And we drank pleasant dreams to his Majesty – and that is all I remember of the evening. Perhaps it is enough.
Chapter 4
The King Keeps His Appointment
(Король появляется вовремя;
Whether I had slept a minute or a year I knew not (я не знал, спал ли я минуту или год). I awoke with a start and a shiver (я проснулся, весь дрожа;
I leapt to my feet in anger (в ярости я вскочил на ноги;
“Your joke goes too far, sir!” I cried (ваша шутка зашла слишком далеко, сэр, – воскликнул я).
“Tut, man, we’ve no time for quarrelling (тише, приятель, у нас нет времени для ссор;
“I’ll thank you, Colonel Sapt – ” I began again, hot in spirit (я буду вам благодарен, полковник Сэпт, – начал я снова, пылая от негодования: «горячий в душе»;
“Rassendyll,” interrupted Fritz, getting down from the table (Рассендил, – вмешался Фриц, слезая со стола;
The King lay full length on the floor (король лежал на полу, /вытянувшись/ во весь рост: «во всю длину»). His face was red as his hair (его лицо было красного цвета, как его волосы), and he breathed heavily (и он тяжело дышал). Sapt, the disrespectful old dog, kicked him sharply (Сэпт, /этот/ бесстыжий старый пес
Whether I had slept a minute or a year I knew not. I awoke with a start and a shiver; my face, hair and clothes dripped water, and opposite me stood old Sapt, a sneering smile on his face and an empty bucket in his hand. On the table by him sat Fritz von Tarlenheim, pale as a ghost and black as a crow under the eyes.
I leapt to my feet in anger.
“Your joke goes too far, sir!” I cried.
“Tut, man, we’ve no time for quarrelling. Nothing else would rouse you. It’s five o’clock.”
“I’ll thank you, Colonel Sapt – ” I began again, hot in spirit, though I was uncommonly cold in body.
“Rassendyll,” interrupted Fritz, getting down from the table and taking my arm, “look here.”
The King lay full length on the floor. His face was red as his hair, and he breathed heavily. Sapt, the disrespectful old dog, kicked him sharply. He did not stir, nor was there any break in his breathing. I saw that his face and head were wet with water, as were mine.
“We’ve spent half an hour on him (мы полчаса провозились с ним: «потратили на него»;
“He drank three times what either of you did,” growled Sapt (он выпил в три раза больше каждого из вас, – проворчал Сэпт).
I knelt down and felt his pulse (я опустился на колени и пощупал его пульс;
“Was it drugged – that last bottle?” I asked in a whisper (там был яд, в той последней бутылке? – спросил я шепотом;
“I don’t know,” said Sapt (я не знаю, – сказал Сэпт).
“We must get a doctor (мы должны позвать врача;