Sherlock Holmes had listened to this long narrative with an intentness which showed me that his interest was keenly aroused. His face was as impassive as ever, but his lids had drooped more heavily over his eyes, and his smoke had curled up more thickly from his pipe to emphasize each curious episode in the doctor’s tale. As our visitor concluded, Holmes sprang up without a word, handed me my hat, picked his own from the table, and followed Dr. Trevelyan to the door. Within a quarter of an hour we had been dropped at the door of the physician’s residence in Brook Street, one of those sombre, flat-faced houses which one associates with a West-End practice. A small page admitted us, and we began at once to ascend the broad, well-carpeted stair.

But a singular interruption brought us to a standstill. The light at the top was suddenly whisked out, and from the darkness came a reedy, quivering voice.

“I have a pistol,” it cried. “I give you my word that I’ll fire if you come any nearer.”

“This really grows outrageous, Mr. Blessington,” cried Dr. Trevelyan.

“Oh, then it is you, doctor (а, так это вы, доктор),” said the voice, with a great heave of relief (сказал голос с глубоким вздохом облегчения; heave — вздымание, колыхание, приподнимание и опускание /моря; груди — при дыхании/; глубокий вздох). “But those other gentlemen, are they what they pretend to be (но те джентльмены, они те, за кого себя выдают; to pretend — притворяться, делать вид; выдавать себя за)?”

We were conscious of a long scrutiny out of the darkness (мы чувствовали, как нас долго и внимательно рассматривали из темноты; conscious — сознающий; ощущающий; scrutiny — внимательный осмотр; исследование; внимательный, испытующий взгляд).

“Yes, yes, it’s all right (да, да, все в порядке),” said the voice at last (произнес наконец голос). “You can come up (можете подняться), and I am sorry if my precautions have annoyed you (и простите, если мои меры предосторожности побескоили вас; to annoy — досаждать, докучать; раздражать; беспокоить).”