"'Take him to the main guard,' said I (отведите его к главному караулу, — сказал я). The two Sikhs closed in upon him on each side, and the giant walked behind (два сикха встали у него по бокам, гигант пошел сзади; to close in — наступать с целью нападения, постепенно окружать), while they marched in through the dark gate-way (когда они проходили через темные ворота). Never was a man so compassed round with death (никогда еще не был человек так окружен смертью; to compass — окружать, опоясывать). I remained at the gate-way with the lantern (я остался у ворот с фонарем).
abuse [@'bju:z], blessed ['blesId], possession [ [email protected]'zeS(@)n], giant [' [email protected]]
"'Your protection, Sahib,' he panted, — 'your protection for the unhappy merchant Achmet. I have travelled across Rajpootana that I might seek the shelter of the fort at Agra. I have been robbed and beaten and abused because I have been the friend of the Company. It is a blessed night this when I am once more in safety, — I and my poor possessions.'
"'What have you in the bundle?' I asked.
"'An iron box,' he answered, 'which contains one or two little family matters which are of no value to others, but which I should be sorry to lose. Yet I am not a beggar; and I shall reward you, young Sahib, and your governor also, if he will give me the shelter I ask.'
"I could not trust myself to speak longer with the man. The more I looked at his fat, frightened face, the harder did it seem that we should slay him in cold blood. It was best to get it over.
"'Take him to the main guard,' said I. The two Sikhs closed in upon him on each side, and the giant walked behind, while they marched in through the dark gate-way. Never was a man so compassed round with death. I remained at the gate-way with the lantern.
"I could hear the measured tramp of their footsteps sounding through the lonely corridors (я слышал равномерную поступь их шагов, разносящуюся по пустынным коридорам; measured — мерный, метрический; мерный, размеренный; tramp — звук тяжелых шагов; топот; to sound — звучать). Suddenly it ceased, and I heard voices (внезапно шаги затихли, и я услышал голоса; to cease — переставать, прекращать; прекращаться), and a scuffle, with the sound of blows (звуки борьбы, послышались удары: «и драку со звуком ударов»; scuffle — драка, потасовка). A moment later there came, to my horror, a rush of footsteps coming in my direction (мгновением позже, к моему ужасу, послышался топот в мою сторону; rush — стремительное движение, бросок; спешка, суета), with the loud breathing of a running man (сопровождаемый громким дыханием бегущего человека). I turned my lantern down the long, straight passage (я осветил фонарем: «я повернул мой фонарь вниз на» длинный прямой проход), and there was the fat man, running like the wind, with a smear of blood across his face (и вот он был, толстяк, несущийся как ветер, с пятном крови на лице), and close at his heels, bounding like a tiger, the great black-bearded Sikh, with a knife flashing in his hand (а за ним по пятам, прыгая, как тигр, бежал огромный чернобородый сикх, поблескивая ножом в руке; close — близко; рядом). I have never seen a man run so fast as that little merchant (никогда я не видел, чтобы человек так быстро бежал, как этот маленький купец). He was gaining on the Sikh (он отрывался от сикха; to gain — добывать, зарабатывать; выигрывать, выгадывать; нагонять /о догоняющем/; отрываться /об убегающем/), and I could see that if he once passed me and got to the open air he would save himself yet (и я видел, что если бы он снова меня миновал и выбрался на простор: «открытый воздух», он еще мог бы спастись). My heart softened to him (мне было жаль его; to soften — смягчать; смягчаться; становиться мягче, добрее), but again the thought of his treasure turned me hard and bitter (но снова мысль о сокровищах ожесточила меня; to turn — поворачивать/ся/; делаться, становиться, превращаться; hard — жесткий, твердый; черствый, бессердечный; bitter — горький; злой; ожесточенный). I cast my firelock between his legs as he raced past (я сделал ему подножку мушкетом: «я бросил мой мушкет между его ног», когда он пробегал мимо; to race — состязаться в скорости, пускаться наперегонки; мчаться, нестись), and he rolled twice over like a shot rabbit (и он упал, дважды перекувырнувшись, словно подстреленный кролик; to roll — катиться; вертеться, вращаться; to roll over — опрокидываться, переворачиваться). Ere he could stagger to his feet the Sikh was upon him (прежде чем он мог встать, сикх бросился на него; to stagger — шататься, покачиваться), and buried his knife twice in his side (и дважды вонзил нож ему в бок; to bury — хоронить; погружать). The man never uttered moan nor moved muscle, but lay where he had fallen (он не застонал и лежал не шевелившись: «человек не издал стона и не двинул /ни одним/ мускулом, но лежал» там, где он упал; to utter — издавать звук; moan — стон). I think myself that he may have broken his neck with the fall (лично я думаю, что он, вероятно, сломал себе шею, упав). You see, gentlemen, that I am keeping my promise (вы видите, джентльмены, что я выполняю свое обещание). I am telling you every word of the business just exactly as it happened (я все вам рассказываю: «я говорю вам каждое слово этого дела» точно так, как это случилось), whether it is in my favour or not (к моей это выгоде или нет; favour — расположение; благосклонность; поддержка, одобрение; in somebody's favour — в чью-либо пользу; к чьей-либо выгоде)."
soften ['sOf(@)n], ere [ [email protected]], bury ['berI], muscle [mVsl], favour [' [email protected]]
"I could hear the measured tramp of their footsteps sounding through the lonely corridors. Suddenly it ceased, and I heard voices, and a scuffle, with the sound of blows. A moment later there came, to my horror, a rush of footsteps coming in my direction, with the loud breathing of a running man. I turned my lantern down the long, straight passage, and there was the fat man, running like the wind, with a smear of blood across his face, and close at his heels, bounding like a tiger, the great black-bearded Sikh, with a knife flashing in his hand. I have never seen a man run so fast as that little merchant. He was gaining on the Sikh, and I could see that if he once passed me and got to the open air he would save himself yet. My heart softened to him, but again the thought of his treasure turned me hard and bitter. I cast my firelock between his legs as he raced past, and he rolled twice over like a shot rabbit. Ere he could stagger to his feet the Sikh was upon him, and buried his knife twice in his side. The man never uttered moan nor moved muscle, but lay where he had fallen. I think myself that he may have broken his neck with the fall. You see, gentlemen, that I am keeping my promise. I am telling you every word of the business just exactly as it happened, whether it is in my favour or not."
He stopped, and held out his manacled hands for the whisky-and-water which Holmes had brewed for him (он остановился и протянул свои закованные в наручники руки к виски с содовой, приготовленные для него Холмсом; to manacle — надевать наручники; to brew — варить; смешивать; приготовлять). For myself, I confess that I had now conceived the utmost horror of the man (что касается меня, то признаюсь, что меня он теперь приводил в ужас: «я теперь испытывал полный ужас от этого человека»; to conceive — постигать, понимать; испытать, ощутить; utmost — самый отдаленный; крайний; величайший), not only for this cold-blooded business in which he had been concerned (не столько из-за этого хладнокровного убийства: «дела», в котором он был замешан; to concern — касаться; иметь отношение), but even more for the somewhat flippant and careless way in which he narrated it (сколько из-за того, как легкомысленно и беззаботно он об этом рассказывал; flippant — легкомысленный, несерьезный; бездумный; careless — небрежный; легкомысленный, несерьезный; to narrate —повествовать, рассказывать). Whatever punishment was in store for him (какое бы наказание его ни ждало; store — запас, резерв; to be in store — ожидать; предстоять; быть уготованным), I felt that he might expect no sympathy from me (я чувствовал, что от меня сочувствия он вряд ли дождется; to expect — ждать, ожидать). Sherlock Holmes and Jones sat with their hands upon their knees (Шерлок Холмс и Джонс сидели, положив руки на колени), deeply interested in the story, but with the same disgust written upon their faces (увлеченные историей, но с тем же отвращением, написанным на лицах). He may have observed it, for there was a touch of defiance in his voice and manner as he proceeded (вероятно, он это заметил, так как в его голосе и манере, когда он продолжил рассказ, звучала нотка вызова; touch — прикосновение, касание; примесь, налет, оттенок; defiance — вызов; to proceed — продолжать говорить).
"It was all very bad, no doubt," said he (конечно, все это было ужасно, — сказал он; doubt — сомнение). "I should like to know how many fellows in my shoes (хотелось бы мне знать, сколько парней в моем положении: «в моих туфлях») would have refused a share of this loot (отказались бы от доли в добыче) when they knew that they would have their throats cut for their pains (если бы знали, что им за мужество перережут горло; pain — боль; pains — старания, труды; усилия). Besides, it was my life or his when once he was in the fort (кроме того, когда он оказался бы в крепости, выбор был бы между моей жизнью или его). If he had got out, the whole business would come to light (если бы он убежал, все это дело получило бы огласку: «вышло на свет»; to get out — уходить, сбегать), and I should have been court-martialled and shot as likely as not (и меня бы судили полевым судом и, скорее всего, расстреляли бы; to court-martial — судить военно-полевым судом; to shoot — стрелять); for people were not very lenient at a time like that (так как люди не очень-то снисходительны в такие времена; lenient — снисходительный; мягкий; терпимый)."
"Go on with your story," said Holmes, shortly (продолжайте свой рассказ, — кратко сказал Холмс).
interested ['Int(@) [email protected]], court-martial [,kO:t'mA:S(@)l], lenient ['li: [email protected]]
He stopped, and held out his manacled hands for the whisky-and-water which Holmes had brewed for him. For myself, I confess that I had now conceived the utmost horror of the man, not only for this cold-blooded business in which he had been concerned, but even more for the somewhat flippant and careless way in which he narrated it. Whatever punishment was in store for him, I felt that he might expect no sympathy from me. Sherlock Holmes and Jones sat with their hands upon their knees, deeply interested in the story, but with the same disgust written upon their faces. He may have observed it, for there was a touch of defiance in his voice and manner as he proceeded.
"It was all very bad, no doubt," said he. "I should like to know how many fellows in my shoes would have refused a share of this loot when they knew that they would have their throats cut for their pains. Besides, it was my life or his when once he was in the fort. If he had got out, the whole business would come to light, and I should have been court-martialled and shot as likely as not; for people were not very lenient at a time like that."
