My nerves thrilled with anticipation when at last the cold wind upon our faces and the dark, void spaces on either side of the narrow road told me that we were back upon the moor once again. Every stride of the horses and every turn of the wheels was taking us nearer to our supreme adventure.
Our conversation was hampered by the presence of the driver of the hired wagonette, so that we were forced to talk of trivial matters when our nerves were tense with emotion and anticipation. It was a relief to me, after that unnatural restraint, when we at last passed Frankland's house and knew that we were drawing near to the Hall and to the scene of action. We did not drive up to the door, but got down near the gate of the avenue. The wagonette was paid off and ordered to return to Temple Coombe forthwith, while we started to walk to Merripit House.
"Are you armed, Lestrade (вы вооружены, Лестрейд)?"
The little detective smiled (маленький сыщик улыбнулся).
"As long as I have my trousers (поскольку на мне брюки: «у меня есть брюки») I have a hip-pocket (у меня есть задний карман; hip — бедро), and as long as I have my hip-pocket (а поскольку у меня есть задний карман) I have something in it (у меня в нем кое-что есть)."
"Good! My friend and I are also ready for emergencies (мы с другом тоже готовы к крайним мерам; emergency — непредвиденный случай, крайность)."
"You're mighty close about this affair (вы очень скрываете /все, относящееся/ к этому делу; mighty — весьма, очень; close — закрытый; скрытный), Mr. Holmes. What's the game now (какие теперь планы; game — игра; дело, замысел /разг./)?"
"A waiting game (только ждать; waiting game — тактика выжидания)."
"My word, it does not seem a very cheerful place (клянусь: «мое слово», это место не кажется очень-то веселым)," said the detective, with a shiver, glancing round him (сказал детектив, вздрогнув и бросив взгляд вокруг /себя/; shiver — дрожание, дрожь, трепет) at the gloomy slopes of the hill (на угрюмые склоны холмов) and at the huge lake of fog (и огромное озеро тумана) which lay over the Grimpen Mire (которое лежало над Гримпенской трясиной). "I see the lights of a house ahead of us (я вижу огни в доме впереди «нас»)."
"That is Merripit House and the end of our journey (это Меррипит-хаус и цель нашего путешествия; end — конец; итог, результат). I must request you to walk on tiptoe (должен попросить вас идти очень тихо; to request — требовать; обращаться с просьбой; to walk on tiptoe — идти на цыпочках) and not to talk above a whisper (и не говорить иначе, как шепотом: «выше шепота»)."
We moved cautiously along the track (мы осторожно двигались по тропе) as if we were bound for the house (как будто направляясь к дому; to be bound for — следовать /куда-либо/), but Holmes halted us (но Холмс остановил нас) when we were about two hundred yards from it (когда мы были примерно в двухстах ярдах от него).
"This will do (останемся тут: «это подойдет»)," said he. "These rocks upon the right make an admirable screen (эти камни справа создают замечательное прикрытие)."
"We are to wait here (мы должны ждать здесь)?"
"Yes, we shall make our little ambush here (сделаем здесь небольшую засаду). Get into this hollow, Lestrade (встаньте в этот проем, Лестрейд; hollow — полость; выемка). You have been inside the house, have you not, Watson (вы были в доме, не так ли, Ватсон)? Can you tell the position of the rooms (можете рассказать о расположении комнат)? What are those latticed windows at this end (что это за решетчатые окна в том конце)?"
"I think they are the kitchen windows (полагаю, это окна кухни)."
trousers [ˈtrauzǝz], friend [frend], hollow [ˈhɔlǝu]
"Are you armed, Lestrade?"
The little detective smiled.
"As long as I have my trousers I have a hip-pocket, and as long as I have my hip-pocket I have something in it."
"Good! My friend and I are also ready for emergencies."
"You're mighty close about this affair, Mr. Holmes. What's the game now?"
"A waiting game."
"My word, it does not seem a very cheerful place," said the detective, with a shiver, glancing round him at the gloomy slopes of the hill and at the huge lake of fog which lay over the Grimpen Mire. "I see the lights of a house ahead of us."
"That is Merripit House and the end of our journey. I must request you to walk on tiptoe and not to talk above a whisper."
We moved cautiously along the track as if we were bound for the house, but Holmes halted us when we were about two hundred yards from it.
"This will do," said he. "These rocks upon the right make an admirable screen."
"We are to wait here?"
"Yes, we shall make our little ambush here. Get into this hollow, Lestrade. You have been inside the house, have you not, Watson? Can you tell the position of the rooms? What are those latticed windows at this end?"
"I think they are the kitchen windows."
"And the one beyond (а вон то позади), which shines so brightly (которое так ярко светится; to shine — светить)?"
"That is certainly the dining-room (это наверняка столовая)."
"The blinds are up (шторы подняты). You know the lie of the land best (вы знаете лучше расположение; the lie of the land — мор. направление на берег; положение вещей). Creep forward quietly (тихонько проберитесь к дому: «вперед»; to creep — ползти; подкрадываться) and see what they are doing (и взгляните, что они делают) — but for Heaven's sake don't let them know (но ради Бога, не дайте им заметить) that they are watched (что за ними наблюдают)!"
I tip-toed down the path (я прокрался по тропе; tiptoe — кончики пальцев ног, цыпочки; to tiptoe — ходить на цыпочках, стоять на цыпочках, подниматься на цыпочки; красться, подкрадываться) and stooped behind the low wall (и пригнулся за низкой оградой: «стеной») which surrounded the stunted orchard (которая окружала чахлый сад Стэплтонов; orchard — фруктовый сад). Creeping in its shadow I reached a point (пробираясь в его тени, я достиг места) whence I could look straight through the uncurtained window (откуда я мог смотреть прямо сквозь незашторенное окно; curtain — штора).
There were only two men in the room (в комнате было только два человека), Sir Henry and Stapleton. They sat with their profiles towards me (они сидели в профиль ко мне) on either side of the round table (с каждой стороны = по обе стороны круглого стола). Both of them were smoking cigars (оба курили сигары), and coffee and wine were in front of them (а кофе и вино стояли перед ними). Stapleton was talking with animation (Стэплтон говорил оживленно; animation — анимация; воодушевление, оживление), but the Baronet looked pale and distrait (но баронет выглядел бледным и рассеянным). Perhaps the thought of that lonely walk across the ill-omened moor (возможно, мысль о прогулке в одиночестве через зловещие болота) was weighing heavily upon his mind (весьма тяготила его душу; to weigh — весить; тяготить; heavily — весьма, очень).
tiptoe [ˈtɪptǝu], orchard [ˈɔ:tʃǝd], animation [ˌænɪˈmeɪʃ(ǝ)n]
"And the one beyond, which shines so brightly?"
"That is certainly the dining-room."
"The blinds are up. You know the lie of the land best. Creep forward quietly and see what they are doing — but for Heaven's sake don't let them know that they are watched!"
I tip-toed down the path and stooped behind the low wall which surrounded the stunted orchard. Creeping in its shadow I reached a point whence I could look straight through the uncurtained window.
There were only two men in the room, Sir Henry and Stapleton. They sat with their profiles towards me on either side of the round table. Both of them were smoking cigars, and coffee and wine were in front of them. Stapleton was talking with animation, but the Baronet looked pale and distrait. Perhaps the thought of that lonely walk across the ill-omened moor was weighing heavily upon his mind.
As I watched them (пока я следил за ними) Stapleton rose and left the room (Стэплтон поднялся и покинул комнату), while Sir Henry filled his glass again (тогда как сэр Генри снова наполнил свой бокал) and leaned back in his chair, puffing at his cigar (и откинулся в кресле, покуривая сигару; to puff — дуть порывами /о ветре/; покуривать, попыхивать). I heard the creak of a door (я услыхал скрип двери) and the crisp sound of boots upon gravel (и хрустящий звук башмаков, /ступающих/ по гравию). The steps passed along the path on the other side of the wall (шаги удалились: «прошли» по тропинке с той стороны ограды) under which I crouched (за которой я прятался; to crouch — припасть к земле; согнуться). Looking over, I saw (выглянув: «взглянув поверх», я увидел) the naturalist pause at the door of an out-house (что натуралист остановился у двери сарая; out-house — надворная /хозяйственная/ постройка) in the corner of the orchard (в углу сада). A key turned in a lock (ключ повернулся в замке), and as he passed in (и когда он вошел внутрь) there was a curious scuffling noise from within (оттуда /донесся/ какой-то чудной шаркающий шум = словно ктото шаркал ногами; to scuffle — ходить, шаркая ногами). He was only a minute or so inside (он был внутри с минуту или чуть больше), and then I heard the key turn once more (затем я услышал снова поворот ключа) and he passed me and re-entered the house (он прошел мимо меня и снова вошел в дом). I saw him rejoin his guest (я увидел, что он присоединился к гостю), and I crept quietly back (а я, бесшумно крадучись, /отправился назад/) to where my companions were waiting (где ждали мои товарищи) to tell them what I had seen (/чтобы/ рассказать им, что я видел).
"You say, Watson, that the lady is not there (вы говорите, что дамы нет с ними)?" Holmes asked, when I had finished my report (спросил Холмс, когда я закончил свой отчет).
"No."
chair [tʃɛǝ], crouch [krautʃ], scuffle [skʌfl]
As I watched them Stapleton rose and left the room, while Sir Henry filled his glass again and leaned back in his chair, puffing at his cigar. I heard the creak of a door and the crisp sound of boots upon gravel. The steps passed along the path on the other side of the wall under which I crouched. Looking over, I saw the naturalist pause at the door of an out-house in the corner of the orchard. A key turned in a lock, and as he passed in there was a curious scuffling noise from within. He was only a minute or so inside, and then I heard the key turn once more and he passed me and re-entered the house. I saw him rejoin his guest, and I crept quietly back to where my companions were waiting to tell them what I had seen.
"You say, Watson, that the lady is not there?" Holmes asked, when I had finished my report.
"No."
"Where can she be, then (тогда где /же/ она может быть), since there is no light in any other room except the kitchen (раз света нет ни в каких других комнатах, кроме кухни)?"
