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"I wrote my articles (написал статьи) and thought little more of the matter until (почти позабыл об этом, пока), some time later (некоторое время спустя), I backed a bill for a friend (поручился заплатить за приятеля: «поддержал счет»; bill — счет) and had a writ served upon me for 25 pounds (получил извещение, врученное мне на /уплату/ 25 фунтов). I was at my wit's end (понятия не имел: «был на краю ума») where to get the money (где достать деньги), but a sudden idea came to me (неожиданная идея пришла ко мне). I begged a fortnight's grace from the creditor (попросил двухнедельную отсрочку у кредитора), asked for a holiday from my employers (попросил об отпуске у работодателей), and spent the time (провел это время) in begging in the City (нищенствуя в Сити) under my disguise (под маскировкой = переодетым; to disguise — переодевать, маскировать). In ten days (за десять дней) I had the money and had paid the debt (уплатил долг).

idea [aɪˈdɪǝ], fortnight [ˈfɔ:tnaɪt], employers [ɪmˈplɔɪǝz], debt [det]

"I wrote my articles and thought little more of the matter until, some time later, I backed a bill for a friend and had a writ served upon me for 25 pounds. I was at my wit's end where to get the money, but a sudden idea came to me. I begged a fortnight's grace from the creditor, asked for a holiday from my employers, and spent the time in begging in the City under my disguise. In ten days I had the money and had paid the debt.

"Well, you can imagine (можете представить) how hard it was to settle down to arduous work at 2 pounds a week (как трудно было засесть за тяжелую работу за два фунта в неделю) when I knew that I could earn as much in a day (мог бы заработать столько же за день) by smearing my face with a little paint (вымазав лицо небольшим количеством краски), laying my cap on the ground (положив кепку на землю), and sitting still (и сидя тихо). It was a long fight (долгая борьба) between my pride and the money (между моей гордостью и деньгами), but the dollars won at last (деньги: «доллары» победили в конце концов; to win), and I threw up reporting (забросил репортерство) and sat day after day in the corner (сидел день за днем на углу) which I had first chosen (который я /с самого/ начала выбрал), inspiring pity by my ghastly face (внушая жалость жутким/наводящим ужас лицом) and filling my pockets with coppers (и наполняя карманы медяками). Only one man knew my secret (только один человек знал мою тайну). He was the keeper of a low den (владелец низкопробного: «низкого» притона) in which I used to lodge (в котором я снимал комнату) in Swandam Lane, where I could every morning emerge as a squalid beggar (где я мог каждое утро появляться как грязный нищий) and in the evenings transform myself (по вечерам превращаться) into a well-dressed man about town (в хорошо одетого городского человека: «около города»; about town — известный; светский). This fellow (этот парень), a Lascar, was well paid by me for his rooms (хорошо получал от меня за свои комнаты), so that I knew that my secret was safe in his possession (потому я знал, что моя тайна была в безопасности в его владении = он ничего никому не скажет).

arduous [ˈɑ:djuǝs], inspiring [ɪnˈspaɪǝrɪŋ], possession [pǝˈzeʃn]

"Well, you can imagine how hard it was to settle down to arduous work at 2 pounds a week when I knew that I could earn as much in a day by smearing my face with a little paint, laying my cap on the ground, and sitting still. It was a long fight between my pride and the money, but the dollars won at last, and I threw up reporting and sat day after day in the corner which I had first chosen, inspiring pity by my ghastly face and filling my pockets with coppers. Only one man knew my secret. He was the keeper of a low den in which I used to lodge in Swandam Lane, where I could every morning emerge as a squalid beggar and in the evenings transform myself into a well-dressed man about town. This fellow, a Lascar, was well paid by me for his rooms, so that I knew that my secret was safe in his possession.

"Well, very soon I found (очень скоро я обнаружил) that I was saving considerable sums of money (что я откладывал значительные суммы денег; to save — спасать, сохранять; экономить). I do not mean (не имею в виду = не думаю) that any beggar in the streets of London could earn (мог заработать) 700 pounds a year — which is less than my average takings (что меньше, чем мои средние сборы) — but I had exceptional advantages (исключительные преимущества) in my power of making up (в моем мастерстве гримирования), and also in a facility of repartee (в способности остроумия), which improved by practice (которое улучшилось практикой) and made me quite a recognized character in the City (сделало меня довольно узнаваемым персонажем в Сити). All day a stream of pennies (весь день поток пенсов), varied by silver (вперемешку с серебром), poured in upon me (лился на меня), and it was a very bad day in which I failed to take 2 pounds (и я считал неудачным тот день, в который я не мог собрать двух фунтов).

earn [ǝ:n], average [ˈævǝrɪʤ], exceptional [ɪkˈsepʃ(ǝ)n(ǝ)l], facility [fǝˈsɪlɪtɪ], poured [pɔ:d]

"As I grew richer I grew more ambitious (чем богаче я становился, тем более честолюбивым /становился/; to grow — расти), took a house in the country (снял дом в деревне = за городом), and eventually married (со временем женился), without anyone having a suspicion as to my real occupation (без кого-либо, имеющего подозрение о моем настоящем занятии). My dear wife knew that I had business in the City (жена знала, что у меня были дела в Сити). She little knew what (она мало знала какие /именно/).

ambitious [æmˈbɪʃǝs], eventually [ɪˈventʃǝlɪ], suspicion [sǝˈspɪʃ(ǝ)n]

"Well, very soon I found that I was saving considerable sums of money. I do not mean that any beggar in the streets of London could earn 700 pounds a year — which is less than my average takings — but I had exceptional advantages in my power of making up, and also in a facility of repartee, which improved by practice and made me quite a recognized character in the City. All day a stream of pennies, varied by silver, poured in upon me, and it was a very bad day in which I failed to take 2 pounds.

"As I grew richer I grew more ambitious, took a house in the country, and eventually married, without anyone having a suspicion as to my real occupation. My dear wife knew that I had business in the City. She little knew what.

"Last Monday (в прошлый понедельник) I had finished for the day (закончил /работу/ на тот день) and was dressing in my room above the opium den (одевался в моей комнате над опиумным приютом) when I looked out of my window (выглянул в окно) and saw, to my horror and astonishment (к своему ужасу и удивлению), that my wife was standing in the street (что моя жена стояла на улице), with her eyes fixed full upon me (с глазами, устремленными прямо на меня). I gave a cry of surprise (издал крик = вскрикнул от удивления), threw up my arms to cover my face (/резко/ поднял руки, чтобы закрыть лицо; to throw — бросать), and, rushing to my confidant (бросившись к моему доверенному лицу), the Lascar, entreated him to prevent anyone from coming up to me (умолял его не пускать никого наверх ко мне; to prevent — предотвратить). I heard her voice downstairs (слышал ее голос внизу), but I knew that she could not ascend (но знал, что не может подняться). Swiftly I threw off my clothes (я быстро сбросил одежду), pulled on those of a beggar (натянул одежду нищего), and put on my pigments and wig (нанес краску и /надел/ парик). Even a wife's eyes could not pierce so complete a disguise (даже глаза жены не могли узнать меня в такой глубокой маскировке; to pierce — протыкать, пронизывать). But then it occurred to me (мне пришло в голову) that there might be a search (что может быть обыск) in the room, and that the clothes might betray me (одежда может выдать меня). I threw open the window (распахнул окно), reopening by my violence a small cut (вновь открывшее = заставившее из-за моей стремительности /кровоточить/ маленький порез) which I had inflicted upon myself (который причинил себе) in the bedroom that morning. Then I seized my coat (схватил пиджак), which was weighted by the coppers (нагруженный медяками) which I had just transferred (переложенными) to it from the leather bag (из кожаной сумки) in which I carried my takings (в которой носил свои сборы). I hurled it out of the window (швырнул из окна), and it disappeared into the Thames (и он исчез в Темзе). The other clothes would have followed (остальная одежда последовала бы), but at that moment there was a rush of constables (спешка, суета констеблей) up the stair (вверх по лестнице), and a few minutes after I found (спустя несколько минут я обнаружил), rather, I confess, to my relief (скорее, должен сказать, к своему облегчению; to confess — исповедоваться; признаваться), that instead of being identified as Mr. Neville St. Clair (вместо того, чтобы быть опознанным как Невилл Сент-Клер), I was arrested as his murderer (я был арестован как его убийца).