resolution [, [email protected]'lu:S(@)n], unique [ju:'ni:k], reluctance [rI' [email protected]], notoriety [, [email protected]@' [email protected]], peremptorily [ [email protected]'rempt(@)rI]
I had intended “The Adventure of the Abbey Grange” to be the last of those exploits of my friend, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, which I should ever communicate to the public. This resolution of mine was not due to any lack of material, since I have notes of many hundreds of cases to which I have never alluded, nor was it caused by any waning interest on the part of my readers in the singular personality and unique methods of this remarkable man.
The real reason lay in the reluctance which Mr. Holmes has shown to the continued publication of his experiences. So long as he was in actual professional practice the records of his successes were of some practical value to him, but since he has definitely retired from London and betaken himself to study and bee-farming on the Sussex Downs, notoriety has become hateful to him, and he has peremptorily requested that his wishes in this matter should be strictly observed.
It was only upon my representing to him (только когда я объяснил ему; to represent — представлять; излагать, объяснять) that I had given a promise that “The Adventure of the Second Stain” should be published (что дал обещание, что /рассказ/ «История о втором пятне» будет опубликован) when the times were ripe (когда придет время; ripe — зрелый, созревший, спелый /о фруктах, зерне и т. п./; подошедший, пришедший /о времени/), and pointing out to him that it is only appropriate (и доказал ему, что будет очень уместно; to point out — обращать внимание, указывать; appropriate — подходящий; уместный) that this long series of episodes should culminate in the most important international case (если эта длинная серия эпизодов = цикл рассказов завершится самым важным международным делом) which he has ever been called upon to handle (каким ему когда-либо приходилось заниматься; to call upon — призывать, обращаться к кому-либо /за помощью/; to handle — обходиться, обращаться; справляться /с кем-либо, чем-либо/), that I at last succeeded in obtaining his consent (я наконец-то сумел получить его согласие) that a carefully guarded account of the incident should at last be laid before the public (что тщательно оберегаемый отчет об этом случае должен наконец стать известным публике = на опубликование этой истории, тщательно хранимой в тайне; to lay before smb. — представлять кому-либо, выносить на чье-либо рассмотрение). If in telling the story I seem to be somewhat vague in certain details (если во время рассказа я покажусь довольно неопределенным в некоторых деталях), the public will readily understand (читатели легко поймут; public — публика; общественность; определенный круг людей) that there is an excellent reason for my reticence (что существует веская причина для моей сдержанности; excellent — отличный, превосходный; reticence — молчаливость; сдержанность; скрытность).
It was, then, in a year, and even in a decade, that shall be nameless (в году и даже в десятилетии, которые будут неизвестными = год и даже десятилетие не могут быть указаны), that upon one Tuesday morning in autumn (однажды во вторник утром, осенью) we found two visitors of European fame (мы приняли двух посетителей, /пользующихся/ европейской известностью) within the walls of our humble room in Baker Street (в стенах нашей скромной комнаты на Бейкер-стрит). The one, austere (один /из них/, строгий), high-nosed (надменный: «с поднятым носом»), eagle-eyed (с орлиным взором), and dominant (властный; dominant — господствующий; главный, преобладающий; наиболее влиятельный), was none other than the illustrious Lord Bellinger (был не кто иной, как знаменитый лорд Беллинджер), twice Premier of Britain (дважды /занимавший пост/ премьер-министра Великобритании). The other, dark (второй, темный), clear-cut (с правильными чертами лица; clear-cut — ясно очерченный; четкий, ясный: «ясно вырезанный, скроенный»), and elegant, hardly yet of middle age (элегантный, едва ли достигший среднего возраста), and endowed with every beauty of body and of mind (одаренный красотой тела и /тонкостью/ ума; to endow — завещать; одарять, наделять), was the Right Honourable Trelawney Hope (был достопочтенный Трелони Хоуп; Right Honourable — достопочтенный /титулование пэров, министров, лордов и т.д./), Secretary for European Affairs (министр по европейским делам), and the most rising statesman in the country (самый многообещающий государственный деятель в стране; rising — возрастающий, увеличивающийся; приобретающий вес, влияние в обществе /о людях/).
episode [' [email protected]], consent [ [email protected]'sent], vague [veIg], reticence ['retIs(@)ns], decade ['dekeId], autumn ['O: [email protected]], austere [O:' [email protected]], endowed [In'daud], beauty ['bju:tI]
It was only upon my representing to him that I had given a promise that “The Adventure of the Second Stain” should be published when the times were ripe, and pointing out to him that it is only appropriate that this long series of episodes should culminate in the most important international case which he has ever been called upon to handle, that I at last succeeded in obtaining his consent that a carefully guarded account of the incident should at last be laid before the public. If in telling the story I seem to be somewhat vague in certain details, the public will readily understand that there is an excellent reason for my reticence.
It was, then, in a year, and even in a decade, that shall be nameless, that upon one Tuesday morning in autumn we found two visitors of European fame within the walls of our humble room in Baker Street. The one, austere, high-nosed, eagle-eyed, and dominant, was none other than the illustrious Lord Bellinger, twice Premier of Britain. The other, dark, clear-cut, and elegant, hardly yet of middle age, and endowed with every beauty of body and of mind, was the Right Honourable Trelawney Hope, Secretary for European Affairs, and the most rising statesman in the country.
They sat side by side upon our paper-littered settee (они сели рядом: «бок о бок» на заваленный бумагами диван; litter — разбросанные вещи, беспорядок; сор, мусор), and it was easy to see from their worn and anxious faces (и по их утомленным и взволнованным лицам легко было понять; worn — потрепанный, поношенный; изнуренный) that it was business of the most pressing importance which had brought them (что срочное дело чрезвычайной важности привело их /сюда/; pressing — неотложный, спешный, срочный; to press — давить, нажимать; торопить, требовать немедленных действий). The Premier’s thin, blue-veined hands (худые, с просвечивающими венами: «с голубыми венами» руки премьер-министра) were clasped tightly over the ivory head of his umbrella (крепко сжимали костяной наконечник его зонта; ivory — слоновая кость; цвета слоновой кости; сделанный из слоновой кости), and his gaunt, ascetic face looked gloomily from Holmes to me (а его худое, аскетическое = строгое лицо мрачно смотрело то на Холмса, то на меня). The European Secretary pulled nervously at his moustache (министр по европейским делам нервно теребил усы) and fidgeted with the seals of his watch-chain (и перебирал брелоки на цепочке часов; to fidget with — играть /чем-либо/; нервно перебирать руками; seal — печать; знак; seals — брелоки).
“When I discovered my loss, Mr. Holmes (когда я обнаружил пропажу, мистер Холмс), which was at eight o’clock this morning (это произошло в восемь часов этим утром), I at once informed the Prime Minister (я сразу же известил премьер-министра). It was at his suggestion that we have both come to you (это он предложил, чтобы мы оба пришли к вам).”
“Have you informed the police (вы известили полицию)?”
settee [se'ti:], umbrella [Vm' [email protected]], ascetic [@'setIk], European [,ju(@) [email protected]' [email protected]], moustache [ [email protected]'stA:S], eight [eIt]
They sat side by side upon our paper-littered settee, and it was easy to see from their worn and anxious faces that it was business of the most pressing importance which had brought them. The Premier’s thin, blue-veined hands were clasped tightly over the ivory head of his umbrella, and his gaunt, ascetic face looked gloomily from Holmes to me. The European Secretary pulled nervously at his moustache and fidgeted with the seals of his watch-chain.
“When I discovered my loss, Mr. Holmes, which was at eight o’clock this morning, I at once informed the Prime Minister. It was at his suggestion that we have both come to you.”
