No wonder the poor wretch of a convict ran and screamed (неудивительно, что бедняга-каторжник бежал и кричал), even as our friend did, and as we ourselves might have done (точно так, как и наш друг, и как мы сами могли бы), when he saw such a creature (когда увидел такую тварь) bounding through the darkness of the moor upon his track (несущуюся: «прыгающую» сквозь темноту болот по его следу). It was a cunning device (это был хитрый план; device — устройство; план), for, apart from the chance of driving your victim to his death (поскольку, кроме возможности довести жертву до смерти), what peasant would venture to inquire too closely into such a creature (какой крестьянин рискнул бы выяснять слишком тщательно о такой твари; to inquire into smth. — выяснять/расследовать что-либо; to inquire — осведомляться, справляться, спрашивать, узнавать) should he get sight of it, as many have done, upon the moor (взгляни он на нее на болотах, как /это случалось/ со многими)? I said it in London, Watson (я говорил это в Лондоне, Ватсон), and I say it again now (и я говорю это сейчас снова), that never yet have we helped to hunt down a more dangerous man (что никогда еще мы не помогали ловить более опасного человека; to hunt down — выследить; поймать) than he who is lying yonder (чем того, который лежит вон там)" — he swept his long arm towards the huge mottled expanse of green-splotched bog (он указал своей длинной рукой в сторону огромного пестрого простора /покрытых/ зелеными пятнами болот; to sweep — мести; проводить /рукой/; to splotch — покрывать пятнами) which stretched away until it merged into the russet slopes of the moor (которые тянулись вдаль, пока не сливались с красновато-коричневыми склонами торфяников).
device [dI'vaIs], inquire [In'kwaI@], expanse [Iks'p&ns]
No wonder the poor wretch of a convict ran and screamed, even as our friend did, and as we ourselves might have done, when he saw such a creature bounding through the darkness of the moor upon his track. It was a cunning device, for, apart from the chance of driving your victim to his death, what peasant would venture to inquire too closely into such a creature should he get sight of it, as many have done, upon the moor? I said it in London, Watson, and I say it again now, that never yet have we helped to hunt down a more dangerous man than he who is lying yonder" — he swept his long arm towards the huge mottled expanse of green-splotched bog which stretched away until it merged into the russet slopes of the moor.
CHAPTER XV. A RETROSPECTION
(Размышления о прошлом)