He knows that I know too much, and that I must not live, lest I be dangerous to him; my only chance is to prolong my opportunities. Something may occur which will give me a chance to escape. I saw in his eyes something of that gathering wrath which was manifest when he hurled that fair woman from him. He explained to me that posts were few and uncertain, and that my writing now would ensure ease of mind to my friends; and he assured me with so much impressiveness that he would countermand the later letters, which would be held over at Bistritz until due time in case chance would admit of my prolonging my stay, that to oppose him would have been to create new suspicion. I therefore pretended to fall in with his views, and asked him what dates I should put on the letters. He calculated a minute, and then said:—
“The first should be June 12, («Первое должно быть датировано 12 июня.) the second June 19, (второе — 19 июня.) and the third June 29.” (а третье — 29 июня».)
I know now the span of my life. (Теперь я знаю предел своей жизни; span — срок предел) God help me! (Боже, помоги мне!)
“The first should be June 12, the second June 19, and the third June 29.”
I know now the span of my life. God help me!
28 May.—There is a chance of escape, (28 мая. — Появился шанс на побег.) or at any rate of being able to send word home. (или, по крайней мере, возможность отправить весточку домой.) A band of Szgany have come to the castle, (К замку прибыла группа цыган.) and are encamped in the courtyard. (и расположилась лагерем во дворе.) These Szgany are gipsies; (Эти цыгане — бродяги; gipsies — цыгане) I have notes of them in my book. (У меня есть заметки о них в моей тетради.) They are peculiar to this part of the world, (Они характерны именно для этой части мира; peculiar — свойственный, особенный) though allied to the ordinary gipsies all the world over. (хотя и родственны обычным цыганам по всему свету; allied — родственный, связанный) There are thousands of them in Hungary and Transylvania, (Их тысячи в Венгрии и Трансильвании.) who are almost outside all law. (которые почти находятся вне закона; outside — вне) They attach themselves as a rule to some great noble or boyar, (Обычно они примыкают к какому-нибудь крупному вельможе или боярину; attach themselves — примыкать) and call themselves by his name. (и называют себя его именем.) They are fearless and without religion, save superstition, (Они бесстрашны и безрелигиозны, если не считать суеверий; fearless — бесстрашный; superstition — суеверие) and they talk only their own varieties of the Romany tongue. (и говорят только на своих разновидностях цыганского языка; Romany — цыганский язык)
28 May.—There is a chance of escape, or at any rate of being able to send word home. A band of Szgany have come to the castle, and are encamped in the courtyard. These Szgany are gipsies; I have notes of them in my book. They are peculiar to this part of the world, though allied to the ordinary gipsies all the world over. There are thousands of them in Hungary and Transylvania, who are almost outside all law. They attach themselves as a rule to some great noble or boyar, and call themselves by his name. They are fearless and without religion, save superstition, and they talk only their own varieties of the Romany tongue.
I shall write some letters home, (Я напишу несколько писем домой.) and shall try to get them to have them posted. (и постараюсь добиться, чтобы они отправили эти письма; posted — отправленные) I have already spoken them through my window (Я уже обратился к ним через окно.) to begin acquaintanceship. (чтобы завязать знакомство; acquaintanceship — знакомство) They took their hats off (Они сняли шляпы.) and made obeisance and many signs, (и сделали поклон, и подали множество жестов; obeisance — поклон) which, however, I could not understand (которые, однако, я не смог понять.) any more than I could their spoken language.... (так же, как и их разговорную речь; spoken language — устная речь)
I shall write some letters home, and shall try to get them to have them posted. I have already spoken them through my window to begin acquaintanceship. They took their hats off and made obeisance and many signs, which, however, I could not understand any more than I could their spoken language....
I have written the letters. (Я написал письма.) Mina’s is in shorthand, (Письмо для Мины написано скорописью; shorthand — скоропись) and I simply ask Mr. Hawkins to communicate with her. (и я просто прошу мистера Хокинса связаться с ней.) To her I have explained my situation, (Ей я объяснил своё положение.) but without the horrors which I may only surmise. (но без тех ужасов, о которых я могу лишь догадываться; surmise — догадка) It would shock and frighten her to death (Это потрясло бы и напугало её до смерти.) were I to expose my heart to her. (если бы я открыл ей всю правду.) Should the letters not carry, (Если письма не дойдут.) then the Count shall not yet know my secret (то граф Дракула ещё не узнает моего секрета.) or the extent of my knowledge.... (и того, насколько много я знаю; extent — степень, объём)
I have written the letters. Mina’s is in shorthand, and I simply ask Mr. Hawkins to communicate with her. To her I have explained my situation, but without the horrors which I may only surmise. It would shock and frighten her to death were I to expose my heart to her. Should the letters not carry, then the Count shall not yet know my secret or the extent of my knowledge....
I have given the letters; (Я передал письма.) I threw them through the bars of my window with a gold piece, (Я бросил их между решёток окна вместе с золотой монетой; bars — решётки) and made what signs I could to have them posted. (и подал такие жесты, какие мог, чтобы они были отправлены; posted — отправленные) The man who took them pressed them to his heart (Мужчина, который их подобрал, прижал их к сердцу.) and bowed, (и поклонился.) and then put them in his cap. (а затем положил их в свою шапку.) I could do no more. (Больше я ничего не мог сделать.) I stole back to the study, (Я тайком вернулся в кабинет; stole back — вернулся украдкой) and began to read. (и начал читать.) As the Count did not come in, (Так как граф Дракула не вошёл.) I have written here.... (я написал здесь…)
I have given the letters; I threw them through the bars of my window with a gold piece, and made what signs I could to have them posted. The man who took them pressed them to his heart and bowed, and then put them in his cap. I could do no more. I stole back to the study, and began to read. As the Count did not come in, I have written here....
The Count has come. (Граф Дракула пришёл.) He sat down beside me, (Он сел рядом со мной.) and said in his smoothest voice (и сказал своим наиболее мягким, гладким голосом; smoothest — мягчайший льстивый) as he opened two letters:— (открывая два письма:)
The Count has come. He sat down beside me, and said in his smoothest voice as he opened two letters:—
“The Szgany has given me these, («Цыгане передали мне это.) of which, though I know not whence they come, (и хотя я не знаю, откуда они,.) I shall, of course, take care. (я, разумеется, позабочусь о них; take care — присмотреть, позаботиться) See!” («Взгляните!») —he must have looked at it— (— должно быть, он посмотрел на него —) “one is from you, and to my friend Peter Hawkins; («одно — от вас и адресовано моему другу Питеру Хокинсу;.) the other” («другое».) —here he caught sight of the strange symbols as he opened the envelope, (— здесь, открывая конверт, он заметил странные символы; caught sight of — заметил) and the dark look came into his face, (и его лицо омрачилось; dark look — тёмный, мрачный взгляд) and his eyes blazed wickedly— (и его глаза зло вспыхнули; blazed — вспыхнули) “the other is a vile thing, («другое — мерзость; vile — подлый, отвратительный) an outrage upon friendship and hospitality! (оскорбление дружбы и гостеприимства!; outrage — надругательство, оскорбление) It is not signed. (Оно не подписано.) Well! so it cannot matter to us.” (Ну что ж! Значит, оно не может иметь для нас значения».) And he calmly held letter and envelope in the flame of the lamp (И он спокойно поднёс письмо и конверт к огню лампы; calmly — спокойно) till they were consumed. (пока они не сгорели; consumed — сожжены) Then he went on:— (Затем он продолжил:—)
“The Szgany has given me these, of which, though I know not whence they come, I shall, of course, take care. See!”—he must have looked at it—“one is from you, and to my friend Peter Hawkins; the other”—here he caught sight of the strange symbols as he opened the envelope, and the dark look came into his face, and his eyes blazed wickedly—“the other is a vile thing, an outrage upon friendship and hospitality! It is not signed. Well! so it cannot matter to us.” And he calmly held letter and envelope in the flame of the lamp till they were consumed. Then he went on:—
“The letter to Hawkins— («Письмо Хокинсу —) that I shall, of course, send on, (его я, разумеется, перешлю; send on — переслать) since it is yours. (поскольку оно ваше.) Your letters are sacred to me. (Ваши письма священны для меня; sacred — священный) Your pardon, my friend, (Просттеи меня, мой друг.) that unknowingly I did break the seal. (что я невольно разорвал печать; seal — печать) Will you not cover it again?” («Не заклеите ли вы его снова?») He held out the letter to me, (Он протянул мне письмо.) and with a courteous bow (и, учтиво поклонившись; courteous — вежливый, учтивый) handed me a clean envelope. (подал мне чистый конверт.) I could only redirect it (Я мог лишь переписать адрес.) and hand it to him in silence. (и молча передать его ему.) When he went out of the room (Когда он вышел из комнаты.) I could hear the key turn softly. (я услышал, как ключ мягко провернулся в замке.) A minute later I went over and tried it, (Через минуту я подошёл и попробовал дверь.) and the door was locked. (и дверь оказалась запертой; locked — запертый)
