Михаил Сарапов - Английский для смелых. Истории о духах и привидениях / Great Ghost Stories

He dined alone that evening, and after dinner sat in his study which adjoined the dining-room, and feeling disinclined to read, sat in his great red chair opposite the fireplace, and let his mind graze where it would. At once almost, it went back to the curious sensation he had experienced that morning, of feeling that the spirit of Linkworth was present in the mortuary, though life had been extinct for an hour. It was not the first time, especially in cases of sudden death, that he had felt a similar conviction, though perhaps it had never been quite so unmistakable as it had been today. Yet the feeling, to his mind, was quite probably formed on a natural and psychical truth. The spirit – it may be remarked that he was a believer in the doctrine of future life, and the non-extinction of the soul with the death of the body – was very likely unable or unwilling to quit at once and altogether the earthly habitation, very likely it lingered there, earthbound, for a while. In his leisure hours Dr Teesdale was a considerable student of the occult, for like most advanced and proficient physicians, he clearly recognised how narrow was the boundary of separation between soul and body, how tremendous the influence of the intangible was over material things, and it presented no difficulty to his mind that a disembodied spirit should be able to communicate directly with those who still were bounded by the finite and material.

His meditations, which were beginning to group themselves into definite sequence, were interrupted at this moment(его размышления, которые начали приобретать определенную направленность, были прерваны в этот момент; to group – группироваться, собираться, сочетаться; sequence – последовательность; порядок ) . On his desk near at hand stood his telephone, and the bell rang(на его столе близко под рукой стоял телефон, и он зазвонил; bell – колокол, колокольчик; звонок; to ring ) , not with its usual metallic insistence(не со своей обычной металлической настойчивостью; to insist – настаивать ) , but very faintly, as if the current was weak, or the mechanism impaired(но очень слабо, как если бы упало напряжение: «ток был слаб» или был поврежден механизм; current – струя; поток, течение; электрический ток ) . However, it certainly was ringing(и все же это определенно был звонок: «он определенно звонил») , and he got up and took the combined ear and mouthpiece off its hook(и он встал и взял трубку: «взял совмещенный головной телефон и микрофон с его рычага»; ear – ухо; mouthpiece – мундштук; телефонная трубка; hook – крюк, крючок; рычаг телефонного аппарата ).

‘Yes, yes,’ he said, ‘who is it(да, да, – сказал он, – кто это) ?’

There was a whisper in reply almost inaudible, and quite unintelligible(/в ответ/ раздался шепот, почти неслышный и совершенно неразборчивый).

‘I can’t hear you(я не слышу вас: «я не могу вас услышать») ,’ he said.

Again the whisper sounded, but with no greater distinctness(снова послышался шепот, ничуть не более разборчивый: «с не большей отчетливостью») . Then it ceased altogether(потом он совсем стих; to cease – прекращаться ).

He stood there, for some half minute or so, waiting for it to be renewed(он постоял там с полминуты или около того, ожидая услышать еще что-то: «ожидая, что он возобновится») , but beyond the usual chuckling and croaking(но кроме обычного шипения и треска; to chuckle – кудахтать; крякать; гоготать; to croak – каркать; квакать ) , which showed, however, that he was in communication with some other instrument, there was silence(которое однако показывало, что была установлена связь с другим аппаратом, в трубке: «там» была тишина) . Then he replaced the receiver, rang up the Exchange, and gave his number(тогда он положил трубку, позвонил на коммутатор и назвал: «дал» свой номер; to replace – класть на место; exchange – обмен; коммутатор, центральная телефонная станция ).

His meditations, which were beginning to group themselves into definite sequence, were interrupted at this moment. On his desk near at hand stood his telephone, and the bell rang, not with its usual metallic insistence, but very faintly, as if the current was weak, or the mechanism impaired. However, it certainly was ringing, and he got up and took the combined ear and mouthpiece off its hook.

‘Yes, yes,’ he said, ‘who is it?’

There was a whisper in reply almost inaudible, and quite unintelligible.

‘I can’t hear you,’ he said.

Again the whisper sounded, but with no greater distinctness. Then it ceased altogether.

He stood there, for some half minute or so, waiting for it to be renewed, but beyond the usual chuckling and croaking, which showed, however, that he was in communication with some other instrument, there was silence. Then he replaced the receiver, rang up the Exchange, and gave his number.

‘Can you tell me what number rang me up just now?’ he asked(вы можете мне сказать, с какого номера мне только что звонили? – спросил он).

There was a short pause, then it was given him(последовала короткая пауза, затем ему назвали номер: «затем он был дан ему») . It was the number of the prison, where he was doctor(это был номер той тюрьмы, где он работал доктором).

‘Put me on to it, please(соедините меня, пожалуйста) ,’ he said.

This was done(это было сделано).

‘You rang me up just now,’ he said down the tube(вы мне только что звонили, – сказал он в трубку) . ‘Yes; I am Doctor Teesdale(да, я доктор Тисдейл) . What is it(что) ? I could not hear what you said(я не расслышал, что вы сказали) .’