“The young imp cannot be found (этого постреленка нигде не найти; imp — чертенок, бесенок; постреленок),” said Dr. Trevelyan; “the maid and the cook have just been searching for him (горничная и кухарка уже искали его).”

Holmes shrugged his shoulders (Холмс пожал плечами).

sequence ['si:kwns], masqueraded [maesk'redd], count [kaunt]

“Oh, there can be no doubt as to the sequence of events,” said Holmes. “There were three of them in it: the young man, the old man, and a third, to whose identity I have no clue. The first two, I need hardly remark, are the same who masqueraded as the Russian count and his son, so we can give a very full description of them. They were admitted by a confederate inside the house. If I might offer you a word of advice, Inspector, it would be to arrest the page, who, as I understand, has only recently come into your service, Doctor.”

“The young imp cannot be found,” said Dr. Trevelyan; “the maid and the cook have just been searching for him.”

Holmes shrugged his shoulders.

“He has played a not unimportant part in this drama (он сыграл не такую уж маловажную роль в этой драме),” said he. “The three men having ascended the stairs (эти трое поднялись по лестнице), which they did on tiptoe (идя на цыпочках), the elder man first (пожилой шел первым), the younger man second (молодой человек — вторым), and the unknown man in the rear — (а неизвестный шел последним; rear — тыл, задняя сторона)”

“My dear Holmes (мой дорогой Холмс)!” I ejaculated (воскликнул я).

“Oh, there could be no question as to the superimposing of the footmarks (о, порядок: «наложение» следов не вызывает вопросов; to impose — налагать, накладывать). I had the advantage of learning which was which last night (вчера вечером мне повезло установить, которые есть которые = кому какие следы принадлежат; advantage — преимущество; польза, выгода). They ascended, then, to Mr. Blessington’s room (затем они поднялись в комнату мистера Блессингтона), the door of which they found to be locked (и обнаружили, что дверь заперта). With the help of a wire, however (однако с помощью проволоки), they forced round the key (они вытолкнули ключ /из замка/). Even without the lens you will perceive (даже без лупы вы заметите), by the scratches on this ward (по царапинам на замке; ward — выступ или выемка /в бородке ключа и в замке/), where the pressure was applied (где было приложено давление; to apply — использовать, применять; прилагать).

“On entering the room their first proceeding must have been to gag Mr. Blessington (войдя в комнату, они первым делом, должно быть, вставили мистеру Блессингтону кляп в рот; proceeding — акт, действие, поступок). He may have been asleep (возможно, он спал), or he may have been so paralyzed with terror (или, быть может, был настолько поражен страхом) as to have been unable to cry out (что не смог закричать). These walls are thick (стены здесь толстые), and it is conceivable that his shriek (и, вероятно, его крик), if he had time to utter one, was unheard (если он успел крикнуть, никто не услышал; to utter — издавать /звук/; произносить).

drama ['dr:m], ejaculated ['aekjuletd], advantage [d'v:nt], terror ['ter]

“He has played a not unimportant part in this drama,” said he. “The three men having ascended the stairs, which they did on tiptoe, the elder man first, the younger man second, and the unknown man in the rear —”

“My dear Holmes!” I ejaculated.