Simultaneously, Antoinette found herself entangled in his audacious schemes. Unwilling to abandon him, bound to him by the chains of shame and hope, yet she would not be a decoy, nor, at his bidding, lure me to death. Hence the letters of warning she had written. Whether the lines she sent to Flavia were inspired by good or bad feeling, by jealousy or by pity, I do not know; but here also she served us well. When the duke went to Zenda, she accompanied him; and here for the first time she learnt the full measure of his cruelty, and was touched with compassion for the unfortunate King. From this time she was with us; yet, from what she told me, I know that she still (as women will) loved Michael, and trusted to gain his life, if not his pardon, from the King, as the reward for her assistance. His triumph she did not desire, for she loathed his crime, and loathed yet more fiercely what would be the prize of it – his marriage with his cousin, Princess Flavia.
At Zenda new forces came into play (в Зенде вступили в действие новые силы; to come into play – начать действовать) – the lust and daring of young Rupert (страсть и дерзость юного Руперта; lust – вожделение, похоть; страсть). He was caught by her beauty, perhaps (возможно, его привлекла ее красота; to catch – ловить, поймать; увлечь, привлечь /внимание и т. п./); perhaps it was enough for him that she belonged to another man, and that she hated him (возможно, ему было достаточно того, что она принадлежит другому, а его не выносит). For many days there had been quarrels and ill will between him and the duke (много дней между ним и герцогом царили вражда и неприязнь; quarrel – ссора; ill will – недоброжелательность, враждебность; ill – больной; злой, враждебный; will – воля, сила воли; твердое намерение, желание), and the scene which I had witnessed in the duke’s room (и сцена в комнате герцога, свидетелем которой я оказался) was but one of many (была лишь одной из многих). Rupert’s proposals to me, of which she had, of course, been ignorant (предложения Руперта, /сделанные/ мне, о которых она, конечно же, не знала; ignorant – невежественный; несведущий, не информированный /о чем-л./), in no way surprised her when I related them (совершенно ее не удивили, когда я о них рассказал); she had herself warned Michael against Rupert (она сама предостерегала Михаэля против Руперта), even when she was calling on me to deliver her from both of them (даже когда взывала ко мне избавить ее от них обоих; to deliver – доставлять, разносить /письма, товары/; освобождать; to call – звать, окликать; призывать). On this night, then, Rupert had determined to have his will (и вот, той ночью Руперт решил добиться своего; to have one’s will – добиться своего; will – воля, сила воли; твердое намерение, желание). When she had gone to her room (когда она удалилась в свою комнату), he, having furnished himself with a key to it, had made his entrance (он, заранее раздобыв от нее ключ, пробрался туда; to furnish with smth. – снабжать чем-л.; to make one’s entrance – выходить на сцену, сделать свой выход /театр./; entrance – вход /в здание и т. п./; выход /актера на сцену/). Her cries had brought the duke, and there in the dark room (ее крики привлекли герцога, и там в темноте комнаты), while she screamed, the men had fought (тогда как она кричала, мужчины сражались; to fight); and Rupert, having wounded his master with a mortal blow (и Руперт, смертельно ранив: «ранив смертельным ударом» своего господина), had, on the servants rushing in, escaped through the window as I have described (когда ворвались слуги, бежал через окно, как я уже /это/ описывал).
At Zenda new forces came into play – the lust and daring of young Rupert. He was caught by her beauty, perhaps; perhaps it was enough for him that she belonged to another man, and that she hated him. For many days there had been quarrels and ill will between him and the duke, and the scene which I had witnessed in the duke’s room was but one of many. Rupert’s proposals to me, of which she had, of course, been ignorant, in no way surprised her when I related them; she had herself warned Michael against Rupert, even when she was calling on me to deliver her from both of them. On this night, then, Rupert had determined to have his will. When she had gone to her room, he, having furnished himself with a key to it, had made his entrance. Her cries had brought the duke, and there in the dark room, while she screamed, the men had fought; and Rupert, having wounded his master with a mortal blow, had, on the servants rushing in, escaped through the window as I have described.
The duke’s blood, spurting out, had stained his opponent’s shirt (кровь герцога хлынула струей и запачкала рубашку его противника; to stain – пятнать, покрывать пятнами; пачкать); but Rupert, not knowing that he had dealt Michael his death (но Руперт, не зная, что нанес Михаэлю смертельный /удар/; to deal death – нести смерть), was eager to finish the encounter (жаждал довести схватку до конца). How he meant to deal with the other three of the band, I know not (как он намеревался поступить с оставшимися тремя из той банды, я не знаю; to deal – распределять; поступать, обходиться). I dare say he did not think, for the killing of Michael was not premeditated (полагаю, он /об этом/ не думал, поскольку не планировал заранее убивать Михаэля; premeditated – преднамеренный; обдуманный заранее; to meditate – замышлять, затевать; намереваться, планировать). Antoinette, left alone with the duke, had tried to stanch his wound (Антуанетта, оставшись с герцогом наедине, попыталась остановить кровотечение из его раны), and thus was she busied till he died (и была этим занята = и делала это, пока он /не/ умер); and then, hearing Rupert’s taunts, she had come forth to avenge him (а потом, услышав насмешки Руперта, вышла, чтобы отомстить ему). Me she had not seen, nor did she till I darted out of my ambush (меня она не видела до того самого момента, пока я /не/ выскочил из своего укрытия; ambush – засада), and leapt after Rupert into the moat (и /не/ прыгнул в ров вслед за Рупертом).
The same moment found my friends on the scene (в этот момент появились мои друзья: «тот же самый момент обнаружил моих друзей на сцене»). They had reached the château in due time, and waited ready by the door (они добрались до дворца в назначенное время и наготове ждали у дверей). But Johann, swept with the rest to the rescue of the duke, did not open it (но Иоганн, бросившись с остальными спасать герцога, не открыл их; to sweep – подметать, чистить; нестись, мчаться); nay, he took a part against Rupert, putting himself forward more bravely (более того, он выступил: «принял участие /в борьбе/» против Руперта, бросившись вперед храбрее; part – часть, доля; участие) than any in his anxiety to avert suspicion (чем кто-либо другой, стремясь: «в своем стремлении» отвести /от себя/ подозрения; anxiety – беспокойство, тревога; страстное желание); and he had received a wound, in the embrasure of the window (и он получил рану, /что я и видел/ в проеме окна).
The duke’s blood, spurting out, had stained his opponent’s shirt; but Rupert, not knowing that he had dealt Michael his death, was eager to finish the encounter. How he meant to deal with the other three of the band, I know not. I dare say he did not think, for the killing of Michael was not premeditated. Antoinette, left alone with the duke, had tried to stanch his wound, and thus was she busied till he died; and then, hearing Rupert’s taunts, she had come forth to avenge him. Me she had not seen, nor did she till I darted out of my ambush, and leapt after Rupert into the moat.
The same moment found my friends on the scene. They had reached the château in due time, and waited ready by the door. But Johann, swept with the rest to the rescue of the duke, did not open it; nay, he took a part against Rupert, putting himself forward more bravely than any in his anxiety to avert suspicion; and he had received a wound, in the embrasure of the window.
Till nearly half past two Sapt waited (примерно до половины третьего Сэпт ждал); then, following my orders, he had sent Fritz to search the banks of the moat (затем, следуя моим указаниям, послал Фрица обследовать берега рва). I was not there (меня там не было). Hastening back, Fritz told Sapt (поспешив назад, Фриц сказал /об этом/ Сэпту); and Sapt was for following orders still (но Сэпт, все же, был за /то, чтобы/ следовать распоряжениям; still – до сих пор, все еще, по-прежнему; все же, тем не менее, однако), and riding at full speed back to Tarlenheim (и во весь опор скакать назад в Тарленхайм); while Fritz would not hear of abandoning me (тогда как Фриц и слышать не желал о /том, чтобы/ бросить меня), let me have ordered what I would (что бы я там ни приказал: «позволил мне приказывать что угодно»). On this they disputed some few minutes (несколько минут они спорили об этом); then Sapt, persuaded by Fritz, detached a party under Bernenstein (потом Сэпт, убежденный Фрицем, послал отряд под /командованием/ Берненштайна; to detach – отделять; отряжать, посылать) to gallop back to Tarlenheim and bring up the marshal (галопом назад в Тарленхайм, чтобы поднять маршала), while the rest fell to on the great door of the château (тогда как остальные навалились на громадные двери дворца; to fall – падать; to fall to – начинать, приниматься за /что-л./; нападать). For several minutes it resisted them (несколько минут они = двери не подавались: «сопротивлялись им»; to resist – сопротивляться; не поддаваться, противостоять); then, just as Antoinette de Mauban fired at Rupert of Hentzau on the bridge (потом, как раз когда Антуанетта де Мобан выстрелила в Руперта Хенцо на мосту), they broke in, eight of them in all: and the first door they came to (они ввосьмером ворвались внутрь, и первая дверь, к которой они подбежали; in all – всего) was the door of Michael’s room (оказалась дверью в комнату Михаэля); and Michael lay dead across the threshold (а Михаэль лежал на пороге мертвым; to lie), with a sword-thrust through his breast (с пронзенной мечом грудью; thrust – толчок; выпад, удар, колющий удар, укол).
Till nearly half past two Sapt waited; then, following my orders, he had sent Fritz to search the banks of the moat. I was not there. Hastening back, Fritz told Sapt; and Sapt was for following orders still, and riding at full speed back to Tarlenheim; while Fritz would not hear of abandoning me, let me have ordered what I would. On this they disputed some few minutes; then Sapt, persuaded by Fritz, detached a party under Bernenstein to gallop back to Tarlenheim and bring up the marshal, while the rest fell to on the great door of the château. For several minutes it resisted them; then, just as Antoinette de Mauban fired at Rupert of Hentzau on the bridge, they broke in, eight of them in all: and the first door they came to was the door of Michael’s room; and Michael lay dead across the threshold, with a sword-thrust through his breast.
Sapt cried out at his death, as I had heard, and they rushed on the servants (Сэпт закричал, /увидев/ его мертвым, что я и услышал, и они набросились на слуг); but these, in fear, dropped their weapons (но те в страхе побросали свое оружие), and Antoinette flung herself weeping at Sapt’s feet (а Антуанетта кинулась, рыдая, к ногам Сэпта; to fling). And all she cried was, that I had been at the end of the bridge and leapt off (и она выкрикивала только /то/, что я стоял на /другом/ конце моста, а /потом/ прыгнул /вниз/). “What of the prisoner?” asked Sapt (что с узником? – спросил Сэпт); but she shook her head (но она /лишь/ мотнула головой; to shake). Then Sapt and Fritz, with the gentlemen behind them (потом Сэпт, Фриц и /остальные/ джентльмены, следовавшие за ними), crossed the bridge, slowly, warily, and without noise (медленно, осторожно и бесшумно перешли через мост); and Fritz stumbled over the body of De Gautet in the way of the door (и Фриц в дверях споткнулся о тело Де Готе). They felt him and found him dead (они осмотрели: «ощупали» его и обнаружили, что он мертв; to feel – чувствовать; ощупывать, трогать, осязать).
