Читать интересную книгу Английский язык с Энтони Хоупом. Узник Зенды / Anthony Hope. The Prisoner Of Zenda - Энтони Хоуп

Thus the scene was shifted from Strelsau to the château of Tarlenheim and Castle of Zenda, which frowned at us across the valley. I tried to shift my thoughts also, to forget my love, and to bend all my energies to the task before me. It was to get the King out of the Castle alive. Force was useless: in some trick lay the chance; and I had already an inkling of what we must do. But I was terribly hampered by the publicity which attended my movements. Michael must know by now of my expedition; and I knew Michael too well to suppose that his eyes would be blinded by the feint of the boar-hunt. He would understand very well what the real quarry was. That, however, must be risked – that and all it might mean; for Sapt, no less than myself, recognized that the present state of things had become unendurable. And there was one thing that I dared to calculate on – not, as I now know, without warrant.

It was this – that Black Michael would not believe that I meant well by the King (это было вот что: Черный Михаэль не верил, что мои намерения по отношению к королю чисты; to mean well by smb. – иметь добрые намерения /в отношении кого-л./; желать добра /кому-л./). He could not appreciate – I will not say an honest man (он не мог понять – не хочу сказать, честного человека; to appreciate – оценивать; понимать), for the thoughts of my own heart have been revealed (поскольку мои тайные мысли: «мысли моего собственного сердца» уже известны: «открыты») – but a man acting honestly (но человека, поступающего честно). He saw my opportunity as I had seen it, as Sapt had seen it (он понимал мои возможности, так же, как понимал их я, как понимал их Сэпт); he knew the princess (он знал принцессу) – nay (and I declare that a sneaking sort of pity for him invaded me), in his way he loved her (мало того, (и я признаю, что нечто вроде неясного /чувства/ жалости к нему посещало меня) по-своему он любил ее; nay – даже, более того; sneaking – подлый, трусливый; безотчетный, смутный; to invade – вторгаться; овладеть, нахлынуть /о чувстве/); he would think that Sapt and Fritz could be bribed (он считал, что Сэпта и Фрица можно подкупить), so the bribe was large enough (поэтому взятка была достаточно крупной). Thinking thus, would he kill the King, my rival and my danger (думая таким образом, убил бы он короля, моего соперника, /представляющего/ для меня опасность)? Ay, verily, that he would, with as little compunction as he would kill a rat (да, несомненно: «истинно», убил бы так же легко: «с таким же небольшим сожалением», как убил бы крысу; compunction – угрызения совести, раскаяние; сожаление). But he would kill Rudolf Rassendyll first, if he could (но сперва он убил бы Рудольфа Рассендила, если бы мог); and nothing but the certainty of being utterly damned by the release of the King alive (и ничто, кроме уверенности в том, что с ним будет навсегда покончено, если король живым выберется из заточения; utterly – крайне; совершенно, полностью; to damn – проклинать; обрекать, губить; release – освобождение) and his restoration to the throne would drive him to throw away the trump card (и вернется на трон, не заставит его отказаться от /главного/ козыря; restoration – восстановление; to drive – гнать, ехать; вынуждать; to throw away – бросать, отбрасывать; сбрасывать /карту/) which he held in reserve to baulk the supposed game of the impudent impostor Rassendyll (который он держал про запас, чтобы помешать предполагаемой игре наглого самозванца Рассендила; reserve – запас, резерв). Musing on all this as I rode along, I took courage (по дороге размышляя над всем этим, я воспрянул духом; to ride; to take).

It was this – that Black Michael would not believe that I meant well by the King. He could not appreciate – I will not say an honest man, for the thoughts of my own heart have been revealed – but a man acting honestly. He saw my opportunity as I had seen it, as Sapt had seen it; he knew the princess – nay (and I declare that a sneaking sort of pity for him invaded me), in his way he loved her; he would think that Sapt and Fritz could be bribed, so the bribe was large enough. Thinking thus, would he kill the King, my rival and my danger? Ay, verily, that he would, with as little compunction as he would kill a rat. But he would kill Rudolf Rassendyll first, if he could; and nothing but the certainty of being utterly damned by the release of the King alive and his restoration to the throne would drive him to throw away the trump card which he held in reserve to baulk the supposed game of the impudent impostor Rassendyll. Musing on all this as I rode along, I took courage.

Michael knew of my coming, sure enough (Михаэль знал о моем приезде, без сомнения). I had not been in the house an hour (я не пробыл в доме и часа), when an imposing Embassy arrived from him (когда от него прибыло внушительное посольство). He did not quite reach the impudence of sending my would-be assassins (он /еще/ не совсем обнаглел: «не совсем достиг наглости», чтобы послать моих потенциальных убийц), but he sent the other three of his famous Six (но он послал трех других из своей знаменитой Шестерки) – the three Ruritanian gentlemen – Lauengram, Krafstein, and Rupert Hentzau (трех руританских джентльменов – Лауэнграма, Крафштайна и Руперта Хенцо). A fine, strapping trio they were, splendidly horsed and admirably equipped (они являли собой прекрасную, сильную троицу, на великолепных конях и превосходно экипированную; to horse – поставлять лошадей). Young Rupert, who looked a dare-devil, and could not have been more than twenty-two or twenty-three (юный Руперт, выглядевший как сорвиголова, которому не могло быть больше двадцати двух – двадцати трех лет), took the lead, and made us the neatest speech (выехал вперед и произнес перед нами блестящую речь; to take lead – брать на себя инициативу; to make a speech – произносить речь; neat – чистый, аккуратный; отточенный /о языке/), wherein my devoted subject and loving brother Michael of Strelsau (в которой мой преданный слуга: «мой подданный» и любящий брат Михаэль из Стрелсо), prayed me to pardon him for not paying his addresses in person (просил меня простить его за то, что он не обращается лично; to pay – платить; засвидетельствовать /почтение/; address – адрес; речь, обращение), and, further, for not putting his Castle at my disposal (и далее, что не предоставляет свой замок в мое распоряжение; to put smth. at smb.’s disposal – предоставить что-л. в чье-л. распоряжение); the reason for both of these apparent derelictions being (причина обоих этих несомненных упущений заключается в том; apparent – видимый; явный, очевидный, несомненный) that he and several of his servants lay sick of scarlet fever (что он и несколько его слуг слегли от скарлатины), and were in a very sad, and also a very infectious state (и находятся в очень печальном, а также весьма заразном состоянии; infectious – заразный, инфекционный). So declared young Rupert with an insolent smile on his curling upper lip (так говорил юный Руперт с наглой улыбкой, искривлявшей его верхнюю губу; to declare – объявлять; говорить, заявлять) and a toss of his thick hair – he was a handsome villain (и встряхивая своими густыми волосами – он был красив, /этот/ негодяй; toss – метание, бросание; сотрясение, толчок), and the gossip ran that many a lady had troubled her heart for him already (и ходили слухи, будто сердца многих девушек уже истосковались по нему; to trouble – беспокоить, тревожить).

Michael knew of my coming, sure enough. I had not been in the house an hour, when an imposing Embassy arrived from him. He did not quite reach the impudence of sending my would-be assassins, but he sent the other three of his famous Six – the three Ruritanian gentlemen – Lauengram, Krafstein, and Rupert Hentzau. A fine, strapping trio they were, splendidly horsed and admirably equipped. Young Rupert, who looked a dare-devil, and could not have been more than twenty-two or twenty-three, took the lead, and made us the neatest speech, wherein my devoted subject and loving brother Michael of Strelsau, prayed me to pardon him for not paying his addresses in person, and, further, for not putting his Castle at my disposal; the reason for both of these apparent derelictions being that he and several of his servants lay sick of scarlet fever, and were in a very sad, and also a very infectious state. So declared young Rupert with an insolent smile on his curling upper lip and a toss of his thick hair – he was a handsome villain, and the gossip ran that many a lady had troubled her heart for him already.

“If my brother has scarlet fever (если у моего брата скарлатина),” said I, “he is nearer my complexion than he is wont to be, my lord (то цветом лица он теперь больше походит на меня, чем когда бы то ни было, милорд; near – близкий; сходный; wont – имеющий обыкновение). I trust he does not suffer (я надеюсь, он не /сильно/ страдает; to trust – доверять, верить; полагать, надеяться)?”

“He is able to attend to his affairs, sire (он в состоянии справляться со своими делами, сир; to attend – посещать, присутствовать; уделять внимание).”

“I hope all beneath your roof are not sick (надеюсь, не все там у вас: «под вашей крышей» больны). What of my good friends, De Gautet, Bersonin, and Detchard (что с моими добрыми друзьями – Де Готе, Берзонином и Дэтчардом)? I heard the last had suffered a hurt (я слышал, последний получил ранение; to suffer – страдать, претерпевать).”

Lauengram and Krafstein looked glum and uneasy, but young Rupert’s smile grew broader (Лауэнграм и Крафштайн взглянули угрюмо и беспокойно, но улыбка юного Руперта стала шире; to grow).

“He hopes soon to find a medicine for it, sire,” he answered (он надеется вскоре найти для нее лекарство, сир, – отвечал он).

And I burst out laughing, for I knew what medicine Detchard longed for – it is called Revenge (и я рассмеялся, поскольку знал, какого лекарства жаждет Дэтчард – оно зовется местью).

“You will dine with us, gentlemen?” I asked (вы с нами пообедаете, джентльмены? – спросил я).

Young Rupert was profuse in apologies (юный Руперт рассыпался: «был обилен» в извинениях). They had urgent duties at the Castle (у них были неотложные обязанности = дела в замке).

“Then,” said I, with a wave of my hand, “to our next meeting, gentlemen (тогда, – сказал я, помахав рукой, – до нашей следующей встречи, джентльмены). May it make us better acquainted (когда мы сможем получше познакомиться).”

“If my brother has scarlet fever,” said I, “he is nearer my complexion than he is wont to be, my lord. I trust he does not suffer?”

“He is able to attend to his affairs, sire.”

“I hope all beneath your roof are not sick. What of my good friends, De Gautet, Bersonin, and Detchard? I heard the last had suffered a hurt.”

Lauengram and Krafstein looked glum and uneasy, but young Rupert’s smile grew broader.

“He hopes soon to find a medicine for it, sire,” he answered.

And I burst out laughing, for I knew what medicine Detchard longed for – it is called Revenge.

“You will dine with us, gentlemen?” I asked.

Young Rupert was profuse in apologies. They had urgent duties at the Castle.

“Then,” said I, with a wave of my hand, “to our next meeting, gentlemen. May it make us better acquainted.”

“We will pray your Majesty for an early opportunity,” quoth Rupert airily (мы будем просить ваше величество о скорейшей возможности /встретиться/, – откликнулся Руперт весело; to quethen – сказать, промолвить /устар., поэт./; airily – воздушно, легко; беззаботно; early – ранний; скорейший, ожидаемый в ближайшем будущем); and he strode past Sapt with such jeering scorn on his face (и проскакал мимо Сэпта с такой презрительной усмешкой на лице; to stride) that I saw the old fellow clench his fist and scowl black as night (что я заметил, как старик сжал кулак и стал мрачнее тучи: «черным как ночь»; to scowl – хмуриться, мрачнеть).