“On the contrary, your statement is singularly lucid.”

“I come to a part of my story now in which I should wish to be particularly so. I am not a very heavy sleeper, and the anxiety in my mind tended, no doubt, to make me even less so than usual. About two in the morning, then, I was awakened by some sound in the house. It had ceased ere I was wide awake, but it had left an impression behind it as though a window had gently closed somewhere. I lay listening with all my ears. Suddenly, to my horror, there was a distinct sound of footsteps moving softly in the next room. I slipped out of bed, all palpitating with fear, and peeped round the corner of my dressing-room door.

“‘Arthur!’ I screamed, ‘you villain! you thief! How dare you touch that coronet?’

“The gas was half up, as I had left it (газ был включен наполовину, как я его и оставил), and my unhappy boy, dressed only in his shirt and trousers (и мой злополучный мальчик, одетый только в рубашку и брюки), was standing beside the light, holding the coronet in his hands (стоял около горелки, держа в руках диадему). He appeared to be wrenching at it, or bending it with all his strength (мне показалось, он изо всех сил то ли дергал ее, то ли старался согнуть; to wrench — дергать; вывертывать, выкручивать). At my cry he dropped it from his grasp and turned as pale as death (при моем крике он выронил ее и стал бледен как смерть; to turn — поворачивать, переворачивать; делаться, становиться, превращаться). I snatched it up and examined it (я схватил диадему и осмотрел). One of the gold corners, with three of the beryls in it, was missing (не хватало одного золотого зубца с тремя бериллами).

“‘You blackguard (ах ты мерзавец)!’ I shouted, beside myself with rage (крикнул я вне себя от ярости). ‘You have destroyed it (ты сломал ее)! You have dishonored me forever (ты опозорил меня навсегда)! Where are the jewels which you have stolen (где камни, которые ты украл; to steal-stole-stolen)?’

“‘Stolen (украл)!’ he cried.

“‘Yes, thief (да, вор)!’ I roared, shaking him by the shoulder (закричал я, тряся его за плечи).

“‘There are none missing (ничего не пропало/все на месте). There cannot be any missing (не может быть, чтобы чего-то недоставало),’ said he.

half [hA:f], wrenching ['rentSIN], shouted ['SautId]

“The gas was half up, as I had left it, and my unhappy boy, dressed only in his shirt and trousers, was standing beside the light, holding the coronet in his hands. He appeared to be wrenching at it, or bending it with all his strength. At my cry he dropped it from his grasp and turned as pale as death. I snatched it up and examined it. One of the gold corners, with three of the beryls in it, was missing.

“‘You blackguard!’ I shouted, beside myself with rage. ‘You have destroyed it! You have dishonored me forever! Where are the jewels which you have stolen?’

“‘Stolen!’ he cried.

“‘Yes, thief!’ I roared, shaking him by the shoulder.

“‘There are none missing. There cannot be any missing,’ said he.

“‘There are three missing (не хватает трех /камней/). And you know where they are (и ты знаешь, где они). Must I call you a liar as well as a thief (ты, оказывается, не только вор, но и лжец)? Did I not see you trying to tear off another piece (я сам видел, как ты пытался оторвать еще один зубец)?’

“‘You have called me names enough (хватит оскорблений; to call names — оскорблять, обзывать /кого-либо/),’ said he, ‘I will not stand it any longer (я больше не буду их терпеть). I shall not say another word about this business (я больше ни слова не скажу об этом), since you have chosen to insult me (раз ты решил меня оскорблять; to choose-chose-chosen). I will leave your house in the morning (завтра я уйду из дома) and make my own way in the world (и сам буду устраиваться в жизни; to make one's way in the world — делать карьеру, завоевывать положение в обществе).’

“‘You shall leave it in the hands of the police (ты уйдешь отсюда только в сопровождении полиции: «в руках полиции»)!’ I cried half-mad with grief and rage (я кричал, обезумев от горя и гнева). ‘I shall have this matter probed to the bottom (я постараюсь /сделать так/, чтобы в этом разобрались до основания; to probe — зондировать; прощупывать; расследовать, исследовать).’

“‘You shall learn nothing from me (от меня ты ничего не узнаешь),’ said he with a passion such as I should not have thought was in his nature (сказал Артур с такой яростью, которой я не ожидал от его характера). ‘If you choose to call the police (если хочешь вызвать полицию), let the police find what they can (/пожалуйста/, пусть ищут).’

insult [In'sVlt], police [p@'li:s], passion ['p&S(@)n]

“‘There are three missing. And you know where they are. Must I call you a liar as well as a thief? Did I not see you trying to tear off another piece?’

“‘You have called me names enough,’ said he, ‘I will not stand it any longer. I shall not say another word about this business, since you have chosen to insult me. I will leave your house in the morning and make my own way in the world.’

“‘You shall leave it in the hands of the police!’ I cried half-mad with grief and rage. ‘I shall have this matter probed to the bottom.’