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Holmes looked triumphantly at Bannister. “He put his gloves on the chair, and he took the proofs, sheet by sheet, to copy them. He thought the tutor must return by the main gate and that he would see him. As we know, he came back by the side gate. Suddenly he heard him at the very door. There was no possible escape. He forgot his gloves but he caught up his shoes and darted into the bedroom. You observe that the scratch on that table is slight at one side, but deepens in the direction of the bedroom door. That in itself is enough to show us that the shoe had been drawn in that direction, and that the culprit had taken refuge there. The earth round the spike had been left on the table, and a second sample was loosened and fell in the bedroom. I may add that I walked out to the athletic grounds this morning, saw that tenacious black clay is used in the jumping-pit and carried away a specimen of it, together with some of the fine tan or sawdust which is strewn over it to prevent the athlete from slipping. Have I told the truth, Mr. Gilchrist?”


The student had drawn himself erect (студент выпрямился = сидел прямо).

“Yes, sir, it is true (да, сэр, это правда),” said he.

“Good heavens (Боже мой)! have you nothing to add (неужели вам нечего добавить)?” cried Soames (воскликнул Сомс).

“Yes, sir, I have, but the shock of this disgraceful exposure has bewildered me (есть, сэр, но потрясение от этого позорного разоблачения ошеломило меня). I have a letter here, Mr. Soames (у меня есть письмо, мистер Сомс), which I wrote to you early this morning (которое я написал вам сегодня рано утром) in the middle of a restless night (в середине бессонной ночи; restless — беспокойный, тревожный; rest — покой, отдых, сон). It was before I knew that my sin had found me out (это было раньше, чем я узнал, что мой проступок открылся; sin — грех; проступок, нарушение; to find out — разоблачать, выведать /тайну/). Here it is, sir (вот оно, сэр). You will see that I have said (видите, я написал), ‘I have determined not to go in for the examination (я решил не сдавать экзамен). I have been offered a commission in the Rhodesian Police (мне предложили поступить офицером в родезийскую армию; commission — полномочие; звание офицера, офицерский чин; Rhodesia — прежнее название Зимбабве; police — полиция; отряд по обеспечению безопасности), and I am going out to South Africa at once (и я без промедления уезжаю в Южную Африку).’”

“I am indeed pleased to hear (я, конечно, рад слышать) that you did not intend to profit by your unfair advantage (что вы не собирались воспользоваться своим незаслуженным преимуществом),” said Soames. “But why did you change your purpose (но почему вы изменили свои намерения)?”

Gilchrist pointed to Bannister (Гилкрист указал на Бэннистера).


bewildered [bI'wIld@d], South [sauT], advantage [@d'vA:ntIdZ]


The student had drawn himself erect.

“Yes, sir, it is true,” said he.

“Good heavens! have you nothing to add?” cried Soames.

“Yes, sir, I have, but the shock of this disgraceful exposure has bewildered me. I have a letter here, Mr. Soames, which I wrote to you early this morning in the middle of a restless night. It was before I knew that my sin had found me out. Here it is, sir. You will see that I have said, ‘I have determined not to go in for the examination. I have been offered a commission in the Rhodesian Police, and I am going out to South Africa at once.’”

“I am indeed pleased to hear that you did not intend to profit by your unfair advantage,” said Soames. “But why did you change your purpose?”

Gilchrist pointed to Bannister.


“There is the man who set me in the right path (вот человек, который наставил меня на путь истинный),” said he.

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