The Count shrugged his broad shoulders (граф пожал своими широкими плечами). "Then I must begin (тогда я должен начать)," said he, "by binding you both to absolute secrecy for two years (связывая вас обоих абсолютной тайной = обязуя вас обоих сохранять абсолютную тайну два года); at the end of that time (по прошествии этого времени) the matter will be of no importance (дело будет никакой важности = не будет иметь значения). At present it is not too much to say (в настоящее время это не слишком много сказать = я могу без преувеличения сказать) that it is of such weight (что это /дело/ такого веса = настолько серьезно) it may have an influence upon European history (что может иметь влияние = повлиять на историю Европы)."
"I promise (я обещаю)," said Holmes.
"And I."
caught [kO:t], wrist [rIst], shoulders ['S@uld@z], secrecy ['si:krIsI], influence ['Influ@ns]
I rose to go, but Holmes caught me by the wrist and pushed me back into my chair. "It is both, or none," said he. "You may say before this gentleman anything which you may say to me."
The Count shrugged his broad shoulders. "Then I must begin," said he, "by binding you both to absolute secrecy for two years; at the end of that time the matter will be of no importance. At present it is not too much to say that it is of such weight it may have an influence upon European history."
"I promise," said Holmes.
"And I."
"You will excuse this mask (извините эту маску)," continued our strange visitor (продолжал наш странный посетитель). "The august person who employs me (августейшее лицо, у которого я на службе; to employ — нанимать) wishes his agent to be unknown to you (желает, чтобы его представитель был неизвестен для вас), and I may confess at once (и я могу признаться вместе с тем; to confess — исповедаться) that the title by which I have just called myself is not exactly my own (что титул, которым я себя только что назвал, не совсем точно мой собственный)."
excuse [Ik'skju:s], agent [eIdZnt], title [taItl]
"I was aware of it (я знал об этом; to be aware of — осознавать)," said Holmes drily (сказал Холмс сухо).
"The circumstances are of great delicacy (обстоятельства очень щекотливые; great — великий), and every precaution has to be taken (и каждая предосторожность должна быть принята = необходимо принять все меры) to quench what might grow to be an immense scandal (чтобы подавить /то/ что может разрастись до огромного скандала; to grow — расти) and seriously compromise one of the reigning families of Europe (и серьезно скомпрометировать одну из царствующих династий Европы; family — семья). To speak plainly (говоря проще; plain — явный, прямой), the matter implicates the great House of Ormstein (это дело касается царствующего дома Ормштейнов; to implicate — вовлекать), hereditary kings of Bohemia (наследственных королей Богемии)."
circumstance ['s@:k@mst&ns], delicacy ['delIk@sI], reigning ['reInIN]
"You will excuse this mask," continued our strange visitor. "The august person who employs me wishes his agent to be unknown to you, and I may confess at once that the title by which I have just called myself is not exactly my own."
"I was aware of it," said Holmes drily.
"The circumstances are of great delicacy, and every precaution has to be taken to quench what might grow to be an immense scandal and seriously compromise one of the reigning families of Europe. To speak plainly, the matter implicates the great House of Ormstein, hereditary kings of Bohemia."
"I was also aware of that (об этом я тоже знал)," murmured Holmes (пробормотал Холмс), settling himself down in his armchair and closing his eyes (устраиваясь /поудобнее/ в кресле и закрывая глаза).
aware [@'wE@], murmured ['mV":m@d]