“‘I should much prefer to have it so (я бы охотно предпочел, чтобы это было так = ну разумеется, о чем речь),’ said he, raising up a square, black morocco case (сказал он и взял квадратный футляр из черного сафьяна) which he had laid beside his chair (который перед тем положил возле своего стула). ‘You have doubtless heard of the Beryl Coronet (вы, несомненно, слышали о берилловой диадеме)?’

“‘One of the most precious public possessions of the empire (это одно из ценнейших сокровищ, достояние империи; possessions — собственность; имущество),’ said I.

purse [p@:s], precaution [prI'kO:S(@)n], beryl ['berIl], precious ['preS@s]

“‘I should be happy to advance it without further parley from my own private purse,’ said I, ‘were it not that the strain would be rather more than it could bear. If, on the other hand, I am to do it in the name of the firm, then in justice to my partner I must insist that, even in your case, every businesslike precaution should be taken.’

“‘I should much prefer to have it so,’ said he, raising up a square, black morocco case which he had laid beside his chair. ‘You have doubtless heard of the Beryl Coronet?’

“‘One of the most precious public possessions of the empire,’ said I.

“‘Precisely (совершенно верно).’ He opened the case (он открыл футляр), and there, imbedded in soft, flesh-colored velvet (и в нем на мягком бархате телесного цвета; to imbed — вставлять, врезать, вделывать), lay the magnificent piece of jewellery which he had named (лежало великолепное произведение ювелирного искусства, о котором он говорил). ‘There are thirty-nine enormous beryls (в диадеме тридцать девять огромных бериллов),’ said he, ‘and the price of the gold chasing is incalculable (а ценность золотой оправы неизмерима; chasing — чеканка; гравировка; резная работа; to calculate — вычислять, исчислять). The lowest estimate would put the worth of the coronet at double the sum which I have asked (по самой минимальной оценке диадема стоит вдвое больше суммы, запрошенной мной). I am prepared to leave it with you as my security (я готов оставить ее у вас в качестве залога).’

“I took the precious case into my hands (я взял драгоценный футляр в руки) and looked in some perplexity from it to my illustrious client (и в некотором недоумении/замешательстве перевел взгляд с него на моего именитого клиента).

“‘You doubt its value (вы сомневаетесь в ее ценности)?’ he asked.

“‘Not at all. I only doubt — (вовсе нет; я сомневаюсь лишь…)’

magnificent [mg'nIfIs(@)nt], incalculable [In'klkjul@bl], perplexity [p@'pleksItI]

“‘Precisely.’ He opened the case, and there, imbedded in soft, flesh-colored velvet, lay the magnificent piece of jewellery which he had named. ‘There are thirty-nine enormous beryls,’ said he, ‘and the price of the gold chasing is incalculable. The lowest estimate would put the worth of the coronet at double the sum which I have asked. I am prepared to leave it with you as my security.’

“I took the precious case into my hands and looked in some perplexity from it to my illustrious client.

“‘You doubt its value?’ he asked.

“‘Not at all. I only doubt —’