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

Now I am calm, but truly there is no more to tell (теперь я спокоен, но, по правде говоря, сказать больше нечего; truly – правдиво; искренне; действительно, по-настоящему): the incident ends where it began – in darkness and in doubt (все заканчивается там, где и началось – во мраке: «в темноте» и в сомнении; incident – случай, происшествие, событие).

Yes, I am again in control of myself: “the captain of my soul” (да я снова владею собой – «капитан своей души»[16]). But that is not respite (но это не передышка); it is another stage and phase of expiation (это другая стадия и фаза искупления). My penance, constant in degree, is mutable in kind (хотя степень моего покаяния не меняется, оно меняет формы; penance – покаяние; constant – неизменный, устойчивый, константный; mutable – изменчивый, изменяющийся; kind – сорт, вид, класс): one of its variants is tranquillity (один из его вариантов – спокойствие). After all, it is only a life-sentence (в конце концов, это всего лишь пожизненный приговор; sentence – предложение, фраза; приговор, осуждение). “To Hell for life” – that is a foolish penalty (пожизненно в аду – это дурацкое наказание): the culprit chooses the duration of his punishment (виновный /сам/ определяет продолжительность наказания). Today my term expires (сегодня мой срок заканчивается).

To each and all, the peace that was not mine (всем и каждому – мир, которого я был лишен: «который был не мой»).

 There is another dream, another vision of the night. I stand among the shadows in a moonlit road. I am aware of another presence, but whose I cannot rightly determine. In the shadow of a great dwelling I catch the gleam of white garments; then the figure of a woman confronts me in the road – my murdered wife! There is death in the face; there are marks upon the throat. The eyes are fixed on mine with an infinite gravity which is not reproach, nor hate, nor menace, nor anything less terrible than recognition. Before this awful apparition I retreat in terror – a terror that is upon me as I write. I can no longer rightly shape the words. See! They —

Now I am calm, but truly there is no more to tell: the incident ends where it began – in darkness and in doubt.

Yes, I am again in control of myself: “the captain of my soul.” But that is not respite; it is another stage and phase of expiation. My penance, constant in degree, is mutable in kind: one of its variants is tranquillity. After all, it is only a life-sentence. “To Hell for life” – that is a foolish penalty: the culprit chooses the duration of his punishment. Today my term expires.

To each and all, the peace that was not mine.

III. Statement of the Late Julia Hetman, through the Medium Bayrolles (Cвидетельство покойной Джулии Хетмен, /полученное/ через посредство медиума Бэйроулза)