I tried to make everyone laugh at him. I tried to cause him pain, pretending I am just fooling around. But my attempts often failed, as it seemed there was nothing in him to make fun of. Actually, there was, but no one ever would use it against him no one except me. He was able to speak only in a very, very soft, low voice, and I never missed an opportunity to bring that fact up.
Wilson usually fought back. He, too, knew my weak spot. He somehow sensed I had a strong distaste for my name. I hated that too many people bore the same name. I felt like it took my personality away, and I hated when our schoolfellows mistook my actions for his and his actions for mine. But the truth was we indeed were alike in mind and body. I knew he knew that too and he used that as a weapon. He perfectly copied my dress and my walk; he could not copy my voice but he perfectly copied my tone.
I cannot describe how much this most careful picture of myself annoyed me. My only consolation was that no one else noticed that. I was the only one who saw Wilsons strange and knowing smiles. He seemed to laugh within himself watching me in anger. He did not care no one laughed with him. The fact that no one on school participated in his design[45] was a mystery to me for many anxious months.
As I said before, he always tried to stop me from doing things I wanted to do. He spoke to me in the tone of patronage, which I hated. As I got older, my resistance to his unwanted advice grew. But I have to admit, his moral sense and worldly wisdom were always far keener than my own. I also have to admit that I could be a batter, and thus a happier man, if only I rejected his advices less frequently. Every day I showed more and more openly that I did not want to listen to anything he told me. This made him avoid me or, at least, pretend to do so.
It was about the same period when during a regular quarrel he had something peculiar in his manner. First it startled me, and then deeply interested me. Somehow he brought to my mind the pictures of my earliest years. Those pictures were half-lighted and not clear. I had a feeling that I knew this person standing before me very long ago. But that feeling passed as quickly as it came.
The situation that I just told you about happened on my last day in the school. Night after that I decided to put my old plan of hurting him into action. When everyone was sleeping, I got out of bed, and with a light in my hand, I went quietly through the house to Wilsons room. When I reached his room, I entered without a sound and left the light outside. I listened and assured he was asleep. I returned to take the light and with it again went to the bed. I looked down upon his face; and my blood went cold. My knees trembled and horror filled my soul. Was this this the face of William Wilson? I saw, indeed, it was, but I shook as if imagining it was not. I looked and many incoherent thoughts popped in my head. He surely looked different from daytime. The same name, the same body; the same day that we came to school! And then meaningless imitation of my walk, my voice, my habits, and my manner! Was it, in truth, humanly possible that what I now saw was the result of his continued efforts to be like me? Filled with a creeping shudder, I put out the light and went away. I was not able to stay in the walls of the school any longer so I left it immediately and never entered it again.
Примечания
1
seemed to be on good terms как будто бы были в хороших отношениях
2
at the crime scene на месте преступления
3
what happened that has never happened before что случилось такого, чего никогда не случалось раньше
4
Now, how strangely unusual must that voice have really been! Насколько же необычен был этот голос!
5
from within изнутри
6
What do we have in the dry rest? Что мы имеем в сухом остатке?
7
well known хорошо известны
8
from the bottom of my heart от всей души
9
Borneo Борнео, третий по величине остров в мире; находится в центре Малайского архипелага в юго-восточной Азии
10
for the time being до поры до времени
11
was at a loss what to do не знал, что делать
12
phrenzy безумие, сумасшествие
13
vulture стервятник
14
my blood ran cold кровь стыла в венах
15
I had the urge у меня было желание
16
He had no clue Он и не догадывался
17
The oldmans hour had come! Для старика пришел час расплаты!
18
In an instant в мгновение ока
19
The deed was done. Дело было сделано.
20
stone dead мертвее мертвого
21
No doubt без сомнений
22
MS. manuscript, рукопись
23
Simoom Самум, песчаный ураган
24
knocked me off сбила меня с ног
25
waterlogged затоплен водой
26
righted выровнялось
27
dizzily растерянно
28
It gave out no light but a dull and sullen glow. Оно испускало не свет, а только тусклое и угрюмое свечение.
29
superstitious суеверный
30
brass cannons медные пушки
31
But what mainly inspired us with horror was that the ship bore up under a press of sail in the very teeth of that supernatural sea. Но больше всего внушал ужас тот факт, что корабль несся под парусами в самую пасть этого сверхъестественного моря.
32
rigging снасти, верёвки на судне или корабле, служащие для постановки и уборки парусов
33
It has been a long time прошло много времени
34
food for thought пища для размышлений
35
It is as sure as sure as there is a sea where the ship itself will grow in bulk like the living body of the seaman. Это так же верно, как то, что есть море, где сам корабль растет, подобно человеческому телу.
36
obsolete устаревший
37
raging waves of ocean бушующие океанские волны
38
Balbec Баальбек, древний город в Ливане
39
Tadmor Тадмор, город в центральной части Сирии
40
Persepolis Персеполь, древнеперсидский город на юго-западе Ирана
41
in favor of that в пользу этого
42
and vice versa и наоборот
43
by degrees постепенно
44
the embodiment of modesty воплощение скромности
45
in his design в его замысле