| Did you hear what he said when we talked about ghosts?" | Помните вы, что он сказал, когда мы говорили о привидениях? |
| "Sheer nonsense!" Sir James remarks. | - Чистый вздор! - заметил сэр Джемс. |
| "Sheer delusion would be the more correct form of expression," the doctor rejoins. | - Чистая галлюцинация будет более правильное выражение, - возразил доктор. |
| "And other delusions may grow out of it at any moment." | - И другие галлюцинации могут появиться каждую минуту. |
| "What is to be done?" persists Sir James. | - Что же делать? - настаивал сэр Джемс. |
| "I may really say for myself, doctor, that I feel a fatherly interest in the poor fellow. | - По правде могу сказать, доктор, что интересуюсь этим бедным молодым человеком как отец. |
| His mother was one of my oldest and dearest friends, and he has inherited many of her engaging and endearing qualities. | Его мать была одним из самых старых и дорогих моих друзей, а он наследовал многие из ее привлекательных и милых качеств. |
| I hope you don't think the case is bad enough to be a case for restraint?" | Надеюсь, вы не находите болезнь его настолько опасной, чтобы она требовала присмотра? |
| "Certainly not-as yet," answers the doctor. | - Конечно, нет пока, - ответил доктор. |
| "So far there is no positive brain disease; and there is accordingly no sort of reason for placing him under restraint. | - Болезни мозга еще нет, следовательно, нет и причины содержать его под присмотром. |
| It is essentially a difficult and a doubtful case. | Это случай сомнительный и трудный. |
| Have him privately looked after by a competent person, and thwart him in nothing, if you can possibly help it. | Пусть надежный человек наблюдает за ним тайком и не перечит ему ни в чем, насколько возможно. |
| The merest trifle may excite his suspicions; and if that happens, we lose all control over him." | Малейшая безделица может возбудить его подозрение, а если это случится, мы потеряем над ним всякую власть. |
| "You don't think he suspects us already, do you, doctor?" | - Вы не думаете, что он уже подозревает нас, доктор? |
| "I hope not. | - Надеюсь, что нет. |
| I saw him once or twice look at me very strangely; and he has certainly been a long time out of the room." | Я видел, что он раза два взглянул на меня довольно странно - и вот уже давно вышел из комнаты. |
| Hearing this, I wait to hear no more. | Услышав это, я не стал ждать больше. |
| I return to the sitting-room (by way of the corridor) and resume my place at the table. | Я вернулся в гостиную (через коридор) и занял свое место за столом. |
| The indignation that I feel-naturally enough, I think, under the circumstances-makes a good actor of me for once in my life. | Негодование, которое я чувствовал, мне кажется, довольно естественно при подобных обстоятельствах, сделало из меня первый раз в жизни хорошего актера. |
I invent the necessary excuse for my long absence, and take my part in the conversation, keeping the strictest guard on every word that escapes me, without betraying any appearance of restraint in my manner. Early in the evening the doctor leaves us to go to a scientific meeting. For half an hour or more Sir James remains with me. By way (as I suppose) of farther testing the state of my mind, he renews the invitation to his house in Scotland. I pretend to feel flattered by his anxiety to secure me as his guest. I undertake to reconsider my first refusal, and to give him a definite answer when we meet the next morning at breakfast. Sir James is delighted. We shake hands cordially, and wish each other good-night. At last I am left alone. My resolution as to my next course of proceeding is formed without a moment's hesitation. I determine to leave the hotel privately the next morning before Sir James is out of his bedroom. To what destination I am to betake myself is naturally the next question that arises, and this also I easily decide. During the last days of my mother's life we spoke together frequently of the happy past days when we were living together on the banks of the Greenwater lake. The longing thus inspired to look once more at the old scenes, to live for a while again among the old associations, has grown on me since my mother's death. I have, happily for myself, not spoken of this feeling to Sir James or to any other person. When I am missed at the hotel, there will be no suspicion of the direction in which I have turned my steps. To the old home in Suffolk I resolve to go the next morning. Wandering among the scenes of my boyhood, I can consider with myself how I may best bear the burden of the life that lies before me. After what I have heard that evening, I confide in nobody. For all I know to the contrary, my own servant may be employed to-morrow as the spy who watches my actions. When the man makes his appearance to take his orders for the night, I tell him to wake me at six the next morning, and release him from further attendance. I next employ myself in writing two letters. They will be left on the table, to speak for themselves after my departure. In the first letter I briefly inform Sir James that I have discovered his true reason for inviting the doctor to dinner. While I thank him for the interest he takes in my welfare, I decline to be made the object of any further medical inquiries as to the state of my mind. In due course of time, when my plans are settled, he will hear from me again. Meanwhile, he need feel no anxiety about my safety. It is one among my other delusions to believe that I am still perfectly capable of taking care of myself. My second letter is addressed to the landlord of the hotel, and simply provides for the disposal of my luggage and the payment of my bill. I enter my bedroom next, and pack a traveling-bag with the few
Я придумал необходимый предлог для своего продолжительного отступления и принял участие в разговоре, строго наблюдая за каждым своим словом, но не обнаруживая никакой сдержанности.
| things that I can carry with me. My money is in my dressing-case. Opening it, I discover my pretty keepsake-the green flag! Can I return to |