|
| "Kind master of the house, take away the beetles." | - Ласковый хозяин, выведи тараканов... |
| Far away over the town, which I could not see, it grew lighter. The cold morning air blew against my cheeks and into my eyes. | Далеко за городом - не видным мне - становилось светлее, утренний холодок сжимал щёки, слипались глаза. |
| I wrapped myself in my blanket. Let come what would! | Я свернулся калачиком, окутав голову одеялом, -будь что будет! |
| Grandmother awoke me. Standing beside me and pulling off the blanket, she said: | Разбудила меня бабушка - стоит рядом со мной и, стаскивая одеяло, говорит: |
| "Get up! | - Вставай! |
| Aren't you chilled? | Не озяб ли? |
| Well, were you frightened?" | Ну, что - страшно? |
| "I was frightened, but don't tell any one; don't tell the other boys." | - Страшно, только ты не говори никому про это, ребятишкам не говори! |
| "But why not?" she asked in amazement. | - А почто молчать? - удивилась она. |
| "If you were not afraid, you have nothing to be proud about." | - Коли не страшно, так и хвалиться нечем... |
| As he went home she said to me gently: | Пошли домой, и дорогой она ласково говорила: |
| "You have to experience things for yourself in this world, dear heart. | - Всё надо самому испытать, голуба душа, всё надо самому знать... |
| If you can't teach yourself, no one else can teach you." | Сам не поучишься - никто не научит... |
| By the evening I was the "hero" of the street, and every one asked me, | К вечеру я стал "героем" улицы, все спрашивали меня: |
| "Is it possible that you were not afraid?" | - Да неужто не страшно? |
| And when I answered, | И когда я говорил: |
| "I was afraid," they shook their heads and exclaimed, | "Страшно!" - качая головами, восклицали: |
| "Aha I you see!" | - Ага! Вот видишь? |
| The shopkeeper went about saying loudly: | Лавочница же громко и убеждённо заявила: |
| "It may be that they talked nonsense when they said that Kalinin walked. | - Стало быть, врали, что Калинин встаёт. |
| But if he did, do you think he would have frightened that boy? | Кабы вставал, - разве испугался бы мальчишки? |
| No, he would have driven him out of the cemetery, and no one would know v/here he went." | Да он бы его смахнул с кладбища и не видать куда. |
| Ludmilla looked at me with tender astonishment. Even grandfather was obviously pleased with me. They all made much of me. | Людмила смотрела на меня с ласковым удивлением, даже дед был, видимо, доволен мною, всё ухмылялся. |
| Only Tchurka said gruffly: | Только Чурка сказал угрюмо: |
| "It was easy enough for him; his grandmother is a witch!" |
