He chuckled to himself and rubbed his long, nervous hands together.

 

"It is simplicity itself (проще простого; simplicity — простота)," said he; "my eyes tell me (мои глаза говорят мне) that on the inside of your left shoe (что с внутренней стороны вашего левого ботинка; inside — внутренняя сторона), just where the firelight strikes it (как раз /там/ куда падает свет от огня; to strike — бить; достигать), the leather is scored by six almost parallel cuts (кожа поцарапана = на коже видны шестью почти параллельными царапинами; to score — оставлять след; cut — разрез). Obviously (очевидно) they have been caused by someone (были сделаны кем-то; to cause — вызывать, причинять) who has very carelessly scraped round the edges of the sole (кто очень небрежно обтирал края подошвы; to scrape — чистить, скрести; round — вокруг) in order to remove crusted mud from it (чтобы удалить засохшую грязь /с нее/; to remove — снимать; crusted — в виде корки). Hence (отсюда), you see, my double deduction (двойной вывод) that you had been out in vile weather (что вы были снаружи = выходили в мерзкую погоду), and that you had a particularly malignant boot-slitting specimen of the London slavey (чрезвычайно зловредный ботинко-режущий экземпляр лондонской прислуги; to slit — разрезать вдоль; specimen — образец). As to your practice, if a gentleman walks into my rooms smelling of iodoform (пахнущий йодоформом; to smell — пахнуть), with a black mark of nitrate of silver upon his right forefinger (с черной отметкой от азотнокислого серебра на его правом указательном пальце; to mark — ставить знак), and a bulge on the right side of his top-hat (и выпуклостью на правой стороне его цилиндра; top — вершина, hat — шляпа) to show where he has secreted his stethoscope (которая указывает, где он спрятал свой стетоскоп; to show — показывать; to secrete — прятать), I must be dull (я должен быть глупцом; dull — тупой), indeed (в самом деле), if I do not pronounce him to be an active member of the medical profession (если я не признаю в нем деятельного члена медицинской профессии = представителя врачебного мира; to pronounce — объявить)."

simplicity [sIm`plIsItI] leather [`leDq] specimen [`spesImqn]

 

"It is simplicity itself," said he; "my eyes tell me that on the inside of your left shoe, just where the firelight strikes it, the leather is scored by six almost parallel cuts. Obviously they have been caused by someone who has very carelessly scraped round the edges of the sole in order to remove crusted mud from it. Hence, you see, my double deduction that you had been out in vile weather, and that you had a particularly malignant boot-slitting specimen of the London slavey. As to your practice, if a gentleman walks into my rooms smelling of iodoform, with a black mark of nitrate of silver upon his right forefinger, and a bulge on the right side of his top-hat to show where he has secreted his stethoscope, I must be dull, indeed, if I do not pronounce him to be an active member of the medical profession."

I could not help laughing at the ease (я не мог удержаться от смеха над простотой; can not help /doing something/ — не мочь не /делать что-то/; ease — легкость) with which he explained (с которой он объяснил; to explain — объяснять) his process of deduction. "When I hear you give your reasons (когда я слышу /как/ вы приводите свои соображения; to give — давать)," I remarked (заметил; to remark — замечать), "the thing always appears to me to be so ridiculously simple (вещь всегда представляется мне cтоль смехотворно простой = все кажется до смешного простым; to appear — появляться) that I could easily do it myself (мог бы легко сделать это = сообразить сам), though at each successive instance of your reasoning (хотя в каждом новом случае ваших рассуждений; successive — последующий; instance — пример) I am baffled (я ошеломлен; to baffle — ставить в тупик) until (пока) you explain (не объясните) your process. And yet I believe that my eyes are as good as yours (между тем я думаю, что мои глаза так же хороши, как и ваши = зрение у меня не хуже вашего; to believe — верить, полагать)."

laughing [`lRfIN] ridiculously [rI`dIkjulqslI] instance [`Instqns]

 

I could not help laughing at the ease with which he explained his process of deduction. "When I hear you give your reasons," I remarked, "the thing always appears to me to be so ridiculously simple that I could easily do it myself, though at each successive instance of your reasoning I am baffled until you explain your process. And yet I believe that my eyes are as good as yours."

 

"Quite so (совершенно так)," he answered (ответил он; to answer — отвечать), lighting a cigarette (закуривая = зажигая папиросу; to light — зажигать), and throwing himself down into an armchair (садясь в кресло: «бросая себя в кресло»; to throw down — бросать). "You see, but you do not observe (но не наблюдаете). The distinction is clear (разница ясно видна; clear — чистый, прозрачный). For example (например), you have frequently seen (часто видели) the steps which lead up from the hall to this room (ступени, которые ведут из прихожей в эту комнату; to lead up — вести куда-либо)."

throwing [`TrquIN] frequently [`frJkwqntlI] distinction [dIs`tINkSn]

"Frequently (часто)."

"How often? (как часто)"

"Well, some hundreds of times (ну, несколько сотен раз)."

 

"Quite so," he answered, lighting a cigarette, and throwing himself down into an armchair. "You see, but you do not observe. The distinction is clear. For example, you have frequently seen the steps which lead up from the hall to this room."

"Frequently."

"How often?"

"Well, some hundreds of times."

 

"Then how many are there (/ну и/ как много = сколько их /там/)?"

"How many? I don't know (не знаю)."

"Quite so (вот-вот = именно так)! You have not observed (вы не наблюдали; to observe — наблюдать). And yet (между тем) you have seen. That is just my point (в этом вся суть, именно это я и хочу сказать). Now, I know that there are seventeen steps (семнадцать ступеней), because I have both seen and observed (потому что я и видел, и наблюдал; both — и то, и другое). By the way (кстати), since (поскольку) you are interested in these little problems (интересуетесь теми небольшими проблемами; to be interested in — интересоваться /чем-либо/), and since you are good enough to chronicle one or two of my trifling experiences (достаточно хороши чтобы = были добры описать один-два моих маленьких опыта; to chronicle — заносить в дневник) you may be interested in this (вас может заинтересовать это)." He threw over a sheet of thick, pink-tinted note-paper (бросил лист толстой розовой почтовой бумаги; tinted — окрашенный; note — запись) which had been lying open upon the table (которая лежала: «была лежащей» на столе; to lie — лежать). "It came by the last post (получена с последней почтой = только что)," said he. "Read it aloud (прочитайте /ее/ вслух; to read — читать)."

since [sins] enough [I`nAf] aloud [q`laud]

 

"Then how many are there?"

"How many? I don't know."

"Quite so! You have not observed. And yet you have seen. That is just my point. Now, I know that there are seventeen steps, because I have both seen and observed. By-the-way, since you are interested in these little problems, and since you are good enough to chronicle one or two of my trifling experiences, you may be interested in this." He threw over a sheet of thick, pink-tinted note-paper which had been lying open upon the table. "It came by the last post," said he. "Read it aloud."

 

The note was undated (записка была без даты; to date — датировать), and without either signature or address (без подписи и без адреса; either … or — либо … либо).

"There will call upon you tonight (сегодня вечером Вас посетит; to call — посещать), at a quarter to eight o'clock (без четверти восемь: «четверть к восьми часам»)," it said (говорилось /в записке/), "a gentleman who desires to consult you (который хочет проконсультироваться у Вас) upon a matter of the very deepest moment (по очень важному делу; deep — глубокий; moment — важность). Your recent services (Ваши недавние услуги) to one of the royal houses of Europe (одному из королевских семейств Европы) have shown (показали) that you are one (тот) who may safely be trusted (кому можно спокойно доверить; safe — безопасный; to trust — верить, доверять) with matters which are of an importance which can hardly be exaggerated (дела, которые /такой/ важности, которая едва ли может быть преувеличена = дела чрезвычайной важности). This account of you (такой отзыв о вас) we have from all quarters received (мы со всех сторон получали; from all quarters). Be in your chamber then at that hour (в этот час), and do not take it amiss (и не обижайтесь; to take amiss — превратно толковать) if your visitor wear a mask (если Ваш посетитель будет в маске; to wear — носить).

quarter [`kwLtq] royal [`rOIql] exaggerated [Ig`zxGqreItId]