unless [ǝnˈles], brusquely [brusklɪ], apology [ǝˈpɔlǝdʒɪ]
I tried one or two explanations, but, indeed, I was completely puzzled myself. Our friend's title, his fortune, his age, his character, and his appearance are all in his favour, and I know nothing against him, unless it be this dark fate which runs in his family. That his advances should be rejected so brusquely without any reference to the lady's own wishes, and that the lady should accept the situation without protest, is very amazing. However, our conjectures were set at rest by a visit from Stapleton himself that very afternoon. He had come to offer apologies for his rudeness of the morning, and after a long private interview with Sir Henry in his study the upshot of their conversation was that the breach is quite healed, and that we are to dine at Merripit House next Friday as a sign of it.
"I don't say now that he isn't a crazy man (/и/ сейчас не могу сказать, что он не сумасшедший)," said Sir Henry; "I can't forget the look in his eyes (не могу забыть выражение его глаз) when he ran at me this morning (когда он набросился на меня этим утром), but I must allow (но я должен признать; to allow — позволять; допускать, признавать) that no man could make a more handsome apology (что никто другой не мог бы принести более удовлетворительные извинения; handsome — красивый) than he has done (чем это сделал он)."
"Did he give any explanation of his conduct (он дал какие-то объяснения своему поведению; conduct — руководство; поведение)?"
"His sister is everything in his life, he says (его сестра — это все в его жизни, /как/ он сказал). That is natural enough (это довольно естественно), and I am glad that he should understand her value (и я рад, что он понимает ее ценность = так ценит ее). They have always been together (они всегда были вместе), and according to his account (и по его словам; account — счет; рассказ) he has been a very lonely man with only her as a companion (он очень одинок, а она — единственный для него близкий человек; companion — товарищ; спутник), so that the thought of losing her was really terrible to him (поэтому мысль о ее потере по-настоящему ужасна для него). He had not understood, he said (он не понимал, как он сказал), that I was becoming attached to her (что я привязываюсь к ней), but when he saw with his own eyes that it was really so (но когда он увидел собственными глазами, что это действительно так), and that she might be taken away from him (и что ее могут у него отнять; to take away — убирать; отнимать), it gave him such a shock (это было для него таким потрясением; to give smb. a shock — потрясти кого-либо, вызвать у кого-либо потрясение) that for a time he was not responsible (что некоторое время он не /мог/ нести ответственность; responsible — ответственный) for what he said or did (за то, что он говорит или делает).
crazy [ˈkreɪzɪ], allow [ǝˈlau], terrible [ˈterǝbl]
"I don't say now that he isn't a crazy man," said Sir Henry; "I can't forget the look in his eyes when he ran at me this morning, but I must allow that no man could make a more handsome apology than he has done."
"Did he give any explanation of his conduct?"
"His sister is everything in his life, he says. That is natural enough, and I am glad that he should understand her value. They have always been together, and according to his account he has been a very lonely man with only her as a companion, so that the thought of losing her was really terrible to him. He had not understood, he said, that I was becoming attached to her, but when he saw with his own eyes that it was really so, and that she might be taken away from him, it gave him such a shock that for a time he was not responsible for what he said or did.
"He was very sorry for all that had passed (он очень сожалел о том, что произошло), and he recognised how foolish and how selfish it was (и теперь он понимает, как глупо и эгоистично то) that he should imagine (что он вообразил) that he could hold a beautiful woman like his sister to himself (будто может удерживать возле себя такую прекрасную женщину, как его сестра) for her whole life (на протяжении всей ее жизни). If she had to leave him (если ей бы и пришлось покинуть его /ради кого-то/) he had rather it was to a neighbour like myself (он бы предпочел, чтобы это был сосед вроде меня; had rather — находить предпочтительным) than to anyone else (чем кто-то еще). But in any case it was a blow to him (но, в любом случае, это было бы для него ударом), and it would take him some time (и ему потребуется некоторое время) before he could prepare himself to meet it (прежде чем он сможет подготовить себя к этому; to meet — встречать; пережить /что-либо/). He would withdraw all opposition upon his part (он не будет возражать: «заберет все возражения» со своей стороны) if I would promise for three months to let the matter rest (если я пообещаю в течение трех месяцев не касаться этого вопроса: «оставить это дело в покое») and to be content with cultivating the lady's friendship during that time (и довольствоваться дружбой девушки на протяжении этого времени; to cultivate — возделывать /почву/; искать чьего-либо общества, дружбы) without claiming her love (не требуя ее любви). This I promised, and so the matter rests (это я пообещал, тем дело и кончилось; to rest — отдыхать; прекращать дело /юр./)."
whole [hǝul], withdraw [wɪðˈdrɔ:], cultivate [ˈkʌltɪveɪt]
"He was very sorry for all that had passed, and he recognised how foolish and how selfish it was that he should imagine that he could hold a beautiful woman like his sister to himself for her whole life. If she had to leave him he had rather it was to a neighbour like myself than to anyone else. But in any case it was a blow to him, and it would take him some time before he could prepare himself to meet it. He would withdraw all opposition upon his part if I would promise for three months to let the matter rest and to be content with cultivating the lady's friendship during that time without claiming her love. This I promised, and so the matter rests."
So there is one of our small mysteries cleared up (так разъяснилась одна из наших маленьких загадок). It is something to have touched bottom anywhere in this bog (и это уже кое-что — коснуться дна где-нибудь в том болоте) in which we are floundering (в котором мы барахтаемся). We know now why Stapleton looked with disfavour upon his sister's suitor (теперь вы знаете, почему Стэплтон с неприязнью смотрел на поклонника своей сестры) — even when that suitor was so eligible a one as Sir Henry (даже если этот поклонник столь желателен, как сэр Генри; eligible — имеющий право, могущий быть избранным /for — в должность; into — в члены какого-либо общества/; годный; подходящий, желательный). And now I pass on to another thread (а теперь я перехожу к другой ниточке) which I have extricated out of the tangled skein (которую я вытащил из этого запутанного клубка; to extricate — объяснять, разгадывать; вытаскивать), the mystery of the sobs in the night (к загадке ночных рыданий), of the tear-stained face of Mrs. Barrymore (заплаканному лицу миссис Бэрримор), of the secret journey of the butler to the western lattice window (/и/ тайному хождению дворецкого к западному зарешеченному окну). Congratulate me, my dear Holmes (поздравьте меня, дорогой Холмс), and tell me that I have not disappointed you as an agent (и скажите, что я не разочаровал вас в роли вашего представителя) — that you do not regret the confidence (что вы не жалеете о доверии) which you showed in me when you sent me down (которое мне оказали, послав меня сюда). All these things have by one night's work been thoroughly cleared (полностью прояснить все эти вопросы было делом одной ночи).
bottom [ˈbɔtǝm], suitor [ˈsju:tǝ], lattice [ˈlætɪs]
So there is one of our small mysteries cleared up. It is something to have touched bottom anywhere in this bog in which we are floundering. We know now why Stapleton looked with disfavour upon his sister's suitor — even when that suitor was so eligible a one as Sir Henry. And now I pass on to another thread which I have extricated out of the tangled skein, the mystery of the sobs in the night, of the tear-stained face of Mrs. Barrymore, of the secret journey of the butler to the western lattice window. Congratulate me, my dear Holmes, and tell me that I have not disappointed you as an agent — that you do not regret the confidence which you showed in me when you sent me down. All these things have by one night's work been thoroughly cleared.
I have said "by one night's work" (я сказал, "делом одной ночи"), but, in truth, it was by two nights' work (но по правде /говоря/, двух ночей), for on the first we drew entirely blank (поскольку в первую /ночь/ мы потерпели полную неудачу; to draw blank — вытащить пустышку, вернуться ни с чем). I sat up with Sir Henry in his room until nearly three o'clock in the morning (мы с сэром Генри просидели в его комнате почти до трех утра), but no sound of any sort did we hear (но мы не услышали никаких звуков) except the chiming clock upon the stairs (кроме боя часов на лестнице). It was a most melancholy vigil (это дежурство было совершенно утомительным), and ended by each of us falling asleep in our chairs (и закончилось /тем, что/ мы оба заснули в своих креслах; to fall asleep — засыпать). Fortunately we were not discouraged (к счастью, нас /это/ не обескуражило), and we determined to try again (и мы решили попробовать снова; to determine — определять; решать, выносить решение). The next night we lowered the lamp and sat smoking cigarettes (следующей ночью мы убавили в лампе свет и сидели, куря папиросы), without making the least sound (не производя ни малейшего шума). It was incredible how slowly the hours crawled by (время тянулось: «часы ползли» невероятно медленно), and yet we were helped through it (но, тем не менее, нам помогла это /выдержать/) by the same sort of patient interest (та же настойчивая увлеченность) which the hunter must feel as he watches the trap (которую должен чувствовать охотник, когда караулит у капкана) into which he hopes the game may wander (на который, как он надеется, может набрести зверь; game — дичь, добыча на охоте). One struck, and two (пробило час, потом два; to strike), and we had almost for the second time given it up in despair (и мы, отчаявшись, почти отказались /от своей затеи/ во второй раз; to give up — оставить, отказаться), when in an instant we both sat bolt upright in our chairs (когда через мгновение мы оба резко выпрямились: «сели прямо» в наших креслах; bolt upright — совершенно прямо /стоять, сидеть и т. п./; bolt — арбалетная стрела), with all our weary senses keenly on the alert once more (/и/ все наши /притупившиеся/ от усталости чувства вновь резко обострились; keenly — сильно; on the alert — быть начеку, настороже; once more — еще раз, снова). We had heard the creak of a step in the passage (мы услышали скрип ступеньки = звук шагов в коридоре; to hear; step — шаг; ступенька, приступка).
