Английский язык с У. С. Моэмом. На окраине империи. Рассказы
Шрифт:
The two men now held no communication with one another (эти двое мужчин теперь не поддерживали никакой связи друг с другом). They broke the time-honoured custom of sharing, notwithstanding personal dislike, a drink at six o`clock with any white man who happened to be at the station (они сломали/нарушили освященную временем традицию совместного выпивания, несмотря на личную неприязнь, в шесть часов стаканчика с любым белым, оказавшимся на станции; sharing — деление, разделение; разделение, совместное использование). Each lived in his own house as though the other did not exist (каждый жил в своем собственном доме так, как будто другого не существует). Now that Cooper had fallen into the work (теперь, когда Купер вошел в работу = в суть дела), it was necessary for them to have little to do with one another in the office (им было необходимо иметь мало дела друг с другом в канцелярии = они старались иметь друг с другом как можно меньше дела, встречаться как можно реже). Mr. Warburton used his orderly to send any message he had to give his assistant (мистер Уорбертон использовал своего курьера, чтобы послать любое сообщение, предназначенное помощнику: «которое нужно было отдать помощнику»), and his instructions he sent by formal letter (и свои распоряжения он посылал формальным = официальным
notwithstanding [nOtwIT`stxndIN], inevitable [In`evItqbl], antagonism [xn`txgqnIzm]
The two men now held no communication with one another. They broke the time-honoured custom of sharing, notwithstanding personal dislike, a drink at six o`clock with any white man who happened to be at the station. Each lived in his own house as though the other did not exist. Now that Cooper had fallen into the work, it was necessary for them to have little to do with one another in the office. Mr. Warburton used his orderly to send any message he had to give his assistant, and his instructions he sent by formal letter. They saw one another constantly, that was inevitable, but did not exchange half a dozen words in a week. The fact that they could not avoid catching sight of one another got on their nerves. They brooded over their antagonism, and Mr. Warburton, taking his daily walk, could think of nothing but how much he detested his assistant.
And the dreadful thing was that in all probability they would remain thus (и ужасной вещью было то, что по всей вероятности, они останутся = будут жить таким образом; in all probability — по всей вероятности, по всей видимости), facing each other in deadly enmity (противостоя друг другу в непримиримой: «суровой» вражде), till Mr. Warburton went on leave (пока мистер Уорбертон не уедет в отпуск), it might be three years (это могло бы быть = может наступить через три года), he had no reason to send in a complaint to headquarters (он не имел никакой причины посылать жалобу в главное управление): Cooper did his work very well (Купер делал свою работу очень хорошо), and at that time men were hard to get (и в то время людей было трудно найти). True, vague complaints reached him and hints that the natives found Cooper harsh (правда, до него доходили смутные жалобы и намеки, что туземцы находят = считают Купер грубым). There was certainly a feeling of dissatisfaction among them (было, конечно, чувство неудовлетворенности/недовольства среди них). But when Mr. Warburton looked into specific cases (но когда мистер Уорбертон изучал отдельные случаи), all he could say was that Cooper had shown severity (все, что он мог сказать, было, что Купер показывал = проявлял строгость/жесткость) where mildness would not have been misplaced (где мягкость была бы уместна: «не была бы неуместна»), and had been unfeeling when himself would have been sympathetic (и был жесток: «бесчувствен», тогда как он сам был бы полон сочувствия). He had done nothing for which he could be taken to task (он не сделал ничего, за что его можно было бы осудить/обвинить: «он мог быть взят к обвинению»). But Mr. Warburton watched him (но мистер Уорбертон следил за ним). Hatred will often make a man clear-sighted (ненависть часто делает человека проницательным), and he had a suspicion that Cooper was using the natives without consideration (и у него было подозрение, что Купер использует туземцев, не считая их за людей; consideration — размышление, рассуждение, анализ, разбор, рассмотрение; вежливость, предупредительность; уважение), yet keeping within the law (хоть и оставаясь в рамках закона), because he felt that thus he could exasperate his chief (потому что он чувствовал, что таким образом он мог раздражать своего начальника). One day perhaps he would go too far (однажды, возможно, он зайдет слишком далеко). None knew better than Mr. Warburton (никто не знал лучше, чем мистер Уорбертон) how irritable the incessant heat could make a man (каким раздражительным может сделать человека постоянная жара) and how difficult it was to keep one`s self-control after a sleepless night (и как трудно было сохранять самообладание после бессонной ночи). He smiled softly to himself (он приятно улыбнулся). Sooner or later Cooper would deliver himself into his hand (рано или поздно Купер отдаст себя в его руки).
headquarters [hed'kwO: tqz], severity [sI`verItI], suspicion [sq`spISn], exasperate [Ig`zQ: spqreIt], incessant [In`sesnt]
And the dreadful thing was that in all probability they would remain thus, facing each other in deadly enmity, till Mr. Warburton went on leave, it might be three years, he had no reason to send in a complaint to headquarters: Cooper did his work very well, and at that time men were hard to get. True, vague complaints reached him and hints that the natives found Cooper harsh. There was certainly a feeling of dissatisfaction among them. But when Mr. Warburton looked into specific cases, all he could say was that Cooper had shown severity where mildness would not have been misplaced, and had been unfeeling when himself would have been sympathetic. He had done nothing for which he could be taken to task. But Mr. Warburton watched him. Hatred will often make a man clear-sighted, and he had a suspicion that Cooper was using the natives without consideration, yet keeping within the law, because he felt that thus he could exasperate his chief. One day perhaps he would go too far. None knew better than Mr. Warburton how irritable the incessant heat could make a man and how difficult it was to keep one`s self-control after a sleepless night. He smiled softly to himself. Sooner or later Cooper would deliver himself into his hand.
When at last the opportunity came, Mr. Warburton laughed aloud (когда,
astound [q`stqund], devise [dI`vaIz], warder [`wO: dq]
When at last the opportunity came, Mr. Warburton laughed aloud. Cooper had charge of the prisoners; they made roads, built sheds, rowed when it was necessary to send the prahu up or down stream, kept the town clean and otherwise usefully employed themselves. If well-behaved they even on occasion served as house-boys. Cooper kept them hard at it. He liked to see them work. He took pleasure in devising tasks for them; and seeing quickly enough that they were being made to do useless things the prisoners worked badly. He punished them by lengthening their hours. This was contrary to the regulations, and as soon as it was brought to the attention of Mr. Warburton, without referring the matter back to his subordinate, he gave instructions that the old hours should be kept; Cooper, going out for his walk, was astounded to see the prisoners strolling back to the jail; he had given instructions that they were not to knock off till dusk. When he asked the warder in charge why they had left off work he was told that it was the Resident`s bidding.
White with rage he strode to the Fort (белый = побелевший от ярости, он зашагал к Форту). Mr. Warburton, in his spotless white ducks and his neat topee (мистер Уорбертон, в своих безупречно белых парусиновых брюках и аккуратном шлеме), with a walking-stick in his hand (с тростью в руке), followed by his dogs (сопровождаемый своими собаками), was on the point of starting out on his afternoon stroll (как раз собирался отправиться на послеобеденную прогулку). He had watched Cooper go (он видел, что Купер шел), and knew that he had taken the road by the river (и знал, что он взял = повернул на дорогу у реки). Cooper jumped up the steps and went straight up to the Resident (Купер прыжками поднялся по ступенькам и подошел/пошел прямо к резиденту).
"I want to know what the hell you mean by countermanding my order (я хочу знать, какого черта вы отменили мой приказ: «что вы имели в виду отменой моего приказа») that the prisoners were to work till six (что заключенные должны работать до шести)," he burst out, beside himself with fury (воскликнул он, вне себя от ярости).
Mr. Warburton opened his cold blue eyes very wide and assumed an expression of great surprise (мистер Уорбертон открыл свои холодные синие глаза очень широко и изобразил: «принял» выражение большого/огромного удивления).
straight [streIt], countermand [kauntq`mQ: nd]
White with rage he strode to the Fort. Mr. Warburton, in his spotless white ducks and his neat topee, with a walking-stick in his hand, followed by his dogs, was on the point of starting out on his afternoon stroll. He had watched Cooper go, and knew that he had taken the road by the river. Cooper jumped up the steps and went straight up to the Resident.
"I want to know what the hell you mean by countermanding my order that the prisoners were to work till six," he burst out, beside himself with fury.
Mr. Warburton opened his cold blue eyes very wide and assumed an expression of great surprise.
"Are you out of your mind (вы в своем уме: «вы вне своего ума»)? Are you so ignorant that you do not know (неужели вы настолько невежественны, что не знаете) that that is not the way to speak to your official superior (что так не разговаривают: «это не способ разговорить = разговора со своим официальным начальником»)?"
"Oh, go to hell (а, да идите к черту). The prisoners are my pidgin, and you`ve got no right to interfere (заключенные — моя забота, и вы не имеете права вмешиваться; pidgin— гибридный язык с искажением морфологического и фонетического облика слов; /сленг/ провинция; занятие). You mind your business and I`ll mind mine (вы занимайтесь своим делом, а я буду заниматься своим). I want to know what the devil you mean by making a damned fool of me (я хочу знать, черт возьми, для чего вы выставляете меня круглым дураком: «что вы имеете в виду, делая из меня проклятого дурака»). Everyone in the place will know that you`ve countermanded my order (каждый в поселении: «в /этом/ месте» будет знать, что вы отменили мой приказ)."