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We had not started a moment too soon. The fog was rapidly dispersing;

already the moon shone quite clear on the high ground on either side; and it

was only in the exact bottom of the dell and round the tavern door that a thin

veil still hung unbroken to conceal the first steps of our escape. Far less than

half-way to the hamlet, very little beyond the bottom of the hill, we must come

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forth into the moonlight. Nor was this all; for the sound of several footsteps

running came already to our ears, and as we looked back in their direction, a

light tossing to and fro and still rapidly advancing, showed that one of the

new-comers carried a lantern.

1. 'My dear (мой дорогой),' said my mother suddenly (сказала мать вдруг), 'take

the money and run on (бери деньги и беги; to run on — бежать дальше). I am

going to faint (я вот-вот упаду в обморок)…'

2. It was certainly the end for both of us, I thought (это был, несомненно, конец

для нас обоих, подумал я). How I cursed the cowardice of the neighbours (как

проклинал я трусость соседей); how I blamed my poor mother for her honesty

and her greed (как винил я мою бедную мать за ее честность и жадность), for

her past foolhardiness and present weakness (за ее прошедшую безрассудную

храбрость и теперешнюю слабость)!

3. We were just at the little bridge, by good fortune (мы были как раз на

маленьком мостике, по счастливой случайности); and I helped her, tottering as

she was (я помог ей, шедшей шатающейся походкой: «шатающейся, каковой

она была»), to the edge of the bank (/сойти/ к кромке берега), where, sure

enough, she gave a sigh and fell on my shoulder (где, действительно, она

вздохнула и упала = прислонилась к моему плечу; to fall — падать, оседать).

I do not know how I found the strength to do it at all (не знаю, как = где я вообще

нашел силы, чтобы сделать это), and I am afraid it was roughly done (и боюсь

/только/, /что/ это было грубо сделано); but I managed to drag her down the

bank (но я сумел стащить ее к берегу) and a little way under the arch (и немного

под арку). Farther I could not move her (далее я не мог двигать ее), for the

bridge was too low (потому что мост был слишком низким) to let me do more

than crawl below it (чтобы позволить мне сделать большее, чем лишь

проползти под ним) so there we had to stay (так что там мы вынуждены были

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остаться) — my mother almost entirely exposed (моя мать почти полностью

была на виду; to expose — выставлять, раскрыть) and both of us within

earshot of the inn (и мы оба /были/ в пределах слышимости = совсем недалеко

от трактира).

сursed [`kq:st] honesty [`OnIstI] bridge [brIG] strength [streNT] earshot [`IqSqt]

1. 'My dear,' said my mother suddenly, 'take the money and run on. I am

going to faint.'

2. It was certainly the end for both of us, I thought. How I cursed the

cowardice of the neighbours; how I blamed my poor mother for her honesty

and her greed, for her past foolhardiness and present weakness!

3. We were just at the little bridge, by good fortune; and I helped her,

tottering as she was, to the edge of the bank, where, sure enough, she gave a

sigh and fell on my shoulder. I do not know how I found the strength to do it

at all, and I am afraid it was roughly done; but I managed to drag her down

the bank and a little way under the arch. Farther I could not move her, for the

bridge was too low to let me do more than crawl below it so there we had to

stay — my mother almost entirely exposed and both of us within earshot of

the inn.

Chapter V (глава 5)

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The Last of the Blind Man (конец слепого)

1. My curiosity, in a sense (мое любопытство, до известной степени), was

stronger than my fear (было сильнее, чем мой страх); for I could not remain

where I was (и потому я не мог оставаться, где я был = на месте), but crept

back to the bank again (выполз снова обратно к берегу), whence, sheltering my