Герберт Уэллс - The Invisible Man

He came round greatly concerned. They wanted him to lead the way upstairs to the room; but he didn't seem to be in any hurry. He preferred to talk in the passage. Over the way Huxter's apprentice came out, and began taking down the shutters of the tobacco window. He was called over to join the discussion. Mr. Huxter naturally followed in the course of a few minutes. The Anglo-Saxon genius for parliamentary government asserted itself: [12] 6.12 The Anglo-Saxon genius for parliamentary government asserted itself: ( ирон. ) — Здесь проявилась способность англо-саксов к управлению при помощи парламентской системы. Дальнейшие слова: there was a great deal of talk and no decisive action раскрывают отношение автора к английской парламентской системе. there was a great deal of talk and no decisive action.

"Let's have the facts first," insisted Mr. Sandy Wadgers. "Let's be sure we'd be acting perfectly right in bustin' that there door open. [13] 6.13 to bust (правильно: burst) open — взломать A door onbust is always open to bustin', but ye can't onbust a bust door once you've busted en." [14] 6.14 A door onbust is always open to bustin', but ye can't onbust a bust door once you've busted en. ( диал. ) — Пока дверь не взломана, её всегда можно взломать, но нельзя сделать невзломанной дверь, раз её уже взломали.

And suddenly and most wonderfully the door of the room upstairs opened of its own accord, and as they looked up in amazement, they saw descending the stairs the muffled figure of the stranger, staring more blackly and blankly than ever with those unreasonably large glass eyes of his. He came down stiffly and slowly, staring all the time; he walked across the passage, staring, then stopped.

"Look there!" he said, and their eyes followed the direction of his gloved finger, and saw a bottle of sarsaparilla hard by the cellar door. Then he entered the parlour, and suddenly, swiftly, viciously, slammed the door in their faces.

Not a word was spoken until the last echoes of the slam had died away. They stared at one another.

"Well, if that don't lick everything!" said Mr. Wadgers, and left the alternative unsaid. [15] 6.15 left the alternative unsaid — не докончил. Подразумевается, что прямая речь должна была закончиться словами: I'm damned.

"I'd go in and ask'n 'bout it," said Wadgers to Mr. Hall. "I'd d'mand an explanation."

It took some time to bring the landlady's husband up to that pitch. [16] 6.16 to bring up to that pitch — довести до такого состояния At last he rapped, opened the door, and got as far as:

"Excuse me—"

"Go to the devil!" said the stranger in a tremendous voice, and "Shut that door after you."

So this brief interview terminated.

The stranger went into the little parlour of the "Coach and Horses" about half-past five in the morning, and there he remained until near midday, the blinds down, the door shut, and none, after Hall's repulse, venturing near him.

All that time he must have fasted. Thrice he rang his bell, the third time furiously and continuously, but no one answered him. "Him and his 'Go to the devil,' indeed!" said Mrs. Hall. Presently came an imperfect rumour of the burglary at the Vicarage, and two and two were put together. [1] 7.1 to put two and two together — сделать соответствующие выводы Hall, assisted by Wadgers, went off to find Mr. Shuckleforth, the magistrate, and take his advice. No one ventured upstairs. How the stranger occupied himself is unknown. Now and then he would stride violently up and down, and twice came an outburst of curses, a tearing of paper, and a violent smashing of bottles.

The little group of scared but curious people increased. Mrs. Huxter came over; some gay young fellows resplendent in black ready-made jackets and piqué paper ties— [2] 7.2 piqué paper ties — галстуки из бумаги в рубчик, как материал пике for it was Whit Monday—joined the group with confused and confusing interrogations. Young Archie Harker distinguished himself by going up the yard and trying to peep under the drawn blinds. He could see nothing, but gave reason for supposing that he did, and others of the Iping youth presently joined him.

It was the finest of all possible Whit Mondays, and down the village street stood a row of nearly a dozen booths, a shooting-gallery, and on the grass by the forge were three yellow and chocolate wagons, and some picturesque strangers of both sexes putting up a cocoanut-shy. [3] 7.3 cocoanut-shy — игра, в которой мишенью служат кокосовые орехи (распространённое ярмарочное развлечение в Англии) The gentlemen wore blue jerseys, the ladies white aprons and quite fashionable hats with heavy plumes. Woodyer, of the "Purple Fawn," [4] 7.4 the "Purple Fawn" — название трактира and Mr. Jaggers, the cobbler, who also sold second-hand ordinary bicycles, were stretching a string of union jacks and royal ensigns, [5] 7.5 royal ensigns — королевские штандарты which had originally celebrated the first Victorian Jubilee, [6] 7.6 the first Victorian Jubilee — празднование 50-летия царствования королевы Виктории в 1887 г. across the road.

And inside in the artificial darkness of the parlour, into which only one thin jet of sunlight penetrated, the stranger, hungry we must suppose, and fearful, hidden in his uncomfortable hot wrappings, pored through his dark glasses upon his paper, or chinked his dirty little bottles, and occasionally swore savagely at the boys, audible, if invisible, outside the windows. In the corner by the fireplace lay the fragments of half a dozen smashed bottles, and a pungent twang of chlorine tainted the air. So much we know from what was heard at the time, and from what was subsequently seen in the room.

About noon he suddenly opened his parlour door and stood glaring fixedly at the three or four people in the bar. "Mrs. Hall," he said. Somebody went sheepishly and called for Mrs. Hall.

Mrs. Hall appeared after an interval, a little short of breath, but all the fiercer for that. Hall was still out. She had deliberated over this scene, and she came holding a little tray with an unsettled bill upon it. "Is it your bill you're wanting, sir?" she said.

"Why wasn't my breakfast laid? Why haven't you prepared my meals and answered my bell? Do you think I live without eating?"

"Why isn't my bill paid?" said Mrs. Hall. "That's what I want to know."

"I told you three days ago I was awaiting a remittance—"

"I told you three days ago I wasn't going to await no remittances. You can't grumble if your breakfast waits a bit, if my bill's been waiting these five days, can you?"

The stranger swore briefly but vividly.

"Nar, nar!" [7] .7 Nar, nar! ( диал. )=Now, now! — Полегче! from the bar.

"And I'd thank you kindly, sir, if you'd keep your swearing to yourself, sir," said Mrs. Hall.

The stranger stood looking more like an angry diving helmet than ever. It was universally felt in the bar that Mrs. Hall had the better of [8] 7.8 to have the better (of) — одержать верх him. His next words showed as much.