Английский язык с Энтони Хоупом. Узник Зенды

I put my hand on my revolver (я положил руку на /рукоятку/ револьвера). Sapt hailed the doorkeeper (Сэпт окликнул привратника). The stars fought for us (небеса были к нам благосклонны: «звезды боролись за нас»; to fight)! A little girl of fourteen tripped out (выбежала девчушка лет четырнадцати; to trip – идти быстро и легко; trip – путешествие, поездка; быстрая легкая походка, легкий шаг).

“Please, sir, father’s gone to see the King (пожалуйста, сэр, отец пошел посмотреть на короля).”

“He’d better have stayed here,” said Sapt to me, grinning (лучше бы он остался здесь, – сказал мне Сэпт, ухмыляясь).

The town was full of noise and merriment, but we took secluded ways. My cloak was wrapped over half my face; the capacious flat cap hid every lock of my tell-tale hair. By Sapt’s directions, I crouched on my saddle, and rode with such a round back as I hope never to exhibit on a horse again. Down a long narrow lane we went, meeting some wanderers and some roisterers; and, as we rode, we heard the Cathedral bells still clanging out their welcome to the King. It was half past six, and still light. At last we came to the city wall and to a gate.

“Have your weapon ready,” whispered Sapt. “We must stop his mouth, if he talks.”

I put my hand on my revolver. Sapt hailed the doorkeeper. The stars fought for us! A little girl of fourteen tripped out.

“Please, sir, father’s gone to see the King.”

“He’d better have stayed here,” said Sapt to me, grinning.

“But he said I wasn’t to open the gate, sir (но он сказал, что я не должна открывать ворота, сэр).”

“Did he, my dear?” said Sapt, dismounting (он так сказал, милая? – спросил Сэпт, слезая с коня). “Then give me the key (тогда дай мне ключ).”

The key was in the child’s hand (ключ был у ребенка в руке). Sapt gave her a crown (Сэпт дал ей крону).

“Here’s an order from the King (вот приказ короля). Show it to your father (покажи его своему отцу). Orderly, open the gate (ординарец, откройте ворота)!”

I leapt down (я спрыгнул на землю; to leap). Between us we rolled back the great gate (мы вдвоем: «между собой» откатили /створы/ огромных ворот), led our horses out, and closed it again (вывели наших коней и закрыли их = ворота снова).

“I shall be sorry for the doorkeeper if Michael finds out that he wasn’t there (мне будет жаль привратника, если Михаэль узнает, что его не было там = на месте). Now then, lad, for a canter (ну, а теперь, парень, легким галопом). We mustn’t go too fast while we’re near the town (мы не должны ехать слишком быстро, пока находимся неподалеку от города).”

Once, however, outside the city, we ran little danger (стоило /нам/, однако, /оказаться/ за пределами города, /как/ мы подвергались /уже/ меньшей опасности; once – один раз; как только, стоит только /усил./; to run danger – подвергаться риску, опасности), for everybody else was inside, merry-making (потому что все были внутри = в городе на празднестве; else – еще, кроме; другой; merry-making – веселье, празднество; merry – веселый); and as the evening fell we quickened our pace (и когда наступил вечер = стало смеркаться, мы поехали быстрее: «ускорили шаг»; quick – быстрый, скорый), my splendid horse bounding along under me as though I had been a feather (мой великолепный конь скакал подо мной так, будто я был перышком). It was a fine night, and presently the moon appeared (был ясный вечер, и вскоре показалась луна; fine – тонкий, утонченный; ясный, безоблачный). We talked little on the way (по дороге мы говорили мало), and chiefly about the progress we were making (и в основном о пути, который мы проделывали; progress – прогресс, развитие; продвижение вперед).

“But he said I wasn’t to open the gate, sir.”

“Did he, my dear?” said Sapt, dismounting. “Then give me the key.”

The key was in the child’s hand. Sapt gave her a crown.

“Here’s an order from the King. Show it to your father. Orderly, open the gate!”

I leapt down. Between us we rolled back the great gate, led our horses out, and closed it again.

“I shall be sorry for the doorkeeper if Michael finds out that he wasn’t there. Now then, lad, for a canter. We mustn’t go too fast while we’re near the town.”

Once, however, outside the city, we ran little danger, for everybody else was inside, merry-making; and as the evening fell we quickened our pace, my splendid horse bounding along under me as though I had been a feather. It was a fine night, and presently the moon appeared. We talked little on the way, and chiefly about the progress we were making.