Английский с Уилки Коллинзом. Женщина из сна

 She laid the cloth, brought in the bread tray, and cut some slices for us from the loaf. Then she returned to the kitchen. At that moment, while I was still anxiously watching my mother, I was startled by seeing the same ghastly change pass over her face which had altered it in the morning when Alicia and she first met. Before I could say a word, she started up with a look of horror.

“Take me back! – home, home again, Francis! Come with me, and never go back more!”

I was afraid to ask for an explanation; I could only sign her to be silent, and help her quickly to the door. As we passed the bread tray on the table, she stopped and pointed to it.

“Did you see what your wife cut your bread with (ты видел, чем твоя жена резала хлеб)?” she asked.

“No, mother; I was not noticing (нет, мама, я не обращал внимание). What was it (чем: «что это было»)?”

“Look (посмотри)!”

I did look (я взял и посмотрел; did – зд. для усиления). A new clasp knife (новый складной нож), with a buckhorn handle (с ручкой из оленьего рога), lay with the loaf in the bread tray (лежал с буханкой на подносе; to lie). I stretched out my hand to possess myself of it (я протянул руку, чтобы взять его; to possess – обладать, владеть; to possess oneself of – /уст./ брать; овладеть). At the same moment, there was a noise in the kitchen (в тот же миг на кухне раздался шум), and my mother caught me by the arm (и матушка схватила меня за руку; to catch – ловить; хватать).

“The knife of the Dream (нож из сна)! Francis, I’m faint with fear (Фрэнсис, я умираю от страха; to faint – ослабевать /от голода, усталости и т. д./; падать в обморок) – take me away before she comes back (забери меня отсюда, пока она не вернулась)!”

 “Did you see what your wife cut your bread with?” she asked.

“No, mother; I was not noticing. What was it?”

“Look!”

I did look. A new clasp knife, with a buckhorn handle, lay with the loaf in the bread tray. I stretched out my hand to possess myself of it. At the same moment, there was a noise in the kitchen, and my mother caught me by the arm.

“The knife of the Dream! Francis, I’m faint with fear – take me away before she comes back!”

I couldn’t speak to comfort or even to answer her (я не мог говорить, чтобы успокоить ее или хотя бы ответить ей). Superior as I was to superstition (до чего я был выше суеверий), the discovery of the knife staggered me (но обнаружение этого ножа потрясло меня; to stagger – шататься; идти шатаясь; ошеломлять; потрясать). In silence, I helped my mother out of the house; and took her home (молча: «в молчании» я помог матушке выйти из дома и отвез ее домой).

I held out my hand to say good-by (я протянул ей руку на прощание). She tried to stop me (она попыталась остановить меня).

“Don’t go back, Francis (не возвращайся, Фрэнсис)! don’t go back!”