Английский язык с Шерлоком Холмсом. Знак четырех (ASCII-IPA)

thorough ['TVr@], succeed [s@k'si:d], finesse [fI'nes]

"Well, I gave my mind a thorough rest by plunging into a chemical analysis. One of our greatest statesmen has said that a change of work is the best rest. So it is. When I had succeeded in dissolving the hydrocarbon which I was at work at, I came back to our problem of the Sholtos, and thought the whole matter out again. My boys had been up the river and down the river without result. The launch was not at any landing-stage or wharf, nor had it returned. Yet it could hardly have been scuttled to hide their traces, — though that always remained as a possible hypothesis if all else failed. I knew that this man Small had a certain degree of low cunning, but I did not think him capable of anything in the nature of delicate finesse. That is usually a product of higher education. I then reflected that since he had certainly been in London some time — as we had evidence that he maintained a continual watch over Pondicherry Lodge — he could hardly leave at a moment's notice, but would need some little time, if it were only a day, to arrange his affairs. That was the balance of probability, at any rate."

"It seems to me to be a little weak," said I (мне это не кажется очень убедительным, — сказал я; weak — слабый; неубедительный). "It is more probable that he had arranged his affairs (более вероятно, что он уладил все свои дела) before ever he set out upon his expedition (прежде чем отправиться на дело; to set out — начинать)."