marriage [ˈmærɪʤ], vow [vau], punish [ˈpʌnɪʃ]
"That girl that I spoke of was to have married me twenty years ago. She was forced into marrying that same Drebber, and broke her heart over it. I took the marriage ring from her dead finger, and I vowed that his dying eyes should rest upon that very ring, and that his last thoughts should be of the crime for which he was punished. I have carried it about with me, and have followed him and his accomplice over two continents until I caught them. They thought to tire me out, but they could not do it. If I die to-morrow, as is likely enough, I die knowing that my work in this world is done, and well done. They have perished, and by my hand. There is nothing left for me to hope for, or to desire.
"They were rich and I was poor, so that it was no easy matter for me to follow them. When I got to London my pocket was about empty, and I found that I must turn my hand to something for my living. Driving and riding are as natural to me as walking, so I applied at a cabowner's office, and soon got employment. I was to bring a certain sum a week to the owner, and whatever was over that I might keep for myself. There was seldom much over, but I managed to scrape along somehow. The hardest job was to learn my way about, for I reckon that of all the mazes that ever were contrived, this city is the most confusing. I had a map beside me though, and when once I had spotted the principal hotels and stations, I got on pretty well.
"It was some time before I found out where my two gentlemen were living (прошло немало времени, прежде чем я разузнал, где жили два моих джентльмена); but I inquired and inquired until at last I dropped across them (но я разузнавал и выведывал, пока, наконец, я на них не напал; to inquire — осведомляться, справляться, спрашивать, искать; to drop across — столкнуться; to drop — капать; падать). They were at a boarding-house at Camberwell (они остановились: «были» в пансионате в Кембервелле), over on the other side of the river (на другой стороне реки). When once I found them out I knew that I had them at my mercy (стоило мне найти их, и я знал, что они у меня в руках; mercy — милосердие; жалость; at somebody’s mercy — в чьей-либо милости). I had grown my beard (я отпустил бороду; to grow), and there was no chance of their recognizing me (и они не смогли бы меня узнать: «и не было шанса, что они меня узнают»). I would dog them and follow them until I saw my opportunity (я собирался везде следовать за ними, пока не увижу свой шанс; to dog — выслеживать; преследовать; opportunity — удобный случай, благоприятная возможность). I was determined that they should not escape me again (я был полон решимости, что они больше от меня не сбегут).
"They were very near doing it for all that (и все же они чуть этого не сделали). Go where they would about London (куда бы они ни отправились в Лондоне), I was always at their heels (я всегда следовал за ними по пятам). Sometimes I followed them on my cab, and sometimes on foot (иногда я следовал за ними в кебе, иногда пешком), but the former was the best, for then they could not get away from me (но первое было лучше всего, так как они не могли от меня скрыться). It was only early in the morning or late at night that I could earn anything (я мог что-то зарабатывать только рано утром или поздно вечером), so that I began to get behind hand with my employer (так что я начал отставать с выплатами своему работодателю; to get behind — задерживать оплату, задолжать; hand — доля, участие в выполнении чего-либо). I did not mind that, however (однако мне это было все равно), as long as I could lay my hand upon the men I wanted (покуда я мог добраться до: «наложить свою руку на» тех, за кем я гонялся: «кого я хотел»).
inquire [ɪnˈkwaɪǝ], beard [bɪǝd], earn [ǝ:n]
"It was some time before I found out where my two gentlemen were living; but I inquired and inquired until at last I dropped across them. They were at a boarding-house at Camberwell, over on the other side of the river. When once I found them out I knew that I had them at my mercy. I had grown my beard, and there was no chance of their recognizing me. I would dog them and follow them until I saw my opportunity. I was determined that they should not escape me again.
"They were very near doing it for all that. Go where they would about London, I was always at their heels. Sometimes I followed them on my cab, and sometimes on foot, but the former was the best, for then they could not get away from me. It was only early in the morning or late at night that I could earn anything, so that I began to get behind hand with my employer. I did not mind that, however, as long as I could lay my hand upon the men I wanted.
"They were very cunning, though (но они были очень хитры). They must have thought that there was some chance of their being followed (они, должно быть, подумали, что существует вероятность того, что за ними следят), for they would never go out alone, and never after nightfall (так как они никогда не выходили из дому поодиночке или после захода солнца). During two weeks I drove behind them every day (на протяжении двух недель я ездил за ними каждый день), and never once saw them separate (и ни разу не видел, чтобы они разделились). Drebber himself was drunk half the time (сам Дреббер половину времени был пьян), but Stangerson was not to be caught napping (но Стенджерсон бдительности не терял: «Стенджерсона было не застать дремлющим»; to nap — дремать). I watched them late and early, but never saw the ghost of a chance (я следил за ними с утра и до темна, но ни разу не увидел и тени шанса; late — поздно; early — рано); but I was not discouraged, for something told me that the hour had almost come (но я не терял надежды, так как что-то говорило мне, что мой час почти пробил; to discourage — лишать мужества, уверенности в себе). My only fear was that this thing in my chest might burst a little too soon (единственным моим страхом было, что эта штука у меня в груди может лопнуть немного слишком рано) and leave my work undone (и оставит мою работу незавершенной).
separate [ˈsepǝreɪt], early [ǝ:lɪ], discourage [dɪsˈkʌrɪʤ]
"They were very cunning, though. They must have thought that there was some chance of their being followed, for they would never go out alone, and never after nightfall. During two weeks I drove behind them every day, and never once saw them separate. Drebber himself was drunk half the time, but Stangerson was not to be caught napping. I watched them late and early, but never saw the ghost of a chance; but I was not discouraged, for something told me that the hour had almost come. My only fear was that this thing in my chest might burst a little too soon and leave my work undone.
"At last, one evening I was driving up and down Torquay Terrace (наконец, однажды вечером я ездил взад-вперед по Торки-Террес; terrace — терраса), as the street was called in which they boarded (как называлась улица, на которой они остановились), when I saw a cab drive up to their door (когда я увидел, как к их двери подъехал кеб). Presently some luggage was brought out (вскоре вынесли багаж), and after a time Drebber and Stangerson followed it, and drove off (а некоторое время спустя за ним вышли: «последовали» Дреббер и Стенджерсон и уехали). I whipped up my horse and kept within sight of them (я подстегнул свою лошадь и держался так, чтобы не выпускать их из виду: «в пределах поля зрения»), feeling very ill at ease (чувствуя себя очень неуютно), for I feared that they were going to shift their quarters (так как я опасался, что они собираются переехать; to shift — перемещать, передвигать; изменять, менять; quarters — жилище, жилье, квартира). At Euston Station they got out (у Юстонского вокзала они вышли), and I left a boy to hold my horse, and followed them on to the platform (я оставил мальчишку присматривать за лошадью: «держать мою лошадь» и пошел за ними на платформу). I heard them ask for the Liverpool train (я слышал, как они осведомились о поезде на Ливерпуль), and the guard answer that one had just gone and there would not be another for some hours (и как дежурный ответил, что один только что ушел и несколько часов другого не будет). Stangerson seemed to be put out at that (Стенджерсон казался обескураженным при этом известии; to put out — расстраивать), but Drebber was rather pleased than otherwise (но Дреббер был, скорее, доволен; otherwise — иначе; иным образом; наоборот). I got so close to them in the bustle that I could hear every word that passed between them (я настолько близко к ним подошел в толчее, что мог слышать каждое их слово: «каждое слово, что проходило между ними»). Drebber said that he had a little business of his own to do (Дреббер сказал, что ему надо сделать одно свое небольшое дельце), and that if the other would wait for him he would soon rejoin him (и что если второй его подождет, он скоро к нему присоединится). His companion remonstrated with him (его компаньон упрекнул его), and reminded him that they had resolved to stick together (и напомнил ему, что они решили держаться вместе). Drebber answered that the matter was a delicate one (Дреббер ответил, что вопрос был деликатный), and that he must go alone (и что он должен пойти один). I could not catch what Stangerson said to that (я не смог разобрать: «уловить», что Стенджерсон на это ответил), but the other burst out swearing (но другой разразился проклятиями), and reminded him that he was nothing more than his paid servant (и напомнил ему, что он был всего лишь: «не более чем» его платным слугой), and that he must not presume to dictate to him (и что тому не следует считать, что он может ему указывать; to presume — предполагать, полагать; допускать; отважиться, осмелиться; to dictate — навязывать; отдавать безапелляционные распоряжения). On that the Secretary gave it up as a bad job (на этом секретарь сдался, потеряв надежду его убедить; bad job — безнадежное дело), and simply bargained with him that if he missed the last train (и просто договорился с ним, что если тот опоздает на последний поезд) he should rejoin him at Halliday's Private Hotel (ему следует зайти за ним в частную гостиницу «Холидей»; to rejoin — присоединиться); to which Drebber answered that he would be back on the platform before eleven (на что Дреббер ответил, что он вернется на платформу до одиннадцати), and made his way out of the station (и пошел прочь с вокзала).
hour [auǝ], swear [sweǝ], bargain [ˈbɑ:ɡɪn]
"At last, one evening I was driving up and down Torquay Terrace, as the street was called in which they boarded, when I saw a cab drive up to their door. Presently some luggage was brought out, and after a time Drebber and Stangerson followed it, and drove off. I whipped up my horse and kept within sight of them, feeling very ill at ease, for I feared that they were going to shift their quarters. At Euston Station they got out, and I left a boy to hold my horse, and followed them on to the platform. I heard them ask for the Liverpool train, and the guard answer that one had just gone and there would not be another for some hours. Stangerson seemed to be put out at that, but Drebber was rather pleased than otherwise. I got so close to them in the bustle that I could hear every word that passed between them. Drebber said that he had a little business of his own to do, and that if the other would wait for him he would soon rejoin him. His companion remonstrated with him, and reminded him that they had resolved to stick together. Drebber answered that the matter was a delicate one, and that he must go alone. I could not catch what Stangerson said to that, but the other burst out swearing, and reminded him that he was nothing more than his paid servant, and that he must not presume to dictate to him. On that the Secretary gave it up as a bad job, and simply bargained with him that if he missed the last train he should rejoin him at Halliday's Private Hotel; to which Drebber answered that he would be back on the platform before eleven, and made his way out of the station.
