| - Облили стену супом? - переспросил Валантэн, думая, что это итальянская поговорка. |
| "Yes, yes," said the attendant excitedly, and pointed at the dark splash on the white paper; "threw it over there on the wall." | - Вот, вот, - волновался лакей, указывая на темное пятно. - Взяли и плеснули. |
| Valentin looked his query at the proprietor, who came to his rescue with fuller reports. | Валантэн взглянул на хозяина, и тот дал более подробный отчет. |
| "Yes, sir," he said, "it's quite true, though I don't suppose it has anything to do with the sugar and salt. | - Да, сэр, - сказал он. - Так оно и было, только сахар и соль тут, наверно, ни при чем. |
| Two clergymen came in and drank soup here very early, as soon as the shutters were taken down. | Совсем рано, мы только шторы подняли, сюда зашли два священника и заказали бульон. |
| They were both very quiet, respectable people; one of them paid the bill and went out; the other, who seemed a slower coach altogether, was some minutes longer getting his things together. | Люди вроде бы тихие, приличные. Высокий расплатился и ушел, а другой собирал свертки, он какой-то был неповоротливый. |
| But he went at last. Only, the instant before he stepped into the street he deliberately picked up his cup, which he had only half emptied, and threw the soup slap on the wall. | Потом он тоже пошел к дверям и вдруг схватил чашку и вылил суп на стену. |
| I was in the back room myself, and so was the waiter; so I could only rush out in time to find the wall splashed and the shop empty. | Я был в задней комнате. Выбегаю - смотрю: пятно, а священника нет. |
| It don't do any particular damage, but it was confounded cheek; and I tried to catch the men in the street. They were too far off though; I only noticed they went round the next corner into Carstairs Street." | Убыток небольшой, но ведь какая наглость! Я побежал за ним, да не догнал, они свернули на Карстейрс-стрит. |
| The detective was on his feet, hat settled and stick in hand. | Валантэн уже вскочил, надел шляпу и стиснул трость. |
| He had already decided that in the universal darkness of his mind he could only follow the first odd finger that pointed; and this finger was odd enough. | Он понял: во тьме неведения надо было идти туда, куда направляет вас первый указатель, каким бы странным он ни был. |
| Paying his bill and clashing the glass doors behind him, he was soon swinging round into the other street. | Еще не упали на стол монеты, еще не хлопнула стеклянная дверь, а сыщик уже свернул за угол и побежал по улице. |
| It was fortunate that even in such fevered moments his eye was cool and quick. |