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| BILA JEDNOM JEDNA STARICA | There Was an Old Woman |
| "Ne, badava mi dokazuješ. Ja sam si to već zabila u glavu. Klatariti se s tom blesavom košaretinom. Za pet ran' Božjih, što ti to pada na pamet? Idemo, kifele; nemoj me svrdkati, imam ja svoj štrikeraj, i boli me prsluk za visoku, crnu gospodu s uvrnutim idejama." | "No, there's no lief arguin'. I got my mind fixed. Run along with your silly wicker basket. Land, where you ever get notions like that? You just skit out of here; don't bother me, I got my tattin' and knittin' to do, and no never minds about tall, dark gentlemen with fangled ideas." |
| Visoki, crni mladić stajao je mimo, i ni da bi makac. Teta Tildy je ponovno udarila u brzorječicu. | The tall, dark young man stood quietly, not moving. Aunt Tildy hurried on with her talk. |
| "Ma jesi ti čuo što sam ti rekla? Ako mi imaš što reći, onda pričaj, a u međuvremenu, ako nemate ništa protiv, mladi gospodine, pristavit ću si kavu. Na. Da si bio malo pristojniji, možda bih te i ponudila, nego si ovdje banuo, tko sam, što sam, taj sam, ja sam, i ni da bi pokucao, ni ništa. Očito misliš da je to tvoja kuća." | "You heard what I said! If you got a mind to talk to me, well, you can talk, but meantime I hope you don't mind if I pour myself coffee. There. If you'd been more polite, I'd offer you some, but you jump in here high and mighty and you never rapped on the door or nothin'. You think you own the place." |
| Teta Tildy je zaprtljala nešto po krilu. "Na, zbog tebe sam se smela u računu, a baš si pravim šal. Te su zime baš zahladile, i ne priliči dami s kostima kao od kreppapira da sjedi u promajnoj staroj kućetini a da je nešto malo ne grije." | Aunt Tildy fussed with her lap. "Now, you made me lose count! i'm makin' myself a comforter. These winters get on mighty chill, and it ain't fittin' for a lady with bones like rice-paper to be settin' in a drafty old house without warmin' herself." |
| Visoki je, crni muškarac sjeo. | The tall, dark man sat down. |
| "Taj stolac je jako star, zato pažljivo s njim", upozorila je teta Tildy. "Daj kreni od početka, reci mi to što mi imaš reći, slušam te s velikim uvažavanjem. Ali ne deri se kao da te kolju i ne bulji u mene s tim blesavim svjetlom u očima. Za pet ran' Božjih, od toga me prolazi čitav mravinjak." | "That's an antique chair, so be gentle," warned Aunt Tildy. "Start again, tell me things you got to tell, I'll listen respectful. But keep your voice in your shoes and stop starin' at me with funny lights in your eyes. Land, it gives me the collywobbles." |
| Cvjetni sat od koštanog porculana na okviru kamina dovršio je otkucavanje treće ure. Vani u hodniku, okupljena oko pletene košare, čekala su četiri čovjeka, tiho, kao sleđeni. | The bone-porcelain, flowered clock on the mantel finished chiming three. Out in the hail, grouped around the wicker basket, four men waited, quietly, as if they were frozen. |
| "A sad, o toj košari", rekla je teta Tildy. "Duga je skoro dva metra i, sudeći po izgledu, to nije veš. A ta četvorica s kojima si ušao, oni ti zbilja nisu trebali za nošenje - mislim, to je lagano kao maslačak. E?" | "Now, about that wicker basket," said Aunt Tildy. "It's past six feet long, and by the look, it ain't laundry. And those four men you walked in with, you don't need them to carry that basket-- why, it's light as thistles. Eh?" |
| Crni se mladić povio iz staroga stolca. Nešto je na njegovu licu govorilo da ta košara uskoro i neće biti tako lagana. | The dark young man was leaning forward on the antique chair. Something in his face suggested the basket wouldn't be so light after a while. |
| "Pfif', zamozgala je teta Tildy. "Gdje li sam već vidjela takvu košaru? Čini mi se, pred koju godinu. Čini mi se - o! Sad sam se sjetila. Bilo je to kad je u susjedstvu umrla gospođa Dwyer." | "Pshaw," Aunt Tildy mused. "Where've I seen a wicker like that before? Seems it was only a couple years ago. Seems to me-- oh! Now I remember. It was when Mrs. Dwyer passed away next door." |
| Teta Tildy je strogim pokretom spustila šalicu s kavom. "Dakle, to vam je na pameti? A mislila sam da mi hoćete nešto uvaliti. Samo čekajte da moja mala Emily popodne doskakuće s koledža. Pisala sam joj prošli tjedan. Nisam joj, naravno, priznala da se ne osjećam baš jako čilo i prpošno, ali sam joj onako, između redaka, dala znati da bih je rado malo vidjela, prošao je već lijep broj tjedana. Ona živi u New Yorku i to. Skoro mi ga dođe kao kći, ta Emily. | Aunt Tildy set her coffee cup down, sternly. "So that's what you're up to? I thought you were workin' to sell me somethin'. You just set there until my little Emily trounces home from college this afternoon! I wrote her a note last week. Not admittin', of course, that I wasn't feelin' quite ripe and pert, but sort of hintin' I want to see her again, it's been a good many weeks. Her livin' in New York and all. Almost like my own daughter, Emily is. |
| I onda će se ona, mladiću, pobrinuti za vas. Nađarit će vas otale dok velite..." | "Now, she'll take care of you, young man. She'll shoo you out'n this parlor so quick it'll--" |
| Crni je mladić pogledao tetu Tildy kao da je već počela tonuti. | The dark young man looked at Aunt Tildy as if she were tired. |
| "Ne, nisam!" odbrusila mu je ona. | "No, I'm not!" she snapped. |
| On se zanjihao naprijed-natrag na stolcu, napol zatvorivši oči, odmarajući se. O, ne bi li i ona željela otpočinuti? kao da je promrmljao. Odmor, odmor, slatki počinak... | He weaved back and forth on the chair, half-shutting his eyes, resting himself. O, wouldn't she like to rest, too? he seemed to murmur. Rest, rest, nice rest. . . ." |
| "Veliki sinci Goshena iz Gilbery Dikea! U ovim prstima, makar i bili tako koščati, ja imam stotinu šalova, dvije stotine pulovera i šest stotina hvataljki za lonce! A sad bjež, vrati se kad budem gotova, možda onda budem htjela razgovarati s tobom." Teta Tildy je promijenila temu. "Ali neka ti pričam o Emily, mojoj ljubavi maloj, mojoj ljepotici." | "Great sons of Goshen on the Gilberry Dike! I got a hunderd comforters, two hundred sweaters and six hundred potholders in these fingers, no matter they're skinny! You run off, come back when I'm done, maybe I'll talk to you." Aunt Tildy shifted subjects. "Let me tell you about Emily, my sweet, fair child." |
| Teta Tildy je zamišljeno zakimala glavom. Emily, s kosom nalik na žuto kukuruzno klasje, tako mekom i finom. | Aunt Tildy nodded thoughtfully. Emily, with hair like yellow corn tassels, just as soft and fine. |
| "Dobro se sjećam dana kad joj je umrla mati, ima tome dvadeset godina, i ostavila Emily u mojoj kući. Zato se toliko i srdim i na vas i na vaše košare i sve te ludorije. Tko je ikad čuo da je netko umro zbog nekakvog iole valjanog razloga? Mladiću, to mi se baš ni najmanje ne dopada. Mislim, sjećam se kad..." | "I well remember the day her mother died, twenty years ago, leavin' Emily to my house. That's why I'm mad at you and your wickers and such goings-on. Who ever heard of people dyin' for any good cause? Young man, I don't like it. Why, I remember--" |
| Teta Tildy je zastala; kratak bol uspomena dirnuo ju je u srce. Dvadeset pet godina daleko u prošlosti, glas njezina oca treperio je u kasnom popodnevu: | Aunt Tildy paused; a brief pain of memory touched her heart. Twenty-five years back, her father's voice trembled in the late afternoon: |
| "Tildy", prošaptao je, "što ti u životu misliš raditi? Nastaviš li kako si počela, nitko te neće htjeti. Samo se nasitno ljubakaš, pa petama vjetra. Zašto se ne središ, udaš, rodiš djecu." | "Tildy," he whispered, "what you goin' to do in life? The way you act, men don't walk much with you. You kiss and skedaddle. Why don't you settle down, marry, raise children?" |
| "Ali, tata", odgovorila mu je Tildy vikom, "kad se ja volim smijati, i igrati, i pjevati! Ja nisam tip udavače. Kad ne mogu naći čovjeka moje filozofije." | "Papa," Tildy shouted back at him, "I like laughin' and playin' and singin'. I'm not the marryin' kind. I can't find a man with my philosophy, Papa." |
| "A ta je?" | "What 'philosophy's' that?" |
| "Da je smrt groteskna! Pobjegla je s mamom baš kad nam je bila najpotrebnija. I tebi je to inteligentno?" | "That death is ridiculous! It run off with Mama when we needed her most. You call that intelligent?" |
| Tatine su se oči navlažile, posivile, pa ispunile čemerom. "Ti si, Tildy, uvijek u pravu. Ali što da radimo? Smrt dolazi svakome." | Papa's eyes got wet and gray and bleak. "You're always right, Tildy. But what can we do? Death comes to everybody." |
| "Treba se boriti!" kriknula je ona. "Lupiti je ispod pojasa! Ne vjerovati u nju!" | "Fight!" she cried. "Strike it below the belt! Don't believe in it!" |
| "Ništa od toga", odgovorio je tata tužno. "Svi smo mi samci posred svemira." | "Can't he done," said Papa sadly. "We all stand alone in the world." |
| "Ali, tata, jednom mora doći do promjene. A ja svoju filozofiju počinjem sada i tu! Mislim, glupo je da ljudi žive nekoliko godina, i onda ih kao trulo lišće ubace u jamu; iz njih nikad ništa ne iznikne. I od kakve su koristi? Leže tako milijun godina, ni od kakve pomoći nikome. A uglavnom su to sve fini, dobri ljudi, ili se bar takvima trude biti." | "There's got to be a change sometime, Papa. I'm startin' my own philosophy here and now! Why, it's silly people live a couple years and are shoved like wet seeds in a hole; but nothin' sprouts. What good do they do? Lay there a million years, helpin' no one. Most of them fine, nice, neat people, or at least tryin'." |
| Ali je tata nije slušao. On je izblijedio, izlužio se, kao fotografija što leži na suncu. Pokušala gaje odgovoriti, ali je on ipak umro. Strelovito se okrenula i potrčala. Sad kad je bio hladan, nije više mogla ostati, jer je njegova hladnoća nijekala svu njezinu filozofiju. Nije mu došla ni na sprovod. I nije se zaposlila, nego je s prednje strane stare kuće otvorila tu staretinarnicu i poživjela tako sama godinama, to jest sve dok nije došla Emily. Ali je Tildy nije željela uzeti. Zašto? Zato što je Emily vjerovala u smrt. Pa ipak, njezina je mati bila stara prijateljica i Tildy je obećala da će joj pomoći. | But Papa wasn't listening. He bleached out, faded away, like a photo left lying in the sun. She tried to talk him out of it, hut he passed on, anyway. She spun about and ran. She couldn't stay on once he was cold, for his coldness denied her philosophy. She didn't attend his burial. She didn't do anything but set up this antique shop on the front of an old house and live alone for years, that is, until Emily came. Tildy didn't want to take the girl in. Why? Because Emily believed in dying. But her mother was an old friend and Tildy had promised help. |
| "Emily je", nastavila je teta Tildy govoriti čovjeku u crnom, "za sve te godine bila prvi čovjek koji je sa mnom živio u toj kući. Nikad se nisam udala. Bojala sam se pomisli da bih s nekim čovjekom mogla živjeti dvadeset-trideset godina, i da me onda ostavi i samo tako umre. To bi sva moja uvjerenja srušilo kao kuću od karata. I tako sam se uklonila iz svijeta. I vrištala bih na ljude kad bi samo spomenuli smrt." | "Emily," continued Aunt Tildy, to the man in black, "was the first to live in this house with me in all the years. I never got married. I feared the idea of livin' with a man twenty-thirty years and then have him up and die on me. It'd shake my convictions like a house of cards. I shied off from the world. I screamed at people if they so much as mentioned death." |
| Mladić ju je slušao strpljivo, uljudno. A onda je digao ruku. Činilo se da zna sve - čitalo se to u mračnom, hladnom prosijavanju očiju - prije nego što je ona i otvorila usta. Znao je on i za priču o njoj i Drugom svjetskom ratu, kad je zauvijek isključila radio i prestala čitati novine i nekog čovjeka izlupala kišobranom po glavi i istjerala ga iz dućana jer joj je uporno želio opisati desantne plaže i duge, spore plime mrtvaca što su plutale pod nijemim poticajem Mjeseca. | The young man listened patiently, politely. Then he lifted his hand. He seemed to know everything, with the dark, cold shining of his eyes, before she opened her mouth. He knew about her and World War II, when she shut off her radio forever and stopped the newspapers and beat a man's head with an umbrella, driving him from her shop when he insisted on describing the invasion beaches and the long, slow tides of the dead drifting under the silent urgings of the moon. |
| Da, tamnoputi se mladić smiješio iz stare stolice za ljuljanje, i on je znao koliko je teta Tildy bila vezana za svoje krasne stare gramofonske ploče. Harry Lauder pjeva "Roamin' in the Gloamin'", Madamme Schumann-Heink i uspavanke. Bez prekidanja, bez bjelosvjetskih katastrofa, umorstava, trovanja, automobilskih nesreća, samoubojstava. Glazba je bila ista svaki dan, svaki pojedini dan. I tako su protjecale godine, a teta se Tildy trudila podučiti Emily svojoj filozofiji. Ali je Emilyn um bio vezan uz smrtnost. Ipak je uvažavala mišljenje tete Tildy, i nikad nije spominjala - vječnost. | Yes, the dark young man smiled from the antique rocker, he knew how Aunt Tildy had stuck to her nice old phonograph records. Harry Lauder singing "Roamin' in the Gloamin'," Madame Schumann-Heink and lullabies. With no interruptions, no foreign calamities, murders, poisonings, auto accidents, suicides. Music stayed the same each day, every day. So the years ran, while Aunt Tildy tried to teach Emily her philosophy. But Emily's mind was fixed on mortality. She respected Aunt Tildy's way of thinking, however, and never mentioned--eternity. |
| Sve je to mladić znao. | All this the young man knew. |
| Teta Tildy je šmrknula. "Otkud sve to znate? Ma mislim, ako zaista vjerujete da me možete nagovoriti da uđem u tu glupu košaru, onda ste pali s krive kruške. Ako me samo taknete, pljunut ću vam u lice!" | Aunt Tildy sniffed. "How do you know all those things? Well, if you think you can talk me into that silly wicker basket, you're way off the trestle. You lay hands on me, I'll spit right in your face!" |
| Mladić se nasmijao. Teta Tildy je ponovno šmrknula. | The young man smiled. Aunt Tildy sniffed again. |
| "Nemoj se samo tako glupavo ceriti kao bolesno pseto. Ja sam prestara za ljubakanja. Ja sam ižmikana do suhog, kao stara tuba boje, i sve sam to već prije toliko godina ostavila za sobom." | "Don't simper like a sick dog. I'm too old to be made love at. That's all twisted dry, like an old tube of paint, and left behind in the years." |
| Začuo se šum. Ura na ogradi kamina odzvonila je treći sat. Teta Tildy bljesnula je prema njemu očima. Čudno. Nije li već jednom odzvonio tri, i to pred samo pet minuta? Voljela je taj koštanobijeli sat sa zlatnim anđelima što su se klatili onako goli oko njegova brojčaničkoga lica, i njegov zvuk nalik zvonjavi katedralskih zvona, tih i dalek. | There was a noise. The mantel clock chimed three. Aunt Tildy flashed her eyes to it. Strange. Hadn't it chimed three o'clock just five minutes ago? She liked the bone-white clock with gold angels dangling naked about its numeraled face and its tone like cathedral bells, soft and far away. |
| "Mislite li, mladiću, ovdje ostati sjediti?" | "Are you just goin' to sit there, young man?" |
| Mislio je. | He was. |
| "Onda mi nemojte zamjeriti ako malo ubijem oko. I sad, da se niste makli s te stolice. I slučajno dopuzali do mene. Samo ću na trenutak zatvoriti oči. Tako to. Tako to..." | "Then, you won't mind if I take a little cat nap. Now, don't you stir off that chair. Don't come creepin' around me. Just goin' to close my eyes for a spell. That's right. That's right. . . ." |
| Lijepo i tiho i smireno doba dana. Tišina. Samo sat otkucava svoje, marljiv kao termit u drvu. Samo stara soba s mirisom politiranoga mahagonija i nauljene kože u drvenom, četvrtastom naslonjaču, i knjige što kruto stoje po policama. Tako lijepo. Lijepo... | Nice and quiet and restful time of day. Silence. Just the clock ticking away, busy as termites in wood. Just the old room smelling of polished mahogany and oiled leather in the Morris chair, and hooks sitting stiff on the shelves. So nice. Nice. . |
| "Ali nećete ustajati, jesmo se dogovorili, mladi gospodine? Da vam nije palo na pamet! Jer ja jedno oko držim stalno otvorenim. Da, zbilja. Da. Držim. O. A. Hmmmm." | "You aren't gettin' up from the chair, are you, mister? Better not. I got one eye open for you. Yes, indeed I have. Yes, I have. Oh. Ah, hmmmm." |
| Tako paperjasto. Tako dremljivo. Tako duboko. Pod vodom, skoro. O, tako lijepo. | So feathery. So drowsy. So deep. Under water, almost. Oh, so nice. |
| Tko se to mota oko mene u mraku dok su mi oči sklopljene? Tko me to ljubi u obraz? Ti, Emily? Ne. Ne. Valjda su to bile moje misli. Samo - snovi. Za pet ran', to je to. Otplovljavam, sve dalje, dalje, dalje... | Who's that movin' around in the dark with my eyes closed? Who's that kissin' my cheek? You, Emily? No. No. Guess it was my thoughts. Onlydreamin'. Land, yes, that's it. Driftin' off, off, off. |
| O, ŠTO KAZALA? O! | AH? WHAT SAY? OH! |
| "Čekaj samo da stavim naočale. Na!" | "Wait while I put on my glasses. There!" |
| Sat je ponovno odzvonio treću uru. Sram te bilo, stari sate, da, sram. Trebalo bi te dati na popravak. | The clock chimed three again. Shame, old clock, now, shame. Have to have you fixed. |
| Mladić u crnom odijelu stajao je kraj vrata. Teta Tildy je kimnula glavom. | The young man in the dark suit stood near the door. Aunt Tildy nodded. |
| "Ode ti, moj mladiću? Moraš od svega dići ruke, istina? Ne možeš me uvjeriti; ne, ja sam tvrdoglava kao mazga. Nikad me nećeš izvesti iz ove kuće, i zato budi pametan, nemoj više ni dolaziti ni pokušavati!" | "You leavin' so soon, young man? Had to give up, didn't you? Couldn't convince me; no, I'm mule-stubborn. Never get me free of this house, so don't bother comin' back to try!" |
| Mladić se naklonio sporo i dostojanstveno. | The young man bowed with slow dignity. |
| Nije više kanio svratiti nikada. | He had no intention of coming again, ever. |
| "Odlično", izjavila je tetaTildy. "Uvijek sam govorila tati da ću pobijediti! Mislim, ja ću kraj tog prozora plesti još tisuću godina. Ako me žele izvući, morat će oko mene ispiliti sve daske." | "Fine," declared Aunt Tildy. "I always told Papa I'd win! Why, I'll knit in this window the next thousand years. They'll have to chew the boards down around me to get me out." |
| Crni je mladić zažmirkao. | The dark young man twinkled his eyes. |
| "Daj prestani me gledati kao mačka koja je pojela kanarinca", uskliknulaje tetaTildy. "I nosi tu glupu košaretinu!" Ona su četvorica teškim korakom izišla kroz kućna vrata. Tildy ih je gledala kako rukuju tom praznom košarom, no ipak posrću pod njenom težinom. | "Quit lookin' like the cat that ate the bird," cried Aunt Tildy. "Get that old fool wicker away!" The four men trod heavily out the front door. Tildy studied the way they handled an empty basket, yet staggered with its weight. |
| "Kako sad?" Glas joj je porastao do tremolirajućega zgražanja. "Da mi niste pokrali moje starine? Moje knjige? Satove? Što vam je to u košari?" | "Here, now!" She rose in tremulous indignation. "Did you steal my antiques? My books? The clocks? What you got in that wicker?" |
| Onaj je crni mladić obijesno zafućukao, okrenuo joj leđa, pa pošao za onom četvoricom što su posrtala. Na vratima je pokazao na košaru i ponudio teti Tildy poklopac. Pantomimski ju je upitao bi li ga voljela otvoriti i zirnuti unutra. | The dark young man whistled jauntily, turning his back to her, walking along behind the four staggering men. At the door he pointed to the wicker, offered its lid to Aunt Tildy. In pantomime he wondered if she would like to open it and gaze inside. |
| "Radoznala? Ja? Istom štogod. Van!" kriknula je teta Tildy. Crni je mladić nabio šešir na glavu i pozdravio je uštogljenom gestom. | "Curious? Me? Pshaw, no. Get out!" cried Aunt Tildy. The dark young man tapped a hat onto his head, saluted her crisply. |
| "Zbogom!" Teta Tildy je tresnula vratima. | "Good-by!" Aunt Tildy slammed the door. |
| Tako, tako. Ovako je već bolje. Odoše. Vražje lude, kakve im sve gluposti ne padaju na um! Ali vrlo važno za košaru. Ako su što i ukrali, ma baš je briga, samo da su otišli. | There, there. That was better. Gone. Darned fool men with their maggoty ideas. No never minds about the wicker. If they stole something, she didn't care, long as they let her alone. |
| "Vidi", nasmiješila se teta Tildy. "Evo nam i Emily, kući s koledža. U pravi čas. Slatko moje malo. Vidi je kako hoda. Ali, za pet ran', danas je nekako blijeda i čudna, i tako sporo korača. Pitam se zašto. Nekako mi je zabrinuta, da. Sirotica. Skuhat ću joj malo kave, a tu su i kolači." | "Look." Aunt Tildy smiled. "Here comes Emily, home from college. About time. Lovely girl. See how she walks. But, land, she looks pale and funny today, walkin' so slow. I wonder why. Looks worried, she does. Poor girl. I'll just fix some coffee and a tray of cakes." |
| Emily je zatapkala ulaznim stubama. Teta Tildy, koja je šuškala po kući, čula je njene polagane, odmjerene korake. Ma što je to muči? Vukla se kao prebita mačka. Kućna su se vrata širom otvorila, i Emily je stajala u predsoblju i držala se za kvaku. | Emily tapped up the front steps. Aunt Tildy, rustling around, could hear the slow, deliberate steps. What ailed the girl? Didn't sound like she had no more spunk than a flue-lizard. The front door swung wide. Emily stood in the hall, holding to the brass doorknob. |
| "Emily?" dozvala je tetka Tildy. | "Emily?" called Aunt Tildy. |
| Emily je, vukući noge, ušla u dnevnu sobu, oborene glave. | Emily shuffled into the parlor, head down. |
| "Emily! Koliko te čekam! Ovdje su bili nekakvi skroz ludi ljudi s košarom. Htjeli su mi prodati nešto što mi ne treba. Drago je što si došla. Samo se raskomoti..." | "Emily! I been waitin' for you! There was the darndest fool men here with a wicker. Tryin' to sell me something I didn't want. Glad you're home. Makes it right cozy--" |
| Teta Tildy je shvatila da Emily zuri već punu minutu. "Emily, što nije u redu? Daj, prestani buljiti. Daj, donijet ću ti šalicu čaja. No, daj! | Aunt Tildy realized that for a full minute Emily had been staring. "Emily, what's wrong? Stop starin'. Here, I'll bring you a cup of coffee. There! - |
| Emily, zašto se odmičeš od mene? | "Emily, why you backin' away from me? |
| Emily, prestani vrištati, dijete. Nemoj vrištati. Emily! Nemoj! Ako nastaviš tako vrištati, završit ćeš u ludnici. Emily, daj se digni s poda, što si se prilijepila za taj zid! Emily! Što si se tako skupila, dijete. Pa neću ti ništa! | "Emily, stop screamin', child. Don't scream, Emily! Don't! You keep screamin' that way, you go crazy. Emily, get up off the floor, get away from that wall! Emily! Stop cringin', child. I won't hurt you! |
| Za pet ran' Božjih, ako nije jedno, onda je drugo. | "Land, if it ain't one thing it's another. |
| Emily, što nije u redu, dijete..?" | "Emily, what's wrong, child . . ." |
| Emily je zastenjala kroz dlanove kojima je prekrila lice. | Emily groaned through her hands over her face. |
| "Dijete, dijete", prošaptala je tetaTildy. "Na, daj popij malo vode. No, Emily, no daj." | "Child, child," whispered Aunt Tildy. "Here, sip this water. Sip it, Emily, that's it." |
| Emily je razrogačila oči, ugledala nešto, pa ih zatvorila, dahćući, uvlačeći se u sebe. "Teta Tildy, teta Tildy, teta..." | Emily widened her eyes, saw something, then shut them, quivering, pulling into herself. "Aunt Tildy, Aunt Tildy, Aunt--" |
| "Prestani s tim!" Tildy ju je pljusnula. "Što te to muči?" | "Stop that!" Tildy slapped her. "What ails you?" |
| Emily se prisilila da ponovno digne pogled. | Emily forced herself to look up again. |
| Ispružila je prste. Koji su nestali u teti Tildy. | She thrust her fingers out. They vanished inside Aunt Tildy. |
| "Kakve ideje!" kriknula je Tildy. "Makni ruku! Makni je, rekoh!" | "What fool notion!" cried Tildy. "Take your hand away! Take it, I say!" |
| Emily je pala na bok i zatresla glavom, a zlatna joj se kosa rasula u sjajne treslice. "Ti nisi tu, teta Tildy. Ja to samo sanjam. Ti si umrla!" | Emily dropped aside, jerked her head, the golden hair shaking into shiny temblors. "You're not here, Aunt Tildy. I'm dreaming. You're dead!" |
| "Tiho, malena." | "Hush, baby." |
| "Ali ti ne možeš biti tu." | "You can't be here." |
| "Ma Heroda ti, Emily... " Uhvatila ju je za ruku. I glatko prošla kroz nju. Istog se časa teta Tildy uspravila kao metla i lupila nogom. | "Land of Goshen, Emily--" She took Emily's hand. It passed clean through her. Instantly, Aunt Tildy raised straight up, stomping her foot. |
| "Ma vidi ovo!" kriknula je ljutito. "Taj - razmetljivac! Ta - lopuža!" Tanke su joj se ruke splele u žilave, tvrde, blijede šake. 'Taj crni, crni zloduh! On mi ga je ukrao! I on mi ga je odvukao, da, da! Pa mislim, ja..." U njoj je kuhao bijes. Blijedoplave oči bile su sama vatra. A onda je zafrfljala i utonula u indigniranu šutnju. Pa se okrenula Emily. "Dijete, ustani! Ti mi trebaš!" | "Why, why!" she cried angrily. "That--fibber! That sneakthief!" Her thin hands knotted to wiry, hard, pale fists. "That dark, dark fiend; He stole it! He toted it away, he did, oh he did, he did! Why, I--" Wrath steamed in her. Her pale blue eyes were fire. She sputtered into an indignant silence. Then she turned to Emily. "Child, get up! I need you!" |
| Emily je ležala i tresla se. | Emily lay, quivering. |
| "Dio je mene još tu!" obznanila je teta Tildy. "I, svega mi, s tim što je ostalo morat ću se zadovoljiti, bar nakratko. Daj mi moj šeširić!" | "Part of me's here!" declared Aunt Tildy. "By the Lord Harry, what's left will have to do, for a bit. Fetch my bonnet!" |
| Emily je priznala istinu. "Ja se bojim." | Emily confessed. "I'm scared." |
| "Ta zacijelo, valjda ne mene?" | "Certainly, oh, certainly not of me?" |
| "Da." | "Yes." |
| "Pa mislim, ja nisam duh! Znaš me otkad znaš za sebe! Nije sad čas za cmoljenje. Put pod noge, ili ću te pljusnuti da ćeš ostati bez nosa!" | "Why, I'm no spook! You known me most of your life! Now's no time to snivel-sop. Fetch up on your heels or I'll slap you crack across your nose!" |
| Emily je ustala, sve jecajući, i ostala tako, stjerana u kut, pokušavajući odlučiti koji smjerom da šmugne. | Emily rose, in sobs, stood like something cornered, trying to decide which direction to bolt in. |
| "Gdje je tvoj auto, Emily?" | "Where's your car, Emily?" |
| "Dolje u garaži - gospođo." | "Down at the garage--ma'am." |
| "Odlično!" Teta Tildy ju je izgurala kroz kućna vrata. "A sad..." Oštar joj je pogled počeo ubadati na oba kraja ulice. "Kako se ide do mrtvačnice?" | "Good!" Aunt Tildy hustled her through the front door. "Now--" Her sharp eyes poked up and down the streets. "Which way's the mortuary?" |
| Emily se držala za ogradu stepenica i teturavo silazila. "Što misliš učiniti, teta Tildy?" | Emily held to the step rail, fumbling down. "What're you going to do, Aunt Tildy?" |
| "Učiniti?" uskliknula je teta Tildy, ljuljajući se za njom, dok su joj se laloci tresli od tankog, blijedog bijesa. "Pa mislm, uzeti svoje tijelo, jasno! Vratiti svoje tijelo! Idemo!" | "Do?" cried Aunt Tildy, tottering after her, jowls shaking in a thin, pale fury. "Why, get my body back, of course! Get my body back! Go on!" |
| Auto je zagrmio, Emily se grčevito uhvatila za volan, i zagledala se ravno preda se u zakrivljene, kišom navlažene ulice. Teta Tildy je zatresla suncobranom. | The car roared, Emily clenched to the steering wheel, staring straight ahead at the curved, rain-wet streets. Aunt Tildy shook her parasol. |
| "Požuri, dijete, požuri, prije nego što mi u tijelo ubrizgaju kojekakve sokove i isjeckaju ga na sataraš, kako to ti ufitiljeni pogrebnici obično rade. Rasijeku ga pa opet zašiju, i više nije nizašto!" | "Hurry, child, hurry, before they squirt juices in my body and dice and cube it the way them persnickety morticians have a habit of doin'. They cut and sew it so it ain't no good to no one!" |
| "O, teta, teta, pusti me, ne tjeraj me da vozim! To neće izaći na dobro, to ne može izaći na dobro", uzdisala je djevojka. | "Oh, Auntie, Auntie, let me go, don't make me drive! It won't do any good, no good at all," sighed the girl. |
| "Evo nas." Emily je zakočila kraj rubnika i srušila se na volan, ali je teta Tildy već iskočila iz automobila i zakaskala u kićenoj haljini prilaznom stazom mrtvačnice, pa zašla otraga, baš gdje su iz sjajnih crnih mrtvačkih kola istovarivali pletenu košaru. | "Here we are." Emily pulled to the curb, and collapsed over the wheel, but Aunt Tildy had already popped from the car and trotted with mincing skirt up the mortuary drive, around behind to where the shiny black hearse was unloading a wicker basket. |
| "Vi!" Svoj je napad usmjerila na jednog od četvorice što su istovarivali košaru. "Spuštajte to!" | "You!" she directed her attack at one of the four men with the wicker. "Put that down!" |
| Sva su četvorica podigla pogled. | The four men looked up. |
| A jedan je rekao: "Dajte se maknite, milostiva. Vidite da radimo." | One said, "Step aside, lady. We're doing our job." |
| "Unutra ste strpali moje tijelo!" Zavitlala je suncobranom. | "That's my body tucked in there!" She brandished the parasol. |
| "O tome ja nemam ni pojma", rekao je drugi. "Molim vas, ne stojite nam na putu, gospođo. Ovo je prilično teško." | "That I wouldn't know anything about," said a second man. "Please don't block traffic, madam. This thing is heavy." |
| "Gospodine!" kriknula je ona povrijeđeno. "Budi vam znano da sam imala samo pedeset kila!" | "Sir!" she cried, wounded. "I'll have you know I weigh only one hundred and ten pounds." |
| On ju je samo ovlaš pogledao. "Ma baš me boli, milostiva, i za vas i vašu liniju. Žurim kući na večeru. Žena će me ubiti ako zakasnim." | He looked at her casually. "I'm not interested in your heft, lady. I'm due home for supper. My wife'll kill me if I'm late." |
| Četiri su čovjeka nastavila put, s tetom Tildy za petama, niz hodnik, u dvoranu za prepariranje. | The four of them moved on, Aunt Tildy in pursuit, down a hall, into a preparations room. |
| Čovjek u bijeloj kuti dočekao je dolazak košare s vrlo radosnim smiješkom na dugom, požudnom licu. Teta Tildy malo je marila za pohlepu na tom licu, kao i čitavu osobu tog čovjeka. Košara je postavljena na svoje mjesto, i ona su četvorica otišla. | A white-smocked man awaited the wicker's arrival with a rather pleased smile on his long, eagerlooking face. Aunt Tildy didn't care for the avidity of that face, or the entire personality of the man. The basket was deposited, the four men wandered off. |
| Čovjek u bijeloj kuti pogledao je tetkicu i rekao: "Gospođo, ovo nije mjesto primjereno za jednu milostivu gospođu." | The man in the white smock glanced at Auntie and said: "Madam, this is no fit place for a gentlewoman." |
| "Pa mislim", odgovorila je ona polaskana, "drago mi je da tako mislite. Baš sam u to i sama pokušavala uvjeriti onog mladića u crnom odijelu!" | "Well," she said, gratified, "glad you feel that way. It's exactly what I tried to tell that dark-clothed young man!" |
| Grobar se zbunio. "Ma kojeg to mladića u crnom odijelu?" | The mortician puzzled. "What dark-clothed young man is that?" |
| "Onoga koji mi je došao rondati po kući, eto kojeg." | "The one that came puddlin' around my house, that's who." |
| "Nijedan mi s tim opisom ništa ne govori." | "No one of that description works for us." |
| "Nije ni važno. Kao što ste to i sami tako pametno iskazali, ovo nije mjesto za jednu damu. I ne biva mi se ovdje. Htjela bih biti kod kuće i kuhati šunku za goste u nedjelju, sad će brzo i Uskrs. Moram Emily dati nešto za jesti, plesti džempere, navijati satove..." | "No matter. As you just so intelligently stated, this is no place for a lady. I don't want me here. I want me home cookin' ham for Sunday visitors, it's near Easter. I got Emily to feed, sweaters to knit, clocks to wind--" |
| "Vi ste, gospođo, ne dvojim, veliki i filozof i filantrop, ali mene čeka posao. Stigao je leš." Ovo je posljednje izrekao s očitom nasladom, i popratio to trešnjom noževa, cijevi, teglica i instrumenata. | "You are quite philosophical, and philanthropical, no doubt of it, madam, but I have work. A body has arrived." This last, he said with apparent relish, and a winnowing of his knives, tubes, jars, and instruments. |
| Tildy se sva nakostriješila. "Ako na to tijelo stavite i otisak prsta, ja ću vas..." | Tildy bristled. "You put so much as a fingerprint on that body, and I'll--" |
| On ju je otepao kao sitnog starog moljca. "George", zazvao je sa sebi svojstvenom prijaznom blagošću, "isprati, molim te, gospođu." | He laid her aside like a little old moth. "George," he called with a suave gentleness, "escort this lady out, please." |
| Teta Tildy je Georgea, kad je pošao prema njoj, propalila pogledom. | Aunt Tildy glared at the approaching George. |
| "Pokažite mi leđa, naši se putovi ovdje razilaze!" | "Show me your backside, goin' the other way!" |
| George ju je uhvatio za zapešća. "Ovuda, molim vas." | George took her wrists. "This way, please." |
| Tildy se izvukla. I to lako. Jer joj je meso na neki način kliznulo. Što ju je čak i zapanjilo. Steći takav neočekivani talent, i to pod stare dane. | Tildy extricated herself. Easily. Her flesh sort of--slipped. It even amazed Tildy. Such an unexpected talent to develop at this late day. |
| "Vidite?" rekla je, radujući se svojoj sposobnosti. "Ne možete me ni mrdnuti. Vratite mi moje tijelo!" | "See?" she said, pleased with her ability. "You can't budge me. I want my body back!" |
| Grobar je ležerno podigao poklopac košare. I tada, u ponovljenom nizu pomnih pregleda, shvatio da je tijelo unutra... da se čini... ma je li moguće?... možda... da... ne... ne... to naprosto ne može biti, ali... "Ah", izdahnuo je zrak, silovito i najednom. Okrenuo se. Oči su mu se razrogačile, pa skupile. | The mortician opened the wicker lid casually. Then, in a recurrent series of scrutinies he realized the body inside was . . . it seemed . . . could it be? . . . maybe. . . yes. . . no.. . no. . . it just couldn't be, but . . . "Ah," he exhaled, abruptly. He turned. His eyes were wide, then they narrowed. |
| "Gospođo", rekao je oprezno. "Ova dama tu, je li vam ona... ovaj... nekakav... rod?" | "Madam," he said, cautiously. "This lady here is--a--relative-- of yours?" |
| "Vrlo dragi rod. Pripazite što radite s njom." | "A very dear relation. Be careful of her." |
| "Možda sestra?" Pokušao se uhvatiti za slamku već rasplinute logike, sve u nadi. | "A sister, perhaps?" He grasped at a straw of dwindling logic, hopefully. |
| "Ne, vi ludo. To sam ja, jeste me čuli? Ja!" | "No, you fool. Me, do you hear? Me!" |
| Grobar se malo zamislio nad tim. "Ne", odgovorio je. "Takve se stvari ne događaju." Prekopao je po alatu. "George, zamoli nekog da ti pomogne. Ne mogu raditi dok mi se neka šašavica plete pod nogama." Kad su joj prišla četvorica, teta Tildyje prkosno prekrižila ruke. | The mortician considered the idea. "No," he said. "Things like this don't happen." He fumbled with his tools. "George, get help from the others. I can't work with a crank present." The four men returned. Aunt Tildy crossed her arms in defiance. |
| "Neću se ni pomaknuti!" kriknula je ona dok su je micali, kao pijuna na šahovskoj ploči, najprije iz sobe za preparaciju u sobu vječnoga sanka, pa zatim u hodnik, u čekaonicu, u pogrebnu dvoranu, gdje se bacila u stolac u samom središtu vestibula. Iza nje su se u sivoj tišini nizale klupe, i širio se miris cvijeća. | "Won't budge!" she cried, as she was moved like a pawn on a chessboard, from preparations room to slumber room, to hall, to waiting chamber, to funeral parlor, where she threw herself down on a chair in the very center of the vestibule. There were pews going back into gray silence, and a smell of flowers. |
| "Molim vas, gospođo", rekao je jedan od njih. "Tu će tijelo počivati do sutrašnje službe." | "Please, ma'am," said one of the men. "That's where the body rests for the service tomorrow." |
| "Sjedit ću tu kao olovo sve dok ne dobijem to što tražim." | "I'm sittin' right plumb here until I get what I want." |
| Sjedila je, a blijedi su joj prsti prtljali po čipki pod grlom, dok joj je brada bila izbačena a visoko zakopčana cipela ljutito kuckala. Da joj je prišao na dohvat suncobrana, dobio bi njime po glavi. A da su je dotakli, sjetila bi se - da im isklizne iz ruku. | She sat, pale fingers fussing with the lace at her throat, jaw set, one high-buttoned shoe tapping with irritation. If a man got in whopping distance, she gave him a parasol whop. And when they touched her, now, she remembered to--slip away. |
| Gospodin Carrington, predsjednik mrtvačnice, iz svoje je sobe čuo nekakvu strku, pa se dogegao prolazom između klupa da vidi što je na stvari. "No dajte, dajte", šapnuo je svima i stavio prst na usta. "Malo poštovanja, malo poštovanja. Što je ovo? Gospođo, mogu li vam čime pomoći?" | Mr. Carrington, Mortuary President, heard the disturbance in his office and came toddling down the aisle to investigate. "Here, here," he whispered to everyone, finger to mouth. "More respect, more respect. What is this? Oh, madam, may I help you?" |
| Ona ga je odmjerila od glave do pete. "Možete." | She looked him up and down. "You may." |
| "A kako bih vam to, molim, mogao biti na usluzi?" | "How may I be of service, please?" |
| "Pođite u onu sobu tamo", uputila gaje teta Tildy. | "Go in that room back there," directed Aunt Tildy. |
| "Da... aa." | "Yee--ess." |
| "I recite tom oduševljenom mladom istraživaču da mi se prestane zezati s tijelom. Ja sam neudata dama. Moji madeži, osobeni znaci, ožiljci i ostale koještarije, uključujući i uvrnutost gležnja, samo su moja tajna. I ne bih željela da netko po tome ruje i kopa, da to sjecka i reže ili ošteti na ikoji drugi način." | "And tell that eager young investigator to quit fiddlin' with my body. I'm a maiden lady. My moles, birthmarks, scars, and other bric-a-brac, including the turn of my ankle, are my own secret. I don't want him pryin' and probin', cuttin', or hurtin' it any way." |
| Sve je to gospodinu Carringtonu bilo prilično maglovito, jer još nije usporedio tijela. Gledao ju je bijelo i bespomoćno. | This was vague to Mr. Carrington, who hadn't correlated bodies yet. He looked at her in blank helplessness. |
| "Stavio me je tamo na stol, kao goluba koga treba očistiti i nadjenuti!" rekla je direktoru. | "He's got me in there on his table, like a pigeon ready to be drawn and stuffed!" she told him. |
| Gospodin Carrington se udaljio žustrim korakom da vidi što je na stvari. Nakon petnaest minuta tihoga čekanja i užasnute svađe, i uspoređivanja podataka s pogrebnikom iza zatvorenih vrata, Carrington se vratio, za tri nijanse sjediji. Carringtonu su ispale naočale, pa ih je podigao. | Mr. Carrington hustled off to check. After fifteen minutes of waiting silence and horrified arguing, comparing notes with the mortician behind closed doors, Carrington returned, three shades whiter. Carrington dropped his glasses, picked them up. |
| "Stvarate nam velike probleme." | "You're making it difficult for us." |
| "Doista?" planula je teta Tildy. "Sveti Ante Padovanski! Ma slušajte, gospodine Krvokostiću, ili kako se već zovete, nek vam ja kažem..." | "I am?" raged Aunt Tildy. "Saint Vitus in the mornin'! Looky here, Mister Blood and Bones or whatever, you tell that--" |
| "Već smo ispustili krv iz..." | "We're already draining the blood from the--" |
| "Kako!" | "What!" |
| "Da, da, uvjeravam vas, da. I zato naprosto otiđite, smjesta; ništa se više ne da učiniti." Nervozno se nasmijao. "A naš pogrebnik osim toga izvodi i kratku autopsiju da utvrdi uzrok smrti." | "Yes, yes, I assure you, yes. So, you just go away, now; there's nothing to be done." He laughed nervously. "Our mortician is also performing a brief autopsy to determine cause of death." |
| Teta je skočila na noge, sva u vatri. | Auntie jumped to her feet, burning. |
| "To ne smijete činiti! To smiju raditi samo patolozi!" | "He can't do that! Only coroners are allowed to do that!" |
| "Pa mislim, pokatkad si dopustimo malo..." | "Well, we sometimes allow a little--" |
| "Prašite smjesta unutra i recite tom trbosjeku da smjesta vrati svu tu finu novoenglesku plavu krv pod tu otmjenu kožu, i ako je išta izvadio, neka to lijepo i vrati, i prikači tako da radi kako Bog zapovijeda, i da mi onda vrati to tijelo, svježe kao jabuka, u moje vlasništvo. Jeste me čuli?" | "March straight in and tell that Cut-'em-up to pump all that fine New England blue blood right back into that fine-skinned body, and if he's taken anything out, for him to attach it back in so it'll function proper, and then turn that body, fresh as paint, into my keepin'. You hear!" |
| "Ja tu više ne mogu ništa. Ništa." | "There's nothing I can do. Nothing." |
| "Da vam nešto kažem. Doselila sam se tu na dvije stotine godina. Jeste me čuli? I svaki put kad vam dođe koja mušterija, pljunut ću im ektoplazmu ravno kroz nosnice!" | "Tell you what. I'm settin' here for the next two hundred years. You listenin'? And every time any of your customers come by, I'll spit ectoplasm right squirt up their nostrils!" |
| Carrington je pokušao uhvatiti tu misao što mu je trčkarala kroz sve slabiju svijest, pa teško prostenjao. "Upropastit ćete nam posao. Ne možete nam to učiniti." | Carrington groped that thought around his weakening mind and emitted a groan. "You'd ruin our business. You wouldn't do that." |
| Tetkica se nasmiješila. "Mislite da ne mogu?" | Auntie smiled. "Wouldn't I?" |
| Carrington je potrčao kroz mračni prolaz između klupa. U daljini ga se čulo kako stalno okreće brojčanik. Pola sata potom pred mrtvačnicom su zagrmjeti automobili. Tri dopredsjednika mrtvačnice prišla su kroz prolaz skupa sa svojim šefom. | Carrington ran up the dark aisle. In the distance you could hear him dialing a phone over and over again. Half an hour later cars roared up in front of the mortuary. Three vice-presidents of the mortuary came down the aisle with their hysterical president. |
| "U čemu je problem?" | "What seems to be the trouble?" |
| Tetkica im je sve ispričala, uresivši to s nekoliko brižljivo probranih infernaliteta. | Auntie told them with a few well-chosen infernalities. |
| Potom su održali savjetovanje, u međuvremenu obavijestivši pogrebnika da prekine izradu domaće zadaće, bar dok se ne postigne nekakav sporazum... Grobar je ušetao iz svoje komore i zastao, prijazno se smiješeći i pušeći veliku crnu cigaru. | They held a conference, meanwhile notifying the mortician to discontinue his homework, at least until such time as an agreement was reached. . . . The mortician walked from his chamber and stood smiling amiably, smoking a big black cigar. |
| Tetkica se zapiljila u cigaru. | Auntie stared at the cigar. |
| "A gdje ćete otresti pepeo?" uskliknula je užasnuto. | "Where'd you put the ashes?" she cried, in horror. |
| Grobar se samo mrtvo-hladno nasmiješio i otpuhnuo dim. | The mortician only grinned imperturbably and puffed. |
| Savjetovanje se prekinulo. | The conference broke up. |
| "Gospođo, iskreno govoreći, ne mislite nas valjda istjerati na ulicu, da tamo nastavimo naše karijere?" | "Madam, in all fairness, you wouldn't force us out on the street to continue our services, would you?" |
| Tetkica je preletjela pogledom preko svih tih lešinara. "O, ne bih se baš nimalo libila." | Auntie scanned the vultures. "Oh, I wouldn't mind at all." |
| Carrington je otro znoj s laloka. "Možete dobiti svoje tijelo." | Carrington wiped sweat from his jowls. "You can have your body back." |
| "Ha!" uskliknula je tetkica. I potom oprezno dodala: "Netaknuto?" | "Ha!" shouted Auntie. Then, with caution: "Intact?" |
| "Netaknuto." | "Intact." |
| "Bez formalina?" | "No formaldehyde?" |
| "Bez formalina." | "No formaldehyde." |
| "I s krvlju?" | "Blood in it?" |
| "I s krvlju, moj Bože, da, s krvlju, samo ga nosite i idite!" Uzvišeni naklon glavom. "Pošteno. Dovedite ga u red. Dogovoreno." | "Blood, my God, yes, blood, if only you'll take it and go!" A prim nod. "Fair enough. Fix 'er up. It's a deal." |
| Carrington je pucnuo prstima i dao znak pogrebniku. "Što ste se ukipili, kao debil! Dovedite ga u red!" | Carrington snapped his fingers at the mortician. "Don't stand there, you mental incompetent. Fix it up!" |
| "I pripazite malo s tom cigarom!" rekla je stara. | "And be careful with that cigar!" said the old woman. |
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| "Polako, polako", rekla je teta Tildy. "Stavite košaru na pod, tako da mogu ući." | "Easy, easy," said Aunt Tildy. "Put the wicker on the floor where I can step in it." |
| Nije puno razgledavala tijelo. Jedini joj je komentar bio: "Izgleda prirodno." I onda se pustila da padne u košaru. | She didn't look at the body much. Her only comment was, "Natural-lookin'." She let herself fall back into the wicker. |
| Najednom su je zgrabili ujedi arktičke hladnoće, iza čega su uslijedili neočekivana mučnina i neočekivana frkanja svijesti. Pretvorila se u dvije kapi materije koje se žele stopiti, u vodu koja se pokušava upiti u beton. Što je bilo sporo. I teško. Kao da leptir pokušava umigoljiti natrag u odbačenu ljusku kremenite čahure! | A biting sensation of arctic coldness gripped her, followed by an unlikely nausea and a giddy whorling. She was two drops of matter fusing, water trying to seep into concrete. Slow to do. Hard. Like a butterfly trying to squirm back into a discarded husk of flinty chrysalis! |
| Dopredsjednici su tetu Tildy gledali sa zabrinutošću. Gospodin Carrington je krivio prste i pokušavao pomoći praveći rukama i šakama pokrete kao da tišće i gure. Grobar je bio otvoreno skeptičan, pa je sve to promatrao dokonim, pomalo podsmješljivim očima. | The vice-presidents watched Aunt Tildy with apprehension. Mr. Carrington wrung his fingers and tried to assist with boosting and pushing moves of his hands and arms. The mortician, frankly skeptical, watched with idle, amused eyes. |
| Upiti se u hladni, duboki granit. Upiti se u sleđen i pradrevni kip. Skroz se utisnuti. | Seeping into cold, long granite. Seeping into a frozen and ancient statue. Squeezing all the way. |
| "Daj živni malo, vrag da te nosi!" viknula je teta Tildy samoj sebi. "Daj se malo digni." | "Come alive, damn ye!" shouted Aunt Tildy to herself. "Raise up a bit." |
| Njeno se tijelo napol podiglo, i zašuškalo u suhoj košari. "Daj, ženska, podvij malo noge!" | The body half-rose, rustling in the dry wicker. "Fold your legs, woman!" |
| Tijelo je zahvatilo u zrak, naslijepo pipajući. | The body grabbled up, blindly groping. |
| "Vidite!" kliknula je teta Tildy. | "See!" shouted Aunt Tildy. |
| U paučinaste je, slijepe oči ušlo svjetlo. | Light entered the webbed blind eyes. |
| "Osjećaj!" potaknula ga je teta Tildy. | "Feel!" urged Aunt Tildy. |
| Tijelo je osjetilo toplinu sobe, naglo nadošlu stvarnost stola za prepariranje, na koje se naslonilo, teško dišući. | The body felt the warmth of the room, the sudden reality of the preparations table on which to lean, panting. |
| "Miči se!" | "Move!" |
| Tijelo je napravilo škripavi, polagani korak. | The body took a creaking, slow step. |
| "Slušaj!" kratko je odrezala. | "Hear!" she snapped. |
| U gluhe su uši navrli zvukovi koji su ispunjali prostoriju. Oštar dah pogrebnika, pun očekivanja i uzdrman; cmoljenje gospodina Carringtona; vlastiti kreštavi glas. | The noises of the place came into the dull ears. The harsh, expectant breath of the mortician, shaken; the whimpering Mr. Carrington; her own crackling voice. |
| "Hodaj!" rekla je teta Tilda. | "Walk!" she said. |
| Tijelo je prohodalo. | The body walked. |
| "Misli!" rekla je. | "Think!" she said. |
| Stari je mozak počeo misliti. | The old brain thought. |
| "Govori!" rekla je. | "Speak!" she said. |
| I tijelo je progovorilo, i naklonilo se pogrebnicima: | The body spoke, bowing to the morticians: |
| "Vaš sam dužnik. Hvala najljepša." | "Much obliged. Thank you." |
| "A sad", rekla je napokon, "plači! " | "Now," she said, finally, "cry!" |
| I tako je zaplakala suzama potpune sreće. | And she began to cry tears of utter happiness. |
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| A danas, svakoga popodneva oko četiri, ako želite posjetiti tetu Tildy, samo skrenite do njene staretinarnice i pokucajte. Na vratima visi veliki, crni pogrebni vijenac. Na to se ne obazirite! Tu ga je ostavila tetaTildy; takav je njen osjećaj za humor. Samo pokucajte na vrata. Ona su dvaput zakračunana i triput zaključana, a kad zakucate, na vas će zavrištati njezin glas: | And now, any afternoon about four, if you want to visit Aunt Tildy, you just walk around to her antique shop and rap. There's a big, black funeral wreath on the door. Don't mind that! Aunt Tildy left it there; that's how her humor runs. You rap on the door. It's double-barred and triple-locked, and when you rap her voice shrills out at you. |
| "Je li to čovjek u crnom?" | "Is that the man in black?" |
| A vi se nasmijete i velite ne, ne, to sam samo ja, teta Tildy. Sad se nasmije i ona i veli: "Uđite, brzo!" i onda strelovito otvara vrata i s treskom iz zalupi, tako da s vama nikako ne može kliznuti i nikakav čovjek u crnom. Tada vas posjedne i natoči vam kavu i pokaže najnoviji ispleteni džemper. Nije više brza kao nekada, i ne vidi više onako dobro, ali nekako klima. | And you laugh and say no, no, it's only me, Aunt Tildy. And she laughs and says, "Come on in, quick!" and she whips the door open and slams it shut behind, so no man in black can ever slip in with you. Then she sets you down and pours your coffee and shows you her latest knitted sweater. She's not as fast as she used to be, and can't see as good, but she gets on. |
| "A ako ste bili jako dobri," obznanjuje teta Tildy i gura ustranu šalicu kave, "pokazat ću vam jednu sitnicu." | "And if you're 'specially good," Aunt Tildy declares, setting her coffee cup to one side, "I'll give you a little treat." |
| "A to je?" upitat će posjetitelj. | "What's that?" visitors will ask. |
| "Ovo", odgovara tetkica, vesela zbog sitnice koja je čini jedinstvenom, vesela zbog svoje male šale. | "This," says Auntie, pleased with her little uniqueness, her little joke. |
| I tada će, čednim pokretima prstiju, razvezati bijelu čipku oko vrata i na prsima i na kratak vam trenutak pokazati što leži ispod nje. | Then with modest moves of her fingers she will unfasten the white lace at her neck and chest and for a brief moment show what lies beneath. |
| Dugu modru brazgotinu koja je poslije autopsije ponovno zašivena. | The long blue scar where the autopsy was neatly sewn together. |
| "Taj šav za jednog muškarca i nije tako loš", priznaje ona. "Jeste za još malo kave? Evo!" | "Not bad sewin' for a man," she allows. "Oh, some more coffee? There!" |