Английский язык с Ф. Скоттом Фитцджеральдом. Алмаз величиной в отель «Риц» / Francis Scott Fitzgerald. The Diamond As Big As The Ritz
Шрифт:
drawer [drL], precious ['preSqs], fingered ['fINgqd]
"Not so bad," cried John, enthusiastically. "They aren't very big, but — Hello!" His expression changed as he held one of them up to the declining sun. "Why, these aren't diamonds! There's something the matter!"
"By golly!" exclaimed Kismine, with a startled look. "What an idiot I am!"
"Why, these are rhinestones!" cried John.
"I know." She broke into a laugh. "I opened the wrong drawer. They belonged on the dress of a girl who visited Jasmine. I got her to give them to me in exchange for diamonds. I'd never seen anything but precious stones before."
"And this is what you brought?"
"I'm afraid so." She fingered the brilliants wistfully. "I think I like these better. I'm a little tired of diamonds."
"Very well," said John gloomily. "We'll have to live in Hades. And you will grow old telling incredulous women that you got the wrong drawer. Unfortunately your father's bank-books were consumed with him."
"Well, what's the matter with Hades (а
"If I come home with a wife at my age (если я в моем возрасте приеду домой с женой) my father is just as liable as not (мой отец вполне может; liable — обязанный; подлежащий /чему-л./; очень вероятный, очень возможный) to cut me off with a hot coal (оставить мне в наследство один горячий уголек; to cut off — отрезать; лишить наследства), as they say down there (как говорят там /у нас/)."
Jasmine spoke up (/тут/ заговорила Жасмин).
"I love washing," she said quietly (я люблю стирать, — спокойно сказала она). "I have always washed my own handkerchiefs (я всегда /сама/ стирала свои носовые платки). I'll take in laundry (буду брать на дом стирку; to take in — брать /жильцов, работу на дом/; laundry — прачечная; стирка; белье /для стирки или из стирки/) and support you both (и содержать вас обоих; to support — поддерживать; содержать /материально/)."
"Do they have washwomen in Hades?" asked Kismine innocently (в Гадесе есть прачки? — простодушно спросила Кисмин; innocent — невинный, непорочный; простодушный, наивный).
"Of course," answered John. "It's just like anywhere else (/там/ так же, как и везде: «как где-нибудь еще»)."
"I thought — perhaps it was too hot to wear any clothes (я подумала… может быть, /там/ слишком жарко, для того чтобы носить одежду)."
John laughed (засмеялся).
"Just try it!" he suggested (попробуй-ка /не носить/! — предложил он). "They'll run you out before you're half started (тебя выгонят /из города/, не успеешь и начать: «прежде чем наполовину начнешь»; to run — бежать; гнать /напр. животных/; to run out — выгонять)."
"Will father be there?" she asked (/а/ отец будет там? — спросила она).
John turned to her in astonishment (с удивлением обернулся к ней).
"Your father is dead," he replied somberly (твой отец мертв, — ответил он хмуро). "Why should he go to Hades (почему он должен отправиться в Гадес)? You have it confused with another place that was abolished long ago (ты спутала его с другим местом, которое давным-давно упразднили; to abolish — разрушать, уничтожать; отменять, упразднять)."
liable ['laIqbl], handkerchief ['hxNkqCIf], abolish [q'bOlIS]
"Well, what's the matter with Hades?"
"If I come home with a wife at my age my father is just as liable as not to cut me off with a hot coal, as they say down there."
Jasmine spoke up.
"I love washing," she said quietly. "I have always washed my own handkerchiefs. I'll take in laundry and support you both."
"Do they have washwomen in Hades?" asked Kismine innocently.
"Of course," answered John. "It's just like anywhere else."
"I thought — perhaps it was too hot to wear any clothes."
John laughed.
"Just try it!" he suggested. "They'll run you out before you're half started."
"Will father be there?" she asked.
John turned to her in astonishment.
"Your father is dead," he replied somberly. "Why should he go to Hades? You have it confused with another place that was abolished long ago."
After supper they folded up the table-cloth (после
"What a dream it was," Kismine sighed, gazing up at the stars (какой это был сон, — вздохнула Кисмин, глядя вверх на звезды). "How strange it seems to be here with one dress and a penniless fianc'e (как странно находиться здесь с одним /единственным/ платьем и женихом, у которого нет ни гроша; penniless — без гроша, безденежный)!"
"Under the stars," she repeated (под звездами, — повторяла она). "I never noticed the stars before (я никогда не замечала звезд прежде). I always thought of them as great big diamonds that belonged to some one (я всегда думала о них, как о большущих алмазах, которые кому-то принадлежат). Now they frighten me (теперь они меня пугают). They make me feel (из-за них мне кажется: «они заставляют меня чувствовать») that it was all a dream, all my youth (что все это было сном — вся моя юность)."
"It was a dream," said John quietly (это /и/ был сон, — спокойно сказал Джон). "Everybody's youth is a dream (юность любого человека — /это/ сон), a form of chemical madness (разновидность химического безумия; т. е. из-за особых /возрастных/ химических процессов в организме)."
penniless ['penIlIs], fianc'e [fI'OnseI], [fI'RnseI], chemical ['kemIk(q)l]
After supper they folded up the table-cloth and spread their blankets for the night.
"What a dream it was," Kismine sighed, gazing up at the stars. "How strange it seems to be here with one dress and a penniless fianc'e!"
"Under the stars," she repeated. "I never noticed the stars before. I always thought of them as great big diamonds that belonged to some one. Now they frighten me. They make me feel that it was all a dream, all my youth."
"It was a dream," said John quietly. "Everybody's youth is a dream, a form of chemical madness."
"How pleasant then to be insane (как приятно тогда быть сумаcшедшей)!"