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.
“I have tried not to dishonour it, sire,” said I.
“I can’t talk much to you,” he said, in a weak voice. “I have had a great fight with Sapt and the Marshal – for we have told the Marshal everything. I wanted to take you to Strelsau and keep you with me, and tell everyone of what you had done; and you would have been my best and nearest friend, Cousin Rudolf. But they tell me I must not, and that the secret must be kept – if kept it can be.”
“They are right, sire (они правы, сир). Let me go (позвольте мне уехать). My work here is done (моя работа здесь выполнена = моя миссия окончена).”
“Yes, it is done, as no man but you could have done it (да, вы, как никто другой, смогли выполнить ее). When they see me again, I shall have my beard on (когда меня увидят снова, я буду с бородой); I shall – yes, faith, I shall be wasted with sickness (я буду – да, честное слово, я буду слаб от болезни). They will not wonder that the King looks changed in face (никто не удивится, что король выглядит немного изменившимся в лице). Cousin, I shall try to let them find him changed in nothing else (кузен, я буду стараться не дать им заметить перемен ни в чем другом). You have shown me how to play the King (вы показали мне, как /должен/ поступать король; to play – играть; поступать, действовать).”
“Sire,” said I. “I can take no praise from you (сир, – сказал я, – я не могу принять от вас никакой похвалы). It is by the narrowest grace of God (это только по милости Божией; narrow – узкий; едва достаточный; grace – грация, изящество; милость, милосердие) that I was not a worse traitor than your brother (я не стал худшим изменником, нежели ваш брат).”
He turned inquiring eyes on me (он вопросительно взглянул на меня: «повернул на меня вопрошающий взгляд»); but a sick man shrinks from puzzles (но больной человек не любит головоломок; to shrink – садиться /о материи/; избегать, уклоняться), and he had no strength to question me (и у него не было сил расспрашивать меня). His glance fell on Flavia’s ring, which I wore (его взгляд упал на перстень Флавии, который я носил). I thought he would question me about it (я думал, он спросит меня о нем); but, after fingering it idly, he let his head fall on his pillow (но лениво коснувшись его пальцем, он уронил голову на подушку).
“I don’t know when I shall see you again (не знаю, когда снова увижу вас),” he said faintly, almost listlessly (сказал он тихо: «слабо» и почти равнодушно).
“If I can ever serve you again, sire,” I answered (я всегда к вашим услугам: «если я когда-либо смогу послужить вам снова», сир).
“They are right, sire. Let me go. My work here is done.”
“Yes, it is done, as no man but you could have done it. When they see me again, I shall have my beard on; I shall – yes, faith, I shall be wasted with sickness. They will not wonder that the King looks changed in face. Cousin, I shall try to let them find him changed in nothing else. You have shown me how to play the King.”
“Sire,” said I. “I can take no praise from you. It is by the narrowest grace of God that I was not a worse traitor than your brother.”
He turned inquiring eyes on me; but a sick man shrinks from puzzles, and he had no strength to question me. His glance fell on Flavia’s ring, which I wore. I thought he would question me about it; but, after fingering it idly, he let his head fall on his pillow.
“I don’t know when I shall see you again,” he said faintly, almost listlessly.
“If I can ever serve you again, sire,” I answered.
His eyelids closed (его веки опустились: «закрылись»). Fritz came with the doctor (Фриц с доктором подошли). I kissed the King’s hand, and let Fritz lead me away (я поцеловал королю руку и позволил Фрицу вывести меня). I have never seen the King since (с тех пор я с королем больше никогда не виделся).
Outside, Fritz turned, not to the right, back towards the drawbridge (/выйдя/ наружу, Фриц повернул, но не направо, назад к мосту), but to the left, and without speaking led me upstairs (а налево, и, ничего не говоря «без разговоров», повел меня вверх по лестнице), through a handsome corridor in the château (по длинному коридору во дворец; handsome – красивый /о мужчине/; большой, значительный).
“Where are we going (куда мы направляемся)?” I asked.
Looking away from me, Fritz answered (смотря в сторону, Фриц ответил):
“She has sent for you (она послала за вами). When it is over, come back to the bridge (когда закончите, возвращайтесь к мосту). I’ll wait for you there (я буду ждать вас там).”
“What does she want?” said I, breathing quickly (чего она хочет? – спросил я, учащенно дыша).
He shook his head (он покачал: «потряс» головой; to shake).
“Does she know everything (она все знает)?”
“Yes, everything (да, все).”
He opened a door, and gently pushing me in, closed it behind me (он открыл дверь и, слегка подтолкнув меня внутрь, закрыл ее за мной). I found myself in a drawing-room, small and richly furnished (я оказался: «обнаружил себя» в гостиной, маленькой, но богато обставленной; to find). At first I thought that I was alone (сначала мне показалось, что я там один), for the light that came from a pair of shaded candles on the mantelpiece was very dim (потому что свет, идущий от двух свечей под стеклянным колпаком на каминной полке, был очень тусклым; shade – тень; абажур, стеклянный колпак). But presently I discerned a woman’s figure standing by the window (но вскоре я заметил женскую фигуру, стоящую у окна).
His eyelids closed. Fritz came with the doctor. I kissed the King’s hand, and let Fritz lead me away. I have never seen the King since.
Outside, Fritz turned, not to the right, back towards the drawbridge, but to the left, and without speaking led me upstairs, through a handsome corridor in the château.
“Where are we going?” I asked.
Looking away from me, Fritz answered:
“She has sent for you. When it is over, come back to the bridge. I’ll wait for you there.”
“What does she want?” said I, breathing quickly.
He shook his head.
“Does she know everything?”
“Yes, everything.”
He opened a door, and gently pushing me in, closed it behind me. I found myself in a drawing-room, small and richly furnished. At first I thought that I was alone, for the light that came from a pair of shaded candles on the mantelpiece was very dim. But presently I discerned a woman’s figure standing by the window.
I knew it was the princess, and I walked up to her (я понял, /что/ это принцесса, и подошел к ней), fell on one knee, and carried the hand that hung by her side to my lips (опустился на одно колено и поднес ее руку «висевшую сбоку от нее» к своим губам). She neither moved nor spoke (она не пошевелилась и не заговорила). I rose to my feet, and, piercing the gloom with my eager eyes (я поднялся на ноги и, пронизывая /полу/мрак своим напряженным взглядом), saw her pale face and the gleam of her hair (увидел ее бледное лицо и блеск ее волос; gleam – слабый свет), and before I knew, I spoke softly (и, прежде чем понял, /что делаю/, я нежно произнес):
“Flavia!”
She trembled a little, and looked round (она слегка вздрогнула и оглянулась). Then she darted to me, taking hold of me (потом бросилась ко мне и крепко обняла; to take hold of smb./smth. – крепко ухватиться за кого-л./что-л.).
“Don’t stand, don’t stand! No, you mustn’t (не стой, тебе нельзя)! You’re hurt! Sit down – here, here (ты ранен! сядь сюда)!”
She made me sit on a sofa, and put her hand on my forehead (она усадила меня на диван и положила руку мне на лоб).
“How hot your head is,” she said, sinking on her knees by me (какой у тебя горячий лоб: «голова», – сказала она, опускаясь на колени рядом со мной). Then she laid her head against me, and I heard her murmur (потом она прислонилась своей головкой ко мне, и я услышал, как она прошептала; murmur – слабый неясный шум, шорох; шепот): “My darling, how hot your head is (любимый, какой у тебя горячий лоб)!”
Somehow love gives even to a dull man the knowledge of his lover’s heart (каким-то образом любовь дает /возможность/ даже глупому человеку понимать сердце своего возлюбленного). I had come to humble myself and pray pardon for my presumption (я /не раз/ корил сам себя и молил о прощении за свою самонадеянность; to humble – унижать; смирять; presumption – предположение, допущение; самонадеянность); but what I said now was (но теперь я сказал только):
“I love you with all my heart and soul (я люблю тебя всем сердцем и душой)!”
I knew it was the princess, and I walked up to her, fell on one knee, and carried the hand that hung by her side to my lips. She neither moved nor spoke. I rose to my feet, and, piercing the gloom with my eager eyes, saw her pale face and the gleam of her hair, and before I knew, I spoke softly:
“Flavia!”
She trembled a little, and looked round. Then she darted to me, taking hold of me.
“Don’t stand, don’t stand! No, you mustn’t! You’re hurt! Sit down – here, here!”
She made me sit on a sofa, and put her hand on my forehead.
“How hot your head is,” she said, sinking on her knees by me. Then she laid her head against me, and I heard her murmur: “My darling, how hot your head is!”
Somehow love gives even to a dull man the knowledge of his lover’s heart. I had come to humble myself and pray pardon for my presumption; but what I said now was:
“I love you with all my heart and soul!”
For what troubled and shamed her (так что же беспокоило и смущало ее; to shame – стыдить)? Not her love for me, but the fear (не ее любовь ко мне, а страх) that I had counterfeited the lover as I had acted the King (что я притворялся влюбленным /так же/, как я играл роль короля; to counterfeit – подделывать; притворяться, обманывать), and taken her kisses with a smothered smile (и принимал ее поцелуи с /едва/ скрываемой улыбкой; to smother – душить; подавлять, сдерживать).
“With all my life and heart,” said I, as she clung to me (всей душой: «жизнью» и сердцем). “Always, from the first moment I saw you in the Cathedral (всегда, с того момента, когда я впервые увидел тебя в соборе)! There has been but one woman in the world to me (/с тех пор/ для меня в мире существует только одна женщина) – and there will be no other (и другой не будет). But God forgive me the wrong I’ve done you (да простит мне Бог зло, которое я тебе причинил; wrong – неправда, ошибочность, заблуждение; зло, несправедливость, обида)!”
“They made you do it!” she said quickly (тебя заставили сделать это! – быстро сказала она); and she added, raising her head and looking in my eyes (и, вскинув голову и смотря мне в глаза, добавила): “It might have made no difference if I’d known it (если бы я /даже/ знала об этом, /все равно/ это не имело бы значения). It was always you, never the King (это всегда был ты, а не король)!”
“I meant to tell you (я хотел: «намеревался» рассказать тебе),” said I. “I was going to on the night of the ball in Strelsau (я собирался /это сделать/ в ту ночь на балу в Стрелсо), when Sapt interrupted me (когда Сэпт помешал мне: «прервал меня»). After that, I couldn’t – I couldn’t risk losing you before – before – I must (после того я не мог рисковать потерять тебя прежде, – прежде, чем – /буду/ должен)! My darling, for you I nearly left the King to die (любимая, ради тебя я чуть не оставил короля умирать)!”
