Finding that Holmes was too absorbed for conversation, I had tossed aside the barren paper, and leaning back in my chair, I fell into a brown study. Suddenly my companion’s voice broke in upon my thoughts.

“You are right, Watson (вы правы, Ватсон),” said he. “It does seem a very preposterous way of settling a dispute (это действительно очень нелепый способ разрешения спора).”

“Most preposterous (крайне нелепый)!” I exclaimed, and then, suddenly realizing (воскликнул я, а затем, вдруг осознав) how he had echoed the inmost thought of my soul (что он повторил мою самую глубокую/скрытую в глубине сознания мысль; echo — эхо), I sat up in my chair and stared at him in blank amazement (я выпрямился в кресле и уставился на него в полном изумлении).

“What is this, Holmes (как это так, Холмс)?” I cried. “This is beyond anything which I could have imagined (это превосходит все, что я мог бы представить).”

He laughed heartily at my perplexity (он рассмеялся, видя мое недоумение).

“You remember (помните),” said he, “that some little time ago (как недавно), when I read you the passage in one of Poe’s sketches (когда я прочитал вам отрывок из очерков По), in which a close reasoner follows the unspoken thought of his companion (в котором внимательный мыслитель следует за невысказанной мыслью своего товарища), you were inclined to treat the matter as a mere tour de force of the author (вы были склонны считать это всего лишь проявлением изобретательности автора). On my remarking that I was constantly in the habit of doing the same thing you expressed incredulity (когда я заметил, что постоянно делаю то же самое, вы выразили недоверие).”

“Oh, no (да нет же/что вы)!”

preposterous [prI'pOst(@)r@s], echoed ['ek@ud], incredulity [,InkrI'dju:lItI]

“You are right, Watson,” said he. “It does seem a very preposterous way of settling a dispute.”

“Most preposterous!” I exclaimed, and then, suddenly realizing how he had echoed the inmost thought of my soul, I sat up in my chair and stared at him in blank amazement.

“What is this, Holmes?” I cried. “This is beyond anything which I could have imagined.”

He laughed heartily at my perplexity.

“You remember,” said he, “that some little time ago, when I read you the passage in one of Poe’s sketches, in which a close reasoner follows the unspoken thought of his companion, you were inclined to treat the matter as a mere tour de force of the author. On my remarking that I was constantly in the habit of doing the same thing you expressed incredulity.”

“Oh, no!”

“Perhaps not with your tongue, my dear Watson (быть может, не словами: «не языком», дорогой Ватсон), but certainly with your eyebrows (но, несомненно, бровями). So when I saw you throw down your paper (так что когда я увидел, что вы отбросили газету) and enter upon a train of thought (и вступили в ход мыслей = погрузились в размышления), I was very happy to have the opportunity of reading it off (я был очень рад получить возможность прочитать их), and eventually of breaking into it (а в конце и вмешаться в них), as a proof that I had been in rapport with you (чтобы доказать, что я полностью понимаю /ход ваших мыслей/; rapport — взаимопонимание; гармония, согласие; as a proof — в качестве доказательства).”

But I was still far from satisfied (однако я все еще был далеко не удовлетворен /объяснением/).

“In the example which you read to me (в примере, который вы мне зачитали),” said I, “the reasoner drew his conclusions from the actions of the man whom he observed (мыслитель сделал выводы, исходя из действий человека, за которым наблюдал). If I remember right (если я правильно помню), he stumbled over a heap of stones (тот запнулся за груду камней), looked up at the stars, and so on (посмотрел на звезды и так далее). But I have been seated quietly in my chair (но я тихо сидел в кресле), and what clues can I have given you (какие же зацепки я мог вам дать)?”

“You do yourself an injustice (вы несправедливы к себе). The features are given to man as the means (лицо дано человеку как средство; features — черты лица) by which he shall express his emotions (с помощью которого он выражает свои эмоции), and yours are faithful servants (и ваше /лицо/ исправно выполняет эти функции: «преданный слуга»).”

tongue [tVN], rapport [r&'pO:], injustice [In'dZVstIs]

“Perhaps not with your tongue, my dear Watson, but certainly with your eyebrows. So when I saw you throw down your paper and enter upon a train of thought, I was very happy to have the opportunity of reading it off, and eventually of breaking into it, as a proof that I had been in rapport with you.”

But I was still far from satisfied.

“In the example which you read to me,” said I, “the reasoner drew his conclusions from the actions of the man whom he observed. If I remember right, he stumbled over a heap of stones, looked up at the stars, and so on. But I have been seated quietly in my chair, and what clues can I have given you?”

“You do yourself an injustice. The features are given to man as the means by which he shall express his emotions, and yours are faithful servants.”

“Do you mean to say (вы хотите сказать) that you read my train of thoughts from my features (что читаете ход моих мыслей по лицу)?”

“Your features, and especially your eyes (по вашему лицу, особенно по глазам). Perhaps you cannot yourself recall how your reverie commenced (может быть, вы вспомните сами, как началась ваша задумчивость)?”