We found our client still under the charge of his devoted nurse, but looking considerably better than before. He rose from the sofa and greeted us without difficulty when we entered.

"Any news?" he asked, eagerly.

"My report, as I expected, is a negative one," said Holmes. "I have seen Forbes, and I have seen your uncle, and I have set one or two trains of inquiry upon foot which may lead to something."

"You have not lost heart, then?"

"By no means."

"God bless you for saying that!" cried Miss Harrison. "If we keep our courage and our patience the truth must come out."

 

 

"We have more to tell you than you have for us (Мы можем рассказать вам больше, чем вы нам," said Phelps, reseating himself upon the couch (сказал Фелпс, снова усаживаясь на диван; couch — диван, софа, кушетка).

 

"I hoped you might have something (Я надеялся, что у вас может быть что-то)."

 

"Yes, we have had an adventure during the night (Да, у нас было происшествие ночью), and one which might have proved to be a serious one (и, кажется, весьма серьезное)." His expression grew very grave as he spoke (Его выражение стало очень мрачным, когда он говорил; grave — мрачный, печальный), and a look of something akin to fear sprang up in his eyes (и в его глазах возникло выражение, похожее на страх; akin — близкий, похожий, такой; to spring up — возникать, появляться). "Do you know," said he (“Вы знаете”, — сказал он), "that I begin to believe that I am (я начинаю верить, что являюсь) the unconscious centre of some monstrous conspiracy (невольным центром какого-то ужасного заговора; unconscious — не осознающий, бессознательный), and that my life is aimed (и что моя жизнь находится под угрозой) at as well as my honor (так же, как и моя честь)?"

 

"Ah!" cried Holmes (“Ого!”, — воскликнул Холмс).

 

"It sounds incredible (Это звучит невероятно), for I have not, as far as I know, an enemy in the world (потому что, насколько я знаю, у меня нет ни одного врага во всем мире). Yet from last night's experience (И, все же, после событий прошлой ночью) I can come to no other conclusion (я не могу прийти к другому выводу)."

 

 

"We have more to tell you than you have for us," said Phelps, reseating himself upon the couch.

"I hoped you might have something."

"Yes, we have had an adventure during the night, and one which might have proved to be a serious one." His expression grew very grave as he spoke, and a look of something akin to fear sprang up in his eyes. "Do you know," said he, "that I begin to believe that I am the unconscious centre of some monstrous conspiracy, and that my life is aimed at as well as my honor?"

"Ah!" cried Holmes.

"It sounds incredible, for I have not, as far as I know, an enemy in the world. Yet from last night's experience I can come to no other conclusion."

 

 

"Pray let me hear it (Умоляю, расскажите мне все)."

 

"You must know that last night was the very first night (Вам следует знать, что прошлая ночь была первой ночью) that I have ever slept without a nurse in the room (когда я спал без сиделки в комнате). I was so much better that I thought (Мне было настолько лучше, что я подумал) I could dispense with one (что смогу обойтись без нее; to dispense with — обходиться без чего-л.). I had a night-light burning, however (Все же, у меня горел ночник). Well, about two in the morning (Ну, примерно в два часа утра) I had sunk into a light sleep (я погрузился в слабый сон) when I was suddenly aroused by a slight noise (когда меня неожиданно разбудил слабый шум). It was like the sound which a mouse makes (Он был похож на звук, который издает мышь) when it is gnawing a plank (когда грызет доску; to gnaw — грызть, глодать; plank — доска, планка), and I lay listening to it for some time (и я лежал, слушая его некоторое время) under the impression that it must come from that cause (полагая, что это и есть его причина; impression — впечатление). Then it grew louder (Затем он стал громче), and suddenly there came from the window a sharp metallic snick (затем от окна раздался резкий металлический щелчок; snick — слабый, часто металлический, звук). I sat up in amazement (Я поднялся в изумлении). There could be no doubt what the sounds were now (Теперь не могло быть сомнения в том, что это за звуки). The first ones had been caused by some one (Первый был вызван кем-то) forcing an instrument through the slit between the sashes (засовывающим инструмент через щель в рамах; slit — щель, прорезь; sash — английское подъемное окно, подвижный оконный переплет), and the second by the catch being pressed back (а второй — отодвигаемой назад щеколдой; catch — защелка, запор, щеколда, шпингалет).

 

"There was a pause then for about ten minutes (Затем наступила пауза примерно на десять минут), as if the person were waiting to see (как будто человек ждал, чтобы увидеть) whether the noise had awakened me (разбудил ли меня шум; to awaken — будить). Then I heard a gentle creaking (Потом я услышал слабый скрип; creak — скрип) as the window was very slowly opened (как будто окно очень медленно открывали). I could stand it no longer (Я не мог больше терпеть; to stand — выдерживать, выносить, терпеть), for my nerves are not what they used to be (потому что мои нервы уже не такие, как раньше). I sprang out of bed and flung open the shutters (Я вскочил с постели и распахнул ставни; to fling open — распахнуть; shutter — ставень). A man was crouching at the window (На корточках у окна стоял человек; to crouch — припадать к земле, сжиматься). I could see little of him (Я смог немного разглядеть его), for he was gone like a flash (потому что он мгновенно бежал). He was wrapped in some sort of cloak (Он был закутан в какой-то плащ; to wrap — окутывать, обертывать; cloak — плащ, мантия) which came across the lower part of his face (который закрывал нижнюю часть его лица). One thing only I am sure of (Я уверен только в одном), and that is that he had some weapon in his hand (и это то, что у него в руке было какое-то оружие). It looked to me like a long knife (Оно было похоже на длинный нож; to look like — быть похожим). I distinctly saw the gleam of it as he turned to run (Я отчетливо видел его блеск, когда он повернулся бежать; gleam — слабый свет, проблеск, луч, вспышка)."

 

 

"Pray let me hear it."

"You must know that last night was the very first night that I have ever slept without a nurse in the room. I was so much better that I thought I could dispense with one. I had a night-light burning, however. Well, about two in the morning I had sunk into a light sleep when I was suddenly aroused by a slight noise. It was like the sound which a mouse makes when it is gnawing a plank, and I lay listening to it for some time under the impression that it must come from that cause. Then it grew louder, and suddenly there came from the window a sharp metallic snick. I sat up in amazement. There could be no doubt what the sounds were now. The first ones had been caused by some one forcing an instrument through the slit between the sashes, and the second by the catch being pressed back.

"There was a pause then for about ten minutes, as if the person were waiting to see whether the noise had awakened me. Then I heard a gentle creaking as the window was very slowly opened. I could stand it no longer, for my nerves are not what they used to be. I sprang out of bed and flung open the shutters. A man was crouching at the window. I could see little of him, for he was gone like a flash. He was wrapped in some sort of cloak which came across the lower part of his face. One thing only I am sure of, and that is that he had some weapon in his hand. It looked to me like a long knife. I distinctly saw the gleam of it as he turned to run."

 

 

"This is most interesting," said Holmes (“Это очень интересно”, — сказал Холмс). "Pray what did you do then (Ну, что вы сделали потом)?"

 

"I should have followed him through the open window (Я бы последовал за ним через открытое окно) if I had been stronger (если бы был сильнее). As it was, I rang the bell and roused the house (Как бы там ни было, я позвонил в звонок и понял дом). It took me some little time, for the bell (Это заняло некоторое время, потому что звонок) rings in the kitchen and the servants all sleep upstairs (звонит на кухне, а все слуги спят наверху). I shouted, however, and that brought Joseph down (Я закричал, и Джозеф прибежал вниз) and he roused the others (и он поднял остальных). Joseph and the groom found marks on the bed outside the window (Джозеф и конюх нашли следы на клумбе под окном), but the weather has been so dry lately (но в последнее время была такая сухая погода) that they found it hopeless to follow the trail across the grass (что они посчитали безнадежным идти по следу на траве). There's a place, however, on the wooden fence which skirts the road (На деревянном заборе, который идет вдоль дороги, есть место; to skirt — быть расположенным по краю, идти вдоль края) which shows signs, they tell me (где, как они сказали мне, есть отметина), as if some one had got over (как будто кто-то перелезал через него), and had snapped the top of the rail in doing so (и сломал при этом верхушку доски; to snap — порвать, сломать). I have said nothing to the local police yet (Я пока ничего не говорил местной полиции), for I thought I had best have your opinion first (так как подумал, что лучше сначала узнать ваше мнение)."

 

This tale of our client's appeared (Рассказ нашего клиента по-видимому) to have an extraordinary effect upon Sherlock Holmes (оказал сильное воздействие на Шерлока Холмса). He rose from his chair (Он поднялся со стула) and paced about the room in uncontrollable excitement (и прошелся по комнате в неконтролируемом возбуждении; to pace — шагать, прохаживаться).

 

"Misfortunes never come single (Беда никогда не приходит одна)," said Phelps, smiling, though it was evident (сказал Фелпс, улыбаясь хотя было очевидно; evident — явный, очевидный) that his adventure had somewhat shaken him (что приключение слегка потрясло его; somewhat — отчасти, до некоторой степени, слегка).

 

"You have certainly had your share (К вам во всяком случае: «вы, конечно, имели свою долю»)," said Holmes (сказал Холмс). "Do you think you could walk round the house with me (Как вы думаете, вы сможете пройти со мной вокруг дома)?"

 

"Oh, yes, I should like a little sunshine (О да, мне бы хотелось немного солнечного света). Joseph will come, too (Джозеф тоже пойдет)."

 

 

"This is most interesting," said Holmes. "Pray what did you do then?"

"I should have followed him through the open window if I had been stronger. As it was, I rang the bell and roused the house. It took me some little time, for the bell rings in the kitchen and the servants all sleep upstairs. I shouted, however, and that brought Joseph down, and he roused the others. Joseph and the groom found marks on the bed outside the window, but the weather has been so dry lately that they found it hopeless to follow the trail across the grass. There's a place, however, on the wooden fence which skirts the road which shows signs, they tell me, as if some one had got over, and had snapped the top of the rail in doing so. I have said nothing to the local police yet, for I thought I had best have your opinion first."