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

Уайльд Оскар

It was generally assumed that the ghost had gone away, and, in fact, Mr. Otis wrote a letter to that effect to Lord Canterville, who, in reply, expressed his great pleasure at the news, and sent his best congratulations to the Minister’s worthy wife.

The Otises, however, were deceived (однако Отисы были обмануты) for the ghost was still in the house (так как призрак все еще находился в доме), and though now almost an invalid (и хотя теперь он был почти инвалидом), was by no means ready to let matters rest (совсем не был готов оставить дело в покое; by no means – никоим образом не; ни в коем случае не), particularly as he heard that among the guests was the young Duke of Cheshire (тем более, что, как он слышал, среди гостей был герцог Чеширский) whose grand-uncle, Lord Francis Stilton (чей двоюродный

прадед, лорд Френсис Стилтон), had once bet a hundred guineas with Colonel Carbury (однажды поспорил на сотню гиней с полковником Карбери), that he would play dice with the Canterville ghost (что он сыграет в кости с Кентервильским привидением), and was found the next morning lying on the floor of the card-room in such a helpless paralytic state (и был найден на следующее утро лежащим на полу комнаты для игры в карты в таком безнадежном парализованном состоянии) that, though he lived on to a great age (что, хотя он дожил до глубокой старости), he was never able to say anything again but “Double Sixes (он больше никогда не мог произнести ничего другого, кроме «шестерки-дубль»).”

The Otises, however, were deceived, for the ghost was still in the house, and though now almost an invalid, was by no means ready to let matters rest, particularly as he heard that among the guests was the young Duke of Cheshire, whose grand-uncle, Lord Francis Stilton, had once bet a hundred guineas with Colonel Carbury that he would play dice with the Canterville ghost, and was found the next morning lying on the floor of the card-room in such a helpless paralytic state that, though he lived on to a great age, he was never able to say anything again but “Double Sixes.”

The story was well known at the time (история была хорошо известна в то время), though, of course, out of respect to the feelings of the two noble families (хотя, конечно, из уважения к чувствам обеих благородных семей), every attempt was made to hush it up (было сделано все: «была сделана каждая попытка», чтобы замять ее; hush – тишина; молчание; to hush up – заставлять замолчать, водворять тишину; замалчивать, скрывать), and a full account of all the circumstances connected with it (и полное изложение всех обстоятельств, связанных с ней), will be found in the third volume of Lord Tattle’s Recollections of the Prince Regent and his Friends [23] (вы найдете: «будет найдено» в третьем томе «Воспоминаний принца-регента и его друзей» лорда Тэтла). The ghost, then, was naturally very anxious to show that he had not lost his influence over the Stiltons (призрак после этого, естественно, очень старался показать, что он не лишился своего влияния на Стилтонов; to lose – терять), with whom, indeed, he was distantly connected (с которыми, на самом деле, он состоял в дальнем родстве), his own first cousin having been married en secondes noces to the Sieur de Bulkeley (так как его кузина был замужем вторым браком /франц./ за монсеньером де Балкли), from whom, as every one knows (от которых, как всем известно), the Dukes of Cheshire are lineally descended (пошла линия герцогов Чеширских; to descend – спускаться, сходить; происходить, вести род).

23

The Prince Regent – принц-регент, принц Уэльский Георг (1962–1830), назначенный регентом в 1811 г. в связи с психическим заболеванием его отца, короля Георга III; впоследствии король Георг IV.

The story was well known at the time, though, of course, out of respect to the feelings of the two noble families, every attempt was made to hush it up, and a full account of all the circumstances connected with it will be found in the third volume of Lord Tattle’s Recollections of the Prince Regent and his Friends. The ghost, then, was naturally very anxious to show that he had not lost his influence over the Stiltons, with whom, indeed, he was distantly connected, his own first cousin having been married en secondes noces to the Sieur de Bulkeley, from whom, as every one knows, the Dukes of Cheshire are lineally descended.

Accordingly, he made arrangements for appearing to Virginia’s little lover in his celebrated impersonation of “The Vampire Monk, or the Bloodless Benedictine (соответственно, он делал приготовления к появлению перед молодым другом Вирджинии в роли «Монаха-Вампира, или Бескровного Бенедиктинца»),” a performance so horrible (представления настолько ужасного), that when old Lady Startup saw it (что когда старая леди Стартап увидела его), which she did on one fatal New Year’s Eve, in the year 1764 (что имело место в роковой канун нового, 1764, года), she went off into the most piercing shrieks (она принялась пронзительно визжать), which culminated in violent apoplexy (и кульминацией /этого события явилось то, что/ с ней случился апоплексический удар), and died in three days (и она умерла через три дня), after disinheriting the Cantervilles (лишив наследства Кентервилей; to inherit – наследовать; to disinherit – лишить наследства), who were her nearest relations (которые

были ее ближайшими родственниками), and leaving all her money to her London apothecary (и оставив все свои деньги своему лондонскому аптекарю). At the last moment, however (однако в последний момент), his terror of the twins prevented his leaving his room (его ужас перед близнецами не дал ему выйти из его комнаты: «предотвратил его выход из комнаты»), and the little Duke slept in peace under the great feathered canopy in the Royal Bedchamber (и молодой герцог спал спокойно под большим пологом, отделанным перьями), and dreamed of Virginia (и видел во сне Вирджинию).

Accordingly, he made arrangements for appearing to Virginia’s little lover in his celebrated impersonation of “The Vampire Monk, or the Bloodless Benedictine,” a performance so horrible that when old Lady Startup saw it, which she did on one fatal New Year’s Eve, in the year 1764, she went off into the most piercing shrieks, which culminated in violent apoplexy, and died in three days, after disinheriting the Cantervilles, who were her nearest relations, and leaving all her money to her London apothecary. At the last moment, however, his terror of the twins prevented his leaving his room, and the little Duke slept in peace under the great feathered canopy in the Royal Bedchamber, and dreamed of Virginia.

V

A few days after this (через несколько дней после этого), Virginia and her curly-haired cavalier went out riding on Brockley meadows (Вирджиния и ее кудрявый кавалер отправились кататься верхом на луга Брокли), where she tore her habit so badly in getting through a hedge (где она так сильно порвала свою одежду /для езды верхом/, прыгая через изгородь; to tear) that, on their return home (что, по возвращении домой), she made up her mind to go up by the back staircase (она решила пройти по черной лестнице) so as not to be seen (чтобы ее никто не увидел). As she was running past the Tapestry Chamber (в то время, как она пробегала мимо Гобеленовой комнаты), the door of which happened to be open (дверь которой оказалась открытой), she fancied she saw some one inside (ей показалось, что она увидела кого-то внутри), and thinking it was her mother’s maid (и подумав, что это была горничная ее матери), who sometimes used to bring her work there (которая иногда приходила туда с работой = рукоделием), looked in to ask her to mend her habit (она заглянула, чтобы попросить ее починить ее одежду).

A few days after this, Virginia and her curly-haired cavalier went out riding on Brockley meadows, where she tore her habit so badly in getting through a hedge that, on their return home, she made up her mind to go up by the back staircase so as not to be seen. As she was running past the Tapestry Chamber, the door of which happened to be open, she fancied she saw some one inside, and thinking it was her mother’s maid, who sometimes used to bring her work there, looked in to ask her to mend her habit.

To her immense surprise, however (однако, к ее огромному изумлению), it was the Canterville Ghost himself (это было само Кентервильское привидение)! He was sitting by the window (он сидел у окна), watching the ruined gold of the yellowing trees fly through the air (глядя на желтые листья, облетавшие с деревьев: «на разрушенную позолоту желтеющих деревьев, летящую по воздуху»), and the red leaves dancing madly down the long avenue (и на красные листья, танцующие сумасшедший танец = гонимые ветром по длинной дороге, ведущей в дом). His head was leaning on his hand (он подпирал рукой свою голову: «его голова опиралась на его ладонь»), and his whole attitude was one of extreme depression (и вся его поза указывала на крайнюю депрессию). Indeed, so forlorn and so much out of repair did he look (на самом деле, он выглядел таким одиноким и таким больным: «столь вне /состояния/ годности»; repair – восстановление; поправка; годность; исправность), that little Virginia, whose first idea had been to run away and lock herself in her room (что маленькая Вирджиния, первой мыслью которой было убежать и запереться в своей комнате), was filled with pity (исполнилась жалостью), and determined to try and comfort him (и решила попытаться утешить его). So light was her footfall (столь легкой была ее походка), and so deep his melancholy (и столь глубокой была его меланхолия), that he was not aware of her presence (что он не заметил ее присутствия), till she spoke to him (пока она не заговорила с ним; to speak).

To her immense surprise, however, it was the Canterville Ghost himself! He was sitting by the window, watching the ruined gold of the yellowing trees fly through the air, and the red leaves dancing madly down the long avenue. His head was leaning on his hand, and his whole attitude was one of extreme depression. Indeed, so forlorn, and so much out of repair did he look, that little Virginia, whose first idea had been to run away and lock herself in her room, was filled with pity, and determined to try and comfort him. So light was her footfall, and so deep his melancholy, that he was not aware of her presence till she spoke to him.