refer [rI' [email protected]:], imagine [I'm&dZIn], match [m&tS]
On our way back we stayed for lunch at Merripit House, and it was there that Sir Henry made the acquaintance of Miss Stapleton. From the first moment that he saw her he appeared to be strongly attracted by her, and I am much mistaken if the feeling was not mutual. He referred to her again and again on our walk home, and since then hardly a day has passed that we have not seen something of the brother and sister. They dine here to-night, and there is some talk of our going to them next week. One would imagine that such a match would be very welcome to Stapleton, and yet I have more than once caught a look of the strongest disapprobation in his face when Sir Henry has been paying some attention to his sister.
He is much attached to her, no doubt (несомненно, он сильно к ней привязан), and would lead a lonely life without her (и без нее жизнь его была бы одинока: «и вел бы одинокую жизнь без нее»), but it would seem the height of selfishness (но это показалось бы верхом эгоизма) if he were to stand in the way of her making so brilliant a marriage (если бы он встал на пути = помешал ей заключить столь блестящий союз). Yet I am certain (тем не менее, я уверен) that he does not wish their intimacy to ripen into love (что он не желает, /чтобы/ их близость переросла в любовь; to ripen — созревать), and I have several times observed that he has taken pains (и я несколько раз замечал, что он прилагает все усилия; to take pains — /всячески/ стараться; не жалеть сил) to prevent them from being tête-à-tête (чтобы помешать им быть: «остаться» наедине; tête-à-tête /франц./ — с глазу на глаз; наедине). By the way, your instructions to me never to allow Sir Henry to go out alone (кстати, ваши указания для меня никогда не позволять сэру Генри выходить /из дому/ одному) will become very much more onerous (станут более затруднительными /для выполнения/) if a love affair were to be added to our other difficulties (если к другим нашим трудностям добавиться еще и любовный роман). My popularity would soon suffer (моя репутация вскоре пострадала бы = сэр Генри стал бы плохо ко мне относиться; popularity — популярность) if I were to carry out your orders to the letter (если бы я в точности выполнял ваши наказы; to the letter — буквально, точно).
lonely [' [email protected]], marriage ['m&rIdZ], prevent [prI'vent]
He is much attached to her, no doubt, and would lead a lonely life without her, but it would seem the height of selfishness if he were to stand in the way of her making so brilliant a marriage. Yet I am certain that he does not wish their intimacy to ripen into love, and I have several times observed that he has taken pains to prevent them from being tête-à-tête. By the way, your instructions to me never to allow Sir Henry to go out alone will become very much more onerous if a love affair were to be added to our other difficulties. My popularity would soon suffer if I were to carry out your orders to the letter.
The other day — Thursday, to be more exact (на днях, в четверг, /если/ быть более точным) — Dr. Mortimer lunched with us (к нам на ланч /приходил/ доктор Мортимер). He has been excavating a barrow at Long Down (он /занимается/ раскопками кургана в Длинной Лощине), and has got a prehistoric skull (и обнаружил доисторический череп) which fills him with great joy (что переполняет его огромной радостью). Never was there such a single-minded enthusiast as he (никогда не было = не родился еще такой же энтузиаст, как он)! The Stapletons came in afterwards (позже пришли Стэплтоны), and the good doctor took us all to the Yew Alley (и достойный доктор повел всех нас в тисовую аллею), at Sir Henry's request, to show us exactly (чтобы, по просьбе сэра Генри, показать нам в точности) how everything occurred upon that fatal night (как все происходило той роковой ночью). It is a long, dismal walk, the Yew Alley (эта тисовая аллея — длинная и мрачная), between two high walls of clipped hedge (между двумя высокими стенами подстриженной живой изгороди), with a narrow band of grass upon either side (и узенькими полосками травы с каждой стороны). At the far end is an old, tumble-down summer-house (в дальнем конце стоит старая полуразрушенная беседка). Half-way down is the moor-gate (на полпути вниз /по аллее/ находится калитка, /ведущая/ на болота), where the old gentleman left his cigar-ash (где пожилой джентльмен оставил пепел от сигары). It is a white wooden gate with a latch (это белая деревянная дверь со щеколдой). Beyond it lies the wide moor (за ней начинаются обширные болота).
Thursday [' [email protected]:zdI], barrow ['b& [email protected]], tumble [tVmbl]
The other day — Thursday, to be more exact — Dr. Mortimer lunched with us. He has been excavating a barrow at Long Down, and has got a prehistoric skull which fills him with great joy. Never was there such a single-minded enthusiast as he! The Stapletons came in afterwards, and the good doctor took us all to the Yew Alley, at Sir Henry's request, to show us exactly how everything occurred upon that fatal night. It is a long, dismal walk, the Yew Alley, between two high walls of clipped hedge, with a narrow band of grass upon either side. At the far end is an old, tumble-down summer-house. Half-way down is the moor-gate, where the old gentleman left his cigar-ash. It is a white wooden gate with a latch. Beyond it lies the wide moor.
I remembered your theory of the affair (я вспомнил вашу теорию по этому делу) and tried to picture all that had occurred (и попытался представить себе, как все это происходило). As the old man stood there (когда пожилой джентльмен стоял там) he saw something coming across the moor (он увидел, /как/ что-то движется через болота), something which terrified him so that he lost his wits (что-то напугавшее его так, что он утратил разум), and ran and ran until he died of sheer horror and exhaustion (и /бросился/ бежать и бежал, пока не умер от совершеннейшего ужаса и изнеможения). There was the long, gloomy tunnel down which he fled (он бежал по длинному темному тоннелю; to flee — бежать, спасаться бегством). And from what (но от чего)? A sheep-dog of the moor (от какой-то овчарки с болот)? Or a spectral hound, black, silent, and monstrous (или от призрачной, черной, безмолвной собаки)? Was there a human agency in the matter (был ли в этом деле человеческий фактор; agency — агентство; фактор, сила)? Did the pale, watchful Barrymore know more than he cared to say (знает ли бледный, бдительный Бэрримор больше, чем захотел сказать)? It was all dim and vague (все это смутно и неопределенно), but always there is the dark shadow of crime behind it (но за этим всегда стоит темная тень преступления).
theory [' [email protected]], terrify ['terIfaI], human ['hju: [email protected]]
I remembered your theory of the affair and tried to picture all that had occurred. As the old man stood there he saw something coming across the moor, something which terrified him so that he lost his wits, and ran and ran until he died of sheer horror and exhaustion. There was the long, gloomy tunnel down which he fled. And from what? A sheep-dog of the moor? Or a spectral hound, black, silent, and monstrous? Was there a human agency in the matter? Did the pale, watchful Barrymore know more than he cared to say? It was all dim and vague, but always there is the dark shadow of crime behind it.
One other neighbour I have met (я познакомился еще с одним cocедом) since I wrote last (с тех пор, как писал /вам/ последний раз). This is Mr. Frankland, of Lafter Hall (это мистер Фрэнклэнд из Лэфтер-холла), who lives some four miles to the south of us (который живет примерно в четырех милях к югу от нас). He is an elderly man (это пожилой мужчина), red faced, white haired, and choleric (краснолицый, седой и раздражительный). His passion is for the British law (его страсть — это британское законодательство), and he has spent a large fortune in litigation (и он потратил большое состояние на судебные тяжбы). He fights for the mere pleasure of fighting (он судится не более чем из удовольствия судиться; to fight — драться; бороться /за что-либо/; mere — простой, не более чем, всего лишь), and is equally ready to take up either side of a question (и в споре равным образом готов поддерживать как одну, так и другую сторону; to take up — обсуждать; принимать /сторону/), so that it is no wonder (так что не удивительно) that he has found it a costly amusement (что это удовольствие встало ему в копеечку: «он нашел это дорогим удовольствием»). Sometimes he will shut up a right of way (бывает, он перекроет правую /сторону/ дороги) and defy the parish to make him open it (вынуждая местные власти /через суд/ заставить его открыть проезд; to defy — бросать вызов). At others he will with his own hands tear down some other man's gate (или собственными руками сломает чью-то калитку; to tear down — разрушать; ломать) and declare that a path has existed there from time immemorial (и заявляет, что там с незапамятных времен проходила дорога; to exist — существовать), defying the owner to prosecute him for trespass (вынуждая владельца/хозяина предъявить иск за нарушение владений).
choleric ['kOl(@)rIk], pleasure [' [email protected]], equally ['i:kw(@)lI]
One other neighbour I have met since I wrote last. This is Mr. Frankland, of Lafter Hall, who lives some four miles to the south of us. He is an elderly man, red faced, white haired, and choleric. His passion is for the British law, and he has spent a large fortune in litigation. He fights for the mere pleasure of fighting, and is equally ready to take up either side of a question, so that it is no wonder that he has found it a costly amusement. Sometimes he will shut up a right of way and defy the parish to make him open it. At others he will with his own hands tear down some other man's gate and declare that a path has existed there from time immemorial, defying the owner to prosecute him for trespass.
He is learned in old manorial and communal rights (он /хорошо/ знает старинные поместные и общинные права), and he applies his knowledge (и применяет свои знания) sometimes in favour of the villagers of Fernworthy (иногда в пользу жителей деревушки Фернворси) and sometimes against them (иногда против них), so that he is periodically either carried in triumph down the village street (поэтому его периодически либо с триумфом носят /на руках/ по деревенской улице) or else burned in effigy (либо /прилюдно/ сжигают его чучело), according to his latest exploit (в соответствии с его последним деянием; exploit — деяние, подвиг). He is said to have about seven lawsuits upon his hands at present (говорят, что в настоящее время у него на руках семь тяжб), which will probably swallow up the remainder of his fortune (которые, вероятно, поглотят остатки его состояния) and so draw his sting (и, таким образом, лишат его жала; to draw — тянуть, тащить; выдергивать) and leave him harmless for the future (и сделают: «оставят» его безвредным на будущее). Apart from the law (если не касаться: «отдельно от» юриспруденции; apart — в стороне, в отдельности; law — закон) he seems a kindly, good-natured person (он кажется приятным, добродушным человеком), and I only mention him because (и упомянул я о нем лишь потому) you were particular (что вы настаивали; particular — особенный; скрупулезный) that I should send some description of the people (чтобы я посылал описания /всех/ людей) who surround us (кто нас окружает).
