aneurism ['& [email protected]], advisability [@d, [email protected]'bIlItI], warn [wO:n]
"Why," I cried, "you have an aortic aneurism!"
"That's what they call it," he said, placidly. "I went to a Doctor last week about it, and he told me that it is bound to burst before many days passed. It has been getting worse for years. I got it from over-exposure and under-feeding among the Salt Lake Mountains. I've done my work now, and I don't care how soon I go, but I should like to leave some account of the business behind me. I don't want to be remembered as a common cut-throat."
The Inspector and the two detectives had a hurried discussion as to the advisability of allowing him to tell his story.
"Do you consider, Doctor, that there is immediate danger?" the former asked.
"Most certainly there is," I answered.
"In that case it is clearly our duty, in the interests of justice, to take his statement," said the Inspector. "You are at liberty, sir, to give your account, which I again warn you will be taken down."
"I'll sit down, with your leave (с вашего позволения, я сяду)," the prisoner said, suiting the action to the word (сказал пленник, и так и сделал; to suit the action to the word — подкреплять слово делом; to suit — приспосабливать, приводить в соответствие). "This aneurism of mine makes me easily tired (с этим моим аневризмом я быстро устаю: «этот мой аневризм заставляет меня легко уставать»), and the tussle we had half an hour ago has not mended matters (и потасовка, что случилась у нас полчаса назад, дело не улучшила; to mend — чинить, ремонтировать). I'm on the brink of the grave (я на краю могилы), and I am not likely to lie to you (и мне незачем вам лгать; likely — вероятный, возможный). Every word I say is the absolute truth (каждое мое слово — абсолютная правда), and how you use it is a matter of no consequence to me (а как вы это используете, для меня значения не имеет: «дело никакого значения = неважно для меня»)."
With these words, Jefferson Hope leaned back in his chair and began the following remarkable statement (с этими словами Джефферсон Хоуп откинулся в кресле и начал свой изложенный ниже удивительный рассказ; to follow — следовать). He spoke in a calm and methodical manner (он говорил спокойно и последовательно), as though the events which he narrated were commonplace enough (словно события, о которых он рассказывал, были делом вполне обыденным). I can vouch for the accuracy of the subjoined account (я могу поручиться за точность приведенного рассказа; to subjoin — присовокуплять; приобщать к делу), for I have had access to Lestrade's note-book (так как я имел возможность сверить его по: «так как у меня был доступ к» записной книжке Лестрейда), in which the prisoner's words were taken down exactly as they were uttered (в которой слова пленника были записаны в точности так, как он их произносил).
"It don't much matter to you why I hated these men," he said (вам не так уж важно, почему я ненавидел этих двоих: «этих людей», — сказал он); "it's enough that they were guilty of the death of two human beings — a father and a daughter (достаточно того, что они виновны в смерти двух человеческих существ — отца и дочери)— and that they had, therefore, forfeited their own lives (и что они по этой причине поплатились за это своими жизнями; to forfeit — лишиться в результате конфискации, потерять право на что-л.; поплатиться). After the lapse of time that has passed since their crime (так как слишком много времени: «после промежутка времени, которое» прошло с момента их преступления), it was impossible for me to secure a conviction against them in any court (для меня было невозможно добиться обвинительного приговора для них в каком бы то ни было суде; to secure — гарантировать, обеспечивать; conviction — осуждение, признание виновным). I knew of their guilt though (но я знал об их вине), and I determined that I should be judge, jury, and executioner all rolled into one (и я решил, что я буду судьей, жюри присяжных и палачом в одном лице; to roll — катить; завертывать; rolled into one — совмещенный, комбинированный). You'd have done the same (вы бы сделали то же самое), if you have any manhood in you (если в вас есть хоть капля мужества; manhood — мужественность; качества, присущие мужчинам), if you had been in my place (если бы вы оказались на моем месте).
guilty ['gIltI], forfeit ['fO:fIt], secure [sI' [email protected]]
"I'll sit down, with your leave," the prisoner said, suiting the action to the word. "This aneurism of mine makes me easily tired, and the tussle we had half an hour ago has not mended matters. I'm on the brink of the grave, and I am not likely to lie to you. Every word I say is the absolute truth, and how you use it is a matter of no consequence to me."
With these words, Jefferson Hope leaned back in his chair and began the following remarkable statement. He spoke in a calm and methodical manner, as though the events which he narrated were commonplace enough. I can vouch for the accuracy of the subjoined account, for I have had access to Lestrade's note-book, in which the prisoner's words were taken down exactly as they were uttered.
"It don't much matter to you why I hated these men," he said; "it's enough that they were guilty of the death of two human beings — a father and a daughter — and that they had, therefore, forfeited their own lives. After the lapse of time that has passed since their crime, it was impossible for me to secure a conviction against them in any court. I knew of their guilt though, and I determined that I should be judge, jury, and executioner all rolled into one. You'd have done the same, if you have any manhood in you, if you had been in my place.
"That girl that I spoke of was to have married me twenty years ago (девушка, о которой я говорил, должна была стать моей женой двадцать лет назад; to marry — вступать в брак). She was forced into marrying that same Drebber (ее принудили выйти замуж за этого Дреббера), and broke her heart over it (и ее сердце разбилось из-за этого). I took the marriage ring from her dead finger (я снял обручальное кольцо с пальца покойницы: «с ее мертвого пальца»), and I vowed that his dying eyes should rest upon that very ring (и я поклялся, что его глаза перед смертью: «его умирающие глаза» будут смотреть на это кольцо; to rest —быть прикованным), and that his last thoughts should be of the crime for which he was punished (и что его последние мысли будут о преступлении, за которое он несет кару; to punish — наказывать; карать). I have carried it about with me (я всюду носил его с собой), and have followed him and his accomplice over two continents until I caught them (и преследовал его и его сообщника через два континента, пока я не поймал их). They thought to tire me out, but they could not do it (они думали вымотать меня, но не смогли этого сделать). If I die to-morrow, as is likely enough (если я умру завтра, что достаточно вероятно), I die knowing that my work in this world is done, and well done (я умру, знаю, что мое дело в этом мире выполнено, и выполнено хорошо). They have perished, and by my hand (они понесли наказание, и от моей руки; to perish — погибать, умирать). There is nothing left for me to hope for, or to desire (других надежд или желаний у меня больше нет: «ничего не осталось для меня, на что надеяться или чего желать»).
"They were rich and I was poor (они были богаты, а я беден), so that it was no easy matter for me to follow them (поэтому мне было нелегко преследовать их). When I got to London my pocket was about empty (когда я добрался до Лондона, мои карманы были практически пусты), and I found that I must turn my hand to something for my living (и я обнаружил, что мне необходимо заняться чем-то, чтобы добывать средства к существованию; to turn one's hand to something — взяться, приняться за что-либо). Driving and riding are as natural to me as walking (править лошадьми и ездить верхом было для меня столь же естественно, как ходить пешком), so I applied at a cabowner's office, and soon got employment (поэтому я обратился в контору по прокату кебов: «в офис владельца кебов» и вскоре получил работу). I was to bring a certain sum a week to the owner (я должен был еженедельно приносить определенную сумму владельцу), and whatever was over that I might keep for myself (а все сверх этого мог оставлять себе). There was seldom much over, but I managed to scrape along somehow (редко много оставалось, но мне все же как-то удавалось сводить концы с концами; to scrape — скоблить, скрести; копить, накапливать; to scrape along — еле-еле сводить концы с концами). The hardest job was to learn my way about (труднее всего было научиться ориентироваться; way — путь; дорога), for I reckon that of all the mazes that ever were contrived (так как, по-моему, из всех когда-либо придуманных лабиринтов; to reckon — полагать, считать; to contrive — придумывать, изобретать), this city is the most confusing (этот город — самый запутанный; to confuse — запутывать, сбивать с толку). I had a map beside me though (но у меня под боком была карта), and when once I had spotted the principal hotels and stations, I got on pretty well (и стоило мне запомнить главные гостиницы и вокзалы, как дело пошло на лад; to spot — узнать; определить; обнаружить, установить; to get on — делать успехи).
marriage ['m&rIdZ], vow [vau], punish ['pVnIS]
"That girl that I spoke of was to have married me twenty years ago. She was forced into marrying that same Drebber, and broke her heart over it. I took the marriage ring from her dead finger, and I vowed that his dying eyes should rest upon that very ring, and that his last thoughts should be of the crime for which he was punished. I have carried it about with me, and have followed him and his accomplice over two continents until I caught them. They thought to tire me out, but they could not do it. If I die to-morrow, as is likely enough, I die knowing that my work in this world is done, and well done. They have perished, and by my hand. There is nothing left for me to hope for, or to desire.
"They were rich and I was poor, so that it was no easy matter for me to follow them. When I got to London my pocket was about empty, and I found that I must turn my hand to something for my living. Driving and riding are as natural to me as walking, so I applied at a cabowner's office, and soon got employment. I was to bring a certain sum a week to the owner, and whatever was over that I might keep for myself. There was seldom much over, but I managed to scrape along somehow. The hardest job was to learn my way about, for I reckon that of all the mazes that ever were contrived, this city is the most confusing. I had a map beside me though, and when once I had spotted the principal hotels and stations, I got on pretty well.
"It was some time before I found out where my two gentlemen were living (прошло немало времени, прежде чем я разузнал, где жили два моих джентльмена); but I inquired and inquired until at last I dropped across them (но я разузнавал и выведывал, пока, наконец, я на них не напал; to inquire — осведомляться, справляться, спрашивать, искать; to drop across — столкнуться; to drop — капать; падать). They were at a boarding-house at Camberwell (они остановились: «были» в пансионате в Кембервелле), over on the other side of the river (на другой стороне реки). When once I found them out I knew that I had them at my mercy (стоило мне найти их, и я знал, что они у меня в руках; mercy — милосердие; жалость; at somebody’s mercy — в чьей-либо милости). I had grown my beard (я отпустил бороду; to grow), and there was no chance of their recognizing me (и они не смогли бы меня узнать: «и не было шанса, что они меня узнают»). I would dog them and follow them until I saw my opportunity (я собирался везде следовать за ними, пока не увижу свой шанс; to dog — выслеживать; преследовать; opportunity — удобный случай, благоприятная возможность). I was determined that they should not escape me again (я был полон решимости, что они больше от меня не сбегут).
