Брэм Стокер – Дракула: метод параллельного погружения (страница 40)

“To-morrow, my friend, we must part. You return to your beautiful England, I to some work which may have such an end that we may never meet. Your letter home has been despatched; to-morrow I shall not be here, but all shall be ready for your journey. In the morning come the Szgany, who have some labours of their own here, and also come some Slovaks. When they have gone, my carriage shall come for you, and shall bear you to the Borgo Pass to meet the diligence from Bukovina to Bistritz. But I am in hopes that I shall see more of you at Castle Dracula.” I suspected him, and determined to test his sincerity. Sincerity! It seems like a profanation of the word to write it in connection with such a monster, so asked him point-blank:—

“Why may I not go to-night?” («Почему я не могу уехать сегодня ночью?»)

“Because, dear sir, my coachman and horses are away on a mission.” («Потому что, дорогой сэр, мой кучер и мои лошади отправились с поручением.»; mission — поручение.)

“But I would walk with pleasure. («Но я с удовольствием пошёл бы пешком.) I want to get away at once.” (Я хочу уйти немедленно.») He smiled, (Он улыбнулся.) such a soft, smooth, diabolical smile (такой мягкой, гладкой, дьявольской улыбкой; diabolical — дьявольский.) that I knew there was some trick behind his smoothness. (что я понял: за его мягкостью скрывается какой-то подвох; trick — уловка.) He said:— (Он сказал:—)

“Why may I not go to-night?”

“Because, dear sir, my coachman and horses are away on a mission.”

“But I would walk with pleasure. I want to get away at once.” He smiled, such a soft, smooth, diabolical smile that I knew there was some trick behind his smoothness. He said:—

“And your baggage?” («А ваш багаж?»)

“I do not care about it. («Меня это не волнует.) I can send for it some other time.” (Я могу прислать за ним в другой раз.»)

The Count stood up, (Граф Дракула поднялся.) and said, with a sweet courtesy (и сказал с такой приятной учтивостью; courtesy — учтивость.) which made me rub my eyes, (что я даже протёр глаза.) it seemed so real:— (она казалась такой настоящей:—)

“And your baggage?”

“I do not care about it. I can send for it some other time.”

The Count stood up, and said, with a sweet courtesy which made me rub my eyes, it seemed so real:—

“You English have a saying which is close to my heart, («У вас, англичан, есть пословица, которая близка моему сердцу.) for its spirit is that which rules our boyars: (ибо её дух — тот самый, который правит нашими боярами; boyars — бояре.) ‘Welcome the coming; speed the parting guest.’ («Приветствуй приходящего; ускоряй уход гостя.») Come with me, my dear young friend. (Пойдите со мной, мой дорогой юный друг.) Not an hour shall you wait in my house against your will, (Ни часа вы не будете ждать в моём доме против вашей воли.) though sad am I at your going, (хотя я печален из-за вашего ухода.) and that you so suddenly desire it. (и из-за того, что вы так внезапно пожелали его.) Come!” (Идите!») With a stately gravity, (С величественной серьёзностью; stately — величественный; gravity — серьёзность.) he, with the lamp, preceded me down the stairs (он, держа лампу, прошёл передо мной вниз по лестнице.) and along the hall. (и вдоль зала.) Suddenly he stopped. (Внезапно он остановился.)

“You English have a saying which is close to my heart, for its spirit is that which rules our boyars: ‘Welcome the coming; speed the parting guest.’ Come with me, my dear young friend. Not an hour shall you wait in my house against your will, though sad am I at your going, and that you so suddenly desire it. Come!” With a stately gravity, he, with the lamp, preceded me down the stairs and along the hall. Suddenly he stopped.

“Hark!” («Слушайте!»; Hark — слушай.)

Close at hand came the howling of many wolves. (Совсем рядом раздался вой множества волков.) It was almost as if the sound sprang up at the rising of his hand, (Это было почти так, словно звук возник от одного взмаха его руки; sprang up — возник внезапно.) just as the music of a great orchestra seems to leap (точно так же, как музыка большого оркестра будто взлетает; leap — взлетать.) under the bâton of the conductor. (под батоном дирижёра; bâton — дирижёрская палочка.) After a pause of a moment, (После короткой паузы.) he proceeded, in his stately way, to the door, (он величаво направился к двери.) drew back the ponderous bolts, (отодвинул тяжёлые засовы; ponderous — массивный.) unhooked the heavy chains, (снял тяжёлые цепи.) and began to draw it open. (и начал открывать её.)

“Hark!”

Close at hand came the howling of many wolves. It was almost as if the sound sprang up at the rising of his hand, just as the music of a great orchestra seems to leap under the bâton of the conductor. After a pause of a moment, he proceeded, in his stately way, to the door, drew back the ponderous bolts, unhooked the heavy chains, and began to draw it open.

To my intense astonishment (К моему глубочайшему изумлению; astonishment — изумление.) I saw that it was unlocked. (я увидел, что она была незаперта.) Suspiciously, I looked all round, (С подозрением я огляделся вокруг.) but could see no key of any kind. (но не увидел никакого ключа.)

To my intense astonishment I saw that it was unlocked. Suspiciously, I looked all round, but could see no key of any kind.

As the door began to open, (Когда дверь начала открываться.) the howling of the wolves without grew louder and angrier; (вой волков снаружи стал громче и яростнее.) their red jaws, with champing teeth, (их красные пасти, с чавкающими зубами; champing — чавкающий, щёлкающий.) and their blunt-clawed feet as they leaped, (и их притуплённые когтистыe лапы, когда они подпрыгивали; blunt-clawed — с тупыми когтями.) came in through the opening door. (просовывались через открывающуюся дверь.) I knew then that to struggle at the moment against the Count was useless. (Тогда я понял, что сопротивляться графу в этот момент бессмысленно.) With such allies as these at his command, (С такими союзниками в его распоряжении.) I could do nothing. (я ничего не мог сделать.) But still the door continued slowly to open, (Но дверь всё равно продолжала медленно открываться.) and only the Count’s body stood in the gap. (и лишь тело графа заслоняло собой проём.) Suddenly it struck me (Вдруг меня осенило.) that this might be the moment and means of my doom; (что это может быть момент и средство моей гибели; doom — гибель, рок.) I was to be given to the wolves, (меня собирались скормить волкам.) and at my own instigation. (и по собственной моей наводке; instigation — подстрекательство, инициатива.) There was a diabolical wickedness in the idea (В этой мысли была дьявольское злодейство; wickedness — злодейство.) great enough for the Count, (вполне достойное графа.) and as a last chance I cried out:— (и, в последней попытке, я закричал:—)

As the door began to open, the howling of the wolves without grew louder and angrier; their red jaws, with champing teeth, and their blunt-clawed feet as they leaped, came in through the opening door. I knew then that to struggle at the moment against the Count was useless. With such allies as these at his command, I could do nothing. But still the door continued slowly to open, and only the Count’s body stood in the gap. Suddenly it struck me that this might be the moment and means of my doom; I was to be given to the wolves, and at my own instigation. There was a diabolical wickedness in the idea great enough for the Count, and as a last chance I cried out:—

“Shut the door; I shall wait till morning!” («Закройте дверь; я подожду до утра!») and covered my face with my hands (и я закрыл лицо руками.) to hide my tears of bitter disappointment. (чтобы скрыть свои слёзы горького разочарования; disappointment — разочарование.) With one sweep of his powerful arm, (Одним взмахом своей могучей руки; sweep — взмах.) the Count threw the door shut, (граф Дракула захлопнул дверь.) and the great bolts clanged and echoed through the hall (и тяжёлые засовы громыхнули и отозвались эхом по всему залу; clanged — лязгнули.) as they shot back into their places. (когда они вернулись на свои места.)

“Shut the door; I shall wait till morning!” and covered my face with my hands to hide my tears of bitter disappointment. With one sweep of his powerful arm, the Count threw the door shut, and the great bolts clanged and echoed through the hall as they shot back into their places.

In silence we returned to the library, (Мы в молчании вернулись в библиотеку.) and after a minute or two I went to my own room. (и спустя минуту или две я ушёл в свою комнату.) The last I saw of Count Dracula (Последнее, что я увидел у графа Дракулы.) was his kissing his hand to me; (это то, как он поцеловал свою руку и послал мне этот поцелуй.) with a red light of triumph in his eyes, (с красным огнём торжества в глазах; triumph — торжество.) and with a smile that Judas in hell might be proud of. (и с улыбкой, которой мог бы гордиться сам Иуда в аду.)

In silence we returned to the library, and after a minute or two I went to my own room. The last I saw of Count Dracula was his kissing his hand to me; with a red light of triumph in his eyes, and with a smile that Judas in hell might be proud of.