Английский язык с Конан Дойлем. Этюд в багровых тонах
Шрифт:
"As He will all the nations in His own good time," said the other in a nasal voice (как Он приберет все народы в угодное Ему время, — сказал второй гнусавым голосом; nasal — носовой; гнусавый); "He grindeth [18] slowly but exceeding small (медленно мелют жернова Господни, но перемалывают в пыль; to grind — молоть, перемалывать; exceeding = exceedingly — очень, чрезвычайно)."
John Ferrier bowed coldly (Джон Феррьер холодно кивнул). He had guessed who his visitors were (он уже догадался, кто такие
18
grindeth — архаичная форма 3-го лица ед. числа глагола, соответствует современному grinds; язык Шекспира и английского перевода Библии.
"We have come," continued Stangerson (мы пришли, — продолжал Стенджерсон), "at the advice of our fathers to solicit the hand of your daughter (по совету наших отцов попросить руки вашей дочери) for whichever of us may seem good to you and to her (для того из нас, кто покажется вам или ей более подходящим: «хорошим»; whichever — какой угодно, какой бы ни). As I have but four wives and Brother Drebber here has seven (поскольку у меня лишь четыре жены, а у брата Дреббера семь), it appears to me that my claim is the stronger one (мне кажется, что я имею больше прав на нее: «что мое притязание более сильное»)."
"Nay, nay, Brother Stangerson," cried the other (нет, нет, брат Стенджерсон, — вскричал другой); "the question is not how many wives we have, but how many we can keep (вопрос заключается не в том, сколько у нас жен, но в том, сколько мы можем содержать). My father has now given over his mills to me, and I am the richer man (мой отец передал мне свои мельницы, и я теперь богаче)."
fold [fuld], nasal ['nezl], grind [rand], solicit [s'lst]
"Maybe you don't know us," he said. "This here is the son of Elder Drebber, and I'm Joseph Stangerson, who travelled with you in the desert when the Lord stretched out His hand and gathered you into the true fold."
"As He will all the nations in His own good time," said the other in a nasal voice; "He grindeth slowly but exceeding small."
John Ferrier bowed coldly. He had guessed who his visitors were.
"We have come," continued Stangerson, "at the advice of our fathers to solicit the hand of your daughter for whichever of us may seem good to you and to her. As I have but four wives and Brother Drebber here has seven, it appears to me that my claim is the stronger one."
"Nay, nay, Brother Stangerson," cried the other; "the question is not how many wives we have, but how many we can keep. My father has now given over his mills to me, and I am the richer man."
"But my prospects are better," said the other, warmly (зато мои виды на будущее лучше, — пылко сказал Стенджерсон). "When the Lord removes my father (когда Господь приберет моего отца; to remove — убирать, уносить, устранять), I shall have his tanning yard and his leather factory (мне будут принадлежать его дубильня и кожевенный завод). Then I am your elder, and am higher in the Church (к тому же я старше тебя и выше в церковной иерархии)."
"It will be for the maiden to decide," rejoined young Drebber (пусть
During this dialogue, John Ferrier had stood fuming in the doorway (во время этого диалога Джон Феррьер стоял в дверях, вскипая от гнева; to fume — раздражаться; кипеть от злости), hardly able to keep his riding-whip from the backs of his two visitors (едва сдерживаясь, чтобы не приложиться своим хлыстом к спинам двух посетителей).
"Look here," he said at last, striding up to them (а теперь слушайте, — наконец сказал он, подходя к ним), "when my daughter summons you, you can come (когда моя дочь позовет вас, можете приходить; to summon — вызвать, позвать), but until then I don't want to see your faces again (но до этого момента я не хочу больше видеть ваши физиономии)."
The two young Mormons stared at him in amazement (два молодых мормона удивленно уставились на него). In their eyes this competition between them for the maiden's hand was the highest of honours both to her and her father (с их точки зрения это соперничество за руку девушки было высшей честью как для нее, так и для ее отца).
leather ['led], decide [d'sad], dialogue ['dal], honour ['n]
"But my prospects are better," said the other, warmly. "When the Lord removes my father, I shall have his tanning yard and his leather factory. Then I am your elder, and am higher in the Church."
"It will be for the maiden to decide," rejoined young Drebber, smirking at his own reflection in the glass. "We will leave it all to her decision."
During this dialogue, John Ferrier had stood fuming in the doorway, hardly able to keep his riding-whip from the backs of his two visitors.
"Look here," he said at last, striding up to them, "when my daughter summons you, you can come, but until then I don't want to see your faces again."
The two young Mormons stared at him in amazement. In their eyes this competition between them for the maiden's hand was the highest of honours both to her and her father.
"There are two ways out of the room," cried Ferrier (из этой комнаты два выхода, — поднял голос: «вскричал» Феррьер); "there is the door, and there is the window (есть дверь, и есть окно). Which do you care to use (какой вы предпочитаете: «какой вы имеете желание использовать»)?"
His brown face looked so savage (его загорелое лицо выглядело таким яростным), and his gaunt hands so threatening (а его жилистые руки такими угрожающими; gaunt — сухопарый; худой, костлявый), that his visitors sprang to their feet and beat a hurried retreat (что его посетители вскочили на ноги и поспешили удалиться; to beat a retreat — бить отбой; поспешно отступать, спасаться бегством; to hurry — спешить). The old farmer followed them to the door (старый фермер пошел: «последовал» за ними до двери).