Английский для смелых. Истории о духах и привидениях

He sat until he was chilled with the cold (он сидел, пока не продрог от холода; to chill – охлаждать, замораживать; замерзать), glancing occasionally at the figure of the old woman peering through the window (время от времени поглядывая на силуэт старой женщины, неотрывно смотрящей в окно; figure – фигура; внешние очертания, форма тела; to peer – вглядываться; изучать

). The candle-end, which had burned below the rim of the china candlestick (огарок свечи, оплавившийся ниже уровня чашечки фарфорового подсвечника; to burn – гореть; rim – обод, край), was throwing pulsating shadows on the ceiling and walls (бросал пульсирующие тени на потолок и стены), until, with a flicker larger than the rest, it expired

(пока, вспыхнув ярче, чем до этого, он /не/ погас; flicker – мерцание, вспышка, проблеск; large – большой, крупный; rest – другие, прочие, остальные). The old man, with an unspeakable sense of relief at the failure of the talisman, crept back to his bed (он забрался обратно в постель с невыразимым чувством облегчения оттого, что талисман потерпел неудачу; failure – неудавшееся дело, неудача, провал; to creep – ползти; медленно продвигаться), and a minute or two afterward the old woman came silently and apathetically beside him

(и минуту—другую спустя его жена молча и апатично устроилась рядом с ним; to come – приходить, прибывать).

 ‘Wish!’ she cried, in a strong voice.

‘It is foolish and wicked,’ he faltered.

‘Wish!’ repeated his wife.

He raised his hand. ‘I wish my son alive again.’

The talisman fell to the floor, and he regarded it fearfully. Then he sank trembling into a chair as the old woman, with burning eyes, walked to the window and raised the blind.

He sat until he was chilled with the cold, glancing occasionally at the figure of the old woman peering through the window. The candle-end, which had burned below the rim of the china candlestick, was throwing pulsating shadows on the ceiling and walls, until, with a flicker larger than the rest, it expired. The old man, with an unspeakable sense of relief at the failure of the talisman, crept back to his bed, and a minute or two afterward the old woman came silently and apathetically beside him.