"You would have thought (можно было бы подумать) the middle of that prairie a fairly safe place for a man to be private (/что уж самая/ середина этих болот — довольно надежное место, чтобы уединиться; prairie — прерия; болото /амер. диал./; private — личный; собственный, отдельный)," said he, "but, by thunder, the whole country-side seems to have been out to see me do my wooing (но, разрази меня гром, похоже, вся округа вышла посмотреть на мои ухаживания /за женщиной/; to woo — ухаживать; свататься) — and a mighty poor wooing at that (весьма жалкие ухаживания вдобавок; mighty /нареч./ — весьма; poor — бедный; жалкий)! Where had you engaged a seat (где вы забронировали: «заняли» место)?"
"I was on that hill (я был на том холме)."
"Quite in the back row (почти в заднем ряду), eh? But her brother was well up to the front (но ее брат был в передних /рядах/). Did you see him come out on us (вы видели, как он к нам подскочил; to come out — выходить, выскакивать)?"
"Yes, I did (да, /видел/)."
"Did he ever strike you as being crazy — this brother of hers (он никогда не казался вам сумасшедшим, этот ее братец; to strike — ударять; производить впечатление)?"
"I can't say that he ever did (не могу сказать, что когда-либо замечал /это/)."
"I daresay not (думаю, что нет; I daresay — полагаю, мне кажется). I always thought him sane enough until to-day (я всегда считал, что он в здравом уме, /вплоть/ до сегодняшнего дня), but you can take it from me that either he or I ought to be in a strait-jacket (но можете мне поверить, что либо он, либо я должны быть в смирительной рубашке; take it from me — поверьте мне). What's the matter with me, anyhow (что же во мне не так; what’s the matter with..? — в чем провинился..? чем не подходит..?)? You've lived near me for some weeks (вы живете рядом со мной уже несколько недель), Watson. Tell me straight, now (скажите мне прямо, сейчас же)! Is there anything that would prevent me (есть что-то такое, что помешало бы мне) from making a good husband to a woman that I loved (сделаться хорошим мужем для женщины, которую я люблю)?"
"I should say not (я бы сказал, нет)."
mighty [ˈmaɪtɪ], woo [wu:], husband [ˈhʌzbǝnd]
"You would have thought the middle of that prairie a fairly safe place for a man to be private," said he, "but, by thunder, the whole country-side seems to have been out to see me do my wooing — and a mighty poor wooing at that! Where had you engaged a seat?"
"I was on that hill."
"Quite in the back row, eh? But her brother was well up to the front. Did you see him come out on us?"
"Yes, I did."
"Did he ever strike you as being crazy — this brother of hers?"
"I can't say that he ever did."
"I daresay not. I always thought him sane enough until to-day, but you can take it from me that either he or I ought to be in a strait-jacket. What's the matter with me, anyhow? You've lived near me for some weeks, Watson. Tell me straight, now! Is there anything that would prevent me from making a good husband to a woman that I loved?"
"I should say not."
"He can't object to my worldly position (его не может не устраивать мое общественное положение; to object — возражать; относиться неодобрительно; worldly — мирской; светский), so it must be myself that he has this down on (поэтому, он, должно быть, невзлюбил меня лично; to have a down on someone — питать недобрые чувства к кому-либо /брит. разг./). What has he against me (что он имеет против меня)? I never hurt man or woman in my life (я за свою жизнь никогда = ни разу не обидел ни мужчины, ни женщины) that I know of (насколько мне известно). And yet he would not so much as let me touch the tips of her fingers (и однако же он не позволит мне даже дотронуться до кончиков ее пальцев)."
"Did he say so (он так /и/ сказал)?"
"That, and a deal more (это и многое другое). I tell you, Watson (говорю вам, Ватсон), I've only known her these few weeks (я знаю ее всего лишь эти несколько недель), but from the first I just felt (но с самого начала я безошибочно ощутил) that she was made for me (что она создана для меня), and she, too (а она тоже) — she was happy when she was with me (она была счастлива, когда была со мной), and that I'll swear (клянусь в этом). There's a light in a woman's eyes that speaks louder than words (блеск в глазах женщины говорит больше: «громче», чем слова). But he has never let us get together (но он никогда не позволяет нам быть вместе; to get together — встречаться), and it was only to-day for the first time (и только сегодня впервые) that I saw a chance (я увидел возможность = мне выпала возможность) of having a few words with her alone (сказать ей несколько слов наедине). She was glad to meet me (она была рада встретиться со мной), but when she did it was not love that she would talk about (но сделала это не для того, чтоб поговорить о любви), and she wouldn't have let me talk about it (и она не позволила бы и мне говорить о ней) either if she could have stopped it (если бы могла это остановить).
object [ǝbˈdʒekt] /гл./ [ˈɔbdʒɪkt] /сущ./, few [fju:], finger [ˈfɪŋɡǝ]
"He can't object to my worldly position, so it must be myself that he has this down on. What has he against me? I never hurt man or woman in my life that I know of. And yet he would not so much as let me touch the tips of her fingers."
"Did he say so?"
"That, and a deal more. I tell you, Watson, I've only known her these few weeks, but from the first I just felt that she was made for me, and she, too — she was happy when she was with me, and that I'll swear. There's a light in a woman's eyes that speaks louder than words. But he has never let us get together, and it was only to-day for the first time that I saw a chance of having a few words with her alone. She was glad to meet me, but when she did it was not love that she would talk about, and she wouldn't have let me talk about it either if she could have stopped it.
"She kept coming back to it (она постоянно возвращалась к тому; to keep — держать; продолжать делать /что-либо/) that this was a place of danger (что это — опасное место), and that she would never be happy (и что он никогда не будет счастлива) until I had left it (пока я не уеду отсюда). I told her that since I had seen her (я сказал, что с тех пор как увидел ее) I was in no hurry to leave it (я не спешу уезжать отсюда), and that if she really wanted me to go (и что, если она действительно хочет, чтобы я уехал) the only way to work it (/то/ это произойдет: «сработает» только в /том/ случае) was for her to arrange to go with me (/если/ она согласится поехать со мной; to arrange — приводить в порядок; договариваться). With that I offered in as many words to marry her (этим я недвусмысленно предложил ей выйти за меня замуж; in as many words — ясно, недвусмысленно), but before she could answer (но прежде чем она смогла ответить) down came this brother of hers (подскочил этот ее братец), running at us with a face on him like a madman (/и/ набросился на нас с лицом, как у сумасшедшего; to run at — бросаться). He was just white with rage (он прямо-таки побелел от гнева), and those light eyes of his were blazing with fury (и эти его светлые глаза пылали от бешенства). What was I doing with the lady (что я делал с дамой)? How dared I offer her attentions (как я осмелился оказывать ей /знаки/ внимания) which were distasteful to her (которые для нее противны)? Did I think that because I was a baronet (не думаю ли я, что если я баронет) I could do what I liked (я могу делать все, что захочу; to like — любить; хотеть, желать)?
marry [ˈmærɪ], blaze [bleɪz], because [bɪˈkɔz]
"She kept coming back to it that this was a place of danger, and that she would never be happy until I had left it. I told her that since I had seen her I was in no hurry to leave it, and that if she really wanted me to go the only way to work it was for her to arrange to go with me. With that I offered in as many words to marry her, but before she could answer down came this brother of hers, running at us with a face on him like a madman. He was just white with rage, and those light eyes of his were blazing with fury. What was I doing with the lady? How dared I offer her attentions which were distasteful to her? Did I think that because I was a baronet I could do what I liked?
"If he had not been her brother (если бы он не был ее братом) I should have known better how to answer him (я бы знал, как получше ему ответить). As it was I told him that my feelings towards his sister were such (тогда я сказал ему, что мои чувства к его сестре таковы) as I was not ashamed of (что мне /нечего/ стыдиться), and that I hoped that she might honour me by becoming my wife (и что я надеюсь, она окажет мне честь стать моей женой). That seemed to make the matter no better (казалось, и от этого дело не улучшилось), so then I lost my temper too (и тогда я тоже потерял самообладание), and I answered him rather more hotly than I should perhaps (и я ответил ему более резко, чем, возможно, следовало бы), considering that she was standing by (учитывая то, что она стояла рядом). So it ended by his going off with her, as you saw (и вот, /дело/ кончилось тем, что он ушел с ней, как вы видели), and here am I as badly puzzled a man as any in this county (а я /стою/ здесь в полной растерянности: «столь же неприятно озадаченный человек, как любой в этом графстве = насколько это возможно»; badly — скверно; крайне, очень сильно /придает эмоционально-усилительный оттенок/; county — графство; округ; in this county ≈ in this world — вообще, совсем /употребляется для усиления/). Just tell me what it all means (только скажите мне, что все это значит), Watson, and I'll owe you more than ever I can hope to pay (и я буду должен вам больше, чем когда-либо могу надеяться заплатить = и я буду вашим вечным должником)."
brother [ˈbrʌðǝ], temper [ˈtempǝ], owe [ˈǝu]
"If he had not been her brother I should have known better how to answer him. As it was I told him that my feelings towards his sister were such as I was not ashamed of, and that I hoped that she might honour me by becoming my wife. That seemed to make the matter no better, so then I lost my temper too, and I answered him rather more hotly than I should perhaps, considering that she was standing by. So it ended by his going off with her, as you saw, and here am I as badly puzzled a man as any in this county. Just tell me what it all means, Watson, and I'll owe you more than ever I can hope to pay."
I tried one or two explanations (я испробовал несколько версий: «объяснений»), but, indeed, I was completely puzzled myself (но и сам был в совершеннейшем недоумении; indeed — в самом деле; служит для усиления, подчеркивания). Our friend's title, his fortune, his age, his character, and his appearance (титул нашего друга, его состояние, возраст, характер и внешность) are all in his favour (все это говорило в его пользу; to be in favour — быть за), and I know nothing against him (и я не знал ничего, что /было бы/ против него), unless it be this dark fate (кроме этого темного проклятия; fate — судьба; доля, фатум) which runs in his family (преследовавшего его семью). That his advances should be rejected so brusquely (то, что его ухаживания были отвергнуты столь бесцеремонно) without any reference to the lady's own wishes (без каких бы то ни было упоминаний о желаниях самой девушки), and that the lady should accept the situation without protest (и то, что девушка смирилась с ситуацией без возражений), is very amazing (очень удивительно). However, our conjectures were set at rest (однако, на /все/ наши вопросы мы получили ответ; conjecture — гипотеза, догадка; to set at rest — успокоить; уладить) by a visit from Stapleton himself that very afternoon (/после/ визита самого Стэплтона в тот же день). He had come to offer apologies for his rudeness of the morning (он приходил принести извинения за свою грубость утром), and after a long private interview with Sir Henry in his study (и после долгой беседы с сэром Генри в его кабинете) the upshot of their conversation was (итогом их разговора стало то; upshot — окончание; заключение, вывод) that the breach is quite healed (что ссоре /теперь/ положен конец; to heal the breach — положить конец ссоре; breach — брешь, пролом, дыра; повреждение; to heal — исцелять), and that we are to dine at Merripit House next Friday as a sign of it (и что в знак этого мы должны отобедать = мы приглашены на обед в Меррипит-хаус в следующую пятницу).
