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The Duchess had brought with her some lovely roses, which she strewed upon the grave, and after they had stood by it for some time they strolled into the ruined chancel of the old abbey. There the Duchess sat down on a fallen pillar, while her husband lay at her feet smoking a cigarette and looking up at her beautiful eyes. Suddenly he threw his cigarette away, took hold of her hand, and said to her, “Virginia, a wife should have no secrets from her husband.”

“Dear Cecil (дорогой Сесиль)! I have no secrets from you (у меня нет от тебя секретов).”

“Yes, you have (нет, есть),” he answered, smiling (ответил он, улыбаясь), “you have never told me (ты никогда не рассказывала мне) what happened to you (что случилось с тобой) when you were locked up with the ghost (когда ты была наедине: «заперта» с призраком).”

“I have never told any one (я никому не рассказывала), Cecil,” said Virginia, gravely (серьезно).

“I know that (я это знаю), but you might tell me (но ты могла бы рассказать мне).”

“Dear Cecil! I have no secrets from you.”

“Yes, you have,” he answered, smiling, “you have never told me what happened to you when you were locked up with the ghost.”

“I have never told any one, Cecil,” said Virginia, gravely.

“I know that, but you might tell me.”

“Please don’t ask me (пожалуйста, не спрашивай меня), Cecil, I cannot tell you (я не могу рассказать тебе). Poor Sir Simon (бедный сэр Саймон)! I owe him a great deal (я многим обязана ему). Yes, don’t laugh (да, не смейся), Cecil, I really do (это действительно так). He made me see what Life is (он дал мне увидеть/понять, что такое Жизнь), and what Death signifies (и что значит Смерть), and why Love is stronger than both (и почему Любовь сильнее, чем они /обе/).”

“Please don’t ask me, Cecil, I cannot tell you. Poor Sir Simon! I owe him a great deal. Yes, don’t laugh, Cecil, I really do. He made me see what Life is, and what Death signifies, and why Love is stronger than both.”

The Duke rose and kissed his wife lovingly (герцог поднялся и поцеловал свою жену с любовью).

“You can have your secret as long as I have your heart (ты можешь хранить свой секрет, пока я могу владеть твоим сердцем),” he murmured (прошептал он).

“You have always had that (оно всегда было у тебя), Cecil.”

“And you will tell our children some day, won’t you (но ты расскажешь нашим детям когда-нибудь, не правда ли)?”

Virginia blushed (покраснела).

The Duke rose and kissed his wife lovingly.

“You can have your secret as long as I have your heart,” he murmured.

“You have always had that, Cecil.”

“And you will tell our children some day, won’t you?”

Virginia blushed.

Примечания

1

Забавная хроника невзгод привидения из Кентервиль Чейз, имевших место, когда особняк его предков стал домом американского посла ко двору Святого Джеймса.

The Court of St James – официальное название королевского двора в Англии.