Had I escaped the mortal peril which the dream foretold (избежал ли я смертельной опасности, которую предвещал сон; to foretell – предсказывать, предвещать)? or had I only received a second warning (или только получил второе предостережение)? As that doubt crossed my mind I stopped on my way out of the town (когда это сомнение пришло мне в голову: «пересекло мой ум», я остановился на моем пути из города). The air had revived me (воздух привел меня в чувство; to revive – возрождать/ся/; оживать; приходить или приводить в себя, в чувство) – I felt in some degree like my own self again (я в какой-то степени снова ощутил себя самим собой; one’s own self – собственное «я»). After a little thinking, I began to see plainly the mistake I had made (подумав немного, я начал ясно понимать ошибку, которую сделал) in leaving my wife free to go where she liked and to do as she pleased (предоставив жене /свободу/ идти, куда она пожелает, и делать, что ей захочется; free – свободный, независимый; вольный).
The man looked at his watch, and answered, “Two o’clock.” Two in the morning. What day of the month was this day that had just begun? I reckoned it up from the date of my mother’s funeral. The horrid parallel between the dream and the reality was complete – it was my birthday!
Had I escaped the mortal peril which the dream foretold? or had I only received a second warning? As that doubt crossed my mind I stopped on my way out of the town. The air had revived me – I felt in some degree like my own self again. After a little thinking, I began to see plainly the mistake I had made in leaving my wife free to go where she liked and to do as she pleased.
I turned instantly, and made my way back to the house (я тут же повернулся и пошел обратно домой). It was still dark (все еще было темно). I had left the candle burning in the bedchamber (я оставил зажженную свечу в спальне). When I looked up to the window of the room now, there was no light in it (когда я теперь поднял глаза на окно комнаты, в нем не было света). I advanced to the house door (я подошел к двери дома). On going away, I remembered to have closed it (я помнил, что, уходя, закрыл ее); on trying it now, I found it open (попробовав /открыть/ ее теперь, я обнаружил, что она открыта).
I waited outside, never losing sight of the house till daylight (я прождал на улице, не упуская дом из виду, до рассвета; daylight – дневной свет; рассвет). Then I ventured indoors – listened, and heard nothing (затем я отважился /войти/ в дом, прислушался и ничего не услышал; indoors – в помещении, в доме) – looked into the kitchen (заглянул в кухню), scullery (буфетную; scullery – судомойка при кухне; буфетная), parlor, and found nothing (гостиную – и ничего не обнаружил) – went up at last into the bedroom (наконец поднялся в спальню). It was empty (она была пуста).
A picklock lay on the floor (отмычка лежала на полу; picklock – взломщик; отмычка; to pick – поднимать /с земли/; выбирать; ковырять; открывать замок отмычкой; lock – замок), which told me how she had gained entrance in the night (что подсказало мне, как она смогла войти ночью; to gain – получать; добиваться; entrance – вход, входная дверь). And that was the one trace I could find of the Dream Woman (и это был единственный след женщины из сна, который я смог найти).
I turned instantly, and made my way back to the house. It was still dark. I had left the candle burning in the bedchamber. When I looked up to the window of the room now, there was no light in it. I advanced to the house door. On going away, I remembered to have closed it; on trying it now, I found it open.
I waited outside, never losing sight of the house till daylight. Then I ventured indoors – listened, and heard nothing – looked into the kitchen, scullery, parlor, and found nothing – went up at last into the bedroom. It was empty.
A picklock lay on the floor, which told me how she had gained entrance in the night. And that was the one trace I could find of the Dream Woman.
XIII
I waited in the house till the town was astir for the day (я подождал в доме, пока проснется город), and then I went to consult a lawyer (а затем пошел посоветоваться с адвокатом; lawyer – юрист; адвокат; law – закон). In the confused state of my mind at the time (в спутанном состоянии ума в то время = как ни спутаны были мои мысли), I had one clear notion of what I meant to do (у меня было одно ясное намерение: «понятие того, что я собираюсь сделать»; notion – идея, понятие; взгляд, точка зрения): I was determined to sell my house and leave the neighborhood (я твердо решил продать дом и покинуть эти места; neighborhood – соседство, близость; округа, окрестности). There were obstacles in the way which I had not counted on (на моем пути были препятствия, которых я не ожидал; to count – считать; принимать во внимание, учитывать). I was told I had creditors to satisfy before I could leave (мне сказали, что я должен расплатиться с кредиторами, прежде чем смогу уехать; to satisfy – удовлетворять; выполнять /обязательства/; погашать /долг/) – I, who had given my wife the money to pay my bills regularly every week (я, который давал жене деньги, чтобы она платила по счетам регулярно, каждую неделю)! Inquiry showed that she had embezzled every farthing of the money I had intrusted to her (наведение справок показало, что она тратила на себя каждый фартинг из тех денег, что я ей давал; inquiry – вопрос; запрос; наведение справок; to embezzle – присваивать, растрачивать /чужие деньги/; farthing – фартинг = 1/4 пенни; грош; to intrust – вверять, поручать; передавать). I had no choice but to pay over again (у меня не было выбора, кроме как снова заплатить).
I waited in the house till the town was astir for the day, and then I went to consult a lawyer. In the confused state of my mind at the time, I had one clear notion of what I meant to do: I was determined to sell my house and leave the neighborhood. There were obstacles in the way which I had not counted on. I was told I had creditors to satisfy before I could leave – I, who had given my wife the money to pay my bills regularly every week! Inquiry showed that she had embezzled every farthing of the money I had intrusted to her. I had no choice but to pay over again.
Placed in this awkward position (/когда я оказался/ в этом неловком положении; to place – помещать. класть; находиться в определенном положении), my first duty was to set things right, with the help of my lawyer (моей первой обязанностью было уладить дела – с помощью моего адвоката; duty – долг, /моральное/ обязательство). During my forced sojourn in the town I did two foolish things (за время вынужденного пребывания в городе я сделал две глупости: «глупые вещи»; sojourn – временное пребывание). And, as a consequence that followed (и как результат, который последовал = и в результате; consequence – /по/следствие, результат), I heard once more, and heard for the last time, of my wife (снова услышал – в последний раз – о своей жене).
In the first place, having got possession of the knife (во-первых: «на первом месте», завладев ножом), I was rash enough to keep it in my pocket (я довольно опрометчиво хранил/носил его в кармане; rash – поспешный; опрометчивый, безрассудный). In the second place, having something of importance to say to my lawyer (во-вторых, имея что-то важное сообщить адвокату), at a late hour of the evening (в поздний час /вечера/), I went to his house after dark – alone and on foot (я пошел к его дому после /наступления/ темноты – один и пешком). I got there safely enough (я добрался туда вполне благополучно; safely – благополучно; безопасно; надежно).
Placed in this awkward position, my first duty was to set things right, with the help of my lawyer. During my forced sojourn in the town I did two foolish things. And, as a consequence that followed, I heard once more, and heard for the last time, of my wife.
In the first place, having got possession of the knife, I was rash enough to keep it in my pocket. In the second place, having something of importance to say to my lawyer, at a late hour of the evening, I went to his house after dark – alone and on foot. I got there safely enough.
Returning, I was seized on from behind by two men (возвращаясь, я был схвачен сзади двумя мужчинами), dragged down a passage and robbed (втащен в переулок и ограблен; passage – проход, переход; коридор) – not only of the little money I had about me, but also of the knife (/они взяли/ не только немного денег, которые у меня были с собой, но и нож). It was the lawyer’s opinion (as it was mine) (мнение адвоката – как и мое – было таково) that the thieves were among the disreputable acquaintances formed by my wife (что эти воры были из числа сомнительных знакомых моей жены; thief – вор), and that they had attacked me at her instigation (и что они напали на меня по ее наущению; instigation – подстрекательство; наущение). To confirm this view I received a letter the next day (чтобы подтвердить = в подтверждение этого мнения я получил письмо на следующий день), without date or address (без даты и адреса), written in Alicia’s hand (написанное рукой Алисии; hand – кисть; почерк). The first line informed me (первая строка сообщала мне; line – линия; строка) that the knife was back again in her possession (что нож снова в ее владении). The second line reminded me of the day when I struck her (вторая строка напоминала мне о том дне, когда я ее ударил; to strike).
Returning, I was seized on from behind by two men, dragged down a passage and robbed – not only of the little money I had about me, but also of the knife. It was the lawyer’s opinion (as it was mine) that the thieves were among the disreputable acquaintances formed by my wife, and that they had attacked me at her instigation. To confirm this view I received a letter the next day, without date or address, written in Alicia’s hand. The first line informed me that the knife was back again in her possession. The second line reminded me of the day when I struck her.
The third line warned me that she would wash out the stain of that blow in my blood (третья предупреждала меня, что она смоет пятно того удара моей кровью; to wash – мыть; стирать; отстирать/ся/, отмывать/ся/; stain – пятно; позорящий факт, пятно), and repeated the words, “I shall do it with the knife (и повторяла слова: «Я сделаю это вот этим ножом»)!”
