“No, I am descending (нет, я спускаюсь /на ступень/ вниз).”

“I beg pardon (простите)?”

colleague ['kOli:g], presume [prI'zju:m], society [s@'saI@tI], pardon ['pA:d(@)n]

“Good-day, Lord St. Simon,” said Holmes, rising and bowing. “Pray take the basket-chair. This is my friend and colleague, Dr. Watson. Draw up a little to the fire, and we will talk this matter over.”

“A most painful matter to me, as you can most readily imagine, Mr. Holmes. I have been cut to the quick. I understand that you have already managed several delicate cases of this sort, sir, though I presume that they were hardly from the same class of society.”

“No, I am descending.”

“I beg pardon?”

“My last client of the sort was a king (моим последним клиентом /по делу/ такого рода был король).”

“Oh, really (вот как)! I had no idea (я не знал). And which king (какой король)?”

“The King of Scandinavia (король Скандинавии).”

“What! Had he lost his wife (как! и у него пропала жена)?”

“You can understand (вы понимаете),” said Holmes suavely (сказал Холмс учтиво; suave — учтивый, обходительный; вежливый), “that I extend to the affairs of my other clients the same secrecy (что на дела моих клиентов распространяется такая же конфиденциальность; to extend — распространять/ся/; простирать/ся/; выказывать, выражать) which I promise to you in yours (какую я обещаю вам в ваших /делах/).”

“Of course (разумеется)! Very right (/вы/ совершенно правы)! very right! I’m sure I beg pardon (прошу прощения). As to my own case, I am ready to give you any information (что касается моего случая, я готов сообщить вам любые сведения) which may assist you in forming an opinion (которые могут помочь вам составить мнение).”

Scandinavia [,sk&ndI'neIvI@], suavely ['swA:vlI], opinion [@'pInj@n]

“My last client of the sort was a king.”

“Oh, really! I had no idea. And which king?”

“The King of Scandinavia.”

“What! Had he lost his wife?”

“You can understand,” said Holmes suavely, “that I extend to the affairs of my other clients the same secrecy which I promise to you in yours.”

“Of course! Very right! very right! I’m sure I beg pardon. As to my own case, I am ready to give you any information which may assist you in forming an opinion.”

“Thank you (благодарю вас). I have already learned all that is in the public prints, nothing more (я уже изучил все, что пишут в газетах, /но не знаю/ ничего больше). I presume that I may take it as correct (полагаю, можно считать эти сведения верными) — this article, for example, as to the disappearance of the bride (например, статью об исчезновении невесты).”

Lord St. Simon glanced over it (лорд Сент-Саймон быстро просмотрел ее).

“Yes, it is correct, as far as it goes (да, более-менее верно; as far as it goes — до известной степени, в известной мере).”

“But it needs a great deal of supplementing before anyone could offer an opinion (но потребуется множество дополнительных данных, прежде чем можно будет выразить какое-либо мнение; supplement — дополнение, добавление /к книге, документу и т. п./). I think that I may arrive at my facts most directly by questioning you (думаю, я могу получить сведения быстрее всего, задав вам /несколько/ вопросов; to arrive at — достигнуть, прийти к /чему-либо/; directly — прямо, непосредственно; сразу, тотчас).”

“Pray do so (я к вашим услугам/задавайте).”

“When did you first meet Miss Hatty Doran (когда вы впервые встретили мисс Хэтти Доран)?”

“In San Francisco, a year ago (в Сан-Франциско, год назад).”

glanced [glA:nst], questioning ['kwestS@nIN], San Francisco [,s&nfr&n'sIsk@u]

“Thank you. I have already learned all that is in the public prints, nothing more. I presume that I may take it as correct — this article, for example, as to the disappearance of the bride.”

Lord St. Simon glanced over it.

“Yes, it is correct, as far as it goes.”

“But it needs a great deal of supplementing before anyone could offer an opinion. I think that I may arrive at my facts most directly by questioning you.”

“Pray do so.”

“When did you first meet Miss Hatty Doran?”

“In San Francisco, a year ago.”

“You were travelling in the States (вы путешествовали по /Соединенным/ Штатам)?”

“Yes.”

“Did you become engaged then (вы обручились там)?”