Английский для смелых. Истории о духах и привидениях / Great Ghost Stories - Сарапов Михаил

 There could be no doubt, however, of the fact, for the lamps grew larger and brighter every moment, and I even fancied I could already see the dark outline of the carriage between them. It was coming up very fast, and quite noiselessly, the snow being nearly a foot deep under the wheels.

And now the body of the vehicle became distinctly visible behind the lamps. It looked strangely lofty. A sudden suspicion flashed upon me. Was it possible that I had passed the cross-roads in the dark without observing the sign-post, and could this be the very coach which I had come to meet?

No need to ask myself that question a second time, for here it came round the bend of the road, guard and driver, one outside passenger, and four steaming greys, all wrapped in a soft haze of light, through which the lamps blazed out, like a pair of fiery meteors.

I jumped forward, waved my hat, and shouted (я рванулся вперед, замахал шляпой и закричал; to jump – прыгать). The mail came down at full speed, and passed me (почтовый дилижанс подлетел на полной скорости и миновал = промчался мимо меня). For a moment I feared that I had not been seen or heard (мгновение я опасался, что меня не увидели и не услышали; fear – боязнь, страх; испуг), but it was only for a moment (но это /длилось/ только мгновение). The coachman pulled up (кучер натянул /вожжи/; pull – тяга, дерганье, рывок); the guard, muffled to the eyes in capes and comforters, and apparently sound asleep in the rumble (охранник, закутанный до /самых/ глаз в накидки и шарф, и, по-видимому, крепко уснувший на своем месте; cape – накидка, плащ с капюшоном; пелерина; comforter – длинный вязаный шарф, теплое кашне; rumble – сиденье для слуги, охранника или место для багажа позади экипажа), neither answered my hail nor made the slightest effort to dismount (не ответил на мое приветствие и не сделал ни малейшей попытки спуститься); the outside passenger did not even turn his head (пассажир снаружи даже не повернул головы). I opened the door for myself, and looked in (я сам открыл дверь и заглянул внутрь). There were but three travellers inside (внутри было лишь трое путников), so I stepped in, shut the door, slipped into the vacant corner (поэтому я забрался в экипаж, закрыл дверь, пробрался в свободный угол; to shut; to slip – скользить, плавно передвигаться), and congratulated myself on my good fortune (и поздравил себя с везением; good fortune – удача, счастье, везение, счастливый случай).

The atmosphere of the coach seemed, if possible, colder than that of the outer air (воздух в дилижансе казался: «атмосфера казалась», если это возможно, даже холоднее воздуха снаружи), and was pervaded by a singularly damp and disagreeable smell (и в нем стоял особенно сырой и неприятный запах; to pervade – пропитывать, пронизывать). I looked round at my fellow-passengers (я оглядел своих спутников; fellow – /разг./ человек, парень; приятель, товарищ, собрат; passenger – пассажир; седок). They were all three, men, and all silent (это были мужчины – все трое, и все молчали; silent – безмолвный, молчащий). They did not seem to be asleep (они не были похожи на спящих; to be asleep – спать), but each leaned back in his corner of the vehicle, as if absorbed in his own reflections (но каждый откинулся в своем углу экипажа, словно погрузившись в свои мысли). I attempted to open a conversation (я попытался завязать: «открыть» беседу).

 I jumped forward, waved my hat, and shouted. The mail came down at full speed, and passed me. For a moment I feared that I had not been seen or heard, but it was only for a moment. The coachman pulled up; the guard, muffled to the eyes in capes and comforters, and apparently sound asleep in the rumble, neither answered my hail nor made the slightest effort to dismount; the outside passenger did not even turn his head. I opened the door for myself, and looked in. There were but three travellers inside, so I stepped in, shut the door, slipped into the vacant corner, and congratulated myself on my good fortune.

The atmosphere of the coach seemed, if possible, colder than that of the outer air, and was pervaded by a singularly damp and disagreeable smell. I looked round at my fellow-passengers. They were all three, men, and all silent. They did not seem to be asleep, but each leaned back in his corner of the vehicle, as if absorbed in his own reflections. I attempted to open a conversation.

‘How intensely cold it is tonight (ужасный холод сегодня; intensely – очень, чрезвычайно, крайне; cold – холодно; tonight – сегодня вечером, сегодня ночью),’ I said, addressing my opposite neighbour (сказал я, обращаясь к человеку напротив; neighbour – сосед).

He lifted his head, looked at me, but made no reply (он поднял голову, посмотрел на меня, но ничего не ответил: «не сделал никакого ответа»).

‘The winter,’ I added, ‘seems to have begun in earnest (зима, – добавил я, кажется, началась всерьез).’

Although the corner in which he sat was so dim that I could distinguish none of his features very clearly (хотя тот угол, в котором он сидел, был настолько темным, что я не мог ясно видеть черты его лица; dim – полутемный; to distinguish – различить; разглядеть; none of – ни один из /общего числа/), I saw that his eyes were still turned full upon me (я видел, что его глаза были по-прежнему обращены ко мне; full – полностью). And yet he answered never a word (и все же он не отвечал ни слова; never – никогда; зд. употреблено в усилит. значении).

At any other time I should have felt, and perhaps expressed, some annoyance (в любое другое время я бы почувствовал, а возможно и выразил бы, какое-то раздражение; to feel), but at the moment I felt too ill to do either (но в тот момент я чувствовал себя слишком плохо и для первого, и для второго; ill – больной, нездоровый; дурной, плохой; either – любой /из двух/). The icy coldness of the night air had struck a chill to my very marrow (ледяной холод ночного воздуха пробрал меня до мозга костей; to strike – поражать; сражать; chill – простуда, озноб; marrow – костный мозг), and the strange smell inside the coach was affecting me with an intolerable nausea (а странный запах внутри дилижанса вызывал во мне непреодолимую тошноту; to affect – оказывать воздействие; поражать /о болезни/; to tolerate – терпеть, выносить). I shivered from head to foot (я дрожал с головы до ног), and, turning to my left-hand neighbour, asked if he had any objection to an open window (и, повернувшись к моему соседу слева: «по левую руку», спросил, не возражает ли он, если я открою окно: «нет ли у него возражений против открытого окна»)?

He neither spoke nor stirred (он /ничего/ не сказал и не пошевелился; neither… nor – ни … ни…; не … также не…).

 ‘How intensely cold it is tonight,’ I said, addressing my opposite neighbour.

He lifted his head, looked at me, but made no reply.

‘The winter,’ I added, ‘seems to have begun in earnest.’

Although the corner in which he sat was so dim that I could distinguish none of his features very clearly, I saw that his eyes were still turned full upon me. And yet he answered never a word.

At any other time I should have felt, and perhaps expressed, some annoyance, but at the moment I felt too ill to do either. The icy coldness of the night air had struck a chill to my very marrow, and the strange smell inside the coach was affecting me with an intolerable nausea. I shivered from head to foot, and, turning to my left-hand neighbour, asked if he had any objection to an open window?

He neither spoke nor stirred.