The King was lying there in bed (король там лежал на кровати); our doctor from Tarlenheim was in attendance on him (при нем находился наш доктор из Тарленхайма; to be in attendance – сопровождать; присутствовать; to attend – уделять внимание; ходить, ухаживать /за больным/), and whispered to me that my visit must be brief (/который/ шепотом сказал мне, что мой визит должен быть краток). The King held out his hand and shook mine (король протянул руку и пожал мою; to shake – трясти/сь/, встряхивать; to shake hands – пожимать руки, обмениваться рукопожатием). Fritz and the doctor withdrew to the window (Фриц с доктором удалились к окну; to withdraw).

I took the King’s ring from my finger and placed it on his (я снял со своего пальца королевский перстень и надел ему).

“I have tried not to dishonour it, sire (я старался не опозорить его, сир),” said I.

“I can’t talk much to you,” he said, in a weak voice (я не могу долго говорить с вами, – сказал он слабым голосом). “I have had a great fight with Sapt and the Marshal (я долго спорил с Сэптом и маршалом; great – большой, громадный; долгий, продолжительный; fight – бой; спор) – for we have told the Marshal everything (поскольку нам пришлось рассказать маршалу все). I wanted to take you to Strelsau and keep you with me (я хотел взять вас с собою в Стрелсо и оставить при себе), and tell everyone of what you had done (и рассказать всем, что вы сделали /для меня/); and you would have been my best and nearest friend, Cousin Rudolf (вы были бы мне самым лучшим и ближайшим другом, кузен Рудольф). But they tell me I must not (но они уверяют, что я не должен этого делать), and that the secret must be kept – if kept it can be (и что эту тайну нужно сохранить – если ее возможно сохранить).”

Presently Fritz von Tarlenheim came into the room. I was standing then by the window; the glass was opened, and I was idly fingering the cement which clung to the masonry where “Jacob’s Ladder” had been. He told me briefly that the King wanted me, and together we crossed the drawbridge and entered the room that had been Black Michael’s.

The King was lying there in bed; our doctor from Tarlenheim was in attendance on him, and whispered to me that my visit must be brief. The King held out his hand and shook mine. Fritz and the doctor withdrew to the window.

I took the King’s ring from my finger and placed it on his.

“I have tried not to dishonour it, sire,” said I.

“I can’t talk much to you,” he said, in a weak voice. “I have had a great fight with Sapt and the Marshal – for we have told the Marshal everything. I wanted to take you to Strelsau and keep you with me, and tell everyone of what you had done; and you would have been my best and nearest friend, Cousin Rudolf. But they tell me I must not, and that the secret must be kept – if kept it can be.”

“They are right, sire (они правы, сир). Let me go (позвольте мне уехать). My work here is done (моя работа здесь выполнена = моя миссия окончена).”

“Yes, it is done, as no man but you could have done it (да, вы, как никто другой, смогли выполнить ее). When they see me again, I shall have my beard on (когда меня увидят снова, я буду с бородой); I shall – yes, faith, I shall be wasted with sickness (я буду – да, честное слово, я буду слаб от болезни). They will not wonder that the King looks changed in face (никто не удивится, что король выглядит немного изменившимся в лице). Cousin, I shall try to let them find him changed in nothing else (кузен, я буду стараться не дать им заметить перемен ни в чем другом). You have shown me how to play the King (вы показали мне, как /должен/ поступать король; to play – играть; поступать, действовать).”

“Sire,” said I. “I can take no praise from you (сир, – сказал я, – я не могу принять от вас никакой похвалы). It is by the narrowest grace of God (это только по милости Божией; narrow – узкий; едва достаточный; grace – грация, изящество; милость, милосердие) that I was not a worse traitor than your brother (я не стал худшим изменником, нежели ваш брат).”

He turned inquiring eyes on me (он вопросительно взглянул на меня: «повернул на меня вопрошающий взгляд»); but a sick man shrinks from puzzles (но больной человек не любит головоломок; to shrink – садиться /о материи/; избегать, уклоняться), and he had no strength to question me (и у него не было сил расспрашивать меня). His glance fell on Flavia’s ring, which I wore (его взгляд упал на перстень Флавии, который я носил). I thought he would question me about it (я думал, он спросит меня о нем); but, after fingering it idly, he let his head fall on his pillow (но лениво коснувшись его пальцем, он уронил голову на подушку).

“I don’t know when I shall see you again (не знаю, когда снова увижу вас),” he said faintly, almost listlessly (сказал он тихо: «слабо» и почти равнодушно).

“If I can ever serve you again, sire,” I answered (я всегда к вашим услугам: «если я когда-либо смогу послужить вам снова», сир).

“They are right, sire. Let me go. My work here is done.”

“Yes, it is done, as no man but you could have done it. When they see me again, I shall have my beard on; I shall – yes, faith, I shall be wasted with sickness. They will not wonder that the King looks changed in face. Cousin, I shall try to let them find him changed in nothing else. You have shown me how to play the King.”

“Sire,” said I. “I can take no praise from you. It is by the narrowest grace of God that I was not a worse traitor than your brother.”

He turned inquiring eyes on me; but a sick man shrinks from puzzles, and he had no strength to question me. His glance fell on Flavia’s ring, which I wore. I thought he would question me about it; but, after fingering it idly, he let his head fall on his pillow.

“I don’t know when I shall see you again,” he said faintly, almost listlessly.

“If I can ever serve you again, sire,” I answered.