CHAPTER 9, part 3 CAPÍTULO 9, parte 3

'This very evening I have had to remove my household effects; therefore the sooner we are ready to carry out the plan, for the execution of which His Majesty has been making such magnificent preparations, the better. I may just add, that within the last few days I have perceived a small  outbreak in my dining-room, which, combined with observations upon the course of the river escaping where the evil men enter, has convinced me that close to the spot must be a deep gulf in its channel.

This discovery will, I trust, add considerably to the otherwise immense forces at His Majesty's disposal.' Я верю, что это открытие значительно добавит к огромным силам, находящимся в распоряжении Его Величества. He ceased, and the king graciously acknowledged his speech with a bend of his head; whereupon Glump, after a bow to His Majesty, slid down amongst the rest of the undistinguished multitude. Then the Chancellor rose and resumed.

'The information which the worthy Glump has given us,' he said, 'might have been of considerable import at the present moment, but for that other design already referred to, which naturally takes precedence. His Majesty, unwilling to proceed to extremities, and well aware that such measures sooner or later result in violent reactions, has excogitated a more fundamental and comprehensive measure, of which I need say no more. Его Величество, не желая идти на крайние меры и хорошо понимая, что такие меры рано или поздно приводят к бурным реакциям, придумал более фундаментальную и всеобъемлющую меру, о которой мне не нужно больше говорить. Should His Majesty be successful--as who dares to doubt?--then a peace, all to the advantage of the goblin kingdom, will be established for a generation at least, rendered absolutely secure by the pledge which His Royal Highness the prince will have and hold for the good behaviour of her relatives. Если Его Величество добьется успеха - кто осмелится сомневаться? - тогда будет установлен мир, все к выгоде королевства гоблинов, по крайней мере, на одно поколение, что станет абсолютно безопасным обещанием, которое Его Королевское Высочество принц даст. иметь и держать за хорошее поведение ее родственников. Should His Majesty fail—which who shall dare even to imagine in his most secret thoughts?--then will be the time for carrying out with rigour the design to which Glump  referred, and for which our preparations are even now all but completed. Если Его Величество потерпит неудачу — что кто посмеет даже вообразить в своих самых сокровенных мыслях? — тогда наступит время для неукоснительного выполнения плана, о котором говорил Глюмп и к которому наши приготовления уже практически завершены. The failure of the former will render the latter imperative.' Неудача первого сделает второе обязательным». Curdie, perceiving that the assembly was drawing to a close and that there was little chance of either plan being more fully discovered, now thought it prudent to make his escape before the goblins began to disperse, and slipped quietly away.

There was not much danger of meeting any goblins, for all the men at least were left behind him in the palace; but there was considerable danger of his taking a wrong turning, for he had now no light, and had therefore to depend upon his memory and his hands. After he had left behind him the glow that issued from the door of Glump's new abode, he was utterly without guide, so far as his eyes were concerned. He was most anxious to get back through the hole before the goblins should return to fetch the remains of their furniture. It was not that he was in the least afraid of them, but, as it was of the utmost importance that he should thoroughly discover what the plans they were cherishing were, he must not occasion the slightest suspicion that they were watched by a miner.

He hurried on, feeling his way along the walls of rock. Had he not been very courageous, he must have been very anxious, for he could not but know that if he lost his way it would be the most difficult thing in the world to find it again. Если бы он не был очень смелым, он, должно быть, очень волновался бы, потому что не мог не знать, что, если он заблудится, найти его снова будет труднее всего на свете. Morning would bring no light into these regions; and towards him least of all, who was known as a special rhymester and persecutor, could goblins be expected to exercise courtesy. Утро не принесет света в эти края; и менее всего по отношению к нему, который был известен как особый рифмоплет и преследователь, можно было ожидать, что гоблины будут проявлять вежливость. Well might he wish that he had brought his lamp and tinder-box with him, of which he had not thought when he crept so eagerly after the goblins! He wished it all the more when, after a while, he found his way blocked up, and could get no farther. Ему захотелось этого еще больше, когда через некоторое время он обнаружил, что его путь заблокирован, и он не мог идти дальше. It was of no use to turn back, for he had not the least idea where he had begun to go wrong. Mechanically, however, he kept feeling about the walls that hemmed him in. Однако механически он продолжал ощущать стены, окружавшие его. His hand came upon a place where a tiny stream of water was running down the face of the rock. Его рука наткнулась на место, где по скале бежала струйка воды. 'What a stupid I am!' he said to himself. 'I am actually at the end of my journey! And there are the goblins coming back to fetch their things!' he added, as the red glimmer of their torches appeared at the end of the long avenue that led up to the cave. In a moment he had thrown himself on the floor, and wriggled backwards through the hole. The floor on the other side was several feet lower, which made it easier to get back. It was all he could do to lift the largest stone he had taken out of the hole, but he did manage to shove it in again. He sat down on the ore-heap and thought.