Английский язык с Джеромом К. Джеромом. Трое в лодке, не считая собаки
Шрифт:
August [':st] benefactor [,ben'faekt]
In St. Nicholas Church, at Abingdon, there is a monument to John Blackwall and his wife Jane, who both, after leading a happy married life, died on the very same day, August 21, 1625; and in St. Helen's Church, it is recorded that W. Lee, who died in 1637, "had in his lifetime issue from his loins two hundred lacking but three." If you work this out you will find that Mr. W. Lee's family numbered one hundred and ninety-seven. Mr. W. Lee — five times Mayor of Abingdon — was, no doubt, a benefactor to his generation, but I hope there are not many of his kind about in this overcrowded nineteenth century.
From Abingdon to Nuneham Courteney is a lovely stretch. Nuneham Park is well worth a visit. It can be viewed on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The house contains a fine collection of pictures and curiosities, and the grounds are very beautiful.
The pool under Sandford lasher, just behind the lock, is a very good place to drown yourself in (заводь
Iffley Lock and Mill, a mile before you reach Oxford (шлюз и мельница Иффли, не доезжая мили до Оксфорда), is a favourite subject with the river-loving brethren of the brush (излюбленный сюжет реколюбивой братии кисти = пишущей речные пейзажи братии). The real article, however, is rather disappointing, after the pictures (однако настоящий предмет довольно разочаровывающий по сравнению с картинами = в жизни выглядит хуже, чем на картине). Few things, I have noticed, come quite up to the pictures of them, in this world (немногие вещи в этом мире, я заметил, соответствуют своим изображениям/стоят на том же /высоком/ уровне, что их изображения; to come up to — доходить до; достигать уровня, соответствовать).
We passed through Iffley Lock at about half-past twelve (мы прошли шлюз Иффли примерно в полпервого), and then, having tidied up the boat and made all ready for landing, we set to work on our last mile (затем, убрав лодку и полностью подготовившись к высадке, мы принялись за дело на нашей последней миле = налегли на весла, чтобы пройти последнюю милю).
obelisk ['blsk] brethren ['bredrn]
The pool under Sandford lasher, just behind the lock, is a very good place to drown yourself in. The undercurrent is terribly strong, and if you once get down into it you are all right. An obelisk marks the spot where two men have already been drowned, while bathing there; and the steps of the obelisk are generally used as a diving-board by young men now who wish to see if the place really is dangerous.
Iffley Lock and Mill, a mile before you reach Oxford, is a favourite subject with the river-loving brethren of the brush. The real article, however, is rather disappointing, after the pictures. Few things, I have noticed, come quite up to the pictures of them, in this world.
We passed through Iffley Lock at about half-past twelve, and then, having tidied up the boat and made all ready for landing, we set to work on our last mile.
Between Iffley and Oxford is the most difficult bit of the river I know (между Иффли и Оксфордом расположен самый трудный участок реки, /который/ я знаю). You want to be born on that bit of water, to understand it (необходимо родиться на этом участке, чтобы понять его). I have been over it a fairish number of times, but I have never been able to get the hang of it (я проходил его изрядное число раз, но так и не постиг; to get the hang of — раскусить, понять, освоиться). The man who could row a straight course from Oxford to Iffley ought to be able to live comfortably, under one roof (человек, который сумел бы пройти на веслах прямым курсом
First the current drives you on to the right bank, and then on to the left (сначала течение несет вас к правому берегу, потом к левому), then it takes you out into the middle, turns you round three times (затем выносит на середину, поворачивает три раза), and carries you up stream again, and always ends by trying to smash you up against a college barge (и несет снова вверх по реке, все время заканчивает тем, что пытается разбить вас о какую-нибудь университетскую баржу).
Of course, as a consequence of this, we got in the way of a good many other boats, during the mile (конечно, в результате этого мы помешали порядочному числу других лодок на протяжении этой мили), and they in ours, and, of course, as a consequence of that, a good deal of bad language occurred (а они — нашей лодке, и, конечно, вследствие этого много скверных слов было сказано; to occur — происходить, случаться).
servant ['s:vnt] consequence ['knskwns]
Between Iffley and Oxford is the most difficult bit of the river I know. You want to be born on that bit of water, to understand it. I have been over it a fairish number of times, but I have never been able to get the hang of it. The man who could row a straight course from Oxford to Iffley ought to be able to live comfortably, under one roof, with his wife, his mother-in-law, his elder sister, and the old servant who was in the family when he was a baby.
First the current drives you on to the right bank, and then on to the left, then it takes you out into the middle, turns you round three times, and carries you up stream again, and always ends by trying to smash you up against a college barge.
Of course, as a consequence of this, we got in the way of a good many other boats, during the mile, and they in ours, and, of course, as a consequence of that, a good deal of bad language occurred.
I don't know why it should be, but everybody is always so exceptionally irritable on the river (не знаю почему, но все всегда крайне раздражительны на реке; exceptionally — исключительно, очень). Little mishaps, that you would hardly notice on dry land (мелкие неприятности, которые вы вряд ли бы заметили на суше; mishap — несчастье, неудача; несчастный случай, поломка), drive you nearly frantic with rage, when they occur on the water (доводят вас чуть ли не до бешенства, когда случаются на воде; frantic — безумный, неистовый, яростный; rage — ярость, гнев, бешенство). When Harris or George makes an ass of himself on dry land, I smile indulgently (когда Гаррис или Джордж валяют дурака: «делают осла из себя» на суше, я улыбаюсь снисходительно); when they behave in a chuckle-head way on the river (когда они ведут себя как болваны на реке), I use the most blood-curdling language to them (я употребляю самые ужасные, леденящие кровь слова по отношению к ним; to curdle — свертываться /о крови, молоке/). When another boat gets in my way, I feel I want to take an oar and kill all the people in it (когда другая лодка мешает мне пройти, я хочу взять весло и убить всех людей в ней).
The mildest-tempered people, when on land, become violent and blood-thirsty when in a boat (самые кроткие на суше люди становятся жестокими и кровожадными, оказавшись в лодке). I did a little boating once with a young lady (я катался на лодке как-то раз с одной барышней). She was naturally of the sweetest and gentlest disposition imaginable (она была по природе самого милого и кроткого нрава, /какой только можно/ представить; disposition — расположение; характер, нрав; imaginable — вообразимый, мыслимый), but on the river it was quite awful to hear her (но на реке было весьма страшно слушать ее).