смотрящего на
меня снаружи.
If that window had opened, I think I should have gone
mad. — Неосуществленное условие в прошлом привело к тому,
что другое действие также не произошло; на русский язык та-
кие предложения переводятся с помощью частицы «бы»: если
бы это окно открылось, я бы, наверное, сошла с ума. Глагол
should является формой прошедшего времени вспомогательно-
го глагола 1-го лица shall при образовании будущего времени.
Don’t deceive yourself — возвратное местоимение ука-
зывает, на кого/что направлено действие: не обманывайте себя.
Holmes looked thoroughly surprised at Miss Presbury’s

narrative.
“My dear young lady, you say that your room is on the
second floor. Is there a long ladder in the garden?”
“No, Mr. Holmes, that is the amazing part of it. There is
no possible way of reaching the window — and yet he was there.”
“The date being September 5th,” said Holmes. “That cer-
tainly complicates matters.”
It was the young lady’s turn to look surprised. “This is the
second time that you have alluded to the date, Mr. Holmes,” said
Bennett. “Is it possible that it has any bearing upon the case?”
“It is possible — very possible — and yet I have not my full
material at present.”
“Possibly you are thinking of the connection between in-
sanity and phases of the moon?”
ladder — стремянка; amazing — поразительный; way —

способ; complicate — осложнять; turn — очередь; allude —
288
напоминать; have bearing (up)on — иметь отношение к; at

present — в данный момент; connection — связь; insanity —
безумие
“No, I assure you. It was quite a different line of

thought. Possibly you can leave your notebook with me, and
I will check the dates. Now I think, Watson, that our line of ac-
tion is perfectly clear. This young lady has informed us — and I
have the greatest confidence in her intuition — that her father
remembers little or nothing which occurs upon certain dates.
We will therefore call upon him as if he had given us an ap-
pointment upon such a date. He will put it down to his own
lack of memory. Thus we will open our campaign by having a
good close view of him.”
“That is excellent,” said Mr. Bennett. “I warn you, however,
that the professor is irascible and violent at times.”
irascible [ɪˈræsəbl]
confidence — доверие; occur — происходить; cer-

tain — определенный; therefore — следовательно;  call (up)
on — наносить визит; appointment — договоренность о встре-
че;  put down — приписать; lack of — недостаток (чего-л.);
open campaign — начать кампанию; excellent — превосходно;
warn — предупреждать; irascible — вспыльчивый; violent —
буйный
Holmes smiled. “There are reasons why we should come

at once — very cogent reasons if my theories hold good. To-
morrow, Mr. Bennett, will certainly see us in Camford. There
is, if I remember right, an inn called the Chequers where the
port used to be above mediocrity and the linen was above re-
proach. I think, Watson, that our lot for the next few days might
lie in less pleasant places.”
Monday morning found us on our way to the famous
university town — an easy effort on the part of Holmes, who
289
had no roots to pull up, but one which involved frantic planning
and hurrying on my part, as my practice was by this time not in-
considerable. Holmes made no allusion to the case until after we
had deposited our suitcases at the ancient hostel of which he
had spoken.
linen [ˈlɪnɪn]
cogent — веский; hold good — чего-то стоить; port —

портвейн; above mediocrity — выше среднего; linen — белье;
reproach — упрек; lot — доля, жребий; easy effort — небольшое
усилие; on the part of — со стороны; roots — узы; involve — зд.:
требовать; frantic — лихорадочный; until — пока не; deposit —
оставлять; suitcase — саквояж
To-morrow will see us in Camford, Monday morning

found us on our way — когда речь идет о времени путешествия,
английские предложения иногда строятся таким образом: за-
втрашний день увидит, утро нашло, и т.д. При переводе фразу
лучше перестроить: мы уже будем в Кэмфорде, в понедельник
утром мы были на пути.
port used to be above mediocrity — выражение used to do
означает привычное, регулярное действие в прошлом, которое
в настоящем уже не более не происходит: (раньше) там был не-
дурной портвейн.
“I think, Watson, that we can catch the professor just be-
fore lunch. He lectures at eleven and should have an interval at
home.”
“What possible excuse have we for calling?”
Holmes glanced at his notebook.
“There was a period of excitement upon August 26th. We
will assume that he is a little hazy as to what he does at such
times. If we insist that we are there by appointment I think he will
hardly venture to contradict us. Have you the effrontery neces-
sary to put it through?”
“We can but try.”
290
“Excellent, Watson! Compound of the Busy Bee1 and Ex-

celsior2. We can but try — the motto of the firm. A friendly native
will surely guide us.”
catch — перехватить; interval — перерыв; excuse —

предлог; glance — взглянуть (гл.); excitement — возбуждение;
assume — предполагать; hazy — зд.: плохо соображает; insist —
настаивать; by appointment — назначено; venture — осмелиться;
contradict — возражать; effrontery — наглость;  put through —
пережить (о неприятном); can but do smth — мочь только сде-
лать что-л.; motto — девиз; native — местный житель (сущ.)
Compound of the Busy Bee and Excelsior — это аллю-

зии на детское стихотворение и латинское изречение, извест-
ные каждому современнику Холмса. Достаточно передать об-
щий смысл: выбросьте из головы, чему вас учили в детстве.
Such a one on the back of a smart hansom swept us

past a row of ancient colleges and, finally turning into a tree-
lined drive, pulled up at the door of a charming house, girt
round with lawns and covered with purple wistaria3. Professor
Presbury was certainly surrounded with every sign not only of
comfort but of luxury. Even as we pulled up, a grizzled head
appeared at the front window, and we were aware of a pair of
keen eyes from under shaggy brows which surveyed us through
large horn glasses. A moment later we were actually in his sanc-
tum, and the mysterious scientist, whose vagaries had brought
us from London, was standing before us. There was certainly no
sign of eccentricity either in his manner or appearance, for he
was a portly, large-featured man, grave, tall, and frock-coated4,
1 Busy Bee — завуалированная цитата из стихотворения Айзека Уот-

тса (1674–1748) «Против лени и проказ» (Against Idleness and Mischief), ко-
торое начинается словами “How doth the little busy bee…”
2 Excelsior — все выше (лат.).
3 wistaria — глициния. Высокое древовидное вьющееся растение с
кистями цветов.
4 frock coat — длинный, по колено, приталенный сюртук. Распро-
страненная мужская одежда викторианской (1837–1901) и эдвардианской
(1901–1910) эпох.
291
with the dignity of bearing which a lecturer needs. His eyes were
his most remarkable feature, keen, observant, and clever to the
verge of cunning.
luxury [ˈlʌkʃəri] vagaries [ˈveɪɡərɪz]

eccentricity [ˌeksenˈtrɪsəti]
swept — прост. прош. от sweep — зд.: домчал; a row

of — ряд; drive — подъездная аллея;  pull up — тормозить;
girt — прост. прош. от gird — окаймленный; lawn — лужай-
ка; purple — фиолетовый; surround — окружать; sign — знак;
luxury — роскошь; grizzled — седой; be aware of — созна-
вать; keen — острый; shaggy — густой; survey — оглядеть; horn
glasses — очки в роговой оправе; sanctum — святая святых;
vagaries — неконтролируемые изменения; either… or — и…
и; appearance — вид; portly — полноватый; large-featured —
с крупными чертами; grave — серьезный; dignity — достоинст-
во; observant — наблюдательный; to the verge of — (вплоть) до
Such a one — это относится к упомянутому в преды-

дущем абзаце friendly native: именно такой человек.
clever to the verge of cunning — clever (умный, хитрый)
чаще употребляется в положительном значении, а cunning (хи-
трый, коварный) — в отрицательном: хитрые, с оттенком ковар-
ства/умные, с хитринкой.
He looked at our cards. “Pray sit down, gentlemen. What

can I do for you?”
Mr. Holmes smiled amiably.
“It was the question which I was about to put to you, Pro-
fessor.”
“To me, sir!”
“Possibly there is some mistake. I heard through a sec-
ond person that Professor Presbury of Camford had need of my
services.”
“Oh, indeed!” It seemed to me that there was a malicious
sparkle in the intense gray eyes. “You heard that, did you? May I
ask the name of your informant?”
292
amiably [ˈeɪmiəbli]
card — визитная карточка; amiably — любезно; possi-

bly — возможно; service — услуга; indeed — в самом деле; mali-
cious — злобный; sparkle — искра; intense — пристальный
“I am sorry, Professor, but the matter was rather confi-

dential. If I have made a mistake there is no harm done. I can only
express my regret.”
“Not at all. I should wish to go further into this matter. It
interests me. Have you any scrap of writing, any letter or telegram,
to bear out your assertion?”
“No, I have not.”
“I presume that you do not go so far as to assert that I
summoned you?”
“I would rather answer no questions,” said Holmes.
“No, I dare say not,” said the professor with asperity.
“However, that particular one can be answered very easily with-
out your aid.”
no harm done — ничего страшного; express — выра-

зить; regret — сожаление; further — дальше; scrap — обрывок;
 bear out — подтвердить; assertion — утверждение; presume —
полагать; asperity — раздражение; particular — конкретный;
aid — помощь
I would rather — местоимение + would rather означает

«предпочитать»: я бы предпочел.
He walked across the room to the bell. Our London

friend Mr. Bennett, answered the call.
“Come in, Mr. Bennett. These two gentlemen have come
from London under the impression that they have been sum-
moned. You handle all my correspondence. Have you a note of
anything going to a person named Holmes?”
“No, sir,” Bennett answered with a flush.
293
“That is conclusive,” said the professor, glaring angrily at

my companion. “Now, sir” — he leaned forward with his two hands
upon the table — “it seems to me that your position is a very ques-
tionable one.”
bell — колокольчик; under the impression — под впе-

чатлением; summon — вызывать; handle — распоряжаться;
with a flush — залившись краской; conclusive — решающий;
glare — сердито смотреть; questionable — сомнительный
Holmes shrugged his shoulders.

“I can only repeat that I am sorry that we have made a
needless intrusion.”
“Hardly enough, Mr. Holmes!” the old man cried in a high
screaming voice, with extraordinary malignancy upon his face.
He got between us and the door as he spoke, and he shook his
two hands at us with furious passion. “You can hardly get out
of it so easily as that.” His face was convulsed, and he grinned
and gibbered at us in his senseless rage. I am convinced that we
should have had to fight our way out of the room if Mr. Bennett
had not intervened.
shrug — пожать плечами; intrusion — вторжение; ma-

lignancy — злоба;  get out of — выкрутиться; convulsed — пе-
рекошенный; grin — ухмыляться; gibber — запинаться; rage —
ярость; convinced — убежден; fight one’s way — прорываться;
intervene — вмешаться
cried in a high screaming voice, furious passion — в ан-

глийском языке для усиления часто используется несколько
синонимов подряд: high voice — это «громкий голос», cry и
scream — кричать; passion означает любые сильные чувства,
в т.ч. ярость. Уместный перевод — громко закричал, приступ
ярости.
“My dear Professor,” he cried, “consider your position!

Consider the scandal at the university! Mr. Holmes is a well-known
man. You cannot possibly treat him with such discourtesy.”
294
Sulkily our host — if I may call him so — cleared the

path to the door. We were glad to find ourselves outside the house
and in the quiet of the tree-lined drive. Holmes seemed greatly
amused by the episode.
“Our learned friend’s nerves are somewhat out of
order,” said he. “Perhaps our intrusion was a little crude, and
yet we have gained that personal contact which I desired. But,
dear me, Watson, he is surely at our heels. The villain still pur-
sues us.”
discourtesy [dɪsˈkɜːtəsi]
consider — учитывать; treat — обращаться с кем-л.;

discourtesy — неучтивость; sulkily — угрюмо; host — хозяин;
clear — очистить; amuse — забавлять; learned — ученый; some-
what — несколько; out of order — не в порядке; crude — зд.:
грубый; gain — добиться; be at one’s heels — следовать по пя-
там; villain — злодей; pursue — преследовать
There were the sounds of running feet behind, but it

was, to my relief, not the formidable professor but his assistant
who appeared round the curve of the drive. He came panting
up to us.
“I am so sorry, Mr. Holmes. I wished to apologize.”
“My dear sir, there is no need. It is all in the way of pro-
fessional experience.”
“I have never seen him in a more dangerous mood. But he
grows more sinister. You can understand now why his daughter
and I are alarmed. And yet his mind is perfectly clear.”
relief — облегчение; curve — изгиб; panting — зады-

хаясь; apologize — извиняться; mood — настроение; alarm —
тревожить(ся)
It is all in the way of professional experience. — Выра-

жение in the (ordinary) way переводится «как обычно»: обычное
дело в профессиональной практике.
295
grows more sinister — конструкция grow + прилагатель-

ное указывает на приобретение или усиление какого-л. качества:
становится все более устрашающим.
“Too clear!” said Holmes. “That was my miscalculation.

It is evident that his memory is much more reliable than I had
thought. By the way, can we, before we go, see the window of
Miss Presbury’s room?”
Mr. Bennett pushed his way through some shrubs, and
we had a view of the side of the house.
“It is there. The second on the left.”
“Dear me, it seems hardly accessible. And yet you will
observe that there is a creeper below and a water-pipe above
which give some foothold.”
miscalculation — просчет; evident — очевидный; reli-

able — надежный; by the way — кстати; shrub — кустарник;
accessible — достижимый; observe — заметить; creeper — пол-
зучее растение; water-pipe — водосточная труба; foothold — ме-
сто, куда поставить ногу
“I could not climb it myself,” said Mr. Bennett.

“Very likely. It would certainly be a dangerous exploit for
any normal man.”
“There was one other thing I wish to tell you, Mr. Holmes.
I have the address of the man in London to whom the professor
writes. He seems to have written this morning, and I got it from his
blotting-paper. It is an ignoble position for a trusted secretary,
but what else can I do?”
Holmes glanced at the paper and put it into his pocket.
climb — взобраться; exploit — подвиг; blotting-paper —

промокашка; ignoble — постыдный, неловкий
“Dorak — a curious name. Slavonic, I imagine. Well, it

is an important link in the chain. We return to London this af-
ternoon, Mr. Bennett. I see no good purpose to be served by
296
our remaining. We cannot arrest the professor because he has

done no crime, nor can we place him under constraint, for he
cannot be proved to be mad. No action is as yet possible.”
“Then what on earth are we to do?”
“A little patience, Mr. Bennett. Things will soon develop.
Unless I am mistaken, next Tuesday may mark a crisis. Certainly
we shall be in Camford on that day. Meanwhile, the general posi-
tion is undeniably unpleasant, and if Miss Presbury can prolong
her visit —”
“That is easy.”
Slavonic = Slavic — славянский; link — звено; chain —

цепь; purpose — цель; serve — служить; remain — оставаться;
nor — также не; place — поместить (гл.); constraint — надзор;
patience — терпение; unless — если не; mistaken — 3-я форма
гл. mistake — ошибаться; undeniably — бесспорно; prolong —
продлить
what on earth are we to do? — Словосочетание on earth

используется в вопросительных предложениях для усиления и
переводится любыми вводными усилительными словами: Ради
Бога, что же нам делать?
“Then let her stay till we can assure her that all danger is
past. Meanwhile, let him have his way and do not cross him. So
long as he is in a good humour all is well.”
“There he is!” said Bennett in a startled whisper. Looking
between the branches we saw the tall, erect figure emerge from
the hall door and look around him. He stood leaning forward, his
hands swinging straight before him, his head turning from side to
side. The secretary with a last wave slipped off among the trees,
and we saw him presently rejoin his employer, the two enter-
ing the house together in what seemed to be animated and even
excited conversation.
be past — остаться в прошлом; have one’s way — по-

ступать по-своему; cross — противоречить; startled — потря-
сенный; whisper — шепот; branch — ветка; swing — качаться;
297
wave — взмах руки;  slip off — выскальзывать; presently —

вскоре; rejoin — воссоединиться; employer — работодатель;
animated — оживленный; conversation — беседа
the two — определенный артикль перед числитель-

ным употребляется, чтобы придать ему обобщающее значение
(все); зд: оба.
“I expect the old gentleman has been putting two and

two together,” said Holmes as we walked hotel ward. “He struck
me as having a particularly clear and logical brain from the little
I saw of him. Explosive, no doubt, but then from his point of
view he has something to explode about if detectives are put on
his track and he suspects his own household of doing it. I rather
fancy that friend Bennett is in for an uncomfortable time.”
Holmes stopped at a post-office and sent off a telegram
on our way. The answer reached us in the evening, and he tossed
it across to me.
put two and two together — сложить два и два (перен.);

struck — прост. прош. от strike — зд.: произвел впечатление; ex-
plosive — взрывной; explode — взрываться; track — след; sus-
pect — подозревать; household — домочадцы; fancy — вообра-
жать (гл.);  sent off — прост. прош. от send — отослал; on one’s
way — по пути; toss across — перебрасывать
from the little I saw of him — see of smb означает «об-

щаться с кем-то»: (я понял) из того короткого общения с ним.
is in for an uncomfortable time — устойчивое выра-
жение be in for smth означает «вот-вот пережить неприятный
опыт»: (его) ожидает пара неприятных минут.
Have visited the Commercial Road and seen Dorak.

Suave person, Bohemian, elderly. Keeps large general store.
MERCER.
“Mercer is since your time,” said Holmes. “He is my gen-
eral utility man who looks up routine business. It was important
298
to know something of the man with whom our professor was so

secretly corresponding. His nationality connects up with the
Prague visit.”
“Thank goodness that something connects with some-
thing,” said I. “At present we seem to be faced by a long series of
inexplicable incidents with no bearing upon each other. For ex-
ample, what possible connection can there be between an angry
wolfhound and a visit to Bohemia, or either of them with a man
crawling down a passage at night? As to your dates, that is the
biggest mystification of all.”
Bohemian [bəʊˈhiːmiən]
suave — обходительный; Bohemian — житель Богемии;

general store — универсальный магазин; utility man — помощник;
 look up — искать информацию; routine — текущая работа;
correspond — переписываться;  сonnect up — складываться;
thank goodness — слава Богу; face by — сталкиваться (с); inex-
plicable — необъяснимый; bearing — связь; crawl — двигаться
на четвереньках
since your time — since переводится как «с тех пор», но

здесь уместен перевод «(появился) после вас».
Holmes smiled and rubbed his hands. We were, I may

say, seated in the old sitting-room of the ancient hotel, with a
bottle of the famous vintage of which Holmes had spoken on
the table between us.
“Well, now, let us take the dates first,” said he, his finger-
tips together and his manner as if he were addressing a class. “This
excellent young man’s diary shows that there was trouble upon
July 2d, and from then onward it seems to have been at nine-day
intervals, with, so far as I remember, only one exception. Thus the
last outbreak upon Friday was on September 3d, which also falls
into the series, as did August 26th, which preceded it. The thing is
beyond coincidence.”
299
rub — тереть; vintage — выдержанное вино; finger-

tips — кончики пальцев; exception — исключение; coinci-
dence — совпадение
beyond coincidence — beyond означает «слишком», «за

пределами»: это слишком для совпадения.
I was forced to agree.

“Let us, then, form the provisional theory that every nine
days the professor takes some strong drug which has a passing
but highly poisonous effect. His naturally violent nature is inten-
sified by it. He learned to take this drug while he was in Prague,
and is now supplied with it by a Bohemian intermediary in Lon-
don. This all hangs together, Watson!”
“But the dog, the face at the window, the creeping man
in the passage?”
“Well, well, we have made a beginning. I should not ex-
pect any fresh developments until next Tuesday. In the meantime
we can only keep in touch with friend Bennett and enjoy the
amenities of this charming town.”
intermediary [ˌɪntəˈmiːdiəri]
force — вынуждать; provisional — временный; drug —

наркотик; passing — преходящий; poisonous — отравляющий;
intensify — усиливать; supply — обеспечивать; intermediary —
посредник;  hang together — сходиться, складываться; keep
in touch — поддерживать связь; amenity — удобство
In the morning Mr. Bennett slipped round to bring us

the latest report. As Holmes had imagined, times had not been
easy with him. Without exactly accusing him of being respon-
sible for our presence, the professor had been very rough and
rude in his speech, and evidently felt some strong grievance.
This morning he was quite himself again, however, and had de-
livered his usual brilliant lecture to a crowded class. “Apart from
300
his queer fits,” said Bennett, “he has actually more energy and
vitality than I can ever remember, nor was his brain ever clearer.
But it’s not he — it’s never the man whom we have known.”
rough [rʌf] vitality [vaɪˈtæləti]
slip round — заскочить; accuse — обвинять; respon-

sible — ответственный; rough — резкий; grievance — обида;
crowded — переполненный; queer — странный; fit — приступ;
actually — в действительности; vitality — жизненная сила
“I don’t think you have anything to fear now for a week
at least,” Holmes answered. “I am a busy man, and Dr. Watson
has his patients to attend to. Let us agree that we meet here
at this hour next Tuesday, and I shall be surprised if before we
leave you again we are not able to explain, even if we cannot
perhaps put an end to, your troubles. Meanwhile, keep us
posted in what occurs.”
I saw nothing of my friend for the next few days, but on the
following Monday evening I had a short note asking me to meet
him next day at the train. From what he told me as we travelled
up to Camford all was well, the peace of the professor’s house had
been unruffled, and his own conduct perfectly normal. This also
was the report which was given us by Mr. Bennett himself when
he called upon us that evening at our old quarters in the Cheq-
uers. “He heard from his London correspondent to-day. There was
a letter and there was a small packet, each with the cross under
the stamp which warned me not to touch them. There has been
nothing else.”
at least — по крайней мере; patient — пациент; attend

(to) — заботиться; put an end to — положить конец; unruf-
fled — безмятежный; conduct — поведение (сущ.); quarters —
жилье; cross — крест; warn — предупреждать; else — еще, кроме
301
keep us posted — глагол keep (хранить, поддерживать)

используется в значении «продолжать делать что-л.»: продол-
жайте писать нам.
“That may prove quite enough,” said Holmes grimly.

“Now, Mr. Bennett, we shall, I think, come to some conclusion
tonight. If my deductions are correct we should have an oppor-
tunity of bringing matters to a head. In order to do so it is nec-
essary to hold the professor under observation. I would suggest,
therefore, that you remain awake and on the lookout. Should
you hear him pass your door, do not interrupt him, but follow
him as discreetly as you can. Dr. Watson and I will not be far off.
By the way, where is the key of that little box of which you spoke?”
prove — доказать; grimly — мрачно; conclusion — вы-

вод; opportunity — возможность; bring matters to a head —
довести ситуацию до кульминации; observation — наблюдение;
suggest — предлагать; therefore — следовательно; on the look-
out — на страже; interrupt — прерывать; discreetly — скрытно
“Upon his watch-chain.”

“I fancy our researches must lie in that direction. At the
worst the lock should not be very formidable. Have you any oth-
er able-bodied man on the premises?”
“There is the coachman, Macphail.”
“Where does he sleep?”
“Over the stables.”
watch-chain — цепочка для часов; research — иссле-

дование; direction — направление; at the worst — в худшем
случае; lock — замок (сущ.); formidable — зд.: сложный; able-
bodied — крепкий, сильный; premises — территория (имения);
coachman — кучер; stables — конюшня
“We might possibly want him. Well, we can do no more

until we see how things develop. Good-bye — but I expect that
we shall see you before morning.”
302
It was nearly midnight before we took our station

among some bushes immediately opposite the hall door of the
professor. It was a fine night, but chilly, and we were glad of our
warm overcoats. There was a breeze, and clouds were scudding
across the sky, obscuring from time to time the half-moon. It
would have been a dismal vigil were it not for the expectation
and excitement which carried us along, and the assurance of my
comrade that we had probably reached the end of the strange se-
quence of events which had engaged our attention.
dismal [ˈdɪzməl] vigil [ˈvɪdʒɪl]

sequence [ˈsiːkwəns]
want — нуждаться в (гл.); midnight — полночь; took

our station — прост. прош. от take — заняли позицию; im-
mediately — непосредственно; opposite — напротив; chilly —
морозный; scud across the sky — быстро плыть по небу;
obscure — скрывать; dismal — унылый; vigil — дежурство;
assurance — уверение; sequence — последовательность; en-
gage — занимать
“If the cycle of nine days holds good then we shall

have the professor at his worst to-night,” said Holmes. “The fact
that these strange symptoms began after his visit to Prague,
that he is in secret correspondence with a Bohemian dealer in
London, who presumably represents someone in Prague, and
that he received a packet from him this very day, all point in one
direction. What he takes and why he takes it are still beyond
our ken, but that it emanates in some way from Prague is clear
enough. He takes it under definite directions which regulate
this ninth-day system, which was the first point which attracted
my attention. But his symptoms are most remarkable. Did you
observe his knuckles?”
I had to confess that I did not.
cycle — цикл; hold good — зд.: иметь значение; repre-

sent — представлять; point — указывать (гл.); beyond one’s
ken — за пределами понимания; emanate — исходить из; defi-
303
nite — четкий; direction — указание; attract attention — при-

влечь внимание; remarkable — примечательный; knuckles — ко-
стяшки пальцев; confess — признаться
clear enough — enough после прилагательного, наре-

чия или глагола указывает, что то или иное качество/действие
выражено в достаточной степени: совершенно ясно.
“Thick and horny in a way which is quite new in my ex-

perience. Always look at the hands first, Watson. Then cuffs, trou-
ser knees, and boots. Very curious knuckles which can only be
explained by the mode of progression observed by –” Holmes
paused and suddenly clapped his hand to his forehead. “Oh,
Watson, Watson, what a fool I have been! It seems incredible,
and yet it must be true. All points in one direction. How could
I miss seeing the connection of ideas? Those knuckles, how
could I have passed those knuckles? And the dog! And the ivy!
It’s surely time that I disappeared into that little farm of my
dreams. Look out, Watson! Here he is! We shall have the chance
of seeing for ourselves.”
thick — широкий; horny — огрубевший; cuffs — ман-

жеты; trouser knees — колени брюк; boots — ботинки; progres-
sion — продвижение; clap — хлопать; forehead — лоб; incred-
ible — невероятный;  look out — быть начеку
miss seeing the connection of ideas — здесь подразу-

мевается то, что Холмс упустил главное, даже понимая (видя)
связь идей.
disappeared into that little farm of my dreams — фраза
«исчез на маленькой ферме моей мечты» означает «витал в об-
лаках».
The hall door had slowly opened, and against the lamp-
lit background we saw the tall figure of Professor Presbury. He
was clad in his dressing gown. As he stood outlined in the door-
way he was erect but leaning forward with dangling arms, as
when we saw him last.
304
Now he stepped forward into the drive, and an extraordi-

nary change came over him. He sank down into a crouching po-
sition and moved along upon his hands and feet, skipping every
now and then as if he were overflowing with energy and vitality.
He moved along the face of the house and then round the cor-
ner. As he disappeared Bennett slipped through the hall door and
softly followed him.
lamp-lit — залитый светом; background — фон; clad

in — одетый в; dressing gown — халат; outline — очертить;
 lean forward — наклоняться; dangling — свободно сви-
сающий;  came over — прост. прош. от come — произошла;
crouching — наклонный; skip — подпрыгивать; overflow — пе-
реполнять; vitality — жизненная сила; face — фасад; follow —
следовать
“Come, Watson, come!” cried Holmes, and we stole as

softly as we could through the bushes until we had gained a
spot whence we could see the other side of the house, which
was bathed in the light of the half-moon. The professor was
clearly visible crouching at the foot of the ivy-covered wall. As
we watched him he suddenly began with incredible agility to
ascend it. From branch to branch he sprang, sure of foot and
firm of grasp, climbing apparently in mere joy at his own pow-
ers, with no definite object in view. With his dressing-gown
flapping on each side of him, he looked like some huge bat
glued against the side of his own house, a great square dark
patch upon the moonlit wall. Presently he tired of this amuse-
ment, and, dropping from branch to branch, he squatted down
into the old attitude and moved towards the stables, creeping
along in the same strange way as before. The wolfhound was
out now, barking furiously, and more excited than ever when it
actually caught sight of its master. It was straining on its chain
and quivering with eagerness and rage. The professor squat-
ted down very deliberately just out of reach of the hound and
began to provoke it in every possible way. He took handfuls of
pebbles from the drive and threw them in the dog’s face, prod-
305
ded him with a stick which he had picked up, flicked his hands
about only a few inches from the gaping mouth, and endeav-
oured in every way to increase the animal’s fury, which was
already beyond all control. In all our adventures I do not know
that I have ever seen a more strange sight than this impassive
and still dignified figure crouching frog-like upon the ground
and goading to a wilder exhibition of passion the maddened
hound, which ramped and raged in front of him, by all manner
of ingenious and calculated cruelty.
endeavour [ɪnˈdevə]
ingenious [ɪnˈdʒiːniəs]
stole — прост. прош. от steal — крались; whence — от-

куда (уст.); bathed in the light — залитый светом; ivy — плющ;
agility — проворство; ascend — подниматься; mere — всего
лишь; flap — хлопать (крыльями и т.д.); glue — приклеивать (гл.);
square — квадратный; patch — пятно; amusement — развлече-
ние; squat down — зд.: спрыгнул сгруппировавшись; attitude —
зд.: манера; caught sight — прост. прош. от catch — заметил;
strain — натягивать; quiver — дрожать; deliberately — на-
меренно; out of reach — вне досягаемости; pebble — гравий;
prod — тыкать; flick — зд.: отдергивать; gaping — разинутый;
endeavour — пытаться; increase — увеличивать(ся); impas-
sive — невозмутимый; frog — лягушка; goad — выводить из
себя; exhibition — проявление; ramp — зд.: разъяриться; cru-
elty — жестокость
And then in a moment it happened! It was not the chain

that broke, but it was the collar that slipped, for it had been
made for a thick-necked Newfoundland. We heard the rattle of
falling metal, and the next instant dog and man were rolling on
the ground together, the one roaring in rage, the other scream-
ing in a strange shrill falsetto of terror. It was a very narrow
thing for the professor’s life. The savage creature had him fairly
by the throat, its fangs had bitten deep, and he was senseless
before we could reach them and drag the two apart. It might
306
have been a dangerous task for us, but Bennett’s voice and pres-
ence brought the great wolflhound instantly to reason. The up-
roar had brought the sleepy and astonished coachman from his
room above the stables. “I’m not surprised,” said he, shaking his
head. “I’ve seen him at it before. I knew the dog would get him
sooner or later.”
collar — ошейник; slip — соскальзывать; rattle — лязг;

instant — мгновение; roll — кататься; roar — рычать; scream —
кричать; shrill — резкий; savage — дикий; throat — горло;
fang — клык;  drag apart — растаскивать; presence — присут-
ствие; brought to reason — прост. прош. от bring — привели в
чувство; uproar — шум; astonished — удивленный
very narrow thing for the professor’s life — слово nar-

row часто используется, когда нужно подчеркнуть рискован-
ность ситуации: жизнь профессора висела на волоске.
get him — устойчивое выражение get smb переводится
«добраться до кого-л.».
The hound was secured, and together we carried the

professor up to his room, where Bennett, who had a medical de-
gree, helped me to dress his torn throat. The sharp teeth had
passed dangerously near the carotid artery, and the haemor-
rhage was serious. In half an hour the danger was past, I had
given the patient an injection of morphia, and he had sunk into
deep sleep. Then, and only then, were we able to look at each
other and to take stock of the situation.
“I think a first-class surgeon should see him,” said I.
haemorrhage [ˈhemrɪdʒ]
secure — привязывать; degree — степень; dress — пе-

ревязать; torn — разорванный; teeth — зубы; carotid artery —
сонная артерия; haemorrhage — кровотечение; injection — укол;
 sunk into — прост. прош. от sink — погрузился; take stock
of — обдумать
307
“For God’s sake, no!” cried Bennett. “At present the scan-
dal is confined to our own household. It is safe with us. If it gets
beyond these walls it will never stop. Consider his position at the
university, his European reputation, the feelings of his daughter.”
“Quite so,” said Holmes. “I think it may be quite possible to
keep the matter to ourselves, and also to prevent its recurrence
now that we have a free hand. The key from the watch-chain, Mr.
Bennett. Macphail will guard the patient and let us know if there is
any change. Let us see what we can find in the professor’s mysteri-
ous box.”
recurrence [rɪˈkʌrəns]
for God’s sake — ради Бога; confined — зд.: известен уз-

кому кругу лиц; consider — учесть; quite so — именно так; keep
the matter to — сохранить случившееся между; prevent — пре-
дотвратить; recurrence — рецидив; have a free hand — руки
развязаны
It is safe with us. — Здесь safe используется в значении

«сохранить тайну»: мы не проговоримся.
There was not much, but there was enough — an emp-

ty phial, another nearly full, a hypodermic syringe, several let-
ters in a crabbed, foreign hand. The marks on the envelopes
showed that they were those which had disturbed the routine
of the secretary, and each was dated from the Commercial Road
and signed “A. Dorak.” They were mere invoices to say that a fresh
bottle was being sent to Professor Presbury, or receipt to ac-
knowledge money. There was one other envelope, however, in a
more educated hand and bearing the Austrian stamp with the
postmark of Prague. “Here we have our material!” cried Holmes
as he tore out the enclosure.
phial [ˈfaɪəl] hypodermic [ˌhaɪpəˈdɜːmɪk]

invoices [ˈɪnvɔɪsɪz] receipt [rɪˈsiːt]
308
phial — флакон; hypodermic syringe — шприц для

инъекций; letter — письмо; crabbed — скученные (буквы);
envelope — конверт; disturb — беспокоить; receipt — зд.: рас-
писка; acknowledge — подтверждать; bear — нести (на себе);
postmark — почтовый штемпель;  tore out — прост. прош. от
tear — выдернул; enclosure — вложение
foreign hand, educated hand — под словом hand по-

дразумевается и манера письма, и наличие/отсутствие орфог-
рафических ошибок. В русском языке аналога нет, поэтому
фразу лучше перестроить: написанное иностранцем, написан-
ное (явно) образованным человеком.
HONOURED COLLEAGUE [it ran]:

Since your esteemed visit I have thought much of your
case, and though in your circumstances there are some special
reasons for the treatment, I would none the less enjoin caution,
as my results have shown that it is not without danger of a kind.
It is possible that the serum of anthropoid would have been bet-
ter. I have, as I explained to you, used black-faced langur1 because
a specimen was accessible. Langur is, of course, a crawler and
climber, while anthropoid walks erect and is in all ways nearer.
I beg you to take every possible precaution that there be no pre-
mature revelation of the process. I have one other client in Eng-
land, and Dorak is my agent for both.
Weekly reports will oblige. Yours with high esteem,
H. LOWENSTEIN.
anthropoid [ˈænθrəˌpɔɪd] serum [ˈsɪərəm]
since — с тех пор; circumstance — обстоятельство;

treatment — лечение; enjoin — рекомендовать; caution —
осторожность; of a kind — своего рода; serum — сыворотка
(крови); anthropoid — человекообразный; specimen — экзем-
пляр; accessible — доступный; climber — древолаз; precau-
1 langur — разновидность тонкотелых обезьян подсемейства мар-

тышковых.
309
tion — предосторожность; premature — преждевременный;

revelation — зд.: развитие; both — оба; oblige — обязывать;
esteem — уважение
Lowenstein! The name brought back to me the mem-

ory of some snippet from a newspaper which spoke of an ob-
scure scientist who was striving in some unknown way for the
secret of rejuvenescence and the elixir of life. Lowenstein of
Prague! Lowenstein with the wondrous strength-giving se-
rum, tabooed by the profession because he refused to reveal
its source. In a few words I said what I remembered. Bennett
had taken a manual of zoology from the shelves. “‘Langur,’” he
read, “‘the great black-faced monkey of the Himalayan slopes,
biggest and most human of climbing monkeys’.1 Many details
are added. Well, thanks to you, Mr. Holmes, it is very clear that
we have traced the evil to its source.”2
rejuvenescence [rɪˌdʒuːvəˈnesəns]
wondrous [ˈwʌndrəs]
snippet — обрывок (информации); obscure — таин-

ственный; strive — прикладывать усилия; rejuvenescence —
омоложение; wondrous — чудесный; reveal — раскрыть;
source — источник; manual — учебник; climbing monkeys —
обезьяны-древолазы; trace — проследить
“The real source,” said Holmes, “lies, of course, in that

untimely love affair which gave our impetuous professor the
idea that he could only gain his wish by turning himself into a
younger man. When one tries to rise above Nature one is li-
1 Судя по этому описанию, имеются в виду непальские серые лан-

гуры.
2 Имя ученого вымышлено, но эксперименты по омоложению с
использованием половых желез обезьян действительно проводились в
1920-е гг. Эта тема вызывала живой интерес современников и нашла от-
ражение, к примеру, в другом произведении той же эпохи — повести
М.А. Булгакова «Собачье сердце» (1925).
310
able to fall below it. The highest type of man may revert to the
animal if he leaves the straight road of destiny.” He sat musing
for a little with the phial in his hand, looking at the clear liquid
within. “When I have written to this man and told him that I hold
him criminally responsible for the poisons which he circulates,
we will have no more trouble. But it may recur. Others may
find a better way. There is danger there — a very real danger to
humanity. Consider, Watson, that the material, the sensual,
the worldly would all prolong their worthless lives. The spir-
itual would not avoid the call to something higher. It would
be the survival of the least fit. What sort of cesspool may not
our poor world become?” Suddenly the dreamer disappeared,
and Holmes, the man of action, sprang from his chair. “I think
there is nothing more to be said, Mr. Bennett. The various inci-
dents will now fit themselves easily into the general scheme.
The dog, of course, was aware of the change far more quickly
than you. His smell would insure that. It was the monkey, not
the professor, whom Roy attacked, just as it was the monkey
who teased Roy. Climbing was a joy to the creature, and it was
a mere chance, I take it, that the pastime brought him to the
young lady’s window. There is an early train to town, Watson,
but I think we shall just have time for a cup of tea at the Cheq-
uers before we catch it.”
impetuous [ɪmˈpetʃuəs]
cesspool [ˈsesˌpuːl]
untimely — несвоевременный; impetuous — порыви-

стый; gain one’s wish — добиться желаемого; be liable — быть
склонным; revert — деградировать; destiny — судьба; muse —
размышлять; poison — яд; circulate — распространять; trou-
ble — проблема; recur — повторяться; humanity — человечество;
prolong — продлить; worthless — бесполезный; avoid — избе-
гать; survival — выживание; the least fit — наименее пригодные;
cesspool — выгребная яма; fit themselves easily into the general
scheme — укладываться в общую схему; smell — обоняние; in-
sure — обеспечивать; tease — дразнить; pastime — хобби, при-
вычное развлечение
311
When one tries to rise above Nature one is liable to

fall below it. — Местоимение one имеет зд. обобщающее зна-
чение, поэтому перевести его можно словом «человек»: когда
человек пытается возвыситься над Природой, он может пасть
довольно низко.
the material, the sensual, the worldly, the spiritual —
определенный артикль превращает прилагательное в существи-
тельное с обобщенным значением: материальное, чувственное,
мирское, духовное.
The Adventure of the Lion’s Mane
It is a most singular thing that a problem which was

certainly as abstruse and unusual as any which I have faced in
my long professional career should have come to me after my re-
tirement, and be brought, as it were, to my very door. It occurred
after my withdrawal to my little Sussex home, when I had given
myself up entirely to that soothing life of Nature for which I had
so often yearned during the long years spent amid the gloom
of London. At this period of my life the good Watson had passed
almost beyond my ken. An occasional week-end visit was the
most that I ever saw of him. Thus I must act as my own chronicler.
Ah! had he but been with me, how much he might have made of
so wonderful a happening and of my eventual triumph against
every difficulty! As it is, however, I must needs tell my tale in my
own plain way, showing by my words each step upon the difficult
road which lay before me as I searched for the mystery of the
Lion’s mane.
mane — грива; singular — необычный; problem — загад-

ка; abstruse — головоломный; face — сталкиваться (гл.); retire-
ment = withdrawal — отставка; occur — происходить;  given
up — 3-я форма гл. give — сдался, отказывался; soothing — успо-
каивающий; yearn — стремиться к; amid — среди; gloom — (су)
мрак; beyond one’s ken — вне пределов досягаемости; thus —
таким образом; happening — происшествие; eventual — в конце
концов; must needs — должен
It is a most singular thing — превосходная степень

требует использования определенного артикля, но зд. употре-
бляется неопределенный, так как это не сравнение, а характе-
ристика: крайне примечательно.
My villa is situated upon the southern slope of the

downs, commanding a great view of the Channel. At this point
313
the coast-line is entirely of chalk cliffs, which can only be de-

scended by a single, long, tortuous path, which is steep and
slippery. At the bottom of the path lie a hundred yards of peb-
bles and shingle, even when the tide is at full. Here and there,
however, there are curves and hollows which make splendid
swimming-pools filled afresh with each flow. This admirable
beach extends for some miles in each direction, save only at
one point where the little cove and village of Fulworth break
the line.
slope — склон; command — зд.: открывать вид; the

Channel — Ла-Манш; point — точка; coast-line — побережье;
chalk — меловой; cliff — скала; descend — спускаться; tortu-
ous — извилистый; path — тропа; steep — крутой; slippery —
скользкий; bottom — дно; pebble — гравий; shingle — галька;
tide — прилив; curve — изгиб; hollow — впадина; afresh — за-
ново; flow — прилив; beach — пляж; extend — простираться;
save — кроме; cove — бухта
My house is lonely. I, my old housekeeper, and my bees

have the estate all to ourselves. Half a mile off, however, is Har-
old Stackhurst’s well-known coaching establishment, The Ga-
bles, quite a large place, which contains some score of young
fellows preparing for various professions, with a staff of several
masters. Stackhurst himself was a well-known rowing Blue1 in his
day, and an excellent all-round scholar. He and I were always
friendly from the day I came to the coast, and he was the one
man who was on such terms with me that we could drop in on
each other in the evenings without an invitation.
housekeeper — домоправительница; bee — пчела; es-

tate — поместье; all to oneself — в чьем-л. распоряжении;
coaching establishment — зд.: учебное заведение; gable — чер-
дачное окно; contain — содержать; score — двадцать; staff —
персонал; rowing — гребля; all-round — зд.: всесторонне разви-
тый; scholar — ученый;  drop in — заглянуть ненадолго
1 Blue — награда за выдающиеся спортивные достижения, вручаемая

в Оксфорде, Кембридже и некоторых других университетах.
314
Towards the end of July, 1907, there was a severe gale,

the wind blowing up-channel, heaping the seas to the base
of the cliffs and leaving a lagoon at the turn of the tide. On the
morning of which I speak the wind had abated, and all Nature
was newly washed and fresh. It was impossible to work upon
so delightful a day, and I strolled out before breakfast to enjoy
the exquisite air. I walked along the cliff path which led to the
steep descent to the beach. As I walked I heard a shout behind
me, and there was Harold Stackhurst waving his hand in cheery
greeting.
gale — шторм; heap — сваливать кучей; seas — волны;

abate — стихать; stroll — гулять; exquisite — превосходный; de-
scent — спуск
“What a morning, Mr. Holmes! I thought I should see

you out.”
“Going for a swim, I see.”
“At your old tricks again,” he laughed, patting his bulg-
ing pocket. “Yes. McPherson started early, and I expect I may find
him there.”
Fitzroy McPherson was the science master, a fine up-
standing young fellow whose life had been crippled by heart
trouble following rheumatic fever.1 He was a natural athlete,
however, and excelled in every game which did not throw
too great a strain upon him. Summer and winter he went
for his swim, and, as I am a swimmer myself, I have often joined
him.
trick — фокус; pat — похлопывать; bulging — пере-

полненный; pocket — карман; expect — ожидать; upstand-
ing — честный; cripple — калечить (гл.); athlete — спортсмен;
excel — преуспевать; strain — напряжение; join — присоеди-
няться
1 rheumatic [ruːˈmætɪk] fever — острая ревматическая лихорадка
(мед.). Системное заболевание, поражающее соединительную ткань, глав-

ным образом в сердечно-сосудистой системе. Характерно для детского и
подросткового возраста.
315
I thought I should see you out. — Зд. should — прошед-

шее время от глагола shall, употребленное ради согласования
времен: я думал, что увижу вас на прогулке.
At this moment we saw the man himself. His head

showed above the edge of the cliff where the path ends. Then
his whole figure appeared at the top, staggering like a drunken
man. The next instant he threw up his hands and, with a ter-
rible cry, fell upon his face. Stackhurst and I rushed forward — it
may have been fifty yards — and turned him on his back. He was
obviously dying. Those glazed sunken eyes and dreadful livid
cheeks could mean nothing else. One glimmer of life came into
his face for an instant, and he uttered two or three words with
an eager air of warning. They were slurred and indistinct, but
to my ear the last of them, which burst in a shriek from his lips,
were “the Lion’s Mane.” It was utterly irrelevant and unintelligi-
ble, and yet I could twist the sound into no other sense. Then he
half raised himself from the ground, threw his arms into the air,
and fell forward on his side. He was dead.
edge — край; stagger — запинаться; instant — миг;

threw — прост. прош. от throw — зд.: вскинул; obviously —
явно; glazed — подернутый пеленой; sunken — запавший; liv-
id — мертвенно-бледный; glimmer — проблеск; utter — произ-
носить; eager air — горячность; warning — предостережение;
slurred — неразборчивый; shriek — крик; irrelevant — неумест-
ный; sense — смысл; raise — подняться
rushed forward — глагол rush описывает резкое поры-

вистое движение; направление движения обычно указывает
предлог: бросились вперед.
My companion was paralyzed by the sudden horror of

it, but I, as may well be imagined, had every sense on the alert.
And I had need, for it was speedily evident that we were in the
presence of an extraordinary case. The man was dressed only in
his Burberry overcoat, his trousers, and an unlaced pair of can-
316
vas shoes. As he fell over, his Burberry1, which had been simply
thrown round his shoulders, slipped off, exposing his trunk.
We stared at it in amazement. His back was covered with dark
red lines as though he had been terribly flogged by a thin wire
scourge. The instrument with which this punishment had been
inflicted was clearly flexible, for the long, angry weals curved
round his shoulders and ribs. There was blood dripping down
his chin, for he had bitten through his lower lip in the paroxysm
of his agony. His drawn and distorted face told how terrible that
agony had been.
on the alert — на взводе; speedily — быстро; evi-

dent — очевидный; in the presence of — в присутствии; over-
coat — пальто; trousers — брюки; canvas — холщовый; thrown
round — 3-я форма гл. throw — наброшен на; shoulder — плечо;
trunk — туловище; stare — уставиться; amazement — изумле-
ние; flog — пороть2; wire — проволока; scourge — хлыст (для
наказаний); inflict — причинять; flexible — гибкий; weal — ру-
бец; rib — ребро; drip — капать; agony — мучительная боль; dis-
torted — искаженный
I was kneeling and Stackhurst standing by the body

when a shadow fell across us, and we found that Ian Murdoch
was by our side. Murdoch was the mathematical coach at the
establishment, a tall, dark, thin man, so taciturn and aloof that
none can be said to have been his friend. He seemed to live in
some high abstract region of surds and conic sections, with
little to connect him with ordinary life. He was looked upon as
an oddity by the students, and would have been their butt, but
there was some strange outlandish blood in the man, which
showed itself not only in his coal-black eyes and swarthy face
but also in occasional outbreaks of temper, which could only
be described as ferocious. On one occasion, being plagued by
1 Burberry — дом моды, созданный в 1856 г. Томасом Берберри, кото-

рый прославился созданием тренчкоата — непромокаемого плаща особой
модели.
2 Глагол flog относится к официально назначаемым телесным наказа-
ниям, таким как порка, принятая в XIX в. в армии.
317
a little dog belonging to McPherson, he had caught the creature

up and hurled it through the plate-glass window, an action for
which Stackhurst would certainly have given him his dismissal
had he not been a very valuable teacher. Such was the strange
complex man who now appeared beside us. He seemed to be
honestly shocked at the sight before him, though the incident
of the dog may show that there was no great sympathy be-
tween the dead man and himself.
plague [pleɪɡ]
kneel — встать на колени; shadow — тень; coach — пре-

подаватель; establishment — учреждение; taciturn — молчали-
вый; aloof — недружелюбный; surd — иррациональное число;
conic section — коническое сечение; oddity — диковинка; butt —
объект насмешек; outlandish — чужеземный; coal — уголь;
swarthy — смуглый; outbreak — вспышка; temper — бурное
проявление эмоций; ferocious — яростный; plague — докучать;
hurl — швырять; dismissal — увольнение; valuable — ценный;
complex — сложный
“Poor fellow! Poor fellow! What can I do? How can I help?”
“Were you with him? Can you tell us what has happened?”
“No, no, I was late this morning. I was not on the beach at
all. I have come straight from The Gables. What can I do?”
“You can hurry to the police-station at Fulworth. Report
the matter at once.”
straight — прямо; at once — немедленно
Without a word he made off at top speed, and I pro-

ceeded to take the matter in hand, while Stackhurst, dazed at
this tragedy, remained by the body. My first task naturally was
to note who was on the beach. From the top of the path I could
see the whole sweep of it, and it was absolutely deserted save
that two or three dark figures could be seen far away moving to-
wards the village of Fulworth. Having satisfied myself upon this
318
point, I walked slowly down the path. There was clay or soft marl
mixed with the chalk, and every here and there I saw the same
footstep, both ascending and descending. No one else had gone
down to the beach by this track that morning. At one place I ob-
served the print of an open hand with the fingers towards the
incline. This could only mean that poor McPherson had fallen as
he ascended. There were rounded depressions, too, which sug-
gested that he had come down upon his knees more than once.
At the bottom of the path was the considerable lagoon left by
the retreating tide. At the side of it McPherson had undressed,
for there lay his towel on a rock. It was folded and dry, so that
it would seem that, after all, he had never entered the water.
Once or twice as I hunted round amid the hard shingle I came
on little patches of sand where the print of his canvas shoe, and
also of his naked foot, could be seen. The latter fact proved that
he had made all ready to bathe, though the towel indicated that
he had not actually done so.
 made off — прост. прош. от make — отбыл; pro-

ceed — продолжать; in hand — в (свои) руки; dazed — потря-
сенный; task — задача; sweep — изгиб; deserted — пустынный;
save — кроме; point — пункт; clay — глина; marl — мергель (оса-
дочная горная порода); chalk — мел; footstep — след, отпечаток
ноги; print — отпечаток; incline — склон; mean — означать (гл.);
suggest — (пред)полагать; knee — колено; retreat — отступать;
towel — полотенце; dry — сухой; shingle — галька; patch — пят-
но; naked — голый; bathe — купаться
open hand — о руках и ногах часто говорят open/closed,

имея в виду «раскрытый/сжатый», «открытый/скрещенный» и
т.д.; в данном случае речь о ладони.
he had never entered the water — в предложениях с Past
Simple never указывает на то, что действие так и не произошло; в
таких случаях never не переводится или переводится усилением:
он так и не вошел в воду.
And here was the problem clearly defined — as strange

a one as had ever confronted me. The man had not been on
319
the beach more than a quarter of an hour at the most. Stack-

hurst had followed him from The Gables, so there could be no
doubt about that. He had gone to bathe and had stripped, as
the naked footsteps showed. Then he had suddenly huddled
on his clothes again — they were all dishevelled and unfas-
tened — and he had returned without bathing, or at any rate
without drying himself. And the reason for his change of pur-
pose had been that he had been scourged in some savage,
inhuman fashion, tortured until he bit his lip through in his
agony, and was left with only strength enough to crawl away
and to die. Who had done this barbarous deed? There were, it
is true, small grottos and caves in the base of the cliffs, but the
low sun shone directly into them, and there was no place for
concealment. Then, again, there were those distant figures on
the beach. They seemed too far away to have been connected
with the crime, and the broad lagoon in which McPherson had
intended to bathe lay between him and them, lapping up to
the rocks. On the sea two or three fishing boats were at no great
distance. Their occupants might be examined at our leisure.
There were several roads for inquiry, but none which led to any
very obvious goal.
define — очерчивать(ся); quarter — четверть; at the

most — максимум; follow — следовать; doubt — сомнение;
strip — раздеть(ся); huddle on — зд.: надеть; dishevelled —
в беспорядке; fasten — застегивать; at any rate — в любом
случае; purpose — цель; scourge — пороть (о назначенном на-
казании; ист.); fashion — манера, образ; torture — пытать (гл.);
bit — прост. прош. от bite — прокусил; crawl away — уползти;
barbarous — варварский; cave — пещера; shone — прост. прош.
от shine — светило; concealment — укрытие; intend — намере-
ваться; lap up — зд.: лизать; inquiry — расследование
When I at last returned to the body I found that a little

group of wondering folk had gathered round it. Stackhurst was,
of course, still there, and Ian Murdoch had just arrived with An-
derson, the village constable, a big, ginger-moustached man
of the slow, solid Sussex breed — a breed which covers much
320
good sense under a heavy, silent exterior. He listened to eve-

rything, took note of all we said, and finally drew me aside.
“I’d be glad of your advice, Mr. Holmes. This is a big thing
for me to handle, and I’ll hear of it from Lewes if I go wrong.”
folk — народ; ginger — рыжий; moustache — усы;

solid — крепкий; breed — порода; cover — скрывать; good
sense — здравый смысл; exterior — внешность; took note —
прост. прош от take — брал на заметку; drew aside — прост.
прош. от draw — отвел в сторону; advice — совет; handle —
справляться; go wrong — провалиться (перен.)
I advised him to send for his immediate superior,

and for a doctor; also to allow nothing to be moved, and as
few fresh footmarks as possible to be made, until they came.
In the meantime I searched the dead man’s pockets. There
were his handkerchief, a large knife, and a small folding card-
case. From this projected a slip of paper, which I unfolded and
handed to the constable. There was written on it in a scrawling,
feminine hand:
I will be there, you may be sure.
MAUDIE.
It read like a love affair, an assignation, though when
and where were a blank. The constable replaced it in the card-
case and returned it with the other things to the pockets of the
Burberry.
immediate superior — непосредственный началь-

ник; allow — позволять; as… as — так(ой)… как(ой); in
the meantime — тем временем; search — обыскать; handker-
chief — носовой платок; knife — нож; folding — складной; card-
case — визитница; project — высовываться (гл.); slip — клочок;
scrawl — каракули; feminine — женский; love affair — любовная
связь; assignation — тайное свидание; blank — пробел
It read like a love affair — глаголы look, sound, read и

т.д. часто указывают на основания для какого-либо суждения:
it looks good — выглядит хорошо, it read like a love affair — (судя
по тексту) это выглядело как любовная интрижка.
321
Then, as nothing more suggested itself, I walked back

to my house for breakfast, having first arranged that the base of
the cliffs should be thoroughly searched.
Stackhurst was round in an hour or two to tell me that the
body had been removed to The Gables, where the inquest would
be held. He brought with him some serious and definite news. As
I expected, nothing had been found in the small caves below the
cliff, but he had examined the papers in McPherson’s desk and
there were several which showed an intimate correspondence
with a certain Miss Maud Bellamy, of Fulworth. We had then es-
tablished the identity of the writer of the note.
suggest itself — обращать на себя внимание; arrange —

распорядиться; thoroughly — тщательно; be round — вернуться;
inquest — дознание; definite — конкретный; examine — изучать;
desk — рабочий стол; correspondence — переписка; establish —
установить; identity — личность
a certain Miss Maud Bellamy — certain имеет несколь-

ко значений, но с неопределенным артиклем перед именем
собственным употребляется в значении «некий»: некая мисс
Мод Беллами.
“The police have the letters,” he explained. “I could not

bring them. But there is no doubt that it was a serious love affair.
I see no reason, however, to connect it with that horrible hap-
pening save, indeed, that the lady had made an appointment
with him.”
“But hardly at a bathing-pool which all of you were in the
habit of using,” I remarked.
“It is mere chance,” said he, “that several of the students
were not with McPherson.”
“Was it mere chance?”
Stackhurst knit his brows in thought.
“Ian Murdoch held them back,” said he. “He would insist
upon some algebraic demonstration before breakfast. Poor
chap, he is dreadfully cut up about it all.”
“And yet I gather that they were not friends.”
322
connect — соединять; happening — происшествие;

made an appointment — прост. прош. от make — назначила
встречу; hardly — едва ли; habit — привычка; chance — слу-
чайность; knit one’s brows — прост. прош. от knit — нахмурил-
ся;  insist (up)on — настаивать; chap — парень; cut up — зд.:
потрясать; gather — полагать (уст.)
He would insist upon some algebraic demonstration —

глаголы will и would часто указывают на (не)желание что-л.
делать: он решительно настаивал на каких-то алгебраических
упражнениях.
“At one time they were not. But for a year or more Mur-
doch has been as near to McPherson as he ever could be to any-
one. He is not of a very sympathetic disposition by nature.”
“So I understand. I seem to remember your telling me
once about a quarrel over the ill-usage of a dog.”
“That blew over all right.”
“But left some vindictive feeling, perhaps.”
“No, no, I am sure they were real friends.”
“Well, then, we must explore the matter of the girl. Do
you know her?”
“Everyone knows her. She is the beauty of the neighbour-
hood — a real beauty, Holmes, who would draw attention eve-
rywhere. I knew that McPherson was attracted by her, but I had
no notion that it had gone so far as these letters would seem to
indicate.”
sympathetic — сочувствующий; disposition — склад ха-

рактера; quarrel — ссора; ill-usage — дурное обращение;  blew
over — прост. прош. от blow — прошло; vindictive — мститель-
ный; perhaps — возможно; explore — исследовать; beauty —
красотка; draw attention — привлечь внимание; attract — при-
влекать; notion — представление
“But who is she?”

“She is the daughter of old Tom Bellamy who owns all the
boats and bathing-cots at Fulworth. He was a fisherman to start
323
with, but is now a man of some substance. He and his son William
run the business.”
“Shall we walk into Fulworth and see them?”
“On what pretext?”
“Oh, we can easily find a pretext. After all, this poor man
did not ill-use himself in this outrageous way. Some human hand
was on the handle of that scourge, if indeed it was a scourge
which inflicted the injuries. His circle of acquaintances in this
lonely place was surely limited. Let us follow it up in every direc-
tion and we can hardly fail to come upon the motive, which in
turn should lead us to the criminal.”
own — владеть; to start with — для начала; sub-

stance — зд.: положение; run — управлять; pretext — предлог;
after all — в конце концов; outrageous — шокирующий; han-
dle — рукоятка; injury — травма; acquaintance — знакомый;
fail — не смочь; in turn — в свою очередь; criminal — пре-
ступник
It would have been a pleasant walk across the thyme-

scented downs had our minds not been poisoned by the trag-
edy we had witnessed. The village of Fulworth lies in a hollow
curving in a semicircle round the bay. Behind the old-fashioned
hamlet several modern houses have been built upon the rising
ground. It was to one of these that Stackhurst guided me.
“That’s The Haven, as Bellamy called it. The one with the
corner tower and slate roof. Not bad for a man who started with
nothing but — By Jove, look at that!”
The garden gate of The Haven had opened and a man had
emerged. There was no mistaking that tall, angular, straggling
figure. It was Ian Murdoch, the mathematician. A moment later we
confronted him upon the road.
thyme — чабрец; scent — пахнуть; poison — отравлять;

witness — наблюдать (гл.); hollow — впадина; semicircle — по-
лукруг; bay — залив; hamlet — деревня; corner tower — угловая
башня; slate — шифер; angular — угловатый; straggling — мед-
ленно двигающийся
324
“Hullo!” said Stackhurst. The man nodded, gave us a

sideways glance from his curious dark eyes, and would have
passed us, but his principal pulled him up.
“What were you doing there?” he asked.
Murdoch’s face flushed with anger. “I am your subordi-
nate, sir, under your roof. I am not aware that I owe you any ac-
count of my private actions.”
Stackhurst’s nerves were near the surface after all he had
endured. Otherwise, perhaps, he would have waited. Now he
lost his temper completely.
“In the circumstances your answer is pure impertinence,
Mr. Murdoch.”
“Your own question might perhaps come under the same
heading.”
“This is not the first time that I have had to overlook
your insubordinate ways. It will certainly be the last. You will
kindly make fresh arrangements for your future as speedily as
you can.”
nod — кивать; sideways glance — косой взгляд; princi-

pal — начальник;  pull up — остановить(ся); flush — покра-
снеть; subordinate — подчиненный; account — отчет; near the
surface — зд.: на пределе; endure — терпеть; otherwise — иначе;
lost his temper — прост. прош. от lose — вышел из себя; cir-
cumstances — обстоятельства; impertinence — наглость; head-
ing — название; ways — манеры; make arrangements — рас-
порядиться
“I had intended to do so. I have lost to-day the only per-
son who made The Gables habitable.”
He strode off upon his way, while Stackhurst, with angry
eyes, stood glaring after him. “Is he not an impossible, intolerable
man?” he cried.
The one thing that impressed itself forcibly upon my
mind was that Mr. Ian Murdoch was taking the first chance to
open a path of escape from the scene of the crime. Suspicion,
vague and nebulous, was now beginning to take outline in my
mind. Perhaps the visit to the Bellamys might throw some further
325
light upon the matter. Stackhurst pulled himself together, and

we went forward to the house.
Mr. Bellamy proved to be a middle-aged man with a flam-
ing red beard. He seemed to be in a very angry mood, and his face
was soon as florid as his hair.
intend — намереваться; habitable — пригодный для

обитания; strode — прост. прош. от stride — зашагал; glare —
сердито смотреть; intolerable — невыносимый; impressed itself
upon one’s mind — остаться в памяти; take chance — восполь-
зоваться случаем; escape — сбежать; suspicion — подозрение;
vague — смутный; nebulous — неясный; outline — очертания;
throw light (up)on — пролить свет; pull oneself together —
взять себя в руки; flaming — огненный; beard — борода; flor-
id — красный (о цвете лица)
“No, sir, I do not desire any particulars. My son here” —

indicating a powerful young man, with a heavy, sullen face, in
the corner of the sitting-room — “is of one mind with me that Mr.
McPherson’s attentions to Maud were insulting. Yes, sir, the word
‘marriage’ was never mentioned, and yet there were letters and
meetings, and a great deal more of which neither of us could ap-
prove. She has no mother, and we are her only guardians. We are
determined — “
But the words were taken from his mouth by the appear-
ance of the lady herself. There was no gainsaying that she would
have graced any assembly in the world. Who could have imag-
ined that so rare a flower would grow from such a root and in
such an atmosphere? Women have seldom been an attraction to
me, for my brain has always governed my heart, but I could not
look upon her perfect clear-cut face, with all the soft freshness
of the downlands in her delicate colouring, without realizing that
no young man would cross her path unscathed. Such was the girl
who had pushed open the door and stood now, wide-eyed and
intense, in front of Harold Stackhurst.
particulars — детали; sullen — угрюмый; attentions —

знаки внимания; insulting — оскорбительный; marriage — же-
326
нитьба; mention — упоминать; a great deal — гораздо; ap-

prove — одобрять; guardian — защитник; gainsay — кривить
душой; grace — украсить; assembly — собрание; root — корень;
govern — управлять; clear-cut — с четкими чертами; down-
lands — холмистая местность; cross — пересечь; unscathed —
уцелевший; intense — напряженный; in front of — перед
“I know already that Fitzroy is dead,” she said. “Do not be
afraid to tell me the particulars.”
“This other gentleman of yours let us know the news,” ex-
plained the father.
“There is no reason why my sister should be brought into
the matter,” growled the younger man.
The sister turned a sharp, fierce look upon him. “This is
my business, William. Kindly leave me to manage it in my own
way. By all accounts there has been a crime committed. If I can
help to show who did it, it is the least I can do for him who is
gone.”
She listened to a short account from my companion, with
a composed concentration which showed me that she possessed
strong character as well as great beauty. Maud Bellamy will always
remain in my memory as a most complete and remarkable wom-
an. It seems that she already knew me by sight, for she turned to
me at the end.
growl — ворчать; fierce — яростный; by all ac-

counts — судя по всему; commit — совершать(ся); the least —
наименьшее; composed — спокойный; as well as — так же как;
complete — цельный; knew by sight — прост. прош. от know —
знала в лицо
“Bring them to justice, Mr. Holmes. You have my sympa-

thy and my help, whoever they may be.” It seemed to me that she
glanced defiantly at her father and brother as she spoke.
“Thank you,” said I. “I value a woman’s instinct in such
matters. You use the word ‘they.’ You think that more than one was
concerned?”
327
“I knew Mr. McPherson well enough to be aware that he

was a brave and a strong man. No single person could ever have
inflicted such an outrage upon him.”
“Might I have one word with you alone?”
“I tell you, Maud, not to mix yourself up in the matter,”
cried her father angrily.
justice — правосудие; sympathy — сочувствие; glance —

взглянуть (гл.); defiantly — непокорно; value — ценить; inflict —
причинять; outrage — кошмар, дикость
She looked at me helplessly. “What can I do?”

“The whole world will know the facts presently, so there
can be no harm if I discuss them here,” said I. “I should have pre-
ferred privacy, but if your father will not allow it he must share the
deliberations.” Then I spoke of the note which had been found in
the dead man’s pocket. “It is sure to be produced at the inquest.
May I ask you to throw any light upon it that you can?”
“I see no reason for mystery,” she answered. “We were en-
gaged to be married, and we only kept it secret because Fitzroy’s
uncle, who is very old and said to be dying, might have disinher-
ited him if he had married against his wish. There was no other
reason.”
presently — скоро (уст.); prefer — предпочитать;

share — (раз)делить; deliberations — подробное обсуждение;
produce — зд.: фигурировать; be engaged — быть помолвлен-
ными; wish — желание
said to be dying — оборот smb/smth is said to be… ис-

пользуется для передачи слухов, какой-л. информации, полу-
ченной с чужих слов: говорят, он умирает.
might have disinherited — приставка dis- указывает на
отмену того или иного действия: мог лишить наследства.
“You could have told us,” growled Mr. Bellamy.

“So I would, father, if you had ever shown sympathy.”
328
“I object to my girl picking up with men outside her own

station.”
“It was your prejudice against him which prevented us
from telling you. As to this appointment” — she fumbled in her
dress and produced a crumpled note — “it was in answer to this.”
DEAREST [ran the message]:
The old place on the beach just after sunset on Tuesday.
It is the only time I can get away.
F.M.
object [əbˈdʒekt] (гл.)
object — возражать;  pick up (with) — зд.: путаться

(с); station — положение; prejudice — предубеждение; prevent
smb from doing smth — мешать кому-л. сделать что-л.; as to —
что касается; fumble — шарить; crumpled — скомканный; sun-
set — закат
“Tuesday was to-day, and I had meant to meet him to-

night.”
I turned over the paper. “This never came by post. How
did you get it?”
“I would rather not answer that question. It has really
nothing to do with the matter which you are investigating. But
anything which bears upon that I will most freely answer.”
She was as good as her word, but there was nothing
which was helpful in our investigation. She had no reason to think
that her fiancé had any hidden enemy, but she admitted that she
had had several warm admirers.
“May I ask if Mr. Ian Murdoch was one of them?”
She blushed and seemed confused.
“There was a time when I thought he was. But that was all
changed when he understood the relations between Fitzroy and
myself.”
post — почта; would rather — предпочитать; have

nothing to do (with) — не иметь отношения; investigate — рас-
329
следовать; bear upon — иметь отношение; be as good as one’s

word — держать слово; fiancé — жених; hidden — скрытый; ad-
mirer — поклонник; blush — краснеть; confuse — смущать(ся)
Again the shadow round this strange man seemed to

me to be taking more definite shape. His record must be exam-
ined. His rooms must be privately searched. Stackhurst was a
willing collaborator, for in his mind also suspicions were form-
ing. We returned from our visit to The Haven with the hope that
one free end of this tangled skein was already in our hands.
A week passed. The inquest had thrown no light upon
the matter and had been adjourned for further evidence. Stack-
hurst had made discreet inquiry about his subordinate, and
there had been a superficial search of his room, but without re-
sult. Personally, I had gone over the whole ground again, both
physically and mentally, but with no new conclusions. In all my
chronicles the reader will find no case which brought me so com-
pletely to the limit of my powers. Even my imagination could
conceive no solution to the mystery. And then there came the
incident of the dog.
shadow — тень; shape — форма; record — личное дело;

search — обыскать; collaborator — помощник; hope — надежда;
tangled — запутанный; skein — спутанный моток шерсти; ad-
journ — временно прекращать; evidence — улики, доказатель-
ства; discreet — незаметный; superficial — поверхностный;
ground — территория; conclusion — вывод; limit — предел; con-
ceive — придумать
It was my old housekeeper who heard of it first by that

strange wireless by which such people collect the news of the
countryside.
“Sad story this, sir, about Mr. McPherson’s dog,” said she
one evening.
I do not encourage such conversations, but the words ar-
rested my attention.
“What of Mr. McPherson’s dog?”
330
“Dead, sir. Died of grief for its master.”

“Who told you this?”
“Why, sir, everyone is talking of it. It took on terrible, and
has eaten nothing for a week. Then to-day two of the young gen-
tlemen from The Gables found it dead — down on the beach, sir,
at the very place where its master met his end.”
wireless — беспроводной телеграф; encourage — поощ-

рять; grief — горе;  took on — прост. прош. от take — огор-
чился
Why — в начале предложения выделенное запятой

why используется для выражения удивления: ну как же!
“At the very place.” The words stood out clear in my

memory. Some dim perception that the matter was vital rose
in my mind. That the dog should die was after the beautiful,
faithful nature of dogs. But “in the very place”! Why should this
lonely beach be fatal to it? Was it possible that it also had been
sacrificed to some revengeful feud? Was it possible –? Yes,
the perception was dim, but already something was building
up in my mind. In a few minutes I was on my way to The Ga-
bles, where I found Stackhurst in his study. At my request he
sent for Sudbury and Blount, the two students who had found
the dog.
“Yes, it lay on the very edge of the pool,” said one of them.
“It must have followed the trail of its dead master.”
I saw the faithful little creature, an Airedale terrier, laid
out upon the mat in the hall. The body was stiff and rigid, the
eyes projecting, and the limbs contorted. There was agony in
every line of it.
feud [fjuːd]
dim — смутный; perception — представление; vital —

важный; sacrifice — зд.: стать жертвой; revengeful — мсти-
тельный; feud — вражда; request — просьба; edge — край;
331
trail — след; Airedale terrier — эрдельтерьер; mat — ков-

рик; stiff = rigid — жесткий; project — выступать; contort —
искривлять(ся)
From The Gables I walked down to the bathing-pool.

The sun had sunk and the shadow of the great cliff lay black
across the water, which glimmered dully like a sheet of lead.
The place was deserted and there was no sign of life save for
two sea-birds circling and screaming overhead. In the fading
light I could dimly make out the little dog’s spoor upon the
sand round the very rock on which his master’s towel had been
laid. For a long time I stood in deep meditation while the shad-
ows grew darker around me. My mind was filled with racing
thoughts. You have known what it was to be in a nightmare in
which you feel that there is some all-important thing for which
you search and which you know is there, though it remains for-
ever just beyond your reach. That was how I felt that evening
as I stood alone by that place of death. Then at last I turned and
walked slowly homeward.
sunk — 3-я форма гл. sink — село; glimmer — бле-

стеть; dully — тускло; sheet — простыня; lead — свинец; sign —
(при)знак; fading — меркнущий;  make out — различать;
spoor — след (охотн.); sand — песок; meditation — размыш-
ление; racing — перескакивающий (с одного на другое); night-
mare — кошмарный сон; beyond reach — вне досягаемости;
homeward — в сторону дома
I had just reached the top of the path when it came to

me. Like a flash, I remembered the thing for which I had so ea-
gerly and vainly grasped. You will know, or Watson has written
in vain, that I hold a vast store of out-of-the-way knowledge
without scientific system, but very available for the needs of my
work. My mind is like a crowded box-room with packets of all
sorts stowed away therein — so many that I may well have but a
vague perception of what was there. I had known that there was
something which might bear upon this matter. It was still vague,
332
but at least I knew how I could make it clear. It was monstrous,

incredible, and yet it was always a possibility. I would test it to
the full.
flash — вспышка; eagerly — отчаянно; vainly = in

vain — тщетно; grasp — хватать(ся); store — запас; out-of-
the-way — отдаленный, зд.: случайный; available — доступ-
ный; crowded — переполненный; box-room — кладовка; stow
(away) — откладывать (куда-л.); vague — смутный; bear
upon — иметь отношение; make smth clear — прояснять; in-
credible — невероятный; to the full — полностью
There is a great garret in my little house which is stuffed

with books. It was into this that I plunged and rummaged for
an hour. At the end of that time I emerged with a little chocolate
and silver volume. Eagerly I turned up the chapter of which I had
a dim remembrance. Yes, it was indeed a far-fetched and unlikely
proposition, and yet I could not be at rest until I had made sure
if it might, indeed, be so. It was late when I retired, with my mind
eagerly awaiting the work of the morrow.
But that work met with an annoying interruption. I had
hardly swallowed my early cup of tea and was starting for the
beach when I had a call from Inspector Bardle of the Sussex Con-
stabulary — a steady, solid, bovine man with thoughtful eyes,
which looked at me now with a very troubled expression.
garret — чердак; stuff (with) — набить (чем-л.); plunge —

лихорадочно спешить; rummage — обыскивать; volume — том;
far-fetched — неправдоподобный; proposition — предположе-
ние; be at rest — успокоиться; made sure — прост. прош. от
make — убедился; retire — уйти на покой (обычно перен.); inter-
ruption — вмешательство; swallow — проглотить; bovine — ту-
поватый
“I know your immense experience, sir,” said he. “This is

quite unofficial, of course, and need go no farther. But I am fairly
up against it in this McPherson case. The question is, shall I make
an arrest, or shall I not?”
333
“Meaning Mr. Ian Murdoch?”

“Yes, sir. There is really no one else when you come to
think of it. That’s the advantage of this solitude. We narrow it
down to a very small compass. If he did not do it, then who did?”
“What have you against him?”
immense — огромный; go no farther — дальше не пой-

дет; against — против; else — еще, кроме; advantage — преиму-
щество; solitude — одиночество; narrow — сужать (гл.)
He had gleaned along the same furrows as I had. There

was Murdoch’s character and the mystery which seemed to hang
round the man. His furious bursts of temper, as shown in the in-
cident of the dog. The fact that he had quarrelled with McPher-
son in the past, and that there was some reason to think that he
might have resented his attentions to Miss Bellamy. He had all
my points, but no fresh ones, save that Murdoch seemed to be
making every preparation for departure.
“What would my position be if I let him slip away with all
this evidence against him?” The burly, phlegmatic man was sorely
troubled in his mind.
glean — собирать информацию; furrows — зд.: следы;

quarrel — ссориться (гл.); resent — огорчаться и возмущаться;
point — ключевой момент; departure — отъезд;  slip away —
улизнуть; burly — тучный
“Consider,” I said, “all the essential gaps in your case.

On the morning of the crime he can surely prove an alibi. He had
been with his scholars till the last moment, and within a few
minutes of McPherson’s appearance he came upon us from be-
hind. Then bear in mind the absolute impossibility that he could
single-handed have inflicted this outrage upon a man quite as
strong as himself. Finally, there is this question of the instrument
with which these injuries were inflicted.”
“What could it be but a scourge or flexible whip of some
sort?”
334
“Have you examined the marks?” I asked.

“I have seen them. So has the doctor.”
“But I have examined them very carefully with a lens. They
have peculiarities.”
“What are they, Mr. Holmes?”
alibi [ˈælɪbaɪ]
consider — учитывать; essential — важный; gap — про-

бел; within — в течение; bear in mind — иметь в виду; single-
handed — в одиночку; flexible — гибкий; whip — хлыст; lens —
лупа; peculiarity — особенность
I stepped to my bureau and brought out an enlarged

photograph. “This is my method in such cases,” I explained.
“You certainly do things thoroughly, Mr. Holmes.”
“I should hardly be what I am if I did not. Now let us con-
sider this weal which extends round the right shoulder. Do you
observe nothing remarkable?”
“I can’t say I do.”
“Surely it is evident that it is unequal in its intensity. There
is a dot of extravasated blood here, and another there. There are
similar indications in this other weal down here. What can that
mean?”
thoroughly — тщательно; weal — рубец; extend — тя-

нуться; remarkable — примечательный; unequal — неравномер-
ный; dot — точка; extravasated blood — кровоподтек (кровь,
попавшая из сосуда в ткани); similar — сходный; indications —
признаки
“I have no idea. Have you?”

“Perhaps I have. Perhaps I haven’t. I may be able to say
more soon. Anything which will define what made that mark will
bring us a long way towards the criminal.”
“It is, of course, an absurd idea,” said the policeman, “but
if a red-hot net of wire had been laid across the back, then these
335
better marked points would represent where the meshes crossed

each other.”
“A most ingenious comparison. Or shall we say a very
stiff cat-o’-nine-tails1 with small hard knots upon it?”
“By Jove, Mr. Holmes, I think you have hit it.”
“Or there may be some very different cause, Mr. Bardle.
But your case is far too weak for an arrest. Besides, we have those
last words — the ‘Lion’s Mane.’”
“I have wondered whether Ian — “
“Yes, I have considered that. If the second word had borne
any resemblance to Murdoch — but it did not. He gave it almost
in a shriek. I am sure that it was ‘Mane.’”
define — определять; net = mesh — сеть; wire — прово-

лока; ingenious — блестящий; comparison — сравнение; stiff —
жесткий; knot — узел; hit smth — попасть (в яблочко); cause —
причина; resemblance — сходство; shriek — крик
“Have you no alternative, Mr. Holmes?”

“Perhaps I have. But I do not care to discuss it until there is
something more solid to discuss.”
“And when will that be?”
“In an hour — possibly less.”
The inspector rubbed his chin and looked at me with du-
bious eyes.
“I wish I could see what was in your mind, Mr. Holmes. Per-
haps it’s those fishing-boats.”
“No, no, they were too far out.”
“Well, then, is it Bellamy and that big son of his? They were
not too sweet upon Mr. McPherson. Could they have done him a
mischief?”
“No, no, you won’t draw me until I am ready,” said I with a
smile. “Now, Inspector, we each have our own work to do. Perhaps
if you were to meet me here at midday — “
1 cat-o’-nine-tails — «кошка». Плеть с девятью или более хвостами,
обычно с наконечниками или узлами на концах. Применялась для нака-

заний в армии и на флоте, в тюрьмах, а также при пытках.
336
solid — существенный; less — меньше; rub — тереть;

dubious — с сомнением; sweet — милый; draw — вытянуть ин-
формацию
So far we had got when there came the tremendous in-

terruption which was the beginning of the end.
My outer door was flung open, there were blundering
footsteps in the passage, and Ian Murdoch staggered into the
room, pallid, dishevelled, his clothes in wild disorder, clawing
with his bony hands at the furniture to hold himself erect. “Bran-
dy! Brandy!” he gasped, and fell groaning upon the sofa.
He was not alone. Behind him came Stackhurst, hatless
and panting, almost as distrait as his companion.
“Yes, yes, brandy!” he cried. “The man is at his last gasp.
It was all I could do to bring him here. He fainted twice upon
the way.”
Half a tumbler of the raw spirit brought about a won-
drous change. He pushed himself up on one arm and swung his
coat from his shoulders. “For God’s sake oil, opium, morphia!” he
cried. “Anything to ease this infernal agony!”
interruption — вмешательство; flung open — прост.

прош. от fling — рывком отворилась; blundering — нетвердый;
passage — коридор; stagger — спотыкаться, запинаться; pallid —
мертвенно-бледный; dishevelled — растрепанный; claw — вце-
пляться; gasp — задыхаться; groan — стонать; pant — тяжело
дышать; distrait — зд.: не в себе; at one’s last gasp — на послед-
нем издыхании; faint — падать в обморок; tumbler — стакан;
raw spirit — чистый спирт; wondrous — разительный; swung —
прост. прош. от swing — зд.: стряхнул; oil — масло; ease — об-
легчить
The inspector and I cried out at the sight. There, criss-

crossed upon the man’s naked shoulder, was the same strange
reticulated pattern of red, inflamed lines which had been the
death-mark of Fitzroy McPherson.
337
The pain was evidently terrible and was more than local,
for the sufferer’s breathing would stop for a time, his face would
turn black, and then with loud gasps he would clap his hand to
his heart, while his brow dropped beads of sweat. At any mo-
ment he might die. More and more brandy was poured down
his throat, each fresh dose bringing him back to life. Pads of
cotton-wool soaked in salad-oil seemed to take the agony from
the strange wounds. At last his head fell heavily upon the cush-
ion. Exhausted Nature had taken refuge in its last storehouse
of vitality. It was half a sleep and half a faint, but at least it was
ease from pain.
 cry out — вскрикнуть; crisscrossed — перекрещен-

ный; reticulated — в виде сети; pattern — схема; inflamed — вос-
паленный; breathing — дыхание; clap — хлопать, прижимать;
bead — горошина; sweat — пот; pour — лить; throat — горло;
pad — тампон; cotton-wool — вата; wound — рана; cushion —
подушка; exhausted — изможденный; take refuge — укрыться;
vitality — жизненные силы
To question him had been impossible, but the moment

we were assured of his condition Stackhurst turned upon me.
“My God!” he cried, “what is it, Holmes? What is it?”
“Where did you find him?”
“Down on the beach. Exactly where poor McPherson met
his end. If this man’s heart had been weak as McPherson’s was,
he would not be here now. More than once I thought he was
gone as I brought him up. It was too far to The Gables, so I made
for you.”
“Did you see him on the beach?”
“I was walking on the cliff when I heard his cry. He was
at the edge of the water, reeling about like a drunken man. I ran
down, threw some clothes about him, and brought him up. For
heaven’s sake, Holmes, use all the powers you have and spare no
pains to lift the curse from this place, for life is becoming unen-
durable. Can you, with all your world-wide reputation, do nothing
for us?”
338
condition — состояние; weak — слабый; reel — покачи-

ваться; threw — прост. прош. от throw — набросил; for heaven’s
sake — ради Бога; spare no pains — не жалеть сил; curse — про-
клятие (сущ.); unendurable — невыносимый
“I think I can, Stackhurst. Come with me now! And you,

Inspector, come along! We will see if we cannot deliver this mur-
derer into your hands.”
Leaving the unconscious man in the charge of my
housekeeper, we all three went down to the deadly lagoon. On
the shingle there was piled a little heap of towels and clothes left
by the stricken man. Slowly I walked round the edge of the wa-
ter, my comrades in Indian file behind me. Most of the pool was
quite shallow, but under the cliff where the beach was hollowed
out it was four or five feet deep. It was to this part that a swimmer
would naturally go, for it formed a beautiful pellucid green pool
as clear as crystal. A line of rocks lay above it at the base of the
cliff, and along this I led the way, peering eagerly into the depths
beneath me. I had reached the deepest and stillest pool when my
eyes caught that for which they were searching, and I burst into
a shout of triumph.
deliver — передать; unconscious — без сознания; in

the charge of — на попечении; pile — складывать (гл.); strick-
en — пораженный (болезнью и т.д.); edge — кромка; Indian
file — шеренга; shallow — мелкий; pellucid — прозрачный;
crystal — хрусталь; peer — вглядываться; burst into — раз-
разиться
“Cyanea!”1 I cried. “Cyanea! Behold the Lion’s Mane!”

The strange object at which I pointed did indeed look
like a tangled mass torn from the mane of a lion. It lay upon a
rocky shelf some three feet under the water, a curious waving,
1 Cyanea — цианея. Медуза семейства цианея обитает в северных

водах Тихого и Атлантического океанов. Ее разновидности (волосистая
цианея (львиная грива) и синяя медуза) встречаются в том числе и в Се-
верном море.
339
vibrating, hairy creature with streaks of silver among its yel-

low tresses. It pulsated with a slow, heavy dilation and con-
traction.
“It has done mischief enough. Its day is over!” I cried.
“Help me, Stackhurst! Let us end the murderer forever.”
There was a big boulder just above the ledge, and we
pushed it until it fell with a tremendous splash into the water.
When the ripples had cleared we saw that it had settled upon
the ledge below. One flapping edge of yellow membrane showed
that our victim was beneath it. A thick oily scum oozed out from
below the stone and stained the water round, rising slowly to
the surface.
behold — смотреть; point — указывать; tangled — спу-

танный; waving — колышущийся; streak — полоса, вкрапление;
tress — длинный локон; dilation — расширение; contraction —
сокращение; mischief — беда, неприятность; boulder — валун;
ledge — риф, уступ; splash — всплеск; ripples — рябь; victim —
жертва; scum — пленка (на поверхности); ooze — сочиться;
stain — пачкать; surface — поверхность
“Well, this gets me!” cried the inspector. “What was it, Mr.
Holmes? I’m born and bred in these parts, but I never saw such a
thing. It don’t belong to Sussex.”
“Just as well for Sussex,” I remarked. “It may have been
the southwest gale that brought it up. Come back to my house,
both of you, and I will give you the terrible experience of one who
has good reason to remember his own meeting with the same
peril of the seas.”
When we reached my study we found that Murdoch was
so far recovered that he could sit up. He was dazed in mind, and
every now and then was shaken by a paroxysm of pain. In broken
words he explained that he had no notion what had occurred to
him, save that terrific pangs had suddenly shot through him, and
that it had taken all his fortitude to reach the bank.
bred — прост. прош. от breed — воспитан; just as

well for — тем лучше для; gale — шторм; reason — причина;
340
peril — опасность; study — кабинет; recover — приходить в

себя; dazed — спутанный (о сознании); shaken — 3-я форма
гл. shake — потрясали; notion — представление; pang — силь-
ный укол (боли, неприятных чувств); fortitude — мужество;
bank — берег
“Here is a book,” I said, taking up the little volume,

“which first brought light into what might have been forever
dark. It is Out of Doors, by the famous observer, J. G. Wood.1
Wood himself very nearly perished from contact with this vile
creature, so he wrote with a very full knowledge. Cyanea capil-
lata2 is the miscreant’s full name, and he can be as dangerous
to life as, and far more painful than, the bite of the cobra. Let
me briefly give this extract.
“If the bather should see a loose roundish mass of tawny
membranes and fibres, something like very large handfuls of lion’s
mane and silver paper, let him beware, for this is the fearful sting-
er, Cyanea capillata.
Could our sinister acquaintance be more clearly de-
scribed?
perish — гибнуть; vile — подлый; miscreant — пре-

ступник; bite — укус; extract — отрывок; bather — купальщик;
loose — беспорядочный; tawny — желто-коричневый; beware —
беречься; sting — жалить; sinister — зловещий; acquaintance —
знакомый
“He goes on to tell of his own encounter with one when

swimming off the coast of Kent. He found that the creature radi-
ated almost invisible filaments to the distance of fifty feet, and
that anyone within that circumference from the deadly centre
was in danger of death. Even at a distance the effect upon Wood
was almost fatal.
1 Wood, John George — Джон Джордж Вуд (1827–1889). Английский

натуралист, автор множества популярных книг по естествознанию, в том
числе упоминаемой здесь Out of Doors (1874).
2 Cyanea capillata — латинское название волосистой цианеи.
341
“The multitudinous threads caused light scarlet lines

upon the skin which on closer examination resolved into minute
dots or pustules, each dot charged as it were with a red-hot nee-
dle making its way through the nerves.
minute [maɪˈnjuːt] pustule [ˈpʌstjuːl]
 go on — продолжать; encounter — встреча; radi-

ate — распространять (из центра); invisible — невидимый; fila-
ment — нить (бот., эл.); circumference — окружность; multitudi-
nous — многочисленные; scarlet — алый; minute — крошечный;
pustule — пузырь (на коже)
“The local pain was, as he explains, the least part of the

exquisite torment.
“Pangs shot through the chest, causing me to fall as if
struck by a bullet. The pulsation would cease, and then the heart
would give six or seven leaps as if it would force its way through
the chest.
“It nearly killed him, although he had only been exposed
to it in the disturbed ocean and not in the narrow calm waters
of a bathing-pool. He says that he could hardly recognize him-
self afterwards, so white, wrinkled and shrivelled was his face.
He gulped down brandy, a whole bottleful, and it seems to have
saved his life. There is the book, Inspector. I leave it with you, and
you cannot doubt that it contains a full explanation of the tragedy
of poor McPherson.”
exquisite — сильнейший; torment — мучение; chest —

грудь; bullet — пуля; cease — прекращать(ся); disturbed — бур-
ный; recognize — узнать (кого-л.); wrinkle — морщина; shrivel —
скукожиться;  gulp down — проглотить; doubt — сомневаться
“And incidentally exonerates me,” remarked Ian Mur-

doch with a wry smile. “I do not blame you, Inspector, nor you,
Mr. Holmes, for your suspicions were natural. I feel that on the
342
very eve of my arrest I have only cleared myself by sharing the

fate of my poor friend.”
“No, Mr. Murdoch. I was already upon the track, and had
I been out as early as I intended I might well have saved you from
this terrific experience.”
“But how did you know, Mr. Holmes?”
“I am an omnivorous reader with a strangely retentive
memory for trifles. That phrase ‘the Lion’s Mane’ haunted my
mind. I knew that I had seen it somewhere in an unexpected
context. You have seen that it does describe the creature. I have
no doubt that it was floating on the water when McPherson
saw it, and that this phrase was the only one by which he could
convey to us a warning as to the creature which had been his
death.”
exonerate — очистить (от обвинений); wry — кривой;

on the eve — накануне; fate — судьба; be upon the track —
выйти на след; omnivorous — разносторонний; retentive — цеп-
кий (о памяти); trifle — пустяк; haunt — преследовать; convey —
передать (мысль); warning — предостережение
“Then I, at least, am cleared,” said Murdoch, rising slow-

ly to his feet. “There are one or two words of explanation which
I should give, for I know the direction in which your inquiries
have run. It is true that I loved this lady, but from the day when
she chose my friend McPherson my one desire was to help her
to happiness. I was well content to stand aside and act as their
go-between. Often I carried their messages, and it was because
I was in their confidence and because she was so dear to me
that I hastened to tell her of my friend’s death, lest someone
should forestall me in a more sudden and heartless manner.
She would not tell you, sir, of our relations lest you should disap-
prove and I might suffer. But with your leave I must try to get
back to The Gables, for my bed will be very welcome.”
inquiry — расследование; chose — прост. прош. от

choose — выбрала; content — доволен;  stand aside — отой-
ти в сторонку; go-between — посредник; confidence — доверие;
343
hasten — спешить; lest — пока не; forestall — зд.: опередить; suf-

fer — пострадать; leave — разрешение
Stackhurst held out his hand. “Our nerves have all been
at concert-pitch,” said he. “Forgive what is past, Murdoch. We
shall understand each other better in the future.” They passed out
together with their arms linked in friendly fashion. The inspector
remained, staring at me in silence with his ox-like eyes.
“Well, you’ve done it!” he cried at last. “I had read of you,
but I never believed it. It’s wonderful!”
I was forced to shake my head. To accept such praise was
to lower one’s own standards.
“I was slow at the outset — culpably slow. Had the body
been found in the water I could hardly have missed it. It was the
towel which misled me. The poor fellow had never thought to dry
himself, and so I in turn was led to believe that he had never been
in the water. Why, then, should the attack of any water creature
suggest itself to me? That was where I went astray. Well, well, In-
spector, I often ventured to chaff you gentlemen of the police
force, but Cyanea capillata very nearly avenged Scotland Yard.”
held out — прост. прош. от hold — протянул; at concert-

pitch — зд.: на пределе; link — соединять; ox — вол; at last —
наконец; force — вынуждать; shake — качать; accept — принять;
praise — похвала; at the outset — в начале; culpably — пре-
ступно; misled — введен в заблуждение; in turn — в свою
очередь; suggest — зд.: заявлять о себе; went astray — прост.
прош. от go — сбился; venture — осмелиться; chaff — поддраз-
нивать; avenge — отомстить
The Adventure of the Veiled
Lodger
When one considers that Mr. Sherlock Holmes was in

active practice for twenty-three years, and that during seven-
teen of these I was allowed to cooperate with him and to keep
notes of his doings, it will be clear that I have a mass of mate-
rial at my command. The problem has always been not to find
but to choose. There is the long row of year-books which fill a
shelf and there are the dispatch-cases filled with documents,
a perfect quarry for the student not only of crime but of the
social and official scandals of the late Victorian era1. Concerning
these latter, I may say that the writers of agonized letters, who
beg that the honour of their families or the reputation of fa-
mous forebears may not be touched, have nothing to fear. The
discretion and high sense of professional honour which have
always distinguished my friend are still at work in the choice of
these memoirs, and no confidence will be abused. I deprecate,
however, in the strongest way the attempts which have been
made lately to get at and to destroy these papers. The source
of these outrages is known, and if they are repeated I have Mr.
Holmes’s authority for saying that the whole story concerning
the politician, the lighthouse, and the trained cormorant will
be given to the public. There is at least one reader who will
understand.
lodger — жилец (снимающий жилье); keep notes —

вести записи; at one’s command — в чьем-л. распоряже-
нии; choose — выбирать; row — ряд; year-book — ежегодник;
shelf — полка; dispatch-case — портфель для бумаг; quarry —
источник информации; latter — последний (из упомянутых);
agonized — душераздирающий; forebear — предок; discretion —
такт; distinguish — отличать, выделять; confidence — доверие;
abuse — дурно обойтись; deprecate — резко критиковать; de-
1 Victorian era — эпоха правления королевы Виктории (1837–1901).
345
stroy — уничтожить; outrage — возмутительный поступок; au-

thority — официальное разрешение; lighthouse — маяк; cormo-
rant — баклан; at least — по крайней мере
It is not reasonable to suppose that every one of these

cases gave Holmes the opportunity of showing those curious
gifts of instinct and observation which I have endeavoured to
set forth in these memoirs. Sometimes he had with much ef-
fort to pick the fruit, sometimes it fell easily into his lap1. But
the most terrible human tragedies were often involved in those
cases which brought him the fewest personal opportunities,
and it is one of these which I now desire to record. In telling it,
I have made a slight change of name and place, but otherwise
the facts are as stated.
One forenoon — it was late in 1896 — I received a hur-
ried note from Holmes asking for my attendance. When I arrived I
found him seated in a smoke-laden atmosphere, with an elderly,
motherly woman of the buxom landlady type in the correspond-
ing chair in front of him.
buxom [ˈbʌksəm]
suppose — предположить; curious — редкий; gift — дар;

instinct — интуиция; observation — наблюдательность; endeav-
our — усиленно пытаться;  set forth — описать; fell — прост.
прош. от fall — падал; lap — колени; involve in — вовлекать в;
the fewest — наименьший; opportunity — возможность; fore-
noon — утро; attendance — присутствие; smoke-laden — задым-
ленный; buxom — пышная (о женщине); corresponding — соот-
ветствующий
he had with much effort to pick the fruit — have to ука-

зывает на необходимость совершения действия, вызванную
объективными обстоятельствами: ему пришлось приложить
много усилий, чтобы сорвать плод.
1 Lap обозначает «колени» в выражении «сидеть на коленях» и в слу-

чаях, когда имеется в виду та же часть ноги (от бедра до колена). Собст-
венно «колено» — knee.
346
The Adventure of the Veiled Lodger
“This is Mrs. Merrilow, of South Brixton,” said my friend

with a wave of the hand. “Mrs. Merrilow does not object to to-
bacco, Watson, if you wish to indulge your filthy habits. Mrs.
Merrilow has an interesting story to tell which may well lead to
further developments in which your presence may be useful.”
“Anything I can do—”
“You will understand, Mrs. Merrilow, that if I come to Mrs.
Ronder I should prefer to have a witness. You will make her under-
stand that before we arrive.”
“Lord bless you, Mr. Holmes,” said our visitor, “she is that
anxious to see you that you might bring the whole parish at
your heels!”
“Then we shall come early in the afternoon. Let us see that
we have our facts correct before we start. If we go over them it
will help Dr. Watson to understand the situation. You say that Mrs.
Ronder has been your lodger for seven years and that you have
only once seen her face.”
object [əbˈdʒekt] (гл.)
object — возражать; indulge — потакать; lead — (при)

вести; further — дальнейший; witness — свидетель (сущ.);
Lord — Бог; bless — благословить; be anxious to do smth —
с нетерпением ждать чего-л.; parish — церковный приход; at
one’s heels — по пятам;  go over — проверить; once — однажды
“And I wish to God I had not!” said Mrs. Merrilow.

“It was, I understand, terribly mutilated.”
“Well, Mr. Holmes, you would hardly say it was a face at
all. That’s how it looked. Our milkman got a glimpse of her once
peeping out of the upper window, and he dropped his tin and
the milk all over the front garden. That is the kind of face it is.
When I saw her — I happened on her unawares — she covered
up quick, and then she said, ‘Now, Mrs. Merrilow, you know at last
why it is that I never raise my veil.’”
“Do you know anything about her history?”
“Nothing at all.”
347
mutilate — искалечить; hardly — едва ли; milkman —

молочник; glimpse — (беглый) взгляд;  peep out — выгляды-
вать; drop — бросать, ронять; tin — бидон; unaware — зд.: мо-
мент, когда она утратила бдительность;  cover up — прикрыть;
raise — поднимать
“Did she give references when she came?”

“No, sir, but she gave hard cash, and plenty of it. A quar-
ter’s rent right down on the table in advance and no arguing
about terms. In these times a poor woman like me can’t afford to
turn down a chance like that.”
“Did she give any reason for choosing your house?”
“Mine stands well back from the road and is more private
than most. Then, again, I only take the one, and I have no family
of my own. I reckon she had tried others and found that mine
suited her best. It’s privacy she is after, and she is ready to pay
for it.”
“You say that she never showed her face from first to last
save on the one accidental occasion. Well, it is a very remark-
able story, most remarkable, and I don’t wonder that you want
it examined.”
“I don’t, Mr. Holmes. I am quite satisfied so long as I get
my rent. You could not have a quieter lodger, or one who gives
less trouble.”
references — зд.: рекомендации; (hard) cash — на-

личные; plenty of smth — достаточное количество; quar-
ter — квартал; in advance — вперед, заранее; argue — спорить;
terms — условия; afford — позволить себе;  turn down — от-
клонять; of my own — собственный; reckon — полагать; suit —
подходить (кому-л.); privacy — уединение; save — кроме; re-
markable — примечательный; satisfy — удовлетворять; so
long as — (до тех пор) пока
“Then what has brought matters to a head?”

“Her health, Mr. Holmes. She seems to be wasting away.
And there’s something terrible on her mind. ‘Murder!’ she cries.
348
‘Murder!’ And once I heard her: ‘You cruel beast! You monster!’
she cried. It was in the night, and it fair rang through the house
and sent the shivers through me. So I went to her in the morn-
ing. ‘Mrs. Ronder,’ I says, ‘if you have anything that is troubling
your soul, there’s the clergy,’ I says, ‘and there’s the police. Be-
tween them you should get some help.’ ‘For God’s sake, not the
police!’ says she, ‘and the clergy can’t change what is past. And
yet,’ she says, ‘it would ease my mind if someone knew the truth
before I died.’ ‘Well,’ says I, ‘if you won’t have the regulars, there is
this detective man what we read about’ — beggin’ your pardon,
Mr. Holmes. And she, she fair jumped at it. ‘That’s the man,’ says
she. ‘I wonder I never thought of it before. Bring him here, Mrs.
Merrilow, and if he won’t come, tell him I am the wife of Ronder’s
wild beast show. Say that, and give him the name Abbas Parva.
Here it is as she wrote it, Abbas Parva. That will bring him if he’s
the man I think he is.’”
brought to a head — прост. прош. от bring — ухудши-

ло; waste away — чахнуть (от болезни); beast — зверь; rang —
прост. прош. от ring — (про)звенело; shivers — дрожь, мурашки;
soul — душа; clergy — духовенство; beg one’s pardon — прошу
прощения
regulars — слово указывает на людей, выполняющих

определенные обязанности по долгу службы (ср. регулярные
войска). Зд. regulars — полиция.
“And it will, too,” remarked Holmes. “Very good, Mrs. Mer-

rilow. I should like to have a little chat with Dr. Watson. That will
carry us till lunch-time. About three o’clock you may expect to
see us at your house in Brixton.”
Our visitor had no sooner waddled out of the room —
no other verb can describe Mrs. Merrilow’s method of progres-
sion — than Sherlock Holmes threw himself with fierce energy
upon the pile of commonplace books in the corner. For a few
minutes there was a constant swish of the leaves, and then with
a grunt of satisfaction he came upon what he sought. So excit-
349
ed was he that he did not rise, but sat upon the floor like some
strange Buddha, with crossed legs, the huge books all round him,
and one open upon his knees.
chat — беседа; carry — (при)нести; waddle — перева-

ливаться; verb — глагол; progression — продвижение; threw
(oneself) — прост. прош. от throw — бросил(ся); pile — куча;
commonplace — обычный; swish — шелест; grunt — ворчание;
 came upon — прост. прош. от come — наткнулся; sought —
прост. прош. от seek — искал
no sooner… than Sherlock Holmes threw himself —

выражение no sooner… than указывает, что действие произош-
ло сразу после другого события: едва только (дама вышла),
Шерлок Холмс бросился…
“The case worried me at the time, Watson. Here are my

marginal notes to prove it. I confess that I could make nothing
of it. And yet I was convinced that the coroner was wrong. Have
you no recollection of the Abbas Parva tragedy?”
“None, Holmes.”
“And yet you were with me then. But certainly my own
impression was very superficial. For there was nothing to go by,
and none of the parties had engaged my services. Perhaps you
would care to read the papers?”
“Could you not give me the points?”
worry — тревожить; marginal — маленький; confess —

признаваться;  make of smth — сделать вывод; yet — все же;
convince — убеждать; recollection — воспоминание; superfi-
cial — поверхностный;  go by — исходить из; party — сторо-
на (конфликта и т.д.); engage — нанимать; point — ключевой
момент
“That is very easily done. It will probably come back to

your memory as I talk. Ronder, of course, was a household word.
He was the rival of Wombwell, and of Sanger, one of the greatest
showmen of his day. There is evidence, however, that he took to
350
drink, and that both he and his show were on the down grade
at the time of the great tragedy. The caravan had halted for the
night at Abbas Parva, which is a small village in Berkshire, when
this horror occurred. They were on their way to Wimbledon, trav-
elling by road, and they were simply camping and not exhibit-
ing, as the place is so small a one that it would not have paid
them to open.
household word — известное имя; rival — соперник;

evidence — свидетельство;  took to — прост. прош. от take —
пристрастился; on the down grade — на спаде; halt — остано-
виться; occur — происходить; camp — стоять лагерем (гл.);
exhibit — выступать
“They had among their exhibits a very fine North Afri-

can lion. Sahara King was its name, and it was the habit, both
of Ronder and his wife, to give exhibitions inside its cage. Here,
you see, is a photograph of the performance by which you will
perceive that Ronder was a huge porcine person and that his
wife was a very magnificent woman. It was deposed at the in-
quest that there had been some signs that the lion was danger-
ous, but, as usual, familiarity begat contempt, and no notice
was taken of the fact.
“It was usual for either Ronder or his wife to feed the lion
at night. Sometimes one went, sometimes both, but they never
allowed anyone else to do it, for they believed that so long as they
were the food-carriers he would regard them as benefactors and
would never molest them. On this particular night, seven years
ago, they both went, and a very terrible happening followed, the
details of which have never been made clear.
porcine [ˈpɔːsaɪn]
cage — клетка; perceive — понимать; porcine — напо-

минающий свинью; magnificent — прекрасный; depose — да-
вать показания; inquest — следствие; sign — (при)знак; familiar-
ity — зд.: привычка; begat — прост. прош. от beget — породила;
351
contempt — презрение; take notice — обращать внимание;

either… or — или… или; feed — кормить; benefactor — благо-
детель; molest — досаждать
“It seems that the whole camp was roused near mid-
night by the roars of the animal and the screams of the wom-
an. The different grooms and employees rushed from their
tents, carrying lanterns, and by their light an awful sight was
revealed. Ronder lay, with the back of his head crushed in and
deep claw-marks across his scalp, some ten yards from the cage,
which was open. Close to the door of the cage lay Mrs. Ron-
der upon her back, with the creature squatting and snarling
above her. It had torn her face in such a fashion that it was
never thought that she could live. Several of the circus men,
headed by Leonardo, the strong man, and Griggs, the clown,
drove the creature off with poles, upon which it sprang back
into the cage and was at once locked in. How it had got loose
was a mystery. It was conjectured that the pair intended to en-
ter the cage, but that when the door was loosed the creature
bounded out upon them. There was no other point of interest
in the evidence save that the woman in a delirium of agony
kept screaming, ‘Coward! Coward!’ as she was carried back to
the van in which they lived. It was six months before she was fit
to give evidence, but the inquest was duly held, with the obvi-
ous verdict of death from misadventure.”
midnight — полночь; roar — рык; groom — конюх; em-

ployee — работник; rush — бросаться, спешить; tent — палат-
ка; lantern — фонарь; reveal — открывать(ся); crush — разбить;
claw — коготь; squat — присесть; snarl — рычать; torn — 3-я
форма гл. tear — (разо)рвало; fashion — образ, манера; live —
(вы)жить; strong man — силач;  drove off — прост. прош. от
drive — отогнали; pole — шест, багор;  sprang back– прост.
прош. от spring — впрыгнуло; got loose — прост. прош. от
get — освободилось; conjecture — предполагать; bound — пры-
гать; delirium — помутнение (рассудка); agony — боль; cow-
ard — трус; duly — должным образом; misadventure — несчаст-
ный случай
352
“What alternative could be conceived?” said I.

“You may well say so. And yet there were one or two
points which worried young Edmunds, of the Berkshire Constabu-
lary. A smart lad that! He was sent later to Allahabad. That was
how I came into the matter, for he dropped in and smoked a pipe
or two over it.”
“A thin, yellow-haired man?”
“Exactly. I was sure you would pick up the trail presently.”
“But what worried him?”
conceive — придумать; smart — умный; lad — паренек;

sent — 3-я форма гл. send — отправлен;  drop in — заглянуть
(с визитом); pipe — трубка; thin — худощавый; trail — след;
presently — скоро (уст.)
“Well, we were both worried. It was so deucedly difficult

to reconstruct the affair. Look at it from the lion’s point of view.
He is liberated. What does he do? He takes half a dozen bounds
forward, which brings him to Ronder. Ronder turns to fly — the
claw-marks were on the back of his head — but the lion strikes
him down. Then, instead of bounding on and escaping, he re-
turns to the woman, who was close to the cage, and he knocks
her over and chews her face up. Then, again, those cries of hers
would seem to imply that her husband had in some way failed
her. What could the poor devil have done to help her? You see
the difficulty?”
“Quite.”
deucedly — чертовски; liberate — освобождать; fly = es-

cape — спасаться бегством;  strike down = knock over — сби-
вать с ног; instead of — вместо того; imply — указывать на (о
фактах); fail — подвести
“And then there was another thing. It comes back to

me now as I think it over. There was some evidence that just at
the time the lion roared and the woman screamed, a man began
shouting in terror.”
353
“This man Ronder, no doubt.”

“Well, if his skull was smashed in you would hardly ex-
pect to hear from him again. There were at least two witnesses
who spoke of the cries of a man being mingled with those of a
woman.”
“I should think the whole camp was crying out by then.
As to the other points, I think I could suggest a solution.”
“I should be glad to consider it.”
no doubt — без сомнения;  smash in — нанести

сильный удар; hardly — едва ли; at least — по крайней мере;
mingle — смешивать(ся); as to — что касается; suggest —
предлагать; solution — решение; consider — обдумать
“The two were together, ten yards from the cage, when
the lion got loose. The man turned and was struck down. The
woman conceived the idea of getting into the cage and shut-
ting the door. It was her only refuge. She made for it, and just
as she reached it the beast bounded after her and knocked her
over. She was angry with her husband for having encouraged
the beast’s rage by turning. If they had faced it they might have
cowed it. Hence her cries of ‘Coward!’”
“Brilliant, Watson! Only one flaw in your diamond.”
“What is the flaw, Holmes?”
“If they were both ten paces from the cage, how came the
beast to get loose?”
“Is it possible that they had some enemy who loosed it?”
“And why should it attack them savagely when it was in
the habit of playing with them, and doing tricks with them inside
the cage?”
“Possibly the same enemy had done something to en-
rage it.”
refuge — убежище; made for — прост. прош. от make —

направилась к; encourage — поощрять; rage — ярость; cow —
запугать (гл.); hence — отсюда следует; flaw — пробел; be in
the habit of — иметь привычку; enrage — злить
354
Holmes looked thoughtful and remained in silence for

some moments.
“Well, Watson, there is this to be said for your theory.
Ronder was a man of many enemies. Edmunds told me that in
his cups he was horrible. A huge bully of a man, he cursed and
slashed at everyone who came in his way. I expect those cries
about a monster, of which our visitor has spoken, were nocturnal
reminiscences of the dear departed. However, our speculations
are futile until we have all the facts. There is a cold partridge on
the sideboard, Watson, and a bottle of Montrachet. Let us renew
our energies before we make a fresh call upon them.”
When our hansom deposited us at the house of Mrs.
Merrilow, we found that plump lady blocking up the open door
of her humble but retired abode. It was very clear that her chief
preoccupation was lest she should lose a valuable lodger, and
she implored us, before showing us up, to say and do nothing
which could lead to so undesirable an end. Then, having reas-
sured her, we followed her up the straight, badly carpeted stair-
case and were shown into the room of the mysterious lodger.
in one’s cups — пьяный; bully — человек, запугиваю-

щий других; curse — ругаться; slash — полоснуть ножом; noc-
turnal — ночной; reminiscence — воспоминание; departed —
усопший; speculations — домыслы; futile — бесполезный;
partridge — куропатка; sideboard — буфет; plump — дородный;
humble — скромный; retired — уединенный; lest — чтобы не;
implore — умолять; lead — вести (гл.); reassure — успокоить;
carpet — ковер; staircase — лестница
It was a close, musty, ill-ventilated place, as might be

expected, since its inmate seldom left it. From keeping beasts
in a cage, the woman seemed, by some retribution of fate, to
have become herself a beast in a cage. She sat now in a broken
armchair in the shadowy corner of the room. Long years of inac-
tion had coarsened the lines of her figure, but at some period
it must have been beautiful, and was still full and voluptuous.
A thick dark veil covered her face, but it was cut off close at her
upper lip and disclosed a perfectly shaped mouth and a deli-
355
cately rounded chin. I could well conceive that she had indeed
been a very remarkable woman. Her voice, too, was well modu-
lated and pleasing.
musty — затхлый; inmate — обитатель; seldom — редко;

retribution — месть; inaction — бездействие; coarsen — делать
грубее, плотнее; voluptuous — соблазнительный; thick — густой;
close — рядом
disclosed — приставка dis- указывает на то, что дейст-

вие, описываемое глаголом, было отменено: не скрывала.
“My name is not unfamiliar to you, Mr. Holmes,” said

she. “I thought that it would bring you.”
“That is so, madam, though I do not know how you are
aware that I was interested in your case.”
“I learned it when I had recovered my health and was ex-
amined by Mr. Edmunds, the county detective. I fear I lied to him.
Perhaps it would have been wiser had I told the truth.”
“It is usually wiser to tell the truth. But why did you lie
to him?”
“Because the fate of someone else depended upon
it. I know that he was a very worthless being, and yet I would
not have his destruction upon my conscience. We had been so
close — so close!”
“But has this impediment been removed?”
“Yes, sir. The person that I allude to is dead.”
be aware — сознавать; recover — восстановить; fate —

судьба; worthless — никчемный; conscience — совесть; impedi-
ment — препятствие; allude — ссылаться
My name is not unfamiliar — в английском предложе-

нии допустимо только одно отрицание; два отрицания указы-
вают на утвердительное предложение со смысловым усилени-
ем: мое имя вам определенно знакомо.
it would have been wiser had I told the truth — это услов-
ное предложение, в котором частицу if заменяет инверсия (из-
менение порядка слов). Future in the Past в первой части пред-
356
ложения и Past Perfect во второй говорят о том, что речь идет о

нереальном условии, и теперь изменить ничего нельзя: было бы
мудрее, если бы я рассказала ему правду.
“Then why should you not now tell the police anything
you know?”
“Because there is another person to be considered. That
other person is myself. I could not stand the scandal and publicity
which would come from a police examination. I have not long to
live, but I wish to die undisturbed. And yet I wanted to find one
man of judgment to whom I could tell my terrible story, so that
when I am gone all might be understood.”
“You compliment me, madam. At the same time, I am a
responsible person. I do not promise you that when you have
spoken I may not myself think it my duty to refer the case to
the police.”
“I think not, Mr. Holmes. I know your character and meth-
ods too well, for I have followed your work for some years. Read-
ing is the only pleasure which fate has left me, and I miss little
which passes in the world. But in any case, I will take my chance
of the use which you may make of my tragedy. It will ease my
mind to tell it.”
consider — учитывать; stand — вынести;  come from —

проистекать; examination — расследование; undisturbed — не-
потревоженный; be gone — умирать; responsible — ответст-
венный; duty — долг;  refer to — передать; follow — следить;
miss — пропускать; take one’s chance — рискнуть
“My friend and I would be glad to hear it.”

The woman rose and took from a drawer the photograph
of a man. He was clearly a professional acrobat, a man of mag-
nificent physique, taken with his huge arms folded across his
swollen chest and a smile breaking from under his heavy mous-
tache — the self-satisfied smile of the man of many conquests.
“That is Leonardo,” she said.
“Leonardo, the strong man, who gave evidence?”
357
“The same. And this — this is my husband.”

It was a dreadful face — a human pig, or rather a human
wild boar, for it was formidable in its bestiality. One could imag-
ine that vile mouth champing and foaming in its rage, and one
could conceive those small, vicious eyes darting pure malignancy
as they looked forth upon the world. Ruffian, bully, beast — it was
all written on that heavy-jowled face.
rose — прост. прош. от rise — поднялась; drawer — выд-

вижной ящик; physique — телосложение (обычно о мужчине);
folded — скрещенный; swollen — раздувшийся; chest — грудь;
break from — пробиваться (из-за); moustache — усы; conquest —
завоевание; same — тот (же) самый; dreadful — ужасный; boar —
кабан; formidable — впечатляющий; vile — мерзкий; champ —
чавкать; foam — исходить пеной (гл.); vicious — злобный;
malignancy — злоба; ruffian — негодяй; jowl — обвисшая щека
“Those two pictures will help you, gentlemen, to un-

derstand the story. I was a poor circus girl brought up on the
sawdust, and doing springs through the hoop before I was ten.
When I became a woman this man loved me, if such lust as his
can be called love, and in an evil moment I became his wife. From
that day I was in hell, and he the devil who tormented me. There
was no one in the show who did not know of his treatment. He
deserted me for others. He tied me down and lashed me with
his riding whip when I complained. They all pitied me and they
all loathed him, but what could they do? They feared him, one
and all. For he was terrible at all times, and murderous when he
was drunk. Again and again he was had up for assault, and for
cruelty to the beasts, but he had plenty of money and the fines
were nothing to him. The best men all left us, and the show began
to go downhill. It was only Leonardo and I who kept it up — with
little Jimmy Griggs, the clown. Poor devil, he had not much to be
funny about, but he did what he could to hold things together.
 brought up — 3-я форма гл. bring — воспитанный;

sawdust — опилки, зд.: манеж; spring — прыжок (сущ.); hoop —
обруч; lust — похоть; torment — мучить; treatment — обхожде-
358
ние; desert — покидать (гл.); tie — связывать; lash — сечь (гл.);

riding whip — стек; complain — жаловаться;  have up — пере-
давать в суд; assault — нападение; cruelty — жестокость; fine —
штраф (сущ.); go downhill — катиться по наклонной; kept
up — прост. прош. от keep — поддерживали (на плаву)
“Then Leonardo came more and more into my life. You

see what he was like. I know now the poor spirit that was hid-
den in that splendid body, but compared to my husband he
seemed like the angel Gabriel1. He pitied me and helped me, till
at last our intimacy turned to love — deep, deep, passionate
love, such love as I had dreamed of but never hoped to feel. My
husband suspected it, but I think that he was a coward as well
as a bully, and that Leonardo was the one man that he was afraid
of. He took revenge in his own way by torturing me more than
ever. One night my cries brought Leonardo to the door of our
van. We were near tragedy that night, and soon my lover and I
understood that it could not be avoided. My husband was not
fit to live. We planned that he should die.
spirit — дух; hidden — 3-я форма гл. hide — скрывал-

ся; splendid — великолепный; compare to — сравнивать; in-
timacy — близость; passionate — страстный; hope — надеяться;
suspect — подозревать; as well as — так же как; took re-
venge — прост. прош. от take — мстил; torture — пытать (гл.);
avoid — избежать; fit — подходить
“Leonardo had a clever, scheming brain. It was he who

planned it. I do not say that to blame him, for I was ready to go
with him every inch of the way. But I should never have had the
wit to think of such a plan. We made a club — Leonardo made
it — and in the leaden head he fastened five long steel nails,
the points outward, with just such a spread as the lion’s paw.
This was to give my husband his death-blow, and yet to leave
the evidence that it was the lion which we would loose who had
done the deed.
1 Gabriel — архангел Гавриил. В христианской традиции — посланец
Бога, раскрывающий праведникам тайное знание.
359
leaden [ˈledn]
scheming — вырабатывающий планы; blame — винить;

inch — дюйм; wit — ум; club — дубинка; leaden — свинцовый;
fasten — прикрепить; nail — гвоздь; spread — расстояние (сущ.);
paw — лапа; death-blow — смертельный удар; yet — все же;
loose — освободить; deed — поступок
It was he who planned it. — Усилительная конструкция

it is… that/who/when/where/why и т.д. позволяет поставить смы-
словой акцент и обычно переводится словом «именно»: имен-
но он спланировал это.
“It was a pitch-dark night when my husband and I went

down, as was our custom, to feed the beast. We carried with us
the raw meat in a zinc pail. Leonardo was waiting at the corner
of the big van which we should have to pass before we reached
the cage. He was too slow, and we walked past him before he
could strike, but he followed us on tiptoe and I heard the crash
as the club smashed my husband’s skull. My heart leaped with joy
at the sound. I sprang forward, and I undid the catch which held
the door of the great lion’s cage.
custom — традиция; raw — сырой; zinc — цинк(овый);

pail — ведро; cage — клетка; strike — ударить; on tiptoe — на
цыпочках; crash — удар, звук удара; catch — защелка
undid — приставка un- указывает на отмену того или

иного действия, а глагол do может заменить собой большинст-
во глаголов; он особенно часто применяется, когда речь идет о
застежках, пуговицах и т.д.
“And then the terrible thing happened. You may have

heard how quick these creatures are to scent human blood, and
how it excites them. Some strange instinct had told the creature in
one instant that a human being had been slain. As I slipped the
bars it bounded out and was on me in an instant. Leonardo could
360
have saved me. If he had rushed forward and struck the beast with
his club he might have cowed it. But the man lost his nerve. I
heard him shout in his terror, and then I saw him turn and fly. At
the same instant the teeth of the lion met in my face. Its hot, filthy
breath had already poisoned me and I was hardly conscious of
pain. With the palms of my hands I tried to push the great steam-
ing, blood-stained jaws away from me, and I screamed for help.
I was conscious that the camp was stirring, and then dimly I re-
membered a group of men. Leonardo, Griggs, and others, drag-
ging me from under the creature’s paws. That was my last memory,
Mr. Holmes, for many a weary month. When I came to myself and
saw myself in the mirror, I cursed that lion — oh, how I cursed
him! — not because he had torn away my beauty but because he
had not torn away my life. I had but one desire, Mr. Holmes, and I
had enough money to gratify it. It was that I should cover myself
so that my poor face should be seen by none, and that I should
dwell where none whom I had ever known should find me. That
was all that was left to me to do — and that is what I have done. A
poor wounded beast that has crawled into its hole to die — that
is the end of Eugenia Ronder.”
scent — чуять (гл.); instant — миг; slain — 3-я форма гл.

slay — убито; slip — скользнуть, зд.: сдвинуть; lost his nerve —
прост. прош. от lose — утратил самообладание; filthy — гряз-
ный; breath — дыхание; poison — отравить (гл.); palm — ладонь;
jaws — челюсти; stir — шевелиться; drag — тащить; mirror —
зеркало; curse — проклинать; but one — единственный; grati-
fy — удовлетворять; dwell — обитать; wounded — раненый;
crawl — ползти
many a weary month — конструкция many a + суще-

ствительное указывает на множественное число: много тяже-
лых месяцев.
We sat in silence for some time after the unhappy wom-
an had told her story. Then Holmes stretched out his long arm
and patted her hand with such a show of sympathy as I had
seldom known him to exhibit.
361
“Poor girl!” he said. “Poor girl! The ways of fate are indeed
hard to understand. If there is not some compensation hereafter,
then the world is a cruel jest. But what of this man Leonardo?”
“I never saw him or heard from him again. Perhaps I have
been wrong to feel so bitterly against him. He might as soon have
loved one of the freaks whom we carried round the country as the
thing which the lion had left. But a woman’s love is not so easily
set aside. He had left me under the beast’s claws, he had deserted
me in my need, and yet I could not bring myself to give him to
the gallows. For myself, I cared nothing what became of me. What
could be more dreadful than my actual life? But I stood between
Leonardo and his fate.”
stretch out — вытянуть; pat — похлопать; show — про-

явление; sympathy — сочувствие; exhibit — демонстрировать;
hereafter — далее; jest — шутка; bitter — горький; freak — зд.:
цирковой уродец;  set aside — отложить; desert — покидать
(гл.); gallows — виселица
“And he is dead?”
“He was drowned last month when bathing near Mar-
gate. I saw his death in the paper.”
“And what did he do with this five-clawed club, which is
the most singular and ingenious part of all your story?”
“I cannot tell, Mr. Holmes. There is a chalk-pit by the
camp, with a deep green pool at the base of it. Perhaps in the
depths of that pool –”
“Well, well, it is of little consequence now. The case is
closed.”
“Yes,” said the woman, “the case is closed.”
We had risen to go, but there was something in the wom-
an’s voice which arrested Holmes’s attention. He turned swiftly
upon her.
“Your life is not your own,” he said. “Keep your hands off it.”
“What use is it to anyone?”
“How can you tell? The example of patient suffering is in
itself the most precious of all lessons to an impatient world.”
362
drown — тонуть; bathe — купаться; singular — нео-

бычный; ingenious — блестящий; chalk-pit — меловой карьер;
pool — пруд; consequence — (по)следствие; swiftly — быстро;
hands off — руки прочь; patient — терпеливый; precious —
драгоценный
The woman’s answer was a terrible one. She raised her

veil and stepped forward into the light.
“I wonder if you would bear it,” she said.
It was horrible. No words can describe the framework of
a face when the face itself is gone. Two living and beautiful brown
eyes looking sadly out from that grisly ruin did but make the view
more awful. Holmes held up his hand in a gesture of pity and pro-
test, and together we left the room.
Two days later, when I called upon my friend, he pointed
with some pride to a small blue bottle upon his mantelpiece. I
picked it up. There was a red poison label. A pleasant almondy
odour rose when I opened it.
“Prussic acid?” said I.
“Exactly. It came by post. ‘I send you my temptation. I will
follow your advice.’ That was the message. I think, Watson, we can
guess the name of the brave woman who sent it.”
Prussic [ˈprʌsɪk]
I wonder — интересно; bear — выносить; framework —

рам(к)а; grisly — зд.: в результате насилия; mantelpiece — камин-
ная полка; label — ярлык; almond — миндаль; odour — запах;
Prussic acid — синильная кислота; temptation — искушение;
follow one’s advice — следовать совету; guess — угадать
The Adventure of Shoscombe Old
Place
Sherlock Holmes had been bending for a long time over

a low-power microscope. Now he straightened himself up and
looked round at me in triumph.
“It is glue, Watson,” said he. “Unquestionably it is glue.
Have a look at these scattered objects in the field!”
I stooped to the eyepiece and focused for my vision.
“Those hairs are threads from a tweed coat. The irregular
gray masses are dust. There are epithelial scales on the left. Those
brown blobs in the centre are undoubtedly glue.”
“Well,” I said, laughing, “I am prepared to take your word
for it. Does anything depend upon it?”
“It is a very fine demonstration,” he answered. “In the St.
Pancras1 case you may remember that a cap was found beside the
dead policeman. The accused man denies that it is his. But he is a
picture-frame maker who habitually handles glue.”
bend — гнуться; glue — клей; unquestionably — не-

сомненно; scattered — разбросанный; stoop — склоняться;
eyepiece — окуляр; thread — нить; irregular — зд.: изредка
встречающийся; dust — пыль; epithelial scales — клетки эпите-
лия; blob — пятно;  depend (up)on — зависеть; cap — шап-
ка; beside — рядом; accused — обвиняемый; deny — отрицать;
frame — рама; habitually — обычно; handle — управлять(ся)
“Is it one of your cases?”

“No; my friend, Merivale, of the Yard, asked me to look into
the case. Since I ran down that coiner by the zinc and copper
filings in the seam of his cuff they have begun to realize the im-
portance of the microscope.” He looked impatiently at his watch.
1 St. Pancras — округ в Лондоне и название вокзала (St. Pancras railway

station). Однако упоминаемое здесь дело не входит ни в один сборник рас-
сказов о Шерлоке Холмсе.
364
The Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place
“I had a new client calling, but he is overdue. By the way, Watson,

you know something of racing?”
“I ought to. I pay for it with about half my wound pen-
sion.”
“Then I’ll make you my ‘Handy Guide to the Turf.’ What
about Sir Robert Norberton? Does the name recall anything?”
“Well, I should say so. He lives at Shoscombe Old Place,
and I know it well, for my summer quarters1 were down there
once. Norberton nearly came within your province once.”
since — с тех пор;  ran down — прост. прош. от

run — разыскал; coiner — фальшивомонетчик; filings — струж-
ка; seam — шов; cuff — манжета; impatiently — нетерпеливо;
watch — часы (сущ.); overdue — опаздывать; by the way —
кстати; racing — скачки; wound pension — пенсия по ранению;
handy — доступный, удобный; the Turf — скачки; one’s prov-
ince — чья-л. сфера интересов
I ought to. — Модальный глагол ought to указывает на

рекомендацию, обусловленную необходимостью или традици-
ями: мне приходится знать.
“How was that?”

“It was when he horsewhipped Sam Brewer, the well-
known Curzon Street money-lender, on Newmarket Heath. He
nearly killed the man.”
“Ah, he sounds interesting! Does he often indulge in
that way?”
“Well, he has the name of being a dangerous man. He is
about the most daredevil rider in England — second in the Grand
National2 a few years back. He is one of those men who have over-
shot their true generation. He should have been a buck in the
1 summer quarters — антоним термина winter quarters (зимние квар-

тиры). В современном значении — размещение войск лагерем (в отличие
от традиционно зимнего расквартирования в населенных пунктах и/или
казармах).
2 Grand National — ежегодно проводимый на ипподроме Эйнтри под
Ливерпулем турнир по стипль-чезу (скачкам с препятствиями).
365
days of the Regency1 — a boxer, an athlete, a plunger on the turf,

a lover of fair ladies, and, by all account, so far down Queer Street
that he may never find his way back again.”
money-lender — ростовщик; nearly — почти; indulge —

развлекаться; the name of being smth — репутация; daredev-
il — отчаянный; rider — наездник; overshot — 3-я форма гл.
overshoot — обогнал; generation — поколение; buck — повеса;
plunger — игрок, мот; by all account — судя по всему; in
Queer Street — в долгах
horsewhipped — в английском языке многие слова

пишутся слитно, раздельно или через дефис, и все эти вари-
анты правильны. В данном случае написанное слитно суще-
ствительное horsewhip (стек) превращается в глагол: отхлестал
стеком.
“Capital, Watson! A thumb-nail sketch. I seem to

know the man. Now, can you give me some idea of Shoscombe
Old Place?”
“Only that it is in the centre of Shoscombe Park, and
that the famous Shoscombe stud and training quarters are to
be found there.”
“And the head trainer,” said Holmes, “is John Mason. You
need not look surprised at my knowledge, Watson, for this is a let-
ter from him which I am unfolding. But let us have some more
about Shoscombe. I seem to have struck a rich vein.”
“There are the Shoscombe spaniels,” said I. “You hear
of them at every dog show. The most exclusive breed in Eng-
land. They are the special pride of the lady of Shoscombe Old
Place.”
“Sir Robert Norberton’s wife, I presume!”
“Sir Robert has never married. Just as well, I think, con-
sidering his prospects. He lives with his widowed sister, Lady Bea-
trice Falder.”
1 Regency — Регентство (1811–1820). Период, когда из-за недееспо-

собности Георга III страной правил принц-регент, будущий Георг IV.
366
capital — превосходно (уст.); thumb-nail sketch — ем-

кое описание; stud (farm) — питомник; head — главный; struck —
прост. прош. от strike — наткнулся; vein — жила; breed — поро-
да; wife — жена; presume — полагать; just as well — к счастью;
prospect — перспектива; widowed — овдовевший
“You mean that she lives with him?”

“No, no. The place belonged to her late husband, Sir
James. Norberton has no claim on it at all. It is only a life interest
and reverts to her husband’s brother. Meantime, she draws the
rents every year.”
“And brother Robert, I suppose, spends the said rents?”
“That is about the size of it. He is a devil of a fellow and
must lead her a most uneasy life. Yet I have heard that she is de-
voted to him. But what is amiss at Shoscombe?”
“Ah, that is just what I want to know. And here, I expect, is
the man who can tell us.”
The door had opened and the page had shown in a tall,
clean-shaven man with the firm, austere expression which is
only seen upon those who have to control horses or boys. Mr.
John Mason had many of both under his sway, and he looked
equal to the task. He bowed with cold self-possession and seat-
ed himself upon the chair to which Holmes had waved him.
mean — иметь в виду; belong to — принадлежать;

late — покойный (прил.); claim — притязание; life interest — по-
жизненное владение; revert — вернуть (в прежнее состояние);
meantime — тем временем; draw rents — снимать со счета рен-
ту; said — упомянутый; that is about the size of it — точно
так; be devoted to — быть преданным; amiss — не в порядке;
shaven — 3-я форма гл. shave — выбритый; austere — суровый;
sway — контроль (сущ.); bow — кланяться (гл.); self-posses-
sion — самообладание; wave — махнуть
“You had my note, Mr. Holmes?”

“Yes, but it explained nothing.”
“It was too delicate a thing for me to put the details on
paper. And too complicated. It was only face to face I could do it.”
367
“Well, we are at your disposal.”

“First of all, Mr. Holmes, I think that my employer, Sir
Robert, has gone mad.”
Holmes raised his eyebrows.
“This is Baker Street, not Harley Street,”1 said he. “But why
do you say so?”
“Well, sir, when a man does one queer thing, or two queer
things, there may be a meaning to it, but when everything he does
is queer, then you begin to wonder. I believe Shoscombe Prince
and the Derby have turned his brain.”
complicated — сложный; at one’s disposal — в чьем-л.

распоряжении; employer — работодатель; gone mad — прост.
прош. от go — сошел с ума; queer — странный
“That is a colt you are running?”

“The best in England, Mr. Holmes. I should know, if any-
one does. Now, I’ll be plain with you, for I know you are gentle-
men of honour and that it won’t go beyond the room. Sir Robert
has got to win this Derby. He’s up to the neck, and it’s his last
chance. Everything he could raise or borrow is on the horse —
and at fine odds, too! You can get forties now, but it was nearer
the hundred when he began to back him.”
colt — жеребец в возрасте до четырех лет; run —

управлять; plain — зд.: искренний; beyond — за пределы; up
to the neck — по уши; borrow — занимать; odds — соотноше-
ние ставок; back — делать ставки (на кого-л./что-л.) (гл.)
I should know, if anyone does. — Should часто исполь-

зуется в значении рекомендации и переводится «следует»: Уж
кому-кому, а мне следует знать.
1 Harley Street — Харли-стрит, улица в лондонском районе Вестмин-
стер. С XIX в. известна как место, где располагалось множество приемных

врачей различных специальностей. Название стало нарицательным в зна-
чении «медицинский кабинет», «клиника».
368
“But how is that if the horse is so good?”

“The public don’t know how good he is. Sir Robert has
been too clever for the touts. He has the Prince’s half-broth-
er out for spins. You can’t tell ‘em apart. But there are two
lengths in a furlong1 between them when it comes to a gal-
lop. He thinks of nothing but the horse and the race. His whole
life is on it. He’s holding off the Jews till then. If the Prince fails
him he is done.”
“It seems a rather desperate gamble, but where does the
madness come in?”
“Well, first of all, you have only to look at him. I don’t be-
lieve he sleeps at night. He is down at the stables at all hours. His
eyes are wild. It has all been too much for his nerves. Then there is
his conduct to Lady Beatrice!”
tout — билетный спекулянт; for spins — для подачи

информации выгодным для себя образом;  tell smth apart —
отличать от;  come to — доходить до;  hold off — держать
подальше; desperate — отчаянный; gamble — азартная игра;
stables — конюшня; conduct — поведение (сущ.)
there are two lengths in a furlong — слово length в дан-

ном случае означает «корпус»: два корпуса на фурлонг.
the Jews — речь идет о ростовщиках, которым задолжал
герой. Персонаж «еврей-ростовщик» — традиционная фигура
британской литературы.
“Ah! What is that?”

“They have always been the best of friends. They had the
same tastes, the two of them, and she loved the horses as much
as he did. Every day at the same hour she would drive down
to see them — and, above all, she loved the Prince. He would
prick up his ears when he heard the wheels on the gravel, and
1 furlong [ˈfɜːlɒŋ] — фурлонг. Британская единица измерения рассто-
яния, в настоящее время используется на скачках. 1 фурлонг = 201 м.
369
he would trot out each morning to the carriage to get his lump
of sugar. But that’s all over now.”
“Why?”
“Well, she seems to have lost all interest in the horses. For
a week now she has driven past the stables with never so much as
‘Good-morning’!”
taste — вкус; above all — главное; prick up one’s

ears — насторожить уши; wheel — колесо; trot — трусить рыс-
цой; lump — кусок1
she would drive down to see them, he would prick up

his ears — глагол would указывает на то, что некое действие
регулярно происходило в прошлом: она обычно выезжала по-
видать их; он, бывало, настораживал уши…
“You think there has been a quarrel?”

“And a bitter, savage, spiteful quarrel at that. Why else
would he give away her pet spaniel that she loved as if he were
her child? He gave it a few days ago to old Barnes, what keeps the
Green Dragon, three miles off, at Crendall.”
“That certainly did seem strange.”
“Of course, with her weak heart and dropsy one
couldn’t expect that she could get about with him, but he spent
two hours every evening in her room. He might well do what
he could, for she has been a rare good friend to him. But that’s
all over, too. He never goes near her. And she takes it to heart.
She is brooding and sulky and drinking, Mr. Holmes — drink-
ing like a fish.”
quarrel — ссора; spiteful — с намерением причинить

боль; else — еще;  give away — отдать; weak — слабый; drop-
sy — водянка (мед.); take to heart — принимать близко к сер-
дцу; brood — тревожиться; sulky — угрюмый
1 Lump обозначает «ком» или «кусок, не имеющий определенной

формы». В этом его отличие от слова piece, которое может указывать на
любой фрагмент. Lump часто употребляется с продуктами питания (lump
of sugar — устойчивое выражение), а также обозначает комок в горле.
370
“Did she drink before this estrangement?”

“Well, she took her glass, but now it is often a whole bottle
of an evening. So Stephens, the butler, told me. It’s all changed,
Mr. Holmes, and there is something damned rotten about it. But
then, again, what is master doing down at the old church crypt1 at
night? And who is the man that meets him there?”
Holmes rubbed his hands.
“Go on, Mr. Mason. You get more and more interesting.”
estrangement — отчуждение; butler — дворецкий; rot-

ten — гнилой, мерзкий; church — церковь; rub — потирать;
 go on — продолжать
You get more and more interesting. — Глагол get указы-

вает на приобретение какого-л. качества: Ваш рассказ стано-
вится все интереснее.
“It was the butler who saw him go. Twelve o’clock at
night and raining hard. So next night I was up at the house and,
sure enough, master was off again. Stephens and I went after
him, but it was jumpy work, for it would have been a bad job if he
had seen us. He’s a terrible man with his fists if he gets started,
and no respecter of persons. So we were shy of getting too near,
but we marked him down all right. It was the haunted crypt that
he was making for, and there was a man waiting for him there.”
“What is this haunted crypt?”
“Well, sir, there is an old ruined chapel in the park. It is
so old that nobody could fix its date. And under it there’s a crypt
which has a bad name among us. It’s a dark, damp, lonely place
by day, but there are few in that county that would have the nerve
to go near it at night. But master’s not afraid. He never feared any-
thing in his life. But what is he doing there in the night-time?”
“Wait a bit!” said Holmes. “You say there is another man
there. It must be one of your own stablemen, or someone from
1 сrypt — крипта. Подземное помещение, расположенное под алтар-

ной и хоральной частями храма, в котором захоронены останки святых и/
или покровителей прихода.
371
the house! Surely you have only to spot who it is and ques-
tion him?”
“It’s no one I know.”
be off — отсутствовать; jumpy — нервный; fist — кулак;

get started — браться за дело; respect — уважать; shy — роб-
кий; haunted — населенный призраками;  make for — направ-
ляться; chapel — часовня; fix — определить; bad name — дурная
слава; damp — сырой; a bit — немного; stableman — конюх;
spot — заметить (гл.); question — допросить (гл.)
“How can you say that?”

“Because I have seen him, Mr. Holmes. It was on that sec-
ond night. Sir Robert turned and passed us — me and Stephens,
quaking in the bushes like two bunny-rabbits, for there was
a bit of moon that night. But we could hear the other moving
about behind. We were not afraid of him. So we up when Sir
Robert was gone and pretended we were just having a walk like
in the moonlight, and so we came right on him as casual and
innocent as you please. ‘Hullo, mate! who may you be?’ says I.
I guess he had not heard us coming, so he looked over his shoul-
der with a face as if he had seen the devil coming out of hell. He
let out a yell, and away he went as hard as he could lick it in the
darkness. He could run! — I’ll give him that. In a minute he was
out of sight and hearing, and who he was, or what he was, we
never found.”
quake — трястись (от страха); (bunny) rabbit — кролик;

pretend — притворяться; like — зд.: вроде, типа; casual — непо-
средственный; innocent — невинный; shoulder — плечо; yell —
вопль; lick — зд.: справляться; out of sight — за пределами ви-
димости
moving about behind — предлог придает глаголу но-

вый смысл. Глагол move означает «двигаться, шевелиться»,
а move about — «передвигаться»: ходил позади.
He could run! — Глаголы can и could (мочь, уметь) ис-
пользуются и для усиления: ну и бежал же он!
372
“But you saw him clearly in the moonlight?”

“Yes, I would swear to his yellow face — a mean dog,
I should say. What could he have in common with Sir Robert?”
Holmes sat for some time lost in thought.
“Who keeps Lady Beatrice Falder company?” he asked at
last.
“There is her maid, Carrie Evans. She has been with her
this five years.”
“And is, no doubt, devoted?”
Mr. Mason shuffled uncomfortably.
“She’s devoted enough,” he answered at last. “But I won’t
say to whom.”
“Ah!” said Holmes.
swear — клясться; mean — подлый; have in com-

mon — иметь общее с кем-л.; maid — горничная; devoted — пре-
данный; shuffle — шаркать ногой (от смущения)
“I can’t tell tales out of school.”

“I quite understand, Mr. Mason. Of course, the situation
is clear enough. From Dr. Watson’s description of Sir Robert I can
realize that no woman is safe from him. Don’t you think the quarrel
between brother and sister may lie there?”
“Well, the scandal has been pretty clear for a long time.”
“But she may not have seen it before. Let us suppose
that she has suddenly found it out. She wants to get rid of the
woman. Her brother will not permit it. The invalid, with her weak
heart and inability to get about, has no means of enforcing her
will. The hated maid is still tied to her. The lady refuses to speak,
sulks, takes to drink. Sir Robert in his anger takes her pet spaniel
away from her. Does not all this hang together?”
“Well, it might do — so far as it goes.”
tell tales — ябедничать; suppose — предполагать;

 found out — прост. прош. от find — выяснила; get rid of —
избавиться от; permit — позволить;  get about — передви-
гаться (по окрестностям); means — средства; enforce — зд.: на-
373
вязать; tie — привязать; refuse — отказываться; sulk — дуться;

 hang together — укладываться в схему; so far as it goes — до
определенной степени
“Exactly! As far as it goes. How would all that bear

upon the visits by night to the old crypt? We can’t fit that into
our plot.”
“No, sir, and there is something more that I can’t fit in. Why
should Sir Robert want to dig up a dead body?”
Holmes sat up abruptly.
“We only found it out yesterday — after I had written to
you. Yesterday Sir Robert had gone to London, so Stephens and I
went down to the crypt. It was all in order, sir, except that in one
corner was a bit of a human body.”
“You informed the police, I suppose?”
Our visitor smiled grimly.
 bear upon — влиять; fit — зд.: вписать; plot — сюжет;

 dig up — вырыть; abruptly — резко; in order — в порядке;
except — кроме; grimly — угрюмо
“Well, sir, I think it would hardly interest them. It was

just the head and a few bones of a mummy. It may have been
a thousand years old. But it wasn’t there before. That I’ll swear,
and so will Stephens. It had been stowed away in a corner and
covered over with a board, but that corner had always been
empty before.”
“What did you do with it?”
“Well, we just left it there.”
hardly — едва ли; bone — кость; mummy — мумия; stow

(away) — отложить; cover — закрыть; board — доска
“That was wise. You say Sir Robert was away yesterday.
Has he returned?”
“We expect him back to-day.”
374
“When did Sir Robert give away his sister’s dog?”

“It was just a week ago to-day. The creature was howling
outside the old wellhouse, and Sir Robert was in one of his tan-
trums that morning. He caught it up, and I thought he would have
killed it. Then he gave it to Sandy Bain, the jockey, and told him
to take the dog to old Barnes at the Green Dragon, for he never
wished to see it again.”
Holmes sat for some time in silent thought. He had lit the
oldest and foulest of his pipes.
“I am not clear yet what you want me to do in this matter,
Mr. Mason,” he said at last. “Can’t you make it more definite?”
“Perhaps this will make it more definite, Mr. Holmes,” said
our visitor.
wise — мудро; ago — назад (о времени); howl — выть;

wellhouse — колодец (домик, в котором он расположен); tan-
trum — приступ ярости; lit — 3-я форма гл. light — зажег;
foul — грязный, вонючий; definite — определенный; perhaps —
возможно
He took a paper from his pocket, and, unwrapping it

carefully, he exposed a charred fragment of bone.
Holmes examined it with interest.
“Where did you get it?”
“There is a central heating furnace in the cellar under
Lady Beatrice’s room. It’s been off for some time, but Sir Robert
complained of cold and had it on again.
“Harvey runs it — he’s one of my lads. This very morning
he came to me with this which he found raking out the cinders.
He didn’t like the look of it.”
“Nor do I,” said Holmes. “What do you make of it, Watson?”
pocket — карман; wrap — заворачивать; expose — от-

крывать; charred — обугленный; central heating — центральное
отопление; furnace — печь; cellar — подвал; complain — жало-
ваться; run — управлять; rake out — выгребать; cinders — дого-
ревшие угли
375
It was burned to a black cinder, but there could be no

question as to its anatomical significance.
“It’s the upper condyle of a human femur,” said I.
“Exactly!” Holmes had become very serious. “When does
this lad tend to the furnace?”
“He makes it up every evening and then leaves it.”
“Then anyone could visit it during the night?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Can you enter it from outside?”
“There is one door from outside. There is another which
leads up by a stair to the passage in which Lady Beatrice’s room
is situated.”
condyle [ˈkɒndɪl] femur [ˈfiːmə]
significance — значение; condyle — мыщелок, выступ

на конце кости в области сустава; femur — бедренная кость;
tend — заботиться; passage — коридор
“These are deep waters, Mr. Mason; deep and rather

dirty. You say that Sir Robert was not at home last night?”
“No, sir.”
“Then, whoever was burning bones, it was not he.”
“That’s true, sir.”
“What is the name of that inn you spoke of?”
“The Green Dragon.”
“Is there good fishing in that part of Berkshire?” The
honest trainer showed very clearly upon his face that he was
convinced that yet another lunatic had come into his harassed
life.
fishing — рыбалка; convince — убеждать; lunatic — без-

умец; harassed — суматошный
“Well, sir, I’ve heard there are trout in the mill-stream

and pike in the Hall lake.”
376
“That’s good enough. Watson and I are famous fisher-

men — are we not, Watson? You may address us in future at the
Green Dragon. We should reach it to-night. I need not say that
we don’t want to see you, Mr. Mason, but a note will reach us,
and no doubt I could find you if I want you. When we have gone
a little farther into the matter I will let you have a considered
opinion.”
Thus it was that on a bright May evening Holmes and I
found ourselves alone in a first-class carriage and bound for the
little “halt-on-demand” station of Shoscombe. The rack above
us was covered with a formidable litter of rods, reels, and bas-
kets. On reaching our destination a short drive took us to an old-
fashioned tavern, where a sporting host, Josiah Barnes, entered
eagerly into our plans for the extirpation of the fish of the neigh-
bourhood.
trout [traʊt]
trout — форель; mill-stream — мельничная запруда;

pike — щука; address — обращаться; considered — обдуман-
ный; opinion — мнение; halt-on-demand — остановка по тре-
бованию; rack — багажная полка; litter — груда; rod — удоч-
ка; reel — катушка с леской; destination — пункт назначения;
drive — поездка (сущ.); sporting — радушный; host — хозяин;
eagerly — с энтузиазмом; extirpation — полное уничтожение
“What about the Hall lake and the chance of a pike?” said
Holmes.
The face of the innkeeper clouded.
“That wouldn’t do, sir. You might chance to find yourself in
the lake before you were through.”
“How’s that, then?”
“It’s Sir Robert, sir. He’s terrible jealous of touts. If you
two strangers were as near his training quarters as that he’d be
after you as sure as fate. He ain’t taking no chances, Sir Robert
ain’t.”
“I’ve heard he has a horse entered for the Derby.”
377
“Yes, and a good colt, too. He carries all our money for
the race, and all Sir Robert’s into the bargain. By the way” — he
looked at us with thoughtful eyes — “I suppose you ain’t on the
turf yourselves?”
“No, indeed. Just two weary Londoners who badly need
some good Berkshire air.”
cloud — мрачнеть (гл.);  be through — закончить;

 be after — преследовать; take chance(s) — рисковать; en-
ter — заявлять для участия; into the bargain — вдобавок; sup-
pose — предполагать; weary — усталый
He carries all our money for the race — фраза означает

«на него поставлены все наши деньги».
“Well, you are in the right place for that. There is a deal
of it lying about. But mind what I have told you about Sir Robert.
He’s the sort that strikes first and speaks afterwards. Keep clear
of the park.”
“Surely, Mr. Barnes! We certainly shall. By the way, that was
a most beautiful spaniel that was whining in the hall.”
“I should say it was. That was the real Shoscombe breed.
There ain’t a better in England.”
“I am a dog-fancier myself,” said Holmes. “Now, if it is a fair
question, what would a prize dog like that cost?”
“More than I could pay, sir. It was Sir Robert himself who
gave me this one. That’s why I have to keep it on a lead. It would
be off to the Hall in a jiffy if I gave it its head.”
“We are getting some cards in our hand, Watson,” said Hol-
mes when the landlord had left us. “It’s not an easy one to play,
but we may see our way in a day or two. By the way, Sir Robert
is still in London, I hear. We might, perhaps, enter the sacred do-
main to-night without fear of bodily assault. There are one or two
points on which I should like reassurance.”
a deal of — много; mind — иметь в виду; strike — на-

носить удар; afterwards — потом; keep clear of — держаться
подальше от; whine — скулить; breed — порода; fancier — лю-
378
битель (чего-л.); cost — стоить; lead — поводок (сущ.); in a

jiffy — в мгновение ока; gave it its head — прост. прош. от
give — позволил поступать по собственному усмотрению; land-
lord — домовладелец; way — способ; sacred — священный; do-
main — владение; bodily — телесный, физический; assault — на-
падение; point — пункт; reassurance — уверенность
“Have you any theory, Holmes?”

“Only this, Watson, that something happened a week or
so ago which has cut deep into the life of the Shoscombe house-
hold. What is that something? We can only guess at it from its
effects. They seem to be of a curiously mixed character. But that
should surely help us. It is only the colourless, uneventful case
which is hopeless.
“Let us consider our data. The brother no longer visits the
beloved invalid sister. He gives away her favourite dog. Her dog,
Watson! Does that suggest nothing to you?”
“Nothing but the brother’s spite.”
“Well, it might be so. Or — well, there is an alternative.
Now to continue our review of the situation from the time
that the quarrel, if there is a quarrel, began. The lady keeps her
room, alters her habits, is not seen save when she drives out
with her maid, refuses to stop at the stables to greet her favour-
ite horse and apparently takes to drink. That covers the case,
does it not?”
cut — 3-я форма гл. cut — врезалось, запечатлелось;

household — домочадцы; guess — догадываться; mixed — пере-
мешанный; data — данные; no longer — больше не; suggest —
зд.: подсказывать; spite — досада; review — обзор; alter — ме-
нять; habit — привычка
“Save for the business in the crypt.”

“That is another line of thought. There are two, and I beg
you will not tangle them. Line A, which concerns Lady Beatrice,
has a vaguely sinister flavour, has it not?”
“I can make nothing of it.”
379
“Well, now, let us take up line B, which concerns Sir Rob-

ert. He is mad keen upon winning the Derby. He is in the hands
of the Jews, and may at any moment be sold up and his racing
stables seized by his creditors. He is a daring and desperate man.
He derives his income from his sister. His sister’s maid is his willing
tool. So far we seem to be on fairly safe ground, do we not?”
“But the crypt?”
“Ah, yes, the crypt! Let us suppose, Watson — it is merely a
scandalous supposition, a hypothesis put forward for argument’s
sake — that Sir Robert has done away with his sister.”
hypothesis [haɪˈpɒθəsɪs]
line — направление; tangle — путать; concern — касать-

ся; sinister — зловещий; flavour — привкус;  take up — браться
за; be keen upon — увлечен; seize — захватить; daring — от-
важный; desperate — отчаянный; derive — получать; income —
доход; tool — орудие; supposition — предположение;  done
away with — 3-я форма гл. do — избавился от
“My dear Holmes, it is out of the question.”

“Very possibly, Watson. Sir Robert is a man of an honour-
able stock. But you do occasionally find a carrion crow among
the eagles. Let us for a moment argue upon this supposition. He
could not fly the country until he had realized his fortune, and
that fortune could only be realized by bringing off this coup with
Shoscombe Prince. Therefore, he has still to stand his ground. To
do this he would have to dispose of the body of his victim, and he
would also have to find a substitute who would impersonate her.
With the maid as his confidante that would not be impossible. The
woman’s body might be conveyed to the crypt, which is a place so
seldom visited, and it might be secretly destroyed at night in the
furnace, leaving behind it such evidence as we have already seen.
What say you to that, Watson?”
out of the question — не обсуждается; occasionally —

время от времени; carrion — омерзительный; eagle — орел;
380
fly — сбежать; realize — зд.: обналичить; fortune — состояние

(фин.);  bring off — выполнить; coup — оглушительный успех;
stand one’s ground — гнуть свою линию; dispose — избавлять-
ся; victim — жертва; substitute — замена; convey — доставить
honourable stock — stock с прилагательным означает

характеристику семьи, из которой кто-л. происходит: благо-
родное семейство.
“Well, it is all possible if you grant the original monstrous

supposition.”
“I think that there is a small experiment which we may
try to-morrow, Watson, in order to throw some light on the mat-
ter. Meanwhile, if we mean to keep up our characters, I suggest
that we have our host in for a glass of his own wine and hold
some high converse upon eels and dace, which seems to be the
straight road to his affections. We may chance to come upon
some useful local gossip in the process.”
In the morning Holmes discovered that we had come
without our spoon-bait for jack, which absolved us from fishing
for the day. About eleven o’clock we started for a walk, and he ob-
tained leave to take the black spaniel with us.
grant — допускать; in order to — чтобы;  keep up —

продолжать; hold converse — поддерживать беседу; eel — угорь;
dace — плотва; affection — привязанность; gossip — сплетня;
spoon-bait — блесна; jack — мелкая щука; absolve — официаль-
но освобождать от; leave — разрешение
We may chance to come upon some useful local

gossip — сочетание chance с модальным глаголом may указы-
вает на то, что Холмс считает эту вероятность весьма незна-
чительной: мы можем наткнуться на какую-нибудь полезную
местную сплетню.
“This is the place,” said he as we came to two high park

gates with heraldic griffins towering above them. “About mid-
day, Mr Barnes informs me, the old lady takes a drive, and the
381
carriage must slow down while the gates are opened. When it
comes through, and before it gathers speed, I want you, Watson,
to stop the coachman with some question. Never mind me.
I shall stand behind this holly-bush and see what I can see.”
It was not a long vigil. Within a quarter of an hour we
saw the big open yellow barouche1 coming down the long ave-
nue, with two splendid, high-stepping gray carriage horses in the
shafts. Holmes crouched behind his bush with the dog. I stood
unconcernedly swinging a cane in the roadway. A keeper ran out
and the gates swung open.
griffin — грифон; tower — выситься;  slow down —

замедляться; speed — скорость; coachman — кучер; never
mind — не думать; holly — остролист; vigil — зд.: дежурство;
shafts — зд.: оглобли; crouch — скорчиться; swing — качать;
cane — трость;  swung open — 3-я форма гл. swing — распах-
нулись
The carriage had slowed to a walk, and I was able to get

a good look at the occupants. A highly coloured young woman
with flaxen hair and impudent eyes sat on the left. At her right
was an elderly person with rounded back and a huddle of shawls
about her face and shoulders which proclaimed the invalid. When
the horses reached the highroad I held up my hand with an au-
thoritative gesture, and as the coachman pulled up I inquired if
Sir Robert was at Shoscombe Old Place.
At the same moment Holmes stepped out and released
the spaniel. With a joyous cry it dashed forward to the carriage
and sprang upon the step. Then in a moment its eager greeting
changed to furious rage, and it snapped at the black skirt above it.
“Drive on! Drive on!” shrieked a harsh voice. The coach-
man lashed the horses, and we were left standing in the roadway.
authoritative [ɔːˈθɒrɪtətɪv]
1 barouche [bəˈruːʃ] — ландо. Четырехколесная четырехместная ко-

ляска, в которой сиденья расположены одно напротив другого.
382
walk — шаг; occupant — занимающий что-л.; co-

loured — зд.: румяный; flaxen — светло-желтый; impudent — на-
глый; rounded — ссутуленный; huddle — куча, месиво; authori-
tative — властный; inquiry — спрашивать; release — отпускать;
joyous — радостный; dash — бросаться; sprang — прост. прош.
от spring — вскочил; rage — ярость; snap — щелкать зубами;
harsh — резкий; lash — хлестать (гл.)
drive on — конструкция глагол + on указывает на про-

должение действия: поезжай дальше!
“Well, Watson, that’s done it,” said Holmes as he fastened

the lead to the neck of the excited spaniel. “He thought it was
his mistress, and he found it was a stranger. Dogs don’t make
mistakes.”
“But it was the voice of a man!” I cried.
“Exactly! We have added one card to our hand, Watson,
but it needs careful playing, all the same.”
My companion seemed to have no further plans for the
day, and we did actually use our fishing tackle in the mill-stream
with the result that we had a dish of trout for our supper. It was
only after that meal that Holmes showed signs of renewed activ-
ity. Once more we found ourselves upon the same road as in the
morning, which led us to the park gates. A tall, dark figure was
awaiting us there, who proved to be our London acquaintance,
Mr. John Mason, the trainer.
fasten — прикреплять; mistress — хозяйка; hand — кар-

ты на руках; tackle — снаряжение; sign — признак; prove to
be — оказаться; acquaintance — знакомый
“Good-evening, gentlemen,” said he. “I got your note, Mr.

Holmes. Sir Robert has not returned yet, but I hear that he is ex-
pected to-night.”
“How far is this crypt from the house?” asked Holmes.
“A good quarter of a mile.”
“Then I think we can disregard him altogether.”
383
“I can’t afford to do that, Mr. Holmes. The moment he ar-

rives he will want to see me to get the last news of Shoscombe
Prince.”
“I see! In that case we must work without you, Mr. Mason.
You can show us the crypt and then leave us.”
disregard — игнорировать; altogether — полностью; af-

ford — позволить себе
It was pitch-dark and without a moon, but Mason led

us over the grass-lands until a dark mass loomed up in front of
us which proved to be the ancient chapel. We entered the bro-
ken gap which was once the porch, and our guide, stumbling
among heaps of loose masonry, picked his way to the corner of
the building, where a steep stair led down into the crypt. Strik-
ing a match, he illuminated the melancholy place — dismal
and evil-smelling, with ancient crumbling walls of rough-hewn
stone, and piles of coffins, some of lead and some of stone,
extending upon one side right up to the arched and groined
roof which lost itself in the shadows above our heads. Holmes
had lit his lantern, which shot a tiny tunnel of vivid yellow light
upon the mournful scene. Its rays were reflected back from the
coffin-plates, many of them adorned with the griffin and coro-
net of this old family which carried its honours even to the gate
of Death.
pitch-dark — полная темнота; grass-land — пустошь;

loom — выситься; chapel — часовня; gap — провал; porch —
портик; stumble — спотыкаться; masonry — каменная кладка;
steep — крутой; stair — лестница; strike a match — зажечь
спичку; dismal — безрадостный; hewn — 3-я форма гл. hew —
вытесанный; coffin — гроб; lead — свинец; groined = groyned —
с низкими стенками; roof — крыша; lantern — фонарь; mourn-
ful — траурный; ray — луч; plate — табличка; adorn — украшать;
coronet — маленькая корона
“You spoke of some bones, Mr. Mason. Could you show

them before you go?”
384
“They are here in this corner.” The trainer strode across

and then stood in silent surprise as our light was turned upon the
place. “They are gone,” said he.
“So I expected,” said Holmes, chuckling. “I fancy the ashes
of them might even now be found in that oven which had already
consumed a part.”
“But why in the world would anyone want to burn the
bones of a man who has been dead a thousand years?” asked John
Mason.
“That is what we are here to find out,” said Holmes. “It may
mean a long search, and we need not detain you. I fancy that we
shall get our solution before morning.”
strode — прост. прош. от stride — прошел; chuckle —

посмеиваться; ashes — пепел; oven — печь; consume — погло-
щать;  find out — выяснять; detain — задерживать; solution —
решение
When John Mason had left us, Holmes set to work

making a very careful examination of the graves, ranging
from a very ancient one, which appeared to be Saxon, in the
centre, through a long line of Norman Hugos and Odos, until
we reached the Sir William and Sir Denis Falder of the eigh-
teenth century.1 It was an hour or more before Holmes came
to a leaden coffin standing on end before the entrance to the
vault. I heard his little cry of satisfaction and was aware from
his hurried but purposeful movements that he had reached a
goal. With his lens he was eagerly examining the edges of the
heavy lid. Then he drew from his pocket a short jemmy, a box-
opener, which he thrust into a chink, levering back the whole
front, which seemed to be secured by only a couple of clamps.
There was a rending, tearing sound as it gave way, but it had
hardly hinged back and partly revealed the contents before
we had an unforeseen interruption.
1 В этой фразе норманнские «средневековые» имена меняются на

«английские» и более привычные для более поздней эпохи. Герой имеет в
виду, что придется осмотреть захоронения многих поколений семьи, на-
чиная с глубокого Средневековья.
385
 set to — браться, приступать; examination — ос-

мотр; grave — могила; range — варьироваться; vault — склеп;
satisfaction — удовлетворение; goal — цель; lens — лупа;
edge — край; lid — крышка; jemmy — фомка; chink —
щель; lever — отодвигать рычагом; secure — прикреплять;
clamp — скоба; rend — рвать; gave way — прост. прош. от
give — поддалась; hinge back — податься назад на петлях;
reveal — открывать; unforeseen — непредвиденный; interrup-
tion — вмешательство
Someone was walking in the chapel above. It was the

firm, rapid step of one who came with a definite purpose and
knew well the ground upon which he walked. A light streamed
down the stairs, and an instant later the man who bore it was
framed in the Gothic archway. He was a terrible figure, huge
in stature and fierce in manner. A large stable-lantern which he
held in front of him shone upward upon a strong, heavily mous-
tached face and angry eyes, which glared round him into every
recess of the vault, finally fixing themselves with a deadly stare
upon my companion and myself.
“Who the devil are you?” he thundered. “And what are
you doing upon my property?” Then, as Holmes returned no an-
swer he took a couple of steps forward and raised a heavy stick
which he carried. “Do you hear me?” he cried. “Who are you?
What are you doing here?” His cudgel quivered in the air.
rapid — быстрый; purpose — цель; instant — миг;

bore — прост. прош. от bear — нес; frame — вырисовывать-
ся; shone — прост. прош. от shine — светил; moustache — усы;
glare — сердито смотреть; recess — ниша; thunder — греметь
(гл.); property — собственность; stick — трость; cudgel — дубин-
ка; quiver — качаться
But instead of shrinking Holmes advanced to meet

him.
“I also have a question to ask you, Sir Robert,” he said in his
sternest tone. “Who is this? And what is it doing here?”
386
He turned and tore open the coffin-lid behind him. In the

glare of the lantern I saw a body swathed in a sheet from head to
foot with dreadful, witch-like features, all nose and chin, project-
ing at one end, the dim, glazed eyes staring from a discoloured
and crumbling face.
The baronet had staggered back with a cry and support-
ed himself against a stone sarcophagus.
“How came you to know of this?” he cried. And then, with
some return of his truculent manner: “What business is it of yours?”
“My name is Sherlock Holmes,” said my companion. “Pos-
sibly it is familiar to you. In any case, my business is that of every
other good citizen — to uphold the law. It seems to me that you
have much to answer for.”
sarcophagus [sɑːˈkɒfəɡəs]
truculent [ˈtrʌkjʊlənt]
instead of — вместо; shrink — отпрянуть; advance —

двигаться вперед; stern — суровый; tore open — прост. прош. от
tear — сорвал; swath(e) — заворачивать; witch — ведьма; proj-
ect — выступать, выдаваться; dim — тусклый; glazed — остекле-
невший; crumbling — рассыпающийся; stagger — спотыкаться;
truculent — задиристый; uphold — поддерживать
Sir Robert glared for a moment, but Holmes’s quiet voice

and cool, assured manner had their effect.
“’For God, Mr. Holmes, it’s all right,” said he. “Appearances
are against me, I’ll admit, but I could act no otherwise.”
“I should be happy to think so, but I fear your explanations
must be before the police.”
Sir Robert shrugged his broad shoulders.
“Well, if it must be, it must. Come up to the house and you
can judge for yourself how the matter stands.”
appearance — видимость; admit — признавать; other-

wise — иначе; judge — судить; how the matter stands — как
обстоит дело
387
A quarter of an hour later we found ourselves in what

I judge, from the lines of polished barrels behind glass covers,
to be the gun-room of the old house. It was comfortably fur-
nished, and here Sir Robert left us for a few moments. When he
returned he had two companions with him; the one, the florid
young woman whom we had seen in the carriage; the other, a
small rat-faced man with a disagreeably furtive manner. These
two wore an appearance of utter bewilderment, which showed
that the baronet had not yet had time to explain to them the turn
events had taken.
barrel — дуло; gun-room — оружейная; furnished — об-

ставленный; florid — краснолицый; disagreeably — неприятно;
furtive — незаметный; bewilderment — изумление
“There,” said Sir Robert with a wave of his hand, “are Mr.
and Mrs. Norlett. Mrs. Norlett, under her maiden name of Evans,
has for some years been my sister’s confidential maid. I have
brought them here because I feel that my best course is to ex-
plain the true position to you, and they are the two people upon
earth who can substantiate what I say.”
“Is this necessary, Sir Robert? Have you thought what you
are doing?” cried the woman.
“As to me, I entirely disclaim all responsibility,” said her
husband.
Sir Robert gave him a glance of contempt. “I will take all
responsibility,” said he. “Now, Mr. Holmes, listen to a plain state-
ment of the facts.
maiden name — девичья фамилия; confidential — дове-

ренный; position — положение; substantiate — подтвердить; as
to — что касается; disclaim — снимать с себя; responsibility —
ответственность; contempt — презрение
“You have clearly gone pretty deeply into my affairs or

I should not have found you where I did. Therefore, you know
already, in all probability, that I am running a dark horse for the
388
Derby and that everything depends upon my success. If I win, all

is easy. If I lose — well, I dare not think of that!”
“I understand the position,” said Holmes.
“I am dependent upon my sister, Lady Beatrice, for eve-
rything. But it is well known that her interest in the estate is
for her own life only. For myself, I am deeply in the hands of the
Jews. I have always known that if my sister were to die my credi-
tors would be on to my estate like a flock of vultures. Everything
would be seized — my stables, my horses — everything. Well,
Mr. Holmes, my sister did die just a week ago.”
“And you told no one!”
in all probability — по всей вероятности; interest —

зд.: право владения; estate — поместье; flock — стая; vulture —
стервятник; seize — захватить
“What could I do? Absolute ruin faced me. If I could

stave things off for three weeks all would be well. Her maid’s
husband — this man here — is an actor. It came into our
heads — it came into my head — that he could for that short
period personate my sister. It was but a case of appearing daily
in the carriage, for no one need enter her room save the maid. It
was not difficult to arrange. My sister died of the dropsy which
had long afflicted her.”
“That will be for a coroner to decide.”
“Her doctor would certify that for months her symptoms
have threatened such an end.”
ruin — погибель; face — сталкиваться;  stave off —

предотвратить; arrange — устроить; dropsy — водянка (мед.);
threaten — угрожать
“Well, what did you do?”

“The body could not remain there. On the first night
Norlett and I carried it out to the old well-house, which is now
never used. We were followed, however, by her pet spaniel, which
yapped continually at the door, so I felt some safer place was
389
needed. I got rid of the spaniel, and we carried the body to the
crypt of the church. There was no indignity or irreverence, Mr.
Holmes. I do not feel that I have wronged the dead.”
“Your conduct seems to me inexcusable, Sir Robert.”
yap — выть; got rid of — прост. прош. от get — из-

бавился; indignity — бесчестье; irreverence — неуважение;
wrong — дурно обойтись (гл.); conduct — поведение; inexcus-
able — непростительный
The baronet shook his head impatiently. “It is easy to

preach,” said he. “Perhaps you would have felt differently if you
had been in my position. One cannot see all one’s hopes and
all one’s plans shattered at the last moment and make no ef-
fort to save them. It seemed to me that it would be no unwor-
thy resting-place if we put her for the time in one of the coffins
of her husband’s ancestors lying in what is still consecrated
ground. We opened such a coffin, removed the contents, and
placed her as you have seen her. As to the old relics which we
took out, we could not leave them on the floor of the crypt.
Norlett and I removed them, and he descended at night and
burned them in the central furnace. There is my story, Mr. Hol-
mes, though how you forced my hand so that I have to tell it is
more than I can say.”
relics [ˈrelɪks]
shook — прост. прош. от shake — покачал; preach — про-

поведовать; shatter — разбиться; make an effort — приложить
усилия; unworthy — недостойный; ancestor — предок; relics —
останки; descend — спускаться; force one’s hand — заставлять
Holmes sat for some time lost in thought.

“There is one flaw in your narrative, Sir Robert,” he said
at last. “Your bets on the race, and therefore your hopes for the
future, would hold good even if your creditors seized your estate.”
390
“The horse would be part of the estate. What do they care

for my bets? As likely as not they would not run him at all. My
chief creditor is, unhappily, my most bitter enemy — a rascally
fellow, Sam Brewer, whom I was once compelled to horsewhip on
Newmarket Heath. Do you suppose that he would try to save me?”
“Well, Sir Robert,” said Holmes, rising, “this matter must, of
course, be referred to the police. It was my duty to bring the facts
to light, and there I must leave it. As to the morality or decency
of your conduct, it is not for me to express an opinion. It is nearly
midnight, Watson, and I think we may make our way back to our
humble abode.”
flaw — пробел; narrative — рассказ; bet — ставка; hold

good — оставаться в силе; as like(ly) as not — скорее всего; ras-
cally — подлый; compel — вынуждать; refer to — передавать;
decency — приличие; humble — скромный; abode — жилище
It is generally known now that this singular episode

ended upon a happier note than Sir Robert’s actions deserved.
Shoscombe Prince did win the Derby, the sporting owner did net
eighty thousand pounds in bets, and the creditors did hold their
hand until the race was over, when they were paid in full, and
enough was left to reestablish Sir Robert in a fair position in life.
Both police and coroner took a lenient view of the transaction,
and beyond a mild censure for the delay in registering the lady’s
decease, the lucky owner got away scatheless from this strange
incident in a career which has now outlived its shadows and
promises to end in an honoured old age.
deserve — заслуживать; net — заполучить (гл.); hold

their hand — зд.: подождали; lenient — мягкий (о наказании);
transaction — деловая операция; mild — мягкий; delay — за-
держка; decease — кончина; scatheless — без вреда; outlive —
пережить
The Adventure of the Retired
Colourman
Sherlock Holmes was in a melancholy and philosophic

mood that morning. His alert practical nature was subject to
such reactions.
“Did you see him?” he asked.
“You mean the old fellow who has just gone out?”
“Precisely.”
“Yes, I met him at the door.”
“What did you think of him?”
“A pathetic, futile, broken creature.”
“Exactly, Watson. Pathetic and futile. But is not all life pa-
thetic and futile? Is not his story a microcosm of the whole? We
reach. We grasp. And what is left in our hands at the end? A shad-
ow. Or worse than a shadow — misery.”
melancholy — грустный; mood — настроение; alert —

активный; be subject — иметь склонность; precisely = exactly —
точно; pathetic — жалкий; futile — бессмысленный; broken —
сломанный, сломленный; reach — стремиться; grasp — хватать;
shadow — тень; misery — горе
“Is he one of your clients?”

“Well, I suppose I may call him so. He has been sent on
by the Yard. Just as medical men occasionally send their incura-
bles to a quack. They argue that they can do nothing more,
and that whatever happens the patient can be no worse than
he is.”
“What is the matter?”
Holmes took a rather soiled card from the table. “Josiah
Amberley. He says he was junior partner of Brickfall and Amber-
ley, who are manufacturers of artistic materials. You will see their
names upon paint-boxes. He made his little pile, retired from
business at the age of sixty-one, bought a house at Lewisham
392
The Adventure of the Retired Colourman
and settled down to rest after a life of ceaseless grind. One would
think his future was tolerably assured.”
“Yes, indeed.”
argue [ˈɑːɡju]
incurable — неизлечимый; quack — шарлатан; argue —

утверждать; soiled — засаленный; artistic — художественный;
pile — зд.: сбережения; retire — выходить на пенсию; cease-
less — бесконечный; grind — тяжелая работа (сущ.); tolerably —
относительно
Holmes glanced over some notes which he had scrib-

bled upon the back of an envelope.
“Retired in 1896, Watson. Early in 1897 he married a wom-
an twenty years younger than himself — a good-looking woman,
too, if the photograph does not flatter. A competence, a wife, lei-
sure — it seemed a straight road which lay before him. And yet
within two years he is, as you have seen, as broken and miserable
a creature as crawls beneath the sun.”
“But what has happened?”
glance — взглянуть (гл.); scribble — нацарапать; enve-

lope — конверт; flatter — льстить; competence — успешность;
leisure — досуг
“The old story, Watson. A treacherous friend and a

fickle wife. It would appear that Amberley has one hobby in life,
and it is chess. Not far from him at Lewisham there lives a young
doctor who is also a chess-player. I have noted his name as Dr.
Ray Ernest. Ernest was frequently in the house, and an intimacy
between him and Mrs. Amberley was a natural sequence, for you
must admit that our unfortunate client has few outward graces,
whatever his inner virtues may be. The couple went off together
last week — destination untraced. What is more, the faithless
spouse carried off the old man’s deed-box as her personal lug-
gage with a good part of his life’s savings within. Can we find the
393
lady? Can we save the money? A commonplace problem so far as

it has developed, and yet a vital one for Josiah Amberley.”
treacherous — коварный; fickle — ветреный; chess —

шахматы; note — заметить, записать (гл.); frequently — часто; in-
timacy — близость; sequence — (по)следствие; admit — призна-
вать; outward — внешний; graces — манеры; whatever — как(ой)
бы ни; virtue — добродетель; destination — направление, пункт
назначения; untraced — неизвестный; spouse — супруг(а); deed-
box — несгораемая шкатулка для документов; luggage — багаж;
savings — сбережения; vital — жизненно важный
“What will you do about it?”

“Well, the immediate question, my dear Watson, happens
to be, What will you do? — if you will be good enough to under-
study me. You know that I am preoccupied with this case of the
two Coptic1 Patriarchs, which should come to a head to-day. I re-
ally have not time to go out to Lewisham, and yet evidence taken
on the spot has a special value. The old fellow was quite insistent
that I should go, but I explained my difficulty. He is prepared to
meet a representative.”
“By all means,” I answered. “I confess I don’t see that I can
be of much service, but I am willing to do my best.” And so it was
that on a summer afternoon I set forth to Lewisham, little dream-
ing that within a week the affair in which I was engaging would be
the eager debate of all England.
immediate — срочный; understudy — выступить в

качестве дублера (театр.); preoccupy — занимать, заботить;
come to a head — ухудшаться; value — ценность; insistent —
настойчивый; representative — представитель; by all means —
конечно; confess — признаваться;  set forth — отправляться;
eager — бурный
It was late that evening before I returned to Baker Street

and gave an account of my mission. Holmes lay with his gaunt
1 Coptic [ˈkɒptɪk] — относящийся к коптской православной церкви.
394
figure stretched in his deep chair, his pipe curling forth slow
wreaths of acrid tobacco, while his eyelids drooped over his
eyes so lazily that he might almost have been asleep were it not
that at any halt or questionable passage of my narrative they
half lifted, and two gray eyes, as bright and keen as rapiers,
transfixed me with their searching glance.
“The Haven is the name of Mr. Josiah Amberley’s house,”
I explained. “I think it would interest you, Holmes. It is like some
penurious patrician who has sunk into the company of his in-
feriors. You know that particular quarter, the monotonous brick
streets, the weary suburban highways. Right in the middle of
them, a little island of ancient culture and comfort, lies this old
home, surrounded by a high sun-baked wall mottled with li-
chens and topped with moss, the sort of wall —”
“Cut out the poetry, Watson,” said Holmes severely. “I note
that it was a high brick wall.”
penurious [pəˈnjʊəriəs]
lichen [ˈlaɪken/ˈlɪtʃən]
account — отчет; gaunt — худой; stretch — вытягивать(ся);

pipe — трубка; curl — закручивать(ся); wreath — кольцо, венок;
acrid — крепкий, едкий; eyelid — веко; droop — свисать; halt —
остановка; passage — зд.: течение; narrative — рассказ; keen —
острый (перен.); rapier — рапира; transfix — завораживать;
Haven — гавань, перен.: прибежище; penurious — нищий; patri-
cian — аристократ1; sunk — 3-я форма гл. sink — зд.: опустился;
inferior — низший; quarter — квартал; suburban — пригород-
ный; sun-baked — высушенный солнцем; mottled — усеянный;
lichen — лишайник; moss — мох;  cut out — вырезать
“Exactly. I should not have known which was The Ha-

ven had I not asked a lounger who was smoking in the street.
I have a reason for mentioning him. He was a tall, dark, heavily
1 Слово partician первоначально относилось к римским патрици-

ям — знатным родам Древнего Рима. Однако оно часто употребляется и
для обозначения аристократии других стран.
395
moustached, rather military-looking man. He nodded in answer

to my inquiry and gave me a curiously questioning glance, which
came back to my memory a little later.
“I had hardly entered the gateway before I saw Mr. Am-
berley coming down the drive. I only had a glimpse of him this
morning, and he certainly gave me the impression of a strange
creature, but when I saw him in full light his appearance was even
more abnormal.”
lounger — зд.: зевака; moustache — усы; nod — кивать;

drive — подъездная аллея (сущ.); glimpse — беглый взгляд; ap-
pearance — внешность
I should not have known which was The Haven had I

not asked — это условное предложение с нереальным услови-
ем, в котором частицу if заменяет инверсия: я бы и не узнал,
который из домов «Гавань», не спроси я.
“I have, of course, studied it, and yet I should be inter-

ested to have your impression,” said Holmes.
“He seemed to me like a man who was literally bowed
down by care. His back was curved as though he carried a heavy
burden. Yet he was not the weakling that I had at first imag-
ined, for his shoulders and chest have the framework of a giant,
though his figure tapers away into a pair of spindled legs.”
“Left shoe wrinkled, right one smooth.”
“I did not observe that.”
“No, you wouldn’t. I spotted his artificial limb. But pro-
ceed.”
“I was struck by the snaky locks of grizzled hair which
curled from under his old straw hat, and his face with its fierce,
eager expression and the deeply lined features.”
“Very good, Watson. What did he say?”
bow — склоняться; curve — изогнуть; burden — бремя;

weakling — слабак; taper — сужаться; spindled — искривлен-
ный колесом; wrinkle — морщина; smooth — гладкий; observe
= spot — замечать; artificial — искусственный; limb — конеч-
396
ность; proceed — продолжать; struck — 3-я форма гл. strike —

поражен; snaky — змеящийся; lock — локон; grizzled — седой;
straw —соломенный; lined — зд.: морщинистый
“He began pouring out the story of his grievances. We

walked down the drive together, and of course I took a good
look round. I have never seen a worse-kept place. The garden
was all running to seed, giving me an impression of wild ne-
glect in which the plants had been allowed to find the way of
Nature rather than of art. How any decent woman could have
tolerated such a state of things, I don’t know. The house, too,
was slatternly to the last degree, but the poor man seemed
himself to be aware of it and to be trying to remedy it, for a
great pot of green paint stood in the centre of the hall, and he
was carrying a thick brush in his left hand. He had been work-
ing on the woodwork.
 pour out — изливать; grievance — скорбь; seed —

сорняк; wild neglect — дикая пустошь; decent — приличный;
tolerate — терпеть, мириться; slatternly — неопрятный; de-
gree — степень; remedy — лечить; brush — кисть; woodwork —
деревянная часть здания
“He took me into his dingy sanctum, and we had a long

chat. Of course, he was disappointed that you had not come
yourself. ‘I hardly expected,’ he said, ‘that so humble an individual
as myself, especially after my heavy financial loss, could obtain
the complete attention of so famous a man as Mr. Sherlock Hol-
mes.’
“I assured him that the financial question did not arise.
‘No of course, it is art for art’s sake with him,’ said he, ‘but even on
the artistic side of crime he might have found something here to
study. And human nature, Dr. Watson — the black ingratitude of
it all! When did I ever refuse one of her requests? Was ever a wom-
an so pampered? And that young man — he might have been my
own son. He had the run of my house. And yet see how they have
treated me! Oh, Dr. Watson, it is a dreadful, dreadful world!’
397
dingy — темный, мрачный; sanctum — святая святых,

внутреннее помещение; disappoint — разочаровать; humble —
скромный; loss — потеря; attention — внимание; arise — подни-
маться; ingratitude — неблагодарность; request — просьба; pam-
per — баловать; had the run of — прост. прош. от have — был
как дома; treat — обращаться c
“That was the burden of his song for an hour or more. He

had, it seems, no suspicion of an intrigue. They lived alone save
for a woman who comes in by the day and leaves every evening
at six. On that particular evening old Amberley, wishing to give
his wife a treat, had taken two upper circle seats at the Haymar-
ket Theatre1. At the last moment she had complained of a head-
ache and had refused to go. He had gone alone. There seemed
to be no doubt about the fact, for he produced the unused ticket
which he had taken for his wife.”
suspicion — подозрение; particular — конкретный;

give a treat — сделать приятное; upper circle — верхний ярус;
complain — жаловаться; headache — головная боль; doubt —
сомнение
“That is remarkable — most remarkable,” said Holmes,

whose interest in the case seemed to be rising. “Pray con-
tinue, Watson. I find your narrative most arresting. Did you
personally examine this ticket? You did not, perchance, take
the number?”
“It so happens that I did,” I answered with some pride. “It
chanced to be my old school number, thirty-one, and so is stuck
in my head.”
“Excellent, Watson! His seat, then, was either thirty or thir-
ty-two.”
“Quite so,” I answered with some mystification. “And on
B row.”
“That is most satisfactory. What else did he tell you?”
1 Haymarket Theatre — театр Хеймаркет, один из старейших (с 1720)

драматических театров Лондона.
398
“He showed me his strong-room, as he called it. It really

is a strong-room — like a bank — with iron door and shutter —
burglarproof, as he claimed. However, the woman seems to have
had a duplicate key, and between them they had carried off some
seven thousand pounds’ worth of cash and securities.”
rise — расти; arresting — захватывающий; per-

chance — случайно (уст.); pride — гордость; mystification —
озадаченность; row — ряд; strong-room — комната-сейф;
shutter — ставень; burglarproof — недоступная для взлома; se-
curities — ценные бумаги
“Securities! How could they dispose of those?”

“He said that he had given the police a list and that he
hoped they would be unsaleable. He had got back from the thea-
tre about midnight and found the place plundered, the door and
window open, and the fugitives gone. There was no letter or mes-
sage, nor has he heard a word since. He at once gave the alarm to
the police.”
Holmes brooded for some minutes.
“You say he was painting. What was he painting?”
“Well, he was painting the passage. But he had already
painted the door and woodwork of this room I spoke of.”
dispose — избавляться; plunder — грабить; fugitive —

беглец; since — с тех пор; brood — задумываться; passage — ко-
ридор
“Does it not strike you as a strange occupation in the

circumstances?”
“’One must do something to ease an aching heart.’ That
was his own explanation. It was eccentric, no doubt, but he is
clearly an eccentric man. He tore up one of his wife’s photographs
in my presence — tore it up furiously in a tempest of passion. ‘I
never wish to see her damned face again,’ he shrieked.”
“Anything more, Watson?”
“Yes, one thing which struck me more than anything else.
I had driven to the Blackheath Station and had caught my train
399
there when, just as it was starting, I saw a man dart into the car-
riage next to my own. You know that I have a quick eye for faces,
Holmes. It was undoubtedly the tall, dark man whom I had ad-
dressed in the street. I saw him once more at London Bridge, and
then I lost him in the crowd. But I am convinced that he was fol-
lowing me.”
“No doubt! No doubt!” said Holmes. “A tall, dark, heavily
moustached man, you say, with gray-tinted sun-glasses?”
“Holmes, you are a wizard. I did not say so, but he had
gray-tinted sun-glasses.”
circumstances [ˈsɜːkəmstənsɪz]
aching [ˈeɪkɪŋ]
circumstance — обстоятельство; ache — болеть; tem-

pest — приступ; shriek — (вс)кричать; dart — метнуться;
quick eye for — хорошая память на; undoubtedly — несом-
ненно; convince — убеждать; tint — подкрашенный; wizard —
волшебник
“And a Masonic tie-pin?”

“Holmes!”
“Quite simple, my dear Watson. But let us get down to
what is practical. I must admit to you that the case, which seemed
to me to be so absurdly simple as to be hardly worth my notice, is
rapidly assuming a very different aspect. It is true that though in
your mission you have missed everything of importance, yet even
those things which have obtruded themselves upon your notice
give rise to serious thought.”
“What have I missed?”
Masonic [məˈsɒnɪk]
Masonic — масонский; tie-pin — булавка для галстука;

 get down to — всерьез браться за что-л.; be worth — быть
достойным; assume — приобретать; though — хотя; obtrude —
заявлять о себе, бросаться в глаза; notice — внимание
400
“Don’t be hurt, my dear fellow. You know that I am quite

impersonal. No one else would have done better. Some possibly
not so well. But clearly you have missed some vital points. What
is the opinion of the neighbours about this man Amberley and
his wife? That surely is of importance. What of Dr. Ernest? Was he
the gay Lothario1 one would expect? With your natural advan-
tages, Watson, every lady is your helper and accomplice. What
about the girl at the post-office, or the wife of the greengrocer?
I can picture you whispering soft nothings with the young lady
at the Blue Anchor, and receiving hard somethings in exchange.
All this you have left undone.”
impersonal — беспристрастный; vital — важный; gay —

веселый; advantage — преимущество; accomplice — сообщник;
greengrocer — зеленщик; picture — представить себе (гл.); whis-
per — шептать; nothings — глупости, пустячки; anchor — якорь;
receive — получать
“It can still be done.”

“It has been done. Thanks to the telephone and the help
of the Yard, I can usually get my essentials without leaving this
room. As a matter of fact, my information confirms the man’s
story. He has the local repute of being a miser as well as a harsh
and exacting husband. That he had a large sum of money in that
strong-room of his is certain. So also is it that young Dr. Ernest, an
unmarried man, played chess with Amberley, and probably played
the fool with his wife. All this seems plain sailing, and one would
think that there was no more to be said — and yet! — and yet!”
miser [ˈmaɪzə]
essentials — необходимое; confirm — подтверждать;

miser — скряга; exacting — требовательный; play the fool —
дурачиться; plain sailing — очевидное
1 Lothario [ləˈθerɪəʊ] — Лотарио, персонаж одной из новелл «Дон

Кихота» М. Сервантеса. По просьбе друга, решившего проверить верность
своей супруги, он должен был ее соблазнить, с чем успешно справился.
401
“Where lies the difficulty?”

“In my imagination, perhaps. Well, leave it there, Watson.
Let us escape from this weary workaday world by the side door
of music. Carina sings to-night at the Albert Hall1, and we still have
time to dress, dine, and enjoy.”
In the morning I was up betimes, but some toast crumbs
and two empty eggshells told me that my companion was earlier
still. I found a scribbled note upon the table.
escape — сбежать; workaday — заурядный; betimes —

рано; crumbs — крошки; eggshell — яичная скорлупа
DEAR WATSON:
There are one or two points of contact which I should
wish to establish with Mr. Josiah Amberley. When I have done
so we can dismiss the case — or not. I would only ask you to be
on hand about three o’clock, as I conceive it possible that I may
want you.
S.H.
I saw nothing of Holmes all day, but at the hour named
he returned, grave, preoccupied, and aloof. At such times it was
wiser to leave him to himself.
establish — установить; dismiss — зд.: отбросить; be

on hand — быть в пределах досягаемости; conceive — приду-
мать; grave — серьезный; aloof — замкнутый
“Has Amberley been here yet?”

“No.”
“Ah! I am expecting him.”
He was not disappointed, for presently the old fellow ar-
rived with a very worried and puzzled expression upon his aus-
tere face.
“I’ve had a telegram, Mr. Holmes. I can make nothing of it.”
He handed it over, and Holmes read it aloud.
1 Albert Hall — Альберт-холл. Лондонский концертный зал, располо-

женный в Южном Кенсингтоне (с 1871).
402
presently — вскоре (уст.); puzzle — озадачивать; aus-

tere — серьезный;  make of — делать вывод; aloud — вслух
“Come at once without fail. Can give you information as

to your recent loss.
“ELMAN.
“The Vicarage.
“Dispatched at 2:10 from Little Purlington,” said Holmes.
“Little Purlington is in Essex, I believe, not far from Frinton. Well, of
course you will start at once. This is evidently from a responsible
person, the vicar of the place. Where is my Crockford1? Yes, here
we have him: ‘J. C. Elman, M. A., Living of Moosmoor cum Little
Purlington.’ Look up the trains, Watson.”
“There is one at 5:20 from Liverpool Street.”
“Excellent. You had best go with him, Watson. He may
need help or advice. Clearly we have come to a crisis in this affair.”
But our client seemed by no means eager to start.
“It’s perfectly absurd, Mr. Holmes,” he said. “What can this
man possibly know of what has occurred? It is waste of time and
money.”
without fail — непременно; dispatch — отправлять (гл.);

cum — с, совмещенный; advice — совет; by no means — нико-
им образом; waste — пустая трата
“He would not have telegraphed to you if he did not

know something. Wire at once that you are coming.”
“I don’t think I shall go.”
Holmes assumed his sternest aspect.
“It would make the worst possible impression both on the
police and upon myself, Mr. Amberley, if when so obvious a clue
arose you should refuse to follow it up. We should feel that you
were not really in earnest in this investigation.”
Our client seemed horrified at the suggestion.
1 Crockford — Crockford’s Clerical Directory, справочник объединения

англиканских церквей Англии, Уэльса и Ирландии. Содержит адреса цер-
квей и биографии церковных деятелей.
403
“Why, of course I shall go if you look at it in that way,” said

he. “On the face of it, it seems absurd to suppose that this parson
knows anything, but if you think–”
wire — телеграфировать (гл.); aspect — вид; obvious —

явный; clue — улика; refuse — отказывать(ся); in earnest —
всерьез; suggestion — предположение; on the face of it — на
первый взгляд; parson — приходской священник (англиканской
церкви)
“I do think,” said Holmes with emphasis, and so we were

launched upon our journey. Holmes took me aside before we
left the room and gave me one word of counsel, which showed
that he considered the matter to be of importance. “Whatever
you do, see that he really does go,” said he. “Should he break
away or return, get to the nearest telephone exchange and send
the single word ‘Bolted.’ I will arrange here that it shall reach me
wherever I am.”
Little Purlington is not an easy place to reach, for it
is on a branch line. My remembrance of the journey is not
a pleasant one, for the weather was hot, the train slow, and
my companion sullen and silent, hardly talking at all save to
make an occasional sardonic remark as to the futility of our
proceedings. When we at last reached the little station it was
a two-mile drive before we came to the Vicarage, where a big,
solemn, rather pompous clergyman received us in his study.
Our telegram lay before him.
emphasis — усиление, нажим; launch — отправлять(ся);

took smb aside — прост. прош. от take — отвел в сторонку;
counsel — совет;  break away — сбежать; telephone exchange —
телефонная связь; bolt — запирать; arrange — организовать;
branch line — боковая линия; remembrance — воспоминание;
sullen — угрюмый; futility — бессмысленность; proceedings —
усилия; solemn — торжественный
see that he really does go — глагол do в утвердитель-

ных предложениях используется для усиления: убедитесь, что
он правда поедет.
404
“Well, gentlemen,” he asked, “what can I do for you?”

“We came,” I explained, “in answer to your wire.”
“My wire! I sent no wire.”
“I mean the wire which you sent to Mr. Josiah Amberley
about his wife and his money.”
“If this is a joke, sir, it is a very questionable one,” said the
vicar angrily. “I have never heard of the gentleman you name, and
I have not sent a wire to anyone.”
Our client and I looked at each other in amazement.
“Perhaps there is some mistake,” said I; “are there perhaps
two vicarages? Here is the wire itself, signed Elman and dated from
the Vicarage.”
wire — телеграмма (сущ.); questionable — сомнитель-

ный; amazement — изумление; perhaps — возможно
“There is only one vicarage, sir, and only one vicar, and
this wire is a scandalous forgery, the origin of which shall cer-
tainly be investigated by the police. Meanwhile, I can see no pos-
sible object in prolonging this interview.”
So Mr. Amberley and I found ourselves on the roadside
in what seemed to me to be the most primitive village in England.
We made for the telegraph office, but it was already closed. There
was a telephone, however, at the little Railway Arms, and by it I
got into touch with Holmes, who shared in our amazement at the
result of our journey.
forgery — подделка (документов); origin — проис-

хождение; object — цель; prolong — продолжать; roadside —
обочина;  made for — прост. прош. от make — направились;
got into touch — прост. прош. от get — связался; share —
разделить
“Most singular!” said the distant voice. “Most remark-

able! I much fear, my dear Watson, that there is no return train
to-night. I have unwittingly condemned you to the horrors of a
country inn. However, there is always Nature, Watson — Nature
405
and Josiah Amberley — you can be in close commune with both.”

I heard his dry chuckle as he turned away.
It was soon apparent to me that my companion’s repu-
tation as a miser was not undeserved. He had grumbled at the
expense of the journey, had insisted upon travelling third-class,
and was now clamorous in his objections to the hotel bill. Next
morning, when we did at last arrive in London, it was hard to say
which of us was in the worse humour.
singular — необычный; unwittingly — неумно; con-

demn — обречь; inn — гостиница; chuckle — смешок; appar-
ent — очевидный; deserve — заслуживать; grumble — ворчать;
expense — стоимость, расходы;  insist (up)on — настаивать;
clamorous — шумный
“You had best take Baker Street as we pass,” said I. “Mr.

Holmes may have some fresh instructions.”
“If they are not worth more than the last ones they are
not of much use,” said Amberley with a malevolent scowl. None
the less, he kept me company. I had already warned Holmes by
telegram of the hour of our arrival, but we found a message wait-
ing that he was at Lewisham and would expect us there. That was
a surprise, but an even greater one was to find that he was not
alone in the sitting-room of our client. A stern-looking, impassive
man sat beside him, a dark man with gray-tinted glasses and a
large Masonic pin projecting from his tie.
malevolent [məˈlevələnt]
malevolent — злобный; scowl — хмурый злобный

взгляд; none the less — тем не менее
“This is my friend Mr. Barker,” said Holmes. “He has been

interesting himself also in your business, Mr. Josiah Amberley,
though we have been working independently. But we both have
the same question to ask you!”
406
Mr. Amberley sat down heavily. He sensed impending

danger. I read it in his straining eyes and his twitching features.
“What is the question, Mr. Holmes?”
“Only this: What did you do with the bodies?”
impending — надвигающийся; straining — зд.: бегаю-

щий; twitching — подергивающийся
The man sprang to his feet with a hoarse scream. He

clawed into the air with his bony hands. His mouth was open,
and for the instant he looked like some horrible bird of prey.
In a flash we got a glimpse of the real Josiah Amberley, a mis-
shapen demon with a soul as distorted as his body. As he fell
back into his chair he clapped his hand to his lips as if to stifle
a cough. Holmes sprang at his throat like a tiger and twisted his
face towards the ground. A white pellet fell from between his
gasping lips.
hoarse — хриплый; claw — царапать; bird of prey —

хищная птица; in a flash — в мгновение ока; glimpse — беглый
взгляд; misshapen = distorted — искаженный, искореженный
(первое обычно о форме, второе — о чертах лица); stifle — зд.:
задушить; pellet — таблетка
“No short cuts, Josiah Amberley. Things must be done

decently and in order. What about it, Barker?”
“I have a cab at the door,” said our taciturn companion.
“It is only a few hundred yards to the station. We will go
together. You can stay here, Watson. I shall be back within half an
hour.”
The old colourman had the strength of a lion in that
great trunk of his, but he was helpless in the hands of the two
experienced man-handlers. Wriggling and twisting he was
dragged to the waiting cab, and I was left to my solitary vigil
in the ill-omened house. In less time than he had named, how-
ever, Holmes was back, in company with a smart young police
inspector.
407
short cut — короткий путь; taciturn — немногослов-

ный; trunk — зд.: туловище; handle — справляться; wriggle —
извиваться; drag — тащить; solitary — одинокий; vigil — бдение;
ill-omen — зловещий
“I’ve left Barker to look after the formalities,” said Holmes.

“You had not met Barker, Watson. He is my hated rival upon the
Surrey shore. When you said a tall dark man it was not difficult
for me to complete the picture. He has several good cases to his
credit, has he not, Inspector?”
“He has certainly interfered several times,” the inspector
answered with reserve.
“His methods are irregular, no doubt, like my own. The
irregulars are useful sometimes, you know. You, for example, with
your compulsory warning about whatever he said being used
against him, could never have bluffed this rascal into what is vir-
tually a confession.”
“Perhaps not. But we get there all the same, Mr. Holmes.
Don’t imagine that we had not formed our own views of this case,
and that we would not have laid our hands on our man. You will
excuse us for feeling sore when you jump in with methods which
we cannot use, and so rob us of the credit.”
rival — соперник; credit — честь, слава; interfere — вме-

шиваться; reserve — сдержанность; irregular — зд.: любитель-
ский; compulsory — обязательный; bluff — блефовать, дурачить;
sore — зд.: ободранный; rob — грабить, обирать
“There shall be no such robbery, MacKinnon. I assure you

that I efface myself from now onward, and as to Barker, he has
done nothing save what I told him.”
The inspector seemed considerably relieved.
“That is very handsome of you, Mr. Holmes. Praise or
blame can matter little to you, but it is very different to us when
the newspapers begin to ask questions.”
“Quite so. But they are pretty sure to ask questions any-
how, so it would be as well to have answers. What will you say, for
408
example, when the intelligent and enterprising reporter asks you

what the exact points were which aroused your suspicion, and
finally gave you a certain conviction as to the real facts?”
The inspector looked puzzled.
efface [ɪˈfeɪs]
efface — заставить исчезнуть; relieve — испытывать об-

легчение; praise — похвала; blame — обвинение; enterprising —
предприимчивый; exact — точный; suspicion — подозрение;
conviction — уверенность; puzzle — озадачивать
“We don’t seem to have got any real facts yet, Mr. Holm-
es. You say that the prisoner, in the presence of three witnesses,
practically confessed by trying to commit suicide, that he had
murdered his wife and her lover. What other facts have you?”
“Have you arranged for a search?”
“There are three constables on their way.”
“Then you will soon get the clearest fact of all. The bodies
cannot be far away. Try the cellars and the garden. It should not
take long to dig up the likely places. This house is older than the
water-pipes. There must be a disused well somewhere. Try your
luck there.”
“But how did you know of it, and how was it done?”
presence — присутствие; witness — свидетель; con-

fess — признаваться; commit suicide — совершить самоубийст-
во; arrange — организовать; search — обыск; cellar — погреб;
pipe — труба1; disused — неиспользуемый; well — колодец (сущ.)
“I’ll show you first how it was done, and then I will give
the explanation which is due to you, and even more to my long-
suffering friend here, who has been invaluable throughout.
But, first, I would give you an insight into this man’s mentality. It
1 Pipe может означать водопроводную трубу или курительную труб-

ку, но никогда — дымовую трубу: для этого есть слово chimney.
409
is a very unusual one — so much so that I think his destination is

more likely to be Broadmoor1 than the scaffold. He has, to a high
degree, the sort of mind which one associates with the mediae-
val Italian nature rather than with the modern Briton. He was a
miserable miser who made his wife so wretched by his niggardly
ways that she was a ready prey for any adventurer. Such a one
came upon the scene in the person of this chess-playing doctor.
Amberley excelled at chess — one mark, Watson, of a schem-
ing mind. Like all misers, he was a jealous man, and his jealousy
became a frantic mania. Rightly or wrongly, he suspected an in-
trigue. He determined to have his revenge, and he planned it
with diabolical cleverness. Come here!”
Holmes led us along the passage with as much certainty
as if he had lived in the house and halted at the open door of the
strong-room.
scheming [ˈskiːmɪŋ]
due to — благодаря (кому-л./чему-л.); longsuffering —

многострадальный; invaluable — неоценимый; throughout —
зд.: все время; insight — взгляд изнутри; mentality — мировоз-
зрение; destination — пункт назначения; scaffold — эшафот;
degree — степень; mediaeval — средневековый; rather than —
скорее чем; wretched — отчаявшийся; prey — добыча; excel —
преуспевать; jealous — ревнивый; frantic — лихорадочный,
безумный; revenge — месть; passage — коридор; certainty — уве-
ренность; halt — остановиться
“Pooh! What an awful smell of paint!” cried the inspector.

“That was our first clue,” said Holmes. “You can thank Dr.
Watson’s observation for that, though he failed to draw the in-
ference. It set my foot upon the trail. Why should this man at
such a time be filling his house with strong odours? Obviously,
to cover some other smell which he wished to conceal — some
guilty smell which would suggest suspicions. Then came the idea
1 Broadmoor [ˈbrɔːdmɔː] — Бродмур, психиатрическая больница (с

1863) для содержания потенциально опасных пациентов.
410
of a room such as you see here with iron door and shutter — a her-
metically sealed room. Put those two facts together, and whither
do they lead? I could only determine that by examining the house
myself. I was already certain that the case was serious, for I had
examined the box-office chart at the Haymarket Theatre — an-
other of Dr. Watson’s bull’s-eyes — and ascertained that neither
B thirty nor thirty-two of the upper circle had been occupied that
night. Therefore, Amberley had not been to the theatre, and his
alibi fell to the ground. He made a bad slip when he allowed
my astute friend to notice the number of the seat taken for his
wife. The question now arose how I might be able to examine the
house. I sent an agent to the most impossible village I could think
of, and summoned my man to it at such an hour that he could
not possibly get back. To prevent any miscarriage, Dr. Watson ac-
companied him. The good vicar’s name I took, of course, out of my
Crockford. Do I make it all clear to you?”
alibi [ˈælɪbaɪ]
observation — наблюдение; fail — не смочь; inference —

вывод; set upon trail — напасть на след; odour — запах; con-
ceal — скрыть; guilty — зд.: указывающий на вину; sealed — за-
печатанный; whither — куда (уст.); box-office — касса (театр.);
chart — схема; bull’s-eye — попадание точно в яблочко; ascer-
tain — убедить(ся); fell to the ground — прост. прош. от fall —
развалилось; slip — промах; astute — ушлый; summon — выз-
вать; prevent — предотвратить; miscarriage — помеха
“It is masterly,” said the inspector in an awed voice.

“There being no fear of interruption I proceeded to bur-
gle the house. Burglary has always been an alternative profession
had I cared to adopt it, and I have little doubt that I should have
come to the front. Observe what I found. You see the gas-pipe
along the skirting here. Very good. It rises in the angle of the wall,
and there is a tap here in the corner. The pipe runs out into the
strong-room, as you can see, and ends in that plaster rose in the
centre of the ceiling, where it is concealed by the ornamentation.
411
That end is wide open. At any moment by turning the outside tap
the room could be flooded with gas. With door and shutter closed
and the tap full on I would not give two minutes of conscious sen-
sation to anyone shut up in that little chamber. By what devilish
device he decoyed them there I do not know, but once inside the
door they were at his mercy.”
flooded [ˈflʌdɪd]
awe — благоговение; interruption — вмешательство;

burgle — вскрыть; adopt — зд.: принять; skirting — плинтус;
angle — угол (геометр.); tap — кран; plaster — штукатурка; ceil-
ing — потолок; flood — затопить, наполнить; conscious — осоз-
нанный, в сознании; sensation — ощущение; device — предлог;
decoy — заманить; at one’s mercy — в чьей-л. власти
The inspector examined the pipe with interest. “One

of our officers mentioned the smell of gas,” said he, “but of
course the window and door were open then, and the paint —
or some of it — was already about. He had begun the work of
painting the day before, according to his story. But what next,
Mr. Holmes?”
“Well, then came an incident which was rather unex-
pected to myself. I was slipping through the pantry window in
the early dawn when I felt a hand inside my collar, and a voice
said: ‘Now, you rascal, what are you doing in there?’ When I could
twist my head round I looked into the tinted spectacles of my
friend and rival, Mr. Barker. It was a curious foregathering and
set us both smiling. It seems that he had been engaged by Dr.
Ray Ernest’s family to make some investigations and had come
to the same conclusion as to foul play. He had watched the
house for some days and had spotted Dr. Watson as one of the
obviously suspicious characters who had called there. He could
hardly arrest Watson, but when he saw a man actually climbing
out of the pantry window there came a limit to his restraint. Of
course, I told him how matters stood and we continued the case
together.”
412
mention — упоминать; according to — в соответствии

с; pantry — кладовка; dawn — рассвет; collar — воротник; fore-
gathering — встреча; engage — нанимать; conclusion — вывод;
foul play — дело нечисто; spot — заметить (гл.); restraint —
сдержанность
“Why him? Why not us?”

“Because it was in my mind to put that little test which
answered so admirably. I fear you would not have gone so far.”
The inspector smiled.
“Well, maybe not. I understand that I have your word, Mr.
Holmes, that you step right out of the case now and that you turn
all your results over to us.”
“Certainly, that is always my custom.”
“Well, in the name of the force I thank you. It seems a
clear case, as you put it, and there can’t be much difficulty over
the bodies.”
“I’ll show you a grim little bit of evidence,” said Holmes,
“and I am sure Amberley himself never observed it. You’ll get re-
sults, Inspector, by always putting yourself in the other fellow’s
place, and thinking what you would do yourself. It takes some im-
agination, but it pays. Now, we will suppose that you were shut up
in this little room, had not two minutes to live, but wanted to get
even with the fiend who was probably mocking at you from the
other side of the door. What would you do?”
answer — зд.: дать результат; admirably — восхити-

тельно; custom — обычай; force — зд.: власти; grim — мрачный;
pay — зд.: окупаться; get even with — посчитаться; fiend —
злодей; mock — насмехаться
“Write a message.”
“Exactly. You would like to tell people how you died. No
use writing on paper. That would be seen. If you wrote on the wall
someone might rest upon it. Now, look here! Just above the skirt-
ing is scribbled with a purple indelible pencil: ‘We we—’ That’s all.
“What do you make of that?”
413
“Well, it’s only a foot above the ground. The poor devil
was on the floor dying when he wrote it. He lost his senses before
he could finish.”
“He was writing, ‘We were murdered.’”
“That’s how I read it. If you find an indelible pencil on the
body—”
rest (upon) — остановиться (о взгляде), наткнуться;

purple — фиолетовый; indelible — несмываемый; poor devil —
бедняга; lost his senses — прост. прош. от lose — потерял со-
знание; murder — убить1
“We’ll look out for it, you may be sure. But those securi-
ties? Clearly there was no robbery at all. And yet he did possess
those bonds. We verified that.”
“You may be sure he has them hidden in a safe place.
When the whole elopement had passed into history, he would
suddenly discover them and announce that the guilty couple had
relented and sent back the plunder or had dropped it on the way.”
“You certainly seem to have met every difficulty,” said
the inspector. “Of course, he was bound to call us in, but why he
should have gone to you I can’t understand.”
“Pure swank!” Holmes answered. “He felt so clever and so
sure of himself that he imagined no one could touch him. He could
say to any suspicious neighbour, ‘Look at the steps I have taken.
I have consulted not only the police but even Sherlock Holmes.’”
The inspector laughed.
“We must forgive you your ‘even,’ Mr. Holmes,” said he “it’s
as workmanlike a job as I can remember.”
securities — ценные бумаги; elopement — бегство (из

дома); relent — раскаяться; plunder — добыча; be bound to
do smth — быть обязанным сделать что-л.; swank — гордыня;
neighbour — сосед; even — даже; workmanlike — мастерский
1 Murder означает умышленное убийство. Kill может указывать на

убийство по неосторожности или гибель в автокатастрофе, slay — на же-
стокое, но необязательно криминальное убийство (например, смерть на
рыцарском турнире), но murder всегда подразумевает злой умысел.
414
A couple of days later my friend tossed across to me a

copy of the bi-weekly North Surrey Observer. Under a series of
flaming headlines, which began with “The Haven Horror” and
ended with “Brilliant Police Investigation,” there was a packed col-
umn of print which gave the first consecutive account of the af-
fair. The concluding paragraph is typical of the whole. It ran thus:
The remarkable acumen by which Inspector MacKinnon
deduced from the smell of paint that some other smell, that of
gas, for example, might be concealed; the bold deduction that
the strong-room might also be the death-chamber, and the sub-
sequent inquiry which led to the discovery of the bodies in a dis-
used well, cleverly concealed by a dog kennel, should live in the
history of crime as a standing example of the intelligence of our
professional detectives.
“Well, well, MacKinnon is a good fellow,” said Holmes with
a tolerant smile. “You can file it in our archives, Watson. Some day
the true story may be told.”
acumen [ˈækjʊmən]
toss — бросать; copy — экземпляр; bi-weekly — выходя-

щий раз в две недели; flaming — броский; headline — заголовок;
consecutive — последовательный; account — отчет; conclud-
ing — завершающий; acumen — сообразительность; bold — сме-
лый; subsequent — последующий; kennel — конура; tolerant —
зд.: понимающий
Приложение
Местоимения
Личные местоимения
I — я you — he — she — it — we — they —
ты, вы, он она оно мы они
Вы
Личные местоимения: объектный падеж1
me — you — him — her — it — us — them —
меня, тебя/ его, ее, ей его, нас, их, им
мне вас, ему ему нам
тебе/
вам
Притяжательные местоимения
my — your — his — her — its — our — their —
мой, твой/ его ее его наш, их
моя, ваш, наша,
мое, твоя/ наше,
мои ваша, наши
твое/
ваше,
твои/
ваши
Абсолютные притяжательные местоимения
mine yours his hers its ours theirs
Возвратные местоимения
my- your- him- her- it- our- them-
self — self — self — self — self — selves — selves —
я ты он она оно мы они
сам(а), сам(а), сам, сама, само, сами, сами,
себе себе; себе себе себе себе себе
вы
сами,
себе
Личные местоимения отвечают на вопрос «кто?» и в пред-
ложении являются подлежащим; личные местоимения в объ-
ектном падеже отвечают на вопросы «кого?», «кому?» и в пред-
ложении являются дополнением.
1 Эта форма обычно употребляется с предлогами; используется так-

же в функции дополнения, отвечая на вопросы «кому?», «кого?».
416
Притяжательные местоимения отвечают на вопрос

«чей?», «чья?», «чье?», «чьи?». Абсолютные притяжательные
местоимения отвечают на те же вопросы, но могут употре-
бляться без существительных. Сравните:
Is it their car? (притяжательное местоимение) — Yes, it’s
theirs (абсолютное притяжательное местоимение). / Это их ма-
шина? — Да, их.
Возвратные местоимения либо указывают, на кого/что
направлено действие (сам, себе), либо подчеркивают, кто вы-
полнил действие (сам, самостоятельно).
Указательные местоимения
ед. ч. мн. ч.
this — этот these — эти
that — тот those — те
Во многих случаях that и those также можно перевести как

«этот» и «эти»: в русском языке разделение на «более близ-
кий» и «менее близкий» к говорящему, выражаемое в ан-
глийском this и that, не так ощутимо.
Неопределенные местоимения
some, any, no и их производные
somebody = someone — кто-то

some — некий
something — что-то
anybody = anyone — кто-нибудь
any — какой-нибудь
anything — что-нибудь
nobody = no(-) one — никто
no — никакой
nothing — ничто, ничего
Some и его производные используются в утвердительных

предложениях.
Они также могут использоваться в вопросительных пред-
ложениях, если подразумевается вежливая просьба или пред-
ложение.
May I have some tea? / Можно мне чаю?
Would you like some coffee? / Хотите кофе?
417
Any и его производные используются главным образом в во-

просительных предложениях. Any и его производные также могут
использоваться в утвердительных предложениях в значении «лю-
бой, каждый» или в отрицательных, — если перед ними стоит от-
рицание (в этих случаях переводятся как no и его производные).
Give me a pencil of any colour, please. / Дай мне карандаш
любого цвета, пожалуйста.
Did you see anything strange? — No, I didn’t see anything at all.
= No, I saw nothing. / Ты видел что-нибудь странное? — Нет, я
вообще ничего не видел.
No и его производные используются в отрицательных
предложениях. Так как в английском языке в предложении
возможно только одно отрицание, no и его производные вы-
ступают в качестве отрицательного слова.
Nothing happened. / Ничего не произошло.
There was no furniture in the room. / В комнате не было мебели.
Слова somewhere, anywhere, nowhere используются по тем

же правилам.
Местоимения each, every, one, none
Местоимение Примеры
Every означает «каждый, любой» I write a new story every day. /
или «все». Каждый день я пишу новый
everybody = everyone — все, рассказ.
любой, каждый Have you greeted every-
everything — всё body? / Ты уже со всеми
everywhere — везде поздоровался?
Every и его производные I’ve made some acquaint-
используются главным образом ances there but I don’t know
в утвердительных предложениях, everybody. / Я там кое с кем
но иногда встречаются познакомился, но я не знаю
также в вопросительных и всех.
отрицательных.
Each также означает «каждый», Each of us was ready to answer.
но обычно употребляется / Каждый из нас был готов
в значении «каждый из», отвечать.
поэтому часто используется в The students had to answer
сочетании с предлогом of или one question each. / Каждый
после существительных во из студентов должен был
множественном числе. ответить на один вопрос.
418
Окончание таблицы
Местоимение Примеры
One заменяет одушевленные I like sombreros. I am going
или неодушевленные to buy one. / Мне нравятся
существительные, чтобы сомбреро. Я куплю себе
избежать тавтологии. Часто сомбреро (одну штуку).
используется в рекомендациях в One should love one’s home-
значении «всякий, каждый». land. / Нужно любить свою
У one есть возвратная форма — родину.
oneself. One must be able to take care
of oneself. / Нужно уметь
заботиться о себе.
None означает «никто (из)», None of us knew the answer. /
«ничто (из)», «ни один», «ни Никто из нас не знал ответа.
одного». Используется в качестве I wanted a biscuit but none was
отрицательного слова. left. / Я хотел (взять) печенье,
но ни одного не осталось.
Either означает «один из They have two puppies, we may
двух» или «каждый из двух»1. take either. / У них два щенка,
Используется в утвердительных мы можем забрать любого.
и отрицательных предложениях. The corridor had a door at
either side. / С обеих сторон
коридора были двери.
Neither означает «ни один They have two sons and neither
из двух».2 Заменяет either в of them looks like his parents. /
отрицательных предложениях. У них два сына, и ни один не
похож на родителей.
Степени сравнения
прилагательных и наречий
Положительная Сравнительная Превосходная
степень степень степень
Односложные и некоторые двусложные
...-er the ... -est
big bigger the biggest
smart smarter the smartest
early earlier the earliest
1 Either не является синонимом both (оба): если both имеет объединя-

ющее значение, то either — наоборот.
2 Если речь идет о более чем двух лицах/предметах, используется none.
419

Состоящие из двух и более слогов
more ... the most ...
important more important the most important
curious more curious the most curious
clearly more clearly the most clearly
В некоторых случаях возможны оба варианта образования

степеней сравнения. Ряд прилагательных и наречий имеют по
две степени сравнения. Сравните:
simpler the simplest
simple
more simple the most simple
ИСКЛЮЧЕНИЯ
good
better the best
well
bad
worse the worst
badly
little less the least
much
many more the most
a lot
Причастия
Причастие I / причастие настоящего времени: глагол + ing
Причастие II / причастие прошедшего времени: 3-я форма
глагола
420
Система времен в английском языке

Настоящее
Present Present
Present Present Perfect
Simple / Progressive /
Perfect Continuous
Indefinite Continuous
Инфинитив
do be V+ing1 have V32 have been V+ing
I do, you I am doing, I have done, I have been
do, he/she/it you are do- you have doing, you have
does, we do, ing, he/she/ done, he/she/ been doing,
they do it is doing, it has done, he/she/it has
we are doing, we have done, been doing,
they are do- they have we have been
ing done doing, they have
been doing
Утвердительное предложение
I like music. I am reading. I have done it. I have been doing
He likes She is reading. He has done it. She has been
music. it. doing it.
Вопросительное предложение
Do you like Are you read- Have you Have you been
music? Does ing? Is she done it? Has doing it? Has she
he like music? reading? he done it? been doing it?
Отрицательное предложение
No, I don’t No, I’m not No, I haven’t No, I haven’t
like music. reading. No, done it. No, been doing it. No,
No, he doesn’t she isn’t read- he hasn’t done she hasn’t been
like music. ing. it. doing it.
Present Simple / Indefinite употребляется для выражения:

1) регулярно повторяющихся действий в настоящем
2) общеизвестных истин, фактов
3) запланированных (программой или расписанием) дей-
ствий в будущем
1 V + ing = глагол + ing

2 V3 = 3-я форма глагола
421
Present Progressive / Continuous употребляется для выра-

жения:
1) действий, происходящих в данный конкретный момент
или период времени
2) продолжительных действий в настоящем в случаях, ког-
да важно подчеркнуть именно процесс
3) для описания заведомо временных явлений
Present Perfect используется для выражения:

1) начавшихся в прошлом действий, которые продолжают-
ся к настоящему моменту
2) завершившихся действий в прошлом, результат которых
связан с настоящим моментом
3) действий, подводящих некий итог (на настоящий мо-
мент)
Present Perfect Continuous используется для выражения:

1) начавшихся в прошлом действий, которые длились ка-
кое-то время и продолжаются к настоящему моменту
2) длительных действий в прошлом, результат которых
связан с настоящим моментом
Прошедшее
Past
Past Simple / Past Perfect
Progressive / Past Perfect
Continuous
Инфинитив
was/were
did had V3 had been V+ing
V+ing
I did, you I was doing, I had done, I had been doing,

did, he/she/it you were do- you had done, you had been do-
did, we did, ing, he/she/ he/she/it had ing, he/she/it had
they did it was doing, done, we had been doing, we
we were do- done, they had been doing,
ing, they were had done they had been
doing doing
422
Past
Past Simple / Past Perfect
Progressive / Past Perfect
Continuous
I liked music. I was reading. I had done it. I had been doing
He liked She was read- He had done it. She had been
music. ing. it. doing it.
Did you Were you read- Had you done Had you been
like music? ing? Was she it? Had he doing it? Had she
Did he like reading? done it? been doing it?
music?
No, I didn’t No, I wasn’t No, I hadn’t No, I hadn’t been
like music. reading. No, done it. No, doing it. No, she
No, he didn’t she wasn’t he hadn’t hadn’t been do-
like music. reading. done it. ing it.
Past Simple / Indefinite употребляется для выражения:

1) однократных или регулярно повторявшихся действий в
прошлом
2) действий в прошлом, завершившихся к настоящему мо-
менту
Past Progressive / Continuous употребляется для выраже-
ния:
1) действий, происходивших в конкретный момент или пе-
риод времени
2) продолжительных действий в прошлом, на фоне кото-
рых происходили другие действия
3) для описания процесса в прошлом
Past Perfect используется для выражения:
1) действия в прошлом, предшествовавшего другому дей-
ствию в прошлом (предпрошедшее)
Past Perfect Continuous используется для выражения:
1) длительного процесса в прошлом, продолжавшегося до
определенного момента в прошлом
423
Будущее
Future
Future Simple / Future Future Perfect
Progressive /
Indefinite Perfect Continuous
Continuous
Инфинитив
will1 do will be V+ing will have V3 will have been
V+ing
I will do, you I will be do- I will have I will have been
will do, he/ ing, you will done, you will doing, you will
she/it will do, be doing, he/ have done, have been doing,
we will do, she/it will be he/she/it will he/she/it will
they will do doing, we will have done, have been doing,
be doing, they we will have we will have been
will be doing done, they doing, they will
will have done have been doing
I will do it. I will be read- I will have I will have been
He will do it. ing. She will done it. doing it.
be reading. He will have She will have
done it. been doing it.
Will you do it? Will you be Will you have Will you have
Will he do it? reading? done it? been doing it?
Will she be Will he have Will she have
reading? done it? been doing it?
No, I won’t No, I won’t be No, I won’t No, I won’t have
(will not) reading. No, have done it. been doing it.
do it. No, he she won’t be No, he won’t No, she won’t
won’t do it. reading. have done it. have been
doing it.
Future Simple / Indefinite употребляется для выражения:

1) спонтанных, неподготовленных действий в будущем
Future Progressive / Continuous употребляется для выра-
жения:
1) действий в будущем, которые запланированы или опре-
делены расписанием
2) продолжительных действий в будущем
1 Раньше для 1-го лица (единственного и множественного числа) в каче-
стве вспомогательного глагола будущего времени использовался глагол shall.

В настоящее время он практически не используется в этом значении.
424
Future Perfect используется для выражения:

1) действий, которые завершатся (дадут результат) к опре-
деленному моменту в будущем
Future Perfect Continuous используется для выражения:
1) действий, которые к какому-то моменту в будущем бу-
дут длиться определенное количество времени («подведение
итогов»)
Future in the Past используется для выражения будущих

действий в предложениях, в которых невозможно употре-
бление будущего времени из-за согласования времен. Оно
образуется так же, как времена из таблицы Будущее, толь-
ко вспомогательный глагол will заменяется глаголом would.
Согласование времен
Согласование времен происходит при переводе прямой
речи в косвенную, если прямая речь вводится глаголом в про-
шедшем времени (said, asked, replied, etc).
Действие Прямая речь Косвенная речь
Present Simple Past Simple

He said, He said (that)
Два действия “I play tennis.” he played tennis.
происходят
одновременно Present Continuous Past Continuous
He said, “I’m playing He said (that) he was
tennis.” playing tennis.
Past Simple, Past Perfect
Одно действие Present Perfect
предшествует
другому She said, “I (have) She said (that) she
read the book.” had read the book.
Одно из Future Simple Future in the Past
действий должно
происходить He said, “I will try.” He said (that) he
в будущем would try.
(относительно
другого)
425
Модальные глаголы при переводе предложения в косвен-

ную речь заменяются либо соответствующими формами про-
шедшего времени, если они есть (could, would, might, was/were
to, etc), либо синонимами (be able to, have to, be ready to, etc).
Порядок слов в предложении

В английском языке порядок слов строго фиксирован, поэ-
тому место каждого члена предложения четко определено.
Повествовательное предложение
подлежащее + сказуемое + дополнение + обстоятельство
I told him about it recently. / Недавно я рассказал ему об этом.

Порядок следования дополнений
Дополнение без предлога — дополнение с предлогом
I told him about it.
Порядок следования обстоятельств
Обстоятельство места («где?») — обстоятельство образа
действия («как?») — обстоятельство времени («когда?»)
ИСКЛЮЧЕНИЕ
В длинных предложениях обстоятельство времени можно
перенести в начало предложения.
Yesterday I told him about it in a café after long hesitation.
подлежащее + вспомогательный глагол + not + смысловой

глагол в нужной форме + дополнение + обстоятельство
I do not (don’t) want to go there. / Я не хочу туда ехать.

В случаях с составным сказуемым (have been, is done) от-
рицательная частица not ставится после его первого элемента.
They have not been there. / Они там не были.
426
He said it had not been done soon enough. / Он сказал, что

это было сделано недостаточно быстро.
В английском предложении может быть только одно отри-
цание, поэтому в случаях, когда используется отрицательное
слово (no, none, never, nobody / no one, neither, и т.д.), частица
not уже не употребляется.
He doesn’t tidy his room. = He never tidies his room. / Он ни-
когда не наводит порядок в своей комнате.
Общий вопрос
вспомогательный глагол + подлежащее + смысловой глагол +

+ дополнение + обстоятельство
Does he like reading? / Он любит читать?

Have you already done it? / Ты уже это сделал?
Will we win the game tomorrow? / Мы завтра выиграем?
Специальный вопрос
вопросительное слово + вспомогательный глагол +

+ подлежащее + смысловой глагол + дополнение +
+ обстоятельство
Why did he do it? / Зачем он это сделал?

Whose flat will you see tomorrow? / Чью квартиру ты уви-
дишь завтра?
How has he written the book? / Как он написал эту книгу?
Основные вопросительные слова

who — кто what — что
how — как why — почему, зачем
when — когда where — где
whose — чей what kind of — какого рода/типа
which — который из how much/many — сколько
427
Вопрос в английском языке не может начинаться с пред-

лога, поэтому предлог, если он имеется, переносится в конец
предложения.
Who are you talking to? / С кем ты говоришь?
What are you looking for? / Что ты ищешь?
Альтернативный вопрос
общий вопрос + or + общий вопрос
Is he right-handed or is he left-handed? / Он правша или левша?

Have you played golf or have you played tennis? / Ты играл в
гольф или в теннис?
В разговорной речи во втором вопросе часто выпадают
вспомогательный глагол и подлежащее:
Is he right-handed or left-handed?
Have you played golf or tennis?
Разделительный вопрос
утвердительное предложение + вспомогательный глагол

в отрицательной форме + местоимение
или:
отрицательное предложение + вспомогательный глагол
в утвердительной форме + местоимение
It’s raining, isn’t it? / Идет дождь, да?

He hasn’t any cousin, has he? / У него нет кузенов, верно?
You will do it, won’t you? / Ты это сделаешь, правда?
You can’t swim, can you? / Ты не умеешь плавать, не так ли?
Если в утвердительном предложении имеется отрицатель-

ное слово, вспомогательный глагол в конце (в вопросе) исполь-
зуется в утвердительной форме.
There was nobody in the room, were there?1 / В комнате ни-
кого не было, правда?
1 В английском языке, когда речь идет о неизвестном или неизвест-
ных, употребляется местоимение they — отсюда использование формы
were; в предложениях, начинающихся с there, в разделительном вопросе
будет употребляться именно there.
428
Страдательный залог
cтрадательный залог = глагол be + 3-я форма глагола
(причастие II)
Simple Progressive Perfect
Present
am / am /
have / been
is / asked is / being asked
has asked
are are
Past
was / was / been

asked being asked had
were were asked
Future
be will been
will will be being asked
asked have asked
Future in the Past
be would would been

would being asked
asked be have asked
Perfect Progressive в страдательном залоге не употребля-

ется.
Страдательный залог используется в случаях, когда:
1) исполнитель действия неизвестен или неважен.
It has been done. / Это сделано.
The palace was built in 1755. / Дворец был построен в
1755 году.
2) необходимо сделать акцент на исполнителе действия
(страдательный залог + by)
It has been done by him. / Это сделал он.
The palace was built in 1755 by Rastrelli. / Дворец был по-
строен Растрелли в 1755 году.
429
Модальные глаголы
can — мочь, быть в состоянии; уметь
Указывает на физическую способность, возможность, умение.
I can hear you. / Я тебя слышу.
I can swim. / Я умею плавать.
could — мог, был в состоянии; умел

Используется в прошедшем времени для указания на фи-
зическую способность, возможность, умение.
I could see it myself. / Я сам это видел.
Используется также в вежливых просьбах.
Could you pass me the teapot? / Ты мог бы передать мне чай-
ник?
may — мочь
Используется в вежливых просьбах1.
May I come in? / Можно войти?2
Также используется в значении мягкой рекомендации.
You may lay the table. / Ты мог бы накрыть на стол.
Еще в одном значении указывает на не очень высокую ве-
роятность того или иного события.
He may come. / Он, может быть, придет.
might — мог бы
Используется для выражения мягкого упрека («вы могли бы...»)
You might come in time. / Ты мог бы прийти вовремя.
Также указывает на невысокую вероятность того или ино-
го события.
We might drop in if we have some spare time. / Мы, может
быть, зайдем, если у нас будет свободное время.
1 В современном языке в этом значении все чаще используется глагол can.

2 В ответах на такой вопрос будет использоваться глагол can: Yes, you
can. / No, you can’t.
430
must — должен
Означает необходимость («вы должны...»).
You must do it yourself. / Ты должен сделать это сам.
В отрицательных предложениях означает запрет.
You mustn’t be rude with your brother. / Не груби брату / ты
не должен грубить брату.
Используется также для указания на высокую вероятность
того или иного события.
It’s already seven! I must be late! / Уже семь часов! Я навер-
няка опоздаю!
need — надо
Указывает на необходимость совершения действия, об-
условленную обстоятельствами.
You need to see a doctor! / Тебе надо сходить к врачу.
В вопросительных предложениях указывает на сомнения в
объективной необходимости того или иного действия.
I feel much better. Need I see a doctor? / Мне уже лучше. Надо
ли идти к врачу?
shall — нужно ли
В современном английском языке shall используется в во-
просительных предложениях, когда обращаются за советом
или указаниями.
Shall I call him? / Мне ему позвонить?
will — готов
Указывает на желание или нежелание совершить то или
иное действие.
He will read this book over and over again. / Он будет / готов
снова и снова перечитывать эту книгу.
The dog won’t stop barking. / Собака никак не прекращает
лаять.
431
would — готов
Имеет то же значение, что и will, в прошедшем времени.
I warned him but he wouldn’t listen to me. / Я его предупре-
ждал, но он и слушать меня не хотел.
Указывает на повторяющееся действие в прошлом.
He would come and tell us the news. / Он (обычно) приходил
и рассказывал нам новости.
should — следует
Используется для выражения совета и рекомендации.
You should prepare for your exam. / Тебе надо готовиться к
экзамену. / Тебе следует готовиться к экзамену.
Указывает также на высокую вероятность события.
He should have finished. / Ему бы следовало уже закончить.
/ Он бы должен уже закончить.
ought to — следует

Имеет то же значение, что и should, но рекомендация обыч-
но обусловлена традициями или моралью.
You ought to help your mother. / Надо помогать маме.
have to — нужно

Указывает на необходимость совершения действия, об-
условленную объективными обстоятельствами.
I have to get up early not to be late. / Мне надо рано встать,
чтобы не опоздать.
be to — надо
Указывает на необходимость совершения действия, его
предопределенность обстоятельствами, планами, расписани-
ем, порядком вещей.
You are to be here at five. / Тебе нужно быть здесь в пять (так
как тебе назначено это время).
432
Условные предложения
Придаточное Главное
Перевод
предложение предложение
Реальное условие
Present will Если у меня будет

время, я пойду
If I have time, I’ll go for a walk. гулять.
Нереальное условие, из-за которого невозможно действие

в будущем или настоящем
Past Simple would

Если бы у меня было
время, я бы пошел
I would go for гулять (сейчас).
If I had time,
a walk.
Условие в прошлом, повлиявшее на другое действие

в прошлом или будущем
would have V3 /
Past Perfect would have been
V+ing Если бы у меня вчера
было время, я бы
пошел гулять.
If I had had time I would have gone
yesterday, for a walk.
Смешанный тип предложений: условие и действие, на которое

оно влияет, существуют в разных временах
you would have Если бы ты усердно

If you worked hard, finished your essay работал, ты бы
in time. закончил эссе в срок.
Если бы ты (заранее)
If you had planned it you would do it все тщательно
carefully, quite easily. спланировал, ты бы
сделал это легко
433
Предложения типа I wish / If only
Пожелание / побуждение1
I wish you would come on Sunday. Хорошо бы ты приехал

в воскресенье. / Мне бы
хотелось, чтобы ты приехал
If only you would come on Sunday. в воскресенье.
Неосуществимое желание
I wish I were2 in Egypt! Хотелось бы мне быть

в Египте (сейчас). / Вот бы
сейчас в Египет! / Жаль, что
If only I were in Egypt!
я сейчас не в Египте.
Сожаление о прошлом
I wish I had asked her about it. Жаль, что я не спросил ее
об этом. / Если бы только
If only I had asked her about it! я спросил ее об этом!
Приставки, суффиксы, окончания:

их основные значения
Приставки
Приставка
Значение Пример
dis- Отрицание, disagree / не соглашаться; disad-

противоположное vantage / слабая сторона
значение
1 Эта модель предложений никогда не относится к 1-му лицу единст-

венного числа.
2 В предложениях с I wish... всегда используется форма 2-го лица
множественного числа глагола be: were. Употребление формы was возмож-
но только в разговорной речи.
434
Приставка
Значение Пример
il- Отрицание (не-, без-) illegal / незаконный
im- Отрицание (не-, без-) immortal / бессмертный
in- Отрицание (не-, без-) independent / независимый
ir- Отрицание (не-, без-) irresponsible / безответственный
mis- Плохо или misadventure / злоключение;

неправильно misunderstand / неправильно
понимать
over- Пере- overestimate / переоценивать
re- Повторное действие rebuild / перестраивать
un- Отрицание (не-, без-) untidy / неопрятный;

или отмена действия undress / раздеваться
under- Недо- underestimate / недооценивать
Суффиксы и окончания
Суффиксы и окончания позволяют превратить одну часть
речи в другую. Зная, на какую часть речи указывает тот или
иной суффикс, можно определить значение незнакомого сло-
ва — если вы знаете, что означает его корень.
435
Суффикс/
Пример
окончание
Существительные
-ance/ence correspondence / корреспонденция
prophecy / пророчество, likeness / сходство,

-cy/ty/ness
necessity / необходимость
-dom1 kingdom / королевство
driver / водитель, elector / избиратель,

-er/or2
stopper / пробка
-hood3 brotherhood / братство
agreement / соглашение, management / управление,

-ment
руководство
-ress4 actress / актриса
-ship5 partnership / партнерство
devotion / любовь, revolution / революция,

-sion/tion
direction / управление, дирекция
-th6 warmth / тепло(та)
1 Обычно присоединяется к другому существительному, придавая

ему обобщающее значение.
2 Указывает на исполнителя действия, выраженного глаголом.
4 Такое окончание имеют только существительные женского рода.
6 При добавлении этого окончания часто происходит изменение гла-
сной в корне: strong — strength, и т.д.
436
Суффикс/
Пример
окончание
Прилагательные
-able/ible desirable / желательный
-al comical / комичный
-ant defiant / решительный
-ed1 interested / заинтересованный, excited / взволнованный
-ic(al) historic(al) / исторический2

-ing3 interesting / интересный, exciting / волнующий
-less4 merciless / безжалостный
-ous curious / любопытный
-y funny / забавный
Глаголы
-en widen / расширять, deepen / углублять
-ise/ize realise / realize / осознавать
Глаголы и существительные (особенно односложные) ча-

сто используются в качестве существительного и глагола соот-
ветственно без каких-либо изменений:
walk/дорожка — walk/идти
wing/крыло — wing/окрылять
cut/резать — cut/порез
study/изучать — study/предмет изучения
1Часто имеет значение «испытывающий какое-либо воздействие».
2Слова могут иметь различные значения в зависимости от выбора
суффикса: economic — экономический, economical — экономный; historic —
древний, памятный, historical — имеющий отношение к исторической нау-
ке, и т.д.
3 Часто имеет значение «оказывающий какое-либо воздействие».
4 Имеет значение «без/бес-», «не имеющий чего-л.»: hopeless — безна-
дежный, doubtless — бесспорный, и т.д.
437
Таблица основных
неправильных глаголов
Present Past Past Основное

Simple Simple Participle значение
arise arose arisen возникать
(a)wake (a)woke (a)woken просыпаться,

будить
be was / were been быть
bear bore born переносить
beat beat beaten бить
become became become становиться
begin began begun начинать
bet bet bet спорить, держать

пари
bind bound bound связывать
bite bit bitten кусать
bleed bled bled кровоточить
blow blew blown дуть
break broke broken ломать, разбивать
bring brought brought приносить,

приводить
build built built строить
438
Продолжение таблицы

burn burnt burnt гореть
buy bought bought покупать
catch caught caught ловить
choose chose chosen выбирать
come came come приходить,

приезжать
cost cost cost стоить
cut cut cut резать
deal dealt dealt иметь дело
dig dug dug копать
do did done делать
draw drew drawn рисовать; тащить
dream dreamt / dreamt / спать; мечтать

dreamed dreamed
drink drank drunk пить
drive drove driven водить машину
eat ate eaten есть
fall fell fallen падать
feed fed fed кормить
439

feel felt felt чувствовать
fight fought fought бороться
find found found находить
flee fled fled спасаться бегством
fly flew flown летать
forgive forgave forgiven прощать
freeze froze frozen замораживать,

мерзнуть; замирать
get got got получать
give gave given давать
go went gone идти, ехать
grow grew grown расти, выращивать
hang hung hung висеть
have had had иметь
hear heard heard слышать
hide hid hidden прятать(ся)
hit hit hit ударить
hold held held держать
440

hurt hurt hurt ранить
keep kept kept хранить
knee knelt knelt вставать на колени
know knew known знать
lay laid laid класть
lead led led вести (за собой)
lean leant / leant / leaned склоняться,

leaned опираться
leap leapt leapt прыгать
learn learnt learnt учиться
lend lent lent одалживать
let let let позволять
lie lay lain лежать, ложиться
light lit lit зажигать
lose lost lost терять,

проигрывать
make made made делать
mean meant meant означать,

подразумевать
441

meet met met встречаться
mistake mistook mistaken ошибаться
pay paid paid платить
put put put класть, ставить
read read read читать
ride rode ridden ездить (верхом)
rise rose risen подниматься
ring rang rung звонить
run ran run бежать
say said said говорить
see saw seen видеть
seek sought sought искать
sell sold sold продавать
send sent sent посылать
set set set устанавливать
shake shook shaken трясти(сь)
shine shone shone сиять
442

shoot shot shot стрелять
show showed shown показывать
shut shut shut захлопывать(ся)
sing sang sung петь
sit sat sat сидеть
slay slain slain убить
sleep slept slept спать
slide slid slid скользить
smell smelt smelt нюхать, ощущать

запах
speak spoke spoken говорить
spend spent spent тратить
spread spread spread распространять(ся)
spring sprang sprung вскочить, прыгнуть
stand stood stood стоять
steal stole stolen красть
stride strode stridden шагать
strike struck struck ударить; осенить
443

swear swore sworn клясться; ругаться,

браниться
swim swam swum плавать
take took taken брать
teach taught taught учить

(преподавать)
tear tore torn рвать
tell told told рассказывать
think thought thought думать
throw threw thrown бросать
thrust thrust thrust толкать
understand understood understood понимать
wear wore worn носить (одежду)
weep wept wept плакать
win won won побеждать
write wrote written писать

Содержание
Введение: как устроена эта книга . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Arthur Conan Doyle. THE CASEBOOK

OF SHERLOCK HOLMES
The Adventure of the Illustrious Client . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
The Adventure of the Blanched Soldier . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
The Adventure of the Three Gables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
The Adventure of the Three Garridebs . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
The Problem of Thor Bridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
The Adventure of the Creeping Man . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
The Adventure of the Lion’s Mane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
The Adventure of the Veiled Lodger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
The Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place . . . . . . . . . . . . 364
The Adventure of the Retired Colourman . . . . . . . . . . . 392
Приложение . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 416
Учебное издание
ИНОСТРАННЫЙ ЯЗЫК: ОСВОЙ ЧИТАЯ
Артур Конан Дойль
СЕКРЕТНЫЕ МАТЕРИАЛЫ ШЕРЛОКА ХОЛМСА =

THE CASE BOOK OF SHERLOCK HOLMES
Метод комментированного чтения
Ответственный редактор Н. Уварова

Редактор Т. Сазонова
Художественный редактор Ю. Щербаков
Технический редактор Л. Зотова
Компьютерная верстка Л. Кузьминова
Корректор Н. Друх
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УДК 811.

Адаптация по методу комментированного чтения

© Вьюницкая Е.В., адаптация по мето-

Эта книга предназначена для тех, кто изучал англий-

— исторические, географические, лингвисти-

В словарике вам встретятся еще два полезных значка:

В первых главах вам, скорее всего, часто придется

Чтобы незнакомые слова складывались в понятные

чены устойчивые выражения и словосочетания, кото-

Желаем вам приятного и полезного чтения!

“It can’t hurt now,” was Mr. Sherlock Holmes’s comment

illustrious — широко известный; ask one’s leave —

Both Holmes and I had a weakness for the Turkish

1 Turkish bath — турецкая баня. Была популярна в Великобритании

enveloped him and had drawn an envelope from the inside

weakness — слабость; lassitude — зд.: расслабляющая

It was… that — эта усилительная конструкция, два-

“It may be some fussy, self-important fool; it may be

1 Carlton Club — Карлтон-клаб. Старейший джентльменский клуб

begs to say that the matter upon which he desires to consult

fussy — суетливый; self-important — самодовольный;

“I need not say that I have confirmed it, Watson,” said

household word — широко известное имя; arrange —

1 Письмо написано подчеркнуто вежливо, в нем использованы офи-

I need not say — модальный глагол need указывает на

if you will be so good — если вы будете так добры (уст.);

I shall be honoured — глагол shall употреблялся в ан-

I was living in my own rooms in Queen Anne Street1

1 Queen Anne Street — улица, расположенная в респектабельном рай-

colonel [ˈkɜːnl] cravat [krəˈvæt]

round — зд.: на месте; named — названный; sharp —

“Of course, I was prepared to find Dr. Watson,” he re-

1 frock-coat — мужской сюртук, принятый в викторианскую (и затем

courteous [ˈkɜːtiəs] bow [baʊ]

prepare — готовить(ся); courteous — вежливый;

the late Professor Moriarty — перед одушевленным су-

“Have you ever heard of Baron Gruner?”

1 Splügen Pass — название альпийской горной тропы, являющейся

Austrian [ˈɒstrɪən] Prague [prɑːg]

murderer — убийца; threw up — прост. прош. от

There is no getting past you — словосочетание get

“No, it is more serious than that. To revenge crime is im-

revenge — отомстить; prevent — предотвратить; dread-

“Mr. Holmes, I must beg you not to press that ques-

press — давить; be able to — быть в состоянии; as-

I must beg you not to press — глаголы beg и pray (умо-

Khyber fame — слово fame (слава) часто используется

“He has a daughter, Violet de Merville, young, rich, beau-

accomplished — зд.: утонченный; in every way — во всех

a most fascinating manner — обычно перед прилага-

“But how came such a man to meet a lady of the stand-

came to — прост. прош. от come — случилось, удалось;

не; villain — злодей; attach (to) — привязаться (к); completely

Outside of him there is nothing on earth. — Этим

“Does she know about the Austrian episode?”

cunning — коварный, хитроумный; unsavoury — «гряз-

“I could deceive you by saying so, Mr. Holmes, but

deceive — обмануть; broken — сломленный; utterly —

Holmes gave a whimsical smile.

“The Baron’s present address, please?”

whimsical — позабавленный; add — добавить;  look

“Is he at home at present?”

apart — кроме; expensive — дорогой, дорогостоящий;

affair got noised about — глагол get может использо-