Английский язык с У. С. Моэмом. На окраине империи. Рассказы
Шрифт:
"Here is my daughter, Mr. Hunter (вот моя дочь, мистер Хантер)."
Bateman shook hands with her (Бейтман пожал ее руку). She had dark, splendid eyes and a red mouth tremulous with laughter (у нее были темные, прекрасные глаза и алые уста, дрожавшие от смеха); but her skin was brown (но кожа ее была смуглой), and her curling hair, rippling down her shoulders, was coal black (и ее вьющиеся волосы, ниспадавшие с плеч, были угольно-черными; to ripple — покрывать рябью; струиться, ниспадать). She wore but one garment, a Mother Hubbard of pink cotton (единственным предметом одежды на ней было /длинное просторное/ платье из розовой хлопчатобумажной ткани; Mother Hubbard — матушка Хаббард/персонаж детской песенки/;длинное просторное платье), her feet were bare (ноги у нее были босые), and she was crowned with a wreath of white scented flowers (и
resonant ['rezqnqnt], breathe [bri: D], idealism [aI'dIqlIz(q)m], tremulous ['tremjulqs], Mother Hubbard ["mADq'hAbqd], wreath [ri: T], Polynesian [pOlI'ni: zIqn]
His voice was deep and resonant. He seemed to breathe forth the purest idealism, and Bateman had to urge himself to remember that the man who spoke was a criminal and a cruel cheat. But Edward, as though he heard a sound, turned round quickly.
"Here is my daughter, Mr. Hunter."
Bateman shook hands with her. She had dark, splendid eyes and a red mouth tremulous with laughter; but her skin was brown, and her curling hair, rippling down her shoulders, was coal black. She wore but one garment, a Mother Hubbard of pink cotton, her feet were bare, and she was crowned with a wreath of white scented flowers. She was a lovely creature. She was like a goddess of the Polynesian spring.
She was a little shy, but not more shy than Bateman (она немного стеснялась, но не больше, чем Бейтман), to whom the whole situation was highly embarrassing (для которого вся эта сцена: «ситуация» была в высшей степени неловкой), and it did not put him at his ease (и смущение его не стало меньше; ease — свобода, непринужденность) to see this sylph-like thing take a shaker and with a practiced hand mix three cocktails (когда увидел, как эта грациозная девушка взяла шейкер и умелой рукой = умело смешала три коктейля).
"Let us have a kick in them, child (сделай их покрепче, дочка; kick — удар, толчок; разг. крепость/вина/)," said Jackson.
She poured them out (она разлила их = коктейли; to pour — лить; наливать, разливать) and smiling delightfully handed one to each of the men (и, очаровательно улыбаясь, вручила каждому из мужчин по одному /бокалу/). Bateman flattered himself on his skill in the subtle art of shaking cocktails (Бейтман был высокого мнения о собственном умении в этом тонком искусстве смешивания коктейлей; to flatter — льстить) and he was not a little astonished, on tasting this one, to find that it was excellent (и он был немало удивлен, попробовав этот коктейль и обнаружив, что он был превосходным). Jackson laughed proudly (Джексон с гордостью рассмеялся) when he saw his guest's involuntary look of appreciation (когда он увидел непроизвольный удовлетворенный: «/высоко/ оценивающий» взгляд его гостя; appreciation — высокая оценка; оценка по достоинству).
sylphlike ['sIlflaIk], practiced ['prxktIst], pour [pO: ], astonish [q'stOnIS], involuntary [In'vOl(q)nt(q)rI], appreciation [q'pri: SI'eIS(q)n]
She was a little shy, but not more shy than Bateman, to whom the whole situation was highly embarrassing, and it did not put him at his ease to see this sylph-like thing take a shaker and with a practiced hand mix three cocktails.
"Let us have a kick in them, child," said Jackson.
She poured them out and smiling delightfully handed one to each of the men. Bateman flattered himself on his skill in the subtle art of shaking cocktails and he was not a little astonished, on tasting this one, to find that it was excellent. Jackson laughed proudly when he saw his guest's involuntary look of appreciation.
"Not bad, is it (неплохо, правда)? I taught the child myself (я сам обучил дочку; to teach), and in the old days in Chicago I considered (и
bartender ['bQ: "tendq], penitentiary ["penI'tenS(q)rI], brass [brQ: s], tack [txk], Martini [mQ:'ti: nI]
"Not bad, is it? I taught the child myself, and in the old days in Chicago I considered that there wasn't a bar-tender in the city that could hold a candle to me. When I had nothing better to do in the penitentiary I used to amuse myself by thinking out new cocktails, but when you come down to brass tacks there's nothing to beat a dry Martini."
Bateman felt as though someone had given him a violent blow on the funny-bone (Бейтман чувствовал себя так, словно кто-то сильно ударил его по локтевому нерву; funny-bone — косточка на локтевом сгибе) and he was conscious that he turned red and then white (и он почувствовал, что он сперва покраснел, а потом побледнел; conscious — сознающий, понимающий; ощущающий; to turn — становиться, делаться). But before he could think of anything to say (но прежде, чем он смог найти, что сказать) a native boy brought in a great bowl of soup (туземный слуга принес большую миску/чашу супа; boy — мальчик; бой, слуга-туземец; to bring (brought); bowl — миска, таз; чашка) and the whole party sat down to dinner (и все они сели ужинать; party — отряд, команда; компания). Arnold Jackson's remark seemed to have aroused in him a train of recollections (замечание Арнольда Джексона, казалось, пробудило в нем самом вереницу воспоминаний; train — поезд, состав; ряд, цепь, вереница), for he began to talk of his prison days (так как он начал говорить о времени, проведенном в тюрьме: «о своих тюремных днях»). He talked quite naturally, without malice (говорил он совершенно непринужденно: «естественно», без злобы), as though he were relating his experiences at a foreign university (словно рассказывал об учебе в иностранном университете; experience — /жизненный/опыт).
violent ['vaIqlqnt], funny bone ['fAnIbqun], malice ['mxlIs], experience [Ik'spI(q)rIqns]
Bateman felt as though someone had given him a violent blow on the funny-bone and he was conscious that he turned red and then white. But before he could think of anything to say a native boy brought in a great bowl of soup and the whole party sat down to dinner. Arnold Jackson's remark seemed to have aroused in him a train of recollections, for he began to talk of his prison days. He talked quite naturally, without malice, as though he were relating his experiences at a foreign university.
He addressed himself to Bateman (он обращался к Бейтману) and Bateman was confused and then confounded (и Бейтман был смущен, а затем и вовсе сбит с толку). He saw Edward's eyes fixed on him (он видел, что Эдвард пристально смотрит на него) and there was in them a flicker of amusement (и что в его взгляде присутствует веселый блеск; flicker — мерцание). He blushed scarlet (он залился румянцем), for it struck him that Jackson was making a fool of him (так как ему вдруг показалось, что Джексон дурачит его), and then because he felt absurd (а затем, оттого что он глупо чувствовал себя) — and knew there was no reason why he should (хотя знал, что у него не было никаких причин чувствовать себя глупо) — he grew angry (он рассердился).