Sherlock Holmes sat down beside him on the couch and patted him kindly on the shoulder.

"If you leave it to a court of law to clear the matter up," said he, "of course you can hardly avoid publicity. On the other hand, if you convince the police authorities that there is no possible case against you, I do not know that there is any reason that the details should find their way into the papers. Inspector Bradstreet would, I am sure, make notes upon anything which you might tell us and submit it to the proper authorities. The case would then never go into court at all."

 

"God bless you (благослови вас Бог)!" cried the prisoner passionately (горячо). "I would have endured imprisonment (я бы вынес заключение), aye (да), even execution (даже казнь), rather than have left my miserable secret as a family blot to my children (вместо того, чтобы = только бы не оставить моей жалкой тайны как семейное бесчестье моим детям = лишь бы не опозорить детей; blot — пятно).

passionately [`pxSqnItlI] endured [In`djuqd] execution [eksI`kjHSn]

"You are the first (вы первые) who have ever heard my story (кто когда-либо слышал = кто услышит мою историю). My father was a schoolmaster (был школьным учителем) in Chesterfield, where I received an excellent education (где я получил превосходное образование). I travelled in my youth (путешествовал в молодости), took to the stage (поступил в театр), and finally became a reporter (наконец стал репортером) on an evening paper in London (в вечерней газете в Лондоне). One day my editor (редактор) wished to have a series of articles upon begging in the metropolis (серию статей о нищенстве в столице), and I volunteered to supply them (вызвался добровольно написать: «поставить» их). There was the point from which all my adventures started (точка, с которой все мои приключения начались). It was only by trying begging as an amateur (только пробованием попрошайничества как любитель) that I could get the facts upon which to base my articles (я мог добыть факты, чтобы основать = написать статьи). When an actor (как актер) I had, of course, learned all the secrets of making up (изучил все секреты гримирования), and had been famous in the greenroom (славился в артистической среде /грим-уборной/) for my skill (за мое умение). I took advantage now of my attainments (извлек выгоду из моих знаний; attainment — достижение, приобретение; attainments — образованность, знание). I painted my face (раскрасил лицо), and to make myself as pitiable as possible (и чтобы сделать себя таким жалким, как только возможно = для большей жалости) I made a good scar (сделал = нарисовал изрядный шрам) and fixed one side of my lip in a twist (установил одну сторону губы в искривленном положении) by the aid of a small slip of flesh-colored plaster (с помощью маленькой полоски телесного цвета пластыря). Then with a red head of hair (с красной головой волос = рыжим париком), and an appropriate dress (соответствующей одеждой), I took my station in the business part of the city (занял положение в деловой части города), ostensibly as a match-seller (якобы: «по видимости» как продавец спичек) but really as a beggar (на самом деле — как нищий). For seven hours I plied my trade (семь часов я занимался моим ремеслом), and when I returned home (возвратился домой) in the evening I found, to my surprise (обнаружил, к своему удивлению), that I had received no less than 26 shillings and fourpence (что получил не меньше 26 шиллингов и четырех пенсов).

schoolmaster [`skHlmRstq] article [`RtIkl] volunteered [vPlqn`tIqd] amateur [`xmqt(S)q]

 

"God bless you!" cried the prisoner passionately. "I would have endured imprisonment, aye, even execution, rather than have left my miserable secret as a family blot to my children.

"You are the first who have ever heard my story. My father was a schoolmaster in Chesterfield, where I received an excellent education. I travelled in my youth, took to the stage, and finally became a reporter on an evening paper in London. One day my editor wished to have a series of articles upon begging in the metropolis, and I volunteered to supply them. There was the point from which all my adventures started. It was only by trying begging as an amateur that I could get the facts upon which to base my articles. When an actor I had, of course, learned all the secrets of making up, and had been famous in the greenroom for my skill. I took advantage now of my attainments. I painted my face, and to make myself as pitiable as possible I made a good scar and fixed one side of my lip in a twist by the aid of a small slip of flesh-colored plaster. Then with a red head of hair, and an appropriate dress, I took my station in the business part of the city, ostensibly as a match-seller but really as a beggar. For seven hours I plied my trade, and when I returned home in the evening I found, to my surprise, that I had received no less than 26 shillings and fourpence.

 

"I wrote my articles (написал статьи) and thought little more of the matter until (почти позабыл: «думал мало больше» об этом, пока), some time later (некоторое время спустя), I backed a bill for a friend (поручился заплатить за приятеля: «поддержал счет»; bill — счет) and had a writ served upon me for 25 pounds (иск, извещение, врученное мне на /уплату/ 25 фунтов). I was at my wit's end (понятия не имел: «был на краю ума») where to get the money (где достать деньги), but a sudden idea came to me (неожиданная идея пришла ко мне). I begged a fortnight's grace from the creditor (попросил двухнедельную отсрочку у кредитора), asked for a holiday from my employers (попросил об отпуске у работодателей), and spent the time (провел это время) in begging in the City (нищенствуя в Сити) under my disguise (под маскировкой = переодетым; to disguise — переодевать, маскировать). In ten days (за десять дней) I had the money and had paid the debt (уплатил долг).

idea [aI`dIq] fortnight [`fLtnaIt] employers [Im`plOIqz] debt [det]

 

"I wrote my articles and thought little more of the matter until, some time later, I backed a bill for a friend and had a writ served upon me for 25 pounds. I was at my wit's end where to get the money, but a sudden idea came to me. I begged a fortnight's grace from the creditor, asked for a holiday from my employers, and spent the time in begging in the City under my disguise. In ten days I had the money and had paid the debt.

 

"Well, you can imagine (можете представить) how hard it was to settle down to arduous work at 2 pounds a week (как трудно было засесть за тяжелую работу за два фунта в неделю) when I knew that I could earn as much in a day (мог бы заработать столько же за день) by smearing my face with a little paint (вымазав лицо небольшим количеством краски), laying my cap on the ground (положив кепку на землю), and sitting still (и сидя тихо). It was a long fight (долгая борьба) between my pride and the money (между моей гордостью и деньгами), but the dollars won at last (деньги: «доллары» победили в конце концов; to win), and I threw up reporting (забросил репортерство) and sat day after day in the corner (сидел день за днем на углу) which I had first chosen (который я /с самого/ начала выбрал), inspiring pity by my ghastly face (внушая жалость жутким/наводящим ужас лицом) and filling my pockets with coppers (и наполняя карманы медяками). Only one man knew my secret (только один человек знал мою тайну). He was the keeper of a low den (владелец низкопробного: «низкого» притона) in which I used to lodge (в котором я снимал комнату) in Swandam Lane, where I could every morning emerge as a squalid beggar (где я мог каждое утро появляться как грязный нищий) and in the evenings transform myself (по вечерам превращаться) into a well-dressed man about town (в хорошо одетого городского человека: «около города»; about town — известный; светский). This fellow (этот парень), a Lascar, was well paid by me for his rooms (хорошо получал от меня за свои комнаты), so that I knew that my secret was safe in his possession (потому я знал, что моя тайна была в безопасности в его владении = он ничего никому не скажет).

arduous [`Rdjuqs] inspiring [In`spaIqrIN] possession [pq`zeSn]

 

"Well, you can imagine how hard it was to settle down to arduous work at 2 pounds a week when I knew that I could earn as much in a day by smearing my face with a little paint, laying my cap on the ground, and sitting still. It was a long fight between my pride and the money, but the dollars won at last, and I threw up reporting and sat day after day in the corner which I had first chosen, inspiring pity by my ghastly face and filling my pockets with coppers. Only one man knew my secret. He was the keeper of a low den in which I used to lodge in Swandam Lane, where I could every morning emerge as a squalid beggar and in the evenings transform myself into a well-dressed man about town. This fellow, a Lascar, was well paid by me for his rooms, so that I knew that my secret was safe in his possession.

 

"Well, very soon I found (очень скоро я обнаружил) that I was saving considerable sums of money (что я откладывал значительные суммы денег; to save — спасать, сохранять; экономить). I do not mean (не имею в виду = не думаю) that any beggar in the streets of London could earn (мог заработать) 700 pounds a year — which is less than my average takings (что меньше, чем мои средние сборы) — but I had exceptional advantages (исключительные преимущества) in my power of making up (в моем мастерстве гримирования), and also in a facility of repartee (в способности остроумия), which improved by practice (улучшилось практикой) and made me quite a recognized character in the City (сделало меня довольно узнаваемым персонажем в Сити). All day a stream of pennies (поток пенсов), varied by silver (вперемешку с серебром), poured in upon me (лился на меня), and it was a very bad day in which I failed to take 2 pounds (в который я не мог собрать двух фунтов).

earn [E:n] average [`xvqrIG] exceptional [Ik`sepSnl] facility [fq`sIlItI] poured [pLd]

"As I grew richer I grew more ambitious (чем богаче я становился, тем более честолюбивым /становился/; to grow — расти), took a house in the country (снял дом в деревне = за городом), and eventually married (со временем женился), without anyone having a suspicion as to my real occupation (без кого-либо, имеющего подозрение о моем настоящем занятии). My dear wife knew that I had business in the City (что у меня были дела в Сити). She little knew what (она мало знала какие /именно/).

ambitious [xm`bISqs] eventually [I`ventSqlI] suspicion [sq`spISn]

 

"Well, very soon I found that I was saving considerable sums of money. I do not mean that any beggar in the streets of London could earn 700 pounds a year — which is less than my average takings — but I had exceptional advantages in my power of making up, and also in a facility of repartee, which improved by practice and made me quite a recognized character in the City. All day a stream of pennies, varied by silver, poured in upon me, and it was a very bad day in which I failed to take 2 pounds.

"As I grew richer I grew more ambitious, took a house in the country, and eventually married, without anyone having a suspicion as to my real occupation. My dear wife knew that I had business in the City. She little knew what.

 

"Last Monday (в прошлый понедельник) I had finished for the day (закончил /работу/ на тот день) and was dressing in my room above the opium den (одевался в моей комнате над опиумным приютом) when I looked out of my window (выглянул в окно) and saw, to my horror and astonishment (к своему ужасу и удивлению), that my wife was standing in the street (что моя жена стояла на улице), with her eyes fixed full upon me (с глазами, устремленными прямо на меня). I gave a cry of surprise (издал крик = вскрикнул от удивления), threw up my arms to cover my face (/резко/ поднял руки, чтобы закрыть лицо; to throw — бросать), and, rushing to my confidant (бросившись к моему доверенному лицу), the Lascar, entreated him to prevent anyone from coming up to me (умолял его не пускать никого наверх ко мне; to prevent — предотвратить). I heard her voice downstairs (слышал ее голос внизу), but I knew that she could not ascend (не может подняться). Swiftly I threw off my clothes (быстро я сбросил одежду), pulled on those of a beggar (натянул одежду нищего), and put on my pigments and wig (нанес краску и /надел/ парик). Even a wife's eyes could not pierce so complete a disguise (даже глаза жены не могли узнать меня в такой глубокой маскировке; to pierce — протыкать, пронизывать). But then it occurred to me (мне пришло в голову) that there might be a search (обыск) in the room, and that the clothes might betray me (одежда может выдать меня). I threw open the window (распахнул окно), reopening by my violence a small cut (вновь открывшее = заставившее из-за моей стремительности /кровоточить/ маленький порез) which I had inflicted upon myself (нанес, причинил себе) in the bedroom that morning. Then I seized my coat (схватил пиджак), which was weighted by the coppers (нагружен медяками) which I had just transferred (переложил) to it from the leather bag (из кожаной сумки) in which I carried my takings (в которой носил свои сборы). I hurled it out of the window (швырнул из окна), and it disappeared into the Thames (исчез в Темзе). The other clothes would have followed (остальная одежда последовала бы), but at that moment there was a rush of constables (спешка, суета констеблей) up the stair (вверх по лестнице), and a few minutes after I found (спустя несколько минут я обнаружил), rather, I confess, to my relief (скорее, должен сказать, к своему облегчению; to confess — исповедоваться; признаваться), that instead of being identified as Mr. Neville St. Clair (вместо того, чтобы быть опознанным как…), I was arrested as his murderer (я был арестован как его убийца).

confidant [`kPnfIdxnt] leather [`leDq] violence [`vaIqlqns] murderer [`mE:dqrq]

 

"Last Monday I had finished for the day and was dressing in my room above the opium den when I looked out of my window and saw, to my horror and astonishment, that my wife was standing in the street, with her eyes fixed full upon me. I gave a cry of surprise, threw up my arms to cover my face, and, rushing to my confidant, the Lascar, entreated him to prevent anyone from coming up to me. I heard her voice downstairs, but I knew that she could not ascend. Swiftly I threw off my clothes, pulled on those of a beggar, and put on my pigments and wig. Even a wife's eyes could not pierce so complete a disguise. But then it occurred to me that there might be a search in the room, and that the clothes might betray me. I threw open the window, reopening by my violence a small cut which I had inflicted upon myself in the bedroom that morning. Then I seized my coat, which was weighted by the coppers which I had just transferred to it from the leather bag in which I carried my takings. I hurled it out of the window, and it disappeared into the Thames. The other clothes would have followed, but at that moment there was a rush of constables up the stair, and a few minutes after I found, rather, I confess, to my relief, that instead of being identified as Mr. Neville St. Clair, I was arrested as his murderer.

 

"I do not know that there is anything else for me to explain (я не знаю, чтобы было здесь что-то еще для меня, чтобы объяснить = больше мне нечего прибавить). I was determined to preserve (решил сохранить) my disguise as long as possible (мое переодевание, мою маскировку так долго, как /только/ возможно), and hence my preference for a dirty face (и оттого мое предпочтение грязному лицу = поэтому не умывался). Knowing that my wife would be terribly anxious (зная, что моя жена будет ужасно обеспокоена), I slipped off my ring (снял кольцо; to slip — скользить) and confided it (доверил его) to the Lascar at a moment when no constable was watching me (в тот момент, когда никакой констебль не был наблюдающим за мной = тайком от полиции), together with a hurried scrawl (вместе с торопливой запиской), telling her that she had no cause to fear (говорящей ей, что у нее нет причины бояться)."

preserve [prI`zE:v] preference [`prefqrqns] anxious [`xNkSqs] scrawl [skrLl] cause [kLz]

"That note only reached her yesterday (эта записка только сегодня достигла ее)," said Holmes.

"Good God (о Боже)! What a week she must have spent (что за неделю она, должно быть, провела; to spend)!"

 

"I do not know that there is anything else for me to explain. I was determined to preserve my disguise as long as possible, and hence my preference for a dirty face. Knowing that my wife would be terribly anxious, I slipped off my ring and confided it to the Lascar at a moment when no constable was watching me, together with a hurried scrawl, telling her that she had no cause to fear."

"That note only reached her yesterday," said Holmes.

"Good God! What a week she must have spent!"

 

"The police have watched this Lascar (полиция следила за этим Ласкаром)," said Inspector Bradstreet, "and I can quite understand (вполне понимаю) that he might find it difficult (что он мог найти это трудно = было трудно) to post a letter unobserved (отправить письмо незамеченным). Probably he handed it to some sailor customer of his (возможно, он передал его какому-нибудь матросу, посетителю /притона/), who forgot all about it for some days (который забыл все = совершенно об этом на несколько дней; to forget — забывать)."

unobserved [Anqb`zE:vd] sailor [`seIlq] customer [`kAstqmq]

"That was it (так и было)," said Holmes, nodding approvingly (кивая одобрительно; to approve — одобрять); "I have no doubt of it (я не имею сомнения насчет этого). But have you never been prosecuted for begging (но разве вас никогда не привлекали к суду за попрошайничество)?"

 

"The police have watched this Lascar," said Inspector Bradstreet, "and I can quite understand that he might find it difficult to post a letter unobserved. Probably he handed it to some sailor customer of his, who forgot all about it for some days."

"That was it," said Holmes, nodding approvingly; "I have no doubt of it. But have you never been prosecuted for begging?"

 

"Many times (много раз); but what was a fine to me (но что был штраф = но что значил штраф для меня)?"

"It must stop here, however (это должно кончиться здесь, как бы то ни было)," said Bradstreet. "If the police are to hush this thing up (если полиция должна замять эту вещь = историю), there must be no more of Hugh Boone (не должно быть больше Хью Буна)."

"I have sworn it by the most solemn oaths which a man can take (я /уже/ поклялся /себе/ самыми торжественными клятвами, какие /только/ человек может дать; to swear — клясться)."

 

"Many times; but what was a fine to me?"

"It must stop here, however," said Bradstreet. "If the police are to hush this thing up, there must be no more of Hugh Boone."

"I have sworn it by the most solemn oaths which a man can take."

 

"In that case (в таком случае) I think that it is probable (я полагаю вероятным) that no further steps may be taken (что никакие дальнейшие шаги могут быть приняты = не будут приняты). But if you are found again (но если вы будете найдены = замечены снова), then all must come out (тогда все выйдет наружу). I am sure (я уверен), Mr. Holmes, that we are very much indebted to you (очень в долгу перед вами = признательны вам) for having cleared the matter up (за раскрытие дела). I wish I knew how you reach your results (хотел бы я знать, как вы достигаете ваших результатов)."

probable [`prPbqbl] indebted [In`detId]

"I reached this one (достиг этого)," said my friend, "by sitting upon five pillows (сидением на пяти подушках) and consuming an ounce of shag (и потреблением = выкуриванием унции табаку). I think, Watson, that if we drive to Baker Street (если мы поедем на Бейкер-стрит) we shall just be in time for breakfast (мы будем как раз /вовремя/ к завтраку)."

 

"In that case I think that it is probable that no further steps may be taken. But if you are found again, then all must come out. I am sure, Mr. Holmes, that we are very much indebted to you for having cleared the matter up. I wish I knew how you reach your results."

"I reached this one," said my friend, "by sitting upon five pillows and consuming an ounce of shag. I think, Watson, that if we drive to Baker Street we shall just be in time for breakfast."