| Запах нагретого металла напоминал нам, что фонарь не погашен и что свет готов вспыхнуть в любое мгновение. |
| My limbs were weary and stiff, for I feared to change my position; yet my nerves were worked up to the highest pitch of tension, and my hearing was so acute that I could not only hear the gentle breathing of my companions, but I could distinguish the deeper, heavier in-breath of the bulky Jones from the thin, sighing note of the bank director. | Мои нервы, напряженные от ожидания, были подавлены этой внезапной тьмой, этой холодной сыростью подземелья. |
| From my position I could look over the case in the direction of the floor. | - Для бегства у них есть только один путь -обратно, через дом на Сэкс-Кобург-сквер, -прошептал Холмс. |
| Suddenly my eyes caught the glint of a light. | - Надеюсь, вы сделали то, о чем я просил вас, Джонс? |
| At first it was but a lurid spark upon the stone pavement. | - Инспектор и два офицера ждут их у парадного входа. |
| Then it lengthened out until it became a yellow line, and then, without any warning or sound, a gash seemed to open and a hand appeared, a white, almost womanly hand, which felt about in the centre of the little area of light. | - Значит, мы заткнули все дыры. |
| For a minute or more the hand, with its writhing fingers, protruded out of the floor. | Теперь нам остается только молчать и ждать. |
| Then it was withdrawn as suddenly as it appeared, and all was dark again save the single lurid spark which marked a chink between the stones. | Как медленно тянулось время! |
| Its disappearance, however, was but momentary. | В сущности, прошел всего час с четвертью, но мне казалось, что ночь уже кончилась и наверху рассветает. |
| With a rending, tearing sound, one of the broad, white stones turned over upon its side and left a square, gaping hole, through which streamed the light of a lantern. | Ноги у меня устали и затекли, так как я боялся шевельнуться; нервы были натянуты. |
| Over the edge there peeped a clean-cut, boyish face, which looked keenly about it, and then, with a hand on either side of the aperture, drew itself shoulder-high and waist-high, until one knee rested upon the edge. | И вдруг внизу я заметил мерцание света. |
| In another instant he stood at the side of the hole and was hauling after him a companion, lithe and small like himself, with a pale face and a shock of very red hair. | Сначала это была слабая искра, мелькнувшая в просвете между плитами пола. |
| "It's all clear," he whispered. |
