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

 Such a discovery might be thought worthy of more than the very ordinary interest Mr Batchel showed. As a matter of fact, the presence of a human bone was easily to be accounted for. Recent excavations within the church had caused the upturning of numberless bones, which had been collected and reverently buried. But an earth-stained bone is also easily overlooked, and this radius had obviously found its way into the garden with some of the earth brought out of the church.

Mr Batchel was glad, rather than regretful at this termination to his adventure. He was once more provided with something to do. The reinterment of such bones as this had been his constant care, and he decided at once to restore the bone to consecrated earth. The time seemed opportune. The eyes of the curious were closed in sleep, he himself was still alert and wakeful. The spade remained by his side and the bone in his hand. So he betook himself, there and then, to the churchyard. By the still generous light of the moon, he found a place where the earth yielded to his spade, and within a few minutes the bone was laid decently to earth, some 18 inches deep.

The city clocks struck one as he finished (когда он закончил, городские часы пробили час ночи). The whole world seemed asleep (весь мир, казалось, спал), and Mr Batchel slowly returned to the garden with his spade (и мистер Бэтчел медленно вернулся в сад со своей лопатой). As he hung it in its accustomed place he felt stealing over him the welcome desire to sleep (когда он вешал ее на привычное место, он почувствовал, как его одолевает долгожданная сонливость: «желание поспать»; to steal – воровать, красть; постепенно захватывать, овладевать; welcome – /прил./ желанный; долгожданный). He walked quietly on to the house and ascended to his room (он тихо прошел к дому и поднялся в свою комнату). It was now dark (теперь было темно): the moon had passed on and left the room in shadow (луна переместилась по небу и оставила его комнату в тени; to pass – идти; переходить, проходить, перемещаться). He lit a candle, and before undressing passed into the library (он зажег свечу и, прежде чем раздеться, прошел в библиотеку). He had an irresistible curiosity to see the passages in John Evelyn’s book which had so strangely adapted themselves to the events of the past hour (непреодолимое любопытство подстегивало его посмотреть: «у него было непреодолимое любопытство увидеть» те места в книге Джона Ивлина, которые так странно соответствовали: «приспосабливались к» событиям прошедшего часа).