“Purely negative as yet,” my friend answered. “I have inquired at every point where it might be, and I am sure that there is no danger to be apprehended.”

“But that is not enough, Mr. Holmes. We cannot live forever on such a volcano. We must have something definite.”

“I am in hopes of getting it. That is why I am here. The more I think of the matter the more convinced I am that the letter has never left this house.”

“Mr. Holmes!”

“If it had it would certainly have been public by now.”

“But why should anyone take it in order to keep it in his house?”

“I am not convinced that anyone did take it (я не уверен, что кто-то вообще похищал его).”

“Then how could it leave the despatch-box (тогда как оно могло исчезнуть из чемоданчика)?”

“I am not convinced that it ever did leave the despatch-box (я не уверен, что оно вообще исчезало из чемоданчика).”

“Mr. Holmes, this joking is very ill-timed (мистер Холмс, эта шутка неуместна; to joke — шутить; ill-timed — несвоевременный, плохо рассчитанный по времени, неуместный). You have my assurance that it left the box (уверяю вас, что оно исчезло из чемоданчика; assurance — гарантия, заверение; уверенность; to assure — уверять; заверять кого-либо; убеждать).”

“Have you examined the box since Tuesday morning (а вы осматривали его с утра вторника)?”

“No. It was not necessary (нет, в этом не было необходимости).”

“You may conceivably have overlooked it (возможно, вы не заметили его).”

“Impossible, I say (послушайте, /это/ невозможно).”

assurance [@'Su@r@ns], necessary ['nesIs(@)rI], conceivably [k@n'si:v@blI]

“I am not convinced that anyone did take it.”

“Then how could it leave the despatch-box?”

“I am not convinced that it ever did leave the despatch-box.”

“Mr. Holmes, this joking is very ill-timed. You have my assurance that it left the box.”

“Have you examined the box since Tuesday morning?”

“No. It was not necessary.”

“You may conceivably have overlooked it.”

“Impossible, I say.”

“But I am not convinced of it (но я не уверен в этом). I have known such things to happen (/как мне известно/, такие вещи случались). I presume there are other papers there (полагаю, там есть и другие бумаги). Well, it may have got mixed with them (письмо могло смешаться с ними = затеряться среди них).”

“It was on the top (оно было сверху).”

“Someone may have shaken the box and displaced it (кто-нибудь мог тряхнуть чемоданчик и переместить письмо; to shake-shook-shaken).”

“No, no, I had everything out (нет, нет, я все проверил; to have out — выяснять; вынимать).”

“Surely it is easily decided, Hope (но ведь это легко проверить: «разрешить», Хоуп; to decide — решать/ся/, принимать решение, делать выбор),” said the Premier. “Let us have the despatch-box brought in (пусть принесут чемоданчик сюда).”

The Secretary rang the bell (министр позвонил).

“Jacobs, bring down my despatch-box (Джекобс, принесите мой чемоданчик для бумаг). This is a farcical waste of time (это просто смешно, пустая трата времени; farcical — фарсовый, шуточный; нелепый, смехотворный), but still, if nothing else will satisfy you, it shall be done (но все-таки, если ничто другое вас не удовлетворит, это будет исполнено). Thank you, Jacobs, put it here (спасибо, Джекобс, поставьте его сюда). I have always had the key on my watch-chain (я всегда ношу ключ на цепочке для часов). Here are the papers, you see (вот бумаги, как видите). Letter from Lord Merrow (письмо от лорда Мерроу), report from Sir Charles Hardy (доклад сэра Чарльза Харди), memorandum from Belgrade (меморандум из Белграда), note on the Russo-German grain taxes (записи о русско-германских хлебных пошлинах; grain — зерно; хлебные злаки), letter from Madrid (письмо из Мадрида), note from Lord Flowers (донесение от лорда Флауэрса) — Good heavens! what is this (Боже мой! что это?)? Lord Bellinger (лорд Беллинджер)! Lord Bellinger!”

presume [prI'zju:m], farcical ['fA:sIk(@)l], Belgrade [bel'greId]

“But I am not convinced of it. I have known such things to happen. I presume there are other papers there. Well, it may have got mixed with them.”

“It was on the top.”

“Someone may have shaken the box and displaced it.”

“No, no, I had everything out.”

“Surely it is easily decided, Hope,” said the Premier. “Let us have the despatch-box brought in.”

The Secretary rang the bell.

“Jacobs, bring down my despatch-box. This is a farcical waste of time, but still, if nothing else will satisfy you, it shall be done. Thank you, Jacobs, put it here. I have always had the key on my watch-chain. Here are the papers, you see. Letter from Lord Merrow, report from Sir Charles Hardy, memorandum from Belgrade, note on the Russo-German grain taxes, letter from Madrid, note from Lord Flowers — Good heavens! what is this? Lord Bellinger! Lord Bellinger!”

The Premier snatched the blue envelope from his hand (премьер выхватил голубой конверт из его рук).