Английский язык с Джеромом К. Джеромом. Трое в лодке, не считая собаки

Еремин Андрей

They are picturesque little spots, these locks (что за живописные местечки, эти шлюзы). The stout old lock-keeper, or his cheerful-looking wife, or bright-eyed daughter (толстый старый начальник шлюза, его веселая жена или ясноглазая дочь), are pleasant folk to have a passing chat with (славные люди, с которыми приятно поболтать, проплывая мимо; pleasant — приятный; радостный; милый, славный).* You meet other boats there, and river gossip is exchanged (вы встречаете там другие лодки и обмениваетесь речными сплетнями/слухами). The Thames would not be the fairyland it is without its flower-decked locks (Темза не была бы таким сказочным местом без своих украшенных

цветами шлюзов; fairyland — сказочная, волшебная страна; to deck — настилать палубу; украшать, наряжать).

absence ['aebsns] picturesque [,pk'resk] daughter ['d:t]

But however satisfactory this absence of locks may be to rowing-men, it is to be regretted by the mere pleasure-seeker.

For myself, I am fond of locks. They pleasantly break the monotony of the pull. I like sitting in the boat and slowly rising out of the cool depths up into new reaches and fresh views; or sinking down, as it were, out of the world, and then waiting, while the gloomy gates creak, and the narrow strip of day-light between them widens till the fair smiling river lies full before you, and you push your little boat out from its brief prison on to the welcoming waters once again.

They are picturesque little spots, these locks. The stout old lock-keeper, or his cheerful-looking wife, or bright-eyed daughter, are pleasant folk to have a passing chat with.* You meet other boats there, and river gossip is exchanged. The Thames would not be the fairyland it is without its flower-decked locks.

* Or rather were (вернее, раньше были). The Conservancy of late seems to have constituted itself into a society for the employment of idiots (Комитет по охране рек в последнее время, кажется, превратился в общество по трудоустройству идиотов; to constitute — составлять; образовывать, учреждать; employment — служба, занятие; занятость). A good many of the new lock-keepers, especially in the more crowded portions of the river (довольно большое число новых начальников шлюзов, особенно на наиболее многолюдных/перегруженных участках реки), are excitable, nervous old men, quite unfitted for their post (/легко/ возбудимые, нервные старики, совершенно непригодные для своей должности).

Talking of locks reminds me of an accident George and I very nearly had one summer's morning at Hampton Court (говоря о шлюзах, я вспоминаю об аварии, в которую мы с Джорджем чуть не попали одним летним утром у Хэмптон-Корта).

It was a glorious day, and the lock was crowded (стоял чудесный день, и шлюз был полон); and, as is a common practice up the river (и, как установившаяся практика = как часто бывает на реке), a speculative photographer was taking a picture of us all as we lay upon the rising waters (задумчивый фотограф снимал всех нас, когда мы лежали на поднимающейся воде = поднимались на шлюзе).

conservancy [kn's:vns] society [s'sat] speculative ['spekjultv]

* Or rather were. The Conservancy of late seems to have constituted itself into a society for the employment of idiots. A good many of the new lock-keepers, especially in the more crowded portions of the river, are excitable, nervous old men, quite unfitted for their post.

Talking of locks reminds me of an accident George and I very nearly had one summer's morning at Hampton Court.

It was a glorious day, and the lock was crowded; and, as is a common practice up the river, a speculative photographer was taking a picture of us all as we lay upon the rising waters.

I did not catch what was going on at first (сначала я не понял, что происходит), and was, therefore, extremely surprised at noticing George hurriedly smooth out his trousers, ruffle up his hair (и поэтому чрезвычайно удивился,

заметив, что Джордж торопливо разглаживает свои брюки, ерошит волосы), and stick his cap on in a rakish manner at the back of his head (и сдвигает небрежно свою фуражку на затылок; to stick on — крепко сидеть /о головном уборе/; наклеивать; rakish — распутный; щегольской; лихой, ухарский; небрежный), and then, assuming an expression of mingled affability and sadness (потом, принимая выражение смешанной приветливости и печали = приветливо-печальное выражение), sit down in a graceful attitude, and try to hide his feet (он сел в изящную позу и постарался спрятать свои ноги).

My first idea was that he had suddenly caught sight of some girl he knew (моей первой мыслью было, что он внезапно увидел какую-нибудь знакомую девушку; to catch sight of), and I looked about to see who it was (и я оглянулся посмотреть, кто это). Everybody in the lock seemed to have been suddenly struck wooden (все, /кто находился/ в шлюзе, словно вдруг окоченели; to strike — ударять/ся/, бить; поражать, производить впечатление; wooden — деревянный). They were all standing or sitting about in the most quaint and curious attitudes I have ever seen off a Japanese fan (все они стояли или сидели в очень странных и необычных позах, какие я видел /только/ на японском веере). All the girls were smiling (все девушки улыбались). Oh, they did look so sweet (они выглядели такими милыми)! And all the fellows were frowning, and looking stern and noble (а все мужчины нахмурились и казались угрюмыми и благородными).

assuming ['sju:m] Japanese [,aep'ni:z]

I did not catch what was going on at first, and was, therefore, extremely surprised at noticing George hurriedly smooth out his trousers, ruffle up his hair, and stick his cap on in a rakish manner at the back of his head, and then, assuming an expression of mingled affability and sadness, sit down in a graceful attitude, and try to hide his feet.

My first idea was that he had suddenly caught sight of some girl he knew, and I looked about to see who it was. Everybody in the lock seemed to have been suddenly struck wooden. They were all standing or sitting about in the most quaint and curious attitudes I have ever seen off a Japanese fan. All the girls were smiling. Oh, they did look so sweet! And all the fellows were frowning, and looking stern and noble.

And then, at last, the truth flashed across me, and I wondered if I should be in time (и тут наконец истина открылась мне, и я испугался, что опоздаю; to flash — сверкать, вспыхивать; промелькнуть, осенить, прийти в голову; to be in time — быть вовремя, успеть). Ours was the first boat, and it would be unkind of me to spoil the man's picture, I thought (наша лодка была первой, и я подумал, будет невежливо с моей стороны испортить фотографу снимок).

So I faced round quickly, and took up a position in the prow (поэтому я повернулся быстро и занял позицию на носу; to face — стоять лицом к, быть повернутым /в какую-либо сторону/), where I leant with careless grace upon the hitcher, in an attitude suggestive of agility and strength (где оперся с небрежным изяществом на багор, /приняв/ положение, говорившее о ловкости и силе; to lean; suggestive — наводящий на мысли). I arranged my hair with a curl over the forehead (я привел волосы в порядок, спустив один локон на лоб), and threw an air of tender wistfulness into my expression (и придал лицу выражение ласковой задумчивости; tender — мягкий, нежный, спокойный; wistful — тоскующий, задумчивый /о взгляде, улыбке/; мечтательный), mingled with a touch of cynicism, which I am told suits me (смешанной с оттенком цинизма, которое, как говорят, мне идет).