Странный посетитель вернул заплечный мешок под стол и поднялся. Чтобы пройти через дверь, ему пришлось согнуться пополам. За судьбу мешка он не опасался: там, где тот находился, ему ничего не грозило. Никто не посмеет к нему прикоснуться.

Оказавшись снаружи, он распрямился и зашагал по направлению к окутанной мраком большой дороге.

In the meantime, the carriage with a single passenger had reached the spot at which an invisible passage split off from the main road, leading to the inn. In his right hand, the passenger clutched a revolver. He knew better than to believe (12) that the mere sight of a weapon could scare off a band of robbers, but it did help ease his fears (13), nonetheless.

in the meantime тем временем, между тем; carriage карета; single единственный; spot место; invisible невидимый, незаметный; passageздесь: дорожка, тропинка; split off отделяться; clutch сжимать; the mere sight один только вид; weapon оружие; scare off отпугнуть, спугнуть; band банда, шайка; ease fears унять страх, ослабить чувство страха; nonetheless тем не менее, всё же

Suddenly, the carriage stopped. The passenger stuck out his head to ask the driver what had happened, but the only thing he could see was a dark figure dashing away toward the forest.

A moment later, a black shadow appeared outside the window, blocking his view of the forest. Instead, the passenger saw a wide grin, aggressively bristling whiskers, and a black eye patch over the right eye of a terrible monster.

stick out (stuck; stuck) высунуть; dash away мчаться, нестись прочь; shadow тень; block the view загораживать вид; instead вместо этого (здесь: вместо леса); grin ухмылка, bristling whiskers ощетинившиеся усы

The passenger felt his limbs become stiff with fear. For some time, he just sat there, unable to take his gaze off the terrible monster facing him. The monster, in turn, studied his victim with his only working eye, and grinned even wider – a sardonic, self-satisfied grin.

“I must run off! Flee this place!” the panic-stricken passenger thought to himself.

limb член, конечность (тела), рука или нога; become stiff цепенеть, деревенеть; unable не в состоянии; gaze пристальный взгляд ◊ take his gaze offsb/sth отвести взгляд от кого-либо или чего-либо; face sbздесь: стоять напротив кого-либо; in turn в свою очередь; victim жертва; self-satisfied самодовольный; run off бежать (вспешкеибезпредупреждения); flee (fled; fled) бежать (отопасности), спасаться бегством, драпать; panic-stricken охваченный паникой

He felt around for the door handle. As he did so, the revolver he had been holding in his hand fell to the floor, and went off.

“If you’re trying to scare me, forget it,” meowed the monster, showing his large teeth. “Your popgun won’t do you any good, pal. Better think of your immortal soul, for your last hour has come.”

feel around (felt; felt) искать ощупью, шарить; door handle дверная ручка; go offздесь: внезапно выстрелить; scare пугать, напугать; meow мяукать; popgun пугач; do goodздесь: помогать; pal приятель; immortal бессмертный; soul душа; forздесь: потому что, ибо

“Please, have mercy!” the passenger begged. “Take whatever you want. (14) Here, take this ring. It is quite expensive!”

He started to take off the ring, but with little success.

“Don’t bother,” said the monster. “The robbers will take it off your finger. They will be here quite soon, I presume. But by that time, you will long be dead. As for me, I’m not interested in petty knick-knacks. It’s moments like this that add purpose to my life. To watch my victim tremble in fear – that’s what I live for. And, as much as I’d love to prolong this moment – beautiful as it is – I’m afraid that we may soon be interrupted by one of these vulgar creatures who make a living out of robbing others.”