Английский язык с У. С. Моэмом. На окраине империи. Рассказы - Уильям Моэм

Yours very sincerely, Richard Temple (Ваш, очень искренне = искренне Ваш, Ричард Темпл)."

despatch [dI`spxtS], diamond [`daIqmqnd], incline [In`klaIn], tolerance [`tOlqrqns]

He dispatched the letter next morning by special messenger. The answer came a fortnight later with the month`s mail. It was a private note and ran as follows: —

"My dear Warburton,

I do not want to answer your letter officially, and so I am writing you a few lines myself. Of course if you insist I will put the matter up to the Sultan, but I think you would be much wiser to drop it. I know Cooper is a rough diamond, but he is capable, and he had a pretty thin time in the war, and I think he should be given every chance. I think you are a little too much inclined to attach importance to a man`s social position. You must remember that times have changed. Of course it’s a very good thing for a man to be a gentleman, but it’s better that he should be competent and hard-working. I think if you`ll exercise a little tolerance you`ll get on very well with Cooper.

Yours very sincerely, Richard Temple."

The letter dropped from Mr. Warburton`s hand (письмо выпало из руки = рук мистера Уорбертона). It was easy to read between the lines (было легко читать его между строк). Dick Temple, whom he had known for twenty years (Дик Темпл, которого он знал = с которым он знаком двадцать лет), Dick Temple, who came from quite a good country family (Дик Темпл, который происходил из весьма хорошей/приличной провинциальной семьи), thought him a snob, and for that reason had no patience with his request (считал его снобом и по этой причине не проявил терпения = уважения к его просьбе). Mr. Warburton felt on a sudden discouraged with life (мистер Уорбертон внезапно почувствовал себя обескураженным: «лишенным воли к жизни»). The world of which he was a part had passed away (/тот/ мир, частью которого он был, исчез: «ушел прочь»; to pass away — исчезать) and the future belonged to a meaner generation (а будущее принадлежало более низкому/вульгарному поколению; mean — убогий, жалкий; неприятный, противный). Cooper represented it and Cooper he hated with all his heart (Купер представлял/олицетворял его, а Купера он ненавидел всем своим сердцем). He stretched out his hand to fill his glass (он протянул свою руку, чтобы наполнить свой стакан), and at the gesture his head-boy stepped forward (и при /этом/ жесте/телодвижении его старший бой шагнул вперед).

"I didn`t know you were there (я не знал, что ты здесь)."

The boy picked up the official letter (бой поднял официальное письмо). Ah, that was why he was waiting (а, вот: «это было то», почему он ждал).

"Does Tuan Cooper go, Tuan (туан Купер уходит, туан)?"

"No (нет)."

"There will be a misfortune (будет беда)."

patience [peISns], discourage [dI'skArIG], misfortune [mIs'fO: tSqn]

The letter dropped from Mr. Warburton`s hand. It was easy to read between the lines. Dick Temple, whom he had known for twenty years, Dick Temple, who came from quite a good country family, thought him a snob, and for that reason had no patience with his request. Mr. Warburton felt on a sudden discouraged with life. The world of which he was a part had passed away and the future belonged to a meaner generation. Cooper represented it and Cooper he hated with all his heart. He stretched out his hand to fill his glass, and at the gesture his head-boy stepped forward.

"I didn`t know you were there."

The boy picked up the official letter. Ah, that was why he was waiting.

"Does Tuan Cooper go, Tuan?"

"No."

"There will be a misfortune."

For a moment the words conveyed nothing to his lassitude (на мгновение эти слова не подействовали на него: «не передали ничего» /из-за/ его усталости). But only for a moment (но только на мгновение). He sat up in his chair and looked at the boy (он приподнялся в своем кресле и посмотрел на боя). He was all attention (он был сосредоточен/настороже: «весь внимание»).

"What do you mean by that (что ты имеешь в виду: «подразумеваешь этим»)?"

"Tuan Cooper is not behaving rightly with Abas (туан Купер несправедливо ведет себя/поступает с Абасом)."

Mr. Warburton shrugged his shoulders (мистер Уорбертон пожал плечами). How should a man like Cooper know how to treat servants (как должен = может /такой/ человек, как Купер, знать, как обращаться с прислугой)? Mr. Warburton knew the type (мистер Уорбертон встречался с подобными людьми: «знал /этот/ тип»): he would be grossly familiar with them at one moment and rude and inconsiderate the next (он может быть слишком фамильярным с ними в один момент и грубым и невнимательным в следующий; grossly — вульгарно, неаккуратно, некрасиво; уст. весьма; чрезвычайно, избыточно).

convey [kqn`veI], lassitude [`lxsItju: d], shrug [SrAg]

For a moment the words conveyed nothing to his lassitude. But only for a moment. He sat up in his chair and looked at the boy. He was all attention.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Tuan Cooper is not behaving rightly with Abas."

Mr. Warburton shrugged his shoulders. How should a man like Cooper know how to treat servants? Mr. Warburton knew the type: he would be grossly familiar with them at one moment and rude and inconsiderate the next.

"Let Abas go back to his family (пусть Абас идет назад = вернется к своей семье)."

"Tuan Cooper holds back his wages so that he may not run away (туан Купер удерживает его заработную плату, для того, чтобы он не мог убежать). He has paid him nothing for three months (он не платил ему ничего /уже/ три месяца). I tell him to be patient (я говорю ему быть терпеливым = потерпеть). But he is angry, he will not listen to reason (но он сердит, он не хочет слушать /мои/ доводы). If the Tuan continues to use him ill there will be a misfortune (если туан Купер будет продолжать обращаться с ним плохо, будет беда; to use— пользоваться, применять; обращаться, обходиться /с кем-либо/с чем-либо/)."

"You were right to tell me (ты правильно /сделал/, что сказал мне)."

wages [weIGqz]

"Let Abas go back to his family."

"Tuan Cooper holds back his wages so that he may not run away. He has paid him nothing for three months. I tell him to be patient. But he is angry, he will not listen to reason. If the Tuan continues to use him ill there will be a misfortune."

"You were right to tell me."

The fool (глупец)! Did he know so little of the Malays (он знал так мало = плохо малайцев) as to think he could safely injure them (чтобы думать, что он мог благополучно = безнаказанно обижать их)? It would serve him damned well right if he got a kris in his back (будет абсолютно заслуженно/так ему и надо, если он получит крис в спину; right— правильно, верно; справедливо; оправданно; заслуженно; kris— крис, малайский кинжал). A kris. Mr. Warburton`s heart seemed on a sudden to miss a beat (показалось, что сердце мистера Уорбертона внезапно остановилось/замерло: «пропустило биение»). He had only to let things take their course (он должен был только позволить событиям развиваться своим ходом) and one fine day he would be rid of Cooper (и в один прекрасный день он избавится от Купера). He smiled faintly as the phrase, a masterly inactivity, crossed his mind (он слабо улыбнулся, так как фраза «мастерское бездействие» пришла ему на ум; to cross— пересекать). And now his heart beat a little quicker (и теперь его сердце забилось немного быстрее), for he saw the man he hated lying on his face in a pathway of the jungle with a knife in his back (ибо он увидел = представил человека, которого ненавидел, лежащим лицом вниз: «на лице» на тропинке в джунглях с ножом в его спине). A fit end for the cad and the bully (подходящий/соответствующий конец для невежи и притеснителя). Mr. Warburton sighed (мистер Уорбертон вздохнул). It was his duty to warn him, and of course he must do it (его долгом было предупредить Купера, и, конечно, он должен сделать это). He wrote a brief and formal note to Cooper asking him to come to the Fort at once (он написал короткую и формальную/официальную записку Куперу, прося его/требуя = с просьбой прибыть в Форт немедленно).

faintly [`feIntlI], pathway [`pQ: TweI], bully [`bulI]

The fool! Did he know so little of the Malays as to think he could safely injure them? It would serve him damned well right if he got a kris in his back. A kris. Mr. Warburton`s heart seemed on a sudden to miss a beat. He had only to let things take their course and one fine day he would be rid of Cooper. He smiled faintly as the phrase, a masterly inactivity, crossed his mind. And now his heart beat a little quicker, for he saw the man he hated lying on his face in a pathway of the jungle with a knife in his back. A fit end for the cad and the bully. Mr. Warburton sighed. It was his duty to warn him, and of course he must do it. He wrote a brief and formal note to Cooper asking him to come to the Fort at once.

In ten minutes Cooper stood before him (через десять минут Купер стоял перед ним). They had not spoken to one another since the day (они не разговаривали друг с другом с того дня) when Mr. Warburton had nearly struck him (когда мистер Уорбертон чуть не ударил его). He did not now ask him to sit down (он теперь не предложил ему сесть).

"Did you wish to see me (вы хотели меня видеть)?" asked Cooper (спросил Купер).

He was untidy and none too clean (он был неопрятен и не очень чист; none— нисколько; никоим образом). His face and hands were covered with little red blotches where mosquitoes had bitten him (его лицо и руки были покрыты небольшими красными пятнами от укусов москитов: «где москиты покусали его») and he had scratched himself till the blood came (и он расчесывал их: «себя», пока не появлялась/выступала кровь = до крови; blotch — нарыв, фурункул, прыщ; клякса, пятно). His long, thin face bore a sullen look (его длинное, худое лицо имело угрюмый вид).

"I understand that you are again having trouble with your servants (я понимаю = узнал, что вы снова имеете неприятности со своими слугами). Abas, my head-boy`s nephew, complains that you have held back his wages for three months (Абас, племянник моего старшего боя, жалуется, что вы задержали его жалование за три месяца). I consider it a most arbitrary proceeding (я считаю это весьма/крайне произвольным/деспотическим поступком). The lad wishes to leave you, and I certainly do not blame him (парень хочет оставить = уйти от вас, и я, конечно, не осуждаю/упрекаю его). I must insist on your paying what is due to him (я должен = вынужден настаивать на вашем платеже того, что ему причитается)."

mosquitoe [mOs'ki: tqu], nephew ['nevju: ], arbitrary [`Q: bItrqrI], proceeding [prq'si: dIN]

In ten minutes Cooper stood before him. They had not spoken to one another since the day when Mr. Warburton had nearly struck him. He did not now ask him to sit down.

"Did you wish to see me?" asked Cooper.

He was untidy and none too clean. His face and hands were covered with little red blotches where mosquitoes had bitten him and he had scratched himself till the blood came. His long, thin face bore a sullen look.

"I understand that you are again having trouble with your servants. Abas, my head-boy`s nephew, complains that you have held back his wages for three months. I consider it a most arbitrary proceeding. The lad wishes to leave you, and I certainly do not blame him. I must insist on your paying what is due to him."