“‘The original has no date (в оригинале нет даты), but is in the spelling of the middle of the seventeenth century (но, судя по орфографии, он /относится/ к середине семнадцатого века; spelling — орфография, правописание; to spell — писать или произносить /слово/ по буквам),’ remarked Musgrave (заметил Месгрейв). ‘I am afraid, however (впрочем, боюсь), that it can be of little help to you in solving this mystery (что он мало поможет вам в раскрытии этой тайны).’
south [sauT], century ['sentS(@)rI], remarked [rI'mA:kt]
“‘Where was the shadow?’
“‘Under the elm.’
“‘How was it stepped?’
“‘North by ten and by ten, east by five and by five, south by two and by two, west by one and by one, and so under.’
“‘What shall we give for it?’
“‘All that is ours.’
“‘Why should we give it?’
“‘For the sake of the trust.’
“‘The original has no date, but is in the spelling of the middle of the seventeenth century,’ remarked Musgrave. ‘I am afraid, however, that it can be of little help to you in solving this mystery.’
“‘At least (по крайней мере),’ said I, ‘it gives us another mystery (он ставит перед нами: «дает нам» другую загадку), and one which is even more interesting than the first (даже еще более интересную, чем первая). It may be that the solution of the one (может случиться так, что решение одной) may prove to be the solution of the other (окажется решением и другой). You will excuse me, Musgrave, if I say (извините меня = надеюсь, вы не обидитесь, Месгрейв, если я скажу) that your butler appears to me to have been a very clever man (что ваш дворецкий кажется мне очень умным человеком), and to have had a clearer insight (обладающим большей проницательностью; insight — проницательность; понимание) than ten generations of his masters (чем десять поколений его господ).’
“‘I hardly follow you (я вас не понимаю; hardly — едва, вряд ли; с трудом),’ said Musgrave. ‘The paper seems to me to be of no practical importance (мне кажется, эта бумага не имеет никакого практического значения).’
“‘But to me it seems immensely practical (а мне она кажется чрезвычайно практической = важной в практическом плане), and I fancy that Brunton took the same view (и, полагаю, Брантон придерживался того же мнения). He had probably seen it before that night on which you caught him (вероятно, он видел бумагу и до той ночи, когда вы застали его /в библиотеке/; to catch — ловить).’
generation [,dZen@'reIS(@)n], immensely [I'menslI], view [vju:], caught [kO:t]
“‘At least,’ said I, ‘it gives us another mystery, and one which is even more interesting than the first. It may be that the solution of the one may prove to be the solution of the other. You will excuse me, Musgrave, if I say that your butler appears to me to have been a very clever man, and to have had a clearer insight than ten generations of his masters.’
“‘I hardly follow you,’ said Musgrave. ‘The paper seems to me to be of no practical importance.’
“‘But to me it seems immensely practical, and I fancy that Brunton took the same view. He had probably seen it before that night on which you caught him.’
“‘It is very possible (вполне вероятно). We took no pains to hide it (мы и не старались спрятать ее; to take pains — прилагать усилия, стараться).’
