Oscar Wilde - The Canterville Ghost

excited [ik`saitid] colour [`kλlə] purple [pə:pl]

For the rest of the week, however, they were undisturbed, the only thing that excited any attention being the continual renewal of the blood-stain on the library floor. This certainly was very strange, as the door was always locked at night by Mr. Otis, and the windows kept closely barred. The chameleon-like colour, also, of the stain excited a good deal of comment. Some mornings it was a dull (almost Indian) red, then it would be vermilion, then a rich purple, and once when they came down for family prayers, according to the simple rites of the Free American Reformed Episcopalian Church, they found it a bright emerald-green. These kaleidoscopic changes naturally amused the party very much, and bets on the subject were freely made every evening. The only person who did not enter into the joke was little Virginia, who, for some unexplained reason, was always a good deal distressed at the sight of the blood-stain, and very nearly cried the morning it was emerald-green.

The second appearance of the ghost was on Sunday night (следующее появление привидения /пришлось/ на воскресную ночь). Shortly after they had gone to bed (вскоре после того, когда они пошли спать), they were suddenly alarmed by a fearful crash in the hall (они были внезапно разбужены страшным треском в холле; to alarm — поднять тревогу; встревожить. взволновать). Rushing down-stairs (сбежав вниз по лестнице; to rush — бросаться, мчаться, нестись, устремляться), they found that a large suit of old armour had become detached from its stand (они обнаружили, что тяжелые старинные доспехи отделились от своего постамента), and had fallen on the stone floor (и упали на каменный пол), while seated in a high-backed chair was the Canterville ghost (в то время как в кресле с высокой спинкой восседало Кентервильское привидение), rubbing his knees with an expression of acute agony on his face (потирая свои колени с выражением крайней муки на своем лице).

appearance [ə`piərəns] armour [`α:mə] agony [`ægəni]

The second appearance of the ghost was on Sunday night. Shortly after they had gone to bed they were suddenly alarmed by a fearful crash in the hall. Rushing down-stairs, they found that a large suit of old armour had become detached from its stand, and had fallen on the stone floor, while seated in a high-backed chair was the Canterville ghost, rubbing his knees with an expression of acute agony on his face.

The twins, having brought their pea-shooters with them (близнецы, /которые/ принесли с собой свои трубочки для стрельбы горохом), at once discharged two pellets on him (тут же оба выстрелили в него; pellet — дробинка /из хлеба, бумаги и т.д./), with that accuracy of aim (с таким метким попаданием в цель; accuracy — правильность, соответствие, точность; aim — цель) which can only be attained by long and careful practice on a writing-master (которое могло быть достигнуто лишь в результате долгой и тщательной практики на учителе чистописания), while the United States Minister covered him with his revolver (в то время как посол Соединенных штатов направил на него свой револьвер), and called upon him (и обратился к нему), in accordance with Californian etiquette (в соответствии с калифорнийским этикетом {Californian etiquette — имеются в виду культ грубой силы и жестокие нравы, характерные для золотоискателей Калифорнии}), to hold up his hands (чтобы тот поднял руки вверх)! The ghost started up with a wild shriek of rage (привидение подскочило с диким пронзительным криком ярости), and swept through them like a mist (и пронеслось сквозь них как дымка тумана; to sweep — мести; нестись, мчаться, проноситься), extinguishing Washington Otis's candle as he passed (затушив на своем пути: «когда он проходил мимо» свечу Вашингтона Отиса; to pass — проходить /мимо/), and so leaving them all in total darkness (и оставив их, таким образом, в полной темноте).

discharge [dis`t∫α:dζ] careful [`kεəfυl] shriek [∫ri:k]

The twins, having brought their pea-shooters with them, at once discharged two pellets on him, with that accuracy of aim which can only be attained by long and careful practice on a writing-master, while the United States Minister covered him with his revolver, and called upon him, in accordance with Californian etiquette, to hold up his hands! The ghost started up with a wild shriek of rage, and swept through them like a mist, extinguishing Washington Otis‘s candle as he passed, and so leaving them all in total darkness.

On reaching the top of the staircase (поднявшись вверх по лестнице: «достигнув верха лестницы»; to reach — достигать, доходить) he recovered himself (он пришел в себя) and determined to give his celebrated peal of demoniac laughter (и решил разразиться своим знаменитым демоническим смехом; peal — звон колоколов; трезвон; взрыв /смеха/). This he had on more than one occasion found extremely useful (это /средство/ он не один раз находил исключительно полезным; to find). It was said to have turned Lord Raker's wig grey in a single night (говорили,что это заставило парик лорда Рейкера поседеть за одну ночь; to turn — поворачивать; менять состояние, превращать), and had certainly made three of Lady Canterville's French governesses give warning (и совершенно точно вынудило трех французских гувернанток леди Кентервиль подать предупреждение /об уходе/; to warn — предупреждать) before their month was up (прежде, чем закончился их месяц = месяц их службы).

staircase [`stεəkeis] determined [di`tə:mind] demoniac [di`məυniæk]

On reaching the top of the staircase he recovered himself, and determined to give his celebrated peal of demoniac laughter. This he had on more than one occasion found extremely useful. It was said to have turned Lord Raker's wig grey in a single night, and had certainly made three of Lady Canterville's French governesses give warning before their month was up.

He accordingly laughed his most horrible laugh (соответственно, он разразился самым ужасным смехом, на который был способен), till the old vaulted roof rang and rang again (и смеялся до тех пор, пока старая куполообразная крыша не зазвенела; to ring), but hardly had the fearful echo died away (но не успело ужасающее эхо затихнуть; hardly — едва) when a door opened (как отворилась дверь), and Mrs. Otis came out in a light blue dressing-gown (и вышла миссис Отис в голубом халате). "I am afraid you are far from well (я боюсь, что вам совсем нехорошо: «вы далеки от хорошего /состояния/»)," she said, "and have brought you a bottle of Doctor Dobell's tincture (и я принесла вам бутылочку микстуры доктора Добелла). If it is indigestion, you will find it a most excellent remedy (и если это несварение, вы увидите, что это очень прекрасное средство)."

echo [`ekəυ] indigestion ["indi`dζest∫n] remedy [`remidi]

He accordingly laughed his most horrible laugh, till the old vaulted roof rang and rang again, but hardly had the fearful echo died away when a door opened, and Mrs. Otis came out in a light blue dressing-gown. "I am afraid you are far from well," she said, "and have brought you a bottle of Doctor Dobell's tincture. If it is indigestion, you will find it a most excellent remedy."

The ghost glared at her in fury (привидение глянуло на нее в ярости), and began at once to make preparations for turning himself into a large black dog (и сразу же начало готовиться к перевоплощению в большую черную собаку), an accomplishment for which he was justly renowned (достижение, благодаря которому оно было справедливо знаменито), and to which the family doctor always attributed the permanent idiocy of Lord Canterville's uncle, the Hon. Thomas Horton (и которому семейный доктор всегда приписывал постоянное слабоумие дяди лорда Кентервиля, почтенного Томаса Гортона). The sound of approaching footsteps, however, made him hesitate in his fell purpose (однако звук приближающихся шагов заставил его поколебаться в своем жестоком намерении; fell — поэт. жестокий, свирепый, беспощадный), so he contented himself with becoming faintly phosphorescent (так что он удовлетворился тем, что стал слабо фосфоресцировать: «удовлетворился становлением слабо фосфоресцирующим») and vanished with a deep churchyard groan (и исчез с глухим кладбищенским стоном; churchyard — кладбище: «церковный двор»), just as the twins had come up to him (как раз когда близнецы подошли к нему).

glare [glεə] fury [`fjυəri] accomplishment [ə`kompli∫mənt]

The ghost glared at her in fury, and began at once to make preparations for turning himself into a large black dog, an accomplishment for which he was justly renowned, and to which the family doctor always attributed the permanent idiocy of Lord Canterville's uncle, the Hon. Thomas Horton. The sound of approaching footsteps, however, made him hesitate in his fell purpose, so he contented himself with becoming faintly phosphorescent, and vanished with a deep churchyard groan, just as the twins had come up to him.

On reaching his room (дойдя до своей комнаты) he entirely broke down (он почувствовал себя полностью разбитым; to break down — сломаться, выйти из строя; не выдержать, потерять самообладание), and became a prey to the most violent agitation (и стал жертвой исключительно тяжелого волнения). The vulgarity of the twins (вульгарность близнецов), and the gross materialism of Mrs. Otis (и грубый материализм миссис Отис), were naturally extremely annoying (были, естественно, исключительно раздражающими; to annoy — досаждать; раздражать), but what really distressed him most (но что на самом деле расстроило его больше всего) was that he had been unable to wear the suit of mail (было то, что он не был способен носить доспехи). He had hoped (он надеялся) that even modern Americans would be thrilled (что даже современные американцы будут поражены) by the sight of a Spectre in armour (видом привидения в рыцарских доспехах), if for no more sensible reason (если не по более разумной причине), at least out of respect for their natural poet Longfellow (то, по крайней мере, из-за уважения к их национальному поэту Лонгфелло {Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth (1807 — 1882)— американский поэт; в тексте содержится намек на балладу Лонгфелло “The Skeleton in Armor” из сборника “The Ballads and Other Poems” (1842)}), over whose graceful and attractive poetry (над чьими изящными и привлекательными стихами) he himself had whiled away many a weary hour (он провел много скучающих = праздных часов; weary — усталый, изнуренный, утомленный; утомительный, скучный) when the Cantervilles were up in town (когда Кентервили находились в городе).