foreign [ˈfɔrɪn], potentate [ˈpǝut(ǝ)nteɪt], document [ˈdɔkjumǝnt], glass [ɡlɑ:s]
“That can be done in a very few words, Mr. Holmes. The letter — for it was a letter from a foreign potentate — was received six days ago. It was of such importance that I have never left it in my safe, but have taken it across each evening to my house in Whitehall Terrace, and kept it in my bedroom in a locked despatch-box. It was there last night. Of that I am certain. I actually opened the box while I was dressing for dinner and saw the document inside. This morning it was gone. The despatch-box had stood beside the glass upon my dressing‑table all night. I am a light sleeper, and so is my wife. We are both prepared to swear that no one could have entered the room during the night. And yet I repeat that the paper is gone.”
“What time did you dine (в котором часу вы обедали)?”
“Half-past seven (в половине восьмого).”
“How long was it before you went to bed (сколько прошло времени, прежде чем = когда вы легли спать)?”
“My wife had gone to the theatre (моя жена ушла в театр). I waited up for her (я дожидался ее; to wait up — не ложиться спать /до чьего-либо прихода/). It was half-past eleven before we went to our room (мы ушли в спальню в половине двенадцатого).”
“Then for four hours the despatch-box had lain unguarded (значит, четыре часа чемоданчик лежал неохраняемый; guard — охрана, защита)?”
“No one is ever permitted to enter that room (никому не позволено входить в эту комнату) save the house-maid in the morning (кроме горничной утром), and my valet, or my wife’s maid (и моего камердинера или камеристки моей жены), during the rest of the day (в течение остальной части). They are both trusty servants who have been with us for some time (эти двое — верные/надежные слуги, которые служат у нас некоторое время = уже давно). Besides, neither of them could possibly have known (кроме того, ни один из них не мог знать) that there was anything more valuable (что что-то более ценное) than the ordinary departmental papers in my despatch-box (чем обычные служебные бумаги, находится в моем чемоданчике; departmental — ведомственный; относящийся к деятельности отдела, департамента, правительственного учреждения).”
theatre [ˈƟɪǝtǝ], unguarded [ʌnˈɡɑ:dɪd], neither [ˈnaɪðǝ], departmental [ˌdi:pɑ:tˈmentl]
“What time did you dine?”
“Half-past seven.”
“How long was it before you went to bed?”
“My wife had gone to the theatre. I waited up for her. It was half-past eleven before we went to our room.”
“Then for four hours the despatch-box had lain unguarded?”
“No one is ever permitted to enter that room save the house-maid in the morning, and my valet, or my wife’s maid, during the rest of the day. They are both trusty servants who have been with us for some time. Besides, neither of them could possibly have known that there was anything more valuable than the ordinary departmental papers in my despatch-box.”
“Who did know of the existence of that letter (кто знал о существовании этого письма)?”
“No one in the house (никто в доме).”
“Surely your wife knew (конечно, ваша жена знала)?”
“No, sir (нет, сэр). I had said nothing to my wife until I missed the paper this morning (я ничего не говорил жене, пока не обнаружил этим утром, что письмо пропало).”
The Premier nodded approvingly (премьер одобрительно кивнул).
“I have long known, sir (я всегда знал, сэр), how high is your sense of public duty (как велико у вас чувство общественного долга),” said he. “I am convinced that in the case of a secret of this importance (я уверен, что в таком секретном и важном деле) it would rise superior to the most intimate domestic ties (оно оказалось бы выше/сильнее самых тесных семейных уз; superior — старший /по рангу, званию и т. д./; лучший, превосходящий; intimate — внутренний; глубоко личный, интимный, сокровенный).”
The European Secretary bowed (министр по европейским делам поклонился).
“You do me no more than justice, sir (вы отдаете мне не более, чем должное, сэр = совершенно верно, сэр). Until this morning I have never breathed one word to my wife upon this matter (до сегодняшнего утра я ни словом не обмолвился жене об этом; to breathe — дышать; тихо говорить; выболтать).”
“Could she have guessed (она могла /сама/ догадаться)?”
approvingly [ǝˈpru:vɪŋlɪ], duty [ˈdju:tɪ], intimate [ˈɪntɪmǝt], breathe [bri:ð]
“Who did know of the existence of that letter?”
“No one in the house.”
“Surely your wife knew?”
“No, sir. I had said nothing to my wife until I missed the paper this morning.”
The Premier nodded approvingly.
“I have long known, sir, how high is your sense of public duty,” said he. “I am convinced that in the case of a secret of this importance it would rise superior to the most intimate domestic ties.”
The European Secretary bowed.
“You do me no more than justice, sir. Until this morning I have never breathed one word to my wife upon this matter.”
“Could she have guessed?”
“No, Mr. Holmes, she could not have guessed (нет, мистер Холмс, она не могла догадаться) — nor could anyone have guessed (никто не мог).”
“Have you lost any documents before (вы теряли документы раньше)?”
“No, sir.”
“Who is there in England who did know of the existence of this letter (кто в Англии знал о существовании этого письма)?”
“Each member of the Cabinet was informed of it yesterday (все члены кабинета были извещены о письме вчера), but the pledge of secrecy which attends every Cabinet meeting (но обязательство хранить тайну, которое сопровождает каждое заседание кабинета; pledge — залог; заклад; обет, обещание) was increased by the solemn warning (было подкреплено официальным предупреждением; to increase — увеличивать/ся/, усиливать/ся/; solemn — торжественный; серьезный; официальный) which was given by the Prime Minister (сделанным премьер-министром). Good heavens, to think (Боже мой, подумать только) that within a few hours I should myself have lost it (что через несколько часов я сам потерял его)!”
His handsome face was distorted with a spasm of despair (его красивое лицо исказилось отчаянием; spasm — спазм, судорога; припадок, приступ), and his hands tore at his hair (а руками он схватил себя за волосы; to tear at — тащить, тянуть с силой). For a moment we caught a glimpse of the natural man (на мгновение мы увидели настоящего человека), impulsive (импульсивного), ardent (горячего), keenly sensitive (очень впечатлительного; keenly — сильно, горячо, страстно). The next the aristocratic mask was replaced (но тут аристократическая маска вернулась на место), and the gentle voice had returned (и спокойный голос ответил; to return — возвращать/ся/; возражать, отвечать).
“Besides the members of the Cabinet (кроме членов кабинета) there are two, or possibly three, departmental officials who know of the letter (два или, возможно, три чиновника департамента знают об этом письме). No one else in England, Mr. Holmes, I assure you (и больше никто в Англии, мистер Холмс, уверяю вас).”
solemn [ˈsɔlǝm], warning [ˈwɔ:nɪŋ], ardent [ˈɑ:d(ǝ)nt], gentle [ʤentl]
“No, Mr. Holmes, she could not have guessed — nor could anyone have guessed.”
“Have you lost any documents before?”
“No, sir.”
“Who is there in England who did know of the existence of this letter?”
“Each member of the Cabinet was informed of it yesterday, but the pledge of secrecy which attends every Cabinet meeting was increased by the solemn warning which was given by the Prime Minister. Good heavens, to think that within a few hours I should myself have lost it!”
His handsome face was distorted with a spasm of despair, and his hands tore at his hair. For a moment we caught a glimpse of the natural man, impulsive, ardent, keenly sensitive. The next the aristocratic mask was replaced, and the gentle voice had returned.
“Besides the members of the Cabinet there are two, or possibly three, departmental officials who know of the letter. No one else in England, Mr. Holmes, I assure you.”
“But abroad (а за границей)?”
“I believe that no one abroad has seen it (полагаю, никто за границей не видел письма) save the man who wrote it (кроме человека, написавшего его). I am well convinced that his Ministers (я твердо убежден, что его министры) — that the usual official channels have not been employed (что обычные официальные каналы не были использованы).”
Holmes considered for some little time (Холмс задумался на короткое время).
“Now, sir, I must ask you more particularly what this document is (а теперь, сэр, я должен расспросить вас более подробно, что это за документ), and why its disappearance should have such momentous consequences (и почему его исчезновение будет иметь столь серьезные последствия; momentous — важный, имеющий большое значение)?”
The two statesmen exchanged a quick glance (два государственных деятеля обменялись быстрым взглядом) and the Premier’s shaggy eyebrows gathered in a frown (и косматые брови премьера нахмурились; frown — сдвинутые брови; хмурый взгляд; насупленность).
“Mr. Holmes, the envelope is a long (мистер Холмс, конверт /письма/ длинный), thin one of pale blue colour (тонкий, бледно-голубого цвета). There is a seal of red wax stamped with a crouching lion (на печати из красного сургуча изображен припавший к земле лев; wax — воск; сургуч; to stamp — штамповать, ставить печать; отпечатывать, оттискивать). It is addressed in large, bold handwriting to — (адрес написан крупным, четким почерком…; bold — отважный, смелый; четкий /о почерке/; жирный /о шрифте/)”
eyebrow [ˈaɪbrau], frown [fraun], envelope [ˈenvǝlǝup], crouching [ˈkrauʧɪŋ]
“But abroad?”
“I believe that no one abroad has seen it save the man who wrote it. I am well convinced that his Ministers — that the usual official channels have not been employed.”
Holmes considered for some little time.
“Now, sir, I must ask you more particularly what this document is, and why its disappearance should have such momentous consequences?”
The two statesmen exchanged a quick glance and the Premier’s shaggy eyebrows gathered in a frown.
“Mr. Holmes, the envelope is a long, thin one of pale blue colour. There is a seal of red wax stamped with a crouching lion. It is addressed in large, bold handwriting to —”
“I fear, sir (боюсь, сэр),” said Holmes, “that, interesting and indeed essential as these details are (как бы ни были интересны и важны эти подробности), my inquiries must go more to the root of things (мои расспросы должны добраться до самой сути дела = мне необходимо знать самое важное; to get at the root of something — добраться до сути чего-либо). What was the letter (о чем было письмо)?”
