The Mysterious Disappearance of the Chevalier Valmont - стр. 17

Через минуту он уже спал крепким сном.

The baron returned at about three o’clock in the afternoon. He found his wife in the drawing room.

“Have you met our guest yet?” he asked.

“No. Who is he?”

“A chivalrous gentleman to whom I owe my life,” answered the baron, and he told his wife about his misfortunes. His story was true, for the most part, save for a few embellishments here and there.

“One of the monster’s eyes hid behind a black patch. But, still, it was his terrible scar that fascinated me. It ran from his left eye to the chin, and was overgrown with hair. I couldn’t take my gaze off of it,” said the baron in a sinister whisper.

“Oh, God! I would have died of fright if I had been in your place!” cried out the baroness, hiding her face in her little hands.

drawing room гостиная; chivalrous по-рыцарски благородный; misfortunes злоключения; save for за исключением; embellishment приукрашивание действительности; hide (hid; hidden) прятать, прятаться; scar шрам; fascinate завораживать; overgrow (overgrew; overgrown) зарастать (чем-либо); sinister зловещий; whisper шепот; fright страх, ужас

“I was quite frightened, too. But, then, I plucked up all my courage, took out my revolver, and aimed it at the monster’s only working eye. Still, the cat was far too quick. He managed to dodge the bullet, and it only scratched his temple. I pulled the trigger for a second time, but the gun jammed.”

frightened напуганный, испуганный; pluck up courage собраться с духом, набраться храбрости; aim нацелить; dodgesth уклониться, увильнуть от чего-либо; bullet пуля; scratch оцарапать; temple висок; trigger спусковой крючок ◊pull the trigger нажать на курок; gun пистолет, револьвер; jam заклинить

“Oh, no!”

“The cat saw that I was not going to let up, and became furious. He stretched out his long hairy paw to grab me, but the sudden entrance of my savior ruined his plans. With several stabs of his sword, the Chevalier Valmont sent the terrible monster into flight.”

let up сдаваться, ослабить сопротивление; become furious рассвирепеть, прийти в бешенство; grab схватить; entranceздесь: появление на сцене; savior спаситель; ruin sb’s plans сорвать, нарушить чьи-либо планы; stab колющий удар (шпагой, кинжаломипод.); flight бегство ◊send sb into flight обратить кого-либо в бегство

“But who is he, this Chevalier Valmont?”

“Oh, it’s a long story. He will tell it to you himself,” said the baron, rising. “I’m far too tired. I’ve spent a sleepless night – and what a night it’s been! I hope you’ll excuse me if I left you now. I’d like to lie down for an hour or so.”