It was opened with singular precautions by the Dictator in person (ее открыл с исключительными предосторожностями диктатор собственной персоной: «она была открыта»).

"Who are you?" he demanded (кто там? — спросил он).

"You must pardon me this late visit, Mr. Vandeleur," replied the Prince (вы должны простить мне этот поздний визит, мистер Венделер, — ответил принц).

"Your Highness is always welcome," returned Mr. Vandeleur, stepping back (ваше высочество — всегда желанный гость, — ответил мистер Венделер, отступив назад).

The Prince profited by the open space (принц воспользовался открытым = свободным местом), and without waiting for his host walked right into the house (и, не подождав хозяина, вошел прямо в дом) and opened the door of the salon (и открыл дверь в салон). Two people were seated there (два человека сидели там); one was Miss Vandeleur, who bore the marks of weeping about her eyes (один /из них/ была мисс Венделер, у которой вокруг глаз были следы плача; to bear — носить), and was still shaken from time to time by a sob (и ее все еще то и дело сотрясало рыдание); in the other the Prince recognised the young man (в другом принц узнал молодого человека) who had consulted him on literary matters about a month before (который консультировался с ним по литературным вопросам около месяца назад), in a club smoking-room (в курительной комнате в клубе).

host [hqVst]

It was opened with singular precautions by the Dictator in person.

"Who are you?" he demanded.

"You must pardon me this late visit, Mr. Vandeleur," replied the Prince.

"Your Highness is always welcome," returned Mr. Vandeleur, stepping back.

The Prince profited by the open space, and without waiting for his host walked right into the house and opened the door of the salon. Two people were seated there; one was Miss Vandeleur, who bore the marks of weeping about her eyes, and was still shaken from time to time by a sob; in the other the Prince recognised the young man who had consulted him on literary matters about a month before, in a club smoking-room.

"Good evening, Miss Vandeleur," said Florizel (добрый вечер, мисс Венделер, — сказал Флоризель); "you look fatigued (вы выглядите усталой). Mr. Rolles, I believe (мистер Роулз, я полагаю)? I hope you have profited by the study of Gaboriau, Mr. Rolles (я надеюсь, вам помогло чтение Габорио, мистер Роулз; to profit — извлечь выгоду)."

But the young clergyman's temper was too much embittered for speech (но настроение молодого священника было слишком горьким, чтобы говорить: «для речи»); and he contented himself with bowing stiffly (и он удовольствовался = ограничился, холодно поклонившись), and continued to gnaw his lip (и продолжил кусать губу).

"To what good wind," said Mr. Vandeleur, following his guest, "am I to attribute the honour of your Highness's presence (какому доброму ветру, — сказал мистер Венделер, следуя за своим гостем, — должен я приписать честь = заслугу присутствия вашего высочества)?"

"I am come on business," returned the Prince (я пришел по делу, — ответил принц); "on business with you (по делу к вам); as soon as that is settled (как только с ним будет покончено) I shall request Mr. Rolles to accompany me for a walk (я попрошу мистера Роулза сопровождать меня в прогулке). Mr. Rolles," he added with severity, "let me remind you that I have not yet sat down (мистер Роулз, — прибавил он строго, — позвольте мне напомнить вам, что я еще не садился; severity — строгость, суровость; severe — строгий, суровый)."

fatigued [fq`tJgd], attribute (глагол) [q`trIbjHt], severity [sI`verItI]

"Good evening, Miss Vandeleur," said Florizel; "you look fatigued. Mr. Rolles, I believe? I hope you have profited by the study of Gaboriau, Mr. Rolles."

But the young clergyman's temper was too much embittered for speech; and he contented himself with bowing stiffly, and continued to gnaw his lip.

"To what good wind," said Mr. Vandeleur, following his guest, "am I to attribute the honour of your Highness's presence?"

"I am come on business," returned the Prince; "on business with you; as soon as that is settled I shall request Mr. Rolles to accompany me for a walk. Mr. Rolles," he added with severity, "let me remind you that I have not yet sat down."

The clergyman sprang to his feet with an apology (священник вскочил на ноги с извинением); whereupon the Prince took an armchair beside the table (после чего принц занял кресло у стола), handed his hat to Mr. Vandeleur, his cane to Mr. Rolles (вручил свою шляпу мистеру Венделеру, а трость — мистеру Роулзу), and, leaving them standing and thus menially employed upon his service (и, оставив их стоящими и, таким образом, сделав их лакеями на своей службе: «лакейски нанятыми»; menial — слуга; лакей, прислужник), spoke as follows (заговорил так: «как следует = /проговорил/ следующее»):

menially [`mJnIqlI], employ [Im`plOI], service [`sWvIs]

The clergyman sprang to his feet with an apology; whereupon the Prince took an armchair beside the table, handed his hat to Mr. Vandeleur, his cane to Mr. Rolles, and, leaving them standing and thus menially employed upon his service, spoke as follows:

"I have come here, as I said, upon business (я пришел сюда, как я сказал, по делу); but, had I come looking for pleasure (но если бы я пришел для удовольствия: «ища удовольствия»), I could not have been more displeased with my reception (меня не мог бы меньше порадовать прием) nor more dissatisfied with my company (и я не мог бы быть менее доволен компанией). You, sir," addressing Mr. Rolles, "you have treated your superior in station with discourtesy (вы, сэр, — обращаясь к мистеру Роулзу, — вы обращались неучтиво со старшим по положению); you, Vandeleur, receive me with a smile (вы, Венделер, принимаете меня с улыбкой), but you know right well that your hands are not yet cleansed from misconduct (но вы прекрасно знаете, что ваши руки еще не отмыты от черных дел; misconduct — дурное поведение). I do not desire to be interrupted, sir," he added imperiously (я не желаю, чтобы меня прерывали: «быть прерванным», сэр, — добавил он властно); "I am here to speak, and not to listen (я здесь чтобы говорить, а не чтобы слушать); and I have to ask you to hear me with respect, and to obey punctiliously (и я должен просить вас выслушать меня с уважением и подчиниться точно/скрупулезно = до мелочей). At the earliest possible date (как можно раньше: «в самую раннюю возможную дату») your daughter shall be married at the Embassy to my friend, Francis Scrymgeour (ваша дочь выйдет замуж в посольстве за моего друга, Фрэнсиса Скримджера), your brother's acknowledged son (признанного сына вашего брата). You will oblige me by offering not less than ten thousand pounds dowry (вы обяжете меня, дав не менее десяти тысяч фунтов приданого). For yourself, I will indicate to you in writing a mission of some importance in Siam (что касается вас, я укажу в письменном виде важную миссию в Сиаме) which I destine to your care (которую я поручаю вашей заботе). And now, sir, you will answer me in two words (а теперь, сэр, вы ответите мне в двух словах) whether or not you agree to these conditions (соглашаетесь ли вы на эти условия или нет)."

pleasure [`pleZq], discourtesy [dI`skWtqsI], misconduct [mIs`kOndAkt], imperiously [Im`pIqrIqslI], dowry [`daVrI], Siam [saI`xm], destine [`destIn]

"I have come here, as I said, upon business; but, had I come looking for pleasure, I could not have been more displeased with my reception nor more dissatisfied with my company. You, sir," addressing Mr. Rolles, "you have treated your superior in station with discourtesy; you, Vandeleur, receive me with a smile, but you know right well that your hands are not yet cleansed from misconduct. I do not desire to be interrupted, sir," he added imperiously; "I am here to speak, and not to listen; and I have to ask you to hear me with respect, and to obey punctiliously. At the earliest possible date your daughter shall be married at the Embassy to my friend, Francis Scrymgeour, your brother's acknowledged son. You will oblige me by offering not less than ten thousand pounds dowry. For yourself, I will indicate to you in writing a mission of some importance in Siam which I destine to your care. And now, sir, you will answer me in two words whether or not you agree to these conditions."

"Your Highness will pardon me," said Mr. Vandeleur (ваше высочество простит меня, — сказал мистер Венделер), "and permit me, with all respect (и позволит мне, со всем уважением), to submit to him two queries (задать ему два вопроса)?"

"The permission is granted," replied the Prince (разрешение дано, — ответил принц).

"Your Highness," resumed the Dictator, "has called Mr. Scrymgeour his friend (ваше высочество, — продолжил диктатор, — назвали мистера Скримджера своим другом). Believe me, had I known he was thus honoured (поверьте мне, если бы я знал, что он так почтенен), I should have treated him with proportional respect (я бы обращался с ним с соответствующим уважением)."

"You interrogate adroitly," said the Prince (вы находчиво спрашиваете, — сказал принц); "but it will not serve your turn (но это не подходит вашей цели = не подействует, как вы хотели). You have my commands (у вас есть мои приказы); if I had never seen that gentleman before to-night (и если бы я никогда не видел этого джентльмена до сегодняшнего вечера), it would not render them less absolute (это не сделало бы их менее обязательными)."

permit [pq`mIt], query [`kwIqrI], grant [grRnt], interrogate [In`terqgeIt], adroitly [q`drOItlI]

"Your Highness will pardon me," said Mr. Vandeleur, "and permit me, with all respect, to submit to him two queries?"

"The permission is granted," replied the Prince.

"Your Highness," resumed the Dictator, "has called Mr. Scrymgeour his friend. Believe me, had I known he was thus honoured, I should have treated him with proportional respect."

"You interrogate adroitly," said the Prince; "but it will not serve your turn. You have my commands; if I had never seen that gentleman before to-night, it would not render them less absolute."

"Your Highness interprets my meaning with his usual subtlety," returned Vandeleur (ваше высочество толкует смысл моих слов с обычной тонкостью, — ответил Венделер). "Once more (и еще): I have, unfortunately, put the police upon the track of Mr. Scrymgeour on a charge of theft (я, к сожалению, пустил полицию по следу мистера Скримджера по обвинению в краже); am I to withdraw or to uphold the accusation (должен ли я отозвать или настаивать на моем обвинении)?"

"You will please yourself," replied Florizel (вы поступите по своему желанию, — ответил Флоризель). "The question is one between your conscience and the laws of this land (этот вопрос решается вашей совестью и законами этой страны). Give me my hat (подайте мою шляпу); and you, Mr. Rolles, give me my cane and follow me (а вы, мистер Роулз, подайте мою трость и следуйте за мной). Miss Vandeleur, I wish you good evening (мисс Венделер, я желаю вам доброго вечера). I judge," he added to Vandeleur, "that your silence means unqualified assent (я полагаю, — прибавил он, /обращаясь/ к Венделеру, — что ваше молчание означает безоговорочное согласие)."