"Which would have been never. This man Small is a pretty shrewd fellow. He would send a scout on ahead, and if anything made him suspicious he would lie snug for another week."
"But you might have stuck to Mordecai Smith, and so been led to their hiding-place," said I.
"In that case I should have wasted my day. I think that it is a hundred to one against Smith knowing where they live. As long as he has liquor and good pay, why should he ask questions? They send him messages what to do. No, I thought over every possible course, and this is the best."
While this conversation had been proceeding (пока длилась эта беседа; to proceed — продолжать говорить), we had been shooting the long series of bridges which span the Thames (мы пронеслись под многочисленными мостами, соединяющими берега Темзы; to shoot — стрелять; пронестись, промчаться; series — ряд; последовательность; to span — измерять; соединять берега). As we passed the City (когда мы проплывали мимо Сити; to pass — идти; проходить, миновать) the last rays of the sun were gilding the cross upon the summit of St. Paul's (последние лучи солнца позолотили крест на куполе Сент-Пола; summit — вершина, верх; St. Paul's = St. Paul's Cathedral — Сент-Пол, собор Святого Павла). It was twilight before we reached the Tower (наступили сумерки, прежде чем мы достигли Тауэра).
"That is Jacobson's Yard," said Holmes (вот док Джекобсона, — сказал Холмс), pointing to a bristle of masts and rigging on the Surrey side (указывая на лес мачт и такелажа со стороны Суррея; bristle — щетина; rigging — оснастка, такелаж). "Cruise gently up and down here under cover of this string of lighters (тихонько курсируйте здесь взад и вперед под прикрытием этой вереницы лихтеров; to cruise — совершать круиз, путешествовать; курсировать; gently — мягко, нежно; тихо, спокойно; lighter — лихтер, шаланда)." He took a pair of night-glasses from his pocket and gazed some time at the shore (он вынул из кармана ночной бинокль и некоторое время всматривался в берег). "I see my sentry at his post," he remarked (я вижу моего караульного на посту, — заметил он), "but no sign of a handkerchief (но платка не видать: «никаких признаков платка»; sign — знак; признак, примета)."
series ['sI@ri:z], twilight ['twaIlaIt], cruise [kru:z]
While this conversation had been proceeding, we had been shooting the long series of bridges which span the Thames. As we passed the City the last rays of the sun were gilding the cross upon the summit of St. Paul's. It was twilight before we reached the Tower.
"That is Jacobson's Yard," said Holmes, pointing to a bristle of masts and rigging on the Surrey side. "Cruise gently up and down here under cover of this string of lighters." He took a pair of night-glasses from his pocket and gazed some time at the shore. "I see my sentry at his post," he remarked, "but no sign of a handkerchief."