Английский с Уилки Коллинзом. Женщина из сна

 My wife had, of course, discovered our secret departure from the house. She had been drinking. She was in a fury of passion. The dinner in the kitchen was flung under the grate; the cloth was off the parlor table. Where was the knife?

I was foolish enough to ask for it. She refused to give it to me. In the course of the dispute between us which followed, I discovered that there was a horrible story attached to the knife. It had been used in a murder – years since – and had been so skillfully hidden that the authorities had been unable to produce it at the trial.

By help of some of her disreputable friends (с помощью кого-то из своих друзей с сомнительной репутацией; reputable – почтенный, достойный уважения), my wife had been able to purchase this relic of a bygone crime (жена сумела приобрести эту реликвию былого преступления; to purchase – покупать, приобретать; relic – след, остаток; сувенир, реликвия; bygone – прошлый, пережитый). Her perverted nature set some horrid unacknowledged value on the knife (ее извращенная натура считала этот нож какой-то ужасной, неосознанной ценностью; to set a high value on smth. – высоко ценить что-л.; придавать большое значение чему-л.; дорожить чем-л.; horrid – страшный, ужасный; отвратительный; unacknowledged – непризнанный; /рел./ нераскаянный; to acknowledge – признавать; сознавать; value – ценность; важность). Seeing there was no hope of getting it by fair means (видя, что нет никакой надежды получить его честными средствами), I determined to search for it, later in the day, in secret (я решил поискать его тайно, позже днем). The search was unsuccessful (поиски были безуспешны; successful – успешный, удачный; success – успех, удача). Night came on, and I left the house to walk about the streets (пришла ночь, и я ушел из дома побродить по улицам; to come on – наступать, приближаться). You will understand what a broken man I was by this time (вы поймете, каким я был сломленным человеком к тому времени; broken – сломанный; сломленный, сокрушенный), when I tell you I was afraid to sleep in the same room with her (когда я скажу вам, что боялся спать с ней в одной комнате)!

 By help of some of her disreputable friends, my wife had been able to purchase this relic of a bygone crime. Her perverted nature set some horrid unacknowledged value on the knife. Seeing there was no hope of getting it by fair means, I determined to search for it, later in the day, in secret. The search was unsuccessful. Night came on, and I left the house to walk about the streets. You will understand what a broken man I was by this time, when I tell you I was afraid to sleep in the same room with her!