From Dracula
Bram Stoker
| S |
oon we were hemmed in with trees, which in places arched right over the roadway till we passed as through a tunnel; and again great frowning rocks guarded us boldly on either side. Though we were in shelter, we could hear the rising wind, for it moaned and whistled through the rocks, and the branches of the trees crashed together as we swept along. It grew colder and colder still, and fine, powdery snow began to fall, so that soon we and all around us were covered with a white blanket. The keen wind still carried the howling of the dogs, though this grew fainter as we went on our way. The baying of the wolves sounded nearer and nearer, as though they were closing round on us from every side. I grew dreadfully afraid, and the horses shared my fear; but the driver was not in the least disturbed. He kept turning his head to left and right, but I could not see anything through the darkness.
Suddenly, away on our left, I saw a faint flickering blue flame. The driver saw it at the same moment; he at once checked the horses and, jumping to the ground, disappeared into the darkness. I did not know what to do, the less as the howling of the wolves grew closer; but while I wondered the driver suddenly appeared again, and without a word took his seat, and we resumed our journey. I think I must have fallen asleep and kept dreaming of the incident, for it seemed to be repeated endlessly, and now, looking back, it is like a sort of awful nightmare. Once the flame appeared so near the road that even in the darkness around us I could watch the driver’s motions. He went rapidly to where the blue flame arose—it must have been very faint, for it did not seem to illumine the place around it at all—and gathering a few stones, formed them into some device. Once there appeared a strange optical effect: when he stood between me and the flame he did not obstruct it, for I could see its ghostly flicker all the same. This startled me, but as the effect was only momentary, I took it that my eyes deceived me straining through the darkness. Then for a time there were no blue flames, and we sped onwards through the gloom, with the howling of the wolves around us, as though they were following in a moving circle.
Notes and comments:
to hem in/about/round-ограждам, обкръжавам, заобикалям (with)
to guard a prisoner-пазя пленник
to guard a tradition-пазя традиция
to guard from/against-предпазвам от, опазвам от, закрилям от
guard of honour-почетна стража
on guard-на пост
under close guard-под строга охрана
to go on guard-поемам караула
to come off guard-свършвам караула
to relieve guard-сменям караула
to keep something a guarded secret-пазя нещо под строга тайна
to rise to the surface-издигам се (изплувам) на повърхността
to rise to greatness-ставам велик
to rise in the world-прен. издигам се
to rise to one’s feet-ставам на крака
to rise from the dead-възкръсвам от мъртвите
Her colour rose. Тя пламна (се изчерви).
Tears rose to her eyes. В очите й бликнаха сълзи.
A picture rose in my mind. В паметта ми изникна картина.
to rise above-прен. издигам се над
rise to power-идване на власт
to give rise to-предизвиквам, пораждам
to sweep by/past/along/down-преминавам бързо, профучавам, нося се
A wave swept the deck. Една вълна заля палубата.
to sweep the board-syn. to gather the whole pot; обирам всичко (при хазарт); прен. спечелвам всички награди
a sweep-syn. an expanse; пространство, протежение
a fine sweep of grass-прекрасна затревена (тревиста) площ
sweeping reforms-радикални реформи
a sweeping statement/generalization-твърде необосновано твърдение/обобщение
howling-ревящ, виещ, стенещ; прен. крещящ
a howling tempest-ураган
It is a howling shame that… Цял скандал е, че…
a howling wilderness-пустиня/пустош, пълна с диви зверове
to check-спирам, възпирам, сдържам
incident-syn. affair, circumstance, episode, event, fact, happening, occasion; accident
to put/set something in motion-пускам в движение
to make a motion towards the door-запътвам се към вратата, понечвам да тръгна към вратата
She motioned him to a chair. Тя му кимна (даде знак) да седне на стола.
device-способ, приспособление, изобретение, апарат, устройство, механизъм
to leave someone to his/her own devices-оставям някого да си блъска главата
things of rare/strange device-изкусно/странно изработени неща
to raise a ghost-викам (извиквам) дух
as white as a ghost-смъртно блед, блед като смъртник
ghost town-запустял град
He is a ghost of his former self. Станал/Заприличал e на сянка.
not to have the ghost of a chance-нямам ни най-малък изглед за успех
a ghost of a smile-едва забележима (бегла) усмивка
to ghost-write-пиша вместо друг автор, редактирам анонимно работата на друг
ghosted memoirs-memoirs compiled by a ghost-writer
vague shapes, looking ghostly in the darkness
a face blue with cold-посиняло от студ лице
You may talk till you are blue in the face! Можеш да говориш до пръсване/посиняване!
to look blue-имам унил вид
to look blue around the gills-имам болнав/измъчен/лош вид
things are looking blue-нещата изглеждат зле, лоша работа
to feel blue-в лошо/потиснато настроение съм
once in a blue moon-много рядко, от дъжд на вятър
blue-blooded-с аристократичен произход
a bolt from the blue-гръм от ясно небе
to have the blues-обзет съм от меланхолия, в лошо настроение съм
it gives me the blues-потиска ме, разваля ми настроението
to appear/come out of the blue-появявам се неочаквано
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