Английский язык с Шерлоком Холмсом. Собака Баскервилей (ASCII-IPA)

ONE of Sherlock Holmes's defects (одним из недостатков Шерлока Холмса) — if, indeed, one may call it a defect (если, конечно, это можно назвать недостатком) — was that he was exceedingly loth (было то, /что/ он был совершенно не склонен; loth = loath — несклонный, нежелающий; неохотный: to be loath to do smth. — не хотеть сделать что-либо) to communicate his full plans to any other person (полностью посвящать кого-то другого в свои планы; to communicate — говорить, сообщать; person — человек, личность) until the instant of their fulfillment (до момента их осуществления/завершения; fulfillment — выполнение; осуществление; to fulfil — выполнять; осуществлять, завершать, оканчивать). Partly it came no doubt from his own masterful nature (отчасти это шло, несомненно, от его собственной властной натуры), which loved to dominate and surprise those (которая любила главенствовать и удивлять тех; to dominate — управлять; господствовать) who were around him (кто его окружал: «кто был вокруг него»). Partly also from his professional caution (отчасти также от его профессиональной осторожности), which urged him never to take any chances (которая побуждала его никогда не рисковать; to take chances — рисковать). The result, however, was very trying for those (однако, результат /этого/ был мучителен для тех) who were acting as his agents and assistants (кто действовали как его агенты и помощники). I had often suffered under it (я часто страдал от этого), but never more so than during that long drive in the darkness (но никогда более, чем во время той долгой езды в темноте). The great ordeal was in front of us (величайшее испытание предстояло нам: «было впереди нас»); at last we were about to make our final effort (наконец-то мы собирались сделать наше последнее усилие), and yet Holmes had said nothing (однако Холмс не сказал ничего), and I could only surmise (и я мог только догадываться; to surmise — предполагать; высказывать догадку) what his course of action would be (каким будет направление его действий).

defect [dI'fekt], dominate ['dOmIneIt], urge [@:dZ]

ONE of Sherlock Holmes's defects — if, indeed, one may call it a defect — was that he was exceedingly loth to communicate his full plans to any other person until the instant of their fulfilment. Partly it came no doubt from his own masterful nature, which loved to dominate and surprise those who were around him. Partly also from his professional caution, which urged him never to take any chances. The result, however, was very trying for those who were acting as his agents and assistants. I had often suffered under it, but never more so than during that long drive in the darkness. The great ordeal was in front of us; at last we were about to make our final effort, and yet Holmes had said nothing, and I could only surmise what his course of action would be.