As soon as we reached the Ruritanian frontier (where the old officer who presided over the Custom House favoured me with such a stare that I felt surer than before of my Elphberg physiognomy), I bought the papers, and found in them news which affected my movements. For some reason, which was not clearly explained, and seemed to be something of a mystery, the date of the coronation had been suddenly advanced, and the ceremony was to take place on the next day but one. The whole country seemed in a stir about it, and it was evident that Strelsau was thronged. Rooms were all let and hotels overflowing; there would be very little chance of my obtaining a lodging, and I should certainly have to pay an exorbitant charge for it. I made up my mind to stop at Zenda, a small town fifty miles short of the capital, and about ten from the frontier. My train reached there in the evening; I would spend the next day, Tuesday, in a wander over the hills, which were said to be very fine, and in taking a glance at the famous Castle, and go over by train to Strelsau on the Wednesday morning, returning at night to sleep at Zenda.
Accordingly at Zenda I got out (итак, я сошел в Зенде; accordingly – соответственно; таким образом; to get out – выходить, высаживаться), and as the train passed where I stood on the platform (и, когда поезд проходил мимо меня, стоящего на платформе; to stand), I saw my friend Madame de Mauban in her place (я увидел свою знакомую, госпожу де Мобан, на своем месте; friend – друг; знакомый); clearly she was going through to Strelsau (/было/ ясно, что она едет прямиком в Стрелсо; through – сквозь, через; прямо, без пересадки), having, with more providence than I could boast, secured apartments there (забронировав там апартаменты с большой предусмотрительностью, которой я похвастаться /не/ мог; to secure – обеспечивать безопасность, охранять; обеспечивать). I smiled to think how surprised George Featherly would have been to know (я улыбнулся, подумав, как был бы удивлен Джордж Фэзерли, /если бы/ узнал) that she and I had been fellow travellers for so long (что мы с ней так долго были попутчиками: «товарищами по путешествию»; fellow – человек, парень; товарищ, собрат).
I was very kindly received at the hotel (меня очень любезно приняли в гостинице) – it was really no more than an inn (на самом деле, это был не более, чем постоялый двор; really – действительно; на самом деле; inn – гостиница /обычно за городом/; трактир, постоялый двор) – kept by a fat old lady and her two daughters (который содержала полная пожилая дама с двумя дочерьми; to keep – держать, хранить; содержать /дом, хозяйство и т. п./; fat – жирный; толстый, тучный; her – ее). They were good, quiet people (они были добрыми, спокойными людьми), and seemed very little interested in the great doings at Strelsau (и, казалось, совсем мало интересовались великими событиями в Стрелсо). The old lady’s hero was the duke (кумиром пожилой дамы был герцог; hero – герой; кумир, идол), for he was now, under the late King’s will (поскольку он теперь был, по воле покойного короля), master of the Zenda estates and of the Castle (хозяином поместий Зенды и замка), which rose grandly on its steep hill (который величественно возвышался на крутом холме; to rise – восходить; подниматься, возвышаться; grandly – грандиозно; величественно) at the end of the valley a mile or so from the inn (на /том/ конце долины примерно в миле от гостиницы; or so – или что-то около того). The old lady, indeed, did not hesitate to express regret (пожилая дама, даже не колеблясь, выразила сожаление; indeed – в самом деле, действительно; даже) that the duke was not on the throne, instead of his brother (что герцог не на троне = не правит королевством вместо своего брата).
Accordingly at Zenda I got out, and as the train passed where I stood on the platform, I saw my friend Madame de Mauban in her place; clearly she was going through to Strelsau, having, with more providence than I could boast, secured apartments there. I smiled to think how surprised George Featherly would have been to know that she and I had been fellow travellers for so long.
I was very kindly received at the hotel – it was really no more than an inn – kept by a fat old lady and her two daughters. They were good, quiet people, and seemed very little interested in the great doings at Strelsau. The old lady’s hero was the duke, for he was now, under the late King’s will, master of the Zenda estates and of the Castle, which rose grandly on its steep hill at the end of the valley a mile or so from the inn. The old lady, indeed, did not hesitate to express regret that the duke was not on the throne, instead of his brother.
“We know Duke Michael,” said she (мы знаем герцога Михаэля). “He has always lived among us (он всегда жил среди нас); every Ruritanian knows Duke Michael (каждый руританин знает герцога Михаэля). But the King is almost a stranger (но король –