“‘We had better come back to the paper afterwards (лучше вернуться к этой бумаге позже),’ said I.
observance [ǝbˈzǝ:v(ǝ)ns], ceremony [ˈserɪmǝnɪ], archaeologist [ˌɑ:kɪˈǝlǝʤɪst]
“‘He bowed with the look of a man who is utterly crushed, and slunk past me without a word. The taper was still on the table, and by its light I glanced to see what the paper was which Brunton had taken from the bureau. To my surprise it was nothing of any importance at all, but simply a copy of the questions and answers in the singular old observance called the Musgrave Ritual. It is a sort of ceremony peculiar to our family, which each Musgrave for centuries past has gone through on his coming of age — a thing of private interest, and perhaps of some little importance to the archaeologist, like our own blazonings and charges, but of no practical use whatever.’
“‘We had better come back to the paper afterwards,’ said I.
“‘If you think it really necessary (если вы считаете, что это действительно необходимо),’ he answered, with some hesitation (ответил он с некоторым колебанием).
“‘To continue my statement, however (однако продолжу изложение /фактов/; statement — заявление, утверждение; изложение, отчет): I relocked the bureau, using the key which Brunton had left (я снова запер бюро, используя ключ, оставленный Брантоном), and I had turned to go when I was surprised to find (и я обернулся, чтобы уйти, как вдруг с удивлением обнаружил) that the butler had returned (что дворецкий вернулся), and was standing before me (и стоит передо мной).
“‘Mr. Musgrave, sir,’ he cried, in a voice which was hoarse with emotion (вскричал он голосом, хриплым от волнения), ‘I can’t bear disgrace, sir (я не вынесу позора, сэр). I’ve always been proud above my station in life (я всегда гордился выше своего положения в жизни = хоть занимал небольшое место, но у меня есть гордость), and disgrace would kill me (и бесчестье убьет меня). My blood will be on your head, sir — it will, indeed (моя кровь будет на вашей совести, сэр, именно так) — if you drive me to despair (если вы доведете меня до отчаяния). If you cannot keep me after what has passed (если вы не можете оставить меня /на службе/ после того, что случилось), then for God’s sake let me give you notice and leave in a month (тогда, ради Бога, позвольте мне уведомить вас об уходе и уйти в течение месяца; to give notice — извещать, уведомлять; предупреждать /об увольнении/), as if of my own free will (будто по собственному желанию; free will — свободная воля, свобода воли: of one's own free will — добровольно, по собственному желанию). I could stand that, Mr. Musgrave (я могу это вынести, мистер Месгрейв), but not to be cast out before all the folk that I know so well (но /только/ не изгнание на глазах всех этих людей, которых я так хорошо знаю; to cast out — выгонять, изгонять).’
hoarse [hɔ:s], blood [blʌd], folk [fǝuk]
“‘If you think it really necessary,’ he answered, with some hesitation.
“‘To continue my statement, however: I relocked the bureau, using the key which Brunton had left, and I had turned to go when I was surprised to find that the butler had returned, and was standing before me.
“‘Mr. Musgrave, sir,’ he cried, in a voice which was hoarse with emotion, ‘I can’t bear disgrace, sir. I’ve always been proud above my station in life, and disgrace would kill me. My blood will be on your head, sir — it will, indeed — if you drive me to despair. If you cannot keep me after what has passed, then for God’s sake let me give you notice and leave in a month, as if of my own free will. I could stand that, Mr. Musgrave, but not to be cast out before all the folk that I know so well.’
“‘You don’t deserve much consideration, Brunton (вы не заслуживаете того, чтобы с вами много церемонились, Брантон; consideration — рассмотрение; внимание, уважение),’ I answered (ответил я). ‘Your conduct has been most infamous (ваше поведение было крайне постыдным; infamous — пользующийся дурной славой; позорный, постыдный, низкий). However, as you have been a long time in the family (тем не менее, поскольку вы так долго прослужили в нашей семье), I have no wish to bring public disgrace upon you (я не хочу подвергать вас общественному позору). A month, however is too long (однако месяц — это слишком долго). Take yourself away in a week (уходите через неделю), and give what reason you like for going (причину назовите какую угодно).’
“‘Only a week, sir (только неделя, сэр)?’ he cried, in a despairing voice (вскричал он с отчаянием: «отчаянным голосом»). ‘A fortnight — say at least a fortnight (две недели — дайте хотя бы две недели)!’
“‘A week,’ I repeated (повторил я), ‘and you may consider yourself to have been very leniently dealt with (и можете считать, что с вами обошлись очень мягко; lenient — мягкий, снисходительный; терпимый; to deal with — иметь дело с; обходиться с).’
“‘He crept away, his face sunk upon his breast (он медленно побрел прочь, опустив голову на грудь), like a broken man (в полном унынии/совершенно уничтоженный; to break-broke-broken; broken — разбитый, сломанный; сломленный, сокрушенный), while I put out the light and returned to my room (а я погасил свет и вернулся к себе в комнату).
conduct [ˈkɔndʌkt], infamous [ˈɪnfǝmǝs], leniently [ˈli:nɪǝntlɪ]
“‘You don’t deserve much consideration, Brunton,’ I answered. “Your conduct has been most infamous. However, as you have been a long time in the family, I have no wish to bring public disgrace upon you. A month, however is too long. Take yourself away in a week, and give what reason you like for going.’
“‘Only a week, sir?’ he cried, in a despairing voice. ‘A fortnight — say at least a fortnight!’
“‘A week,” I repeated, “and you may consider yourself to have been very leniently dealt with.’
“‘He crept away, his face sunk upon his breast, like a broken man, while I put out the light and returned to my room.
“‘For two days after this Brunton was most assiduous in his attention to his duties (два дня после этого Брантон очень усердно выполнял свои обязанности; assiduous — усердный, прилежный, старательный). I made no allusion to what had passed (я не напоминал /ему/ о том, что произошло), and waited with some curiosity to see (и ждал с любопытством) how he would cover his disgrace (как он скроет свой позор). On the third morning, however he did not appear (однако на третье утро он не явился), as was his custom (по своему обыкновению), after breakfast to receive my instructions for the day (после завтрака, чтобы получить мои указания на день). As I left the dining-room I happened to meet Rachel Howells, the maid (выходя из столовой, я встретил Рейчел Хауэллс, горничную). I have told you that she had only recently recovered from an illness (/как/ я уже вам говорил, она только недавно оправилась от болезни), and was looking so wretchedly pale and wan (и была так бледна, у нее был такой болезненный/изнуренный вид: «выглядела столь по-жалкому бледной и изнуренной»; wretched — несчастный, жалкий) that I remonstrated with her for being at work (что я сделал ей выговор за то, что она принялась за работу; to remonstrate — протестовать, возражать; уговаривать).
“‘You should be in bed (вам следует оставаться в постели),’ I said. “Come back to your duties when you are stronger (вернитесь к исполнению своих обязанностей, когда будете сильнее = окрепнете).’
“‘She looked at me with so strange an expression (она посмотрела на меня с таким странным выражением) that I began to suspect that her brain was affected (что я начал думать, не подействовала ли /болезнь/ на ее рассудок; to affect — оказывать воздействие, влияние; затрагивать; поражать /о болезни/).
“‘I am strong enough, Mr. Musgrave (я вполне окрепла, мистер Месгрейв),’ said she.
assiduous [ǝˈsɪdjuǝs], recovered [rɪˈkʌvǝd], wretchedly [ˈreʧɪdlɪ]
“‘For two days after this Brunton was most assiduous in his attention to his duties. I made no allusion to what had passed, and waited with some curiosity to see how he would cover his disgrace. On the third morning, however he did not appear, as was his custom, after breakfast to receive my instructions for the day. As I left the dining-room I happened to meet Rachel Howells, the maid. I have told you that she had only recently recovered from an illness, and was looking so wretchedly pale and wan that I remonstrated with her for being at work.
“‘You should be in bed,’ I said. ‘Come back to your duties when you are stronger.’
“She looked at me with so strange an expression that I began to suspect that her brain was affected.
“‘I am strong enough, Mr. Musgrave,’ said she.
“‘We will see what the doctor says (посмотрим, что скажет врач),’ I answered (ответил я). “You must stop work now (вы должны прекратить работать), and when you go downstairs just say that I wish to see Brunton (а когда пойдете вниз, скажите, что я желаю видеть Брантона).”
“‘The butler is gone (дворецкий пропал),’ said she.
“‘Gone! Gone where (куда пропал)?”
“‘He is gone (он пропал). No one has seen him (никто его не видел). He is not in his room (в комнате его нет). Oh, yes, he is gone, he is gone (о да, он пропал, пропал)!’ She fell back against the wall with shriek after shriek of laughter (она прислонилась к стене и начала истерически хохотать; to shriek — пронзительно кричать, орать; визжать; громко, истерически хохотать; laughter — cмех, хохот), while I, horrified at this sudden hysterical attack (а я, напуганный этим внезапным истерическим припадком), rushed to the bell to summon help (бросился к колокольчику, чтобы позвать на помощь; to summon — вызвать, позвать). The girl was taken to her room (девушку увели в ее комнату), still screaming and sobbing (все еще хохочущую и рыдающую), while I made inquiries about Brunton (а я тем временем стал расспрашивать о Брантоне; to make inquiries about — расспрашивать, наводить справки). There was no doubt about it that he had disappeared (несомненно, он исчез). His bed had not been slept in (его постель оказалась нетронутой: «в постели никто не спал»), he had been seen by no one since he had retired to his room the night before (его никто не видел с тех пор, как он ушел к себе в комнату накануне вечером), and yet it was difficult to see how he could have left the house (однако трудно было понять, как он вышел из дома), as both windows and doors were found to be fastened in the morning (потому что как окна, так и двери оказались запертыми утром).
laughter [ˈlɑ:ftǝ], hysterical [hɪˈsterɪk(ǝ)l], doubt [daut], fastened [ˈfɑ:s(ǝ)nd]
