Дракула / Dracula

He is making straight for me, and I can see, by the way he lifts his hat, that he wants to talk.

I have been quite touched by the change in the poor old man. When he sat down beside me, he said in a very gentle way, �I want to say something to you, miss.’

I could see he was not at ease, so I took his poor old wrinkled hand in mine and asked him to speak fully.

So he said, leaving his hand in mine, �I’m afraid, my deary, that I must have shocked you by all the wicked things I’ve been sayin’ about the dead, and such like, for weeks past, but I didn’t mean them, and I want ye to remember that when I’m gone.

We aud[43 - Aud = old – старый.] folks that be daffled,[44 - Daffled – сломлены.] and with one foot abaft the krok-hooal,[45 - With one foot abaft the krok-hooal – одной ногой в могиле.] don’t altogether like to think of it, and we don’t want to feel scart of it, and that’s why I’ve took to makin’ light of it, so that I’d cheer up my own heart a bit. But, Lord love ye, miss, I ain’t afraid of dyin’, not a bit, only I don’t want to die if I can help it. My time must be nigh at hand now, for I be aud, and a hundred years is too much for any man to expect. And I’m so nigh it that the Aud Man is already whettin’ his scythe. Ye see, I can’t get out o’ the habit of caffin’[46 - The habit of caffin’ – привычка шутить.] about it all at once. The chafts will wag as they be used to. [47 - The chafts will wag as they be used to. – Парни будут смеяться, как и раньше.] Some day soon the Angel of Death will sound his trumpet for me. But don’t ye dooal[48 - Dooal – жалеть.] an’ greet, my deary!’ – for he saw that I was crying – �if he should come this very night I’d not refuse to answer his call. For life be, after all, only a waitin’ for somethin’ else than what we’re doin’, and death be all that we can rightly depend on. But I’m content, for it’s comin’ to me, my deary, and comin’ quick. It may be comin’ while we be lookin’ and wonderin’. Maybe it’s in that wind out over the sea that’s bringin’ with it loss and wreck, and sore distress, and sad hearts. Look! Look!’ he cried suddenly. �There’s something in that wind and in the hoast beyont that sounds, and looks, and tastes, and smells like death. It’s in the air. I feel it comin’.