‘All right,’ said he.
I suppose he thought we were near the hotel. He got out without a word, and followed me down the garden. When we came to the door, I opened it, and led him into the front room. The father and the daughter were walking in front of us.
‘It’s infernally dark,’ said he.
‘We’ll soon have a light,’ I said. I took a wax candle. ‘Now, Enoch Drebber,’ I continued, ‘who am I?’
He gazed at me with drunken eyes for a moment, and then I saw a horror in them. He knew me. He staggered back with a livid face, and I saw the perspiration upon his brow. His teeth chattered. I laughed loud and long.
‘You dog!’ I said; ‘I hunted you everywhere, and you always escaped me. Now I got you.’
I saw on his face that he thought I was mad. So I was for the time.
‘Do you remember Lucy Ferrier?’ I cried. I locked the door and shook the key in his face. ‘Punishment is coming.’
His coward lips trembled as I spoke.
‘Will you murder me?’ he stammered.
‘There is no murder,’ I answered. ‘Is it a murder to kill a mad dog? Do you remember my poor darling? You dragged her from her father, and bore her away to your accursed and shameless harem.’
‘It was not I who killed her father,’ he cried.
‘But it was you who broke her innocent heart,’ I shrieked. I gave him the box. ‘Let the God judge between us. Choose and eat. There is death in one and life in the other. I shall take what you leave. Let us see if there is justice upon the earth.’
He prayed for mercy, but I drew my knife and held it to his throat. And he obeyed me. He ate the pill. Then I swallowed the other. Who will live and who will die? The first warning pangs told him that the poison was in him. I laughed as I saw it, and held Lucy’s marriage ring in front of his eyes. The action of the alkaloid is rapid. A spasm of pain; he threw his hands out in front of him, staggered, and then, with a hoarse cry, fell heavily upon the floor. I placed my hand upon his heart. There was no movement. He was dead!
The blood was streaming from my nose. And I wrote upon the wall with it. Perhaps it was some mischievous idea. One day a German was found in New York with RACHE written up above him. The newspapers were writing about the secret societies. What puzzled the New Yorkers will puzzle the Londoners. So I dipped my finger in my own blood and writhe the German word on the wall.
Then I walked down to my cab. I drove some distance. Then I put my hand into the pocket in which I usually kept Lucy’s ring, and found that it was not there. It was the only memento that I had of her! I dropped it when I stooped over Drebber’s body. So I drove back, and left my cab in a side street. I went boldly up to the house. When I arrived there, I walked right into the arms of a police-officer. I pretended to be hopelessly drunk.
That was how Enoch Drebber came to his end. But Stangerson was still alive. I knew that he was staying at Halliday’s Private Hotel, and I waited there all day, but he never came out. I’m sure that that he suspected something. He was cunning, that Stangerson.
I soon found out which was the window of his bedroom, and early next morning I took a ladder which was lying in the lane behind the hotel. I woke him up. I described Drebber’s death to him, and I gave him the same choice of the poisoned pills. But he sprang from his bed and flew at my throat. I stabbed him to the heart.
Примечания
1
Assistant Surgeon – ассистент хирурга
2
the Berkshires – Беркширский полк
3
I was struck on the shoulder – я был ранен в плечо
4
which is precipitated by hemoglobin – который осаждается гемоглобином
5
on business – по делу
6
bull pup – щенок бульдога
7
dissecting-rooms – анатомический театр
8
rat-faced – с крысиной физиономией
9
railway porter – вокзальный носильщик
10
logician – человек, способный логически мыслить
11
as for the article – что касается статьи
12
bread and cheese – кусок хлеба с маслом
13
Edgar Allen Poe’s Dupin – Дюпен из романов Эдгара Алана По
14
Gaboriau’s works – романы Габорио (о детективе Лекоке )
15
retired sergeant of Marines – отставной флотский сержант
16
Royal Marine Light Infantry – королевская морская пехота
17
military carriage – военная выправка
18
pocket all the credit – прикарманить себе всю славу
19
flaxen-haired – с льняными волосами
20
frock coat – сюртук
21
top hat – цилиндр
22
thrown abroad – раскинуты
23
legs were interlocked – ноги были скрючены
24
prognathous jaw – выступающая вперёд челюсть
25
ape-like – обезьяноподобный
26
by Barraud – фирмы Барро
27
Boccaccio’s ‘Decameron’ – «Декамерон» Бокаччо
28
with name of Joseph Stangerson upon the fly-leaf – с именем Джозеф Стэнджерсон на форзаце
29
American Exchange, Strand-to be left till called for – Стрэнд, Американская биржа, до востребования
30
Guion Steamship Company – пароходная компания «Гийон»
31
tape measure – рулетка
32
magnifying glass – увеличительное стекло
33
in the prime of life – в расцвете лет
34
square-toed boots – ботинки с квадратными носками
35
with three old shoes and one new one on his off fore leg – с тремя старыми и одной новой подковой на правом переднем копыте
36
was printed after the German fashion – была написана готическим шрифтом
37
in the Latin character – на латинский манер
38
the lower part muffled round – с замотанным подбородком
39
This will do very well. – Это подойдёт.
40
put the key on the inside – вставьте ключ изнутри
41
Arthur Charpentier, sub-lieutenant in Her Majesty’s navy – Артур Шарпентье, младший лейтенант флота Её Величества
42
Charpentier’s Boarding Establishment, Torquay Terrace – пансион Шарпантье на Торки-Террас
43
burst into tears – расплакалась
44
old shipmate – старый товарищ по флоту
45
the door was locked on the inside – дверь была заперта изнутри
46
wanted you to put out of its pain – просила вас усыпить его, чтобы он больше не мучился
47
on these terms – на этих условиях
48
promised land – земля обетованная
49
she found herself – она оказалась
50
I am off – я уезжаю
51
do not put your weak wills – не противься своими слабыми силёнками
52
We’ll fix it up somehow or another. – Мы это как-нибудь уладим.
53
rocking-chair – кресло-качалка
54
tanning yard – кожевенный завод
55
the sooner the better – чем раньше, тем лучше
56
he lost heart – он пал духом
57
on every side – со всех сторон
58
Eagle Ravine – Орлиное ущелье
59
Whip-poor-Will – козодой
60
out of the reach – вне досягаемости
61
big-horn – снежный баран
62
into custody – под стражу
63
aortic aneurism – аневризма аорты
64
she was forced into marrying – её силой выдали замуж
65
had Drebber by the collar – тащил Дреббера за шиворот
66
gin palace – питейное заведение