Английский с Уилки Коллинзом. Женщина из сна / Wilkie Collins. The Dream Woman

Еремин Андрей

 Getting near me, she lifted the knife again, and I drew myself away to the left side. She struck, as before right into the mattress, with a swift downward action of her arm; and she missed me, as before; by a hair’s breadth. This time my eyes wandered from her to the knife. It was like the large clasp knives which laboring men use to cut their bread and bacon with. Her delicate little fingers did not hide more than two thirds of the handle; I noticed that it was made of buckhorn, clean and shining as the blade was, and looking like new.

For the second time she drew the knife out of the bed (во

второй раз она вытащила нож из кровати), and suddenly hid it away in the wide sleeve of her gown (и вдруг спрятала его в широкий рукав платья). That done, she stopped by the bedside watching me (сделав это, она остановилась у кровати, наблюдая за мной; bedside – место у кровати, постели). For an instant I saw her standing in that position (какое-то мгновение я видел, как она стоит на этом месте; position – положение; место, позиция) – then the wick of the spent candle fell over into the socket (затем фитиль догоревшей свечи упал в углубление /в сале/; spent – истощенный; использованный; to spend – тратить, расходовать; истощаться; socket – впадина, углубление). The flame dwindled to a little blue point (пламя уменьшилось до маленькой голубой точки; to dwindle – сокращаться, уменьшаться), and the room grew dark (и комната потемнела = погрузилась во тьму).

A moment, or less, if possible, passed so (секунда или меньше, если это возможно, прошла так) – and then the wick flared up, smokily, for the last time (а потом фитиль вспыхнул, коптя, в последний раз; to flare – гореть ярким, неровным пламенем; ярко вспыхивать; smoke – дым; копоть; to smoke – дымить/ся/; коптить /о свече, лампе и т. д./). My eyes were still looking for her over the right-hand side of the bed (мои глаза все еще искали/высматривали ее с правой стороны кровати) when the last flash of light came (когда произошла последняя вспышка света). Look as I might, I could see nothing (сколько я ни смотрел, я не мог ничего увидеть). The woman with the knife was gone (женщина с ножом исчезла; to be gone – пропадать, исчезать).

 For the second time she drew the knife out of the bed, and suddenly hid it away in the wide sleeve of her gown. That done, she stopped by the bedside watching me. For an instant I saw her standing in that position – then the wick of the spent candle fell over into the socket. The flame dwindled to a little blue point, and the room grew dark.

A moment, or less, if possible, passed so – and then the wick flared up, smokily, for the last time. My eyes were still looking for her over the right-hand side of the bed when the last flash of light came. Look as I might, I could see nothing. The woman with the knife was gone.

I began to get back to myself again (я начал снова приходить в себя). I could feel my heart beating (я чувствовал, как бьется мое сердце); I could hear the woeful moaning of the wind in the wood (слышал горестное завывание ветра в лесу; woeful – скорбный, горестный; woe – горе, скорбь); I could leap up in bed (я мог вскочить с постели; to leap – прыгать, скакать; вскакивать), and give the alarm before she escaped from the house (и поднять тревогу прежде, чем она убежит из дома; to escape – бежать /из заключения/, совершать побег). “Murder (убийство)! Wake up there (эй,

там, проснитесь)! Murder!”

Nobody answered to the alarm (никто не ответил на тревогу). I rose and groped my way through the darkness to the door of the room (я встал и стал пробираться на ощупь сквозь темноту = в темноте к двери комнаты; to grope – ощупывать, идти ощупью). By that way she must have got in (этим путем она, должно быть, вошла). By that way she must have gone out (этим путем она, должно быть, вышла).

The door of the room was fast locked (дверь комнаты была крепко заперта), exactly as I had left it on going to bed (в точности как я оставил ее, ложась спать; exact – точный; to leave)! I looked at the window (я посмотрел на окно). Fast locked too (тоже крепко закрыто)!

 I began to get back to myself again. I could feel my heart beating; I could hear the woeful moaning of the wind in the wood; I could leap up in bed, and give the alarm before she escaped from the house. “Murder! Wake up there! Murder!”

Nobody answered to the alarm. I rose and groped my way through the darkness to the door of the room. By that way she must have got in. By that way she must have gone out.

The door of the room was fast locked, exactly as I had left it on going to bed! I looked at the window. Fast locked too!

Hearing a voice outside, I opened the door (услышав голос снаружи, я открыл дверь). There was the landlord, coming toward me along the passage (там был хозяин, шедший ко мне по коридору), with his burning candle in one hand (с горящей свечой в одной руке), and his gun in the other (и ружьем – в другой; gun – орудие, пушка; огнестрельное оружие, ружье).

“What is it (что такое/в чем дело)?” he says, looking at me in no very friendly way (спрашивает он, глядя на меня не очень-то дружелюбно).

I could only answer in a whisper (я мог ответить только шепотом), “A woman, with a knife in her hand (женщина с ножом в руке). In my room (в моей комнате). A fair, yellow-haired woman (красивая, с золотистыми волосами женщина). She jabbed at me with the knife, twice over (она ударила меня ножом, дважды; over – над, выше; снова, еще раз; to jab – толкать, тыкать; вонзать; колоть /штыком/; пырнуть /ножом/).”

He lifted his candle, and looked at me steadily from head to foot (он поднял свечу и медленно оглядел меня с головы до ног; steady – устойчивый; ровный, равномерный, непоколебимый). “She seems to have missed you – twice over (похоже, она промахнулась – дважды).”

 Hearing a voice outside, I opened the door. There was the landlord, coming toward me along the passage, with his burning candle in one hand, and his gun in the other.

“What is it?” he says, looking at me in no very friendly way.

I could only answer in a whisper, “A woman, with a knife in her hand. In my room. A fair, yellow-haired woman. She jabbed at me with the knife, twice over.”

He lifted his candle, and looked at me steadily from head to foot. “She seems to have missed you – twice over.”