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).
Then they consulted, listening eagerly for any sound from the cells below (потом они посовещались, ловя: «вслушиваясь напряженно в» каждый звук из темницы снизу; to consult – советоваться, консультироваться; совещаться; eager – страстно желающий; интенсивный, напряженный, энергичный); but there came none, and they were greatly afraid that the King’s guards had killed him (но оттуда не доносилось ни звука, и они здорово испугались, что конвоиры короля убили его), and having pushed his body through the great pipe, had escaped the same way themselves (и, вытолкнув его тело через ту огромную трубу, сами бежали тем же путем).
Sapt cried out at his death, as I had heard, and they rushed on the servants; but these, in fear, dropped their weapons, and Antoinette flung herself weeping at Sapt’s feet. And all she cried was, that I had been at the end of the bridge and leapt off. “What of the prisoner?” asked Sapt; but she shook her head. Then Sapt and Fritz, with the gentlemen behind them, crossed the bridge, slowly, warily, and without noise; and Fritz stumbled over the body of De Gautet in the way of the door. They felt him and found him dead.
Then they consulted, listening eagerly for any sound from the cells below; but there came none, and they were greatly afraid that the King’s guards had killed him, and having pushed his body through the great pipe, had escaped the same way themselves.
Yet, because I had been seen here (однако, поскольку меня видели здесь), they had still some hope (thus indeed Fritz, in his friendship, told me) (у них еще оставалась некоторая надежда (как по дружбе рассказал мне Фриц)); and going back to Michael’s body, pushing aside Antoinette, who prayed by it (и, вернувшись к телу Михаэля, отстранив Антуанетту, которая молилась подле него), they found a key to the door which I had locked, and opened the door (нашли ключ от двери, которую я запер, и открыли ее). The staircase was dark, and they would not use a torch at first (/на/ лестнице было темно, и они сначала не зажигали: «не использовали» факел), lest they should be more exposed to fire (чтобы не подставлять /себя/ под выстрелы; to expose – делать видимым, выставлять на показ; подвергать /опасности/; fire – огонь, пламя; стрельба). But soon Fritz cried (но вскоре Фриц крикнул): “The door down there is open! See, there is light (дверь внизу открыта! смотрите, там свет)!” So they went on boldly, and found none to oppose them (так что они смело пошли вперед, не встречая никого, кто бы им помешал; to oppose – противопоставлять; сопротивляться, препятствовать, мешать /ср. оппозиция/). And when they came to the outer room (и когда они вошли во внешнюю комнату) and saw the Belgian, Bersonin, lying dead (и увидели бельгийца Берзонина лежащего мертвым), they thanked God, Sapt saying: “Ay, he has been here (они возблагодарили Господа, и Сэпт сказал: Да, он побывал здесь).” Then rushing into the King’s cell (затем, бросившись в темницу короля), they found Detchard lying dead across the dead physician (они нашли Дэтчарда, лежащего мертвым на мертвом враче; across – поперек), and the King on his back with his chair by him (и короля, лежащего на спине, рядом с его стулом). And Fritz cried: “He’s dead (и Фриц воскликнул: Он мертв)!” and Sapt drove all out of the room except Fritz, and knelt down by the King (а Сэпт выгнал всех, кроме Фрица, из комнаты и опустился рядом с королем на колени); and, having learnt more of wounds and the sign of death than I (и поскольку он /за свою жизнь/ повидал: «изучил» больше ран и признаков смерти, нежели я), he soon knew that the King was not dead (он вскоре понял, что король не был мертв; to know – знать; понимать, осознавать), nor, if properly attended, would die (и если должным образом ухаживать /за ним/, то и не умрет; to attend – посещать, присутствовать; ухаживать, заботиться).
Yet, because I had been seen here, they had still some hope (thus indeed Fritz, in his friendship, told me); and going back to Michael’s body, pushing aside Antoinette, who prayed by it, they found a key to the door which I had locked, and opened the door. The staircase was dark, and they would not use a torch at first, lest they should be more exposed to fire. But soon Fritz cried: “The door down there is open! See, there is light!” So they went on boldly, and found none to oppose them. And when they came to the outer room and saw the Belgian, Bersonin, lying dead, they thanked God, Sapt saying: “Ay, he has been here.” Then rushing into the King’s cell, they found Detchard lying dead across the dead physician, and the King on his back with his chair by him. And Fritz cried: “He’s dead!” and Sapt drove all out of the room except Fritz, and knelt down by the King; and, having learnt more of wounds and the sign of death than I, he soon knew that the King was not dead, nor, if properly attended, would die.
And they covered his face and carried him to Duke Michael’s room (они накрыли ему лицо, отнесли в комнату герцога Михаэля), and laid him there (и положили его там); and Antoinette rose from praying by the body of the duke (а Антуанетта, /перестав/ молиться, поднялась от тела герцога; to rise – восходить; вставать на ноги, подниматься) and went to bathe the King’s head and dress his wounds, till a doctor came (и подошла, чтобы обмыть королю голову и перевязать раны, пока не прибудет доктор; to dress – одевать/ся/; перевязывать /рану/). And Sapt, seeing I had been there, and having heard Antoinette’s story (и Сэпт, видя, что я был там и услышав рассказ Антуанетты), sent Fritz to search the moat and then the forest (послал Фрица осмотреть ров, а потом лес). He dared send no one else (он не рискнул послать кого-то еще). And Fritz found my horse, and feared the worst (а Фриц, найдя мою лошадь, опасался худшего). Then, as I have told, he found me, guided by the shout (затем, как я /уже/ рассказал, он нашел меня, привлеченный криком; guided – управляемый; ведомый) with which I had called on Rupert to stop and face me (которым я призывал Руперта остановиться и /сразиться/ со мной лицом к лицу). And I think a man has never been more glad to find his own brother alive (и, думаю, ни один человек не был больше рад обнаружить своего собственного брата живым) than was Fritz to come on me (чем Фриц, когда нашел меня; to come on – приближаться, налететь, разразиться /о ветре, шквале/; натыкаться, наскакивать); so that, in love and anxiety for me, he thought nothing of a thing so great (так что от любви и беспокойства обо мне он не помышлял так сильно ни о чем) as would have been the death of Rupert Hentzau (как о смерти Руперта Хенцо). Yet, had Fritz killed him, I should have grudged it (однако же, если бы Фриц убил его, я бы не пришел от этого в восторг; to grudge – выражать/испытывать недовольство).
And they covered his face and carried him to Duke Michael’s room, and laid him there; and Antoinette rose from praying by the body of the duke and went to bathe the King’s head and dress his wounds, till a doctor came. And Sapt, seeing I had been there, and having heard Antoinette’s story, sent Fritz to search the moat and then the forest. He dared send no one else. And Fritz found my horse, and feared the worst. Then, as I have told, he found me, guided by the shout with which I had called on Rupert to stop and face me. And I think a man has never been more glad to find his own brother alive than was Fritz to come on me; so that, in love and anxiety for me, he thought nothing of a thing so great as would have been the death of Rupert Hentzau. Yet, had Fritz killed him, I should have grudged it.
The enterprise of the King’s rescue being thus prosperously concluded (операция по спасению короля = спасение короля, завершившееся так успешно; enterprise – смелое предприятие; prosperous – процветающий, преуспевающий; успешный, удачный), it lay on Colonel Sapt to secure secrecy (налагало на полковника Сэпта /обязанность/ сохранить тайну; to secure – обеспечивать безопасность; охранять) as to the King ever having been in need of rescue (о /том, что/ король когда-либо нуждался в спасении). Antoinette de Mauban and Johann the keeper (Антуанетту де Мобан и лесничего Иоганна) (who, indeed, was too much hurt to be wagging his tongue just now (который, правда, был слишком сильно ранен, чтобы болтать языком в тот момент: «сейчас»)) were sworn to reveal nothing (заставили поклясться в том, что /они будут/ молчать: «не откроют ничего»; to swear); and Fritz went forth to find – not the King (а Фриц отправился разыскивать – нет, не короля), but the unnamed friend of the King (а некоего друга короля; unnamed – безымянный; неупомянутый), who had lain in Zenda and flashed for a moment (который останавливался в Зенде и на мгновение промелькнул; to lie – лежать; остановиться ненадолго, переночевать) before the dazed eyes of Duke Michael’s servants on the drawbridge (перед глазами изумленных слуг герцога Михаэля на подъемном мосту). The metamorphosis had happened (метаморфоза произошла); and the King, wounded almost to death by the attacks of the gaolers (и король, почти смертельно раненный при нападении тюремщиков) who guarded his friend, had at last overcome them (которые сторожили его друга, в конце концов победил их), and rested now, wounded but alive, in Black Michael’s own room in the Castle (и теперь отдыхал, раненый, но живой, в замке в личной: «собственной» комнате Черного Михаэля).
The enterprise of the King’s rescue being thus prosperously concluded, it lay on Colonel Sapt to secure secrecy as to the King ever having been in need of rescue. Antoinette de Mauban and Johann the keeper (who, indeed, was too much hurt to be wagging his tongue just now) were sworn to reveal nothing; and Fritz went forth to find – not the King, but the unnamed friend of the King, who had lain in Zenda and flashed for a moment before the dazed eyes of Duke Michael’s servants on the drawbridge. The metamorphosis had happened; and the King, wounded almost to death by the attacks of the gaolers who guarded his friend, had at last overcome them, and rested now, wounded but alive, in Black Michael’s own room in the Castle.
