Английский для смелых. Истории о духах и привидениях

‘A gude twenty mile, more or less (добрых двадцать миль, более или менее; gude = good).’

 ‘Thank God!’ was the exclamation that burst involuntarily from my lips.

Blinking and frowning, he lifted his lantern and peered into my face.

‘What for?’ growled he, sulkily.

‘Well – for you. I began to fear I should be lost in the snow.’

‘Eh, then, folks do get cast away hereabout fra’ time to time, an’ what’s to hinder you from bein’ cast away likewise, if the Lord’s so minded?’

‘If the Lord is so minded that you and I shall be lost together, friend, we must submit,’ I replied; ‘but I don’t mean to be lost without you. How far am I now from Dwolding?’

‘A gude twenty mile, more or less.’

‘And the nearest village (а от = до ближайшей деревни)?’

‘The nearest village is Wyke (ближайшая деревня – это Уайк), an’ that’s twelve mile t’other side (а это двенадцать миль в другую сторону; an’ = and; t’other = to the other).’

‘Where do you live, then (а где же вы тогда живете)?’

‘Out yonder,’ said he, with a vague jerk of the lantern (вон там, – сказал он, неопределенно махнув фонарем; jerk – резкое движение, толчок, взмах).

‘You’re going home, I presume (вы направляетесь домой, я полагаю)?’

‘Maybe I am (возможно, что и так).’

‘Then I’m going with you (тогда я иду с вами).’

The old man shook his head (старик покачал головой; to shake – трясти), and rubbed his nose reflectively with the handle of the lantern (и задумчиво потер нос ручкой фонаря).

‘It ain’t o’ no use,’ growled he (= it’s no use; никакого в этом смысла нет, – проворчал он; ain’t = am not, is not, are not, have not, has not – свойственная просторечию универсальная форма отрицания; o’ = of). ‘He ’ont let you in – not he (он вас не пустит в дом, кто-кто, только не он; ’ont = won’t = will not).’

‘We’ll see about that,’ I replied, briskly (посмотрим, – живо ответил я). ‘Who is He (а кто этот Он)?’

‘The master (хозяин).’

‘Who is the master (/и/ кто он, этот хозяин)?’

‘That’s nowt to you,’ was the unceremonious reply (вас это не касается, – последовал бесцеремонный = не очень-то вежливый ответ; nowt – /диал./ = nothing).

 ‘And the nearest village?’

‘The nearest village is Wyke, an’ that’s twelve mile t’other side.’

‘Where do you live, then?’

‘Out yonder,’ said he, with a vague jerk of the lantern.

‘You’re going home, I presume?’

‘Maybe I am.’

‘Then I’m going with you.’

The old man shook his head, and rubbed his nose reflectively with the handle of the lantern.

‘It ain’t o’ no use,’ growled he. ‘He ’ont let you in – not he.’

‘We’ll see about that,’ I replied, briskly. ‘Who is He?’

‘The master.’

‘Who is the master?’

‘That’s nowt to you,’ was the unceremonious reply.