“Known!” cried Sapt (известна! – воскликнул Сэпт). “If you stay here (если вы останетесь здесь), the deuce a man in all Ruritania will doubt of it – or a woman either (ни один мужчина во всей Руритании не станет в ней сомневаться – да и ни одна женщина тоже;
I began to feel uncomfortable (я начинал чувствовать себя неловко). Had I realized what a very plainly written pedigree I carried about with me (знай я раньше, что за ясно написанную родословную я ношу с собой;
“Then we are all brethren of the sword,” answered Tarlenheim, holding out his hand, which I took readily.
“Rassendyll, Rassendyll!” muttered Colonel Sapt; then a gleam of intelligence flitted across his face.
“By Heaven!” he cried, “you’re of the Burlesdons?”
“My brother is now Lord Burlesdon,” said I.
“Thy head betrayeth thee,” he chuckled, pointing to my uncovered poll. “Why, Fritz, you know the story?”
The young man glanced apologetically at me. He felt a delicacy which my sister-in-law would have admired. To put him at his ease, I remarked with a smile:
“Ah! the story is known here as well as among us, it seems.”
“Known!” cried Sapt. “If you stay here, the deuce a man in all Ruritania will doubt of it – or a woman either.”
I began to feel uncomfortable. Had I realized what a very plainly written pedigree I carried about with me, I should have thought long before I visited Ruritania. However, I was in for it now.
At this moment a ringing voice sounded from the wood behind us (в этот момент звонкий голос раздался из леса позади нас;
“Fritz, Fritz! where are you, man (Фриц, Фриц, где ты, приятель;
Tarlenheim started, and said hastily (Тарленхайм вздрогнул и произнес поспешно):
“It’s the King (это король)!”
Old Sapt chuckled again (старина Сэпт усмехнулся снова).
Then a young man jumped out from behind the trunk of a tree and stood beside us (тут молодой человек выпрыгнул из-за ствола дерева и встал рядом с нами;
For an instant we stood motionless, looking at one another (мгновение мы стояли неподвижно, уставясь: «смотря» друг на друга;
“Colonel – Fritz – who is this gentleman (полковник… Фриц… кто этот джентльмен)?”
At this moment a ringing voice sounded from the wood behind us:
“Fritz, Fritz! where are you, man?”
Tarlenheim started, and said hastily:
“It’s the King!”
Old Sapt chuckled again.