This tale of our client's appeared to have an extraordinary effect upon Sherlock Holmes. He rose from his chair and paced about the room in uncontrollable excitement.

"Misfortunes never come single," said Phelps, smiling, though it was evident that his adventure had somewhat shaken him.

"You have certainly had your share," said Holmes. "Do you think you could walk round the house with me?"

"Oh, yes, I should like a little sunshine. Joseph will come, too."

 

 

"And I also," said Miss Harrison (“И я тоже”, — сказала мисс Харрисон).

 

"I am afraid not," said Holmes, shaking his head (“Боюсь, что нет”, — сказал Холмс, качая головой; to shake — трясти, качать). "I think I must ask you to remain sitting exactly where you are (Я думаю, что мне следует попросить вас остаться сидеть там, где вы находитесь)."

 

The young lady resumed her seat (Молодая леди осталась на своем месте; to resume — возобновлять, продолжать) with an air of displeasure (с недовольным видом; displeasure — неудовольствие, недовольство; air — выражение лица). Her brother, however, had joined us and we set off all four together (Ее брат все же присоединился к нам и мы вышли вчетвером). We passed round the lawn (Мы прошли вокруг лужайки; lawn — газон, лужайка) to the outside of the young diplomatist's window (к наружной стороне окна молодого дипломата). There were, as he had said, marks upon the bed (Как он говорил, на клумбе были следы), but they were hopelessly blurred and vague (но они были нечеткие и безнадежно затертые; to blur — размывать, смазать; vague — неясный, смутный, нечеткий). Holmes stopped over them for an instant (Холмс остановился над ними на мгновение), and then rose shrugging his shoulders (и затем встал, пожимая плечами).

 

"I don't think any one could make much of this (Я не думаю, что мы не сможем много извлечь из этого)," said he (сказал он). "Let us go round the house and see (Давайте обойдем вокруг дома и посмотрим) why this particular room was chosen by the burglar (почему эта конкретная комната была выбрана взломщиком; burglar — вор-взломщик). I should have thought those larger windows of the drawing-room and dining-room (Я думаю, что большие окна гостиной и столовой) would have had more attractions for him (были бы более привлекательны для него)."

 

 

"I am afraid not," said Holmes, shaking his head. "I think I must ask you to remain sitting exactly where you are."

The young lady resumed her seat with an air of displeasure. Her brother, however, had joined us and we set off all four together. We passed round the lawn to the outside of the young diplomatist's window. There were, as he had said, marks upon the bed, but they were hopelessly blurred and vague. Holmes stopped over them for an instant, and then rose shrugging his shoulders.

"I don't think any one could make much of this," said he. "Let us go round the house and see why this particular room was chosen by the burglar. I should have thought those larger windows of the drawing-room and dining-room would have had more attractions for him."

 

 

"They are more visible from the road (Они лучше видны с дороги)," suggested Mr. Joseph Harrison (предложил мистер Джозеф Харрисон).

 

"Ah, yes, of course (Ах да, конечно). There is a door here which he might have attempted (Здесь есть дверь, которую он мог бы попытаться /взломать/). What is it for (Зачем она нужна)?"

 

"It is the side entrance for trades-people (Это боковой вход для торговцев). Of course it is locked at night (Конечно, она закрыта ночью)."

 

"Have you ever had an alarm like this before (У вас когда-нибудь случались подобные происшествия)?"

 

"Never," said our client (“Никогда”, — сказал наш клиент).

 

"Do you keep plate in the house (Вы храните столовое серебро в доме; plate — столовое серебро), or anything to attract burglars (или что-нибудь, что может привлечь взломщиков)?"

 

"Nothing of value (Ничего ценного)."

 

Holmes strolled round the house with his hands in his pockets (Холмс прошелся вокруг дома, засунув руки в карманы; to stroll — прогуливаться, бродить, гулять) and a negligent air which was unusual with him (и беспечным выражением лица, которое было необычно для него; negligent — халатный, беспечный; air — выражение лица).

 

 

"They are more visible from the road," suggested Mr. Joseph Harrison.

"Ah, yes, of course. There is a door here which he might have attempted. What is it for?"

"It is the side entrance for trades-people. Of course it is locked at night."

"Have you ever had an alarm like this before?"

"Never," said our client.

"Do you keep plate in the house, or anything to attract burglars?"

"Nothing of value."

Holmes strolled round the house with his hands in his pockets and a negligent air which was unusual with him.

 

 

"By the way," said he to Joseph Harrison (“Кстати”, — сказал он Джозефу Харрисону), "you found some place, I understand (вы нашли какое-то место, как я понимаю), where the fellow scaled the fence (где человек перелезал через забор; to scale — подниматься, взбираться). Let us have a look at that (Давайте посмотрим на него)!"

 

The plump young man led us to a spot (Пухлый молодой человек провел нас к месту; plump — полный, пухлый) where the top of one of the wooden rails had been cracked (где верхушка одной из деревянных досок была надломлена; rail — перила, поручни, ограда, ограждение). A small fragment of the wood was hanging down (Небольшой кусок дерева свисал вниз; to hang down — свисать). Holmes pulled it off and examined it critically (Холмс отодрал его и критически осмотрел; to pull — тянуть, тащить, дергать).

 

"Do you think that was done last night (Вы думаете, что это было сделано прошлой ночью)? It looks rather old, does it not (Она выглядит достаточно старой, не так ли)?"

 

"Well, possibly so (Ну, возможно)."

 

"There are no marks of any one jumping down upon the other side (Нет следов кого-либо, спрыгнувшего на другой стороне). No, I fancy we shall get no help here (Нет, я думаю, мы ничего здесь не найдем: «не получим здесь помощи»). Let us go back to the bedroom and talk the matter over (Давайте пройдем с спальню и обговорим происшествие)."

 

Percy Phelps was walking very slowly (Перси Фелпс шел очень медленно), leaning upon the arm of his future brother-in-law (опираясь на руку своего будущего шурина; to lean — прислоняться, опираться; brother-in-law — зять (муж сестры), шурин (брат жены), свояк (муж свояченицы), деверь (брат мужа)). Holmes walked swiftly across the lawn (Холмс быстро прошел по лужайке), and we were at the open window of the bedroom (и мы были у открытого окна спальни) long before the others came up (задолго до того, как пришли остальные).

 

 

"By the way," said he to Joseph Harrison, "you found some place, I understand, where the fellow scaled the fence. Let us have a look at that!"

The plump young man led us to a spot where the top of one of the wooden rails had been cracked. A small fragment of the wood was hanging down. Holmes pulled it off and examined it critically.

"Do you think that was done last night? It looks rather old, does it not?"

"Well, possibly so."

"There are no marks of any one jumping down upon the other side. No, I fancy we shall get no help here. Let us go back to the bedroom and talk the matter over."

Percy Phelps was walking very slowly, leaning upon the arm of his future brother-in-law. Holmes walked swiftly across the lawn, and we were at the open window of the bedroom long before the others came up.

 

 

"Miss Harrison," said Holmes (“Мисс Харрисон”, — сказал Холмс), speaking with the utmost intensity of manner (говоря самым энергичным тоном; utmost — крайний, предельный, величайший), "you must stay where you are all day (вы должны оставаться там, где вы находитесь, весь день). Let nothing prevent you from staying where you are all day (Не позволяйте ничему мешать вам оставаться здесь весь день; to prevent — предотвращать, мешать). It is of the utmost importance (Это очень важно)."

 

"Certainly, if you wish it, Mr. Holmes, (Конечно, если вы этого хотите, мистер Холмс)" said the girl in astonishment (сказала девушка с изумлением; astonishment — изумление, удивление).

 

"When you go to bed lock the door of this room on the outside (Когда пойдете спать, заприте дверь этой комнаты снаружи) and keep the key (и сохраните ключ). Promise to do this (Обещайте сделать это)."

 

"But Percy (Но Перси)?"

 

"He will come to London with us (Он поедет в Лондон с нами)."

 

"And am I to remain here (И я должна остаться здесь)?"

 

"It is for his sake (Это ради него). You can serve him (Вы можете помочь ему; to serve — служить, помогать). Quick! Promise! (Быстрее! Обещайте!)"

 

She gave a quick nod of assent (Она быстро кивнула в знак согласия; assent — согласие, одобрение) just as the other two came up (когда другие двое вошли).

 

 

"Miss Harrison," said Holmes, speaking with the utmost intensity of manner, "you must stay where you are all day. Let nothing prevent you from staying where you are all day. It is of the utmost importance."

"Certainly, if you wish it, Mr. Holmes," said the girl in astonishment.

"When you go to bed lock the door of this room on the outside and keep the key. Promise to do this."

"But Percy?"

"He will come to London with us."

"And am I to remain here?"

"It is for his sake. You can serve him. Quick! Promise!"