Oscar Wilde - The Canterville Ghost

old-fashioned [`əυld`fæ∫ənd] falter [`fo:ltə] tightly[`taitli]

He rose from his seat with a faint cry of joy, and taking her hand bent over it with old-fashioned grace and kissed it. His fingers were as cold as ice, and his lips burned like fire, but Virginia did not falter, as he led her across the dusky room. On the faded green tapestry were broidered little huntsmen. They blew their tasselled horns and with their tiny hands waved to her to go back. "Go back! little Virginia," they cried, "go back!" but the ghost clutched her hand more tightly, and she shut her eyes against them.

Horrible animals with lizard tails and goggle eyes (ужасные животные с хвостами ящериц и выпученными глазами) blinked at her from the carven chimneypiece (смотрели на нее с резной каминной полки), and murmured (и шептали), "Beware (берегись)! little Virginia, beware! we may never see you again (мы можем никогда не увидеть тебя снова)," but the Ghost glided on more swiftly (но призрак двигался все быстрее; to glide — скользить; двигаться плавно), and Virginia did not listen (и Вирджиния не слушала). When they reached the end of the room he stopped (когда они достигли конца комнаты, он остановился), and muttered some words (и пробормотал несколько слов) she could not understand (которые она не смогла понять).

lizard [`lizəd] animal [`æniməl] eyes [aiz]

Horrible animals with lizard tails and goggle eyes blinked at her from the carven chimneypiece, and murmured, "Beware! little Virginia, beware! we may never see you again," but the Ghost glided on more swiftly, and Virginia did not listen. When they reached the end of the room he stopped, and muttered some words she could not understand.

She opened her eyes (она открыла глаза), and saw the wall slowly fading away like a mist (и увидела, как стена растворяется медленно, как туман; to fade — вянуть, увядать; постепенно исчезать, расплываться, растворяться), and a great black cavern in front of her (и большую темную пещеру перед ней = перед собой). A bitter cold wind swept round them (резкий холодный ветер дул вокруг них; to sweep — мести), and she felt something pulling at her dress (и она чувствовала, как что-то тянет ее за подол платья). "Quick, quick (быстрее, быстрее)," cried the Ghost (кричал призрак), "or it will be too late (или будет слишком поздно)," and in a moment the wainscoting had closed behind them (и через секунду панель закрылась за ними), and the Tapestry Chamber was empty (и Гобеленовая комната оказалась пустой).

cavern [`kævən] tapestry [`teipistri] chamber [`t∫eimbə]

She opened her eyes, and saw the wall slowly fading away like a mist, and a great black cavern in front of her. A bitter cold wind swept round them, and she felt something pulling at her dress. "Quick, quick," cried the Ghost, "or it will be too late," and in a moment the wainscoting had closed behind them, and the Tapestry Chamber was empty.

VI

About ten minutes later (примерно через десять минут) the bell rang for tea (прозвенел колокольчик к чаю; to ring), and, as Virginia did not come down (и, так как Вирджиния не спустилась вниз), Mrs. Otis sent up one of the footmen to tell her (миссис Отис послала одного из лакеев наверх за ней: «сказать ей»). After a little time he returned (через некоторое время он вернулся) and said that he could not find Miss Virginia anywhere (и сказал, что он нигде не смог найти мисс Вирджинию). As she was in the habit of going out to the garden every evening (так как у нее была привычка выходить в сад каждый вечер; to be in the habit — иметь привычку) to get flowers for the dinner-table (чтобы собрать цветы для обеденного стола), Mrs. Otis was not at all alarmed at first (сначала не была встревожена), but when six o'clock struck (но когда часы пробили шесть часов), and Virginia did not appear (а Вирджиния не возвратилась), she became really agitated (она действительно разволновалась), and sent the boys out to look for her (и послала мальчиков разыскать ее), while she herself and Mr. Otis searched every room in the house (в то время как она сама и мистер Отис обыскали каждую комнату в доме).

footmen [`fυtmən] agitated [`ædζiteitid] searched [sə:t∫t]

About ten minutes later, the bell rang for tea, and, as Virginia did not come down, Mrs. Otis sent up one of the footmen to tell her. After a little time he returned and said that he could not find Miss Virginia anywhere. As she was in the habit of going out to the garden every evening to get flowers for the dinner-table, Mrs. Otis was not at all alarmed at first, but when six o'clock struck, and Virginia did not appear, she became really agitated, and sent the boys out to look for her, while she herself and Mr. Otis searched every room in the house.

At half-past six the boys came back (в половине седьмого мальчики вернулись) and said that they could find no trace of their sister anywhere (что они нигде не смогли найти ни единого следа сестры). They were all now in the greatest state of excitement (все они находились в состоянии исключительного волнения), and did not know what to do (и не знали, что делать), when Mr. Otis suddenly remembered (когда мистер Отис внезапно вспомнил), that some few days before (что несколько дней назад), he had given a band of gypsies permission to camp in the park (он разрешил цыганскому табору разбить лагерь в парке; to give permission — разрешить, дать разрешение). He accordingly at once set off for Blacknell Hollow (он, соответственно, тут же отправился в лощину Блэкнелл), where he knew they were (где, как ему было известно, они должны были находиться: «где, /как/ он знал, они находились»), accompanied by his eldest son and two of the farm-servants (в сопровождении своего старшего сына и двух слуг с фермы).

excitement [ik`satment] gypsies [`dζipsiz] permission [pə`mi∫n]

At half-past six the boys came back and said that they could find no trace of their sister. They were all now in the greatest state of excitement, and did not know what to do, when Mr. Otis suddenly remembered, that some days before he had given a band of gypsies permission to camp in the park. He accordingly at once set off for Blacknell Hollow, where he knew they were, accompanied by his eldest son and two of the farm-servants.

The little Duke of Cheshire (молодой герцог Чеширский), who was perfectly frantic with anxiety (который был абсолютно вне себя от беспокойства; frantic — безумный, неистовый, яростный), begged hard to be allowed to go too (умолял, чтобы ему тоже разрешили поехать), but Mr. Otis would not allow him (но мистер Отис не позволил ему), as he was afraid there might be a scuffle (так как он боялся, что там могла быть потасовка). On arriving at the spot, however (однако, прибыв на место), he found that the gypsies had gone (он обнаружил, что цыгане ушли), and it was evident that their departure had been rather sudden (и было очевидно, что их уход был довольно внезапным), as the fire was still burning (так как костер все еще горел), and some plates were lying on the grass (и на траве лежало несколько тарелок).

anxiety [æŋ`zαiəti] allow [ə`lαυ] departure [di`pα:t∫ə]

The little Duke of Cheshire, who was perfectly frantic with anxiety, begged hard to be allowed to go too, but Mr. Otis would not allow him, as he was afraid there might be a scuffle. On arriving at a sport, however, he found that the gypsies had gone, and it was evident that their departure had been rather sudden, as the fire was still burning, and some plates were lying on the grass.

Having sent off Washington and the two men to scour the district (отправив Вашингтона и двух мужчин осмотреть местность; to scour — чистить, отчищать; оттирать, отдраивать; отскабливать; рыскать, бегать /в поисках чего-л., кого-л./), he ran home (он побежал домой), and despatched telegrams to all the police inspectors in the county (и отправил телеграммы всем полицейским инспекторам графства), telling them to look out for a little girl (приказав им искать маленькую девочку), who had been kidnapped by tramps or gypsies (которая была похищена бродягами или цыганами). He then ordered his horse to be brought round (он затем приказал привести его лошадь), and, after insisting on his wife and the three boys sitting down to dinner (и, настояв на том, чтобы его жена и три мальчика сели обедать), rode off down the Ascot road with a groom (поскакал вниз по дороге на Эскот с конюхом; to ride off).

scour [skαυə] groom [grυm] dispatch [dis`pæt∫]

Having sent off Washington and the two men to scour the district, he ran home, and despatched telegrams to all the police inspectors in the county, telling them to look out for a little girl who had been kidnapped by tramps or gypsies. He than ordered his horse to be brought round, and, after insisting on his wife and the three boys sitting down to dinner, rode off down the Ascot road with a groom.

He had hardly, however, gone a couple of miles (однако, не успел он проскакать и пары миль), when he heard somebody galloping after him (когда он услышал, /что/ кто-то скачет галопом вслед за ним), and, looking round (и, оглянувшись назад), saw the little Duke (увидел молодого герцога), coming up on his pony (подъезжающего к нему на своем пони) with his face very flushed (с сильно раскрасневшимся лицом), and no hat (и без шляпы). "I'm awfully sorry, Mr. Otis (я очень сожалею)," gasped out the boy (произнес юноша, задыхаясь), "but I can't eat any dinner as long as Virginia is lost (но я не могу обедать, пока не найдется Вирджиния). Please don't be angry with me (пожалуйста, не сердитесь на меня); if you had let us be engaged last year (если бы вы разрешили нам помолвку в прошлом году; to be engaged — быть помолвленным), there would never have been all this trouble (этой беды не случилось бы). You won't send me back, will you (вы не отошлете меня назад, не правда ли)? I can't go! I won't go! (я не могу уехать! я не уеду!)"