“De Gautet, De Gautet, man!” sounded from the drawbridge (Де Готе, приятель! – раздалось с моста). “Unless you want a bath before your bed, come along (если не желаешь /принять/ ванну перед сном, пошли /со мной/; to come along – идти вместе /с кем-л./)!”
It was Rupert’s voice, coming from the end of the drawbridge (это был голос Руперта, доносящийся с конца моста). A moment later he and De Gautet stepped out on the bridge (минутой позже он и Де Готе ступили на мост). Rupert’s arm was through De Gautet’s, and in the middle of the bridge (Руперт держал Де Готе под руку, но на середине моста) he detained his companion and leant over (он придержал своего товарища и перегнулся через /перила/). I dropped behind the shelter of “Jacob’s Ladder” (я отступил под прикрытие «лестницы Иакова»).
“I need you no more.”
“Nay, I’m not oppressed with fatigue,” said Rupert.
“Pray, sir, leave us,” said Michael, more impatiently. “In ten minutes the drawbridge will be drawn back, and I presume you have no wish to swim to your bed.”
Rupert’s figure disappeared. I heard the door open and shut again. Michael and Antoinette de Mauban were left together. To my chagrin, the duke laid his hand on the window and closed it. He stood talking to Antoinette for a moment or two. She shook her head, and he turned impatiently away. She left the window. The door sounded again, and Black Michael closed the shutters.
“De Gautet, De Gautet, man!” sounded from the drawbridge. “Unless you want a bath before your bed, come along!”
It was Rupert’s voice, coming from the end of the drawbridge. A moment later he and De Gautet stepped out on the bridge. Rupert’s arm was through De Gautet’s, and in the middle of the bridge he detained his companion and leant over. I dropped behind the shelter of “Jacob’s Ladder.”
Then Master Rupert had a little sport (тут господин Руперт решил немного позабавиться; sport – спорт, спортивные игры; забава, развлечение). He took from De Gautet a bottle which he carried, and put it to his lips (он взял у Де Готе бутылку, которую тот нес, и поднес ко рту: «к губам»).
“Hardly a drop!” he cried discontentedly, and flung it in the moat (почти нет ни капли! – вскричал он с досадой и швырнул ее в ров).
It fell, as I judged from the sound and the circles on the water (она упала, как я мог судить по звуку и кругам на воде), within a yard of the pipe (в ярде от трубы). And Rupert, taking out his revolver, began to shoot at it (и Руперт, достав свой револьвер, принялся стрелять в нее). The first two shots missed the bottle, but hit the pipe (первые две пули /пролетели/ мимо бутылки, но попали в трубу; to miss – промахнуться, промазать; не попасть в цель). The third shattered the bottle (третья разбила бутылку вдребезги). I hoped that the young ruffian would be content (я надеялся, что юный хулиган /этим/ ограничится: «удовольствуется»; content – довольство, чувство удовлетворения); but he emptied the other barrels at the pipe, and one, skimming over the pipe (но он разрядил в трубу еще один барабан, и одна /пуля/, скользнув по ней; barrel – бочка, бочонок; барабан /в револьвере/), whistled through my hair as I crouched on the other side (со свистом пронеслась у меня над головой: «просвистела сквозь мои волосы», когда я припал к земле с другой стороны /трубы/).
“Ware bridge!” a voice cried, to my relief (осторожно, мост! – крикнул чей-то голос к моему облегчению).
Rupert and De Gautet cried, “A moment!” and ran across (Руперт и Де Готе крикнули: “Один момент!” и бегом пересекли /мост/). The bridge was drawn back, and all became still (мост подняли, и все стихло). The clock struck a quarter past one (часы пробили четверть второго). I rose and stretched myself and yawned (я поднялся, потянулся и зевнул).
Then Master Rupert had a little sport. He took from De Gautet a bottle which he carried, and put it to his lips.
“Hardly a drop!” he cried discontentedly, and flung it in the moat.
It fell, as I judged from the sound and the circles on the water, within a yard of the pipe. And Rupert, taking out his revolver, began to shoot at it. The first two shots missed the bottle, but hit the pipe. The third shattered the bottle. I hoped that the young ruffian would be content; but he emptied the other barrels at the pipe, and one, skimming over the pipe, whistled through my hair as I crouched on the other side.
“’Ware bridge!” a voice cried, to my relief.
Rupert and De Gautet cried, “A moment!” and ran across. The bridge was drawn back, and all became still. The clock struck a quarter past one. I rose and stretched myself and yawned.
I think some ten minutes had passed when I heard a slight noise to my right (думаю, прошло минут десять, прежде чем я услыхал слабый шум справа от меня). I peered over the pipe, and saw a dark figure standing in the gateway (я выглянул из-за трубы и увидел темную фигуру, стоящую у ворот) that led to the bridge (что вели к мосту). It was a man (это был мужчина). By the careless, graceful poise, I guessed it to be Rupert again (по небрежной, грациозной позе я догадался, что это снова был Руперт; poise – равновесие, устойчивость; манера держаться). He held a sword in his hand, and he stood motionless for a minute or two (в руке он держал меч, и несколько минут он стоял неподвижно). Wild thoughts ran through me (/самые/ дикие мысли = догадки пронеслись у меня /в голове/). On what mischief was the young fiend bent now (какую каверзу задумал юный злодей на этот раз; mischief – озорство, проказы; fiend – дьявол; злодей; to be bent on smth. – устремлять свои помыслы на что-л. /как правило, плохое/, замышлять /что-л. недоброе/)? There he laughed low to himself (тут он тихо рассмеялся сам себе); then he turned his face to the wall, took a step in my direction (потом повернулся лицом к стене, сделал шаг по направлению ко мне), and, to my surprise, began to climb down the wall (и, к моему удивлению, стал спускаться вниз по стене). In an instant I saw that there must be steps in the wall (через секунду я понял, что в стене должны быть ступени); it was plain (это было очевидно). They were cut into or affixed to the wall (они были либо вырублены в стене, либо приделаны /к ней/), at intervals of about eighteen inches (с промежутками около восемнадцати дюймов). Rupert set his foot on the lower one (Руперт поставил ногу на нижнюю /ступеньку/).
I think some ten minutes had passed when I heard a slight noise to my right. I peered over the pipe, and saw a dark figure standing in the gateway that led to the bridge. It was a man. By the careless, graceful poise, I guessed it to be Rupert again. He held a sword in his hand, and he stood motionless for a minute or two. Wild thoughts ran through me. On what mischief was the young fiend bent now? There he laughed low to himself; then he turned his face to the wall, took a step in my direction, and, to my surprise, began to climb down the wall. In an instant I saw that there must be steps in the wall; it was plain. They were cut into or affixed to the wall, at intervals of about eighteen inches. Rupert set his foot on the lower one.
Then he placed his sword between his teeth (потом он зажал: «разместил» меч между зубами), turned round, and noiselessly let himself into the water (повернулся и бесшумно спустился в воду; to let oneself down – опускаться, спускаться). Had it been a matter of my life only (если б от этого зависела только моя жизнь: «будь это вопрос только моей жизни»), I would have swum to meet him (я бы поплыл ему навстречу: «чтобы встретить его»). Dearly would I have loved to fight it out with him then and there (дорого бы я дал, чтобы решить наш с ним спор здесь и сейчас: «тогда и там»; to fight it out – довести борьбу /или спор/ до конца) – with steel, on a fine night, and none to come between us (тихой ночью, при помощи клинка, и /когда/ никто нам не помешает: «не встанет между нами»; steel – сталь; меч, шпага; fine – тонкий, изящный; ясный, хороший, сухой /о погоде/). But there was the King (но надо было помнить о короле: «но был король»)! I restrained myself, but I could not bridle my swift breathing (я сдерживал себя, но не мог успокоить свое частое: «быстрое» дыхание; to bridle – взнуздывать; обуздывать, сдерживать), and I watched him with the intensest eagerness (и /продолжал/ следить за ним с живейшим интересом; intense – сильный, глубокий; напряженный).
He swam leisurely and quietly across (он не спеша и бесшумно переплыл /ров/). There were more steps up on the other side, and he climbed them (на другой стороне тоже были ступеньки, /ведущие/ наверх, и он поднялся по ним).
Then he placed his sword between his teeth, turned round, and noiselessly let himself into the water. Had it been a matter of my life only, I would have swum to meet him. Dearly would I have loved to fight it out with him then and there – with steel, on a fine night, and none to come between us. But there was the King! I restrained myself, but I could not bridle my swift breathing, and I watched him with the intensest eagerness.
He swam leisurely and quietly across. There were more steps up on the other side, and he climbed them.
When he set foot in the gateway, standing on the drawn-back bridge (когда он поставил ногу = когда он оказался у входа, стоя на поднятом мосту), he felt in his pocket and took something out (он пошарил в кармане и что-то достал /оттуда/). I heard him unlock the door (я слышал, как он открыл дверь). I could hear no noise of its closing behind him (я не услышал, /как/ она закрылась за ним; noise – шум; звук). He vanished from my sight (он скрылся из виду; to vanish – исчезать, пропадать; sight – зрение; поле зрения).
Abandoning my ladder – I saw I did not need it now (бросив свою лестницу – теперь я не видел в ней нужды) – I swam to the side of the bridge and climbed half way up the steps (я подплыл к мосту сбоку и поднялся до середины лестницы; half way – полпути). There I hung with my sword in my hand, listening eagerly (там я остановился, держа в руке меч, и /стал/ напряженно прислушиваться; to hang – вешать, подвешивать; застревать, задерживаться /при спуске и т. п./, медлить, мешкать). The duke’s room was shuttered and dark (в комнате герцога было темно, ставни закрыты). There was a light in the window on the opposite side of the bridge (в окне на противоположной стороне моста горел свет). Not a sound broke the silence (ни один звук не нарушал тишину), till half past one chimed from the great clock in the tower of the château (пока огромные часы на замковой башне не пробили половину второго).
There were other plots than mine afoot in the Castle that night (/какие-то/ иные замыслы, помимо моего, осуществлялись в замке той ночью; plot – заговор; фабула, сюжет; afoot – в движении, в действии; в процессе подготовки).
When he set foot in the gateway, standing on the drawn-back bridge, he felt in his pocket and took something out. I heard him unlock the door. I could hear no noise of its closing behind him. He vanished from my sight.
Abandoning my ladder – I saw I did not need it now – I swam to the side of the bridge and climbed half way up the steps. There I hung with my sword in my hand, listening eagerly. The duke’s room was shuttered and dark. There was a light in the window on the opposite side of the bridge. Not a sound broke the silence, till half past one chimed from the great clock in the tower of the château.
