THE LIAR/ЛГУНЪ
THE LIAR.
ЛГУНЪ ПОВѢСТЬ.
I..
I..
The train was half an hour late and the drive from the station longer than he had supposed, so that when he reached the house its inmates had dispersed to dress for dinner and he was conducted straight to his room.
Поѣздъ опоздалъ на полчаса, и переѣздъ со станціи оказался длиннѣе, чѣмъ предполагалъ Оливеръ Лайонъ, а потому, когда онъ доѣхалъ до дому, то нашелъ, что обитатели его уже всѣ пошли одѣваться къ обѣду, и его привели прямо въ отведенную для него комнату.
The curtains were drawn in this asylum, the candles were lighted, the fire was bright, and when the servant had quickly put out his clothes the comfortable little place became suggestive—seemed to promise a pleasant house, a various party, talks, acquaintances, affinities, to say nothing of very good cheer.
Шторы были спущены въ этомъ убѣжищѣ, свѣчи зажжены, огонь въ каминѣ ярко горѣлъ, и когда слуга живо помогъ ему переодѣться, то ему стало тепло и весело на душѣ: домъ, куда онъ пріѣхалъ, обѣщалъ быть пріятнымъ домомъ и доставить много развлеченій, веселыхъ знакомствъ, оживленныхъ бесѣдъ, не говоря уже о прекрасной ѣдѣ.
He was too occupied with his profession to pay many country visits, but he had heard people who had more time for them speak of establishments where 'they do you very well.'
Онъ былъ занятой человѣкъ, и занятія не позволяли ему часто ѣздить въ гости къ знакомымъ по деревнямъ; но онъ слыхалъ отъ людей, болѣе свободныхъ, чѣмъ онъ, что въ иныхъ деревенскихъ домахъ проводятъ время очень пріятно.
He foresaw that the proprietors of Stayes would do him very well.
Онъ предвидѣлъ, что въ этомъ домѣ онъ пріятно проведетъ время.
In his bedroom at a country house he always looked first at the books on the shelf and the prints on the walls; he considered that these things gave a sort of measure of the culture and even of the character of his hosts.
Въ спальной деревенскаго дома онъ прежде всего осматривалъ книги на полкахъ и картины на стѣнахъ: онъ считалъ, что эти вещи до нѣкоторой степени выясняютъ образованіе и даже характеръ хозяевъ.
Though he had but little time to devote to them on this occasion a cursory inspection assured him that if the literature, as usual, was mainly American and humorous the art consisted neither of the water-colour studies of the children nor of 'goody' engravings.
Хотя въ настоящемъ случаѣ ему некогда было обстоятельно заняться такимъ обзоромъ, но бѣглый взглядъ показалъ ему, что если литература, по обыкновенію, была главнымъ образомъ американская и юмористическая, то искусство состояло не изъ дѣтскихъ акварельныхъ упражненій и не изъ "благочестивыхъ" гравюръ.
The walls were adorned with old-fashioned lithographs, principally portraits of country gentlemen with high collars and riding gloves: this suggested—and it was encouraging— that the tradition of portraiture was held in esteem.
На стѣнахъ красовались старомодныя литографіи, большею частію портреты провинціальныхъ джентльменовъ со стоячими воротничками и въ перчаткахъ для верховой ѣзды: изъ этого онъ могъ, пожалуй, заключить къ своему удовольствію, что портретныя традиціи здѣсь въ чести.
There was the customary novel of Mr. Le Fanu, for the bedside; the ideal reading in a country house for the hours after midnight.
На столикѣ у постели лежалъ модный романъ м-ра Le Fanu: идеальное чтеніе для деревенскаго дома въ полуночное время.
Oliver Lyon could scarcely forbear beginning it while he buttoned his shirt.
Оливеръ Лайонъ не могъ удержаться, чтобы не заглянуть въ книгу, въ то время какъ застегивалъ манжетки рубашки.
Perhaps that is why he not only found every one assembled in the hall when he went down, but perceived from the way the move to dinner was instantly made that they had been waiting for him.
Быть можетъ, вслѣдствіе этого онъ не только засталъ всѣхъ въ гостиной, когда сошелъ внизъ, но даже могъ заключить по той торопливости, съ какой пошли обѣдать, что онъ заставилъ всѣхъ ждать.
There was no delay, to introduce him to a lady, for he went out in a group of unmatched men, without this appendage.
Его не успѣли даже представить ни одной дамѣ, и онъ пошелъ за столъ въ группѣ такихъ же одинокихъ мужчинъ.
The men, straggling behind, sidled and edged as usual at the door of the dining-room, and the dénouement of this little comedy was that he came to his place last of all.
Послѣдніе произвели обычную тѣсноту въ дверяхъ столовой, и развязкой всего этого было то, что онъ послѣднимъ сѣлъ за столъ.
This made him think that he was in a sufficiently distinguished company, for if he had been humiliated (which he was not), he could not have consoled himself with the reflection that such a fate was natural to an obscure, struggling young artist. He could no longer think of himself as very young, alas, and if his position was not so brilliant as it ought to be he could no longer justify it by calling it a struggle. He was something of a celebrity and he was apparently in a society of celebrities. This idea added to the curiosity with which he looked up and down the long table as he settled himself in his place. It was a numerous party—five and twenty people; rather an odd occasion to have proposed to him, as he thought. He would not be surrounded by the quiet that ministers to good work; however, it had never interfered with his work to see the spectacle of human life before him in the intervals. And though he did not know it, it was never quiet at Stayes. When he was working well he found himself in that happy state—the happiest of all for an artist—in which things in general contribute to the particular idea and fall in with it, help it on and justify it, so that he feels for the hour as if nothing in the world can happen to him, even if it come in the guise of disaster or suffering, that will not be an enhancement of his subject. Moreover there was an exhilaration (he had felt it before) in the rapid change of scene—the jump, in the dusk of the afternoon, from foggy London and his familiar studio to a centre of festivity in the middle of Hertfordshire and a drama half acted, a drama of pretty women and noted men and wonderful orchids in silver jars.
Общество собралось за столомъ довольно многолюдное: двадцать пять человѣкъ сѣло обѣдать.
He observed as a not unimportant fact that one of the pretty women was beside him: a gentleman sat on his other hand.
Онъ увидѣлъ при этомъ къ своему удовольствію, что одна изъ хорошенькихъ женщинъ сидѣла около него; по другую сторону сидѣлъ какой-то джентльменъ.
But he went into his neighbours little as yet: he was busy looking out for Sir David, whom he had never seen and about whom he naturally was curious.
Но ему некогда было пока заниматься сосѣдями: онъ искалъ глазами сэра Дэвида, котораго никогда не видалъ, и котораго ему, разумѣется, было любопытно увидѣть.
Evidently, however, Sir David was not at dinner, a circumstance sufficiently explained by the other circumstance which constituted our friend's principal knowledge of him—his being ninety years of age.
Но, очевидно, сэръ Дэвидъ не присутствовалъ за столомъ, да и не мудрено впрочемъ, такъ какъ ему было девяносто лѣтъ отъ роду.
Oliver Lyon had looked forward with great pleasure to the chance of painting a nonagenarian, and though the old man's absence from table was something of a disappointment (it was an opportunity the less to observe him before going to work), it seemed a sign that he was rather a sacred and perhaps therefore an impressive relic. Lyon looked at his son with the greater interest—wondered whether the glazed bloom of his cheek had been transmitted from Sir David. That would be jolly to paint, in the old man—the withered ruddiness of a winter apple, especially if the eye were still alive and the white hair carried out the frosty look. Arthur Ashmore's hair had a midsummer glow, but Lyon was glad his commission had been to delineate the father rather than the son, in spite of his never having seen the one and of the other being seated there before him now in the happy expansion of liberal hospitality.
Оливеръ Лайонъ съ величайшимъ удовольствіемъ готовился писать портретъ съ такого старца, а пока съ большимъ интересомъ разглядывалъ его сына, спрашивая себя: похожъ ли онъ на отца?
Arthur Ashmore was a fresh-coloured, thick-necked English gentleman, but he was just not a subject; he might have been a farmer and he might have been a banker: you could scarcely paint him in characters.
Артуръ Ашморъ былъ краснощекій, плотный англійскій джентльменъ, но какъ сюжетъ — не особенно интересенъ для живописца; онъ могъ быть фермеромъ, но могъ быть и банкиромъ: характеристическаго въ его наружности ровно ничего не было.
His wife did not make up the amount; she was a large, bright, negative woman, who had the same air as her husband of being somehow tremendously new; a sort of appearance of fresh varnish (Lyon could scarcely tell whether it came from her complexion or from her clothes), so that one felt she ought to sit in a gilt frame, suggesting reference to a catalogue or a price-list.
Жена его тоже не годилась въ модели; она была толстая, бѣлокурая, безцвѣтная женщина и имѣла одну общую съ мужемъ черту: оба казались совсѣмъ новенькими, точно ихъ только-что отполировали. Происходило ли это отъ ея цвѣта лица, или отъ платья, Лайонъ не могъ отдать отчета, но только всякому чувствовалось, что если ее посадить въ золотую раму, то рама будетъ дороже картины.
It was as if she were already rather a bad though expensive portrait, knocked off by an eminent hand, and Lyon had no wish to copy that work.
Она уже и безъ того походила на плохой, хотя и дорогой портреть, неудавшійся искусному художнику, и Лайонъ не чувствовалъ охоты копировать это произведеніе.
The pretty woman on his right was engaged with her neighbour and the gentleman on his other side looked shrinking and scared, so that he had time to lose himself in his favourite diversion of watching face after face.
Хорошенькая женщина по правую его руку разговаривала съ своимъ другимъ сосѣдомъ, а джентльменъ, сидѣвшій по лѣвую руку, казался застѣнчивымъ и растеряннымъ, такъ что онъ могъ предаваться своему любимому занятію: разглядывать и изучать окружающія лица.
This amusement gave him the greatest pleasure he knew, and he often thought it a mercy that the human mask did interest him and that it was not less vivid than it was (sometimes it ran its success in this line very close), since he was to make his living by reproducing it.
Это развлеченіе доставляло ему больше удовольствія, чѣмъ всякое другое, и онъ часто думалъ, какое счастіе, что человѣческая маска такъ интересуетъ его, когда ему приходится зарабатывать деньги воспроизведеніемъ ея на полотнѣ.
Even if Arthur Ashmore would not be inspiring to paint (a certain anxiety rose in him lest if he should make a hit with her father-in-law Mrs. Arthur should take it into her head that he had now proved himself worthy to aborder her husband); even if he had looked a little less like a page (fine as to print and margin) without punctuation, he would still be a refreshing, iridescent surface.
Еслибы лицо Артура Ашмора не было такимъ лакированнымъ, и еслибы оно не напоминало собой печатной страницы, безъ всякихъ знаковъ препинанія, то и оно въ своемъ родѣ могло бы нравиться.
But the gentleman four persons off—what was he?
Но кто бы былъ этотъ джентльменъ... четвертый отъ него счетомъ?
Would he be a subject, or was his face only the legible door-plate of his identity, burnished with punctual washing and shaving—the least thing that was decent that you would know him by?
Лицо его поразило Оливера Лайона.
This face arrested Oliver Lyon: it struck him at first as very handsome.
Сначало она показалось ему необыкновенно красиво.
The gentleman might still be called young, and his features were regular: he had a plentiful, fair moustache that curled up at the ends, a brilliant, gallant, almost adventurous air, and a big shining breastpin in the middle of his shirt.
Джентльменъ былъ еще молодъ, и черты лица его правильны: у него были густые, свѣтлые усы, завитые на кончикахъ, блестящій, любезный, можно сказать, отважный видъ и большая сверкающая брилліантами шейная булавка.
He appeared a fine satisfied soul, and Lyon perceived that wherever he rested his friendly eye there fell an influence as pleasant as the September sun—as if he could make grapes and pears or even human affection ripen by looking at them.
Онъ казался счастливымъ и довольнымъ собой человѣкомъ, и Лайонъ замѣтилъ, что взглядъ его глазъ былъ мягокъ и тепелъ какъ сентябрьское солнце; отъ этого взгляда любовь должна была созрѣвать въ сердцахъ людей, подобно тому, какъ отъ горячихъ лучей солнца зрѣютъ виноградъ и персики.
What was odd in him was a certain mixture of the correct and the extravagant: as if he were an adventurer imitating a gentleman with rare perfection or a gentleman who had taken a fancy to go about with hidden arms.
Страннымъ въ его наружности была нѣкоторая смѣсь строгаго приличія и эксцентричности: точно онъ былъ авантюристъ, съ рѣдкимъ совершенствомъ поддѣлывавшійся подъ джентльмена, или же джентльменъ, взявшій странную привычку носить съ собой скрытое оружіе.
He might have been a dethroned prince or the war- correspondent of a newspaper: he represented both enterprise and tradition, good manners and bad taste.
Онъ могъ бы быть низложеннымъ королемъ или военнымъ корреспондентомъ большой газеты: онъ былъ въ равной степени представителемъ духа предпріимчивости и традиціи, хорошихъ манеръ и дурного тона.
Lyon at length fell into conversation with the lady beside him—they dispensed, as he had had to dispense at dinner-parties before, with an introduction—by asking who this personage might be.
Лайонъ заговорилъ, наконецъ, съ своей сосѣдкой и спросилъ ее: кто этотъ господинъ?
'Oh, he's Colonel Capadose, don't you know?'
— О! это полковникъ Кепедосъ; развѣ вы его не знаете?
Lyon didn't know and he asked for further information.
Лайонъ не зналъ и просилъ просвѣтить его.
His neighbour had a sociable manner and evidently was accustomed to quick transitions; she turned from her other interlocutor with a methodical air, as a good cook lifts the cover of the next saucepan.
Сосѣдка отличалась пріятнымъ обращеніемъ и, очевидно, привыкла къ быстрымъ переходамъ отъ одного предмета къ другому; она отвернулась отъ своего другого собесѣдника съ методическимъ видомъ; какъ хорошая кухарка переходитъ отъ одной кастрюли къ другой.
'He has been a great deal in India—isn't he rather celebrated?' she inquired.
— Онъ много подвизался въ Индіи; развѣ онъ не знаменитъ?— спросила она.
Lyon confessed he had never heard of him, and she went on, 'Well, perhaps he isn't; but he says he is, and if you think it, that's just the same, isn't it?'.
Лайонъ сознался, что не слыхивалъ про него, и она продолжала: — Ну, что-жъ, можетъ быть, онъ и не знаменитъ, но онъ говоритъ, что знаменитъ; а когда вы такъ думаете, то не все ли это равно?
'If you think it?'.
— Когда вы думаете?
'I mean if he thinks it—that's just as good, I suppose.'.
— Я хочу сказать, когда онъ думаетъ... вѣдь это все равно, полагаю.
'Do you mean that he says that which is not?'.
— Вы хотите сказать, что онъ говоритъ то, чего нѣтъ въ дѣйствительности?
'Oh dear, no—because I never know.
— О, Боже мой, нѣтъ... я этого не знаю.
He is exceedingly clever and amusing—quite the cleverest person in the house, unless indeed you are more so.
Онъ очень уменъ и забавенъ... самый умный человѣкъ въ домѣ, если только вы не умнѣе его.
But that I can't tell yet, can I?
Но вѣдь этого я еще не могу знать, не правда ли?
I only know about the people I know; I think that's celebrity enough!'.
Я знаю о людяхъ только то, что знаю; я думаю, что этого достаточно.
'Enough for them?'.
— Для нихъ достаточно?
'Oh, I see you're clever.
— О, я вижу, что вы умны.
Enough for me!
Достаточно для меня.
But I have heard of you,' the lady went on. 'I know your pictures; I admire them.
Но я слышала про васъ,— продолжала лэди.— Я знаю ваши картины, и восхищаюсь ими.
But I don't think you look like them.'.
Но, знаете, вы на нихъ не похожи.