= наглец, резко пнул его; respect – уважение; respectful – почтительный, вежливый). He did not stir, nor was there any break in his breathing (он не шевельнулся, и не было никакого сбоя в его дыхании). I saw that his face and head were wet with water, as were mine (я заметил, что его лицо и голова были /такими же/ мокрыми от воды, как и мои).
Whether I had slept a minute or a year I knew not. I awoke with a start and a shiver; my face, hair and clothes dripped water, and opposite me stood old Sapt, a sneering smile on his face and an empty bucket in his hand. On the table by him sat Fritz von Tarlenheim, pale as a ghost and black as a crow under the eyes.
I leapt to my feet in anger.
“Your joke goes too far, sir!” I cried.
“Tut, man, we’ve no time for quarrelling. Nothing else would rouse you. It’s five o’clock.”
“I’ll thank you, Colonel Sapt – ” I began again, hot in spirit, though I was uncommonly cold in body.
“Rassendyll,” interrupted Fritz, getting down from the table and taking my arm, “look here.”
The King lay full length on the floor. His face was red as his hair, and he breathed heavily. Sapt, the disrespectful old dog, kicked him sharply. He did not stir, nor was there any break in his breathing. I saw that his face and head were wet with water, as were mine.
“We’ve spent half an hour on him (мы полчаса провозились с ним: «потратили на него»; to spend),” said Fritz.
“He drank three times what either of you did,” growled Sapt (он выпил в три раза больше каждого из вас, – проворчал Сэпт).
I knelt down and felt his pulse (я опустился на колени и пощупал его пульс; to kneel). It was alarmingly languid and slow (он был угрожающе слабым и медленным; alarm – боевая тревога, сигнал тревоги; страх). We three looked at one another (мы втроем посмотрели друг на друга).
“Was it drugged – that last bottle?” I asked in a whisper (там был яд, в той последней бутылке? – спросил я шепотом; to drug – подмешивать наркотики или яд; drug – лекарство; снадобье; наркотик).
“I don’t know,” said Sapt (я не знаю, – сказал Сэпт).
“We must get a doctor (мы должны позвать врача; to get – получать, добывать; приносить, приводить).”
“There’s none within ten miles (в десяти милях нет ни одного), and a thousand doctors wouldn’t take him to Strelsau today (да и тысяча врачей не доставят его в Стрелсо сегодня; to take – брать; доставлять /куда-л./). I know the look of it (я знаю эти симптомы; look – взгляд; вид, наружность). He’ll not move for six or seven hours yet (он будет недвижим: «он не будет двигаться» еще часов шесть-семь).”
“But the coronation!” I cried in horror (но коронация! – выкрикнул я в ужасе).
Fritz shrugged his shoulders (Фриц пожал плечами), as I began to see was his habit on most occasions (что, как я начинал понимать, было его привычкой в большинстве случаев).
“We must send word that he’s ill (мы должны сообщить, что он болен; to send word – сообщить, дать знать; to send – посылать; word – слово),” he said.
“I suppose so (я /тоже/ так думаю),” said I.
Old Sapt, who seemed as fresh as a daisy (старина Сэпт, который казался свежим, как маргаритка = как огурчик), had lit his pipe and was puffing hard at it (зажег свою трубку и раскурил ее; to puff at one’s pipe – курить трубку; to puff – дуть порывами; курить).
“We’ve spent half an hour on him,” said Fritz.
“He drank three times what either of you did,” growled Sapt.
I knelt down and felt his pulse. It was alarmingly languid and slow. We three looked at one another.
“Was it drugged – that last bottle?” I asked in a whisper.
“I don’t know,” said Sapt.
“We must get a doctor.”
“There’s none within ten miles, and a thousand doctors wouldn’t take him to Strelsau today. I know the look of it. He’ll not move for six or seven hours yet.”
“But the coronation!” I cried in horror.
Fritz shrugged his shoulders, as I began to see was his habit on most occasions.
“We must send word that he’s ill,” he said.
“I suppose so,” said I.
Old Sapt, who seemed as fresh as a daisy, had lit his pipe and was puffing hard at it.
“If he’s not crowned today (если его не коронуют сегодня),” said he, “I’ll lay a crown he’s never crowned (я поставлю крону, что его не коронуют никогда; to lay – класть, положить; биться об заклад).”
“But heavens, why (но почему, черт возьми; heavens /в значении междометия/ – боже мой! черт возьми!; heaven – небеса)?”
“The whole nation’s there to meet him (весь народ /собрался/ там, чтобы встретить его); half the army – ay, and Black Michael at the head (половина армии – да, и с Черным Михаэлем во главе). Shall we send word that the King’s drunk (нужно ли нам сообщать, что король пьян)?”
“That he’s ill,” said I, in correction (что он болен, – сказал я, поправив /его/).
“Ill!” echoed Sapt, with a scornful laugh (болен! – повторил Сэпт с презрительным смешком). “They know his illnesses too well (они знают его болезнь слишком хорошо). He’s been ‘ill’ before (он был болен и раньше)!”
“Well, we must chance what they think,” said Fritz helplessly (но мы должны рискнуть, что /бы/ они /ни/ подумали). “I’ll carry the news and make the best of it (я сообщу: «разнесу» эту новость и попытаюсь все уладить; to make the best of smth. – использовать что-л. наилучшим образом).”
Sapt raised his hand (Сэпт поднял руку).
“Tell me,” said he. “Do you think the King was drugged (скажите мне, – сказал он, – вы думаете, король был отравлен)?”
“I do,” said I (я думаю, /что так/, – сказал я).
“And who drugged him (а кто отравил его)?”
“That damned hound, Black Michael,” said Fritz between his teeth (этот проклятый мерзавец, Черный Михаэль, – сказал = процедил Фриц сквозь зубы: «между зубов»; hound – охотничья собака; негодяй, собака /бран./).
“If he’s not crowned today,” said he, “I’ll lay a crown he’s never crowned.”
“But heavens, why?”
“The whole nation’s there to meet him; half the army – ay, and Black Michael at the head. Shall we send word that the King’s drunk?”
“That he’s ill,” said I, in correction.
“Ill!” echoed Sapt, with a scornful laugh. “They know his illnesses too well. He’s been ‘ill’ before!”
“Well, we must chance what they think,” said Fritz helplessly. “I’ll carry the news and make the best of it.”
Sapt raised his hand.
“Tell me,” said he. “Do you think the King was drugged?”
“I do,” said I.
“And who drugged him?”
“That damned hound, Black Michael,” said Fritz between his teeth.
“Ay,” said Sapt, “that he might not come to be crowned (да, – сказал Сэпт, – чтобы его не смогли короновать). Rassendyll here doesn’t know our pretty Michael (Рассендил не знает нашего дорогого Михаэля; pretty – милый, прелестный). What think you, Fritz, has Michael no king ready (как ты думаешь, Фриц, у Михаэля нет /человека/, готового /стать/ королем)? Has half Strelsau no other candidate (у половины Стрелсо нет другого претендента)? As God’s alive, man the throne’s lost (клянусь Богом: «как Бог жив», приятель, трон будет потерян) if the King show himself not in Strelsau today (если король не покажется сегодня в Стрелсо). I know Black Michael (я знаю Черного Михаэля).”
“We could carry him there (мы могли бы отвезти его туда),” said I.
“And a very pretty picture he makes (и премиленькое зрелище он будет из себя представлять; to make – делать, производить; представлять /в каком-л. виде/),” sneered Sapt (/презрительно/ усмехнулся Сэпт).
Fritz von Tarlenheim buried his face in his hands (Фриц фон Тарленхайм закрыл лицо руками; to bury – хоронить, погребать; прятать, скрывать). The King breathed loudly and heavily (король громко и тяжело дышал). Sapt stirred him again with his foot (Сэпт снова пошевелил его ногой).
“The drunken dog!” he said (пьяная скотина: «собака»); “but he’s an Elphberg and the son of his father (но он – Эльфберг и сын своего отца), and may I rot in hell before Black Michael sits in his place (и пусть я сгнию в аду, прежде чем = если Черный Михаэль сядет на его место; may /модальный глагол/ – мочь, иметь возможность; в восклицательных предложениях выражает пожелание)!”
For a moment or two we were all silent (несколько минут мы все молчали); then Sapt, knitting his bushy grey brows (потом Сэпт, нахмурив свои кустистые седые брови; to knit – вязать; связывать, соединять; хмурить /брови/; bushy – покрытый кустарником; густой /о волосах на теле человека/), took his pipe from his mouth and said to me (вынул трубку изо рта и сказал мне):
“As a man grows old he believes in Fate (когда человек стареет: «становится старым», он /начинает/ верить в Судьбу). Fate sent you here (Судьба послала вас сюда). Fate sends you now to Strelsau (Судьба теперь посылает вас в Стрелсо).”
“Ay,” said Sapt, “that he might not come to be crowned. Rassendyll here doesn’t know our pretty Michael. What think you, Fritz, has Michael no king ready? Has half Strelsau no other candidate? As God’s alive, man the throne’s lost if the King show himself not in Strelsau today. I know Black Michael.”
“We could carry him there,” said I.
“And a very pretty picture he makes,” sneered Sapt.
Fritz von Tarlenheim buried his face in his hands. The King breathed loudly and heavily. Sapt stirred him again with his foot.
“The drunken dog!” he said; “but he’s an Elphberg and the son of his father, and may I rot in hell before Black Michael sits in his place!”
For a moment or two we were all silent; then Sapt, knitting his bushy grey brows, took his pipe from his mouth and said to me: