Английский язык с Конан Дойлем. Этюд в багровых тонах (ASCII-IPA)

It was as well that his prairie training had given Jefferson Hope the ears of a lynx (хорошо, что жизнь в прерии развила у Джефферсона Хоупа рысий слух: «дала Джефферсону Хоупу уши рыси»; training — воспитание; обучение; тренировка). He and his friends had hardly crouched down (едва он и его друзья успели пригнуться; to crouch — припадать к земле) before the melancholy hooting of a mountain owl was heard within a few yards of them (как в нескольких ярдах от них послышалось меланхоличное уханье горной совы), which was immediately answered by another hoot at a small distance (на что немедленно раздалось в ответ другое уханье, чуть подальше: «что было немедленно отвечено другим уханьем на небольшом расстоянии»). At the same moment a vague shadowy figure emerged from the gap for which they had been making (в тот же момент неясная темная фигура выросла из проема, куда они направлялись; to emerge — появляться; всплывать; выходить; to make for — быстро продвигаться, направляться), and uttered the plaintive signal cry again (и снова издала жалобный сигнальный крик), on which a second man appeared out of the obscurity (в ответ на который второй человек появился из темноты).

"To-morrow at midnight," said the first who appeared to be in authority (завтра в полночь, — сказал первый, который, похоже, отдавал приказы; authority — власть; to be in authority — быть главным). "When the Whip-poor-Will calls three times (когда трижды прокричит козодой; whip-poor-will — козодой жалобный; to call — издавать характерные для животного, птицы звуки)."

"It is well," returned the other (хорошо, — ответил второй). "Shall I tell Brother Drebber (сказать брату Дребберу)?"

"Pass it on to him, and from him to the others (передай это ему, а он путь передаст остальным). Nine to seven (девять к семи)!"

prairie ['pre@rI], crouch [krautS], owl [aul]

It was as well that his prairie training had given Jefferson Hope the ears of a lynx. He and his friends had hardly crouched down before the melancholy hooting of a mountain owl was heard within a few yards of them, which was immediately answered by another hoot at a small distance. At the same moment a vague shadowy figure emerged from the gap for which they had been making, and uttered the plaintive signal cry again, on which a second man appeared out of the obscurity.

"To-morrow at midnight," said the first who appeared to be in authority. "When the Whip-poor-Will calls three times."

"It is well," returned the other. "Shall I tell Brother Drebber?"

"Pass it on to him, and from him to the others. Nine to seven!"