I took a step forward. In an instant his strange headgear began to move, and there reared itself from among his hair the squat diamond-shaped head and puffed neck of a loathsome serpent.

"It is a swamp adder!" cried Holmes; "the deadliest snake in India. He has died within ten seconds of being bitten. Violence does, in truth, recoil upon the violent, and the schemer falls into the pit which he digs for another. Let us thrust this creature back into its den, and we can then remove Miss Stoner to some place of shelter and let the county police know what has happened."

 

As he spoke he drew the dog-whip swiftly from the dead man's lap (пока он говорил = при этих словах он сдернул быстро собачью плеть с колен мертвого), and throwing the noose round the reptile's neck (и, набрасывая петлю вокруг шеи рептилии) he drew it from its horrid perch (стащил ее с ужасного насеста) and, carrying it at arm's length (и, неся ее на расстоянии вытянутой руки), threw it into the iron safe (швырнул в железный сейф), which he closed upon it (который закрыл вслед за ней).

noose [nHs] reptile [`reptaIl] perch [pE:tS]

Such are the true facts of the death of Dr. Grimesby Roylott, of Stoke Moran (таковы истинные факты = обстоятельства смерти доктора Гримсби Ройлотта из Сток-Морена). It is not necessary that I should prolong a narrative (не обязательно, нет необходимости мне продолжать рассказ) which has already run to too great a length (который /и так/ уже растянулся до слишком большой длины) by telling how we broke the sad news to the terrified girl (рассказывая, как мы сообщили печальную = тяжелую весть напуганной девушке), how we conveyed her by the morning train to the care of her good aunt at Harrow (как мы утренним поездом переправили ее на попечение доброй тетушки в Хэрроу), of how the slow process of official inquiry came to the conclusion (/о том/, как медленный процесс официального расследования пришел к заключению) that the doctor met his fate (что доктор встретил свою судьбу = смерть) while indiscreetly playing with a dangerous pet (играя неосторожно с опасным любимцем). The little which I had yet to learn of the case (малое = оставшиеся детали, которые я должен был еще узнать о деле) was told me by Sherlock Holmes as we travelled back next day (было рассказано мне Шерлоком Холмсом, когда мы ехали обратно на следующий день).

necessary [`nesIsqrI] narrative [`nxrqtIv] length [leNT] indiscreetly [,IndIs`krJtlI]

 

As he spoke he drew the dog-whip swiftly from the dead man's lap, and throwing the noose round the reptile's neck he drew it from its horrid perch and, carrying it at arm's length, threw it into the iron safe, which he closed upon it.

Such are the true facts of the death of Dr. Grimesby Roylott, of Stoke Moran. It is not necessary that I should prolong a narrative which has already run to too great a length by telling how we broke the sad news to the terrified girl, how we conveyed her by the morning train to the care of her good aunt at Harrow, of how the slow process of official inquiry came to the conclusion that the doctor met his fate while indiscreetly playing with a dangerous pet. The little which I had yet to learn of the case was told me by Sherlock Holmes as we travelled back next day.

 

"I had," said he, "come to an entirely erroneous conclusion (я пришел к совершенно ошибочному заключению), which shows, my dear Watson, how dangerous it always is to reason from insufficient data (что показывает, мой дорогой Ватсон, как опасно всегда рассуждать из = на основании неполных данных; insufficient — недостаточный; sufficient — достаточный). The presence of the gypsies, and the use of the word 'band' (присутствие цыган и использование слова «лента»), which was used by the poor girl (которое было употреблено бедной девушкой), no doubt to explain the appearance (без сомнения, чтобы объяснить внешность = образ) which she had caught a hurried glimpse of by the light of her match (быстрое мелькание которого она поймала = увидела с помощью света = в свете спички), were sufficient to put me upon an entirely wrong scent (было достаточно, чтобы навести меня на совершенно ложный след). I can only claim the merit (я могу лишь требовать заслуги = мне может служить оправданием /то/) that I instantly reconsidered my position (что я тотчас пересмотрел свою точку зрения) when, however, it became clear to me that whatever danger threatened an occupant of the room (когда, однако, мне стало ясно, что какая бы опасность ни грозила жильцу /той/ комнаты; occupant — житель, жилец, обитатель) could not come either from the window or the door (/эта опасность/ не могла прийти ни через окно, ни через дверь). My attention was speedily drawn (мое внимание было быстро привлечено), as I have already remarked to you (как я уже заметил), to this ventilator, and to the bell-rope which hung down to the bed (к этой вентиляции и к шнурку от звонка, который свисал к кровати; to hang down — свисать, спускаться). The discovery that this was a dummy (открытие, обнаружение, что это была фальшивка), and that the bed was clamped to the floor (и что кровать была прикреплена к полу), instantly gave rise to the suspicion (мгновенно вызвало подозрение; to give rise — быть источником, дать начало, вызвать) that the rope was there as a bridge for something passing through the hole and coming to the bed (что шнур был там в качестве моста для чего-то, проходящего через отверстие и спускающегося на кровать). The idea of a snake instantly occurred to me (мысль о гадюке тотчас пришла мне /в голову/), and when I coupled it with my knowledge that the doctor was furnished with a supply of creatures from India (и когда я связал ее /эту мысль/ со знанием, что доктор был снабжен тварями = что ему доставили тварей из Индии; to furnish — доставлять, обеспечивать; to supply — поставлять, снабжать), I felt that I was probably on the right track (я почувствовал = понял, что, возможно, я на верном пути). The idea of using a form of poison (идея использования /такого/ вида яда) which could not possibly be discovered by any chemical test (который не может быть обнаружен каким-либо химическим анализом) was just such a one as would occur to a clever and ruthless man who had had an Eastern training (как раз такая, которая могла бы прийти в голову умному и жестокому человеку, который имел восточную подготовку = долго прожил на Востоке). The rapidity with which such a poison would take effect (быстрота, с которой такой яд оказывает действие) would also, from his point of view, be an advantage (также, с его точки зрения, было преимуществом). It would be a sharp-eyed coroner (это был бы = должен бы быть следователь с очень хорошим зрением: «остроглазый»), indeed, who could distinguish the two little dark punctures (воистину, который мог бы различить два маленьких темных прокола) which would show where the poison fangs had done their work (показывающих, где ядовитые зубы сделали свою работу; fang — клык; ядовитый зуб /змеи/). Then I thought of the whistle (потом я подумал о свисте). Of course, he must recall the snake (ну конечно, он должен был призывать обратно змею) before the morning light revealed it to the victim (прежде чем утренний свет разоблачил бы ее = показал жертве). He had trained it (он дрессировал ее), probably by the use of the milk which we saw (вероятно, использованием молока = давая ей молоко, которое мы видели), to return to him when summoned (возвращаться к нему, когда требуется). He would put it through this ventilator at the hour that he thought best (он пропускал ее через вентиляцию в час, который считал лучшим = поздно ночью), with the certainty that it would crawl down the rope and land on the bed (с уверенностью, что она сползет по веревке приземлится = спустится на кровать). It might or might not bite the occupant (она могла или не могла укусить обитательницу /комнаты/), perhaps she might escape every night for a week (возможно, /потому что девушка/ могла уходить /из комнаты/ каждую ночь /целую/ неделю), but sooner or later she must fall a victim (но рано или поздно она должна /была/ пасть жертвой).

entirely [In`taIqlI] insufficient [Insq`fISqnt] discovery [dIs`kAvqrI] poison [`pOIzn]

 

"I had," said he, "come to an entirely erroneous conclusion, which shows, my dear Watson, how dangerous it always is to reason from insufficient data. The presence of the gypsies, and the use of the word 'band,' which was used by the poor girl, no doubt to explain the appearance which she had caught a hurried glimpse of by the light of her match, were sufficient to put me upon an entirely wrong scent. I can only claim the merit that I instantly reconsidered my position when, however, it became clear to me that whatever danger threatened an occupant of the room could not come either from the window or the door. My attention was speedily drawn, as I have already remarked to you, to this ventilator, and to the bell-rope which hung down to the bed. The discovery that this was a dummy, and that the bed was clamped to the floor, instantly gave rise to the suspicion that the rope was there as a bridge for something passing through the hole and coming to the bed. The idea of a snake instantly occurred to me, and when I coupled it with my knowledge that the doctor was furnished with a supply of creatures from India, I felt that I was probably on the right track. The idea of using a form of poison which could not possibly be discovered by any chemical test was just such a one as would occur to a clever and ruthless man who had had an Eastern training. The rapidity with which such a poison would take effect would also, from his point of view, be an advantage. It would be a sharp-eyed coroner, indeed, who could distinguish the two little dark punctures which would show where the poison fangs had done their work. Then I thought of the whistle. Of course, he must recall the snake before the morning light revealed it to the victim. He had trained it, probably by the use of the milk which we saw, to return to him when summoned. He would put it through this ventilator at the hour that he thought best, with the certainty that it would crawl down the rope and land on the bed. It might or might not bite the occupant, perhaps she might escape every night for a week, but sooner or later she must fall a victim.

 

"I had come to these conclusions before ever I had entered his room (я пришел к таким выводам прежде, чем даже вошел в комнату). An inspection of his chair showed me (осмотр его стула показал) that he had been in the habit of standing on it (что он был в привычке = привык становиться /ногами/ на него), which, of course, would be necessary in order that he should reach the ventilator (что, конечно, было необходимо для того, чтобы достать = дотянуться до вентиляции; in order — с тем, чтобы). The sight of the safe (вид сейфа = взгляда на сейф), the saucer of milk (на блюдце молока), and the loop of whipcord (и петлю) were enough to finally dispel any doubts (было достаточно, чтобы рассеять любые сомнения) which may have remained (котрые могли оставаться). The metallic clang heard by Miss Stoner (металлический лязг, слышимый мисс Стонер) was obviously caused by her stepfather hastily closing the door of his safe upon its terrible occupant (был, очевидно, вызван /тем что/ ее отчим торопливо закрывал дверь сейфа = запирал там ужасного обитателя). Having once made up my mind (приняв сразу решение), you know the steps which I took in order to put the matter to the proof (вы знаете шаги, которые я предпринял чтобы поместить дело на проверку = проверить выводы). I heard the creature hiss (я услышал шипение твари), as I have no doubt that you did also (как, не сомневаюсь, /услышали/ и вы), and I instantly lit the light and attacked it (и я немедленно зажег свет и ударил ее)."

saucer [`sLsq] enough [I`nAf] hastily [`heIstIlI]

"With the result of driving it through the ventilator (с результатом пропускания = прогнав ее /назад/ в вентиляцию; to drive through — пронзать, проводить)."

 

"I had come to these conclusions before ever I had entered his room. An inspection of his chair showed me that he had been in the habit of standing on it, which, of course, would be necessary in order that he should reach the ventilator. The sight of the safe, the saucer of milk, and the loop of whipcord were enough to finally dispel any doubts which may have remained. The metallic clang heard by Miss Stoner was obviously caused by her stepfather hastily closing the door of his safe upon its terrible occupant. Having once made up my mind, you know the steps which I took in order to put the matter to the proof. I heard the creature hiss, as I have no doubt that you did also, and I instantly lit the light and attacked it."

"With the result of driving it through the ventilator."

 

"And also with the result of causing it to turn upon its master at the other side (и также заставив змею обратиться против = напасть на своего хозяина). Some of the blows of my cane came home and roused its snakish temper (некоторые из ударов моей трости попали в цель и разбудили ее змеиную злобу; temper — нрав, характер; злоба, гнев), so that it flew upon the first person it saw (и потому она напала на первого человека, которого увидела). In this way I am no doubt indirectly responsible for Dr. Grimesby Roylott's death (таким образом, я косвенно ответственен за смерть доктора Гримсби Ройлотта), and I cannot say that it is likely to weigh very heavily upon my conscience (и не могу сказать, что эта /вина/ тяготеет над моей совестью; to weigh — весить; heavily — тяжело)."

roused [rauzd] responsible [rI`spPnsIbl] weigh [weI] conscience [`kPnSqns]

 

"And also with the result of causing it to turn upon its master at the other side. Some of the blows of my cane came home and roused its snakish temper, so that it flew upon the first person it saw. In this way I am no doubt indirectly responsible for Dr. Grimesby Roylott's death, and I cannot say that it is likely to weigh very heavily upon my conscience."