(я бы не узнала, где его тайник). How was I to get into the room (как проникнуть в его комнату)? For two days I watched the place (два дня я следила за этим местом = за домом), but the door was never left open (но дверь ни разу не оставили открытой). Last night I made a last attempt (вчера вечером я сделала последнюю попытку). What I did and how I succeeded (что я сделала и как мне /это/ удалось), you have already learned (вы уже узнали). I brought the paper back with me (я принесла бумагу обратно с собой), and thought of destroying it (и думала уничтожить ее), since I could see no way of returning it (так как не знала, каким образом вернуть ее) without confessing my guilt to my husband (не признав своей вины перед мужем). Heavens, I hear his step upon the stair (Боже мой: «небеса», я слышу его шаги на лестнице)!”
anguish ['&NgwIS], heart [hA:t], kneeling ['ni:lIN], enormity [I'nO:mItI]
“It was the next morning that I realized that I had only exchanged one trouble for another. My husband’s anguish at the loss of his paper went to my heart. I could hardly prevent myself from there and then kneeling down at his feet and telling him what I had done. But that again would mean a confession of the past. I came to you that morning in order to understand the full enormity of my offence. From the instant that I grasped it my whole mind was turned to the one thought of getting back my husband’s paper. It must still be where Lucas had placed it, for it was concealed before this dreadful woman entered the room. If it had not been for her coming, I should not have known where his hiding-place was. How was I to get into the room? For two days I watched the place, but the door was never left open. Last night I made a last attempt. What I did and how I succeeded, you have already learned. I brought the paper back with me, and thought of destroying it, since I could see no way of returning it without confessing my guilt to my husband. Heavens, I hear his step upon the stair!”
The European Secretary burst excitedly into the room (министр по европейским делам взволнованно влетел в комнату; to burst — взрывать/ся/; врываться).
“Any news, Mr. Holmes, any news (есть какие-нибудь новости, мистер Холмс)?” he cried (крикнул он).
“I have some hopes (у меня есть некоторые надежды).”
“Ah, thank heaven (о, слава Богу)!” His face became radiant (его лицо просияло; radiant — светящийся; лучистый, сияющий). “The Prime Minister is lunching with me (премьер-министр завтракает со мной). May he share your hopes (он может разделить ваши надежды = можно его порадовать)? He has nerves of steel (у него стальные нервы), and yet I know that he has hardly slept since this terrible event (однако я знаю, что он почти не спит: «едва ли спал» с тех пор, как /произошло/ это ужасное событие; hardly — едва ли, вряд ли; почти не). Jacobs, will you ask the Prime Minister to come up (Джекобc, попросите премьер-министра подняться)? As to you, dear, I fear that this is a matter of politics (что касается вас, дорогая, боюсь, это дело политическое). We will join you in a few minutes in the dining-room (мы присоединимся к вам через несколько минут в столовой).”
The Prime Minister’s manner was subdued (поведение премьер-министра было сдержанным; to subdue — подчинять; подавлять, смирять /чувства, эмоции/), but I could see by the gleam of his eyes (но я видел по блеску его глаз; gleam — слабый свет; проблеск) and the twitchings of his bony hands (и судорожным движениям костлявых рук; twitching — судорожное сокращение, подергивание; bone — кость) that he shared the excitement of his young colleague (что он разделяет волнение своего молодого коллеги).
“I understand that you have something to report, Mr. Holmes (/насколько/ я понимаю, вам есть что сообщить, мистер Холмс)?”
burst [b@:st], radiant ['reIdI@nt], subdued [s@b'dju:d], colleague ['kOli:g]
The European Secretary burst excitedly into the room.
“Any news, Mr. Holmes, any news?” he cried.
“I have some hopes.”
“Ah, thank heaven!” His face became radiant. “The Prime Minister is lunching with me. May he share your hopes? He has nerves of steel, and yet I know that he has hardly slept since this terrible event. Jacobs, will you ask the Prime Minister to come up? As to you, dear, I fear that this is a matter of politics. We will join you in a few minutes in the dining-room.”
The Prime Minister’s manner was subdued, but I could see by the gleam of his eyes and the twitchings of his bony hands that he shared the excitement of his young colleague.
“I understand that you have something to report, Mr. Holmes?”
“Purely negative as yet (пока только: «чисто» отрицательное; as yet — все еще, пока, до сих пор, на данный момент; pure — чистый; полный),” my friend answered (ответил мой друг). “I have inquired at every point where it might be (я искал везде, где /только/ письмо могло быть; to inquire — осведомляться, спрашивать, искать; наводить справки, выяснять, расследовать), and I am sure that there is no danger to be apprehended (и я уверен, что опасности никакой не грозит; to apprehend — понимать; предчувствовать /что-либо дурное/, ожидать /несчастья/, опасаться).”
“But that is not enough, Mr. Holmes (но этого недостаточно, мистер Холмс). We cannot live forever on such a volcano (мы не можем вечно жизнь на вулкане). We must have something definite (нам нужно что-то определенное).”
“I am in hopes of getting it (я надеюсь получить это). That is why I am here (вот почему я здесь). The more I think of the matter the more convinced I am (чем больше я думаю об этом деле, тем больше убеждаюсь) that the letter has never left this house (что письмо никогда не покидало этого дома).”
“Mr. Holmes!”
“If it had it would certainly have been public by now (если бы оно оказалось за пределами дома, его бы, конечно, уже опубликовали/сделали бы общеизвестным; by now — к этому времени, уже; to make public — делать общеизвестным).”
“But why should anyone take it in order to keep it in his house (но зачем кому-то похищать его, чтобы хранить в своем доме)?”
answered ['A:ns@d], apprehended [,&prI'hendId], convinced [k@n'vInst]
“Purely negative as yet,” my friend answered. “I have inquired at every point where it might be, and I am sure that there is no danger to be apprehended.”
“But that is not enough, Mr. Holmes. We cannot live forever on such a volcano. We must have something definite.”
“I am in hopes of getting it. That is why I am here. The more I think of the matter the more convinced I am that the letter has never left this house.”
“Mr. Holmes!”
“If it had it would certainly have been public by now.”
“But why should anyone take it in order to keep it in his house?”
“I am not convinced that anyone did take it (я не уверен, что кто-то вообще похищал его).”
“Then how could it leave the despatch-box (тогда как оно могло исчезнуть из чемоданчика)?”
“I am not convinced that it ever did leave the despatch-box (я не уверен, что оно вообще исчезало из чемоданчика).”
“Mr. Holmes, this joking is very ill-timed (мистер Холмс, эта шутка неуместна; to joke — шутить; ill-timed — несвоевременный, плохо рассчитанный по времени, неуместный). You have my assurance that it left the box (уверяю вас, что оно исчезло из чемоданчика; assurance — гарантия, заверение; уверенность; to assure — уверять; заверять кого-либо; убеждать).”
“Have you examined the box since Tuesday morning (а вы осматривали его с утра вторника)?”
“No. It was not necessary (нет, в этом не было необходимости).”
“You may conceivably have overlooked it (возможно, вы не заметили его).”
“Impossible, I say (послушайте, /это/ невозможно).”
assurance [@'Su@r@ns], necessary ['nesIs(@)rI], conceivably [k@n'si:v@blI]
“I am not convinced that anyone did take it.”
“Then how could it leave the despatch-box?”
“I am not convinced that it ever did leave the despatch-box.”
“Mr. Holmes, this joking is very ill‑timed. You have my assurance that it left the box.”
“Have you examined the box since Tuesday morning?”
“No. It was not necessary.”
“You may conceivably have overlooked it.”
“Impossible, I say.”
“But I am not convinced of it (но я не уверен в этом). I have known such things to happen (/как мне известно/, такие вещи случались). I presume there are other papers there (полагаю, там есть и другие бумаги). Well, it may have got mixed with them (письмо могло смешаться с ними = затеряться среди них).”
“It was on the top (оно было сверху).”
“Someone may have shaken the box and displaced it (кто-нибудь мог тряхнуть чемоданчик и переместить письмо; to shake-shook-shaken).”
“No, no, I had everything out (нет, нет, я все проверил; to have out — выяснять; вынимать).”
“Surely it is easily decided, Hope (но ведь это легко проверить: «разрешить», Хоуп; to decide — решать/ся/, принимать решение, делать выбор),” said the Premier. “Let us have the despatch-box brought in (пусть принесут чемоданчик сюда).”
The Secretary rang the bell (министр позвонил).
“Jacobs, bring down my despatch-box (Джекобс, принесите мой чемоданчик для бумаг). This is a farcical waste of time (это просто смешно, пустая трата времени; farcical — фарсовый, шуточный; нелепый, смехотворный), but still, if nothing else will satisfy you, it shall be done (но все-таки, если ничто другое вас не удовлетворит, это будет исполнено)