Sir Charles was a retiring man (сэр Чарльз был человеком, /любящим/ уединение; to retire — уходить в отставку; уединяться), but the chance of his illness brought us together (но случай с его болезнью свел нас вместе = его болезнь сблизила нас), and a community of interests in science kept us so (а общность интересов в науке поддерживала наши /отношения/). He had brought back much scientific information from South Africa (из Южной Африки он привез много научных сведений = материалов), and many a charming evening we have spent together (и много приятных вечеров мы провели вместе; to spend — тратить; проводить /время/)discussing the comparative anatomy of the Bushman and the Hottentot (обсуждая сравнительную анатомию бушменов и готтентотов ).
      "Within the last few months (на протяжении последних «нескольких» месяцев)it became increasingly plain to me (мне все больше становилось ясным; to increase — возрастать)that Sir Charles's nervous system was strained to breaking point (что нервная система сэра Чарльза напряжена до предела; breaking point — критическое состояние). He had taken this legend which I have read you exceedingly to heart — so much (он настолько принимал близко к сердцу легенду, которую я вам прочел; exceedingly — весьма, сильно)so that, although he would walk in his own grounds (что, хотя он обычно прогуливался только в своем парке; grounds — сад, парк при доме), nothing would induce him (ничто бы не заставило его; to induce — побуждать; склонять)to go out upon the moor at night (выйти ночью на болота). Incredible as it may appear to you, Mr. Holmes (невероятно, как это может вам показаться, мистер Холмс), he was honestly convinced (/но/ он был искренне убежден)that a dreadful fate overhung his family (что страшное проклятие висело над его семьей; fate — судьба; to overhang — выступать над чем-либо, нависать; выдаваться, свешиваться; нависать, угрожать, грозить /чем-либо/), and certainly the records which he was able to give of his ancestors were not encouraging (и, конечно, примеры, которые он мог привести /из жизни/ своих предков, не ободряли: «не были ободряющими»; record — запись; исторический документ). The idea of some ghastly presence (мысль о чьем-то жутком присутствии)constantly haunted him (постоянно преследовала его), and on more than one occasion he has asked me (и частенько он спрашивал меня; on more than one — не раз; не единожды; occasion — возможность; случай, событие)whether I had on my medical journeys at night ever seen (не видал ли я когда-нибудь ночью по пути /к больному/; journey — путешествие; путь, маршрут)any strange creature or heard the baying of a hound (какого-нибудь странного существа и не слышал ли лая собаки). The latter question he put to me several times (последний вопрос он задавал мне несколько раз; to put — класть; ставить), and always with a voice which vibrated with excitement (и всегда голосом, дрожащим от волнения).
 
      sparsely ['spA:slI], induce [In'dju:s], ghastly ['gA:stlI]
 
      "The moor is very sparsely inhabited, and those who live near each other are thrown very much together. For this reason I saw a good deal of Sir Charles Baskerville. With the exception of Mr. Frankland, of Lafter Hall, and Mr. Stapleton, the naturalist, there are no other men of education within many miles. Sir Charles was a retiring man, but the chance of his illness brought us together, and a community of interests in science kept us so. He had brought back much scientific information from South Africa, and many a charming evening we have spent together discussing the comparative anatomy of the Bushman and the Hottentot.
      "Within the last few months it became increasingly plain to me that Sir Charles's nervous system was strained to breaking point. He had taken this legend which I have read you exceedingly to heart — so much so that, although he would walk in his own grounds, nothing would induce him to go out upon the moor at night. Incredible as it may appear to you, Mr. Holmes, he was honestly convinced that a dreadful fate overhung his family, and certainly the records which he was able to give of his ancestors were not encouraging. The idea of some ghastly presence constantly haunted him, and on more than one occasion he has asked me whether I had on my medical journeys at night ever seen any strange creature or heard the baying of a hound. The latter question he put to me several times, and always with a voice which vibrated with excitement.
 
      "I can well remember (я хорошо помню)driving up to his house in the evening (как подъехал вечером к его дому), some three weeks before the fatal event (недели за три перед роковым событием; some — около, приблизительно). He chanced to be at his hall door (он стоял: «ему случилось стоять» у двери в холл). I had descended from my gig (я сошел со своей двуколки)and was standing in front of him (и стоял перед ним), when I saw his eyes fix themselves over my shoulder (когда увидел его глаза, уставившиеся куда-то поверх моего плеча; to fix — устанавливать; устремить /взгляд/, уставиться), and stare past me (и смотрящие мимо меня)with an expression of the most dreadful horror (с выражением безмерного ужаса: «крайне страшного ужаса»). I whisked round (я быстро обернулся; to whisk — сметать; двигаться быстро, проворно; round — вокруг; назад)and had just time to catch a glimpse of something (и едва успел заметить, как что-то мелькнуло; time — время; мгновение; to catch — ловить; увидеть /мельком/)which I took to be a large black calf (что я принял за большого теленка)passing at the head of the drive (перешедшего противоположный конец аллеи; head — голова; начало). So excited and alarmed was he (он так был возбужден и встревожен)that I was compelled to go down to the spot (что я был вынужден пройти к тому месту)where the animal had been and look around for it (где я видел: «где было» это животное и поискать его; to look for — искать). It was gone, however (однако оно исчезло; to be gone — уходить; пропадать), and the incident appeared to make the worst impression upon his mind (и этот случай, видимо, произвел сильнейшее впечатление на него; worst — наихудший; mind — разум; настроение; to appear — показываться; казаться). I stayed with him all the evening (я оставался с ним /весь/ вечер), and it was on that occasion (и вот по тому случаю), to explain the emotion which he had shown (чтобы объяснить мне возбуждение, которое он выказал; to show — показывать), that he confided to my keeping that narrative (он доверил мне на сохранение тот рассказ = рукопись)which I read to you when first I came (которую я прочел вам, как только вошел; first — прежде всего). I mention this small episode (я упоминаю этот маленький эпизод)because it assumes some importance in view of the tragedy which followed (поскольку он приобрел некую значимость, принимая во внимание трагедию, которая последовала; to assume — принимать, брать на себя; in view — ввиду; принимая во внимание), but I was convinced at the time (но в то время я был убежден)that the matter was entirely trivial (что это дело совершенно незначительно = что все это сущая чепуха)and that his excitement had no justification (и что /все/ его волнения ничем не оправданы).
 
      evening ['i:vnIN], event [I'vent], excitement [Ik'saItm@nt]
 
      "I can well remember driving up to his house in the evening, some three weeks before the fatal event. He chanced to be at his hall door. I had descended from my gig and was standing in front of him, when I saw his eyes fix themselves over my shoulder, and stare past me with an expression of the most dreadful horror. I whisked round and had just time to catch a glimpse of something which I took to be a large black calf passing at the head of the drive. So excited and alarmed was he that I was compelled to go down to the spot where the animal had been and look around for it. It was gone, however, and the incident appeared to make the worst impression upon his mind. I stayed with him all the evening, and it was on that occasion, to explain the emotion which he had shown, that he confided to my keeping that narrative which I read to you when first I came. I mention this small episode because it assumes some importance in view of the tragedy which followed, but I was convinced at the time that the matter was entirely trivial and that his excitement had no justification.
 
      "It was at my advice that Sir Charles was about to go to London (это по моему совету сэр Чарльз собирался поехать в Лондон; to be about — намереваться). His heart was, I knew, affected (как я знал, сердце у него пошаливало; to affect — оказывать воздействие; поражать /о болезни/), and the constant anxiety in which he lived (а постоянный страх, в котором он жил), however chimerical the cause of it might be (какой бы эфемерной ни была причина; chimerical — невыполнимый, неосуществимый), was evidently having a serious effect upon his health (несомненно, имел серьезное влияние на его здоровье). I thought that a few months among the distractions of town (я полагал, что несколько месяцев жизни в городе: «среди городских развлечений»; distraction — отвлечение внимания; развлечение)would send him back a new man (вернут его назад новым человеком; to send — посылать). Mr. Stapleton, a mutual friend (/наш/ общий друг, мистер Стэплтон)who was much concerned at his state of health (весьма встревоженный состоянием его здоровья), was of the same opinion (был того же мнения). At the last instant came this terrible catastrophe (в последний момент произошла эта ужасная трагедия; to come — приходить; происходить, случаться).
 
      anxiety [&N'zaI@tI], mutual ['mju:tju@l], catastrophe [k@'t&strOfI]
 
      "It was at my advice that Sir Charles was about to go to London. His heart was, I knew, affected, and the constant anxiety in which he lived, however chimerical the cause of it might be, was evidently having a serious effect upon his health. I thought that a few months among the distractions of town would send him back a new man. Mr. Stapleton, a mutual friend who was much concerned at his state of health, was of the same opinion. At the last instant came this terrible catastrophe.
 
      "On the night of Sir Charles's death Barrymore the butler (в ночь смерти сэра Чарльза Бэрримор, дворецкий), who made the discovery (который обнаружил тело: «сделал открытие»; to discover — открывать; обнаруживать), sent Perkins the groom on horseback to me (послал конюха Перкинса верхом ко мне), and as I was sitting up late (а поскольку я поздно не ложился; to sit up late — засидеться допоздна)I was able to reach Baskerville Hall within an hour of the event (я смог прибыть в Баскервиль-холл в течение часа /после/ этого события). I checked and corroborated all the facts (я проверил и подтвердил все факты)which were mentioned at the inquest (которые были упомянуты на следствии). I followed the footsteps down the Yew Alley (я проследовал по /его/ следам вниз по тисовой аллее), I saw the spot at the moor-gate (осмотрел место у калитки, выходящей на болота)where he seemed to have waited (где он, по-видимому, ждал = останавливался), I remarked the change in the shape of the prints after that point (заметил, как изменили форму следы, /ведущие/ от этого места: «точки»), I noted that there were no other footsteps (я /также/ заметил, что не было никаких других следов)save those of Barrymore on the soft gravel (кроме следов Бэрримора на мягком гравии; save — за исключением, кроме), and finally I carefully examined the body (и, наконец, я внимательно осмотрел тело), which had not been touched until my arrival (которое не трогали до моего приезда).
 
      discovery [dIs'kVv@rI], carefully ['kE@fullI], arrival [@'raIv(@)l]
 
      "On the night of Sir Charles's death Barrymore the butler, who made the discovery, sent Perkins the groom on horseback to me, and as I was sitting up late I was able to reach Baskerville Hall within an hour of the event. I checked and corroborated all the facts which were mentioned at the inquest. I followed the footsteps down the Yew Alley, I saw the spot at the moor-gate where he seemed to have waited, I remarked the change in the shape of the prints after that point, I noted that there were no other footsteps save those of Barrymore on the soft gravel, and finally I carefully examined the body, which had not been touched until my arrival.
 
      "Sir Charles lay on his face (сэр Чарльз лежал лицом вниз: «на своем лице»), his arms out, his fingers dug into the ground (раскинув руки с вонзенными в землю пальцами; to dig — копать; вонзать), and his features convulsed with some strong emotion to such an extent (а черты лица были до такой степени искажены каким-то сильным волнением)that I could hardly have sworn to his identity (что я едва смог опознать его личность; to swear to — давать показания под присягой; to swear — клясться; identity — идентичность; личность). There was certainly no physical injury of any kind (никаких физических повреждений на нем определенно не было). But one false statement was made by Barrymore at the inquest (но на следствии Бэрримор сделал одно ошибочное утверждение). He said that there were no traces (он сказал, что не было никаких следов)upon the ground round the body (на земле около тела). He did not observe any (он никаких /и/ не заметил). But I did (но заметил я)— some little distance off, but fresh and clear (немного в стороне, но свежие и отчетливые)."
      "Footprints (следы)?"
      "Footprints."
      "A man's or a woman's (мужские или женские)?"
      Dr. Mortimer looked strangely at us for an instant (доктор Мортимер мгновение странно смотрел на нас), and his voice sank almost to a whisper as he answered (и голос его снизился почти до шепота, когда он ответил; to sink — тонуть; опускаться):—
      "Mr. Holmes, they were the footprints of a gigantic hound (мистер Холмс, это были отпечатки лап огромной собаки)!"
 
      feature ['fi:tS@], injury ['IndZ@rI], clear [klI@]
 
      "Sir Charles lay on his face, his arms out, his fingers dug into the ground, and his features convulsed with some strong emotion to such an extent that I could hardly have sworn to his identity. There was certainly no physical injury of any kind. But one false statement was made by Barrymore at the inquest. He said that there were no traces upon the ground round the body. He did not observe any. But I did — some little distance off, but fresh and clear."
      "Footprints?"
      "Footprints."
      "A man's or a woman's?"
      Dr. Mortimer looked strangely at us for an instant, and his voice sank almost to a whisper as he answered:—
      "Mr. Holmes, they were the footprints of a gigantic hound!"

CHAPTER III. THE PROBLEM