THE SPECKLED BAND (NAKRAPIANA PRZEPASKA)
THE SPECKLED BAND
(NAKRAPIANA PRZEPASKA)
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On glancing over my notes (przeglądając moje zapiski) of the seventy odd cases (/o/ siedemdziesięciu ponad sprawach) in which I have during the last eight years (w ciągu ostatnich ośmiu lat) studied the methods of my friend Sherlock Holmes, I find many tragic (znajduję wiele tragicznych), some comic (nieco komicznych), a large number merely strange (wielką ilość po prostu dziwnych), but none commonplace (ale ani jednej banalnej; common - zwyczajnie; place - miejsce); for, working as he did rather for the love of his art (pracując /jak on robił/ bardziej dla: "dla zamiłowania" swojej sztuki) than for the acquirement of wealth (niż dla zdobycia majątku), he refused to associate himself with any investigation (rezygnując ze związania się z jakimś śledztwem = nie brał się za żadne śledztwo) which did not tend towards the unusual (które nie miało tendencji/kierunku do niezwykłości), and even the fantastic (nawet do fantastyczności). Of all these varied cases (ze wszystkich tych różnorodnych spraw), however (jednakże), I cannot recall (nie mogę wskrzesić /w pamięci takiej/) any which presented more singular features (która prezentowała/by/ bardziej niezwykłe cechy) than that (niż ta) which was associated with (była związana) the well-known Surrey family of the Roylotts (ze znaną rodziną Roylottów z hrabstwa Surrey) of Stoke Moran (ze Stoke Moran).
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On glancing over my notes of the seventy odd cases in which I have during the last eight years studied the methods of my friend Sherlock Holmes, I find many tragic, some comic, a large number merely strange, but none commonplace; for, working as he did rather for the love of his art than for the acquirement of wealth, he refused to associate himself with any investigation which did not tend towards the unusual, and even the fantastic. Of all these varied cases, however, I cannot recall any which presented more singular features than that which was associated with the well-known Surrey family of the Roylotts of Stoke Moran.
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The events in question (zdarzenia, o których mowa: "w pytaniu") occurred in the early days (nastąpiły we wczesnych dniach = na początku) of my association with Holmes (mojej przyjaźni z Holmesem), when we were sharing rooms as bachelors (dzieliliśmy pokoje jako kawalerowie) in Baker Street. It is possible (zapewne) that I might have placed them upon record before (mógłbym opisać je wcześniej), but a promise of secrecy was made at the time (obietnica tajemnicy była zrobiona = dana w tamtym czasie), from which I have only been freed (z której dopiero zostałem zwolniony) during the last month (w ciągu ostatniego miesiąca) by the untimely death (przedwczesną śmiercią) of the lady to whom the pledge was given (damy, której była dana /ta/ obietnica). It is perhaps as well (zapewne także) that the facts should now come to light (fakty powinny teraz wyjść na światło /dzienne/ = można opisać tę sprawę w prawdziwym świetle), for I have reasons (jako że mam podstawy) to know that there are widespread rumours (szeroko rozpowszechnione słuchy) as to the death of Dr. Grimesby Roylott (dotyczące śmierci doktora Roylotta) which tend to make (dążące do uczynienia) the matter even more terrible than the truth (sprawy nawet jeszcze bardziej straszną niż prawda /o niej/).
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The events in question occurred in the early days of my association with Holmes, when we were sharing rooms as bachelors in Baker Street. It is possible that I might have placed them upon record before, but a promise of secrecy was made at the time, from which I have only been freed during the last month by the untimely death of the lady to whom the pledge was given. It is perhaps as well that the facts should now come to light, for I have reasons to know that there are widespread rumours as to the death of Dr. Grimesby Roylott which tend to make the matter even more terrible than the truth.
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It was early in April (wcześnie w kwietniu = na początku kwietnia) in the year '83, that I woke (zbudziłem się) one morning to find Sherlock Holmes standing (aby znaleźć Sherlocka Holmesa stojącym), fully dressed (całkowicie ubranym), by the side of my bed (obok mojego łóżka). He was a late riser (późno wstający = amator długiego spania), as a rule (z reguły), and as the clock on the mantelpiece (jako że zegar na kamiennej półce) showed me that it was only a quarter-past seven (pokazywał mi, że było zaledwie kwadrans po siódmej), I blinked up at him in some surprise (popatrzyłem na niego z pewnym zdziwieniem; to blink - migotać, mrużyć), and perhaps just a little resentment (i, możliwe że nawet z niewielkim oburzeniem), for I was myself regular in my habits (gdyż sam byłem stały w swoich przyzwyczajeniach).
"Very sorry to knock you up (bardzo mi przykro = że zbudziłem pana), Watson," said he, "but it's the common lot this morning (ale to los wszystkich dzisiejszego ranka). Mrs. Hudson has been knocked up (została obudzona), she retorted upon me (zbudziła mnie; to retort - odpowiadać tym samym), and I on you."
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It was early in April in the year '83, that I woke one morning to find Sherlock Holmes standing, fully dressed, by the side of my bed. He was a late riser, as a rule, and as the clock on the mantelpiece showed me that it was only a quarter-past seven, I blinked up at him in some surprise, and perhaps just a little resentment, for I was myself regular in my habits.
"Very sorry to knock you up, Watson," said he, "but it's the common lot this morning. Mrs. Hudson has been knocked up, she retorted upon me, and I on you."
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"What is it, then? A fire (pożar)?"
"No; a client. It seems (coś zbliżonego) that a young lady has arrived (przybyła) in a considerable state of excitement (w znacznym stanie wzburzenia = strasznie zdenerwowana), who insists upon seeing me (nalega /aby/ widzieć mnie). She is waiting now in the sitting-room (ona czeka teraz w salonie). Now, when young ladies wander about the metropolis (spaceruje po stolicy) at this hour of the morning, and knock sleepy people up out of their beds (i wyciąga śpiących ludzi z łóżek), I presume (przypuszczam) that it is something very pressing (niezwłocznie) which they have to communicate (co oni mają do zakomunikowania). Should it prove to be an interesting case (jeśli to okaże się interesującą sprawą), you would, I am sure (pan, jak sądzę), wish to follow it from the outset (zechce podążyć za nią od samego początku). I thought (pomyślałem), at any rate (w każdym razie), that I should call you and give you the chance (dać panu szansę)."
"My dear fellow (mój drogi towarzyszu), I would not miss it for anything (nie zrezygnowałbym za nic z tego)."
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"What is it, then? A fire?"
"No; a client. It seems that a young lady has arrived in a considerable state of excitement, who insists upon seeing me. She is waiting now in the sitting-room. Now, when young ladies wander about the metropolis at this hour of the morning, and knock sleepy people up out of their beds, I presume that it is something very pressing which they have to communicate. Should it prove to be an interesting case, you would, I am sure, wish to follow it from the outset. I thought, at any rate, that I should call you and give you the chance."
"My dear fellow, I would not miss it for anything."
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I had no keener pleasure (nie miałem większej przyjemności; keen - ostry) than in following Holmes in his professional investigations (niż podążać za Holmesem w jego profesjonalnych śledztwach), and in admiring the rapid deductions (i zachwycać się szybkimi wnioskami), as swift as intuitions (takimi ukierunkowanymi jak intuicja), and yet always founded on a logical basis (a zarazem zbudowanymi: "opartymi" na logicznej podstawie) with which he unravelled (rozplątywał) the problems which were submitted to him (były przedkładane mu do rozwiązania = z którymi się spotykał). I rapidly (szybko) threw on my clothes (narzuciłem swoje ubranie) and was ready (gotowy) in a few minutes to accompany my friend down to the sitting-room (byłem po kilku minutach towarzyszyć mojemu przyjacielowi w drodze na dół do salonu). A lady dressed in black and heavily veiled (z gęstą woalką: "ciężko zawoalowana"), who had been sitting in the window (która siedziała przy oknie), rose as we entered (podniosła się, gdy weszliśmy).
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I had no keener pleasure than in following Holmes in his professional investigations, and in admiring the rapid deductions, as swift as intuitions, and yet always founded on a logical basis with which he unravelled the problems which were submitted to him. I rapidly threw on my clothes and was ready in a few minutes to accompany my friend down to the sitting-room. A lady dressed in black and heavily veiled, who had been sitting in the window, rose as we entered.
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"Good-morning, madam," said Holmes cheerily (życzliwie). "My name is Sherlock Holmes. This is my intimate friend and associate (bliski przyjaciel i współpracownik), Dr. Watson, before whom you can speak as freely as before myself (przed /z/ którym pani może mówić tak samo swobodnie, jak przede /ze/ mną). Ha! I am glad to see (miło mi widzieć) that Mrs. Hudson has had the good sense to light the fire (domyśliła się: "miała zdrowy rozsądek" zapalić ogień). Pray draw up to it (proszę, niech pani przysunie się bliżej do niego), and I shall order you a cup of hot coffee (każe przynieść pani filiżankę gorącej kawy), for I observe that you are shivering (pani drży)."
"lt is not cold which makes me shiver (to nie zimno /które/ zmusza mnie do drżenia = drżę nie z zimna)," said the woman in a low voice (niskim głosem = półgłosem), changing her seat as requested (zmieniając swoje miejsce, zgodnie z prośbą; to request - prosić, zwracać się z prośbą).
"What, then (cóż zatem)?"
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"Good-morning, madam," said Holmes cheerily. "My name is Sherlock Holmes. This is my intimate friend and associate, Dr. Watson, before whom you can speak as freely as before myself. Ha! I am glad to see that Mrs. Hudson has had the good sense to light the fire. Pray draw up to it, and I shall order you a cup of hot coffee, for I observe that you are shivering."
"lt is not cold which makes me shiver," said the woman in a low voice, changing her seat as requested.
"What, then?"
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"It is fear (strach), Mr. Holmes. It is terror (przerażenie)." She raised her veil (podniosła woalkę) as she spoke (mówiąc), and we could see that she was indeed in a pitiable state of agitation (w budzącym litość stanie wzruszenia), her face all drawn and gray (twarz jeszcze wykrzywiona i szara = blada), with restless frightened eyes (z trwożnym przestraszonym spojrzeniem), like those of some hunted animal (jak u zagonionego zwierzęcia; to hunt - polować). Her features and figure (rysy /twarzy/ i figura) were those of a woman of thirty (kobiety trzydziestoletniej), but her hair was shot with premature gray (włosy były przyprószone przedwczesną siwizną), and her expression was weary and haggard (wyraz /twarzy/ był przemęczony i wycieńczony). Sherlock Holmes ran her over with one of his quick, all-comprehensive glances (przebiegł = obrzucił ją jednym ze swoich szybkich, wszystko rozumiejących spojrzeń).
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"It is fear, Mr. Holmes. It is terror." She raised her veil as she spoke, and we could see that she was indeed in a pitiable state of agitation, her face all drawn and gray, with restless frightened eyes, like those of some hunted animal. Her features and figure were those of a woman of thirty, but her hair was shot with premature gray, and her expression was weary and haggard. Sherlock Holmes ran her over with one of his quick, all-comprehensive glances.
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ZAPRASZAMY DO ZAKUPU PEŁNEJ WERSJI KSIĄŻKI
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