The estate is called Carfax, no doubt a corruption of the old Quatre Face, as the house is four-sided, agreeing with the cardinal points of the compass. It contains in all some twenty acres, quite surrounded by the solid stone wall above mentioned. There are many trees on it, which make it in places gloomy, and there is a deep, dark-looking pond or small lake, evidently fed by some springs, as the water is clear and flows away in a fair-sized stream. The house is very large and of all periods back, I should say, to mediæval times, for one part is of stone immensely thick, with only a few windows high up and heavily barred with iron.
It looks like part of a keep, (“Это выглядит как часть донжона;” keep — главная башня замка.) and is close to an old chapel or church. (и находится рядом со старой часовней или церковью.) I could not enter it, (Я не смог войти туда,) as I had not the key of the door leading to it from the house, (так как у меня не было ключа от двери, ведущей к ней из дома,) but I have taken with my kodak views of it from various points. (но я сделал своим “кодаком” снимки её с разных точек.) The house has been added to, (Дом перестраивали и расширяли,) but in a very straggling way, (но очень беспорядочным образом; straggling — разбросанный, нестройный,) and I can only guess at the amount of ground it covers, (и я могу лишь предполагать, какую площадь он занимает,) which must be very great. (а она, должно быть, очень велика.) There are but few houses close at hand, (Поблизости всего несколько домов,) one being a very large house only recently added to (один из них — очень большой дом, недавно расширенный) and formed into a private lunatic asylum. (и превращённый в частную лечебницу для умалишённых; lunatic — душевнобольной.) It is not, however, visible from the grounds.” (Однако его не видно с территории.)
It looks like part of a keep, and is close to an old chapel or church. I could not enter it, as I had not the key of the door leading to it from the house, but I have taken with my kodak views of it from various points. The house has been added to, but in a very straggling way, and I can only guess at the amount of ground it covers, which must be very great. There are but few houses close at hand, one being a very large house only recently added to and formed into a private lunatic asylum. It is not, however, visible from the grounds.”
When I had finished, (Когда я закончил,) he said:— (он сказал:)
“I am glad that it is old and big. (“Я рад, что дом старый и большой.) I myself am of an old family, (Я сам из древнего рода,) and to live in a new house would kill me. (и жить в новом доме убило бы меня.) A house cannot be made habitable in a day; (Дом нельзя сделать пригодным для жизни за один день; habitable — жилой.) and, after all, how few days go to make up a century. (и, в конце концов, как мало дней требуется, чтобы составить столетие.) I rejoice also that there is a chapel of old times. (Я также рад, что там есть часовня старых времён.) We Transylvanian nobles love not to think (Мы, трансильванские дворяне, не любим думать) that our bones may lie amongst the common dead. (что наши кости могут лежать среди обычных мертвецов.) I seek not gaiety nor mirth, (Я не ищу веселья или радости; mirth — веселье,) not the bright voluptuousness of much sunshine (не яркой чувственности обильного солнечного света; voluptuousness — чувственность,) and sparkling waters which please the young and gay. (и сверкающих вод, что нравятся молодым и беспечным.)
When I had finished, he said:—
“I am glad that it is old and big. I myself am of an old family, and to live in a new house would kill me. A house cannot be made habitable in a day; and, after all, how few days go to make up a century. I rejoice also that there is a chapel of old times. We Transylvanian nobles love not to think that our bones may lie amongst the common dead. I seek not gaiety nor mirth, not the bright voluptuousness of much sunshine and sparkling waters which please the young and gay.
“I am no longer young; (“Я уже не молод;) and my heart, through weary years of mourning over the dead, (и моё сердце, через утомительные годы скорби по умершим; weary — утомительный,) is not attuned to mirth. (не настроено на радость; attuned — настроенный.) Moreover, the walls of my castle are broken; (Кроме того, стены моего замка разрушены,) the shadows are many, (много теней,) and the wind breathes cold through the broken battlements and casements. (и ветер холодно дышит сквозь разрушенные зубцы и оконные рамы; battlements — зубцы стены, casements — оконные створки.) I love the shade and the shadow, (Я люблю полумрак и тень,) and would be alone with my thoughts when I may.” (и хочу быть один со своими мыслями, когда могу.”) Somehow his words and his look did not seem to accord, (Почему-то его слова и его взгляд не казались согласованными,) or else it was that his cast of face (или же так было потому, что выражение его лица; cast of face — выражение лица,) made his smile look malignant and saturnine. (делало его улыбку зловещей и мрачной; malignant — злобный, saturnine — мрачно-меланхоличный.)
“I am no longer young; and my heart, through weary years of mourning over the dead, is not attuned to mirth. Moreover, the walls of my castle are broken; the shadows are many, and the wind breathes cold through the broken battlements and casements. I love the shade and the shadow, and would be alone with my thoughts when I may.” Somehow his words and his look did not seem to accord, or else it was that his cast of face made his smile look malignant and saturnine.
Presently, with an excuse, he left me, (Вскоре, сославшись на предлог, он покинул меня; presently — вскоре.) asking me to put all my papers together. (попросив меня собрать все мои бумаги.) He was some little time away, (Он отсутствовал некоторое время,) and I began to look at some of the books around me. (и я начал рассматривать некоторые книги вокруг.) One was an atlas, (Одна была атласом,) which I found opened naturally at England, (который я обнаружил раскрытым на Англии,) as if that map had been much used. (словно этой картой часто пользовались.) On looking at it I found in certain places little rings marked, (Рассматривая её, я нашёл в некоторых местах маленькие кружки,) and on examining these I noticed that one was near London on the east side, (и, изучив их, заметил, что один был возле Лондона с восточной стороны,) manifestly where his new estate was situated; (явно там, где находилось его новое поместье;) the other two were Exeter, (два других — Эксетер,) and Whitby on the Yorkshire coast. (и Уитби на побережье Йоркшира.)
Presently, with an excuse, he left me, asking me to put all my papers together. He was some little time away, and I began to look at some of the books around me. One was an atlas, which I found opened naturally at England, as if that map had been much used. On looking at it I found in certain places little rings marked, and on examining these I noticed that one was near London on the east side, manifestly where his new estate was situated; the other two were Exeter, and Whitby on the Yorkshire coast.
It was the better part of an hour when the Count returned. (Прошло больше часа, прежде чем Граф вернулся.) “Aha!” he said; “still at your books? Good! (“Ага!” — сказал он. — “Всё ещё за книгами? Хорошо!) But you must not work always. (Но нельзя работать всё время.) Come; I am informed that your supper is ready.” (Пойдём; мне сообщили, что ваш ужин готов.”) He took my arm, (Он взял меня под руку,) and we went into the next room, (и мы вошли в соседнюю комнату,) where I found an excellent supper ready on the table. (где я обнаружил превосходный ужин, уже накрытый на столе.) The Count again excused himself, (Граф снова извинился,) as he had dined out on his being away from home. (так как он поужинал вне дома во время своего отсутствия.) But he sat as on the previous night, (Но он сел, как и прошлой ночью,) and chatted whilst I ate. (и беседовал со мной, пока я ел.) After supper I smoked, as on the last evening, (После ужина я покурил, как и накануне,) and the Count stayed with me, (и Граф остался со мной,) chatting and asking questions on every conceivable subject, (разговаривая и задавая вопросы на всевозможные темы,) hour after hour. (час за часом.)
It was the better part of an hour when the Count returned. “Aha!” he said; “still at your books? Good! But you must not work always. Come; I am informed that your supper is ready.” He took my arm, and we went into the next room, where I found an excellent supper ready on the table. The Count again excused himself, as he had dined out on his being away from home. But he sat as on the previous night, and chatted whilst I ate. After supper I smoked, as on the last evening, and the Count stayed with me, chatting and asking questions on every conceivable subject, hour after hour.
I felt that it was getting very late indeed, (Я чувствовал, что уже действительно очень поздно,) but I did not say anything, (но ничего не сказал,) for I felt under obligation to meet my host’s wishes in every way. (ведь я считал своим долгом всячески соответствовать желаниям моего хозяина.) I was not sleepy, (Мне не хотелось спать,) as the long sleep yesterday had fortified me; (поскольку вчерашний долгий сон укрепил меня; fortified — укрепил.) but I could not help experiencing that chill (но я не мог не ощущать того холода,) which comes over one at the coming of the dawn, (который накатывает на человека с наступлением рассвета,) which is like, in its way, the turn of the tide. (который, в своём роде, подобен перемене прилива; turn of the tide — переломный момент.) They say that people who are near death (Говорят, что люди, находящиеся при смерти,) die generally at the change to the dawn (обычно умирают на смене ночи к рассвету) or at the turn of the tide; (или при перемене прилива,) any one who has when tired, (и всякий, кто, будучи утомлённым,) and tied as it were to his post, (и словно привязанным к своему месту,) experienced this change in the atmosphere (переживал эту перемену в атмосфере,) can well believe it. (может легко в это поверить.) All at once we heard the crow of a cock (Вдруг мы услышали крик петуха,) coming up with preternatural shrillness (возносящийся с неприродной пронзительностью; preternatural — сверхъестественный,) through the clear morning air; (сквозь чистый утренний воздух,) Count Dracula, jumping to his feet, said:— (и Граф Дракула, вскочив на ноги, сказал:)
