Английский язык с Мюриэль Спарк (рассказы)
Шрифт:
properly ['prOpqlI] judge [GAG] tuft [tAft] decently ['di: sntlI]
"So you're going to marry Skinny after all these years?"
"I really don't know, George."
"You played him up properly."
"It isn't for you to judge. I have my own reasons for what I do."
"Don't get sharp," he said, "I was only funning." To prove it, he lifted a tuft of hay and brushed my face with it.
"D'you know," he said next, "I didn't think you and Skinny treated me very decently in Rhodesia."
"Well, we were busy, George (ну, мы были заняты,
"A touch of selfishness (немножко эгоистично; a touch — прикосновение; чуточка, налет, оттенок)," he said.
"I'll have to be getting along, George (я должна идти, Джордж)." I made to get down from the stack (я попыталась соскользнуть вниз со стога).
He pulled me back (он втянул меня обратно; to pull — тянуть). "Wait, I've got something to tell you (подожди, я должен тебе что-то сказать),"
"О. К., George, tell me (хорошо, Джордж, говори мне)."
"First promise not to tell Kathleen (сначала обещай не говорить Кэтлин). She wants it kept a secret (она хочет сохранить это в секрете; to keep a secret — хранить в секрете) so that she can tell you herself (чтобы иметь возможность ей самой сказать тебе)."
"All right. Promise (Хорошо. Обещаю)."
selfishness ['selfISnIs] herself [(h)q'self]
"Well, we were busy, George. And we wereyounger then, we had a lot to do and see. After all, we could see you any other time, George."
"A touch of selfishness," he said.
"I'll have to be getting along, George." I made toget down from the stack.
He pulled me back. "Wait, I've got something to tell you,"
"О. К., George, tell me."
"First promise not to tell Kathleen. She wants itkept a secret so that she can tell you herself."
"All right. Promise."
"I'm going to marry Kathleen (я собираюсь жениться на Кэтлин)."
"But you're already married (но ты уже женат)."
Sometimes I heard news of Matilda (иногда до меня доходили: «я слышала» известия о Матильде) from the one Rhodesian family (от одной из семей из Родезии) with whom I still kept up (с которыми я до сих пор поддерживала связь). They referred to her as (они говорили о ней как о; to refer — направлять, адресовать) "George's Dark Lady (Смуглая Леди Джорджа; dark — темный, черный)" and of course they did not know he was married to her (и, конечно, они не знали, что он был женат на ней). She had apparently (она очевидно) made a good thing out of George (извлекла из Джорджа много денег: «сделала хорошую вещь из Джорджа»; to make a good thing of smth/smb), they said (говорили они), for she minced around (так как она ходила: «семенила вокруг») all tarted up (вся разодетая; tart — фруктовое пирожное; уличная девка), never did a stroke of work (никогда пальцем о палец не ударила; not to do a stoke of work — ничего не делать: a stroke — удар), and was always unsettling (и всегда унижала: «расстраивала») the respectable coloured girls (приличных цветных девушек) in their neighbourhood (в округе; neighbourhood — соседство). According to accounts (по общему мнению: «согласно расчетам»; accounts — счета, расчеты) she was a living example of the folly (она была живым примером глупости; folly —
already [O: l'redI] refer [rI'fq: ] apparently [q'pxrqntlI] neighbourhood ['neIbqhVd]
"I'm going to marry Kathleen."
"But you're already married."
Sometimes I heard news of Matilda from the one Rhodesian family with whom I still kept up. Theyreferred to her as "George's Dark Lady" and ofcourse they did not know he was married to her. Shehad apparently made a good thing out of George,they said, for she minced around all tarted up, neverdid a stroke of work, and was always unsettling therespectable coloured girls in their neighbourhood.According to accounts, she was a living example of the folly of behaving as George did.
"I married Matilda in the Congo (я женился на Матильде в Конго)," George was saying (говорил Джордж).
"It would still be bigamy," I said (это все равно остается двоеженством, — сказала я).
He was furious (он пришел в бешенство; furious — разъяренный, взбешенный) when I used that word bigamy (когда я произнесла: «использовала» то слово — двоеженство). He lifted a handful of hay (он поднял горсть сена) as if he would throw it in my face (как будто он собирался бросить его мне в лицо; to throw — бросать), but controlling himself (но сдержался: «контролируя себя»; to control — управлять, контролировать) meanwhile (тем временем) he fanned it at me (он замахал им /сеном/, как веером, мне в лицо; to fan — обмахивать веером, раздувать) playfully (шутливо; to play — играть).
"I'm not sure (я не уверен) that the Congo marriage (что брак в Конго) was valid (имеет юридическую силу: «был действительным»)," he continued (продолжил он). "Anyway (во всяком случае), as far as I'm concerned (насколько это касается меня; to concern — касаться, затрагивать), it isn't (он не действителен)."
"You can't do a thing like that (ты не можешь так поступить: «сделать вещь, как эта»)," I said.
"I need Kathleen (мне нужна Кэтлин). She's been decent to me (она была порядочна по отношению ко мне). I think (я думаю) we were always meant for each other (мы всегда были предназначены друг для друга; to mean — иметь в виду, означать), me and Kathleen (я и Кэтлин)."
"I'll have to be going (я должна идти)," I said.
bigamy ['bIgqmI] furious ['fjV(q)rIqs] meanwhile ['mi: nwaIl] fan [fxn]
"I married Matilda in the Congo," George wassaying.
"It would still be bigamy," I said.
He was furious when I used that word bigamy. Helifted a handful of hay as if he would throw it in myface, but controlling himself meanwhile he fanned itat me playfully.
"I'm not sure that the Congo marriage was valid,"he continued. "Anyway, as far asI'mconcerned, itisn't."
"You can't do a thing like that," I said.
"I need Kathleen. She's been decent to me. I thinkwe were always meant for each other, me andKathleen."
"I'll have to be going," I said.
But he put (но он прижал: «положил»; to put — класть) his knee (своим: «его» коленом) over my ankles (/на/ мои лодыжки), so that I couldn't move (так, что я не могла двинуться). I sat still (я сидела неподвижно) and gazed into space (и уставилась в пространство; to gaze — пристально смотреть).