Английский язык с Энтони Хоупом. Узник Зенды

The terrible temptation which was assailing me will now be understood. I could so force Michael’s hand that he must kill the King. I was in a position to bid him defiance and tighten my grasp on the crown – not for its own sake, but because the King of Ruritania was to wed the Princess Flavia. What of Sapt and Fritz? Ah! but a man cannot be held to write down in cold blood the wild and black thoughts that storm his brain when an uncontrolled passion has battered a breach for them. Yet, unless he sets up as a saint, he need not hate himself for them. He is better employed, as it humbly seems to me, in giving thanks that power to resist was vouchsafed to him, than in fretting over wicked impulses which come unsought and extort an unwilling hospitality from the weakness of our nature.

It was a fine bright morning when I walked, unattended, to the princess’s house (было ясное погожее утро, когда я, не сопровождаемый никем, шел ко дворцу принцессы), carrying a nosegay in my hand (неся в руке букетик цветов). Policy made excuses for love, and every attention that I paid her (политика оправдывала любовь, и каждый /знак/ внимания, который я оказывал ей; to make excuses – оправдываться, извиняться /за что-л./), while it riveted my own chains (в то время как заклепывал на мне оковы; chain – цепь, цепочка; chains – оковы, узы), bound closer to me the people of the great city, who worshipped her (крепче привязывал ко мне жителей огромного города, которые боготворили ее). I found Fritz’s inamorata, the Countess Helga, gathering blooms in the garden for her mistress’s wear (я наткнулся на возлюбленную Фрица, графиню Хельгу, собирающую в саду цветы для платья своей госпожи), and prevailed on her to take mine in their place (и уговорил ее взять мои /цветы/ вместо ее /цветов/; to prevail – восторжествовать, одержать победу; убедить, уговорить; place – место; in somebody’s/ something’s place – вместо кого-л., чего-л.). The girl was rosy with happiness (девушка светилась: «была цветущей» от счастья; rosy – розовый; румяный, цветущий), for Fritz, in his turn, had not wasted his evening (поскольку Фриц, в свою очередь, не даром провел свой вечер), and no dark shadow hung over his wooing (и ничто не омрачало его чувств: «над его ухаживаниями не висело никакой темной тени»), save the hatred which the Duke of Strelsau was known to bear him (за исключением ненависти, которую, как известно, питал к нему герцог Стрелсо).

“And that,” she said, with a mischievous smile (а этому, – сказала она с озорной улыбкой), “your Majesty has made of no moment (ваше величество не придавали значения; moment – момент, мгновение; /устар./ важность, значение; of no moment – /устар./ неважный, не имеющий значения). Yes, I will take the flowers (да, я возьму цветы); shall I tell you, sire, what is the first thing the princess does with them (мне сказать вам, сир, что принцесса сделает с ними в первую очередь)?”

It was a fine bright morning when I walked, unattended, to the princess’s house, carrying a nosegay in my hand. Policy made excuses for love, and every attention that I paid her, while it riveted my own chains, bound closer to me the people of the great city, who worshipped her. I found Fritz’s inamorata, the Countess Helga, gathering blooms in the garden for her mistress’s wear, and prevailed on her to take mine in their place. The girl was rosy with happiness, for Fritz, in his turn, had not wasted his evening, and no dark shadow hung over his wooing, save the hatred which the Duke of Strelsau was known to bear him.

“And that,” she said, with a mischievous smile, “your Majesty has made of no moment. Yes, I will take the flowers; shall I tell you, sire, what is the first thing the princess does with them?”

We were talking on a broad terrace that ran along the back of the house (мы разговаривали на широкой террасе, проходившей вдоль тыльной стороны дома), and a window above our heads stood open (и окно у нас над головами было открыто).

“Madame!” cried the countess merrily (госпожа! – крикнула графиня весело), and Flavia herself looked out (и сама Флавия выглянула /из окна/). I bared my head and bowed (я обнажил голову и поклонился). She wore a white gown, and her hair was loosely gathered in a knot (на ней было белое платье, а волосы были небрежно собраны в узел; loose – свободный; ненатянутый, нетугой, расхлябанный; loosely – свободно; небрежно). She kissed her hand to me, crying (она послала мне воздушный поцелуй: «поцеловала свою руку для меня», крикнув):