exultant [Ig'zVlt(@)nt], delirious [dI' [email protected]], savage ['s&vIdZ]
"Hist!" cried Holmes, and I heard the sharp click of a cocking pistol. "Look out! It's coming!"
There was a thin, crisp, continuous patter from somewhere in the heart of that crawling bank. The cloud was within fifty yards of where we lay, and we glared at it, all three, uncertain what horror was about to break from the heart of it. I was at Holmes's elbow, and I glanced for an instant at his face. It was pale and exultant, his eyes shining brightly in the moonlight. But suddenly they started forward in a rigid, fixed stare, and his lips parted in amazement. At the same instant Lestrade gave a yell of terror and threw himself face downwards upon the ground. I sprang to my feet, my inert hand grasping my pistol, my mind paralyzed by the dreadful shape which had sprung out upon us from the shadows of the fog. A hound it was, an enormous coal-black hound, but not such a hound as mortal eyes have ever seen. Fire burst from its open mouth, its eyes glowed with a smouldering glare, its muzzle and hackles and dewlap were outlined in flickering flame. Never in the delirious dream of a disordered brain could anything more savage, more appalling, more hellish be conceived than that dark form and savage face which broke upon us out of the wall of fog.
(продолжение)
WITH long bounds (длинными прыжками) the huge black creature was leaping down the track (огромная черная тварь мчалась: «прыгала» по тропинке), following hard upon the footsteps of our friend (настойчиво преследуя нашего друга; footsteps — следы). So paralyzed were we by the apparition (мы настолько были парализованы /видом этого/ привидения; apparition — появление; призрак) that we allowed him to pass (что позволили ему проскочить мимо) before we had recovered our nerve (прежде чем мы снова обрели хладнокровие; nerve — нерв; мужество, хладнокровие). Then Holmes and I both fired together (тогда мы с Холмсом оба выстрелили вместе = одновременно), and the creature gave a hideous howl (и тварь издала ужасный вой; to give), which showed (свидетельствовавший /о том/; to show — показывать) that one at least had hit him (что, по крайней мере, один из нас попал в нее). He did not pause, however (тем не менее, она не остановилось), but bounded onwards (а продолжала мчаться дальше; to bound — прыгать, скакать). Far away on the path we saw (вдалеке на тропинке мы увидели) Sir Henry looking back (как сэр Генри оглядывается назад), his face white in the moonlight (с лицом, белым в лунном свете), his hands raised in horror (и поднятыми в ужасе руками), glaring helplessly at the frightful thing (беспомощно смотря на страшилище) which was hunting him down (которое преследовало = догоняло его).
bound [baund], hideous [' [email protected]], horror [' [email protected]]
WITH long bounds the huge black creature was leaping down the track, following hard upon the footsteps of our friend. So paralyzed were we by the apparition that we allowed him to pass before we had recovered our nerve. Then Holmes and I both fired together, and the creature gave a hideous howl, which showed that one at least had hit him. He did not pause, however, but bounded onwards. Far away on the path we saw Sir Henry looking back, his face white in the moonlight, his hands raised in horror, glaring helplessly at the frightful thing which was hunting him down.
But that cry of pain from the hound (но тот вой от боли, /который издала/ собака) had blown all our fears to the winds (развеял по ветру все наши страхи; to blow — дуть; веять). If he was vulnerable he was mortal (если она была уязвима, /значит/ она была смертна), and if we could wound him (и если мы могли ее ранить) we could kill him (/значит/ мы могли ее убить). Never have I seen a man run (никогда я не видел, чтобы человек /так/ бежал) as Holmes ran that night (как бежал Холмс той ночью). I am reckoned fleet of foot (я считаюсь хорошим бегуном; fleet of foot — быстроногий), but he outpaced me as much (но он обогнал меня настолько же; to outpace — опережать) as I outpaced the little professional (насколько я обогнал маленького полицейского: «профессионала»). In front of us as we flew up the track (перед собой, когда мы неслись по тропинке; to fly — летать; быстро проходить) we heard scream after scream from Sir Henry (мы услышали несколько криков: «крик за криком» сэра Генри) and the deep roar of the hound (и низкий рев собаки). I was in time to see (я успел вовремя, чтобы увидеть; to be in time — успевать) the beast spring upon its victim (как собака прыгнула на свою жертву), hurl him to the ground (швырнула его на землю), and worry at his throat (и нацелилась на его горло; to worry — беспокоиться; разрывать, раздирать /особенно о волках и собаках/). But the next instant Holmes had (но в последний момент Холмс) emptied five barrels of his revolver (выпустил пять пуль из своего револьвера; to empty — опорожнять; опустошать; barrel — бочка; полость в барабане /под патрон/) into the creature's flank (в бок существа). With a last howl of agony (в последний раз взвыв в агонии) and a vicious snap in the air (и злобно щелкнув /зубами/ в воздухе; to snap — щелкать; смыкать челюсти) it rolled upon its back (она перевернулась на спину; to roll — катиться, вращаться), four feet pawing furiously (бешено дрыгая /всеми/ четырьмя лапами; to paw — скрести лапой; наносить сильные удары, молотить), and then fell limp upon its side (затем медленно повалилась набок; limp — мягкий; безвольный).
vulnerable ['vVln(@) [email protected]], wound [wu:nd], agony ['& [email protected]]
But that cry of pain from the hound had blown all our fears to the winds. If he was vulnerable he was mortal, and if we could wound him we could kill him. Never have I seen a man run as Holmes ran that night. I am reckoned fleet of foot, but he outpaced me as much as I outpaced the little professional. In front of us as we flew up the track we heard scream after scream from Sir Henry and the deep roar of the hound. I was in time to see the beast spring upon its victim, hurl him to the ground, and worry at his throat. But the next instant Holmes had emptied five barrels of his revolver into the creature's flank. With a last howl of agony and a vicious snap in the air it rolled upon its back, four feet pawing furiously, and then fell limp upon its side.
I stooped, panting (я нагнулся /над ней/, тяжело дыша), and pressed my pistol to the dreadful, shimmering head (и приставил свой пистолет к /этой/ ужасной, мерцающей голове), but it was useless to pull the trigger (но жать на курок /уже/ было бесполезно; to pull the trigger — спускать курок). The giant hound was dead (гигантская собака была мертва).
Sir Henry lay insensible (сэр Генри лежал бесчувственно) where he had fallen (/там/, где он упал). We tore away his collar (мы разорвали его воротник; to tear), and Holmes breathed a prayer of gratitude (и Холмс прошептал благодарственную молитву; to breathе — дышать; шептать) when we saw that there was no sign of a wound (что не было никаких признаков ранений) and that the rescue had been in time (и что спасение было своевременным: «вовремя»). Already our friend's eyelids shivered (уже веки нашего друга задрожали) and he made a feeble effort to move (и он сделал слабое усилие, /чтобы/ пошевелиться). Lestrade thrust his brandy-flask between the Baronet's teeth (Лестрейд сунул свою фляжку с бренди баронету между зубами), and two frightened eyes were looking up at us (и на нас взглянули два испуганных глаза).
"My God!" he whispered (о, Боже, — прошептал он). "What was it? What, in Heaven's name, was it (что, во имя небес, это было)?"
"It's dead, whatever it is (что бы это ни было, оно мертво)," said Holmes. "We've laid the family ghost once and for ever (мы покончили с фамильным привидением раз и навсегда; to lay — класть; хоронить, класть в могилу)."
trigger [' [email protected]], gratitude ['gr&tItju:d], rescue ['reskju:]
I stooped, panting, and pressed my pistol to the dreadful, shimmering head, but it was useless to pull the trigger. The giant hound was dead.
Sir Henry lay insensible where he had fallen. We tore away his collar, and Holmes breathed a prayer of gratitude when we saw that there was no sign of a wound and that the rescue had been in time. Already our friend's eyelids shivered and he made a feeble effort to move. Lestrade thrust his brandy-flask between the Baronet's teeth, and two frightened eyes were looking up at us.
"My God!" he whispered. "What was it? What, in Heaven's name, was it?"
"It's dead, whatever it is," said Holmes. "We've laid the family ghost once and for ever."
In mere size and strength it was a terrible creature (/даже/ одними только своими размерами и силой оно было страшным существом; mere — простой, не более чем, всего лишь) which was lying stretched before us (которое растянувшись лежало перед нами). It was not a pure bloodhound (это была не чистокровная ищейка) and it was not a pure mastiff (и не чистокровный мастиф); but it appeared to be a combination of the two (но она оказалась помесью этих двух пород; combination — сочетание, комбинация) — gaunt, savage, and as large as a small lioness (поджарая, дикая и такая же крупная, как молодая: «маленькая» львица). Even now, in the stillness of death (даже сейчас, в смертельной неподвижности), the huge jaws seemed to be dripping with a bluish flame (казалось, что из огромной пасти вытекает голубоватое пламя; jaws — челюсти; пасть) and the small, deep-set, cruel eyes (а маленькие, глубоко посаженные безжалостные глаза) were ringed with fire (были окружены кольцами огня). I placed my hand upon the glowing muzzle (я положил руку на светящуюся морду; to place — помещать; класть), and as I held them up (и когда я показал ее /остальным/; to hold up — показывать) my own fingers smouldered and gleamed in the darkness (мои собственные пальцы мерцали и светились в темноте; to smoulder — медленно тлеть).
mere [ [email protected]], gaunt [gO:nt], smoulder [' [email protected]@]
In mere size and strength it was a terrible creature which was lying stretched before us. It was not a pure bloodhound and it was not a pure mastiff; but it appeared to be a combination of the two — gaunt, savage, and as large as a small lioness. Even now, in the stillness of death, the huge jaws seemed to be dripping with a bluish flame and the small, deep-set, cruel eyes were ringed with fire. I placed my hand upon the glowing muzzle, and as I held them up my own fingers smouldered and gleamed in the darkness.
"Phosphorus," I said (фосфор, — сказал я).
"A cunning preparation of it (искусно /сделанный/ из него препарат)," said Holmes, sniffing at the dead animal (сказал Холмс, принюхиваясь к мертвому животному). "There is no smell (нет запаха) which might have interfered with his power of scent (который мог бы перебить силу нюха /у собаки/; to interfere — пересекаться; мешать, быть помехой). We owe you a deep apology, Sir Henry (мы должны /принести/ вам свои глубокие извинения, сэр Генри), for having exposed you to this fright (за то, что подвергли вас этому страху; to expose — делать видимым; подвергать). I was prepared for a hound (я был готов /увидеть/ собаку), but not for such a creature as this (но не такую тварь, как эта). And the fog gave us little time (и туман почти не оставил: «не дал» нам времени) to receive him (чтобы подготовиться к встрече с ней: «чтобы получить ее»)."
