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The Princess and the Goblin, CHAPTER 13, part 2

CHAPTER 13, part 2

My readers will suspect what these were; but I will now give them full information concerning them. They were, of course, household animals belonging to the goblins, whose ancestors had taken their ancestors many centuries before from the upper regions of light into the lower regions of darkness. The original stocks of these horrible creatures were very much the same as the animals now seen about farms and homes in the country, with the exception of a few of them, which had been wild creatures, such as foxes, and indeed wolves and small bears, which the goblins, from their proclivity towards the animal creation, had caught when cubs and tamed. But in the course of time all had undergone even greater changes than had passed upon their owners. They had altered--that is, their descendants had altered--into such creatures as I have not attempted to describe except in the vaguest manner--the various parts of their bodies assuming, in an apparently arbitrary and self-willed manner, the most abnormal developments.

Indeed, so little did any distinct type predominate in some of the bewildering results, that you could only have guessed at any known animal as the original, and even then, what likeness remained would be more one of general expression than of definable conformation. But what increased the gruesomeness tenfold was that, from constant domestic, or indeed rather family association with the goblins, their countenances had grown in grotesque resemblance to the human.

No one understands animals who does not see that every one of them, even amongst the fishes, it may be with a dimness and vagueness infinitely remote, yet shadows the human: in the case of these the human resemblance had greatly increased: while their owners had sunk towards them, they had risen towards their owners. But the conditions of subterranean life being equally unnatural for both, while the goblins were worse, the creatures had not improved by the approximation, and its result would have appeared far more ludicrous than consoling to the warmest lover of animal nature. I shall now explain how it was that just then these animals began to show themselves about the king's country house. The goblins, as Curdie had discovered, were mining on--at work both day and night, in divisions, urging the scheme after which he lay in wait.

In the course of their tunnelling they had broken into the channel of a small stream, but the break being in the top of it, no water had escaped to interfere with their work. Some of the creatures, hovering as they often did about their masters, had found the hole, and had, with the curiosity which had grown to a passion from the restraints of their unnatural circumstances, proceeded to explore the channel. The stream was the same which ran out by the seat on which Irene and her king-papa had sat as I have told, and the goblin creatures found it jolly fun to get out for a romp on a smooth lawn such as they had never seen in all their poor miserable lives. But although they had partaken enough of the nature of their owners to delight in annoying and alarming any of the people whom they met on the mountain, they were, of course, incapable of designs of their own, or of intentionally furthering those of their masters.

For several nights after the men-at-arms were at length of one mind as to the fact of the visits of some horrible creatures, whether bodily or spectral they could not yet say, they watched with special attention that part of the garden where they had last seen them. Perhaps indeed they gave in consequence too little attention to the house. But the creatures were too cunning to be easily caught; nor were the watchers quick-eyed enough to descry the head, or the keen eyes in it, which, from the opening whence the stream issued, would watch them in turn, ready, the moment they should leave the lawn, to report the place clear.

CHAPTER 13, part 2 CAPÍTULO 13, parte 2

My readers will suspect what these were; but I will now give them full information concerning them. They were, of course, household animals belonging to the goblins, whose ancestors had taken their ancestors many centuries before from the upper regions of light into the lower regions of darkness. Это были, конечно, домашние животные, принадлежавшие гоблинам, предки которых за много веков до этого перенесли своих предков из верхних областей света в нижние области тьмы. The original stocks of these horrible creatures were very much the same as the animals now seen about farms and homes in the country, with the exception of a few of them, which had been wild creatures, such as foxes, and indeed wolves and small bears, which the goblins, from their proclivity towards the animal creation, had caught when cubs and tamed. But in the course of time all had  undergone even greater changes than had passed upon their owners. They had altered--that is, their descendants had altered--into such creatures as I have not attempted to describe except in the vaguest manner--the various parts of their bodies assuming, in an apparently arbitrary and self-willed manner, the most abnormal developments.

Indeed, so little did any distinct type predominate in some of the bewildering results, that you could only have guessed at any known animal as the original, and even then, what likeness remained would be more one of general expression than of definable conformation. But what increased the gruesomeness tenfold was that, from constant domestic, or indeed rather family association with the goblins, their countenances had grown in grotesque resemblance to the human.

No one understands animals who does not see that every one of them, even amongst the fishes, it may be with a dimness and vagueness infinitely remote, yet shadows the human: in the case of these the human resemblance had greatly increased: while their owners had sunk towards them, they had risen towards their owners. Никто не понимает животных, кто не видит, что каждая из них, даже среди рыб, может быть с бесконечно отдаленной тусклостью и неопределенностью, тем не менее, затмевает человеческое: у них человеческое сходство значительно увеличилось; в то время как их владельцы опустились к ним, они поднялись к своим владельцам. But the conditions of subterranean life being equally unnatural for both, while the goblins were worse, the creatures had not improved by the approximation, and its result would have appeared far more ludicrous than consoling to the warmest lover of animal nature. Но так как условия подземной жизни одинаково неестественны для обоих, а гоблины были хуже, то существа от приближения не улучшились, и результат его показался бы куда более смешным, чем утешение самому горячему любителю животной природы. I shall now  explain how it was that just then these animals began to show themselves about the king's country house. The goblins, as Curdie had discovered, were mining on--at work both day and night, in divisions, urging the scheme after which he lay in wait. Гоблины, как обнаружил Керди, вели добычу полезных ископаемых и днем, и ночью, в отрядах, продвигая план, после которого он затаился в засаде.

In the course of their tunnelling they had broken into the channel of a small stream, but the break being in the top of it, no water had escaped to interfere with their work. В ходе рытья туннеля они прорвались в русло небольшого ручья, но прорыв был в его верхней части, и вода не вырвалась, чтобы помешать их работе. Some of the creatures, hovering as they often did about their masters, had found the hole, and had, with the curiosity which had grown to a passion from the restraints of their unnatural circumstances, proceeded to explore the channel. The stream was the same which ran out by the seat on which Irene and her king-papa had sat as I have told, and the goblin creatures found it jolly fun to get out for a romp on a smooth lawn such as they had never seen in all their poor miserable lives. Река была той же самой, что вытекала у скамьи, на которой, как я уже говорила, сидели Ирэн и ее король-папа, и гоблины с удовольствием выбирались и резвились на гладкой лужайке, какой они никогда не видели. во всей их бедной жалкой жизни. But although they had partaken  enough of the nature of their owners to delight in annoying and alarming any of the people whom they met on the mountain, they were, of course, incapable of designs of their own, or of intentionally  furthering those of their masters. Но хотя они в достаточной мере усвоили природу своих хозяев, чтобы с удовольствием раздражать и тревожить любого из людей, которых они встречали на горе, они, конечно, были неспособны ни к собственным замыслам, ни к намеренному содействию планам своих хозяев. .

For several nights after the men-at-arms were at length of one mind as to the fact of the visits of some horrible creatures, whether bodily or spectral they could not yet say, they watched with special attention that part of the garden where they had last seen them. В течение нескольких ночей после того, как латники пришли к единому мнению относительно факта посещения каких-то ужасных существ, телесных или призрачных, о которых они еще не могли сказать, они с особым вниманием наблюдали за той частью сада, где они находились. видел их в последний раз. Perhaps indeed they gave in consequence too little attention to the house. Может быть, они и в самом деле уделяли дому слишком мало внимания. But the creatures were too cunning to be easily caught; nor were the watchers quick-eyed enough to descry the head, or the keen eyes in it, which, from the opening whence the stream issued, would watch them in turn, ready, the moment they should leave the lawn, to report the place clear. Но существа были слишком хитры, чтобы их можно было легко поймать; и наблюдатели не были достаточно зоркими, чтобы разглядеть голову или зоркие глаза в ней, которые из отверстия, из которого вытекал поток, следили за ними по очереди, готовые, как только они покинут лужайку, сообщить место. ясно.