“He is the King!” she cried. “It is the King’s face – the King’s ring – my ring! It is my love!”
“Your love, madame,” said old Sapt, “but not the King. The King is there in the Castle. This gentleman – ”
“Look at me, Rudolf! look at me!” she cried, taking my face between her hands. “Why do you let them torment me? Tell me what it means!”
Then I spoke, gazing into her eyes.
“God forgive me, madame!” I said. “I am not the King!”
I felt her hands clutch my cheeks. She gazed at me as never man’s face was scanned yet. And I, silent again, saw wonder born, and doubt grow, and terror spring to life as she looked. And very gradually the grasp of her hands slackened; she turned to Sapt, to Fritz, and back to me: then suddenly she reeled forward and fell in my arms; and with a great cry of pain I gathered her to me and kissed her lips. Sapt laid his hand on my arm. I looked up in his face. And I laid her softly on the ground, and stood up, looking on her, cursing heaven that young Rupert’s sword had spared me for this sharper pang.
Chapter 21
If Love Were All
(Если бы существовала только любовь: «если бы любовь была всем»)!
It was night, and I was in the cell wherein the King had lain in the Castle of Zenda (был вечер, и я находился в темнице замка Зенда, где до этого держали короля; to lie). The great pipe that Rupert of Hentzau had nicknamed “Jacob’s Ladder” was gone (огромную трубу, которую Руперт Хенцо прозвал «лестницей Иакова», убрали), and the lights in the room across the moat twinkled in the darkness (и огни в комнате по ту сторону рва мерцали в темноте). All was still; the din and clash of strife were gone (все было тихо; больше не слышно было грохота и лязга боя; strife – борьба; столкновение; to go /зд./ – проходить, исчезать). I had spent the day hidden in the forest (я провел день, прячась в лесу), from the time when Fritz had led me off, leaving Sapt with the princess (с того момента, когда Фриц увел меня, оставив Сэпта с принцессой). Under cover of dusk, muffled up, I had been brought to the Castle (под покровом темноты закутанного /с ног до головы/ меня привели в замок) and lodged where I now lay (и разместили там, где я теперь находился). Though three men had died there – two of them by my hand (хоть там и умерли три человека – двое из них от моей руки) – I was not troubled by ghosts (привидения меня не беспокоили). I had thrown myself on a pallet by the window (я бросился на соломенный тюфяк у окна; to throw), and was looking out on the black water (и смотрел на темную воду); Johann, the keeper, still pale from his wound (лесничий Иоганн, все еще бледный от /полученной/ раны), but not much hurt besides, had brought me supper (но в остальном: «кроме того» не сильно пострадавший, принес мне ужин). He told me that the King was doing well, that he had seen the princess (он рассказал мне, что король чувствует себя хорошо, что он уже виделся с принцессой); that she and he, Sapt and Fritz, had been long together (что она, он, Сэпт и Фриц долго находились = что-то обсуждали вместе). Marshal Strakencz was gone to Strelsau (маршал Штракенц уехал в Стрелсо); Black Michael lay in his coffin, and Antoinette de Mauban watched by him (Черный Михаэль лежит в гробу, а Антуанетта де Мобан дежурит возле него; to watch – наблюдать, следить; караулить, сторожить, охранять); had I not heard, from the chapel, priests singing mass for him (не слышал ли я, как священники отпевали его в часовне)?
It was night, and I was in the cell wherein the King had lain in the Castle of Zenda. The great pipe that Rupert of Hentzau had nicknamed “Jacob’s Ladder” was gone, and the lights in the room across the moat twinkled in the darkness. All was still; the din and clash of strife were gone. I had spent the day hidden in the forest, from the time when Fritz had led me off, leaving Sapt with the princess. Under cover of dusk, muffled up, I had been brought to the Castle and lodged where I now lay. Though three men had died there – two of them by my hand – I was not troubled by ghosts. I had thrown myself on a pallet by the window, and was looking out on the black water; Johann, the keeper, still pale from his wound, but not much hurt besides, had brought me supper. He told me that the King was doing well, that he had seen the princess; that she and he, Sapt and Fritz, had been long together. Marshal Strakencz was gone to Strelsau; Black Michael lay in his coffin, and Antoinette de Mauban watched by him; had I not heard, from the chapel, priests singing mass for him?
Outside there were strange rumours afloat (за стенами замка ходили удивительные слухи; outside – наружная часть; внешний мир; afloat – на воде, на плаву; в /полном/ разгаре). Some said that the prisoner of Zenda was dead (кое-кто говорил, что узник /замка/ Зенды мертв); some, that he had vanished yet alive (кто-то – что он исчез, но все еще жив); some, that he was a friend who had served the King well in some adventure in England (одни – будто он был другом короля и здорово ему помог во время какого-то приключения в Англии; to serve – служить; оказывать помощь); others, that he had discovered the Duke’s plots (другие – будто он раскрыл планы герцога; to discover – открывать, делать открытие; раскрывать; plot – заговор, интрига), and had therefore been kidnapped by him (поэтому тот его и похитил). One or two shrewd fellows shook their heads (некоторые проницательные люди качали головами; to shake) and said only that they would say nothing (и говорили лишь то, что они ничего не хотят сказать), but they had suspicions that more was to be known than was known (но у них есть подозрения, что многое бы прояснилось: «что больше было бы известно, чем было известно»), if Colonel Sapt would tell all he knew (если бы полковник Сэпт рассказал все, что знает).
Thus Johann chattered till I sent him away (Иоганн болтал до тех пор, пока я не отослал его) and lay there alone, thinking, not of the future, but (и /не остался/ лежать там в одиночестве, размышляя, но не о будущем) – as a man is wont to do when stirring things have happened to him (что человек обычно делает, когда с ним происходит нечто волнующее) – rehearsing the events of the past weeks (а воссоздавая /в памяти/ события минувших недель; to rehearse – репетировать; повторять), and wondering how strangely they had fallen out (и удивляясь, как странно все обернулось: «как странно они случились»; to fall out – выпадать; случаться). And above me, in the stillness of the night (и над собой в ночном безмолвии), I heard the standards flapping against their poles (я слышал, как хлопали штандарты на своих мачтах; pole – столб, шест), for Black Michael’s banner hung there half-mast high (поскольку знамя Черного Михаэля висело наполовину приспущенным; mast – мачта), and above it the royal flag of Ruritania, floating for one night more over my head (а над ним реял королевский флаг Руритании в последний раз: «еще на одну ночь» над моей головой; to float – плавать, держаться на поверхности; плыть /по течению, по воздуху/). Habit grows so quick, that only by an effort (привычка возникает так быстро, что лишь с усилием; to grow – расти, увеличиваться; вырастать, возникать) did I recollect that it floated no longer for me (я вспомнил, что он развевается больше не для меня).
Outside there were strange rumours afloat. Some said that the prisoner of Zenda was dead; some, that he had vanished yet alive; some, that he was a friend who had served the King well in some adventure in England; others, that he had discovered the Duke’s plots, and had therefore been kidnapped by him. One or two shrewd fellows shook their heads and said only that they would say nothing, but they had suspicions that more was to be known than was known, if Colonel Sapt would tell all he knew.
Thus Johann chattered till I sent him away and lay there alone, thinking, not of the future, but – as a man is wont to do when stirring things have happened to him – rehearsing the events of the past weeks, and wondering how strangely they had fallen out. And above me, in the stillness of the night, I heard the standards flapping against their poles, for Black Michael’s banner hung there half-mast high, and above it the royal flag of Ruritania, floating for one night more over my head. Habit grows so quick, that only by an effort did I recollect that it floated no longer for me.
Presently Fritz von Tarlenheim came into the room (вскоре в комнату вошел Фриц фон Тарленхайм). I was standing then by the window (я тогда стоял возле окна); the glass was opened, and I was idly fingering the cement (окно: «стекло» было открыто, и я лениво ковырял пальцем цемент; finger – палец /руки/; to finger – трогать, перебирать пальцами) which clung to the masonry where “Jacob’s Ladder” had been (оставшийся на: «который прилип к» каменной кладке, где раньше была «лестница Иакова»; to cling). He told me briefly that the King wanted me (он коротко сообщил мне, что король желает меня /видеть/), and together we crossed the drawbridge (и вместе мы перешли через мост) and entered the room that had been Black Michael’s (и вошли в комнату, ранее принадлежавшую Черному Михаэлю).
The King was lying there in bed (король там лежал на кровати); our doctor from Tarlenheim was in attendance on him (при нем находился наш доктор из Тарленхайма; to be in attendance – сопровождать; присутствовать; to attend – уделять внимание; ходить, ухаживать /за больным/), and whispered to me that my visit must be brief (/который/ шепотом сказал мне, что мой визит должен быть краток). The King held out his hand and shook mine (король протянул руку и пожал мою; to shake – трясти/сь/, встряхивать; to shake hands – пожимать руки, обмениваться рукопожатием). Fritz and the doctor withdrew to the window (Фриц с доктором удалились к окну; to withdraw).
I took the King’s ring from my finger and placed it on his (я снял со своего пальца королевский перстень и надел ему).
“I have tried not to dishonour it, sire (я старался не опозорить его, сир),” said I.
“I can’t talk much to you,” he said, in a weak voice (я не могу долго говорить с вами, – сказал он слабым голосом). “I have had a great fight with Sapt and the Marshal (я долго спорил с Сэптом и маршалом; great – большой, громадный; долгий, продолжительный; fight – бой; спор) – for we have told the Marshal everything (поскольку нам пришлось рассказать маршалу все). I wanted to take you to Strelsau and keep you with me (я хотел взять вас с собою в Стрелсо и оставить при себе), and tell everyone of what you had done (и рассказать всем, что вы сделали /для меня/); and you would have been my best and nearest friend, Cousin Rudolf (вы были бы мне самым лучшим и ближайшим другом, кузен Рудольф). But they tell me I must not (но они уверяют, что я не должен этого делать), and that the secret must be kept – if kept it can be (и что эту тайну нужно сохранить – если ее возможно сохранить).”
Presently Fritz von Tarlenheim came into the room. I was standing then by the window; the glass was opened, and I was idly fingering the cement which clung to the masonry where “Jacob’s Ladder” had been. He told me briefly that the King wanted me, and together we crossed the drawbridge and entered the room that had been Black Michael’s.
The King was lying there in bed; our doctor from Tarlenheim was in attendance on him, and whispered to me that my visit must be brief. The King held out his hand and shook mine. Fritz and the doctor withdrew to the window.
I took the King’s ring from my finger and placed it on his.
