Английский язык с Мюриэль Спарк (рассказы)
Шрифт:
whereabouts ['we(q)rqbaVts] suffering ['sAf(q)rIN] nature ['neICq]
He was successful in tracing the whereabouts of Oxford St. John. Even before he heard the result of Oxford 's blood test he said to Lou, "Write and ask your relations if there's been any black blood in the family."
"Write and ask yours," she said.
She refused to look at the black baby. The nurses fussed round it all day, and came to report its progress to Lou.
"Pull yourself together, Mrs. Parker, she's a lovely child."
"You must care for your infant," said the priest.
"You don't know what I'm suffering," Lou said.
"In the name of God," said the priest, "if you're a Catholic Christian you've got to expect to suffer."
"I can't go against my nature," said Lou. "I can't be expected to —
Raymond said to her one day in the following week (Раймонд
"What do you mean, all right (что ты имеешь в виду, в порядке)?"
" Oxford 's blood and the baby's don't tally, and (кровь Оксфорда и кровь ребенка не совпадают, и) —
"Oh, shut up (о, заткнись)," she said. "The baby's black (ребенок черный) and your blood tests can't make it white (и твои анализы крови не могут сделать его белым)."
"No," he said. He had fallen out with his mother (он поссорился со своей матерью; tofall— падать, выпадать, tofallout— поссориться, быть в плохих отношениях), through his inquiries (из-за своих расспросов) whether there had been coloured blood in his family (о том, была ли кровь цветных: «цветная кровь» в их семье). "The doctor says," he said, "that these black mixtures sometimes occur (что подобные черные примеси: «смешения» иногда случаются) in seaport towns (в портовых городах). It might have been generations back (это могло случиться поколения назад)."
"One thing (единственно)," said Lou. "I'm not going to take that child back to the flat (я не собираюсь брать этого ребенка с собой: «назад» в квартиру)."
"You'll have to (но тебе придется)," he said.
tally ['txlI] mixture ['mIksCq] generation ["Genq'reIS(q)n]
Raymond said to her one day in the following week, "The blood tests are all right, the doctor says."
"What do you mean, all right?"
"Oxford's blood and the baby's don't tally, and —
"Oh, shut up," she said. "The baby's black and your blood tests can't make it white."
"No," he said. He had fallen out with his mother, through his inquiries whether there had beencolouredblood in his family. "The doctor says," he said, "that these black mixtures sometimes occur in seaport towns. It might have been generations back."
"One thing," said Lou. "I'm not going to take that child back to the flat."
"You'll have to," he said.
Elizabeth wrote her a letter (Элизабет написала ей письмо), which Raymond intercepted (которое Раймонд перехватил):
"Dear Lou (дорогая Лу) Raymond is asking if we have any blacks in the family (Раймонд спрашивает, есть ли у нас черные в семье) well thats funny you have a coloured (чудно, что у тебя цветной /ребеночек/; thats = that’s,funny — смешной, забавный, странный) God is not asleep (Бог не спит). There was that Flinn cousin Tommy at Liverpool (был у нас один кузен Флинн Томми в Ливерпуле) he was very dark (он был очень смуглым: «темным») they put it down to the past a nigro off a ship (они приписали это одному ниггеру с корабля; nigro = Negro,ship — корабль, судно) that would be before our late Mothers Time (это было еще до времен покойной нашей матушки) God rest her soul (успокой Господь ее душу) she would turn in her grave (она ворочается в гробу; grave — могила) you should have kept up your bit to me (что ты пожалела денег для меня) whats a pound a week to you (что такое фунт в неделю для тебя; whats= what’s). It was on our fathers side the colour (со стороны нашего отца был он, цвет) and Mary Flinn you remember at the dairy (и Мари Флинн ты помнишь на сыроварне) was dark (была темной) remember her hare was like nigro hare (помнишь ее волосы были как волосы у негра; hare=hair) it must be back in the olden days (должно
Elizabeth wrote her a letter, which Raymond intercepted:
"Dear Lou Raymond is asking if we have any blacks in the family well thats funny you have acolouredGod is not asleep. There was that Flinn cousin Tommy at Liverpool he was very dark they put it down to the past a nigro off a ship that would be before our late Mothers Time God rest her soul she would turn in her grave you should have kept up your bit to me whats a pound a week to you. It was on our fathers side thecolourand Mary Flinn you remember at the dairy was dark remember her hare was like nigro hare it must be back in the olden days the nigro some ansester but it is only nature. I thank the almighty it has missed my kids and your hubby must think it was that nigro you was showing off when you came to my place. I wish you all the best as a widow with kids you shoud send my money as per usual your affec sister Elizabeth."
"I gather from Elizabeth (я узнал от Элизабет; to gather — собирать, копить; приходитькзаключению)," said Raymond to Lou (сказал Раймонд Лу), "that there was some element of colour in your family (что был некий элемент цветных в вашей семье). Of course (конечно), you couldn’t be expected to know about it (никто не ожидает, что можно об этом знать заранее: «знать об этом»). I do think (но я уверен), though (тем не менее), that some kind of record should be kept (что какие-то записи должны вестись)."
"Oh, shut up (о, заткнись)" said Lou (сказала Лу). "The baby's black (ребенок черный) and nothing can make it white (и ничего не сможет сделать его белым)."
Two days before Lou left the hospital (за два дня до того как Лу выписалась из больницы; toleave— уходить, уезжать) she had a visitor (у нее был посетитель), although she had given instructions (хотя она распорядилась: «дала инструкции») that no one except Raymond should be let in to see her (чтобы никого, кроме Раймонда, не пропускали к ней: «не разрешали войти, чтобы навестить ее»). This lapse (это упущение) she attributed to the nasty curiosity of the nurses (она объяснила отвратительным любопытством нянек; curiosity— любознательность, пытливость), for it was Henry Pierce (так как это был Генри Пирс) come to say good-bye before embarkation (приехавший проститься: «сказать до свидания» перед отъездом: «посадкой на корабль»). He stayed less than five minutes (он не пробыл /у нее/ и пяти минут: «он остался меньше чем на пять минут»).
element ['elImqnt] record ['rekO: d] attribute [q'trIbju: t]
"I gather from Elizabeth," said Raymond to Lou, "that there was some element ofcolourin your family. Of course, you couldn't be expected to know about it. I do think, though, that some kind of record should be kept."
"Oh, shut up" said Lou. "The baby's black and nothing can make it white."
Two days before Lou left the hospital she had a visitor, although she had given instructions that no one except Raymond should be let in to see her. This lapse she attributed to the nasty curiosity of the nurses, for it was Henry Pierce come to say good-bye before embarkation. He stayed less than five minutes.