"How on earth did you know that?" I asked in astonishment (да как вы догадались, — удивленно спросил я; how on earth — каким же образом; to know — узнавать; осознавать; astonishment — удивление; to astonish — изумлять, поражать, удивлять).

"Never mind," said he, chuckling to himself (неважно, — сказал он, усмехнувшись; never mind — ничего, неважно; не берите в голову; to chuckle — тихо смеяться, посмеиваться). "The question now is about haemoglobin (лучше поговорим о гемоглобине; question — проблема; обсуждаемый вопрос). No doubt you see the significance of this discovery of mine (несомненно, вы видите значение этого моего открытия; to discover — открывать, обнаруживать)?"

"It is interesting, chemically, no doubt," I answered, "but practically (с химической точки зрения, это интересно, безусловно, — ответил я, — но практически)——"

cordially ['k:dl], strength [stre], perceive [p'si:v], doubt [daut]

"How are you?" he said cordially, gripping my hand with a strength for which I should hardly have given him credit. "You have been in Afghanistan, I perceive."

"How on earth did you know that?" I asked in astonishment.

"Never mind," said he, chuckling to himself. "The question now is about haemoglobin. No doubt you see the significance of this discovery of mine?"

"It is interesting, chemically, no doubt," I answered, "but practically ——"