Английский язык с Энтони Хоупом. Узник Зенды / Anthony Hope. The Prisoner Of Zenda
Шрифт:
“Ask no questions. Do what I tell you. Say the hall is close, or what you will. That is all I ask of you.”
“And may I escape by the door, sir, when I have opened it?”
“Yes, as quick as your legs will carry you. One thing more. Carry this note to madame – oh, it’s in French, you can’t read it – and charge her, for the sake of all our lives, not to fail in what it orders.”
The man was trembling but I had to trust to what he had of courage and to what he had of honesty. I dared not wait, for I feared that the King would die.
When the fellow was gone, I called Sapt and Fritz to me, and unfolded the plan that I had formed. Sapt shook his head over it.
“Why can’t you wait?” he asked.
“The King may die.”
“Michael will be forced to act before that.”
“Then,” said I, “the King may live.”
“Well, and if he does?”
“For a fortnight?” I asked simply.
And Sapt bit his moustache.
Suddenly Fritz von Tarlenheim laid his hand on my shoulder (вдруг Фриц фон Тарленхайм положил руку мне на плечо; to lay).
“Let us go and make the attempt (давайте мы пойдем и попробуем: «сделаем попытку»),” said he.
“I mean you to go – don’t be afraid (я вас и имел в виду, не переживайте: «не бойтесь»),” said I.
“Ay, but do you stay here, and take care of the princess (да, а вы оставайтесь здесь и позаботьтесь о принцессе).”
A gleam came into old Sapt’s eye (во взгляде старины Сэпта мелькнул /озорной/ огонек).
“We should have Michael one way or the other then,” he chuckled (мы бы достали Михаэля так или иначе, – усмехнулся он); “whereas if you go and are killed with the King (тогда как, если вы пойдете и вас убьют /вместе/ с королем), what will become of those of us who are left (что станет с теми из нас, кто останется)?”
“They will serve Queen Flavia,” said I, “and I would to God I could be one of them (они будут служить принцессе Флавии, – сказал я, – и, клянусь Богом, я мог бы быть одним из них).”
A pause followed (наступило молчание: «последовала пауза»). Old Sapt broke it by saying sadly (старый Сэпт нарушил его, сказав грустно), yet with an unmeant drollery that set Fritz and me laughing (однако с непроизвольным юмором, от чего мы с Фрицем рассмеялись):
“Why didn’t old Rudolf the Third marry your – great-grandmother, was it (почему старина Рудольф Третий не женился на вашей прабабушке, а)?”
“Come,” said I, “it is the King we are thinking about (да бросьте, – сказал я, – мы сейчас думаем, /как спасти/ короля).”
“It is true (это точно),” said Fritz.
Suddenly Fritz von Tarlenheim laid his hand on my shoulder.
“Let us go and make the attempt,” said he.
“I mean you to go – don’t be afraid,” said I.
“Ay, but do you stay here, and take care of the princess.”
A gleam came into old Sapt’s eye.
“We should have Michael one way or the other then,” he chuckled; “whereas if you go and are killed with the King, what will become of those of us who are left?”
“They will serve Queen Flavia,” said I, “and I would to God I could be one of them.”
A pause followed. Old Sapt broke it by saying sadly, yet with an unmeant drollery that set Fritz and me laughing:
“Why didn’t old Rudolf the Third marry your – great-grandmother, was it?”
“Come,” said I, “it is the King we are thinking about.”
“It is true,” said Fritz.
“Moreover,” I went on, “I have been an impostor for the profit of another (кроме того, – продолжал я, – я стал самозванцем ради другого; profit – выгода, польза), but I will not be one for my own (но я не стану им ради самого себя); and if the King is not alive and on his throne before the day of betrothal comes (и если король не вернется на трон живым /и здоровым/, прежде чем наступит день помолвки), I will tell the truth, come what may (я расскажу правду, /и/ будь что будет).”
“You shall go, lad (тебе стоит пойти, парень),” said Sapt.
Here is the plan I had made (вот какой план я придумал). A strong party under Sapt’s command (сильный отряд под командованием Сэпта) was to steal up to the door of the ch^ateau (должен /незаметно/ подобраться ко входу в замок). If discovered prematurely, they were to kill anyone who found them – with their swords (если их преждевременно обнаружат, они убьют любого, кто им попадется – своими мечами), for I wanted no noise of firing (так как я не хотел шума от стрельбы). If all went well, they would be at the door when Johann opened it (если все пройдет хорошо, они будут у двери, когда Иоганн откроет ее). They were to rush in and secure the servants (они ворвутся внутрь и свяжут слуг; to secure – обеспечивать безопасность; связывать /кого-л./) if their mere presence and the use of the King’s name were not enough (если только не будет достаточно их присутствия и имени короля). At the same moment – and on this hinged the plan (в тот же самый момент – и от этого зависел /успех всего/ замысла; to hinge – вращаться на петлях; зависеть /от чего-л./) – a woman’s cry was to ring out loud and shrill from Antoinette de Mauban’s chamber (раздастся пронзительный женский крик из комнаты Антуанетты де Мобан; loud – громко; to shrill – пронзительно кричать). Again and again she was to cry: “Help, help! Michael, help (снова и снова она должна будет кричать: на помощь, Михаэль)!” and then to utter the name of young Rupert Hentzau (а затем произносить имя юного Руперта Хенцо).
“Moreover,” I went on, “I have been an impostor for the profit of another, but I will not be one for my own; and if the King is not alive and on his throne before the day of betrothal comes, I will tell the truth, come what may.”
“You shall go, lad,” said Sapt.
Here is the plan I had made. A strong party under Sapt’s command was to steal up to the door of the ch^ateau. If discovered prematurely, they were to kill anyone who found them – with their swords, for I wanted no noise of firing. If all went well, they would be at the door when Johann opened it. They were to rush in and secure the servants if their mere presence and the use of the King’s name were not enough. At the same moment – and on this hinged the plan – a woman’s cry was to ring out loud and shrill from Antoinette de Mauban’s chamber. Again and again she was to cry: “Help, help! Michael, help!” and then to utter the name of young Rupert Hentzau.
Then, as we hoped, Michael, in fury, would rush out of his apartments opposite (тут, как мы надеялись, Михаэль в ярости выскочит из своей комнаты напротив), and fall alive into the hands of Sapt (и живьем попадет в руки Сэпта = и окажется целиком во власти Сэпта). Still the cries would go on (крики будут все еще продолжаться); and my men would let down the drawbridge (а мои люди опустят мост); and it would be strange if Rupert, hearing his name thus taken in vain (и будет странно, если бы Руперт, услышав, что его имя упоминают без оснований; to take smb.’s name in vain – ссылаться на кого-л. без всяких оснований; спекулировать чьим-л. именем), did not descend from where he slept and seek to cross (не спустится оттуда, где он спит, и не попытается перейти через /ров/). De Gautet might or might not come with him: that must be left to chance (Де Готе может пойти с ним, а может и нет, это как повезет: «это должно быть оставлено случаю»).