acquaintance ['kwentns], occasion ['ken], client ['klant], idea [a'd]

During the first week or so we had no callers, and I had begun to think that my companion was as friendless a man as I was myself. Presently, however, I found that he had many acquaintances, and those in the most different classes of society. There was one little sallow rat-faced, dark-eyed fellow who was introduced to me as Mr. Lestrade, and who came three or four times in a single week. One morning a young girl called, fashionably dressed, and stayed for half an hour or more. The same afternoon brought a grey-headed, seedy visitor, looking like a Jew pedlar, who appeared to me to be much excited, and who was closely followed by a slip-shod elderly woman. On another occasion an old white-haired gentleman had an interview with my companion; and on another a railway porter in his velveteen uniform. When any of these nondescript individuals put in an appearance, Sherlock Holmes used to beg for the use of the sitting-room, and I would retire to my bed-room. He always apologized to me for putting me to this inconvenience. "I have to use this room as a place of business," he said, "and these people are my clients." Again I had an opportunity of asking him a point blank question, and again my delicacy prevented me from forcing another man to confide in me. I imagined at the time that he had some strong reason for not alluding to it, but he soon dispelled the idea by coming round to the subject of his own accord.

It was upon the 4th of March, as I have good reason to remember (это было четвертого марта, как я хорошо запомнил: «как у меня есть хорошая причина помнить»), that I rose somewhat earlier than usual (когда я поднялся несколько раньше, чем обычно), and found that Sherlock Holmes had not yet finished his breakfast (и обнаружил, что Шерлок Холмс еще не закончил завтрак). The landlady had become so accustomed to my late habits (наша хозяйка настолько привыкла к моим поздним привычкам) that my place had not been laid nor my coffee prepared (что мое место еще не было накрыто, а кофе не подан; to prepare — готовить). With the unreasonable petulance of mankind (с необоснованной раздражительностью человечества; unreasonable — неразумный; необоснованный) I rang the bell and gave a curt intimation that I was ready (я позвонил в колокольчик и довольно резко сообщил: «дал резкое указание», что я готов; to ring — звонить; curt — отрывисто-грубый, резкий; intimation — сообщение, указание). Then I picked up a magazine from the table and attempted to while away the time with it (затем я схватил журнал со стола и попытался скоротать время за ним; to pick up — поднимать, подбирать), while my companion munched silently at his toast (пока мой компаньон молча жевал свои гренки). One of the articles had a pencil mark at the heading (заголовок одной из статей был помечен карандашом: «одна из статей имела карандашную отметку у заголовка»), and I naturally began to run my eye through it (и, естественно, я стал пробегать ее глазами).

accustom ['kstm], petulance ['petjlns], mankind [maen'kand]

It was upon the 4th of March, as I have good reason to remember, that I rose somewhat earlier than usual, and found that Sherlock Holmes had not yet finished his breakfast. The landlady had become so accustomed to my late habits that my place had not been laid nor my coffee prepared. With the unreasonable petulance of mankind I rang the bell and gave a curt intimation that I was ready. Then I picked up a magazine from the table and attempted to while away the time with it, while my companion munched silently at his toast. One of the articles had a pencil mark at the heading, and I naturally began to run my eye through it.