Rudolf, on my honour!), everything is yours to the half of Ruritania. But ask me not for a single drop of this divine bottle, which I will drink to the health of that – that sly knave, my brother, Black Michael.”
And the King seized the bottle and turned it over his mouth, and drained it and flung it from him, and laid his head on his arms on the table.
And we drank pleasant dreams to his Majesty – and that is all I remember of the evening. Perhaps it is enough.
Chapter 4
The King Keeps His Appointment
(Король появляется вовремя; to keep an appointment – прийти в назначенное время/место)
Whether I had slept a minute or a year I knew not (я не знал, спал ли я минуту или год). I awoke with a start and a shiver (я проснулся, весь дрожа; start – начало; вздрагивание; shiver – дрожь, трепет); my face, hair and clothes dripped water (с моего лица, волос и одежды стекала вода), and opposite me stood old Sapt (а напротив меня стоял старина Сэпт), a sneering smile on his face and an empty bucket in his hand (с насмешливой улыбкой на лице и пустой бадьей в руке). On the table by him sat Fritz von Tarlenheim (на столе возле него сидел Фриц фон Тарленхайм), pale as a ghost and black as a crow under the eyes (бледный, как привидение, с темными кругами: «и черный, как ворона» под глазами).
I leapt to my feet in anger (в ярости я вскочил на ноги; to leap – прыгать, скакать).
“Your joke goes too far, sir!” I cried (ваша шутка зашла слишком далеко, сэр, – воскликнул я).
“Tut, man, we’ve no time for quarrelling (тише, приятель, у нас нет времени для ссор; tut – ах ты! /выражает нетерпение, досаду/). Nothing else would rouse you (ничто другое не разбудило бы вас). It’s five o’clock (сейчас пять часов).”
“I’ll thank you, Colonel Sapt – ” I began again, hot in spirit (я буду вам благодарен, полковник Сэпт, – начал я снова, пылая от негодования: «горячий в душе»; spirit – дух, моральная сила; душа), though I was uncommonly cold in body (несмотря на то, что меня трясло от холода: «хотя я был необычайно холодным в теле»).
“Rassendyll,” interrupted Fritz, getting down from the table (Рассендил, – вмешался Фриц, слезая со стола; to interrupt – прерывать; вмешиваться; to get down – спуститься, сойти) and taking my arm, “look here (и беря меня за руку, – взгляните сюда).”
The King lay full length on the floor (король лежал на полу, /вытянувшись/ во весь рост: «во всю длину»). His face was red as his hair (его лицо было красного цвета, как его волосы), and he breathed heavily (и он тяжело дышал). Sapt, the disrespectful old dog, kicked him sharply (Сэпт, /этот/ бесстыжий старый пес = наглец, резко пнул его; respect – уважение; respectful – почтительный, вежливый). He did not stir, nor was there any break in his breathing (он не шевельнулся, и не было никакого сбоя в его дыхании). I saw that his face and head were wet with water, as were mine (я заметил, что его лицо и голова были /такими же/ мокрыми от воды, как и мои).
Whether I had slept a minute or a year I knew not. I awoke with a start and a shiver; my face, hair and clothes dripped water, and opposite me stood old Sapt, a sneering smile on his face and an empty bucket in his hand. On the table by him sat Fritz von Tarlenheim, pale as a ghost and black as a crow under the eyes.
I leapt to my feet in anger.
“Your joke goes too far, sir!” I cried.
“Tut, man, we’ve no time for quarrelling. Nothing else would rouse you. It’s five o’clock.”
“I’ll thank you, Colonel Sapt – ” I began again, hot in spirit, though I was uncommonly cold in body.
“Rassendyll,” interrupted Fritz, getting down from the table and taking my arm, “look here.”
The King lay full length on the floor. His face was red as his hair, and he breathed heavily. Sapt, the disrespectful old dog, kicked him sharply. He did not stir, nor was there any break in his breathing. I saw that his face and head were wet with water, as were mine.
“We’ve spent half an hour on him (мы полчаса провозились с ним: «потратили на него»; to spend),” said Fritz.
“He drank three times what either of you did,” growled Sapt (он выпил в три раза больше каждого из вас, – проворчал Сэпт).
I knelt down and felt his pulse (я опустился на колени и пощупал его пульс; to kneel). It was alarmingly languid and slow (он был угрожающе слабым и медленным; alarm – боевая тревога, сигнал тревоги; страх). We three looked at one another (мы втроем посмотрели друг на друга).
“Was it drugged – that last bottle?” I asked in a whisper (там был яд, в той последней бутылке? – спросил я шепотом; to drug – подмешивать наркотики или яд; drug – лекарство; снадобье; наркотик).
“I don’t know,” said Sapt (я не знаю, – сказал Сэпт).
“We must get a doctor (мы должны позвать врача;
