Then the mountains seemed to come nearer to us on each side and to frown down upon us; we were entering on the Borgo Pass. One by one several of the passengers offered me gifts, which they pressed upon me with an earnestness which would take no denial; these were certainly of an odd and varied kind, but each was given in simple good faith, with a kindly word, and a blessing, and that strange mixture of fear-meaning movements which I had seen outside the hotel at Bistritz—the sign of the cross and the guard against the evil eye. Then, as we flew along, the driver leaned forward, and on each side the passengers, craning over the edge of the coach, peered eagerly into the darkness.
It was evident that something very exciting was either happening or expected, (Было очевидно, что происходит или ожидается что-то очень волнующее; evident — очевидный) but though I asked each passenger, (но хотя я спрашивал каждого пассажира) no one would give me the slightest explanation. (никто не давал мне ни малейшего объяснения; slightest — малейший) This state of excitement kept on for some little time; (Это состояние возбуждённости продолжалось некоторое время; kept on — продолжалось) and at last we saw before us the Pass opening out on the eastern side. (и наконец мы увидели перед собой, как Перевал открывается с восточной стороны; opening out — раскрывался) There were dark, rolling clouds overhead, (Над нами нависали тёмные, катящиеся облака; rolling — клубящиеся) and in the air the heavy, oppressive sense of thunder. (и в воздухе висело тяжёлое, гнетущее ощущение грозы; oppressive — давящее) It seemed as though the mountain range had separated two atmospheres, (Казалось, что горная гряда разделила две атмосферы) and that now we had got into the thunderous one. (и что теперь мы вошли в грозовую; thunderous — грозовой) I was now myself looking out for the conveyance which was to take me to the Count. (Теперь я сам вглядывался в поисках экипажа, который должен был отвезти меня к Графу; conveyance — экипаж, средство передвижения) Each moment I expected to see the glare of lamps through the blackness; (Каждое мгновение я ожидал увидеть отблеск фонарей сквозь тьму; glare — яркий свет) but all was dark. (но всё оставалось тёмным)
It was evident that something very exciting was either happening or expected, but though I asked each passenger, no one would give me the slightest explanation. This state of excitement kept on for some little time; and at last we saw before us the Pass opening out on the eastern side. There were dark, rolling clouds overhead, and in the air the heavy, oppressive sense of thunder. It seemed as though the mountain range had separated two atmospheres, and that now we had got into the thunderous one. I was now myself looking out for the conveyance which was to take me to the Count. Each moment I expected to see the glare of lamps through the blackness; but all was dark.
The only light was the flickering rays of our own lamps, (Единственным светом были мерцающие лучи наших собственных фонарей; flickering — мерцающий) in which the steam from our hard-driven horses (в которых пар от наших загнанных лошадей; hard-driven — сильно загнанных) rose in a white cloud. (поднимался белым облаком) We could see now the sandy road lying white before us, (Теперь мы могли видеть белую песчаную дорогу перед собой; lying — простиравшуюся) but there was on it no sign of a vehicle. (но на ней не было ни малейшего признака экипажа; vehicle — повозка, транспорт) The passengers drew back with a sigh of gladness, (Пассажиры откинулись назад с вздохом облегчения; gladness — радость) which seemed to mock my own disappointment. (который, казалось, насмехался над моим собственным разочарованием; mock — насмехаться) I was already thinking what I had best do, (Я уже размышлял, что мне лучше всего предпринять; had best — лучше всего бы) when the driver, looking at his watch, (когда кучер, взглянув на свои часы) said to the others something which I could hardly hear, (сказал остальным что-то, что я едва мог расслышать) it was spoken so quietly and in so low a tone; (это было произнесено так тихо и таким низким голосом) I thought it was “An hour less than the time.” (Я подумал, что это было: «На час меньше, чем положено»; less than the time — меньше, чем срок) Then turning to me, he said in German worse than my own:— (Затем, повернувшись ко мне, он сказал на немецком хуже моего)
The only light was the flickering rays of our own lamps, in which the steam from our hard-driven horses rose in a white cloud. We could see now the sandy road lying white before us, but there was on it no sign of a vehicle. The passengers drew back with a sigh of gladness, which seemed to mock my own disappointment. I was already thinking what I had best do, when the driver, looking at his watch, said to the others something which I could hardly hear, it was spoken so quietly and in so low a tone; I thought it was “An hour less than the time.” Then turning to me, he said in German worse than my own:—
“There is no carriage here. («Здесь нет никакой кареты») The Herr is not expected after all. («Господина, в конце концов, не ожидают») He will now come on to Bukovina, («Он теперь поедет дальше в Буковину») and return to-morrow or the next day; («и вернётся завтра или послезавтра») better the next day.” («лучше послезавтра») Whilst he was speaking the horses began to neigh and snort and plunge wildly, (Пока он говорил, лошади начали ржать, фыркать и бешено биться; plunge — бросаться) so that the driver had to hold them up. (так что кучеру пришлось удерживать их; hold up — удерживать) Then, amongst a chorus of screams from the peasants (Тогда, среди хора криков крестьян; chorus — хор) and a universal crossing of themselves, (и всеобщего перекрещивания; crossing — крестное знамение) a calèche, with four horses, drove up behind us, (кале́ша, запряжённая четырьмя лошадьми, подъехала сзади нас; calèche — калеша, лёгкий экипаж) overtook us, and drew up beside the coach. (обогнала нас и остановилась рядом с дилижансом; drew up — подъехала и остановилась) I could see from the flash of our lamps, (Я мог видеть во вспышке наших фонарей) as the rays fell on them, (когда лучи падали на них) that the horses were coal-black and splendid animals. (что лошади были угольно-чёрными и великолепными животными; coal-black — чёрный как уголь, splendid — великолепный) They were driven by a tall man, (Ими правил высокий человек) with a long brown beard (с длинной коричневой бородой) and a great black hat, (и большой чёрной шляпой) which seemed to hide his face from us. (которая, казалось, скрывала его лицо от нас) I could only see the gleam of a pair of very bright eyes, (Я мог видеть лишь блеск пары очень ярких глаз; gleam — отблеск) which seemed red in the lamplight, (которые казались красными в свете фонаря) as he turned to us. (когда он повернулся к нам) He said to the driver:— (Он сказал кучеру:)
“There is no carriage here. The Herr is not expected after all. He will now come on to Bukovina, and return to-morrow or the next day; better the next day.” Whilst he was speaking the horses began to neigh and snort and plunge wildly, so that the driver had to hold them up. Then, amongst a chorus of screams from the peasants and a universal crossing of themselves, a calèche, with four horses, drove up behind us, overtook us, and drew up beside the coach. I could see from the flash of our lamps, as the rays fell on them, that the horses were coal-black and splendid animals. They were driven by a tall man, with a long brown beard and a great black hat, which seemed to hide his face from us. I could only see the gleam of a pair of very bright eyes, which seemed red in the lamplight, as he turned to us. He said to the driver:—
“You are early to-night, my friend.” («Вы сегодня рановато, мой друг»; early — рано) The man stammered in reply:— (Мужчина пробормотал в ответ; stammered — заикнувшись, пробормотав)
“The English Herr was in a hurry,” («Английский господин спешил») to which the stranger replied:— (на что незнакомец ответил; stranger — незнакомец)
“You are early to-night, my friend.” The man stammered in reply:—
“The English Herr was in a hurry,” to which the stranger replied:—
“That is why, I suppose, you wished him to go on to Bukovina. («Вот почему, полагаю, вы хотели, чтобы он поехал дальше в Буковину»; suppose — полагать) You cannot deceive me, my friend; («Вы не можете обмануть меня, мой друг»; deceive — обманывать) I know too much, and my horses are swift.” («Я слишком много знаю, и мои лошади быстры»; swift — быстрый) As he spoke he smiled, (Когда он говорил, он улыбнулся; smiled — улыбнулся) and the lamplight fell on a hard-looking mouth, (и свет лампы упал на суровый рот; hard-looking — суровый на вид) with very red lips and sharp-looking teeth, (с очень красными губами и острыми на вид зубами; sharp-looking — остро выглядящий) as white as ivory. (белыми, как слоновая кость; ivory — слоновая кость) One of my companions whispered to another (Один из моих спутников прошептал другому; whispered — прошептал) the line from Burger’s “Lenore”:— (строку из «Леноры» Бюргера)
