Kemp read this letter twice (Кемп дважды прочитал это письмо), “It’s no hoax (это не шутка; hoax — обман, ложь, неправда; to play a hoax on somebody — разыграть, обмануть кого-либо),” he said. “That’s his voice (это написал он: «его голос»)! And he means it (и он намеревается сделать это).”
epoch [`JpOk], execution ["eksI`kjHS(q)n], guard [gRd], precaution [prJ`kLS(q)n]
This is day one of year one of the new epoch — the Epoch of the Invisible Man. I am Invisible Man the First. To begin with the rule will be easy. The first day there will be one execution for the sake of example — a man named Kemp. Death starts for him to-day. He may lock himself away, hide himself away, get guards about him, put on armour if he likes — Death, the unseen Death, is coming. Let him take precautions; it will impress my people. Death starts from the pillar box by midday. The letter will fall in as the postman comes along, then off! The game begins. Death starts. Help him not, my people, lest Death fall upon you also. To-day Kemp is to die.”
Kemp read this letter twice, “It’s no hoax,” he said. “That’s his voice! And he means it.”
He turned the folded sheet over (он перевернул сложенный листок) and saw on the addressed side of it the postmark Hintondean (и увидел на его адресной стороне почтовый штемпель «Хинтондин»), and the prosaic detail “2d. to pay” (и прозаическую деталь: «доплатить 2 пенса»; d. = denarius — penny, pence — пенни, пенс/денежнаяединица; равна1/100 фунтастерлингов/).
He got up slowly, leaving his lunch unfinished (Кемп медленно встал, оставив завтрак незаконченным) — the letter had come by the one o’clock post (письмо пришло с часовой почтой/в час дня) — and went into his study (и вошел в кабинет). He rang for his housekeeper, and told her to go round the house at once (он позвонил экономке и велел ей немедленно обойти дом), examine all the fastenings of the windows (осмотреть все задвижки на окнах), and close all the shutters (и закрыть все ставни). He closed the shutters of his study himself (сам он закрыл ставни своего кабинета). From a locked drawer in his bedroom he took a little revolver (из запертого ящика в спальне он достал небольшой револьвер), examined it carefully, and put it into the pocket of his lounge jacket (тщательно его осмотрел и положил в карман приталенного пиджака). He wrote a number of brief notes, one to Colonel Adye (он написал несколько коротких записок, одну из них полковнику Эдаю), gave them to his servant to take (и поручил служанке отнести их), with explicit instructions as to her way of leaving the house (дав точные указания относительно того, как ей выйти из дома; explicit — ясный; точный, подробный). “There is no danger (нет никакой опасности),” he said, and added a mental reservation, “to you” (сказал он и прибавил мысленно: «для вас»; mental reservation — мысленнаяоговорка, замечание). He remained meditative for a space after doing this (некоторое время после этого он оставался задумчивым), and then returned to his cooling lunch (а потом вернулся к своему стынувшему завтраку; to cool — охлаждать/ся/, остывать).
prosaic [prq(u)`zeIIk], fastening [`fRs(q)nIN], meditative [`medItqtIv]
He turned the folded sheet over and saw on the addressed side of it the postmark Hintondean, and the prosaic detail “2d. to pay.”
He got up slowly, leaving his lunch unfinished — the letter had come by the one o’clock post — and went into his study. He rang for his housekeeper, and told her to go round the house at once, examine all the fastenings of the windows, and close all the shutters. He closed the shutters of his study himself. From a locked drawer in his bedroom he took a little revolver, examined it carefully, and put it into the pocket of his lounge jacket. He wrote a number of brief notes, one to Colonel Adye, gave them to his servant to take, with explicit instructions as to her way of leaving the house. “There is no danger,” he said, and added a mental reservation, “to you.” He remained meditative for a space after doing this, and then returned to his cooling lunch.
He ate with gaps of thought (он ел рассеянно, задумываясь: «с промежутками мысли»). Finally he struck the table sharply (наконец он резко ударил /кулаком/ по столу).
“We will have him (мы его поймаем)!” he said; “and I am the bait (и я буду приманкой). He will come too far (он зайдет слишком далеко/зарвется).”
He went up to the belvedere, carefully shutting every door after him (Кемп поднялся в бельведер, тщательно закрывая за собой каждую дверь).
“It’s a game (это игра),” he said, “an odd game — but the chances are all for me, Mr. Griffin (необычная игра, но все шансы на моей стороне, мистер Гриффин), in spite of your invisibility (несмотря на вашу невидимость). Griffin contra mundum (Гриффин против всего мира /лат./)... with a vengeance (сражается вовсю; with a vengeance — изовсехсил; состервенением; вовсю, чрезвычайно; vengeance — месть, мщение).”
He stood at the window staring at the hot hillside (он стоял у окна, глядя на залитый солнцем склон холма; hot — горячий, жаркий; яркий, пылающий/оцвете/).
thought [TLt], chance [CRns], vengeance [`venG(q)ns]
He ate with gaps of thought. Finally he struck the table sharply.
“We will have him!” he said; “and I am the bait. He will come too far.”
He went up to the belvedere, carefully shutting every door after him.
“It’s a game,” he said, “an odd game — but the chances are all for me, Mr. Griffin, in spite of your invisibility. Griffin contra mundum... with a vengeance.”
He stood at the window staring at the hot hillside.
“He must get food every day — and I don’t envy him (ему нужно добывать пищу каждый день, и я не завидую ему). Did he really sleep last night (действительно ли он спал прошлой ночью)? Out in the open somewhere — secure from collisions (где-нибудь под открытым небом, чтобы на него никто не мог натолкнуться; securefrom— защищенный от; collision— столкновение). I wish we could get some good cold wet weather instead of the heat (хотел бы я, чтобы настала холодная сырая погода вместо этой жары).
“He may be watching me now (возможно, он сейчас наблюдает за мной).”
He went close to the window (Кемп вплотную подошел к окну). Something rapped smartly against the brickwork over the frame (что-то сильно стукнуло по кирпичной стене над рамой; brickwork — кирпичнаякладка; smartly — энергично, сильно, резко/окаком-либо физическомдействии/), and made him start violently back (и заставило его отскочить).
“I’m getting nervous (я становлюсь нервным),” said Kemp. But it was five minutes before he went to the window again (но только через пять он снова подошел к окну). “It must have been a sparrow (должно быть, воробей),” he said.
collision [kq`lIZ(q)n], weather [`weDq], nervous [`nq:vqs]
“He must get food every day — and I don’t envy him. Did he really sleep last night? Out in the open somewhere — secure from collisions. I wish we could get some good cold wet weather instead of the heat.
“He may be watching me now.”
He went close to the window. Something rapped smartly against the brickwork over the frame, and made him start violently back.
“I’m getting nervous,” said Kemp. But it was five minutes before he went to the window again. “It must have been a sparrow,” he said.
Presently he heard the front-door bell ringing, and hurried downstairs (тут он услышал, как зазвонил колокольчик входной двери, и поспешил вниз). He unbolted and unlocked the door (он отодвинул засов и отпер дверь), examined the chain, put it up (осмотрел цепь, закрепил ее), and opened cautiously without showing himself (и осторожно открыл дверь, не показываясь сам). A familiar voice hailed him (знакомый голос окликнул его; tohail— приветствовать; звать, окликать). It was Adye (это был Эдай).
“Your servant’s been assaulted, Kemp (на вашу служанку напали, Кемп),” he said round the door (сказал он из-за двери).
“What (что)!” exclaimed Kemp (воскликнул Кемп).
“Had that note of yours taken away from her (забрали у нее вашу записку). He’s close about here (он где-то рядом). Let me in (впустите меня).”
Kemp released the chain, and Adye entered through as narrow an opening as possible (Кемп снял цепь, и Эдай протиснулся в очень узкую щель). He stood in the hall, looking with infinite relief at Kemp refastening the door (стоя в прихожей, он /вздохнул/ с огромным облегчением, когда Кемп снова запер дверь).
cautiously [`kLSqslI], assaulted [q`sLltId], refastening [rI`fRs(q)nIN], infinite [`InfInIt]
Presently he heard the front-door bell ringing, and hurried downstairs. He unbolted and unlocked the door, examined the chain, put it up, and opened cautiously without showing himself. A familiar voice hailed him. It was Adye.
