"Yes, we should have a full day to-day," he remarked, and he rubbed his hands with the joy of action. "The nets are all in place, and the drag is about to begin. We'll know before the day is out whether we have caught our big, lean-jawed pike, or whether he has got through the meshes."
"Have you been on the moor already?"
"I have sent a report from Grimpen to Princetown as to the death of Selden. I think I can promise that none of you will be troubled in the matter. And I have also communicated with my faithful Cartwright, who would certainly have pined away at the door of my hut as a dog does at his master's grave if I had not set his mind at rest about my safety."
"What is the next move?"
"To see Sir Henry. Ah, here he is!"
"Good morning, Holmes," said the Baronet. "You look like a general (вы выглядите, как генерал) who is planning a battle with his chief of the staff (который разрабатывает план сражения со своим начальником штаба)."
"That is the exact situation (так оно и есть: «это точная ситуация = ситуация точно такая»). Watson was asking for orders (Ватсон спрашивал, /какие будут/ указания)."
"And so do I (и я тоже)."
"Very good. You are engaged, as I understand (вы приглашены, насколько я понимаю), to dine with our friends the Stapletons to-night (обедать с нашими друзьями Стэплтонами сегодня вечером)."
"I hope that you will come also (надеюсь, что вы пойдете тоже). They are very hospitable people (они очень гостеприимные люди), and I am sure that they would be very glad to see you (и я уверен, что они будут очень рады видеть вас)."
"I fear that Watson and I must go to London (боюсь, мы с Ватсоном должны ехать в Лондон)."
"To London?"
"Yes, I think that we should be more useful there (да, я думаю, что мы будем полезнее там) at the present juncture (при сложившейся в данный момент ситуации; juncture — соединение /как процесс/; присоединение, сращивание; место соединения; стечение обстоятельств, сложившаяся ситуация /особ. критическая/)."
The Baronet's face perceptibly lengthened (лицо баронета заметно: «ощутимо» вытянулось).
"I hoped that you were going to see me through this business (я надеялся, что вы не оставите меня в этом деле; through — через; to see through — доводить до конца; to see smb. through smth. — помогать кому-либо в чем-либо). The Hall and the moor are not very pleasant places (Баскервиль-холл и болота не очень приятные места) when one is alone (когда находишься в одиночестве)."
"My dear fellow, you must trust me implicitly (вы должны довериться мне безоговорочно; implicitly — полностью, всецело; без колебаний, безоговорочно) and do exactly what I tell you (и делать в точности все, что я вам говорю). You can tell your friends (вы можете сказать своим друзьям) that we should have been happy to have come with you (что мы были бы счастливы пойти с вами), but that urgent business required us to be in town (но срочное дело требует нашего/присутствия/ в городе). We hope very soon to return to Devonshire (мы надеемся очень скоро вернуться в Девоншир). Will you remember to give them that message (вы не забудете: «запомните» передать им это сообщение)?"
"If you insist upon it (если вы на этом настаиваете)."
"There is no alternative, I assure you (выбора нет, уверяю вас)."
staff [stA:f], engage [In'geIdZ], lengthen ['leNT(@)n]
"Good morning, Holmes," said the Baronet. "You look like a general who is planning a battle with his chief of the staff."
"That is the exact situation. Watson was asking for orders."
"And so do I."
"Very good. You are engaged, as I understand, to dine with our friends the Stapletons to-night."
"I hope that you will come also. They are very hospitable people, and I am sure that they would be very glad to see you."
"I fear that Watson and I must go to London."
"To London?"
"Yes, I think that we should be more useful there at the present juncture."
The Baronet's face perceptibly lengthened.
"I hoped that you were going to see me through this business. The Hall and the moor are not very pleasant places when one is alone."
"My dear fellow, you must trust me implicitly and do exactly what I tell you. You can tell your friends that we should have been happy to have come with you, but that urgent business required us to be in town. We hope very soon to return to Devonshire. Will you remember to give them that message?"
"If you insist upon it."
"There is no alternative, I assure you."
I saw by the Baronet's clouded brow (я смотрел на насупленные брови баронета; to cloud — покрывать тучами; хмуриться; cloud — облако; туча) that he was deeply hurt (/понимая/ что он глубоко задет) by what he regarded as our desertion (тем, что он расценил как наше дезертирство).
"When do you desire to go (когда вы намерены: «желаете» ехать)?" he asked, coldly (спросил он холодно).
"Immediately after breakfast (сразу же после завтрака). We will drive in to Coombe Tracey (мы поедем в Кум-Трэйси), but Watson will leave his things as a pledge (но Ватсон оставит свои вещи как залог) that he will come back to you (что он вернется к вам). Watson, you will send a note to Stapleton (Ватсон, вы пошлете Стэплтону записку) to tell him that you regret that you cannot come (и скажете ему, что сожалеете, что не можете прийти)."
"I have a good mind to go to London with you (я бы поехал в Лондон с вами; to have a good mind — быть склонным /что-либо сделать/)," said the Baronet. "Why should I stay here alone (почему я должен оставаться здесь один)?"
"Because it is your post of duty (потому что это ваша обязанность; post — пост /часового/; duty — обязанность). Because you gave me your word (потому что вы дали мне слово) that you would do as you were told (что вы сделаете, как вам скажут), and I tell you to stay (а я говорю вам остаться)."
"All right, then, I'll stay (хорошо, значит, я останусь)."
"One more direction (еще одно указание)! I wish you to drive to Merripit House (я хочу, чтоб вы поехали в Меррипит-хаус). Send back your trap, however (однако /потом/ коляску отошлете), and let them know that you intend to walk home (и дадите им знать, что намерены идти домой пешком)."
"To walk across the moor (пешком через болота)?"
"Yes."
desertion [dI' [email protected]:S(@)n], come [kVm], intend [In'tend]
I saw by the Baronet's clouded brow that he was deeply hurt by what he regarded as our desertion.
"When do you desire to go?" he asked, coldly.
"Immediately after breakfast. We will drive in to Coombe Tracey, but Watson will leave his things as a pledge that he will come back to you. Watson, you will send a note to Stapleton to tell him that you regret that you cannot come."
"I have a good mind to go to London with you," said the Baronet. "Why should I stay here alone?"
"Because it is your post of duty. Because you gave me your word that you would do as you were told, and I tell you to stay."
"All right, then, I'll stay."
"One more direction! I wish you to drive to Merripit House. Send back your trap, however, and let them know that you intend to walk home."
"To walk across the moor?"
"Yes."
"But that is the very thing (но это же то: «та вещь») which you have so often cautioned me not to do (что вы так часто предупреждали меня не делать; to caution — предостерегать)."
"This time you may do it with safety (в этот раз можете сделать это смело; safety — безопасность). If I had not every confidence in your nerve and courage (если бы у меня не было полной уверенности в вашем мужестве и храбрости; every — каждый; всевозможный; nerve — нерв; сила духа, мужество) I would not suggest it (я бы не предложил этого), but it is essential that you should do it (но необходимо, чтобы вы сделали это)."
"Then I will do it (тогда я сделаю это)."
"And as you value your life (и если вы дорожите жизнью) do not go across the moor in any direction (не идите через болота ни в каком другом направлении) save along the straight path (кроме как по прямой тропинке) which leads from Merripit House to the Grimpen Road (которая ведет от Меррипит-хаус к дороге на Гримпен), and is your natural way home (и является вашей обычной дорогой домой)."
"I will do just what you say (я сделаю так, как вы говорите)."
"Very good. I should be glad to get away (я был бы рад уехать) as soon after breakfast as possible (после завтрака настолько быстро, насколько возможно), so as to reach London in the afternoon (чтобы добраться до Лондона к полудню)."
courage ['kVrIdZ], essential [I'senS(@)l], afternoon [,A: [email protected]'nu:n]
"But that is the very thing which you have so often cautioned me not to do."
"This time you may do it with safety. If I had not every confidence in your nerve and courage I would not suggest it, but it is essential that you should do it."
"Then I will do it."
"And as you value your life do not go across the moor in any direction save along the straight path which leads from Merripit House to the Grimpen Road, and is your natural way home."
"I will do just what you say."
"Very good. I should be glad to get away as soon after breakfast as possible, so as to reach London in the afternoon."
I was much astounded by this programme (я был сильно удивлен таким планом), though I remembered that Holmes had said to Stapleton on the night before (хотя помнил, что Холмс сказал Стэплтону предыдущим вечером) that his visit would terminate next day (что его пребывание /в Баскервиль-холле/ закончится на следующий день; to terminate — ограничивать; завершать). It had not crossed my mind, however (однако мне не приходило в голову; to cross one’s mind — внезапно прийти в голову; to cross — пересекать), that he would wish me to go with him (что он пожелает, чтобы я ехал с ним), nor could I understand how we could both be absent at a moment (и я не мог понять, как мы оба можем отсутствовать в тот момент) which he himself declared to be critical (который он сам назвал: «объявил» критическим). There was nothing for it, however, but implicit obedience (однако ничего не оставалось, кроме безоговорочного подчинения); so we bade good-bye to our rueful friend (поэтому мы попрощались с нашим опечаленным другом; to bid good-bye — сказать "прощай"), and a couple of hours afterwards we were at the station of Coombe Tracey (и пару часов спустя мы были на железнодорожной станции в Кум-Трэйси) and had dispatched the trap upon its return journey (и отослали коляску назад; return — возвращение; journey — путешествие, поездка). A small boy was waiting upon the platform (маленький мальчик ждал на платформе).
"Any orders, sir (какие приказания, сэр)?"
