Английский язык с Энтони Хоупом. Узник Зенды

“Yes,” I just heard her breathe, and she went on in an instant (да, – я услышал только ее дыхание, и через мгновенье она продолжала): “Be careful, Rudolf; be careful, dear (осторожно, Рудольф, осторожно, милый). He will be mad now (теперь он рассвирепеет).”

She set no meaning to my words, treating them as one of love’s sweet extravagances. She came close to me, and whispered:

“Oh, if you were not the King! Then I could show you how I love you! How is it that I love you now, Rudolf?”

“Now?”

“Yes – just lately. I–I never did before.”

Pure triumph filled me. It was I – Rudolf Rassendyll – who had won her! I caught her round the waist.

“You didn’t love me before?” I asked.

She looked up into my face, smiling, as she whispered:

“It must have been your Crown. I felt it first on the Coronation Day.”

“Never before?” I asked eagerly.

She laughed low.

“You speak as if you would be pleased to hear me say ‘Yes’ to that,” she said.

“Would ‘Yes’ be true?”

“Yes,” I just heard her breathe, and she went on in an instant: “Be careful, Rudolf; be careful, dear. He will be mad now.”

“What, Michael? If Michael were the worst (что, Михаэль? если бы Михаэль был самое худшее) – ”

“What worse is there (что же /может/ быть хуже)?”

There was yet a chance for me (у меня еще оставался шанс). Controlling myself with a mighty effort (огромным усилием взяв себя в руки; to control – управлять, руководить; сдерживать /чувства/; mighty – могущественный, мощный; громадный /эмоц. – усил./), I took my hands off her and stood a yard or two away (я убрал от нее руки и отошел на несколько ярдов). I remember now the note of the wind in the elm trees outside (я вспоминаю теперь ту песню, /которую пел/ ветер в вязах снаружи; note – заметка, запись; мелодия, напев).

“If I were not the King,” I began (если бы я не был королем, – начал я), “if I were only a private gentleman (если бы я был обычным джентльменом; private – частный, личный; не занимающий официального поста) – ”

Before I could finish, her hand was in mine (прежде чем я закончил, ее рука оказалась в моей).

“If you were a convict in the prison of Strelsau (если бы вы были заключенным в темнице Стрелсо), you would be my King (вы были бы моим королем),” she said.

And under my breath I groaned, “God forgive me (я тихо простонал: Господи, прости меня; under one’s breath – шепотом, тихо)!” and, holding her hand in mine, I said again (и удерживая ее руку в своей, я снова спросил):

“If I were not the King (если бы я не был королем) – ”

“Hush, hush!” she whispered (тс! тише! – прошептала она). “I don’t deserve it – I don’t deserve to be doubted (я не заслуживаю этого, не заслуживаю, чтобы во мне сомневались). Ah, Rudolf! does a woman who marries without love (ах, Рудольф, разве женщина, которая выходит замуж не по любви) look on the man as I look on you (смотрит на мужчину так, как я смотрю на вас)?”

And she hid her face from me (и она отвернулась: «спрятала свое лицо» от меня; to hide).

“What, Michael? If Michael were the worst – ”

“What worse is there?”

There was yet a chance for me. Controlling myself with a mighty effort, I took my hands off her and stood a yard or two away. I remember now the note of the wind in the elm trees outside.

“If I were not the King,” I began, “if I were only a private gentleman – ”

Before I could finish, her hand was in mine.

“If you were a convict in the prison of Strelsau, you would be my King,” she said.

And under my breath I groaned, “God forgive me!” and, holding her hand in mine, I said again:

“If I were not the King – ”

“Hush, hush!” she whispered. “I don’t deserve it – I don’t deserve to be doubted. Ah, Rudolf! does a woman who marries without love look on the man as I look on you?”

And she hid her face from me.

For more than a minute we stood there together (больше минуты мы стояли там, обнявшись; together – вместе, друг с другом); and I, even with my arm about her, summoned up what honour and conscience (и я, даже обняв ее рукой: «со своей рукой вокруг нее», призвал /свою/ честность и совесть; to summon – вызвать, позвать; собрать, мобилизовать /силы и т. п./; honour – честь, слава; честность, благородство) her beauty and the toils that I was in had left me (которые ее красота и чары: «и сети, в которых я был» оставили мне).

“Flavia,” I said, in a strange dry voice (Флавия, – сказал я странным бесстрастным голосом; dry – сухой; сдержанный, бесстрастный) that seemed not my own, “I am not (который, казалось, мне не принадлежал: «казался не моим собственным», – я не) – ”