“Perhaps I could (пожалуй, могла бы),” said she.

“I know your powers, you see,” said I, and she blushed with pleasure (видите, я знаю ваши возможности, – сказал я, и она покраснела от удовольствия; power – сила, власть; способность, возможность).

“But the things we said!”

“I forgive them for the thing you did.”

“I must go and tell mother.”

“Stop,” said I, assuming a graver air. “We are not here for sport tonight. Go and bring dinner, and not a word of the King being here.”

She came back in a few minutes, looking grave, yet very curious.

“Well, how is Johann?” I asked, beginning my dinner.

“Oh, that fellow, sir – my lord King, I mean!”

“ ‘Sir’ will do, please. How is he?”

“We hardly see him now, sir.”

“And why not?”

“I told him he came too often, sir,” said she, tossing her head.

“So he sulks and stays away?”

“Yes, sir.”

“But you could bring him back?” I suggested with a smile.

“Perhaps I could,” said she.

“I know your powers, you see,” said I, and she blushed with pleasure.

“It’s not only that, sir, that keeps him away (не только из-за этого, сэр, он не приходит). He’s very busy at the Castle (у него много дел: «он очень занят» в замке).”

“But there’s no shooting on now (но сейчас нет охоты; shooting – стрельба; охота с ружьем).”

“No, sir; but he’s in charge of the house (нет, сэр, но у него заботы по дому; in charge of – ответственный за).”

“Johann turned housemaid (Иоганн превратился /в/ горничную)?”

The little girl was brimming over with gossip (молодая девушка была переполнена слухами = девушке очень хотелось поделиться слухами; to brim over with – иметь в изобилии; brim – край /сосуда/).

“Well, there are no others (ну, там нет никого другого),” said she. “There’s not a woman there – not as a servant, I mean (там нет женщины – нет служанки, я имею в виду). They do say – but perhaps it’s false, sir (говорят, – но, возможно, это неправда, сэр; do – здесь употр. для усиления).”

“Let’s have it for what it’s worth (говорите: «давайте узнаем /об/ этом», как бы там ни было; to have – иметь, обладать; знать; worth – стоящий, имеющий ценность; for what it’s worth – как бы там ни было /для выражения неуверенности в сведениях/),” said I.

“Indeed, I’m ashamed to tell you, sir (в самом деле, мне стыдно вам /об этом/ говорить, сэр).”

“Oh, see, I’m looking at the ceiling (о, видите, я не слушаю: «я смотрю в потолок»).”

“They do say there is a lady there, sir (говорят, что там есть дама, сэр); but, except for her, there’s not a woman in the place (но, кроме нее, в замке больше нет женщин). And Johann has to wait on the gentlemen (и Иоганну приходится прислуживать джентльменам).”

“Poor Johann! He must be overworked (бедняга Иоганн! он, должно быть, перетруждается). Yet I’m sure he could find half an hour to come and see you (и все же я уверен, что он смог бы найти полчасика, чтобы прийти и повидать вас).”

“It would depend on the time, sir, perhaps (наверное, это зависит от времени /суток/, сэр).”

“Do you love him?” I asked (вы любите его? – спросил я).

“Not I, sir (нет, сэр).”

“It’s not only that, sir, that keeps him away. He’s very busy at the Castle.”

“But there’s no shooting on now.”

“No, sir; but he’s in charge of the house.”

“Johann turned housemaid?”

The little girl was brimming over with gossip.

“Well, there are no others,” said she. “There’s not a woman there – not as a servant, I mean. They do say – but perhaps it’s false, sir.”

“Let’s have it for what it’s worth,” said I.

“Indeed, I’m ashamed to tell you, sir.”

“Oh, see, I’m looking at the ceiling.”

“They do say there is a lady there, sir; but, except for her, there’s not a woman in the place. And Johann has to wait on the gentlemen.”

“Poor Johann! He must be overworked. Yet I’m sure he could find half an hour to come and see you.”