expedition [ˌekspɪˈdɪʃ(ǝ)n], notorious [nǝ(u)ˈtɔ:rɪǝs], prison [prɪzn]
This, then, was the explanation of the stealthy expeditions at night and the light at the window. Sir Henry and I both stared at the woman in amazement. Was it possible that this stolidly respectable person was of the same blood as one of the most notorious criminals in the country?
"Yes, sir, my name was Selden, and he is my younger brother. We humoured him too much when he was a lad, and gave him his own way in everything until he came to think that the world was made for his pleasure, and that he could do what he liked in it. Then, as he grew older, he met wicked companions, and the devil entered into him until he broke my mother's heart and dragged our name in the dirt. From crime to crime he sank lower and lower, until it is only the mercy of God which has snatched him from the scaffold; but to me, sir, he was always the little curly-headed boy that I had nursed and played with, as an elder sister would. That was why he broke prison, sir. He knew that I was here and that we could not refuse to help him.
"When he dragged himself here one night (когда он однажды ночью притащился сюда), weary and starving (изможденный и голодный; to starve — умирать от голода, очень хотеть есть), with the warders hard at his heels (с преследователями, /уже идущими/ по пятам; warder — караульный; hard — упорно; вплотную; at one’s heels — следом, по пятам), what could we do (что мы могли сделать)? We took him in and fed him and cared for him (мы приютили его, накормили и позаботились о нем; to take in — принимать /гостя/; предоставлять приют). Then you returned, sir, and my brother thought (затем приехали: «вернулись» вы, сэр, и мой брат подумал) he would be safer on the moor than anywhere else (/что/ ему будет безопаснее на болотах, чем где-либо еще) until the hue and cry was over (пока не закончится = не стихнет шум/погоня; hue and cry — погоня; крики "лови!, держи!"; выкрики: to raise a hue and cry — поднять шум и крик), so he lay in hiding there (и вот он скрывается там; to lie — лежать; оставаться в каком-либо положении или состоянии). But every second night we made sure (но каждую вторую ночь мы проверяем: «убеждаемся») if he was still there (там ли он все еще) by putting a light in the window (зажигая свет в окне; to put a light — зажечь свет), and if there was an answer (и если оттуда есть ответ) my husband took out some bread and meat to him (мой муж выносит ему хлеб и мясо). Every day we hoped that he was gone (каждый день мы надеемся, что он ушел), but as long as he was there we could not desert him (но пока он там, мы не можем оставить его). That is the whole truth (вот вся правда), as I am an honest Christian woman (потому что я честная христианка), and you will see that if there is blame in the matter (и вы видите, что и если есть в этом /деле какой/ грех; blame — виновность; грех /устар./) it does not lie with my husband, but with me (он лежит не на моем муже, а на мне), for whose sake he has done all that he has (ради чьего блага он сделал все то, что сделал)."
The woman's words came with an intense earnestness (слова этой женщины звучали с глубокой искренностью) which carried conviction with them (которая убеждала /в ее правоте/; to carry — нести; выражать, передавать).
"Is this true, Barrymore (это правда, Бэрримор)?"
"Yes, Sir Henry. Every word of it (да, сэр, каждое слово)."
"Well, I cannot blame you for standing by your own wife (хорошо, я не могу винить вас /в том, что/ вы помогаете свой собственной жене; to stand by — оказывать поддержу, помощь). Forget what I have said (забудьте, что я сказал). Go to your room, you two (вы оба идите в свою комнату), and we shall talk further about this matter in the morning (а утром мы продолжим разговор на эту тему)."
notorious [nǝ(u)ˈtɔ:rɪǝs], nurse [nǝ:s], earnestness [ˈǝ:nɪstnǝs]
"When he dragged himself here one night, weary and starving, with the warders hard at his heels, what could we do? We took him in and fed him and cared for him. Then you returned, sir, and my brother thought he would be safer on the moor than anywhere else until the hue and cry was over, so he lay in hiding there. But every second night we made sure if he was still there by putting a light in the window, and if there was an answer my husband took out some bread and meat to him. Every day we hoped that he was gone, but as long as he was there we could not desert him. That is the whole truth, as I am an honest Christian woman, and you will see that if there is blame in the matter it does not lie with my husband, but with me, for whose sake he has done all that he has."
The woman's words came with an intense earnestness which carried conviction with them.
"Is this true, Barrymore?"
"Yes, Sir Henry. Every word of it."
"Well, I cannot blame you for standing by your own wife. Forget what I have said. Go to your room, you two, and we shall talk further about this matter in the morning."
When they were gone (когда они ушли) we looked out of the window again (мы снова посмотрели в окно). Sir Henry had flung it open (сэр Генри резко открыл его; to fling — бросаться; делать быстрое, стремительное движение), and the cold night wind beat in upon our faces (и холодный ночной ветер ударил нам в лицо). Far away in the black distance (там, в темной дали; far away — далеко; distance — расстояние; даль) there still glowed that one tiny point of yellow light (все еще горела крошечная желтая точка).
"I wonder he dares (удивляюсь, /как/ ему не страшно; to dare — осмеливаться; пренебрегать опасностью)," said Sir Henry.
"It may be so placed (это, наверное, такое место) as to be only visible from here (/которое/ видно только отсюда)."
"Very likely (очень может быть). How far do you think it is (насколько оно далеко, как вы думаете)?"
"Out by the Cleft Tor, I think (полагаю, возле Расколотой Скалы; to cleave — раскалывать)."
"Not more than a mile or two off (не более одной-двух миль)."
"Hardly that (навряд ли так)."
"Well, it cannot be far (ну, оно не может быть далеко) if Barrymore had to carry out the food to it (если Бэрримору приходилось носить туда еду). And he is waiting, this villain, beside that candle (а он ждет, этот негодяй, со своей свечой; beside — рядом, около). By thunder, Watson, I am going out to take that man (черт возьми, Ватсон, я выйду и поймаю этого человека; to take — брать; хватать; by thunder — «клянусь громом»)!"
dare [dɛǝ], visible [ˈvɪzǝbl], villain [ˈvɪlǝn]
When they were gone we looked out of the window again. Sir Henry had flung it open, and the cold night wind beat in upon our faces. Far away in the black distance there still glowed that one tiny point of yellow light.
"I wonder he dares," said Sir Henry.
"It may be so placed as to be only visible from here."
"Very likely. How far do you think it is?"
"Out by the Cleft Tor, I think."
"Not more than a mile or two off."
"Hardly that."
"Well, it cannot be far if Barrymore had to carry out the food to it. And he is waiting, this villain, beside that candle. By thunder, Watson, I am going out to take that man!"
The same thought had crossed my own mind (та же мысль мелькнула и у меня; to cross one’s mind — внезапно прийти в голову, осенить /кого-либо/). It was not as if the Barrymores had taken us into their confidence (Бэрриморы же не доверились нам; to take smb. into one’s confidence — поведать кому-либо свои тайны, довериться кому-л). Their secret had been forced from them (/мы/ их заставили /раскрыть/ свою тайну). The man was a danger to the community (этот человек был угрозой для общества), an unmitigated scoundrel for whom there was neither pity nor excuse (законченным негодяем, для которого не было ни жалости, ни прощения; unmitigated — несмягченный; полный, абсолютный; to mitigate — смягчать, уменьшать /строгость, суровость; наказание/; умерять, сдерживать /жар, пыл/). We were only doing our duty (мы только выполнили /бы/ свой долг) in taking this chance of putting him back (воспользовавшись возможностью вернуть его /туда/) where he could do no harm (где он не мог причинить никакого вреда). With his brutal and violent nature (из-за его жестокого и зверского нрава), others would have to pay the price (другим бы пришлось расплачиваться) if we held our hands (если бы мы /сидели/, сложа руки). Any night, for example, our neighbours the Stapletons might be attacked by him (в любую ночь он мог бы напасть на наших соседей, к примеру, на Стэплтонов), and it may have been the thought of this (и, может быть, /именно/ эта мысль) which made Sir Henry so keen upon the adventure (заставила сэра Генри так загореться этой авантюрой; keen — острый; увлеченный, пылкий).
"I will come (я /тоже/ пойду)," said I.
"Then get your revolver and put on your boots (тогда возьмите свой револьвер и наденьте ботинки). The sooner we start the better (чем скорее мы отправимся, тем лучше), as the fellow may put out his light and be off (так как парень может погасить свечу и убраться /оттуда/; to put out — выгонять; тушить, гасить)."
confidence [ˈkɔnfɪd(ǝ)ns], scoundrel [ˈskaundr(ǝ)l], start [stɑ:t]
The same thought had crossed my own mind. It was not as if the Barrymores had taken us into their confidence. Their secret had been forced from them. The man was a danger to the community, an unmitigated scoundrel for whom there was neither pity nor excuse. We were only doing our duty in taking this chance of putting him back where he could do no harm. With his brutal and violent nature, others would have to pay the price if we held our hands. Any night, for example, our neighbours the Stapletons might be attacked by him, and it may have been the thought of this which made Sir Henry so keen upon the adventure.
"I will come," said I.
"Then get your revolver and put on your boots. The sooner we start the better, as the fellow may put out his light and be off."
In five minutes we were outside the door (через пять минут мы были уже снаружи), starting upon our expedition (отправляясь в нашу экспедицию). We hurried through the dark shrubbery (мы поспешно пробирались через темный кустарник), amid the dull moaning of the autumn wind (под заунывные стоны осеннего ветра) and the rustle of the falling leaves (и шелест опадающих листьев). The night air was heavy with the smell of damp and decay (ночной воздух был насыщен запахами сырости и гниения; heavy — тяжелый; насыщенный). Now and again the moon peeped out for an instant (иногда на секунду выглядывала луна), but clouds were driving over the face of the sky (но по небу мчались тучи) and just as we came out on the moor (и как только мы вышли на болота) a thin rain began to fall (начал моросить: «падать» мелкий дождик). The light still burned steadily in front (свет все еще равномерно горел впереди).
