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VOA Short Stories., The Boarded Window

The Boarded Window

Now, the VOA Special English program AMERICAN STORIES.

(MUSIC)

Our story today is called "The Boarded Window." It was written by Ambrose Bierce. Here is Shep O'Neal with the story. STORYTELLER:

In eighteen thirty, only a few miles away from what is now the great city of Cincinnati, Ohio, lay a huge and almost endless forest.

The area had a few settlements established by people of the frontier. Many of them had already left the area for settlements further to the west. But among those remaining was a man who had been one of the first people to arrive there.

He lived alone in a house of logs surrounded on all sides by the great forest. He seemed a part of the darkness and silence of the forest, for no one had ever known him to smile or speak an unnecessary word. His simple needs were supplied by selling or trading the skins of wild animals in the town.

His little log house had a single door. Directly opposite was a window. The window was boarded up. No one could remember a time when it was not. And no one knew why it had been closed. I imagine there are few people living today who ever knew the secret of that window. But I am one, as you shall see.

The man's name was said to be Murlock. He appeared to be seventy years old, but he was really fifty. Something other than years had been the cause of his aging.

His hair and long, full beard were white. His gray, lifeless eyes were sunken. His face was wrinkled. He was tall and thin with drooping shoulders—like someone with many problems.

I never saw him. These details I learned from my grandfather. He told me the man's story when I was a boy. He had known him when living nearby in that early day.

One day Murlock was found in his cabin, dead. It was not a time and place for medical examiners and newspapers. I suppose it was agreed that he had died from natural causes or I should have been told, and should remember.

I know only that the body was buried near the cabin, next to the burial place of his wife. She had died so many years before him that local tradition noted very little of her existence.

That closes the final part of this true story, except for the incident that followed many years later. With a fearless spirit I went to the place and got close enough to the ruined cabin to throw a stone against it. I ran away to avoid the ghost which every well-informed boy in the area knew haunted the spot.

But there is an earlier part to this story supplied by my grandfather.

When Murlock built his cabin he was young, strong and full of hope. He began the hard work of creating a farm. He kept a gun--a rifle—for hunting to support himself.

He had married a young woman, in all ways worthy of his honest love and loyalty. She shared the dangers of life with a willing spirit and a light heart. There is no known record of her name or details about her. They loved each other and were happy.

One day Murlock returned from hunting in a deep part of the forest. He found his wife sick with fever and confusion. There was no doctor or neighbor within miles. She was in no condition to be left alone while he went to find help. So Murlock tried to take care of his wife and return her to good health. But at the end of the third day she fell into unconsciousness and died.

From what we know about a man like Murlock, we may try to imagine some of the details of the story told by my grandfather.

When he was sure she was dead, Murlock had sense enough to remember that the dead must be prepared for burial. He made a mistake now and again while performing this special duty. He did certain things wrong. And others which he did correctly were done over and over again.

He was surprised that he did not cry — surprised and a little ashamed. Surely it is unkind not to cry for the dead.

"Tomorrow," he said out loud, "I shall have to make the coffin and dig the grave; and then I shall miss her, when she is no longer in sight. But now -- she is dead, of course, but it is all right — it must be all right, somehow. Things cannot be as bad as they seem." He stood over the body of his wife in the disappearing light. He fixed the hair and made finishing touches to the rest. He did all of this without thinking but with care. And still through his mind ran a feeling that all was right -- that he should have her again as before, and everything would be explained.

Murlock had no experience in deep sadness. His heart could not contain it all. His imagination could not understand it. He did not know he was so hard struck. That knowledge would come later and never leave.

Deep sadness is an artist of powers that affects people in different ways. To one it comes like the stroke of an arrow, shocking all the emotions to a sharper life. To another, it comes as the blow of a crushing strike. We may believe Murlock to have been affected that way.

Soon after he had finished his work he sank into a chair by the side of the table upon which the body lay. He noted how white his wife's face looked in the deepening darkness. He laid his arms upon the table's edge and dropped his face into them, tearless and very sleepy. At that moment a long, screaming sound came in through the open window. It was like the cry of a lost child in the far deep of the darkening forest! But the man did not move. He heard that unearthly cry upon his failing sense, again and nearer than before. Maybe it was a wild animal or maybe it was a dream. For Murlock was asleep.

Some hours later, he awoke, lifted his head from his arms and listened closely. He knew not why. There in the black darkness by the side of the body, he remembered everything without a shock. He strained his eyes to see -- he knew not what.

His senses were all alert. His breath was suspended. His blood was still as if to assist the silence. Who — what had awakened him and where was it!

Suddenly the table shook under his arms. At the same time he heard, or imagined he heard, a light, soft step and then another. The sounds were as bare feet walking upon the floor!

He was afraid beyond the power to cry out or move. He waited—waited there in the darkness through what seemed like centuries of such fear. Fear as one may know, but yet live to tell. He tried but failed to speak the dead woman's name. He tried but failed to stretch his hand across the table to learn if she was there. His throat was powerless. His arms and hands were like lead.

Then something most frightful happened. It seemed as if a heavy body was thrown against the table with a force that pushed against his chest. At the same time he heard and felt the fall of something upon the floor. It was so violent a crash that the whole house shook. A fight followed and a confusion of sounds impossible to describe.

Murlock had risen to his feet. Extreme fear had caused him to lose control of his senses. He threw his hands upon the table. Nothing was there!

There is a point at which fear may turn to insanity; and insanity incites to action. With no definite plan and acting like a madman, Murlock ran quickly to the wall. He seized his loaded rifle and without aim fired it.

The flash from the rifle lit the room with a clear brightness. He saw a huge fierce panther dragging the dead woman toward the window. The wild animal's teeth were fixed on her throat! Then there was darkness blacker than before, and silence.

When he returned to consciousness the sun was high and the forest was filled with the sounds of singing birds. The body lay near the window, where the animal had left it when frightened away by the light and sound of the rifle.

The clothing was ruined. The long hair was in disorder. The arms and legs lay in a careless way. And a pool of blood flowed from the horribly torn throat. The ribbon he had used to tie the wrists was broken. The hands were tightly closed.

And between the teeth was a piece of the animal's ear. (MUSIC)

ANNOUNCER:

"The Boarded Window" was written by Ambrose Bierce. It was adapted for Special English by Lawan Davis who was also the producer. The storyteller was Shep O'Neal. You can read and listen to other American Stories on our Web site, voaspecialenglish.com. I'm Faith Lapidus.

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The Boarded Window |板でふさが| Zabedněné okno 板張りの窓 A janela fechada Заколоченное окно Tahtalı Pencere Забите вікно 木板窗 木板窗

Now, the VOA Special English program AMERICAN STORIES.

(MUSIC)

Our story today is called "The Boarded Window." It was written by Ambrose Bierce. |||||アンブローズ・ Here is Shep O'Neal with the story. STORYTELLER:

In eighteen thirty, only a few miles away from what is now the great city of Cincinnati, Ohio, lay a huge and almost endless forest. ||||||miles|distant|||||||||||||||nearly an|vast and unending|

The area had a few settlements established by people of the frontier. |||||communities|set up||frontier settlers||| その|||||||||||辺境 Tato oblast měla několik osad založených lidmi na hranici. この地域には、開拓時代の人々が築いた集落がいくつかあった。 В этом районе было несколько поселений, основанных пограничниками. Many of them had already left the area for settlements further to the west. a few|||||||||communities|farther||| Mnoho z nich již opustilo oblast pro osady dále na západ. Многие из них уже ушли из этого района в поселения дальше на запад. But among those remaining was a man who had been one of the first people to arrive there. |||who stayed|||individual|||past participle|||||individuals||| |||残った人々|||||||||||||到着した| Mezi zbývajícími však byl muž, který tam byl jedním z prvních lidí, kteří sem dorazili. Но среди оставшихся был человек, прибывший туда одним из первых.

He lived alone in a house of logs surrounded on all sides by the great forest. ||||||||enclosed||||||large| |||||||丸太|囲まれた||||||| Žil sám v domě kulatiny obklopené ze všech stran velkým lesem. Ele morava sozinho em uma casa de troncos cercada por todos os lados pela grande floresta. He seemed a part of the darkness and silence of the forest, for no one had ever known him to smile or speak an unnecessary word. ||||||shadows||stillness||||||||||||||utter||superfluous|word ||||||||||||||||||||微笑む||||余計な| Vypadal jako součást temnoty a ticha lesa, protože ho nikdo nikdy neznal, aby se usmíval nebo mluvil zbytečným slovem. 彼は森の闇と静寂の一部であるかのようだった。彼が微笑んだり、余計な言葉を発したりするのを誰も知らなかったからだ。 Он казался частью тьмы и тишины леса, потому что никто никогда не видел, чтобы он улыбался или говорил лишнее слово. His simple needs were supplied by selling or trading the skins of wild animals in the town. ||||||||||animal hides|||||| ||||||販売|||||||||| Jeho jednoduché potřeby byly dodávány prodejem nebo obchodováním s kůží divokých zvířat ve městě. Его простые нужды удовлетворялись продажей или обменом шкур диких животных в городе.

His little log house had a single door. ||||||one|entranceway ||||||一つの| Jeho domeček měl jediné dveře. Directly opposite was a window. Přímo naproti bylo okno. The window was boarded up. Okno bylo zabedněno. No one could remember a time when it was not. Nikdo si nevzpomněl na čas, kdy tomu tak nebylo. そうでなかった時代を誰も覚えていない。 And no one knew why it had been closed. ||||||||shut down A nikdo nevěděl, proč byl uzavřen. I imagine there are few people living today who ever knew the secret of that window. Představuji si, že dnes žije jen málo lidí, kteří někdy znali tajemství tohoto okna. あの窓の秘密を知っている人は、今生きている人の中にもほとんどいないのではないだろうか。 Я полагаю, что сегодня найдется мало людей, которые когда-либо знали тайну этого окна. But I am one, as you shall see. Ale já jsem jeden, jak uvidíte. Но я один, как вы увидите.

The man's name was said to be Murlock. |||||||マーロック Jméno muže bylo označováno jako Murlock. Говорят, что этого человека звали Мурлок. He appeared to be seventy years old, but he was really fifty. ||||七十||||||| Vypadalo to, že mu bylo sedmdesát, ale bylo mu opravdu padesát. На вид ему было семьдесят лет, но на самом деле ему было пятьдесят. Something other than years had been the cause of his aging. |||||||原因||| Příčinou jeho stárnutí bylo něco jiného než roky. 彼の老いの原因は、年月以外の何かにあったのだ。 Что-то иное, чем годы, было причиной его старения.

His hair and long, full beard were white. |||||ひげ|| Jeho vlasy a dlouhé, plné vousy byly bílé. Его волосы и длинная густая борода были белыми. His gray, lifeless eyes were sunken. ||無気力な||| Jeho šedé, neživé oči byly potopené. Его серые, безжизненные глаза ввалились. His face was wrinkled. |||しわが寄った He was tall and thin with drooping shoulders—like someone with many problems. ||||||垂れ下が|||||| Byl vysoký a hubený s klesajícími rameny - jako někdo s mnoha problémy. Он был высоким и худым, с опущенными плечами — как у человека, у которого много проблем.

I never saw him. Nikdy jsem ho neviděl. These details I learned from my grandfather. ||||||祖父 これらの詳細は祖父から学んだ。 He told me the man's story when I was a boy. Když jsem byl chlapec, vyprávěl mi ten příběh. He had known him when living nearby in that early day. Znal ho, když bydlel poblíž toho raného dne. 彼はその昔、近くに住んでいたときに彼を知っていた。 Он знал его, когда жил поблизости в тот ранний день.

One day Murlock was found in his cabin, dead. ||||||||死んでいた Jednoho dne byl Murlock ve své kabině nalezen mrtvý. Однажды Мурлока нашли в его каюте мертвым. It was not a time and place for medical examiners and newspapers. |||||||||検視官|| Nebyl to čas a místo pro lékařské vyšetřovatele a noviny. Это было не время и не место для судмедэкспертов и газет. I suppose it was agreed that he had died from natural causes or I should have been told, and should remember. ||||||||||自然死|||||||||| Předpokládám, že bylo dohodnuto, že zemřel z přirozených příčin, nebo že mi to mělo být řečeno a měli bychom si pamatovat. 彼が自然死したことに同意していたのだろう。 Я полагаю, было решено, что он умер естественной смертью, иначе мне должны были сказать, и я должен был помнить.

I know only that the body was buried near the cabin, next to the burial place of his wife. |||||||埋められ||||||||||| Vím jen, že tělo bylo pohřbeno v blízkosti kajuty, vedle pohřebiště jeho manželky. She had died so many years before him that local tradition noted very little of her existence. ||||||||||伝承|記録した||||| Zemřela před ním tolik let, že místní tradice zaznamenala jen velmi málo o její existenci. 彼女は彼より何年も前に亡くなっていたため、地元の伝承では彼女の存在はほとんど知られていない。

That closes the final part of this true story, except for the incident that followed many years later. |締めくくる|||||||||||||||| Tím se uzavírá poslední část tohoto skutečného příběhu, s výjimkou incidentu, který následoval o mnoho let později. 何年も後に起こった事件を除けば、これでこの実話は完結した。 На этом завершается заключительная часть этой реальной истории, если не считать инцидента, последовавшего много лет спустя. With a fearless spirit I went to the place and got close enough to the ruined cabin to throw a stone against it. |||精神|||||||||||||||石を投げる||石|| S neohroženým duchem jsem šel na místo a dostal jsem se dost blízko ke zničené kabině, aby na něj hodil kámen. С бесстрашным духом я отправился на место и подошел достаточно близко к разрушенной хижине, чтобы бросить в нее камень. I ran away to avoid the ghost which every well-informed boy in the area knew haunted the spot. ||||||||||||||neighborhood|||| ||||||幽霊||||||||||出没する|| Utekl jsem, abych se vyhnul duchu, který každý dobře informovaný chlapec v oblasti znal strašidelně. 私はその場所に出没していると知っている地域の情報通の少年たちから逃れるために、幽霊を避けるために逃げました。 Я убежал, чтобы избежать призрака, который, как знал каждый хорошо осведомленный мальчик в этом районе, бродил по этому месту.

But there is an earlier part to this story supplied by my grandfather. ||||前の|||||||| Tento příběh však obsahuje dřívější část, kterou dodal můj dědeček. しかし、この物語には祖父が語ってくれたもっと早い部分があります。 Но есть более ранняя часть этой истории, предоставленная моим дедом.

When Murlock built his cabin he was young, strong and full of hope. Když Murlock postavil kabinu, byl mladý, silný a plný naděje. マーロックが小屋を建てた時、彼は若く、強く、希望に満ちていました。 He began the hard work of creating a farm. Začal tvrdou práci na vytvoření farmy. He kept a gun--a rifle—for hunting to support himself. |||||||||自分を支える| Držel zbraň - pušku - pro lov, aby se mohl opřít.

He had married a young woman, in all ways worthy of his honest love and loyalty. ||||||||すべての点|ふさわしい||||||忠誠心 Oženil se s mladou ženou, ve všech ohledech hodných své upřímné lásky a loajality. Он женился на молодой женщине, во всех отношениях достойной его искренней любви и верности. She shared the dangers of life with a willing spirit and a light heart. |共有した|||||||||||| Sdělila nebezpečí života s ochotným duchem a lehkým srdcem. 彼女は快い精神と軽い心で人生の危険を分かち合った。 Она разделяла опасности жизни с готовностью и легким сердцем. There is no known record of her name or details about her. ||||記録||||||| Není o ní známo její jméno ani podrobnosti o ní. They loved each other and were happy. Milovali se jeden druhého a byli šťastní.

One day Murlock returned from hunting in a deep part of the forest. Jednoho dne se Murlock vrátil z lovu v hluboké části lesa. He found his wife sick with fever and confusion. ||||||熱||混乱 Zjistil, že jeho žena je nemocná horečkou a zmatkem. 彼は妻が熱病と混乱に陥っているのを発見した。 Он нашел свою жену больной лихорадкой и спутанностью сознания. There was no doctor or neighbor within miles. ||||||1マイル以内| V okruhu mil nebyl žádný lékař ani soused. She was in no condition to be left alone while he went to find help. ||||状態|||||||||| Nebyla v žádném stavu, aby zůstala sama, zatímco šel najít pomoc. So Murlock tried to take care of his wife and return her to good health. ||||||||||||||健康 Murlock se tedy pokusil postarat se o svou ženu a vrátit ji do dobrého zdraví. だからマーロックは妻の面倒をみて、健康を取り戻そうとした。 But at the end of the third day she fell into unconsciousness and died. |||||||||||意識喪失|| Na konci třetího dne však upadla do bezvědomí a zemřela.

From what we know about a man like Murlock, we may try to imagine some of the details of the story told by my grandfather. ||||regarding||||Murlock character|||||||||||||||| Z toho, co víme o člověku, jako je Murlock, se můžeme pokusit představit si některé podrobnosti příběhu vyprávěné mým dědečkem. マーロックのような男について私たちが知っていることから、祖父が語った話の詳細を想像してみることができるかもしれない。

When he was sure she was dead, Murlock had sense enough to remember that the dead must be prepared for burial. Když si byl jistý, že je mrtvá, měl Murlock dost rozumu, aby si vzpomněl, že mrtví musí být připraveni na pohřeb. Когда он был уверен, что она мертва, у Мурлока хватило ума вспомнить, что мертвых нужно подготовить к погребению. He made a mistake now and again while performing this special duty. |||間違い|||||||| Při plnění této zvláštní povinnosti udělal chybu znovu a znovu. 彼はこの特別な任務を遂行中、時々ミスを犯した。 Он время от времени совершал ошибку, выполняя эту особую обязанность. He did certain things wrong. ||いくつかの|| Udělal určité věci špatně. And others which he did correctly were done over and over again. |||||正しく|||||| A další, které udělal správně, se dělali znovu a znovu. そして、彼が正しく行った他のことは、何度も何度も繰り返された。 А другие, которые он делал правильно, повторялись снова и снова.

He was surprised that he did not cry — surprised and a little ashamed. ||驚いた||||||||||恥ずかしか Překvapilo ho, že neplakal - překvapen a trochu stydět. Surely it is unkind not to cry for the dead. きっと|||無情だ|||||| Určitě není laskavé neplakat za mrtvé. Конечно, нехорошо не оплакивать мертвых.

"Tomorrow," he said out loud, "I shall have to make the coffin and dig the grave; and then I shall miss her, when she is no longer in sight. ||||大声で|||||||||墓を掘る||墓||||||||||||| „Zítra,“ řekl nahlas, „budu muset udělat rakev a kopat hrob; pak mi bude chybět, když už nebude v dohledu. «Завтра, — сказал он вслух, — мне придется сделать гроб и выкопать могилу, и тогда я буду скучать по ней, когда ее уже не будет видно. But now -- she is dead, of course, but it is all right — it must be all right, somehow. |||||||||||||||||なんとか Ale teď - samozřejmě je mrtvá, ale je to v pořádku - nějak to musí být v pořádku. А теперь -- она, конечно, умерла, но все в порядке -- как-нибудь должно быть в порядке. Things cannot be as bad as they seem." Věci nemohou být tak špatné, jak se zdá. “ He stood over the body of his wife in the disappearing light. ||||||||||消えかける| Stál nad tělem své ženy v mizejícím světle. 消えゆく光の中で、彼は妻の遺体の上に立っていた。 Он стоял над телом жены в исчезающем свете. He fixed the hair and made finishing touches to the rest. ||||||仕上げの|||| Natáhl si vlasy a zbytek se dotýkal. Он поправил волосы и сделал последние штрихи к остальным. He did all of this without thinking but with care. To vše udělal bez přemýšlení, ale s opatrností. Все это он делал не задумываясь, но с осторожностью. And still through his mind ran a feeling that all was right -- that he should have her again as before, and everything would be explained. A přesto v jeho mysli proběhl pocit, že je vše v pořádku - že by ji měl mít znovu jako předtím, a všechno bude vysvětleno. そして、彼の心の中にはすべてが正しいという感覚が走り続けていた - 彼は以前のように彼女を再び持つべきであり、すべてが説明されるだろう。 И все-таки в душе его пронеслось ощущение, что все в порядке, что она опять будет у него, как прежде, и все объяснится.

Murlock had no experience in deep sadness. |||経験|||深い悲しみ Murlock neměl žádné zkušenosti s hlubokým smutkem. マーロックは深い悲しみの経験がなかった。 У Мерлока не было опыта глубокой печали. His heart could not contain it all. ||||収める|| Jeho srdce to nemohlo všechno obsáhnout. 彼の心はすべてを抱えることができなかった。 Его сердце не могло вместить всего этого. His imagination could not understand it. |想像力|||| Jeho představivost tomu nerozuměla. He did not know he was so hard struck. ||||||||打たれた Nevěděl, že je tak tvrdě zasažen. 彼は自分がそんなに打撃を受けているとは知らなかった。 Он не знал, что его так сильно ударили. That knowledge would come later and never leave. |その知識|||||| Tyto znalosti by přišly později a nikdy neopustily. その知識は後にやってきて、決して離れなかった。

Deep sadness is an artist of powers that affects people in different ways. 深い||||||力||影響を与える|||| Hluboký smutek je umělec sil, který ovlivňuje lidi různými způsoby. 深い悲しみは、人々に異なる形で影響を与える力を持つアーティストである。 Глубокая печаль — это художник сил, который по-разному воздействует на людей. To one it comes like the stroke of an arrow, shocking all the emotions to a sharper life. |||訪れる||||||矢のように|衝撃的な|||感情|||より鋭い| K jednomu to přijde jako tah šipky, šokující všechny emoce do ostřejšího života. それは矢の一撃のようにやって来て、すべての感情をより鮮やかなものにする。 К одному это приходит как удар стрелы, потрясая все эмоции к более острой жизни. To another, it comes as the blow of a crushing strike. |||||||||圧倒的な|打撃 K jinému, to přijde jako rána drcení stávky. 別の人には、それは圧倒的な打撃のようにやって来る。 Для другого это приходит как удар сокрушительного удара. We may believe Murlock to have been affected that way. ||思う||||||| Můžeme věřit, že Murlock byl tímto způsobem ovlivněn. 私たちはマーロックがそのように影響を受けたと考えるかもしれません。

Soon after he had finished his work he sank into a chair by the side of the table upon which the body lay. ||||completed||||collapsed|||||||||||||| ||||||||座った|||||||||||||| Brzy poté, co dokončil práci, klesl na židli vedle stolu, na kterém leželo tělo. Вскоре после того, как он закончил свою работу, он опустился на стул рядом со столом, на котором лежало тело. He noted how white his wife's face looked in the deepening darkness. |気づいた||||妻の|||||| Všiml si, jak bílá tvář jeho ženy vypadala v prohlubující se temnotě. He laid his arms upon the table's edge and dropped his face into them, tearless and very sleepy. ||||on||||||||||||| |||腕|||テーブルの|端|||||||涙なしで|||眠そうな Položil ruce na okraj stolu a upustil do nich obličej, beztrhaný a velmi ospalý. 彼はテーブルの端に両腕を置き、その中に顔を落とした。 Он положил руки на край стола и уткнулся в них лицом, лишенный слез и очень сонный. At that moment a long, screaming sound came in through the open window. |||||叫び声||||||| V tu chvíli se otevřeným oknem ozval dlouhý křik. It was like the cry of a lost child in the far deep of the darkening forest! Bylo to jako křik ztraceného dítěte v hluboké hlubině temného lesa! But the man did not move. Ale muž se nepohyboval. He heard that unearthly cry upon his failing sense, again and nearer than before. |||非現実的な||||衰えつつ|感覚||そして||| Slyšel to neobvyklé volání po jeho selhávajícím smyslu, znovu a blíž než předtím. 彼は意識が朦朧とする中で、その異様な叫び声を再び、以前よりも近くで聞いた。 Maybe it was a wild animal or maybe it was a dream. Možná to bylo divoké zvíře nebo možná to byl sen. それは野生動物だったのか、それとも夢だったのかもしれない。 For Murlock was asleep. Murlock spal. なぜならマーロックは眠っていたからだ。 Потому что Мурлок спал.

Some hours later, he awoke, lifted his head from his arms and listened closely. O několik hodin později se probudil, zvedl hlavu z paží a pozorně naslouchal. He knew not why. Nevěděl proč. Он не знал почему. There in the black darkness by the side of the body, he remembered everything without a shock. Tam v černé tmě vedle těla si pamatoval všechno bez šoku. 彼は体のそばの黒い闇の中で、衝撃もなくすべてを思い出した。 He strained his eyes to see -- he knew not what. |目を凝らした|||||||| Napjal oči, aby viděl - nevěděl co. 彼は何を見ようとしているのかわからず、目をこらした。 Он напряг глаза, чтобы увидеть - он не знал, что.

His senses were all alert. Všechny jeho smysly byly ostražité. 彼の感覚はすべて鋭敏だった。 Все его чувства были начеку. His breath was suspended. Jeho dech byl pozastaven. His blood was still as if to assist the silence. Jeho krev byla jako by pomohla tichu. Его кровь была неподвижна, словно помогая тишине. Who — what had awakened him and where was it! Kdo - co ho probudilo a kde to bylo! 誰 — 何が彼を目覚めさせ、どこにいるのか!

Suddenly the table shook under his arms. Náhle se stůl třásl pod pažemi. 突然、テーブルが彼の腕の下で揺れた。 At the same time he heard, or imagined he heard, a light, soft step and then another. Zároveň zaslechl, nebo si představil, slyšel lehký, měkký krok a pak další. 同時に、彼は軽い柔らかな足音を聞いた、あるいは聞いたと思った、そしてもう一つ。 The sounds were as bare feet walking upon the floor! Zvuky byly jako bosé nohy chodící po podlaze!

He was afraid beyond the power to cry out or move. Bál se za mocí vykřiknout nebo se pohnout. 彼は叫び声を上げることも動くこともできないほど恐れていた。 Он боялся, что не в силах вскрикнуть или пошевелиться. He waited—waited there in the darkness through what seemed like centuries of such fear. Čekal - čekal tam ve tmě skrze to, co vypadalo jako staletí takového strachu. 彼は待っていた—何世紀にもわたるその恐怖の中で、暗闇の中で待っていた。 Он ждал — ждал во тьме сквозь то, что казалось столетиями такого страха. Fear as one may know, but yet live to tell. Bojte se, jak to člověk může vědět, ale přesto to řekněte. 恐れを知りながらも、生き延びて語ることができる。 He tried but failed to speak the dead woman's name. Zkusil, ale nedokázal vyslovit jméno mrtvé ženy. He tried but failed to stretch his hand across the table to learn if she was there. Pokusil se, ale nedokázal natáhnout ruku přes stůl, aby zjistil, jestli tam byla. Он попытался, но не смог протянуть руку через стол, чтобы узнать, была ли она там. His throat was powerless. Jeho hrdlo bylo bezmocné. His arms and hands were like lead. Jeho paže a ruce byly jako olovo. 彼の腕と手は鉛のようだった。 Его руки и кисти были как свинец.

Then something most frightful happened. Pak se stalo něco nejstrašidelnějšího. 次に、非常に恐ろしいことが起こった。 It seemed as if a heavy body was thrown against the table with a force that pushed against his chest. Vypadalo to, jako by na stůl házelo těžké tělo silou, která tlačila na jeho hruď. 重い物体が彼の胸を押す力でテーブルに投げつけられたように思えた。 Казалось, что тяжелое тело швырнуло на стол с такой силой, что уперлось ему в грудь. At the same time he heard and felt the fall of something upon the floor. |||||||||impact||object||| Zároveň zaslechl a cítil pád něčeho na podlahu. It was so violent a crash that the whole house shook. Byl to tak prudký pád, že se celý dům otřásl. Удар был такой силы, что весь дом содрогнулся. A fight followed and a confusion of sounds impossible to describe. Následoval boj a zmatek zvuků, které nebylo možné popsat. Последовала драка и путаница звуков, которую невозможно описать.

Murlock had risen to his feet. Murlock vstal. Мурлок поднялся на ноги. Extreme fear had caused him to lose control of his senses. Extrémní strach způsobil, že ztratil kontrolu nad svými smysly. Крайний страх заставил его потерять контроль над своими чувствами. He threw his hands upon the table. Hodil rukama na stůl. Nothing was there! Nic tam nebylo!

There is a point at which fear may turn to insanity; and insanity incites to action. |||||||||||||行動を促す|| Existuje bod, kdy se strach může změnit v šílenství; a šílenství podněcuje k akci. 恐怖が狂気に変わるポイントがあり、狂気は行動を促す。 With no definite plan and acting like a madman, Murlock ran quickly to the wall. Murlock bez definitivního plánu a jednání jako šílenec rychle běžel ke zdi. 明確な計画もなく、まるで狂人のように、マーロックは壁に向かって急いだ。 Не имея определенного плана и действуя как сумасшедший, Мурлок быстро подбежал к стене. He seized his loaded rifle and without aim fired it. Chytil nabitou pušku a bez cíle ji vystřelil. 彼は弾薬を装填したライフルを掴み、狙いも定めずに発砲した。

The flash from the rifle lit the room with a clear brightness. Blesk z pušky osvětloval místnost jasným jasem. He saw a huge fierce panther dragging the dead woman toward the window. ||||||||deceased|||| Uviděl obrovský divoký panter, který táhl mrtvou ženu k oknu. 彼は、巨大で凶暴なヒョウが亡骸の女性を窓に向かって引きずっているのを見た。 The wild animal's teeth were fixed on her throat! Zuby divokého zvířete byly upevněny na jejím krku! その野生動物の歯は彼女の喉に食い込んでいた! Then there was darkness blacker than before, and silence. |||darkness deeper|||previously|| Pak byla tma černější než dříve a ticho. そして、それ以前よりも黒い闇と静けさが訪れた。

When he returned to consciousness the sun was high and the forest was filled with the sounds of singing birds. Když se vrátil k vědomí, slunce bylo vysoké a les byl plný zvuků zpívajících ptáků. Когда он пришел в сознание, солнце стояло высоко, и лес был наполнен пением птиц. The body lay near the window, where the animal had left it when frightened away by the light and sound of the rifle. ||||||||動物|||||||||||||| Tělo leželo poblíž okna, kde ho zvíře vyděšilo, když se vyděsilo světlem a zvukem pušky. 体は窓の近くに横たわっていて、動物は銃の光と音に驚いてそれを置いて逃げた。

The clothing was ruined. Oblečení bylo zničeno. 衣服はめちゃくちゃだった。 Одежда была испорчена. The long hair was in disorder. Dlouhé vlasy byly v nepořádku. 長い髪は乱れていた。 Длинные волосы были в беспорядке. The arms and legs lay in a careless way. Paže a nohy ležely neopatrně. And a pool of blood flowed from the horribly torn throat. A z krutého potrhaného krku tekla krev. そして、恐ろしいほど引き裂かれた喉から血のプールが流れ出ていた。 И лужа крови потекла из ужасно разорванного горла. The ribbon he had used to tie the wrists was broken. |||||||||past tense|damaged or torn ||||||||手首|| Stuha, kterou použil k uvázání zápěstí, byla zlomená. 彼が手首を縛るのに使ったリボンは壊れていた。 Лента, которой он связывал запястья, порвалась. The hands were tightly closed. Ruce byly pevně zavřené. 手はしっかりと閉じられていた。 Руки были крепко сжаты.

And between the teeth was a piece of the animal's ear. A mezi zuby byl kus ucha zvířete. そして歯の間には動物の耳の一部があった。 А между зубами был кусок уха животного. (MUSIC) (音楽)

ANNOUNCER: アナウンサー:

"The Boarded Window" was written by Ambrose Bierce. ||||||アンブローズ| It was adapted for Special English by Lawan Davis who was also the producer. The storyteller was Shep O'Neal. ||||O'Neal You can read and listen to other American Stories on our Web site, voaspecialenglish.com. |||||||American|Stories|||||| I'm Faith Lapidus.