Английский с Оскаром Уайльдом. Кентервильское привидение / Oscar Wilde. The Canterville Ghost

“Oh, bother my hat! I want Virginia!” cried the little Duke, laughing, and they galloped on to the railway station. There Mr. Otis inquired of the station-master if any one answering to the description of Virginia had been seen on the platform, but could get no news of her. The station-master, however, wired up and down the line, and assured him that a strict watch would be kept for her, and, after having bought a hat for the little Duke from a linen-draper, who was just putting up his shutters, Mr. Otis rode off to Bexley, a village about four miles away, which he was told was a well-known haunt of the gypsies, as there was a large common next to it.

Here they roused up the rural policeman (там они разбудили местного полицейского), but could get no information from him (но не смогли получить от него никакой информации), and, after riding all over the common (и, проехав весь луг), they turned their horses’ heads homewards (они повернули своих лошадей домой: «по направлению к дому»), and reached the Chase about eleven o’clock (и добрались до Кентервиль Чейза около одиннадцати часов), dead-tired and almost heart-broken (смертельно усталые и убитые горем; heart-broken – «с разбитым сердцем»). They found Washington and the twins waiting for them at the gate-house with lanterns (они нашли Вашингтона и близнецов возле сторожки, где они ждали их с фонарями), as the avenue was very dark (так как дорога была очень темной). Not the slightest trace of Virginia had been discovered (ни малейшего следа Вирджинии не было найдено; to discover – обнаруживать, раскрывать; to cover – покрывать).

Here they roused up the rural policeman, but could get no information from him, and, after riding all over the common, they turned their horses’ heads homewards, and reached the Chase about eleven o’clock, dead-tired and almost heart-broken. They found Washington and the twins waiting for them at the gate-house with lanterns, as the avenue was very dark. Not the slightest trace of Virginia had been discovered.

The gypsies had been caught on Brockley meadows (цыгане были пойманы на лугах Брокли), but she was not with them (но ее с ними не было), and they had explained their sudden departure (и они объяснили свой внезапный отъезд) by saying that they had mistaken the date of Chorton Fair (сказав, что они перепутали дату ярмарки в Чортоне), and had gone off in a hurry for fear they should be late (и отбыли в спешке из-за боязни опоздать). Indeed, they had been quite distressed at hearing of Virginia’s disappearance (на самом деле, они были весьма расстроены, услышав о пропаже Вирджинии), as they were very grateful to Mr. Otis (так как они были очень благодарны мистеру Отису) for having allowed them to camp in his park (за то, что он разрешил им разбить лагерь в парке) and four of their number had stayed behind to help in the search (и четверо из них осталось, чтобы помочь в поисках). The carp-pond had been dragged (пруд с карпами был обшарен), and the whole Chase thoroughly gone over (и вся усадьба была тщательно осмотрена), but without any result (но безрезультатно: «без какого-либо результата»).

The gypsies had been caught on Brockley meadows, but she was not with them, and they had explained their sudden departure by saying that they had mistaken the date of Chorton Fair, and had gone off in a hurry for fear they should be late. Indeed, they had been quite distressed at hearing of Virginia’s disappearance, as they were very grateful to Mr. Otis for having allowed them to camp in his park, and four of their number had stayed behind to help in the search. The carp-pond had been dragged, and the whole Chase thoroughly gone over, but without any result.

It was evident (было очевидно), that, for that night at any rate (что, по крайней мере, в эту ночь), Virginia was lost to them (Вирджинию они не найдут: «Вирджиния была потеряна для них»; to lose – терять, утрачивать); and it was in a state of the deepest depression that Mr. Otis and the boys walked up to the house (и мистер Отисб и мальчики подошли к дому в состоянии глубочайшей депрессии), the groom following behind with the two horses and the pony (и за ними последовал конюх с двумя лошадьми и пони). In the hall they found a group of frightened servants (в зале они обнаружили группу испуганных слуг), and lying on a sofa in the library was poor Mrs. Otis (и на диване в библиотеке лежала бедная миссис Отис), almost out of her mind with terror and anxiety (почти без ума от ужаса и волнения), and having her forehead bathed with eau de Cologne by the old housekeeper (и ее лоб был смочен одеколоном с помощью старой экономки). Mr. Otis at once insisted on her having something to eat (мистер Отис сразу же потребовал, чтобы она что-нибудь съела), and ordered up supper for the whole party (и заказал обед для всех присутствующих; party – отряд, команда; группа, партия; компания).

It was evident that, for that night at any rate, Virginia was lost to them; and it was in a state of the deepest depression that Mr. Otis and the boys walked up to the house, the groom following behind with the two horses and the pony. In the hall they found a group of frightened servants, and lying on a sofa in the library was poor Mrs. Otis, almost out of her mind with terror and anxiety, and having her forehead bathed with eau de Cologne by the old housekeeper. Mr. Otis at once insisted on her having something to eat, and ordered supper for the whole party.

It was a melancholy meal (это была грустная трапеза), as hardly anyone spoke (так как почти никто не разговаривал), and even the twins were awestruck and subdued (и даже близнецы были охвачены благоговейным страхом и подавлены; awe – /благоговейный/ страх, трепет; to strike – ударять, бить; поражать), as they were fond of their sister (так как они любили свою сестру). When they had finished (когда они закончили /ужин/), Mr. Otis, in spite of the entreaties of the little Duke (несмотря на просьбы/мольбы молодого герцога; to entreat – умолять) ordered them all to bed (приказал им всем отправляться спать), saying that nothing more could be done that night (сказав, что ничто больше не могло было быть сделано этой ночью), and that he would telegraph in the morning to Scotland Yard [25] (и что утром он телеграфирует в Скотланд Ярд) for some detectives to be sent down immediately (чтобы им немедленно прислали несколько детективов).

25

Scotland Yard – главное управление лондонской полиции.

It was a melancholy meal, as hardly anyone spoke, and even the twins were awestruck and subdued, as they were fond of their sister. When they had finished, Mr. Otis, in spite of the entreaties of the little Duke, ordered them all to bed, saying that nothing more could be done that night, and that he would telegraph in the morning to Scotland Yard for some detectives to be sent down immediately.

Just as they were passing out of the dining-room (как раз в тот момент, когда они выходили из столовой), midnight began to boom from the clock tower (часы на башне пробили полночь), and when the last stroke sounded (и когда прозвучал последний удар) they heard a crash and a sudden shrill cry (они услышали треск и неожиданный резкий крик; to hear); a dreadful peal of thunder shook the house (ужасный раскат грома потряс дом; to shake), a strain of unearthly music floated through the air (звуки неземной музыки раздались в воздухе; to float – плавать), a panel at the top of the staircase flew back with a loud noise (панель на верху лестницы распахнулась с громким стуком; noise – шум; to fly back – распахнуться: «отлететь назад»), and out on the landing (и на лестничную площадку), looking very pale and white (очень бледная: «выглядящая очень бледной»; white – белый; бледный), with a little casket in her hand (с маленькой шкатулкой в руке), stepped Virginia (вышла: «выступила» Вирджиния). In a moment they had all rushed up to her (все тут же бросились к ней). Mrs. Otis clasped her passionately in her arms (миссис Отис заключила ее в пылкие объятья; to clasp – обнимать; passionately – пылко, страстно; arms – руки), the Duke smothered her with violent kisses (герцог чуть не задушил ее страстными поцелуями; to smother – душить, задушить; покрывать, окутывать), and the twins executed a wild war-dances round the group (а близнецы исполнили дикий воинственный танец вокруг всех собравшихся; group – группа).

Just as they were passing out of the dining-room, midnight began to boom from the clock tower, and when the last stroke sounded they heard a crash and a sudden shrill cry; a dreadful peal of thunder shook the house, a strain of unearthly music floated through the air, a panel at the top of the staircase flew back with a loud noise, and out on the landing, looking very pale and white, with a little casket in her hand, stepped Virginia. In a moment they had all rushed up to her. Mrs. Otis clasped her passionately in her arms, the Duke smothered her with violent kisses, and the twins executed a wild war-dance round the group.